Offsiders Draft of varying degrees of relativity

Just on this year’s draft group, I think that it is very layered in terms of its talent, I agree with who ever said that. There are 4 standouts, another 4 possibly very good players, and then from then the next 10-15 are all very similar and could go anywhere. About half way through the third round the talent really starts to drop off.

Priority Pick 1: Melbourne - Tom Scully
This is a no-brainer, he is all but in a Demons jersey, he fits their needs for a classy on-baller and is the best performed junior in Australia this year in my opinion. He is a supreme endurance Athlete, possibly the best ever in draft history, his 3km times are reported to be around 9mins 30s, and his pace whilst not super quick is good enough to get an extra few steps on most opinion. His hands are probably the most impressive aspect of his play and his reading of the ruck taps and his inside play in general remind me of a young Simon Black or Sam Mitchell. His kicking over short distances is good without being great particularly of both feet, however the only downside is that he does not have great penetration off his kicks. He is also willing to do the defensive aspects, such as run, chase and tackle, and his leadership is impressive.




Pick 2: Melbourne - Jack Trengove
Again a fairly obvious pick, will suit Melbourne quite well, with their needs of an improved centreline. The other two who I considered here were Martin and Morabito, particularly Morabito as he would have provided them with good run and carry. Anyway back to Trengove, he has good running ability and his speed is slightly above average, however he won’t break the lines. His kicking is very good over 50m and his handballing seems to be fine, has good hands inside the packs and can dish out the ball to runners. He can also find the ball outside and deliver the ball with precision. He also has the ability to go forward and take a contested mark and kick a goal, which makes him a standout among this year’s draft crop. There is little to split Scully and Trengove at this stage and I think that if a South Australian club had the first pick, Trengove would be taken.

Pick 3: Richmond - Dustin Martin
Richmond will pick up the next best player in my opinion and the third best mid in the draft. Martin surprised me at draft camp, particularly his sprint time, I thought he was reasonably quick, he rarely gets caught, but not that quick. Anyway I see him at this stage as being more of an outside-inside player who can win his own ball but is more of a receiver. He has the best foot skills in this draft in my opinion, his right is elite over short distance, and his left is not far behind. His handballing is good without being great, doesn’t seem to have the quick release like a Scully (but few do!), this probably underlines his inside ability as he reads the ball fairly well but not naturally, this may possibly develop. Can kick goals and has good overhead marking skills, he is good height for a mid, when he pushes forward. The player who I think he could become is maybe a Nick Dal Santo, a silky outside mid with great skills yet with better inside ability and marking ability. Will probably go between 2-5 in my opinion, and has a good scope for improvement, yet physically quite developed. Considered Morabito strongly and Cunnington as Richmond could use some more aggression.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Kicking: 73% - 2nd
Repeat Sprints: 24.56s – 7th
20m Sprint: 2.89s – 2nd

Pick 4: Fremantle - Anthony Morabito
Another no brainer really, player and club have been linked, and he and Steven Hill should form a great wing partnership for the next decade at Subiaco. Touted as the next Goodes is a hard thing to live up to, yet when you look at this kid you think of all of the top 5 he has the most improvement in him and could become the best player from this draft. He has speed, genuine line breaking ability, power through the hips and evasiveness. His endurance seems alright, yet should get better and he is one you could see going on 30m game breaking runs. Yet for all this upside his downside is his skills. His kicking is not as bad as is reported, he is reasonably dual sided and has good distance and accuracy, he can kick the odd floater and his style can be a bit unconventional at times, he can also struggle at times with his weighting of passes, yet I would rate his kicking as above average. His handball is good, yet not superslick inside, but that is not his game so its allright. His outside ability is exceptional at best, and his inside ability is good and underrated, yet a little unnatural, he will do all the hard stuff yet h may get caught out of position a bit at contests. Did not consider anyone else for this pick but Butcher as they could use a tall, but he is not worth pick 4.

Pick 5: North Melbourne - Ben Cunnington
I think that North will pick a midfielder like Cunnington, although they have a couple of good inside players, he is the next best mid and can kick goals as well. Ben Cunnington is an animal at the contest, he has very hard, tough and ferocious attack at both the man and the ball. To me he embodies the shinbone spirit and is one of the players who will produce an inspirational act. His inside ability is very good and he will work both ways similar to a Brad Sewell or Brett Kirk, he will be able to get multiple disposals and clearances, whilst his opponent gets few. His disposal skills are probably his only negative, his kicking is just good, but I think it will improve over time as he looks to have a good technique. He also possesses the ability to go forward and kick multiple goals, and his marking soverhead is very good, with a good body on body technique. His pace is quite good and his endurance seems fairly solid. Other players considered here were Rohan, Lucas and Butcher.

Pick 6: Sydney - Gary Rohan
Gary Rohan has speed and X-factor, bucket loads of it extenuated by his ranganess! There are queries over his ability to find the ball at TAC level, averaged 14 disposals I think, but he played a lot at CHF as a target and did reasonably well. His kicking is fairly good, without being super penetrating, but at full pace on the run it can become a little inconsistent. His handballing is alright technically yet his decision making under pressure is a little suspect. His defensive skills are great and he will run and chase all day long. A very raw prospect who on potential could be a gun midfielder who will break open packs with his pace (lots of development and teaching needed), yet at the worst should be a good half-forward player who gets a goal a game and provides good run and defensive pressure. Also considered Butcher and Lucas in particular as he would suit Sydney nicely, outside player with run and carry.
Draft Camp Highlights:
20m Sprint: 2.93s – 5th
Kicking: 77% - 1st
Repeat Sprints: 24.33s – 5th

Pick 7: West Coast - Kane Lucas
Next best player in my view, and he would suit West Coast well, an outside mid/half forward would complement their current centre line perfectly. He is athletically very gifted and has good speed endurance combination, which should allow him to break the lines and tags. His kicking is inconsistent, one minute he will kick a beautiful flat 40m pass the next he will turn it over, I don’t know what the problem is. I think he will become a good kick over time and I would liken him to a Travis Johnstone, capable kick but can miss way too many targets. His handballing is very good, distance wise and he has a quick release. His inside work is good and may improve over time, not a super reader of contests but still is not the worst. He can go forward and take a strong mark, he is a good size will need more muscle however, and kick a goal. Also considered Butcher here as West Coast could do with a strong full forward, however with Notte, Lynch, and possibly Brown they don’t have a distinct need.
Draft Camp Highlights:
20m Sprint: 2.93s – 5th
3km: 10min 5s – 3rd
Agility: 7.95s – 1st
Standing Jump: 67cm – 7th

Pick 8: Port Adelaide - John Butcher
Still the best KPF in the draft, yet has slipped a lot in a year and will probably find himself going interstate. Port need a KPP and he is the best available here so I can’t see him going any further. He is quick off the mark a very good contested grab and his hands below the knees are not too shabby either. He looks to have courage in backing into packs and running with the flight of the ball. He probably needs to develop a bigger frame and more endurance, and once he does this he could become a 70+ a year goal kicker. His only downside is his kicking, it is inconsistent to say the least, although it can either be on or off like Buddy’s. People have liken him to Kosi but I don’t think he will be like him, he has the tools to be better, he is a better lead and is more athletic. His defensive pressure is also quite good, although it can be poor if he is having an off day.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Standing Vertical Jump: 66cm – 8th
20m Sprint: 2.99s

