2009 draft profiles

Just starting to put together some profiles for this years draftee's.
I will be working through each state from the champs and then adding some TAC Cup players as i go on. This will be on going over a number of weeks.
Some things to keep in mind are

1.Only players born in 1991 or before are eligable for this years draft.
No players born in 1992 are available in the National draft.

2.The Gold Coast can pick 12 players this year that where born between 01.01.92 and 30.0.92. This bracket is the old bottom age players that have been made inelidgable for selection in the National draft from this year.

This will result in me only doing profiles on the players born in 1990 or 1991 as all others are going into next years draft or to the Gold Coast.
This thread will be kept locked so it will be easy to view.
All questions or comments can be directed to the current draft / trade thread where someone will no doubt answer them.

Tasmania

Ryan Harwood 184cm 79kg Glenorchy

Played in last years champs where he had a reasonably solid series playing mainly half forward. This year he has stepped up his midfield role and continued on with his run and work rate. He averaged 21 disposals over the 5 games and made the All Australian side.
He has pretty good pace and his clearance work was very good. He seems to like the contest and knows how to find the ball. Does run to dangerous spots when he can and he tackles pretty well.
The disappointment for me was his kicking. Last year at half forward he used the ball pretty well but this year in the hustle of the midfield his kicking did let him down at times in most games.
He is a player I would expect will get drafted because his pace and clearance work does slightly off set the work he will need on his kicking.


Jack Boon 174cm 75kg Clarence

Small half forward / midfielder. Reasonable pace but nothing special. He reads the play ok, is a solid mark and has good enough skills.
Does not mind kicking a goal.
I don’t think he is a draft prospect as he does not find enough of the ball and for his size he does not do anything outstanding to make you say this kid has something.

Marcus Davies 187cm 81cm North Hobart

Running half back who manages to find plenty of the ball. Reads the play pretty well and is strong over head. Tackles pretty well and his pace is good enough. Work rate is very good but his skills where not always great.
Pretty composed under pressure and can play an outside midfield role.
Averaged 20 disposals over 5 games.
Maybe a late or rookie draft prospect.

Jesse Crichton 183cm 66kg North Launceston

One player that a lot of people where looking forward to see again this year but for mine he was disappointing. The pace and skills where still there and he found a bit of the ball in some games but he struggled to really make an impact. He would often have a very quiet patch in a game before finding a bit of the ball at half back and not really hurting the opposition.
As far as his body goes he is still very skinny and can get knocked out of contests easily so he plays a very outside role.
Will get drafted but probably not as high as it was thought he may go last year.

Cameron Milne 200cm 97kg Lauderdale

19 year old who was given another go this year during the champ series. His ruck work is ok but he can have games where he does not find much of the ball. In the easier games I saw him play his kicking looked ok but he did get found out in that department against the better sides. His pace is ok for a ruckman but he is not overly quick. He is however mobile enough for a big man and does know how to push back into defence and take a mark.
He is a ruck prospect I think someone will take a risk with at some stage later on.

Daniel Archer 195cm 91kg Clarence

Forward who had some reasonable games during the series. I saw him early playing against the GC at the MCG on a very wet day and he presented as a target all day despite the conditions not being good for marking. He is a strong mark and reasonably mobile but his straight line pace is nothing to write home about.
His work rate was good in all the games I have seen him play this year and he can be used in defence where he did ok when moved back during a couple of games.
His skills are not too bad but his set shots for goals where ordinary in a couple of games I saw. Did have to play a bit of ruck which won’t be his go at AFL level.
Another project type who could be considered later on in the draft.


Vincent Ponsonby 191cm 74kg Devonport

Skinny defender who seems to read the play coming into defence ok. Gets to front spot a lot and is an ok mark. Pace is pretty good and he doesn’t mind going for a run up the ground. His kicking is not bad but he is certainly not in the elite class.
Could be a good tall running defender type prospect.
I would not be shocked if he did get picked up late or in the rookie draft.

Lynden Carlton 196cm 83kg Glenorchy

Tall defender/ forward with a good leap. He marks the ball well and his skills are ok. His pace is good enough for a tall and he works hard.
Not sure what happened to him as he did not make an official appearance during the champ series. I managed to catch a few of his games during the TAC Cup and he looked ok. Another in the mix for a later draft spot.

Jacob Gelston 182cm 77kg South Launceston

Small defender who provided plenty of rebound out of defence. His defensive side is ok and he reads the play coming in ok. Can take a good mark and his pace is good enough. He averaged 13 disposals a game during the series.
Would likely be a very outside chance of being drafted but one of Tasmania’s best small defenders.

Joseph Groenewegen 196cm 81kg Launceston.

Big guys with reasonable pace. Pretty good hands at ground level. Can take a mark but he can also drop them. Not overly sold on his skills either.
Very raw KP prospect.

NSW/ACT

Taylor Dureya 180cm 77kg Wahgunyah

Midfielder/small forward. His clearance work is ok and he generally makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. His skills are not too bad but he can work on his kicking as the difference between his best and worst can be large. Tends to play more of an outside game. Only played limited games this year because of injury but has looked ok in the games he has played.

Jason Tutt 177cm 72kg Ainslie

Half back or midfielder who had a consistent champ series averaging 17 disposals. His use of the ball was pretty good and he provided good rebound from half back. He was also one of the leaders for NSW in inside 50’s. His pace is reasonably good and his defensive game is also pretty good. Works hard all day and he tackles well.
Has the makings of a good small defender but the 177cm is a worry as far as match ups go at AFL level.

Dylan McNeil 178cm 75kg Lavington.

