Knightmare
Brownlow Medallist
- Sep 22, 2010
- 19,533
- 19,542
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Chicago Bulls
- Banned
- #1
Where I rate players on the list is based on what we have seen of them so far in 2011 (reputations mean nothing on this list and form from years gone past does not come into consideration with regard to this list):
----- A graders
1. Ben Reid: Having a sensational season just continues improving with every game which is rather scary! Continues to improve defensively and his long kicking from defence still remains a serious weapon. Reads the ball like Maxy off the opposition boot and could be best described as a Sam Fisher with close to the best kick in the league. Kicking is a beautiful thing to watch with that 60m penetration and the speed and accuracy he can get them off to its intended target. Every game somehow seems to get into my best which is impressive for a KPD!
2. Scott Pendlebury: As he does every year has reached a whole new level and I would now argue that he is our best and most important player. Continuing to build on his inside game and I would argue that he is very close to being the best player in the league! There is probably no player more important to our success from week to week, such is his influence. Like Thomas consistently gets up for those big games.
3. Dale Thomas: The big things Daisy has added into his game over the past 24 months is not just his tackling and pressuring ability but also his endurance which has allowed him to produce greater numbers more consistently and influence the contest going both ways more consistently which is big for this team. Could be argued that he is the inform player in the competition. His energy is team lifting and a big reason why we are as good as we are. Probably not quite as good a player as Pendlebury is but I regard his season as being better than Pendlebury’s.
4. Travis Cloke: Has had a surprisingly good conversion rate so far this season! Will keep the critics away for a while. What those who haven’t been watching Cloke closely won’t have noticed is that half his goals are from withing 10-15m out, directly infront when he pushes deep forward giving himself a deceptively good conversion rate. Not that I have a problem with this. Marking as strongly as ever and is dominating teams with his strength and contested marking ability. The inform forward of the competition. His confidence has never been higher which is fantastic to see. Never been more dominant and his professionalism is paying off which is great to see. On track to break league best ever contested marking title off Richo which is very impressive. Clear top 4 in B+F. Just needs to keep doing what he is doing and continue building in seasons to come.
5. Dane Swan: Had an electric start to the season then seemed to struggle with some niggling injuries. Since Arizona has managed to get back into some of his better form. Would like to see him do a little more defensively and collect a couple more tackles per game as well as continuing to work on his ball use, by foot in particular. But is a star of the competition and an absolute machine at his best!
----- AA Form
6. Luke Ball: Having a sensational season and probably the best for his career! Playing as hard as he did in 2010 but with a couple of differences worth mentioning since we all know what Ball does. Ball this season has been able to add an extra 10m to his kicking penetration and now can kick the full 50m if he wants to, and now can kick much more accurately to a target over a 30-40m range which is great to see! Certainly has increased his endurance and is really moving around the ground allot better and taking allot more marks than he would have previously. Amazingly accurate goal kicking whether it be from around the ground or from set shots. Makes our whole team better with his inside work and is a big reason why we are as good as we are. With so many star midfielders around the league it is hard to fit Ball into the AA team, but his form has been as good as any midfielder going around. Like Cloke his professionalism is the reason why he is as good as he is and has added serious leadership to the team which has been a big factor in our success.
7. Chris Tarrant: Started the season a little slow which was to be expected, but he has really adjusted very nicely to our defensive unit and really looks comfortable now in defence. With every game continues to get better. His new found maturity is worth noting. Can be relied on and you can tell he plays for his jumper week in, week out which you just love to see. The in form full back in the competition for mine. Much better at full back than he is at full forward now, as much as he’d hate to admit it.
8. Leon Davis: How good has this guy been this season? Fantastic story and could have gone either way. Has got his trademark speed back again which he didn’t have in 2010 and looks like a new man down back, and you can tell he really enjoys playing back there. Can beat his man 1v1 and is doing some creative and lively things down back. Kicking in from kick outs this season has been a highlight and his kicking consistency and decision making have only got better as the season has gone. Have faith that he can produce this finals series since there is no pressure on him kicking goals anymore. Along with Reid, Tarrant, Toovey and Shaw would have him amongst All Australian consideration down back! Playing the footy of his life!