Pick 9: Port - Jake Melksham
A bit of a smoky here for mine, and a well deserved one at that, on potential he could be as good as the top players of this draft but has put inconsistent patches of form together over the past three years. Port need another classy mid with the loss of Burgoyne, and Melksham could form a good partnership with Hartlett and Boak in the future. He is a very smooth mover and is probably adept at playing both an inside and outside role; he is particularly good at getting himself out of trouble in packs with his agility. His kicking is bordering on very good he has not got the penetration of some players yet he will spot a short/medium range target nearly all the time, including under pressure. His handballing is very good, and he is a sharp thinker and his marking is all right without being great. Physically he will need some development it shows with his tackling a bit, and I think he could add goal kicking to his list of abilities to become better. I did consider Tapscott and Lewis Jetta here, yet Melksham is better in my opinion.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Beep test: 14.5 – 10th
20m Sprint: 2.98s
Agility: 8.16s – 7th

Pick 10: Essendon – Luke Tapscott
Essendon get the next best player in my opinion, a goal kicking half-forward/mid who will come in next year and play an immediate role. Tapscott will probably play early next year on a half forward flank, and once he builds up a tank he will spend time on the ball as an inside mid in the future. He possesses the longest kick of the draft yet he some time struggles with his weighting over short distances, yet this may be rectified by an AFL club quite easily. He is also a noted goal kicker and a good contested mark for his size. There are big queries over pace and his endurance is not great, yet for mine does not look slow or rushed, and he makes every kick count. Little scope for development physically yet his endurance will improve and his inside work may get better. I think that if Butcher is here then they will seriously consider him, which would allow them a good FF/CHF if Neagle doesn’t progress as well as thought, or if Gumbleton’s back injuries are too restrictive.

Pick 11: Melbourne - Aaron Black
Aaron Black has really shot from nowhere this year and is probably the second best KPF in the draft. He seems to have a good set of hands and is not far behind Butcher as the best contested mark, he is also quick off the mark and can take a good grab on the lead. He has very good skills for a big man, and is a good set shot for goal; and is handballing is good without being great, but for a big FF who really cares? His defensive pressure is very good and he will run and chase all day. Yet for all this seemingly great abilities, he has mainly played WAFL colts and has shown inconsistent patches of his best, so he is a risk. Melbourne need a FF and Black could be their man, although I strongly considered Carlisle. I would liken him to Kurt Tippet in his style of play yet he is a bit smaller.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Standing Vertical Jump: 70cm – 3rd
Kicking: 73% - 2nd

Pick 12: Carlton - Jake Carlisle
An athletic KPP player who can play at both ends of the ground equally well, I think he may settle at FB, however Carlton would probably try and get him to play at FF as they could do with a KPF. He has got a nice skill set for a big bloke, especially his kick which has good depth and accuracy. He has good athleticism and his reasonably quick off the mark, although I am not so shore about his endurance. His marking is a bit inconsistent and overhead he can get his hands to a few but then drop the pill, but me thinks this will improve over time. He will probably take time to develop, yet could appeal to Carlton in the long run, and has a lot of upside of a KPP. Also considered Panos, but too early for him, and Lewis Jetta to add some more pace to their midfield, yet they need KPP players, as I see Kreuzer as a good ruckman.

Pick 13: Adelaide – Brad Shepperd
Adelaide have no real needs at the moment, but they could use a half-back flanker, to take over from Goodwin, and it would not surprise me if they went with Shepperd and he turned out to be as good as Goodwin. He is very highly rated and can play on the half-back line and in the Midfield. He will work hard both ways and shut his opponent out of the game and give good drive. He is fairly athletic, good pace and endurance combo, can go on some long runs but he won’t burst out of packs. His skills are the highlight, however, he has a very good kick, without great penetration but with good weighting and direction. His hands are very good and his attack on the ball is also first class. Could possibly come in to the team next year and provide them with another great option. I also considered Koby Stevens here and Lewis Jetta.
Draft Camp Highlights:
20m sprint: 2.96s – 10th
Repeat Sprints: 24.74s – 10th

Pick 14: Sydney – Daniel Talia
Sydney probably will be ecstatic with this pick, he is very much best available and suits their needs for a CHB to a tee, although they could probably do with another mid as well. He is very mobile for a 195cm player, has good hands below his knees, can play in stints through the middle, and he can take a solid grab, although this is not one of his strengths (still good IMO). His kicking needs some work but he looks to have a reasonably sound technique and he generally makes good decisions. He is a very attacking CHB, who loves to run and carry, and is very much the modern prototype back line player. Will probably take 2-3 years to fully develop, but once he does you could have a Justin Leppitsch type player who loves to run and carry, break tackles and may even float forward to kick the odd goal, but also shut down his opponent.

Pick 15: Western Bulldogs - Koby Stevens
I have decided that Koby Stevens is the next best available player for the Bulldogs, and although they could use a KPP Stevens is too good to pass up. I think that at the start of the year he was considered a lock in the top 10 but he could hip further than this possibly due to his OP, which if dealt with properly should not affect him, but also due to his skinny frame which will take a couple of years to develop. A powerful aggressive (when he develops fully and puts on some muscle) player who would add some more grunt to the Doggies midfield as well as some class and skill, and take over form a Boyd in about 4 or so years. An inside midfielder who goes very hard at the ball and will put his head over the ball like a Selwood, he possess a reasonably good kick up to about 55m and can take a good mark overhead. His pace seems average, possibly just above but he rarely will get court holding the ball, his endurance is solid and will improve over time. A natural footballer who can push forward and kick goals, I think he has a reasonable scope for improvement, and if he gets over his OP will possibly play a couple of games next year, but will take two preseasons to develop a good frame.

Pick 16: Port Adelaide – Jordan Gysberts
I think Port will probably choose best available, and Gysberts is that man, he also suits their needs well as they could do with another mid/half forward. A hard at inside mid with good skills yet average athleticism, he is more of a natural footballer who is a good inside player who is hard at the ball and can win the contested ball. His kicking is good and he seems reasonably adept at hitting targets over 40m, his handballing is very good, particularly in traffic. He is not quick yet that is not his game he will win the hardball much like a Jobe Watson, although his inside work is not at that level yet. He can also float forward and provide a good target, with his overhead marking abilities reasonably good. For this pick I also considered Lewis Jetta and Panos to provide them with a couple of talls, yet I feel that Gysberts is better and that they need a hard inside mid.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Kicking: 73% - 2nd

Pick 17: Geelong – Andrew Moore
The next best available player, who has been hidden in school footy for a lot of this year, although he did look good in the champs. I think that he could potentially become a very good half/forward, half back in a similar mould to a Darren Milburn or Ryan O’Keefe. His endurance looks to be his standout athletic feature and it allows him to get around the ground really well. His kicking is very good and he rarely misses short targets, and he appears to have good hands in close. His decision making is a standout, and he very consistent and you know what to expect from him. He is very good overhead for a medium sized player. I also considered Jetta and Duncan here, but I think Moore will be better in the long term.