One of the better NSW/ACT players and was rewarded with a spot in the AA side. Plays midfield or small forward and can find a lot of the ball. His clearance work is very good and he does kick goals when he goes forward. There is not a lot of him but he does not lack anything in the courage department. He goes in hard all day and will put his body on the line. He did well during the champ series winning clearances despite the fact that the NSW ruckman where not always winning the taps.
His pace is ok and he can also play an outside running game where he finds space and commands the ball.
He has had very consistent form for the Bushies, finding the ball 20 plus times most weeks. His down side is his kicking can be a bit sloppy and he misses a few targets.

Chaz Sargeant 184cm 79kg Lavington

Forward or midfielder who reads the play well and finds the ball. Pretty strong contested mark and reads the ball of the pack well when forward. Not overly quick but does ok in the midfield because he can read the play. He does play a bit taller than his height would suggest and has had success as the third marking forward. His down side is his kicking. A lot of the time he is very 50/50 at hitting targets.

Jordan Williams 196cm 81kg Echuca

Tall who can play forward or back and was used in both roles for NSW. He gets in space and he does take a lot of marks. His kicking skills are ok but he does have a problem with his goal kicking. He tackles well for a tall and has been a consistent player for Bendigo in the TAC Cup. He averaged 17 possessions during the champ series.
Certainly a tall worth looking at as a project player.


Jeremy Kirkwood 187cm 77kg Queanbeyan

Midfielder who was strong during last years champs as a run with player. This year he looked a touch below last years form. His has ok pace but is certainly not in the quick department. Uses both sides of the body but his kicking can be poor. Reads the play well and provides good run from the back half. His clearance work is not bad but he does not have he cleanest of hands at ground level. His defensive side is good and he knows where to run so he can be an option.


Jordan Johns 188cm 75kg South Broken Hill

Not overly quick but makes up for it by reading the play well and his strong marking. He works hard and this leads to him finding a bit of the ball around the ground. His skills are not bad and he is a good long kick. Can kick a goal when he pushes forward.
Not sure he is up to draft level.

Liam Johnson 189cm 89kg Lavington

Defender who is often used in a KP despite his lack of height. His defensive side is good and he spoils the ball well. He reads the game ok but his pace is nothing special.
Did a good job playing FB during the champ series and he generally fills a KP defensive spot for the Bushrangers. He never finds a lot of the ball but when he does have it his skills have been ok from what I have seen.
With his pace and height being average I think he will fall through the cracks as far as the draft goes.

Trent Stubbs 189cm 70kg East Coast

Did not play all the games during the champ series but impressed in the three he did play. Playing on the wing, half forward or at half back he read the play pretty well and took a number of good marks. He was very strong over head in all the games I saw him play. His pace is pretty good and his work rate was pretty good in all games. His downside is his kicking. He turned the footy over a bit and often kicked to contests. He is tied to Hawthorn under the scholarship scheme.

Keiran Emery 196cm 90kg UNSW/ES

KP player tied to West Coast under the NSW scholarship scheme. Reasonably good mark and his lead up work was ok. Pretty good set shot at goal and his skills where generally good. Not overly quick.

James Lawton 197cm 82kg Ganmain GGM

KP defender who did ok over the 5 games. Very strong over head and spoils well. He is not overly quick but does show some composure under pressure. His skills where not bad and he did well averaging 15 possessions during the champ series.

Josh Duncan 183cm 80kg Pennant Hills.

Solid midfielder who did some good work in close during the champ series. Averaged 15 possessions a game and about a third of it was contested. His kicking was his down side. He really struggled to get any consistency with it at all.

Northern Territory

Ronald Ah Chee 184cm 79kg Pioneer

Solid midfielder who was the best player for NT over the whole series. He is not in the usual mould of indigenous players. His pace is ok but he is certainly not a jet. His skills are reasonable but they are not what you would call polished or silky.
What he does have going for him is he is a hard at it midfielder who is good in close and works all day. He knows where to run and he knows how to find the ball. His defensive side is not too bad but does need a bit of work. His clearance work is good and he does possess a nice side step that can get him out of trouble. He is also pretty composed under pressure and tackles well. Someone I think should be given a chance.

Charlie McAdam 180cm 77kg Darwin

Quick winger/half back with reasonably good skills and a decent work rate. He has a nice side step and likes to run with the ball but he can get caught out running forward of the ball and losing his defensive side. His vision and use of the ball is ok and his tackling is ok. Generally creative by hand. Over age player who someone may take a look at.

Tim Kelly 189cm 83kg West Alice Springs.

Battled hard playing mainly in the ruck where he certainly will not be playing in the future. His work rate was very good and he does possess a reasonable leap. His skills are ok but nothing out of the ordinary. His pace is not too bad and he could make a reasonable defender but would be an outside shot at getting drafted.

Patrick Heenan 172cm 75kg Palmerston

Very quick but not much of him. Over age player who was passed over in last years draft. His pace is his best weapon and he does possess a good side step. Did ok playing wing/half back but he does have to back his read of the play rather than strength to get the job done? His tackling is not too bad and he is simply a natural player. The problem is his size. I am just not sure if he will tick enough boxes to make it at AFL level. For his size he does actually win a fair bit of contested footy.

Michael Gugliota 194cm 84kg Nightcliff

Was touted as a late pick last year but issues with his kicking/decision making hurt his cause and he missed out. Personally I though he was slightly behind the level he played at last year and his kicking is still an issue. There is a lack of thought process involved in where he kicks the ball. His defensive side, leap and work rate where good. His pace is not bad for a tall and he has been playing for Strurt in the SANFL this year. Given the lack of talls he could find himself a rookie spot this year.
ps has signed with Gold Coast to play VFL next year.