9. Heath Shaw: Really down back is having a serious season and is our real defensive general. Offensively allot more consistent and isn’t getting tagged out of games as he has been over the past few years. Would have no doubt have received a position on the AA team had it not been for this whole betting thing forcing him to miss the remainder of the H+A season. Look forward to him coming back hard this finals series!
10. Alan Toovey: Has been a solid defensive anchor again in 2011 and even at times is adding some dash from defence and delivering some nice passes by foot which is nice to see. Just doesn’t ever seem to get beaten and is a seriously underrated improver. Been absolutely sensational this season and I would say he should be an All Australian. Whether he makes it is another thing, but as deserving as any defender in the league.
11. Dayne Beams: Has missed some time with injury this season but has been fantastic as always. Has built that set shot goalkicking into his game and is converting those shots he missed last year! Again winning allot of the ball and using it well with high hurt factor, rarely misses a target and is just one of those players where you just really want the ball in their hands because you know they are going to hurt the opposition every time. Next step is spending more time in the midfield, which he can certainly do with his ball winning ability. Needs to keep working hard defensively because while he is one of our best weapon players, Mick values defensive effort which Dayne needs to give more consistently which is the only thing holding him back from reaching that next level but is making inroads in this area which is pleasing. Work on endurance, adding some more size, defensive side of the footy and ball winning over the offseason and could become a major part of our midfield rotation.
----- Vital pieces (But seasons probably not quite up to the level you’d like)
12. Chris Dawes: Had a great start to the season but since has slowed down and succumbed to injury. Hopefully he will be right and ready to go for finals footy and have all the little niggles sorted out. Very important part to the side structurally and is so important because of the way he compliments Cloke to well and helps take pressure off him only making our forwardline harder to defend.
13. Darren Jolly: Seemed to be carrying injury late 2010 and injury so far this year for the first time in a long time has been getting the better of him. Might need to be managed Brad Ottens style from here on in. Critical if we are to again have September/ October success!
14. Alan Didak: Has understandably had a slow start to the season but hasn’t really ever looked settled this year. Can’t burn off opponents like he could previously but more importantly he isn’t hitting targets he would hit 100% of the time by foot which is the big worry for mine. Still clever with the ball and is every bit a vital part to the Collingwood machine. Only just now late season he is starting to put together some better form which is promising. Could be a big part of our September machine only making us more dangerous. Needs to get his consistency by foot back up there by finals and he could be big for us!
15. Harry O’Brien: Had a noticeably slow start to the season and really hasn’t played like himself. Certainly nowhere near the level he was playing at in 2010 and really needs to work hard to get back to anything close to that form because he is a long way off his best! Only really looked ok at times but without any real consistency. Perhaps injury has been behind this but would hope he can rebound in 2012. Will be important to September success and just needs to get back to his better footy.
16. Nick Maxwell: Had a slow start to the season and like O’Brien has been underwhelming this season. Vital for on and off-field leadership and still clearly best 22 assuming fit and ready to go. With injury you have to ask the question whether he will play a part in September?
----- Clear best 22
17. Ben Johnson: When he is playing he is going really well, but has had some hamstring difficulties which have unfortunately kept him out of the action for much of the season. Best 22 if he can keep injury free. Form is good.
18. Andrew Krakouer: How good is the guy? Fantastic recruit and has done a fantastic job to establish himself in our best side. Has earned his position. Outstanding fit both up forward and through the midfield. Every game he seems to do something special and have an influence on the game. Real game breaker and a great asset. What he is really good at doing is creating time for himself in situations where others would have to rush the ball on less effectively. Has over the month or two had a dry patch in front of the goals but has not lacked effort and has tackled strongly which is more what his performances should be graded on. Hopefully he continues to build on his current form as he did in the WAFL in 2010 where he eventually took over in the finals series. Dangerous game breaker who could very easily make our finals series.