Pick 18: Melbourne – Lewis Jetta
Where does Jetta fit in, he is an interesting prospect who could go as early as 7 yet as late as 23, I think that he will possibly go in the late teens to Melbourne. They could use a good young mid who has pace and a heap of X-factor, he will add very nicely to their already impressive list of indigenous players. There is a risk he may be homesick, but I think of all of the interstate clubs he is least likely to be homesick at Melbourne, he would be playing alongside his cousin as well. His skills are very good, and he has a great kick over 50m with surprising penetration for a skinny bloke. He is very quick and agile with a good side step and can go on game breaking runs. He does not play inside at this stage, as he gets pushed around to easily but I think he possibly could once developed physically. His downside is his defensive work, he allows his opponent to run off him, and is not the best tackler, which is no great surprise when he is so light. Another positive is his goal kicking, which should see him potentially being a 1 or 2 goal a game winger.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Repeat Sprints: 24.61s – 8th
Standing Vertical Jump: 69cm – 6th
20m Sprint: 2.95s – 8th

Pick 19: Richmond – Ryan Bastinac
Next best player in my opinion and although many say Richmond will take a KPP they are just not worth it here and you do not use pick 19 for needs. Bastinac is not quick but he does possess amazing endurance, up there with the best players in the draft. His kicking is very good and reasonably dual-sided yet he only has a 50m kick at best. His hands are also very good and he is able to get the ball inside and release it quickly to a runner, then follow up his work with power running and maybe deliver a precision pass to a leading forward. His defensive work is good, he will tackle, run and chase and generally just harass the player with the ball. At this stage he is very much an inside player who can get it outside yet will not run and carry with the pill. He does not kick many goals yet he is very good at what he does. I did consider Panos here and Mitch Duncan but I rate the local kid higher, he was in contention for Geelong’s first pick.
Draft Camp Highlights:
3km run: 10 mins 3s - 2nd
Beep Test: 15.1 - 2nd

Pick 20: Fremantle – Troy Taylor
Troy Taylor has been linked to Freo for a while, they flew him over to WA to convince him that not everyone in WA is like Ben Cousins etc, they interviewed him and are from all reports very keen on him. He is probably not best available here, I only rate Mitch Duncan higher, but with Freo wanting him, and the fact he suits their needs well as a half-forward goal kicker (although they have lots of needs). He is all X-factor and could be potentially an elite player. He has a great vertical leap and cat-like handling skills, very much in the mould of a Liam Jurrah. His kicking is good, he can also do the freakish kicks, from what I have seen and his handballing is also not bad. Has very good speed and agility, will need to improve his tank a bit and put on a bit of muscle. Some clubs may be scared off him due to his criminal record, yet he appears to have stopped doing that and he has got his life back on track and seems dedicated to his work.

Pick 21: North Melbourne – Mitch Duncan
The next best player IMO is Mitch Duncan, he would slot in probably early next year at either a half back flank or half forward. At this stage I see him in the short term as flanker/ winger, who can create off half back or kick goals and set them up at a half forward or wing. Yet over time he could potentially become a good mid, inside and out, I see him as a footballer first and an athlete second, although he is still athletically gifted. His kicking is very good, distance 55m fairly easily, and he will hit most of his targets and generally make the right decisions. His handballing is good, but at this stage he plays an outside role, yet still can get the ball inside. I think his inside ability will develop over time and he looks to have the skill set to play in that role. He has reasonable speed, not fast yet not slow; and he is also quite agile with a nice side step. His endurance is also good and he will only get better as he develops. I considered Duncan as high as 13, and I also considered Colyer and Panos here.
Draft Camp Highlights:
3km run: 10mins 15s – 7th
Agility: 8.20s – 9th

Pick 22: West Coast – Travis Colyer
Probably next best player in my opinion, who is a WA boy (which suits WC but it is not the be all and end all) and suits their needs very nicely. He will probably start as a forward pocket, and after a year I would expect him to add 30+ goals a year, he reads the ball nicely off packs has good hands, and best off all he is like lightning. He has pace, agility and his endurance is good enoughto have patches in the middle and turn matches on their head, he is similar to Brent Harvey. Yet his skills don’t seem to be excellent, yet they are still good and need some work to clear up the odd shank , which he can be prone to doing. His inside work is good, offensively as he reads the ball well and has lighting pace, yet in one-one contests he may get pushed around due to his height, yet his speed make him stronger and more powerful as he is slippery and elusive. I think he could turn out to be a very good player, and has great scope for development, he could use a bit more muscle. I considered Panos here again but not good enough still as well as Christensen, but Colyer seems to have more upside.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Beep Test: 14.5 – 10th
Agility: 8.14s – 5th
20m Sprint: 2.96s – 10th
Repeat Sprints: 24.36s – 4th

Pick 23: West Coast - Nat Fyfe
Again probably next best, although Vardy and Panos are pushing up now, and between Colyer and Fyfe WC future forward line could have a big boost, and two clever exciting small/medium goal kicking forwards with a heap of X-factor between them. Fyfe is essentially a half-forward in the mould of Steve Johnson, with good overhead marking ability, and bagfuls of tricks. His overhead marking is exceptional for a player of his size, and he has a good vertical leap and can take a speccy. His roving is quite good and he can generally find the ball ok from a half-forward position, yet he doesn’t need a heap of possies to influence a game as he gets them in dangerous positions. He also has a good motor and can run up the wing and find the ball their, so he is more than a forward player. His kicking is above average, not elite but he will hit most of his targets with precision. His hands below his knees are also quite good, and his speed and agility are also fairly good. I think he has a fair bit of development left in him, but see him predominantly as a half forward at AFL level, he should progress nicely, although I only see him playing that half forward role. Fyfe is an interesting prospect, other players considered were Bartlett, as a speedy outside mid and Vardy as a ruckman.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Beep test: 14.7 – 7th

Pick 24: Essendon – Nathan Vardy
I think that it is now getting really hard to choose picks as the talent level really plateaus at this stage. Essendon get probably the best pure young ruckman in the draft, although he is a downgrade on the first ruckman picked up in the last 3 years, to help their ruck stocks which seem thin, Hille and Ryder is about it for quality, and with Ryder perhaps becoming a KPP the stocks look very thin. I don’t see Vardy as an athletic runner, like Dean Cox etc, who is capable of racking up touches as an extra mid. I think he will become a good tap ruckman, who will be able to compete once the ball hits the ground, he does through his body around in the clinches, and then push forward and provide a good target up forward, and kick a goal or two. His kicking is very good for a ruckman, generally accurate, and a fairly good set shot. His handballing is good and he is a strong tackler in the ruck contests. His marking is very good, and he can pull a contested mark down, so he should become an option for long kick out of defence. Athletically he is good, yet his endurance needs improvement, and he has good pace enough to be able to take a mark on a lead. I think he also has the potential to play as a tall forward. One issue has been his performances at TAC level, he has never really dominated a lot of games just played consistent average/good footy, and there have been concerns over his hardness. Yet IMO I think that this is just as he is a young tall, and needs time to grow into his body and develop, could be very good, yet he has some question marks. I did consider Panos and Griffiths here and Luke Ball, although unsure if he will nominate.

Pick 25: North Melbourne – Ben Griffiths
I think that North will consider a tall forward for one of their second round picks, and it will be a toss up between Panos and Griffiths. The Roos could use a KPF, as they have Tarrant, issues over body, Hanson, CHB suited to IMO, Petrie, good but played all over the place, and Hale, average. I rate Griffths higher on potential, although he is very injury prone and has not produced a lot of performance worthy of going higher I think he will end up mid second rounder. He could be the best KPF in the draft with his potential for improvement, right up there with Butcher or he could be a flop with injuries or he may not come on as expected. He is fairly athletic, good pace for a guy of his size and he leads quite well, his endurance definitely needs work, yet has not had a chance to really build up his tank. His kicking is good bordering on excellent for a kid his size, 60m accurate set shot and his field kicking looks to be reasonable as well. His contested marking is a highlight, he can mark in packs even when he is out-numbered and one-on-one he is capable of manhandling an opponent. He does have a big build for a kid (99kg apparently) so there are queries for mine on how he will handle the AFL being so physically dominant in junior levels. His hands below the knees are also good for a 198cm KPF and he can dish off a handball to a small quite well. There are issues over his defensive pressure, better endurance and strong coach could drill it into him maybe? This was a very high risk pick IMO and he could become a super player 70+ goals a year on potential. I did consider Panos as a KPF, Menzel, but similar to Duncan, and Bartlett who would add speed.