Troy Taylor 188cm 75kg South Alice Springs

Interesting player who plays with a bit of x factor. Has a big leap and good pace. Often looked dangerous but probably tried to do too much with the ball. Certainly needs to sharpen up the skills and his habit of trying to do the impossible rather than the probable saw his disposal efficiency drop below 50.
He has very good agility and often picks up the footy off the ground when you think there is no way he could get it.
His set shots at goal where pretty good.
Has been in trouble off field but seems to have sorted that out through putting all his efforts into footy.
Is a player who could be special if he can develop on a rookie list for a couple of years or even as a late draft pick on a senior list.

ps. Lot of hype on Taylor since i did this profile with talk of him going late first round or second round. As i mentioned he certainly has something special but i still see him as a boom or bust player with nothing in between. looks like he will end up being drafted inside the top 50. If he lives up to the potential he could be anything but there are some big risks as talent and X factor will only take you so far and at AFL level you can not afford to flash in and out of games at your lesuire.

Deon Gordon 185cm 87kg Saint Mary’s

Defender who looked pretty composed under pressure and used the ball pretty well coming out of the back half. He has a pretty good leap and his spoiling was a feature of his game along with his marking ability. His skills are not bad and he has reasonably good pace. Could possibly play through the midfield and has a nice side step.
Would not be a bad choice as far as small defenders go.

Mitchell Taylor 188cm 79kg Wanderers
Over age kid that has had some off field issues. He plays taller than his 188cm but he does need to work harder during the game as he does not get a lot of the ball. He can take a good mark and his skills are reasonably good. Not sure if he currently is at the fitness level required but when he does get involved he shows you glimpses of a good player. Could be a rookie draft chance.

Scott Taylor 181cm 74kg West Alice Springs

Midfielder with good hands at ground level and handy clearance work. Finds plenty of the ball and reads the game well. His pace is ok and his skills are reasonable without being sensational. Very good by hand in close. Did a lot of the in close work for NT over the carnival winning a lot of contested footy.
This bloke should be on some ones rookie list next year.

South Australia

Byron Sumner 174cm 68kg Woodville-West Torrens

Small winger / half forward with a bit of dash and a decent work rate .He was able to break through the zones with his run and carry in a couple of the games ,backing his pace to get out of trouble. Did work into the back half when he was on the wing and his disposal was reliable coming out of defence. His average of 13 disposals over the whole series was not great but he was pretty good in a few games and he did spend some time at half forward in most of the games.
His size may go against him in the draft but he does have pace and a little x factor that gets him noticed.

Derick Wanganeen 172cm 60kg Port Adelaide

There is not much of him but what there is certainly contains some real class. Was used in the middle as well as the wing and up forward. He had a consistent champ series averaging just under 14 disposals. He is very quick and his disposal is pretty good so when he gets the ball in his hands something good generally happens.
His work around the stoppages was good and he was not just an outside player as he won his fair share of contested footy. He also averaged 4 tackles per game.
Probably the smallest kid in the champ series but there is just something about him that makes you think he is worth a shot. He plays exciting footy.

Mark Evans 180cm 74kg Norwood

Not a player I noticed a lot of but he did do some handy work as a small forward in a couple of the games. Kicked a nice running goal against Metro in the final game. His skills where ok and his has reasonable pace. Have not seen enough of him to make a solid judgement.

Daniel Menzel 185cm 77kg Central Districts

Small defender who was pretty solid in the back half in the games he played. Read the play coming in well and his pace is reasonable. Did a good job averaging 18 possessions from half back and his use of the ball by foot was as good as anyone going around this year. Provided good run from the back half and his work rate was very good. Took a lot of marks in the back half.
Very solid player who would certainly be worth a shot.

Simon Potts 190cm 76kg North Adelaide

Tall defender who could use a few more kilograms but did a good job in defence during the champ series. He has pretty good pace for a tall and his defensive read was pretty good. Reads the play reasonably well. Averaged 17 disposals in 5 games for SA and his skills where pretty good even though he had some questionable kicks at various stages during games.
Played 15 reserves games for North Adelaide and was in the better players a few times. He also spent some time playing forward in these games.
One of an even bunch of talls and he would have stood out a bit more if he was 5cm taller. Certainly a draftable player.

Alex Wilson 180cm 71kg Sturt

Played mainly wing and was pretty good in the game against NSW at Princes Park. Despite the fact there is not a lot of him his stoppage work was very good and his work rate was pretty good all day. Has pretty good pace and his skills are ok.
Only played a handful of reserves games for Sturt but had a very good year in the under 18 competition being named in the best 12 times out of 15 games.
Has some ability but I am not sure if he will be drafted.


Luke Tapscott 181cm 84kg North Adelaide.

Exciting small forward with midfield potential. Did a big job playing forward in last years Champ series and proved to be a dangerous lead up forward who rarely missed a set shot at goal. He is very strong over head and is a natural in the forward line knowing where to lead and where to find the ball. Showed this year that he had a bit of midfield scope with some time spent in the midfield and he did reasonably well when he was there. His stoppage work is pretty good and his clean hands at ground level serve him well when he plays up the ground.
As I said before he is a very good set shot at goal and his skills are pretty good. What was different from the previous series was his kicking was not anywhere near as good when he played up the ground in the midfield. His skills are ok but he was guilty of bombing away into the forward line a bit when he was under pressure.
He does possess a very good penetrating kick.
He is a player that could certainly make an impact as a forward next season and has the potential to develop the midfield side of his game. I can not see him outside the first round.

Alex Carey 181cm 76kg Glenelg.

Midfielder who found a bit of the ball averaging 20 disposals per game over 5 games. His clearance work was ok and he works hard. Had a decent amount of contested possession and he sets up play well. Pretty strong over head for his size and his skills are not bad but he did have some ordinary efforts by foot during some games that resulted in an ordinary kicking efficiency of 57%. Was pretty good with a couple of the run with roles he had during parts of some games. He is not jet across the ground but he has enough pace to keep him out of trouble.
I saw enough in him to suggest he is draftable and has the makings of a good player.

Jack Trengove 185cm 82kg Sturt.

Personally I think this kid is the best in the draft. He is not overly quick but he has a fast mind and makes good decisions with the ball. His clearance work is first class and he knows where to be when needed as an option for his team mates. Wins a fair bit of contested ball but is also just as good running to space to receive. Takes a good overhead mark and his skills on both sides are good. Some players are flashy or have X factor , this bloke simply has class. You can tell he is very good after watching him for 5 minutes. He played some very good senior footy for Sturt this year including a best on ground performance in the Prelim final against Glenelg. Should go at number one and should do well next year. Star in the making. If Melbourne is smart the combination of Trengove and Scully will be the envy of a lot of clubs for years to come.

Craig Pitt 182cm 74kg Glenelg

Midfielder who did his part in the games he played. Did not rack up big numbers but his clearance work was good enough. He was not too bad in the skills department.
The downside for him is he is not overly quick and does not have any stand out features to his game. Had a solid year in the clots for Glenelg.
Would not be in my top 60.

Taite Silverlock 178cm 83kg West Adelaide

Solid small forward who did reasonably well over the whole champ series. Works hard up forward and can be dangerous around goals. His work rate is pretty and the defensive pressure is pretty good. He finds space and does give a good option at half forward. On the skills front he is reasonably good but nothing to write home about.
Pace wise he gets by but is not overly quick. Has played senior footy in the SANFL this year.
Has the build to play now but personally I do not see him featuring before round 4 or 5 if at all in the National draft.

Fraser Evans 190cm 91kg Sturt.

Defender who did a reasonable job at the under 18 champs. He is mobile enough and his pace is not too bad for a bloke his size. Reads the flight pretty well and can take a good mark. Does not get huge amounts of the ball but when he does get it his skills are not too bad. He has played a bit of reserves footy in the SANFL this year as a defender but in his colts footy he has played a bit forward and kicked a few goals.
Just one of many 190cm players who may get picked late or in a rookie draft.

Matthew Panos 192cm 85kg Norwood.

KP forward who did as well as any other tall forward during the champ series. Knows where to lead in the forward half and has a good set of hands. He has reasonable pace but is far from the quickest tall I have seen going around. He works hard and is mobile enough and is pretty clean at ground level for a tall. Skills are pretty good and is a nice long kick. He did well playing SANFL reserves in the later end of the season kicking 17 goals in 6 games.
Not 100% sure where he fits in. He will get drafted, the question will be will someone have a bit of a reach and take him late first round, otherwise I would see him as a mid second round onwards selection.

Jake Keller 185cm 77kg North Adelaide.

Small defender who can read the play well and can take a good strong mark. His pace is pretty good and he provides good run from the back half. Defensively he gets the job done and his second efforts are good. His kicking can be an issue but is reasonably solid. Does win his fair share of contested footy.
Played 14 games of reserves footy for North Adelaide.
One of the small defenders who is in the mix outside the top 30.

James Craig 195cm 91kg North Adelaide

Played ruck for SA but will he make it there at AFL level. Showed an ability to jump over the tall ruckman and win the hit outs but I just don’t think he will get away with that at the top level. Does not win a heap of the footy but his skill level is not too bad.
He gets around the ground well enough but his pace is nothing special. The stand out point as far as his work rate around the ground goes is his positioning. He gets to areas where he can make a contest. Does possess a strong set of hands and can take a good grab. If he can keep working on his pace off the mark he may be a KP forward prospect but I do not think he has a chance as a ruckman.
Had a solid year in the SANFL seconds playing 12 games and making the best players a few times.
Later draft selection.

Jack Hannath 199cm 83kg Central Districts

Now we get to one of the ruckman from SA not many talk about. Playing second fiddle to a 195cm ruckman is a bit of a concern but this bloke’s tap work is ok. The problem is that is about all she wrote. His skills look ok but it is hard to get a good read on them as he does not get the ball a lot. Pace wise he is in the average to ordinary class and he can plod around the ground a bit.
Very late or rookie draft for mine.

West Australia

Travis Colyer 175cm 73kg Claremont

Very quick small forward / midfielder who has some excitement about him. He is very much on the small side but that does not stop him from going hard and winning contested footy or finding the ball at stoppages.
Loves to take off with the ball and have a bounce and he does not mind beating an opponent with his side step. He has a very good leap and good gaol sense when forward.
Can play through the midfield and wins a lot of clearances on his natural instincts and reflexes. For a small skinny kid he has a very good engine and he tested well in all the running aspects at draft camp.
Apart from his size one downside is his disposal. His kicking can range from very to rather poor and he can miss targets badly. He is also prone to giving dodgy handballs to team mates under pressure.
He was an AA player this year and had a strong champ series for WA despite his poor 55% kicking efficiency. He averaged 20 disposals a game playing forward and in the midfield.
Played 3 senior games for Claremont this year but had minimal impact averaging just under 13 possessions but his form in the colts was very strong.
I am very confident he will get picked up in the top 30. Steven Hill proved that if you can play and run all day then size does not always matter. If his kicking was a bit better he would more than likely be in the mix for a mid to late first round pick for mine.

Aaron Elari 171cm 66kg Perth

Small midfielder who played a couple of games during the champ series averaging 15 disposals. His pace is pretty good and he was effective enough with his clearances. His skills where good enough but like a lot of mids under pressure he did miss some targets when the heat was on. In general play his kicking was ok. His work rate was pretty good as well.
Good little player but I don’t think he will make it at AFL level.

Clinton Garlett 175cm 72kg Swan Districts

Small forward who played 3 games for WA over the champ series averaging 13 disposals. He is pretty quick and does have a fair bit of footy smarts and flair but he was let down in the forward line with his poor kicking for goal and a few poor options.
When he had the ball up the ground a bit more he used it pretty well but the mistakes deep in the forward lined killed his kicking efficiency as it dropped down into the forties.
Played three games senior WAFL games late in the year averaging 13 disposals but again his goal kicking was only average.
Had a strong year in the colts with a 25 disposal average but the forward issues where still around as he kicked only 6.10.
Not sure about his draft value. I suspect some will wait and see how he does with another couple of seasons in the WAFL but someone may have a look at him as a rookie. Got a state screening invite so there is some interest.