Pick 26: Essendon – Allen Christenson
Let me first just say that I think Essendon will pick up Luke Ball at 26 if he nominates for the National Draft, but as he has not chosen yet I have not included him, (think he will go PSD to Melbourne for $600K). The next best player IMO is Christenson; he has the potential to be a good midfielder, despite some issues, and a very good small forward. Essendon need some midfield class and a good small forward, and Christenson could be the answer. He is quick enough and quite agile in that he can slip tackles quite nicely, but he is not super quick like some on BF think, he will not go for sizzling runs through the midfield like Lewis Jetta might. His inside work is very good; he reads the play well, is quite clever around contests, and he is willing to do the defensive things like chase and tackle. His handballing under pressure is excellent, he nearly always hits targets and his kicking is fairly good but not elite, with good accuracy and weighting over distances of maybe 45m max. His marking is average, but when you are short it is not really a problem. There are issues over his height (176 I think), and how he will handle the physicality at AFL level, he got picked on a bit at the U18 Champs, and his output was decreased, yet many short players do well, eg. Kerr, Power, Harvey etc.
As a small forward he should be good, he is a noted goal kicker although he does miss a few, and his defensive pressure is OK but not a highlight, he could probably be expected to kick 30+ a year as a mid if he develops how I think he might. He has a fair bit of development left, he body needs to get more muscle, he may be carrying a few extra KG’s of puppy fat, he also needs to work on his endurance maybe he might be lazy? (Can’t tell). I did consider Bartlett, and Panos here but Christenson suits them more, Menzel was also strongly considered as a HBF/quarterback type.

Pick 27: Brisbane – Callum Bartlett
Brisbane pick up a midfielder here who I am unsure in how to rate or where he will go, but what I do know is that he is very much a risky pick and could end up one of the better players in the draft. Brisbane need several things, but the most needed is speed and elite kicking and Bartlett brings both of those aspects to the table. I am unsure of how his knee reconstruction went, and how he tested at Draft Camp, this position is based on the fact that he showed enough to suggest to Clubs that it will cause him no issue. At this stage he is very much an outside player, however I think he has the ability IMO to move inside and win his own ball, and he shows a bit of toughness as well in the clinches. His speed is, or was elite one of the quickest at the start of the TAC, and his agility was very good, he has the ability to go on game breaking runs. His kicking is elite IMO, can only kick 50m but will hit a target most of the time, with good weighting and low flat passes over short to medium distance. At this stage he is very much a run and carry type player who will break the lines, with a bit of X-factors and terrific foot skills. I see him in the long term as a winger/centre who can start in the middle and push forward to kick goals (this area needs improvement IMO). With Rich, Redden and Bartlett our midfield could be elite with excellent kicking ability. I did consider here, Sam Reid as a CHB, which we need, Crichton and Carey as mids with inside ball winning ability. If Ball did not go Essendon or any one earlier, I think Brisbane would pick him up provided he isn’t an idiot and refuses to move up.

Pick 28: Geelong – Jack Fitzpatrick
Where will Fitzpatrick go, is one of the hardest decisions, he has the potential and athletic capabilities to go first round, or he could slide to the third round, maybe Melbourne would consider him. What you will get with him as a s***load of potential, who will probably need to spend a whole year in the Gym/Kitchen to bulk up as well as a couple of years in the 2’s to progress. I think that he will end up as a Ruckman/forward in the mould of a Brad Ottens type game, but more athletic. He needs to work on his ruck skills and he probably needs to work harder when the ball is on the ground and compete, which makes me doubt whether he will ever be a full time ruckman. But he has the ability below his knees to be very good and he can handball fairly well under pressure. He should be a good forward however, he has elite speed for a 201cm kid, as well as agility and he should be able to lead well, although he may need to learn a bit more on when to time them and where. His contested marking is very good, he leaps well and he gets his hands on the ball a fair bit and he can take a good grab. His kicking, however is his major downside, and the reason I think he will slip, a coach is going to have to overhaul his technique and teach him how to kick the pill, currently very unco technique. He has all the ability, bar kicking and he could be very good, however at this stage it is very much potential over performance, he did not perform that great in the U18’s or TAC, he never ripped games open this year on a consistent basis, just showed flashes of brilliance. He has a lot of development left, but he will probably not play next year (to skinny), or even the year after, but if he develops well in good environment then he could be a beauty. I did consider Panos here, Menzel as a replacement for Milburn, and Sam Reid as a CHB/FB rebounder.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Repeat Sprints: 23.91s – 1st
20m Sprint: 2.96s – 10th

Pick 29: Adelaide - Jesse Crichton
Jesse Crichton IMO would suit Adelaide well, they don’t appear to have any list deficiencies at the moment but they could always use some more midfield talent. Crichton will take some time to bulk up but once he does he should be a good player, he is capable of playing both inside and out once developed. He is a strong tackler despite his size, similar to Hill last year, and he can win the contested ball and dish it off well, or break from a pack. He apparently tested quite poorly, but to me his speed and agility are very good, and he has a good vertical leap. His endurance could use some work no doubt ATM he does not get to enough contests. As an outside mid he can run and break lines, kick well and take a speccy or two. His kicking is above average, he has a long raking left boot, although at times he will kick a shocker but he has a good technique to work with. His overhead marking is very good, his leap allows him to sit on peoples shoulders. He has a lot of development left, he needs to eat and keep eating, but he has the potential to be a very good player, probably not elite though. I did consider Menzel and Panos here, but Crichton has a higher ceiling.

Pick 30: Collingwood – Daniel Menzel
They want Luke Ball, will it happen if he nominates I doubt he will last this far after Brisbane have reportedly stated he was a draft priority I think he will go to Melbourne to ensure that doesn’t happen. Collingwood could use some midfielders but they also could do with another HBF to replace Ben Johnson. Menzel could provide them with another option coming out of defence, he can lock an opponent down and play a quarterback role and run the ball out of defence. Once he builds his endurance he has the ability IMO to spend time on ball/the wing and provide good drive from there. His kicking is very good, with the potential to top tier in the AFL, he can kick it 55m maybe about and hit targets at will, and his decision making coming out of defence is also a highlight IMO. He is very good overhead and strong in contested situations, and appears to be very courageous when running into packs. Speed wise he is good, quick enough to not get caught but not to break the lines, and his endurance should improve over time. I think he could play a Luke Hodge type role in defence, maybe not to the same ability though. He is also very hard at the pill and will put his head over it and make strong tackles. He is very much best available at this stage and I could see him going much earlier, but for me I rate others higher. I did consider Panos and Alex Carey here but Menzel is the better.

Pick 31: Western Bulldogs – Sam Reid
The Doggies should be laughing that they have got Reid here he is a steal, could have gone as early as 17 to Geelong, bookmark it, it might happen. Anyway the Doggies probably do not need a CHB/third tall, despite doubts over Williams, but he is too good to pass up at this stage. Reid could play as a third tall or a CHB, or maybe if developed right a CHF who roam up the field. Athletically he is superb, good pace endurance combo, that should allow him to negate his opponent and run and create off half-back. His run and carry is very good, which should see him develop into a Bock type player. His actual defensive skills seem all right IMO, although he needs some improvement in the one-on-one contests (maybe bulking up might help). His kicking is good, but not great he can miss a few targets, but generally his direction is good and I think that this will improve over time. As a CHF he has the tools to be good, good pace off the mark for leads, and his endurance looks reasonable and his work rate is good so he can push up the ground. He has got a lot of development left. I did consider Panos here and Joseph Dare as other options.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Standing Vertical Jump: 66cm – 8th
20m Sprint: 2.92s – 4th
Beep test: 14.7 - 7th

Pick 32: Saint Kilda – Joseph Dare
This kid has really jumped out of the blue this year and had a very good TAC season, to the point where he is now IMO a late second early third round draft pick. Dare is a good HBF, with very good skills and strong defensive capabilities on medium size players. He should allow Goddard and Gram the chance to move up the ground further in the future, and he should be able to play next year as he is physically quite well built already. His speed is good and he can match most opponents on the lead, and one on one he can hold is ground with most and he possesses good overhead marking skills. He has a very good kick, distance wise good but very accurate, and he makes good decisions coming out of defence. His rebounding is good and has potential or improvement as he learns more. I see him more as a HBF or BP at AFL not a mid, but I think he has the potential and improvement in him to be very good. I did consider Panos here as the Saints could use a KPF, and also Alex Carey and Ryan Harwood as mids.

Pick 33: Essendon – Alex Carey
Essendon could do with another inside mid and Carey gives them just that a young developing mid with good inside abilities. His inside work is very good, he can read the ruck taps well and he puts his body on the line, the only downside to him for mine would be is physicality which can be worked on though over time when he develops a better build. His kicking is above average, but it could still use some work, he has a tendency to fall off his kicks a little. His handballing is very good, quick release and he can fire off a quick handball from on the game. His outside ball winning ability needs a bit off work, but should improve naturally over time. He not the most athletic person, however, his pace is poor and his endurance needs improvement, which should happen over time. Development wise he needs to hit the gym and put on a lot off muscle, he seems to get out manoeuvred at the contests a fair bit. His overhead marking is reasonable for a player of his height, but nothing special and it won’t standout at AFL level. I did consider Panos for this pick, and Harwood as another mid, as well McMillan-Pittard who could give them more run out of defence.


Pick 34: Melbourne – Jasper McMillan-Pittard
Melbourne might consider Panos here but they could do with another small running defender, although they do need a ruckman as well but none are worthy here. Jasper has played predominantly as a HBF or a winger, and I think he has the potential to be a very good rebounding HBF for the Demons alongside Bennell. He is quick and agile and able to run off his opponent at will and set up many an attack from the defensive half. His actual defensive work in shutting an opponent down is average, but it he could play a touch tighter, he can let a player get away from him and get caught up the field. I think he needs to work on his defensive abilities, or else he might risk becoming a downhill skier, although I don’t think this will happen. His kicking is fairly good, not long but he generally hits his targets and makes good decisions. I don’t think he will ever become a true mid, doesn’t have the inside smarts to do this. But what you will get is potentially a very creative HBF, who could break the lines with his speed. He has a lot of development left, and will need to put on a lot of muscle as he is skinny ATM, will probably not play next year. He was in contention much earlier, yet is a bit of a slider due to defensive work, and no inside game. Considered Harwood here and Matthew Panos as a tall, but considered Pittard as a better prospect. I also considered Gawn, but feel that he doesn’t suit the modern game that well and could slide.

Pick 35: Richmond – Ryan Harwood
Richmond could do with another tall but I don’t think that they will consider Panos, as he is very similar in style to Riewoldt, but IMO not as good. They could also use another inside mid, and I think that Harwood will help them with their clearances alot. His inside work in the contests is very good, his clearance work is his standout feature, good attack on the ball, and quick hands as well as smarts allow him to win lots of clearances. He has racked up some big numbers this year, and he generally uses the ball well although his outside work is reasonable, yet he finds the majority of the ball inside. There have been doubts on his kicking, yet IMO it is not that bad and he hits most targets, although most of his kicks are under pressure, it still could use some work. Athletically he is just average, his pace is all right, and he won’t get caught but no quick enough to break the lines, and his endurance needs improvements. He is also defensively very good and will lay strong tackles and blocks, as well as this he can also shut an opponent down. He is very hard at the ball and his determination alone will win him clearances. His marking is also good, but will not standout at AFL IMO, as it is not brilliant, and as it is a higher standard. He is similar to Tuck IMO, but with potentially better skills and pace. I strongly consider Panos and Gawn here as talls, as well as Winmar and Anthony Long as a bit of a smoky.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Kicking: 73% - 2nd

Pick 36: Fremantle – Matthew Panos
The big slider IMO, some rate him as a first round apparently others according to Burgan rate him as a rookie, although I find that hard to believe. I think that he could go slightly earlier but he is very overrated on BF after dominating in the U18 at FF, when there were no good FB he played on and he outmuscled and bullied a lot of them around. His contested marking has been ok, but I think he will struggle in this department in the AFL on better players. He does not have elite pace but he is not slow either, about average and so he might struggle to gain a few yards on the lead. His kicking is probably his best strength, he is a very good set shot and only needs a few shots to make an impact. His endurance needs so work but if he improves it significantly then he could beat players through shear work-rate. He has some development left as a Key-forward but not much. I think he might struggle to take is U18 champs form to the AFL and he could struggle for mine and not make it. I did consider Harwood here as Freo could do with an inside mid, but he is not worth this pick. Fremantle could do with another KPF prospect, ATM they have Pavilch, and McPharlin as older players but not much else, Panos could give them a young tall to develop, and he could play as a third tall in a forward line.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Kicking: 73% - 2nd

Pick 37: North Melbourne - Nicolas Winmar
North take a bit of risk on Winmar who if he reaches his potential could be elite, yet at this stage is just that potential. He would suit North well, as they need a quick winger with good disposal. His pace is very good, not elite but still good enough to go on long runs and break the lines occasionally; he is also very agile and has a good side step. His endurance is very poor and needs a lot of work, and there are doubts over whether he will ever develop it. IMO he could also play as a third tall/4th tall in the forward line as he is a very good overhead mark, included in contested situations where he can float across packs and pluck the ball. His kicking is also very good, he is a sound technique, and can roost it over 50m + easily and still hit a lot of targets or put it to the advantage of a player. His hands below the knees are also good and he can collect the bouncing ball on the run most of the time. At this stage he is purely outside, but he plays it all right, and shows glimpses of talent, although with his endurance he rarely plays a good game the whole way through. I did consider Josh Thomas here as well as Anthony long who plays a similar game style to Winmar, but without the marking or kicking skills.

Pick 38: Sydney – Anthony Long
Okay a bit of smoky here for mine but I think that Long could potentially go early third round on ability, as he has missed a fair bit of footy. He is the nephew of Michael Long, so he has got good heritage, and I think Sydney will be interested in him because of his pace and skills (I am building them a quick team unlike anything that they have ever had). He is quick and agile and able to get through traffic nicely by breaking through contests. I see him as a winger or centre, a player who is able to play both inside and outside, and break the lines with his pace and agility, although he is not a natural inside player who reads the ruck taps well and has quick hands IMO he will be more of a dasher who breaks contests apart. He is not super quick with blinding pace IMO, but he is still very quick (there are different levels) and can break the lines, his endurance needs some improvement, but that should happen over time. His kicking is very good and he generally can spot up targets nicely and his kicking style is quite silky, as well as this he can also do the impossible with ball. He has a good vertical leap, and can take a speccy or two, but generally he is sound overhead. I think that he will suit Sydney, who have contested ball winners but lack finishers with good touch and skills. I did consider Delborello here, but he is more inside than outside, and similar to what they have already got.