Ryan Neates 178cm 75kg Claremont

Another smaller forward/midfielder who played 4 champ games. He averaged 15 disposals over the 4 games with a kicking efficiency of 69% which actually put him well ahead of a lot of the fancied midfielders in the draft.
Neates is a player with good pace and a few tricks up forward. His work rate is good and his front and centre work was also good.
His clearance work was good enough when in the middle and he can kick goals when forward.
He did not play any senior WAFL footy but he had a very good year in the colts averaging 22 possessions including several 26 plus possessions games.
Will he be drafted? Probably not. Another who clubs will more than likely monitor in the WAFL next year as a possible future pick.
He did do well at state screening so a rookie spot could be on the cards somewhere.

Brett Van Groningen 178cm 70kg Swan Districts

A player that I have only really seen a little of on DVD. He made the WA squad but I am reasonably sure he did not play a game and if he did I have no record of noticing him. From what I saw on DVD he is a pretty quick player that played mainly at half back. Plenty of run and carry and he used his pace well. He did not play senior footy but he had a solid colts season averaging 18 disposals over 19 games. Have to say his kicking skills did not look great to me but other than the fact that he is a real light weight he looked ok. Tested well in agility and 20 meter sprint at State Screening.
He made the WAFL colts team of the year on a half back flank.
The fact he got to state screening indicates that someone wanted to have a look. Another rookie prospect.

Chris Luff 193cm 82kg Peel Thunder

Very hard at it full back who loves the physical contest and attacks the ball and man hard. He is strong over head and defensively he spoils well. Does not let his man get a lot of room to work in and his work rate is very strong despite the odd lapse in concentration.
Skills wise he is ok but nothing special, he can find targets by foot but is nothing more than a reliable kick, often he handballs more than he kicks and feeds the footy to the running defenders.
He is agile enough for a big man and is reasonably clean at ground level but like a lot of talls he is prone to the odd fumble. Pace wise he is ok. Has enough pace to keep up with leading forwards and is mobile enough to take a run out of defence if needed.
Does not win a huge amount of the ball in defence but he has player forward in the WAFL colts and proven he can find the ball when he is not in a defensive role.
Any club looking for a promising tall defender should be looking at this bloke later in the draft.

Luke Adams 194cm 86kg Swan Districts

Under sized ruckman who I have not seen much of. Have not seen him live and have only seen him a few times on DVD.
The games I did see he certainly won his fair share of hit outs and took a few marks around the ground. Handballs a lot and pace wise he is ok.
Does seem to read the game well enough around the ground.
Would have to end up playing KP forward or back at AFL level.
May be a chance to be drafted.

Gerrick Weedon 186cm 80kg Claremont.

Solid sized kid from Broome who had a good year at colt’s level in the WAFL. He made the WA squad but I did not see him play live as he was not in the sides that played in Victoria. He did play a couple of the earlier games including the game against SA.
I have not seen a lot of him but what I have seen looked reasonable. He is reasonably quick and takes a good mark. Has played mainly forward and did kick a couple bags of 5 goals. Has also played in defence.
He made the WAFL colts side of the year on interchange bench after a solid year averaging 18 disposals and kicking 26 goals.
Went to draft camp so there where a few clubs interested in him.
Chance to be drafted late or rookied.

Kane Lucas 188cm 79kg East Fremantle

One of the better midfielders in this draft who has performed at the under 18 champs two years in a row. Very smart inside player who knows how to find the ball and is very good in traffic. Has good quick hands and finds team mates from in close. He is agile in traffic and his pace off the mark is good enough to get him out of most situations.
Shows good composure under pressure and is usually very good with the decisions he makes. Pace wise he is not overly quick. The pace he has off the mark is good but he is not a player you will see streaming through the middle at high speed.
His kicking is pretty good and when he is on song he can deliver some very nice long passes on the right side. However he can be prone to some lazy kicks or lazy drops resulting in some ordinary pass attempts. He uses both sides of the body but his left side is more a short pass option to get him out of trouble.
Played a lot at half forward during the champs this year and his lead up work and marking was very good. His kicking efficiency for the champ series was down a bit at 59% but that was more a reflection of a few of the wild shots at goal he took in a few games. He did seem to rush a number of shots at goal when he maybe could have looked for a better option or steadied before kicking.
One negative is his tackling, he is not overly strong in that area and the stronger body players often broke from his tackles. Another thing I will chip him for is a few times there where opportunities where he could have done a bit more in the blocking/shepherd department. His work rate was generally very good but he did make a few lazy efforts to shepherd.
He played 12 senior games in the WAFL averaging 17 disposals and after being dropped early he finished the year of pretty strongly.
Should go top ten IMO.

Bradley Sheppard 186cm 78kg East Fremantle

Medium sized defender who stepped up a bit at this years champs and proved he was simply not just a stopper. He has good pace both across the ground and off the mark and he does like to run with the ball.
Played mainly off half back or as an outside winger and his run and use by foot proved to be very damaging. His skills are good and he was given the kick in duties during the champs which indicates that the coaching staff where comfortable with his skills and decision making.
Kicks mainly on his right and does not use the left side much at all.
He averaged 16 disposals with a kicking efficiency of 70% during the champs this year and he was one of the key factors in his sides strong run. He reads the play well and links in to receive and run all day.
Defensive wise he is strong enough but he is only light and can get knocked off the ball at times.
He made his mark on senior footy pretty much straight away this year playing 15 games and averaging 15 disposals playing mainly half forward / wing/ half back.
Looks to be a very handy player in the making and I think he will get picked up between 10 and 30.