Pick 39: Hawthorn – Max Gawn
Hawthorns first pick and they need a ruckman first and foremost, they did not trade for one and with doubts over Bailey and Campbell retiring they don’t have many, particularly once with potential to be good. Max Gawn is a giant, 206cm I think so not quite Sandilands. He is predominantly a tap ruckman, his taps are good and he gets his hands on the ball most of the time with his height, but he needs improvements as not many are to advantage. His marking is very good he can take a strong contested grab and really uses his height to full advantage and appears to have quite sticky hands. He is not the most agile and mobile bloke, and he needs to improve his endurances, he will never play a Dean Cox type role, but more a Sandilands/Jolly type who rucks very well, can find it a bit round the ground, but not a mid, and can push forward and provide a target up forward and kick a goal or two. His kicking is reasonably good for a player his size, and he has a nice technique but can shank more than his fair share. One criticism of him is that he doesn’t compete enough in the contests after he has tapped it, he needs to get down and dirty, tackle and provide an option and make himself dangerous. As he missed this year with an injury, he will probably take a few years to develop, however he could be very good, although hard to tell with rucks at 18. I did consider James Craig here, but probably not worth this he is not a genuine ruckman.

Pick 40: Geelong – Dylan Grimes
Geelong could use a KPD prospect after delisting a few this year, and with Harley? and Scarlett getting on. Grimes is a good lockdown defender who can shut his opponent down, but he needs to improve his rebounding skills to become top notch. His pace and agility are excellent and allow him to keep up with an opponent on the lead, and he is reasonably strong in one on one contests, although on the big key forwards I think he may struggle, so I see him as generally a third tall, or if he builds his endurance a CHB (although I would like to be proven wrong). His disposal is not that bad, he hits most of his targets and his technique is solid, but he does not provide enough of an option running out of defence. I think that this can be worked on, however, and he might provide a good replacement for Harley. IMO he has a lot of development left, and he will probably spend a year in the 2’s at least learning to become more rebounding. But he should be a solid 3rd tall type player, and at best a KPD who provides good run from HB. Probably the 3rd best KPD in the draft IMO, which shows how shallow it is this year for KPD’s. His marking is average and needs work so I think at this stage is purely a defensive stopper, but a good one at that. I did consider Josh Thomas here, and Anthony Delborello as mids, as well as Jesse Smith who Geelong are reportedly interested in.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Agility: 8.20s – 9th
Repeat Sprints: 24.69 – 9th
20m Sprint: 2.95 – 8th

Pick 41: North Melbourne – Josh Thomas
Who promised that they would pick up Josh Thomas is question I have thought about for a while, I know that Collingwood are interested, I think that he also toured the Lexus Centre. I have also heard rumours that North Melbourne are reportedly very keen on him, and interviewed him at Draft Camp. I can’t see him going earlier than this, but I think that he has a lot of upside. He is small midfielder, with good pace and reasonable endurance. He needs to put on a few kilos and has to work on his tank a bit so he has some development left and he may reach 180cm (currently 178), so he is not that short. His kicking is very good over short distances and he will hit most of his targets. He plays mostly an inside role, although he may get pushed around at AFL a bit, and he can win clearances and rack the disposals up at will. His outside game is reasonably good, he can find the ball and deliver it although he won’t break the lines, but he is quick enough to not get caught most of the time. His hands in close are very good and he his handballing close in is good as well as he rarely chooses a bad option. He will take a while but he should be at least a good AFL player, but I don’t think he will ever be an elite or top-tier player, but still good top 10-15 players in club. I did consider Sam Shaw here as a quick HBF/HFF and Wanganeen as a crumber.

Pick 42: Geelong – Jesse Smith
Geelong wanted Jesse Smith during trade period, and if they want him they will need to use this pick on him. He has fantastic potential and could be elite if he got his body right. If he doesn’t go here expect either the Hawk or Brisbane to snap him up. I did consider Shaw here as a HF or HB athletic project type, and Kennedy as a tall option.

Pick 43: Carlton – Sam Shaw
Carlton could use some forward options that are not either KPP or smalls and Shaw fits in that mould as a HFF and can push up the ground or move forward an provide another option. At this stage he is very much potential over performance, and has fantastic athletic abilities that could see him become a very good player, top tier, or he could be a bit of a risk and maybe not make. He has fantastic pace, leap and agility that should see him become very difficult to match up on, to tall for a small or too fast or a tall. His marking is also very good, he can take a contested mark and he should be able to take a mark on the lead, although he will need teaching a bit. His kicking is very good, and he will generally spot up targets although he can sometimes make poor decisions. He can work defensively, but it is an area he will need to work on. To push up the ground more he will need to improve his endurance, he also lacks some aggression, and at this stage is very much potential, he has fantastic athletic ability and good skills but lacks a touch of footballing nous. I did consider Ayden kennedy here as a KPF and Anthony Delborello as the next best mid.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Agility: 8.08s – 3rd
Vertical leap: 75cm - 2nd
20m sprint: 2.93s – 5th

Pick 44: Richmond – Ayden Kennedy
Richmond needs a KPF prospect, and Kennedy is next best on my list, he is very athletic and is predominantly a leading forward rather than a strong contested mark. He is also very much a potential based pick like a lot of KPP this year, and has produced spasmodic outbursts of talent this year. His pace is elite for a KPF and very good agility, which should allow him to get space on his leads at AFL level. He needs to improve his marking in contested situations, although if he puts more bulk on this should improve with added strength. His kicking is above average, he has a good set shot and his field kicking is neat, although he can only kick 50m max. He needs to improve his endurance to pump out multiple leads and he has a good scope for improvement. He has been inconsistent so far in the TAC level and this is a bit of a worry, as is the fact that he is purely a lead up player. He has the ability to play AFL, at a good standard and could become a good lead out FF or third tall. I did consider Houghton and Astbury here as other talls.
Draft Camp Highlights:
Agility: 8.12s – 4th
Vertical Leap: 69cm – 6th
20m Sprint: 2.88s -1st

Pick 45: Adelaide – Derek Wanganeen
Adelaide needs a small forward who can crumb off Tippet and kick goals as well as apply defensive pressure. And whilst Wanganeen is not a great tackler, he will still chase and apply pressure to teams running out of defence. He reads the play very well and can crumb off packs, he does get pushed around a fair bit, as he is very small. His skills are very good, he has a nice kick and is quite clever around goals, and he is a proven goal kicker. He can also play further up the ground purely as an outside player, will get destroyed in the clinches, and deliver precision passes to leading forwards. He is quite quick and agile and will provide some pace in Adelaide’s forward line. Needs to put on a fair bit of muscle and improve his endurance and work on his tackling, but he reads the play well enough to become a good crumber.

Pick 46: Hawthorn – Joshua Donaldson
Hawthorn pick up a player here who I think, is a bit of a project player but in a couple of years could be a very good fullback. He has the pace, agility and leap to become a FB, and he has long gorilla arms which should allow him to spoil well. He has played predominantly as ruckman but at 193 he is far too short to continue, and so he needs to redefine his position too what I think should be fullback. The Hawks need a big-bodied full-back for the future, mainly CHB’s IMO is what they already have. His marking is reasonable but not great, although he seems to get his hands on the ball first most of the time IMO. His kicking is good, but could use some improvement, although he will improve over time. This is very much a project pick, who could turn out to be a fullback like a Merrett or a spud. I did consider Houghton here and Delborello.

Pick 47: Brisbane Lions – Joel Houghton
With just two talls, on our list behind our starting 22 (Cornelius and Bart), we are in need of another one and Houghton is probably best available. I think that he has potential as a CHF or as a CHB, with his excellent endurance and good speed agility combo. Some on BF think he could go earlier and he could go to Freo at 36, but I can’t see him going second round. His marking is very good, he looks to have strong hands in contested situations and if he doesn’t mark it then he will bring the ball to ground. He can create separation with either his speed or his workrate on the lead, and he seems to know where to go and when to go. His kicking is very good for a KPP and he has a good set shot technique and he can slot a goal form on 50 nicely, his field kicking is also good. As a CHB I think he has the potential to shut down his opponent, and provide good drive out of defence. He has a sense of toughness and aggression about which is really good for a young KPP and he is willing to compete well when the ball is on the ground and lay tackles. At this stage he has not really shown any standout consistent performances although he has a lot of potential, I don’t know if he will ever become a superstar CHF though, but he might there is a small chance. I did consider Delborello here and Robbie Hicks as a small forward, but he is not worth this pick.

Pick 48: Fremantle - Anthony Delborello
Freo to pick up best available mid, and Delborello should provide them with a solid inside mid, who has a bit of pace and can win the contested ball. He his strong over the ball and his disposal is reasonable although it could use some work to become better. He can win the ball inside from the ruck contests, which would suit Freo who could use another inside player. His outside work is solid although he is more of an inside player, he can find the ball outside. He has a bit of pace, and he is quite agile, but neither are exceptional qualities. His endurance, however, needs a lot of work so he can reach more contests, and he doesn’t rack up huge numbers consistently as a result. He has good hands in tight and he can lay a tackle and do the hard yards. He has a bit of potential but just needs to tighten up his kicking and but on some muscle and endurance to become probably a good inside player, but I doubt he will become elite just a solid contributor. I did consider Hutchings here and Bollenhagen as other mids, but Delborello has a better scope for improvement IMO.

Pick 49: Fremantle – David Astbury
Fremantle could do with another KP prospect, and Astbury could possibly provide a good target up front as a full forward. He has a very good contested mark at underage level, although he may struggle with the jump up to AFL level, particularly if he becomes a forward. He also has potential as a full back as he is particularly strong in contested situations. His pace is reasonably good and he can time his leads quite well and find some separation, but he may struggle in defence on very quick players. His kicking is also good, not great and he has a fairly good set shot technique, although his field kicking could use some work, but at worst it should be serviceable and reliable but don’t expect him to pinpoint 50m passes. His endurance needs some work, and he could do with bulking up a bit, but he looks like he has got some potential to be a solid FF or FB. I did consider Chris Luff here and Tom McKenzie here as other KPP’s.



Pick 50: Melbourne – Pass (PSD)
There last pick which they will pass on to get a PSD pick, they might consider Tom Hill here as a ruckman or James Craig.

Pick 51: Richmond – James Craig
One of the hardest players to rate in this draft, mainly due to his size, and I have doubts on where he will play at AFL level. I doubt he will play as a Ruck, although if he was 5cm taller he would be the best ruck prospect this year, and he lacks the speed to play KPD, so I think he will probably have to play as a KPF. Richmond I think could use a KPF, and I think that Craig could possibly end up as a FF, although he may end up as a flop. As a ruckman he is very good at junior level and he probably won’t be able to ruck at 195cm, despite his leap, although his ruck work is the best in this draft, and he can follow up and work fairly well round the ground. He has a good contested mark although I am unsure about his leading as a KPF, rarely plays there, although he possess average pace which may see him struggle against quicker defenders. His skills are top notch for a ruckman he has a nice field kick and will spot up most targets, and he makes good decisions. His ground work in packs is also very good, he competes well and can dish out a handball or lay a good tackle, he is very aggressive in his tackling and as a forward he should provide good defensive pressure. He may end up as a part time ruckman who could become an undersized option with Vickery (IMO very doubtful). He is reasonably well developed physically, yet he may take some time in the reserves to learn to become a forward. I did consider Tom Hill as a ruckman/forward here and Zach Ledin.

Pick 52: Fremantle – Pass (PSD)
They will probably pass to use a PSD pick here, although they may consider Chris Luff and Tom Hill.

Pick 53: North Melbourne – Pass (PSD)
They will probably pass to use a PSD pick here, although they may consider Zach Ledin and Andrew Hooper.

Pick 54: Sydney – Zach Ledin
Sydney to pick up the next best mid available, and get Ledin who will suit their needs nicely. Ledin is predominantly an outside mid who can also win the ball inside, he is generally a receiver who will run the lines and distribute the ball nicely. He has good pace but not elite line breaking ability, but his endurance is very good and it allows him to collect a lot of the ball particularly around the ground, which should hold him in good stead in the AFL. His kicking is almost very good, he has a nice long left foot that he usually weights nicely, although he can miss the odd target; his right is also quite good when he has to use it. His inside ability is reasonably good he can find the ball and dish it off alright although he usually skirts the outside of packs. He has performed exceptionally well at TAC level this season as an overage player, and on potential I see him as being a very good mid who will perform at his best when he has good players around him and dishing the ball out to him. I did consider Charlie McAdam here and Miles Sewell, although Sydney could use some outside skill.

Pick 55: Sydney – Chris Luff
After picking up a CHB/CHF option in the first round, Sydney could again use a tall prospect to sure up their defence. Luff is probably the best pure fullback option in this year’s draft, and is a very good defensive player who can create out of defence although this is not his strong suit and will need improving. He is reasonably quick off the mark, although he may be found out with very quick leading types, but he can make up with this as he reads the play very well. He reads the ball very well in the air and this makes him hard to beat one-on-one. His kicking is in the very good category, and he makes good decisions and can run and carry the ball out of defence although he does not get high numbers, maybe an issue with endurance which should improve over time? He has a fair bit of bulking up to do and this should improve his strength and he should be a good solid full-back in a few years, I have doubts over whether he can be elite but has the potential to be very good. I did consider Tom Mackenzie here and Hooper, but Luff is better and he fits a need.

Pick 56: Geelong – Andrew Hooper
Where will Hooper go is a tough question, I have put him in the 4th round as I can’t see him going higher due to his height, but he is very athletic and has a very good build. I don’t know where he will play, he is probably too small to play on most forwards despite his vertical leap, and he could possibly play on the small forwards as an option. Otherwise I see him playing as a wingman or small forward, unsure how he will go, although his endurance will have to improve to become a winger. He won the Larke medal, with Swallow, so he has shown exceptional performances as a junior yet I am unsure on how well he will go at AFL level. He has exceptional pace off the mark and he is agile enough to break the lines off half-back. His kicking is very good over medium distances, and he makes good decisions coming out of defence, but he can be prone to inconsistencies, should be eradicated in the main at AFL. He is a good mark overhead for a guy his size, and is very strong in a one-on-one contest, although he could be exposed with his height. I think he could become an outside-inside mid who starts on the wing and can win the ball inside, although doubts for mine over whether he will get pushed around, and also receive on the outside and run and deliver it with his good disposal. He could go much earlier, similar to Craig as he is hard to rate, but he looks to have good leadership as well and will get the best out of himself. I did consider Tom Mackenzie here and McAdam here as well as McNeil as mids but Hooper is a very good player, if you discount his height.

Pick 57: Hawthorn – Kyle Hartigan
The Hawks could do with another KPD prospect, particularly a bigbodied player who can take on the big dominant KPF and not give much away. Hartigan is a strong defender who has reasonable athleticism and a solid skill set, he is primarily a negator, which he does quite very well, he is strong one-on-one although there are doubts for mine over whether he has the pace to keep up with the quick forwards, but this may improve over time. His kicking is reasonably good, not great but serviceable coming out of defence. He could work on his rebounding a bit, although ATM it is not too bad but as with all draftees it could improve. His marking is reasonable too and his hands below the knees are fairly good but he can be prone to the odd fumble. He has slipped a bit this year owing to injuries and several poor performances, but is still one of the better KPD prospects. At best I see him as a good FB/CHB, more likely CHB due to athleticism issues, needs to improve endurance, but there is a chance that he may not make it, I did consider Tom Hill here but the Hawks need another KPD prospect, although they could use a mid.