Hayden Busher 191cm 89kg Perth

Strong medium to tall player who played mainly as a CHB/FB for the WA champ side but has played forward and ruck in the WAFL colts.
Was really good defensively in the games I saw live including doing a good job on Butcher against Vic Country.
He is mobile enough with ok pace and really hard at the contest. Defensive efforts are good and he does mind running the ball out of defence but over he did not have a lot of possessions at champ level.
His skills looked reasonable enough and he generally hit targets by foot.
He averaged 19 possessions a game in the WAFL colts playing varied roles including some stints up forward but a few times his goal kicking left a bit to be desired.
Like a few of the WA talls he could be considered a later draft pick as their depth in the big man department seems to be better than any other state.

Cameron Kickett 192cm 86kg Perth

Interesting prospect that has played a lot of ruck in the WAFL colts but at 192cm would be looking to play elsewhere at AFL level so he would need to find a spot.
Like a lot of the indigenous boys he is reasonably quick and mobile with a very good leap. Knows how to find the footy around the ground and reads the game well. In a few of the DVD’s I saw his positioning around the ground was very good.
He averaged 13 possessions a game in the colts and his skills and use of the ball where pretty good. He average 18 hit outs a game as well which gives you an indication of his leap.
Obviously down side number one is where he will play. Would have to be groomed as a key forward or defender but watching him play I think he could make it as a forward.
The other issue is his lack of intensity at stages during games. Often he does not chace or get involved when he should and reports are his injury rehab is non existent. Would have to really lift in this area to play at a consistent AFL level.
Tested ok at State Screening. I really think that this bloke should be drafted and would make an ideal rookie selection to work on over a couple of seasons.

Joel Houghton 195cm 80kg Perth

Tall mobile forward who played all 5 champ games as the second or third tall forward, but his for tapered off a bit towards the end.
He kicked 4 goals against the NT in Darwin in a strong display but he struggled a bit against the division one sides and that along with a few games at colts level where he did not have an impact has lead to a few question marks on him against strong opponents.
Overall he had a very good year at colt’s level kicking 45 goals and averaging 13 disposals in 18 games. He has also done a bit of ruck work at colt’s level earlier in the year and he does have a good leap.
He is a pretty good mark but when I have watched him live or on DVD he has never shown to be an overly strong pack mark. Tends to take a lot of marks on the lead or in less contested situations. His lead up work is reasonably good; he anticipates the ball coming in well and is a nice right foot set shot at goal.
Now for a tall he is very agile and his mobility is very good. He ran a 15.1 beep test at state screening so there are no issues with his endurance which leads to a real question, why he does not use it all of the time during games? Too often his second efforts where a bit disappointing and he can drift out of a game.
Needs to work on that consistency level.
I could easily see this bloke pushing up late into the second round but I suspect he will more than likely go in round three or four.

Nat Fyfe 186cm 73kg Claremont

Small/medium forward with good goal sense and anticipation. Reads the game well and marks over head well also has a nice leap that helps give him first hands on the ball.
He is not overly quick but is agile enough to get himself out of trouble a lot of the time and his second efforts are good. Can play as the third tall forward but is not overly strong in the body and he struggles against the stronger defenders. He is not super clean at ground level either and can fumble.
His skills are not bad but his goal kicking is not always what it should be. He kicked 36.30 in the WAFL colts this year including a couple of big bags but he also had a few games where he kicked 3.4 , 3.5 and 2.3 which should have converted into 4 or 5 goal games.
Did pretty well in 4 games during the champ series kicking 9 goals and proving to be a good target up forward.
Had a cracking game in the colts GF with 20 possessions, 10 marks and 6 goals and it was easily the equal of Melkshams effort in the TAC Cup GF.
Very much on the skinny side and will take some time to develop but should be a 3rd or 4th round prospect as a forward.

Chris Pocklington 199cm 102kg Claremont

Big ruckman who made the WA squad but was over looked in favour of a couple of the other boys. I have not seen him live but from what I have seen on DVD he did well in the WAFL colts. Won a heap of hit outs during the year and managed to find the ball around the ground.
Seems to know his limitations and does not kick the ball a lot with most of his disposals being by hand.
Probably does not take enough marks for a bloke his size and is like a lot of blokes his size in that he is not overly quick.
I have not seen enough of him to make a really informed comment but he does not appear to be on anyone’s radar so if he gets drafted it may be as a rookie.

Anthony Collica 177cm 67kg South Fremantle

Small forward or winger who I can not give you a lot of information on. I remember him getting a couple touches in the game against Vic Country but nothing really stood out for me.
He had a solid year in the WAFL colts averaging 19 disposals and kicking 12 goals in 13 games.
Got a state screening invite so someone has shown interest in him. Probably a rookie draft prospect.

Sam Pullman 186cm 75kg Swan Districts

Another player I can not tell you a lot about. I have seen him in a couple parts of DVD footage I have but that is it.
He made the WAFL colts side of the year in the back pocket and was in the WA champ squad but did not play as far as I know.
Averaged 16 possessions in 20 games in the colts for Swan Districts and in the later part of the year he was kicking a few goals so he must be able to play up the ground as well.
Went to state screening so he may be on someone’s rookie radar.

Mark Hutchings 180cm 82kg East Perth

Captain of the WA side and a hard at it midfielder who has shown he can play inside or outside along with doing a decent job in a run with role.
His pace is ok but he is not overly quick of the mark. He is however very good in close and his vision and handball from contested ball is very good. He won more uncontested footy during the champ series but I suspect that was more from him doing a run with role and being smart enough to find space to link in when WA had the footy.
His clearance work is pretty good and his hands at ground level are better than most but not elite. His attack on the ball and toughness is outstanding.
Does possess a reasonable kicking game but he can lack penetration with his kicks and looks better when he uses the ball shorter. He does use both sides of the body and his skills overall are ok.
Has played a bit of senior or reserves footy in the last two years.
He is a kid who I think is well worth taking in the draft. Certainly not a star but someone who could turn out to be a pretty handy footballer who will give you a bit of grunt in the middle.

Rhett Mason 190cm 74kg Peel Thunder

Yet another WA squad member I have not seen much of. Played one champ game where he had 15 disposals and kicked a goal. His skills did not look too bad and he moved ok.
He had a very good year for Peel at colt’s level averaging 19 disposals and kicking 32.20 over 20 games. Named at half forward in the WAFL colts team of the year. Was not invited to draft camp or state screening so is probably an outside rookie chance at best.


Nicholas Winmar 190cm 78kg Claremont

Very interesting player who I believe could be a top line footballer if he can get on top of a few issues in his game. He plays mainly off half back or a wing and defensively he was ok without being outstanding at half back. Can take a strong contested mark and his height is an advantage at half back when it comes to spoiling.
Pace off the mark is not an issue as he is pretty good in that area and his overall pace is good enough to let him run through the lines and have a bounce.
Skills wise he is very good, kicks the ball a long way and hits targets most of the time. Very good with his hands in close and he can put team mates into space. His overall decision making is good.
He has very clean hands at ground level and reads the play well but does not get involved in a lot of clearance work, mainly because he tends to play an outside quarter back role when he is on song. Despite him being mainly an outside player he does not flinch when going for a hard ball or at incoming body contact.
His down side is consistency over the whole game. He tends to play in short bursts and can go missing for a period of games. I think it could be a bit of a confidence thing along with the fact that he needs to do a lot of work on his endurance. He tested rather poorly in the beep test at draft camp and it is the area of his game that is holding him back.
I personally think he has something to offer if he can build his engine up a bit and do more running in games. His skill level and decision making is right up there with the best kids in this draft.

Mitchell Duncan 185cm 80kg East Perth

Small forward, wing, half back or midfield, Mitch has played them all. He is a smart player who reads the game well and finds targets when he has the ball. His work around the stoppages is not bad but he does not always get in close or use his ability to full effect in this area. It is the same with his tackling, he tackles well but can be prone to lazy efforts or giving away clumsy free kicks.
He does not mind going in hard but he has to be prepared to do it all day
He has a good engine and provides plenty of run and an outside role like wing really suites his play. He is not bad at winning contested footy and finding team mates by hand but his best seems to be receive and deliver.
His work rate is good and he will do the team things but he does need to tighten up defensively when he is in the back half. Can get caught watching the ball and losing his man.
Has looked very good in the forward line where he leads and marks well and is a reliable goal kicker.
His kicking is very good. He sues both sides of the body and his left side is good enough to get him out of trouble.
Pace wise he is good enough but he does lack any real top end speed.
Very promising player who should go inside the top 30.


Anthony Morabito 190cm 90kg Peel Thunder

Big strong winger / midfielder who looks a ready made prospect. He has good pace off the mark and is quick enough in open field to have a run and a bounce. His contested ball winning ability is very good and he can play a role as an inside or outside player as he is pretty handy at the clearances but also good in a running link in role.
He is a good mark with a nice vertical leap and that means he is able to play a role at half forward or half back and he has the size and strength for the one on one body work.
He is a strong tackler and is also very strong through the hips allowing him to be able to break free often when he looks like getting caught.
Morabito has improved heaps over his last year in the under 18 squad going a long was to answering some of the inconsistent issues he was pegged with.
The downside to his game is his decision making and possession rate. His kicking is not bad and he uses both sides but he often blazes away under pressure and kicks to contests rather than using his skill to find closer targets. Over all he is not what you would call an elite kick but he is certainly good enough when he makes the right choices.
The other issue is possession rate. He averaged on 16 disposals per game at the champ series and only 14 per game in ten WAFL appearances so that has to lift.
Morabito is one of the better players in the draft and should be developed enough to play senior AFL football next year. I will be surprised if he was not in the pick 3 to 8 bracket.


Lance Daly 191cm 78kg Swan Districts

Tallish forward who made the WA squad but did not play in any of the games I saw live so I have limited information on him. Had a pretty big year in the WAFL colts averaging 14 .5 disposals and kicking 57 goals. From the limited DVD footage I have seen he looked like a reasonable mark who leads up well and his set shots at goal where pretty good.
He did kick a few goals as a bottom age player in last years champs including 5 in the game against NSW where he looked pretty good.
Made the WA state screening list so he is obviously a forward that clubs are going to have a look at.
Would have to be a later draft pick or rookie draft prospect.


Dean Beswick 186cm 76kg Peel Thunder

Have not seen a lot of this bloke. He played in the game against Vic Country at the dome and he did not stand out. Played mainly defence and battled away with limited possessions. Had a few good handballs in close under pressure. Pace not bad but nothing special.
Averaged 15 disposals a game at colt’s level and kicked 5 goals in 19 games.
Probably not a draft prospect for mine.


Mitchell Brown 192cm 84kg Peel Thunder

Tall forward who played the year in the WAFL colts averaging 10 disposals and kicking 25 goals in 20 games. Another I have hardly seen other than a couple of games on DVD so I can not really make a comment other than he took a couple of good marks and kicked two goals in one game I watched and he has had a run in the ruck a lot of weeks where he looked like he had an ok leap and won a few hit outs but would not be a ruckman at AFL level.
He has done two state screenings in a row so someone is looking. Another late ND pick or rookie draft pick is probably going to be his spot if selected.