Pick 58: Hawthorn – Charlie McAdam
The Hawks need some more outside pace in their team, and I think that McAdam could provide them with a speedy HBF or winger if his endurance improves. He is very quick and agile and can run and break the lines open from defence or if his endurance improves the wing. He is a very good kick over medium distances up to 50m, and makes good decisions. He plays with a bit of flair and is very creative coming out of defence, and should give the Hawks a bit of pace and X-factor. Despite being overage, I think he has a fair bit of development left, and may take a year or two to add a bit of muscle to his frame, but he will probably never have a big build, but always lightish so he has pace. He is very much an outside player, and I can’t see him becoming an inside mid at all. His defensive skills need improving, which is an issue for mine playing as a HBF, he could do with being taught this. He has got an excellent scope for improvement and could become a very good player, in the Aaron Davey HBF mould, but there are doubts IMO if he will ever get there. I did consider Sewell here and Robbie Hicks as a small forward, but McAdam has a lot more upside.

Pick 59: Carlton – Pass (No current pick if it were a PSD)
Can’t see them using more than two picks, they might use a PSD, and upgrade Aaron Joseph, or Gartlett (I think he has a year left though).

I can't fit the rest of the picks so I will post them on here some where else.

Different and credible. At last someone who doesn't have Port being obsessed with Panos and Tapscott.

You clearly haven't just gone with the flow on Big Footy and instead gone on your own opinion and that is all a phantom could ask for.

Would be absolutely stoked from a Swans perspective, however i'd say we will take Stevens at 14 if he is still available if we don't draft a midfielder with Pick #6.

Good read mate, I am keen to see who you have going to the Tigers at 19, tall or small. Wondering also if much seperates Gysberts/Melksham/Bastinac/Moore/Christensen/Duncan who may be available as mids at pick 19 depending on the way the selections go.

Great Draft (Good that You've Changed It Up a Bit). Also Superb Explanations.

Would be Stoked with Tapscott for the Bombers, but I really think Port will take him. Although, I would be happy with Melkshan.

Nice effort mate, a lot of thought.

Great job Offsider. Easily the best yet. Look forward to reading more.

Great explanations.

I'd be stoked with Tapscott. If he goes to Port who would you see Essendon taking at 9? Stevens? Melksham? or someone else?

Hope Cunnington slips though

If I can get good odd's on your top 8 going in that order I'd take it.

With the Swans I chose them Rohan as I think that he gives them a bit more pace, and should be a very good player, they also have been linked to him.
I think that if Port chose Tapscott then Melksham would go at 10, next best plus a mid. Also If you are surprised by this first round wait until the second round ....

Awesome effort and great write ups. Good work. Am intersted in hearing what kind of player you think the Tigers have in mind at 19 and who you think will be on their short list for consideration at this pick if you have time. Ta.

bigstyletiger I would think that at this stage a mid will be picked up at 19 the other talls are not worthy of being considered, unless you draft for needs.
Possibly Mitch Duncan, Ryan Bastinac, Troy Taylor, or Mat Panos as the next best tall.

Some good stuff there mate.

liked the detail, have obviously put a lot of effort in here, mad props.

Offsider said:

bigstyletiger I would think that at this stage a mid will be picked up at 19 the other talls are not worthy of being considered, unless you draft for needs.
Possibly Mitch Duncan, Ryan Bastinac, Troy Taylor, or Mat Panos as the next best tall.

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I tend to agree with you Offsider. Richmond supporters are mostly calling for a tall at 19 but i still think best available. Saw Bastinac play in the TAC cup final and he looked like he has what it takes. Mitch would be good for us off half back - probably end up taking McMahon's spot, while Troy Taylor sounds really exciting. Been watching a lot of Liam Jurrah this year and would love the Tigers to take an indigenous excitement machine to replace N Brown's goal kicking. Anyway, once again, great job.

Hope the Dockers get Taylor if Black/Jetta etc are already gone. Would fit in well with the likes of Hill, Hayden and Johnno around. Hopefully turns potential into performance.

budge11 said:

No offence, but that just seems like a hack thing to say to try and justify why we should pick him. I'm not saying I'm against the selection, but I doubt that we'd look at a player and say 'Yeah, he looks like he embodies shinbone spirit (whatever that is)''

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The Shinboner Spirit is a phrase attributed to the Kangaroos' ability to fight back hard with their backs against the wall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinboner_spirit

Cunnington certainly appears to have that never say die sort of attitude.

budge11 said:

No offence, but that just seems like a hack thing to say to try and justify why we should pick him. I'm not saying I'm against the selection, but I doubt that we'd look at a player and say 'Yeah, he looks like he embodies shinbone spirit (whatever that is)''

Click to expand...

The Shinboner Spirit is a phrase attributed to the Kangaroos' ability to fight back hard with their backs against the wall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinboner_spirit

Cunnington certainly appears to have that never say die sort of attitude.

Looking forward to your 2nd round!

budge11 said:

No offence, but that just seems like a hack thing to say to try and justify why we should pick him. I'm not saying I'm against the selection, but I doubt that we'd look at a player and say 'Yeah, he looks like he embodies shinbone spirit (whatever that is)''

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It was one of the factors in why I picked him, he is the next best player IMO and he would suit your team. I just used it to describe why I think he would fit in well, and to try and explain how hard he goes about his job.

budge11 said:

No offence, but that just seems like a hack thing to say to try and justify why we should pick him. I'm not saying I'm against the selection, but I doubt that we'd look at a player and say 'Yeah, he looks like he embodies shinbone spirit (whatever that is)''

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You don't think your club would give extra browney points for a guy who ideally suits the club ethos and the centre of your marketing for the last 10 years? If you don't you are kidding yourself.

Quigley said:

You don't think your club would give extra browney points for a guy who ideally suits the club ethos and the centre of your marketing for the last 10 years? If you don't you are kidding yourself.

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It was a stupid thing to say wasnt it. Shinboner spirt - whatever that is

Thanks the info Offsider. The best one on BF at the moment. I'm hoping we get Martin, it does look likley with all the media reports on him.

I am one of those Tigers that think we need to go tall with our 2nd pick. It is interesting though to hear you say the other arent worth it. Makes me think otherwise.....

Thanks again dude!

Excellent read, and great effort put into each pick and player write up balanced well facts and your own opinions of the player and why a club would pick them there. Also offer alternate possible picks, which is a great idea with the draft order being so hard to pick after about 8-10.

Absolute top read, very eager to read the rest.

Good read mate

It's good to see someone with a bit of originality. Regardless.

The Dogs won't take Stevens at 15. He's an inside midfielder but we're already covered well in those with players like Reid, Addison, Ward etc and in next year's draft, we aquire Tom Liberatore with a father/son pick who is yet another gun inside midfielder. The Dogs will either take a KPP, a fast line breaking wingman or a gun small forward with X-Factor. I'd tip Talia because if the Swans are taking Rohan at #1, they'll need another midfielder because that's where the Swans are aging.

Also, it's good to see someone rates Melksham as highly as that but I doubt Port will take him there. Tapscott would surely be a better choice as he's home-grown, one of the best kicks in the draft, tough and can play forward.