Josh Donaldson 193cm 86kg West Perth

KP prospect that did well as a ruckman for WA during the champ series using his good leap to compete and in a lot of cases beat his taller opponents in the ruck.
Pace wise Josh is not too bad and has good speed off the mark and he is pretty agile. His tap work in the ruck was pretty good but his future at AFL level would be in a KPP role.
He is a strong mark and the pace of the mark could suite him in a key forward role. Skills wise he is pretty good without being anything really special but he can kick it a long way.
The fact that he reads the play well will help in adjust to playing mainly KP at AFL level.
Has played at CHB in the WAFL colts when not in the ruck.
Pretty sure he will get drafted somewhere from pick 30 to 60 but not as the ruckman a lot of phantom drafts have him down as. His spot at AFL level if he makes it will be tall forward or defender

Damian Hayward 201cm 95kg South Fremantle

200cm plus ruckman who looked ok during the champ series. Not a high possession winner but does read the play around the ground ok. Pace wise he is reasonable for a bloke his size. He certainly is not quick but he can more than match it with the big blokes on the ground.
Skill wise he is ok without being anything special and out on the ground he is pretty physical which is a trait missing from a lot of young ruckmen his size.
Had a reasonable year at colt’s level for South Fremantle and also played a few reserves games where he was ok.
Any side looking for a ruckman would do well to take a chance on this guys late in the draft because unlike a lot of the other more popular ruck prospects this bloke is actually the right size for the job and has a few raw tools to work with.

Vic Metro

Matthew Scott 185cm 72kg Eastern Rangers

Hard at it midfielder who is not amongst the players in just about all the phantom drafts but probably should be given the way he plays the game and his results over the last two years.
His clearance work is pretty good and he has very clean hands at ground level. He is also pretty smart in traffic and composed under pressure which sees him make pretty good decisions under pressure.
Does not win a huge amount of the ball but did average 20 possessions a game over 10 games in the TAC Cup this year.
Skills wise he is pretty good and he generally uses the ball well but like many at this age he can offer up some rushed kicks and have days when he misses targets when under pressure in close.
Played three games for Vic Metro and did his bit when used in the middle. Has also played some time off half back for Rangers and defensively he was ok.
I think he is certainly a player who should be looked at and would not be out of place as a 3rd or 4th round pick.

Steve McCallum 177cm 69kg Calder Cannons

Small rover/small forward who had a very solid year at TAC Cup level averaging 23 possessions a game over 19 games.
His has good pace and a nice burst of speed off the mark and his stoppage / clearance work is pretty good. Reasonably clean at ground level but can have the odd fumble. Very creative by hand and did not miss a lot of targets under pressure with his handball.
Reads the play well and when played forward his lead up work and marking was very good. Can also play a bit of defence and he does stick to his man well when used in that role.
The down side this year was his kicking. It was simply unreliable and he averaged around the 55% efficiency mark.
Lightly framed kid who would have been more fancied if his kicking was better but given he can play in the back half he could be a handy small defender.

Tom Hill 198cm 82kg Northern Knights

KP player who many though was a chance to be drafted last year as a bottom age played after a reasonable season in the TAC Cup.
Struggled a bit this year with various niggling injuries and never really got going as far as any consistency was concerned.
He can play both ends of the ground with FF, CHF or CHB seeming to be his best spot. When he is going well his work rate can be very good but on the down days he has a lot less impact than he should for a bloke his size. He is a pretty good contested mark and reads the play ok. Skill wise he is ok but his kicking could use some work and he can get the yips in front of goal.
Did a bit of ruck work in sone games but he is not really a genuine tap ruckman but is good enough in the around the ground contests.
Pace wise he is at the better end of the scale for a big bloke and his endurance is ok when he is not injured.
The real knock on him is the fact that he seems to be always struggling with some sort of injury.
Should be no worries with him being drafted this year as at his best he is one of the better TAC Cup KP prospects.


Nathan Burnage 198cm 87kg Eastern Rangers

Ruckman who made the Vic Metro squad but had limited impact during the champ series. Nathan came into the TAC Cup last year and looked really good as a 17 year old ruckman. His tap work was very good and his hit outs to advantage really helped the Rangers midfield when he was playing.
He has missed a bit of TAC Cup footy due to school commitments but in general he was not quite as good this year. His tap work was still good but he was not as effective as he had been. He gets around the ground ok and is reasonably mobile but he is not overly quick over a lot of ground but does have some pace off the mark.
One problem he has is he simply does not find enough of the ball around the ground or take enough marks for a big man. When he does get the ball his skills have been ok
Has played forward a little and has looked ok in some games but has disappointed in others failing to make his presence felt.
He has something to work with but he has to improve in a few areas and he could be seen as a bit of a risk because he does not find much of the ball. There would be worse prospects this year as far as ruckman go.


Daniel Talia 195cm 79kg Calder Cannons

Very mobile tall with midfield pace and agility and the ability to play both ends of the ground along with being able to play midfield at under 18 level.
Talia in my opinion has flown under the radar a bit because not a lot of people knew much about him before the champ series because of injuries and school football and he suffered a season ending injury not long after the champs.
The fact that he went into the champs having played mainly at CHF and came away as the AA CHB says a lot for me, he is quick off the mark and has good speed across the ground. His defence is very good and he has a good leap. He does take a few marks in games but is not a super strong contested mark. Likes to back himself and run the ball from the back half and he hits targets on the run on a regular basis.
His kicking style is not exactly text book but it does not seem to affect him and he was in the top end of the kicking efficiency scale during the champ series.
He has very clean hands at ground level and the ability to read the play and find the ball on the ground saw him used in the midfield a few times for Metro during the champ series. He makes good decisions with the ball and is agile enough to get himself out of trouble in close.
There is a question about the fact that he has only really shown good form for Metro in the champ series but those who managed to catch a few of the limited TAC Cup games he has played know how good he has looked.
The only question mark for mine is the fact that he does have a hamstring tendon injury but from all reports he should make a full recovery as it was a tear in the tendon and not the much worse ripping of the tendon from the bone.
Top 10 pick for mine and a player who I rate as the best tall in the draft.