19. Steele Sidebottom: Is playing some good football again in 2011. Being in his 3rd year I would like to see Sidebottom have a bigger influence more often. If he can find that next level it will be big for us! Would like for us to continue playing him in the midfield for significant minutes, more than has the endurance to play a big part in there. Has strung together some fantastic games so far and would want to continue improving. Is a big time finals player and always lifts for the big games which is fantastic. Often throughout the season though i’ve felt even though Sidey gets his 20 disposals often enough he often really lacks that big impact on the game and can go pretty unnoticed. Needs to become more of an inside ball winner and add some more hurt factor when he has the ball to take the next step.
20. Sharrod Wellingham: Had a slow start to the season but has since then started to pick up where he left off in 2010. Still needs to become more of a consistent 4 quarter player but it was a great sign in the game where both Dale Thomas and Dane Swan were both missing against Melbourne where Sharrod stepped up and played his best game for his career so far. Hopefully a sign for things to come.
21. Leigh Brown: Has played his role well all season without standing out. Why he is so important is because he is that big body up forward who can take the pressure off Cloke and Dawes to help further increase their effectiveness up forward. Also his tackling for a big bloke is sensational and an absolute highlight of his game. Very important player structurally and an important player even if his stats sheet might not suggest it.
----- Best 22 Quality (But not guaranteed games every week at Collingwood)
22. Jarryd Blair: Had really lively start to the season but probably hasn’t fully recaptured that form. What he has shown over the past month is consistent tackling intensity which might just be enough to keep him inside our best side if he can keep it up. Just needs to keep working hard and giving maximum effort defensively to stay in this side.
23. Tyson Goldsack: Glandular fever has meant a slow start to the season where he lost all that weight. Ideal sub option with his flexibility of position and most importantly with his ability to close games harder than just about anyone. Would easily make any other opposition best 22. Has put together a very strong past month of footy and looms as the likely September replacement for Maxwell since his form and confidence is there. Has just come into form at the right time of year which is what you want to see. What makes Goldsack so good is his closing speed which allows him to go for incredibly impressive tackles. As well as this with his length which allows him to spoil opponents pretty easily. Long kicking is a highlight even if from kickouts he is rather predictable. Real confidence player who if given regular opportunities at AFL level can perform to an incredibly high level and to a higher level than maybe believe. Don’t want to see Goldsack traded at season’s end because firstly he looks like the long term Maxwell replacement down back given he is a similar size, dimensions and type and secondly while others might not agree I think his best footy is yet to come and I can see him breaking out and possibly becoming an AA player down back if he can get a regular run of games together. To improve I’d look for Goldsack to improve his composure under pressure, looks more pressured than most when he has ball in hand and really needs to become much quicker and cleaner by hand. Also needs to continue working at reading the ball and providing rebound off opposition kicks as the likes of Reid and Maxwell do to perfection.
24. Alex Fasolo: How good has this kid been? First season kid who coming into the draft was considered a top 35 prospect. Really nice surprise to see him drop to us, and he has not disappointed. Has looked fantastic so far on a forward flank for us and with every week continues to get better. His kicking for goal as well as his tackling have been highlights. Can win the hard ball and you’d think he will only get better. Could step in for Didak on a forward flank in the finals if needed which is a big win. Recent form has been sensational and has development this season has been a real highlight. Looms as a really nice sub option for the finals and could be a chance to get some finals games, but have him just outside of our best 22. One thing Fas really needs to work on is his unselfishness. At every opportunity he just blasts off for goal, even in unrealistic situations. In the future he needs to better sum up when to go for goal and when to pass off. Really needs to become allot less selfish and make the Medhurst transformation from a forward who plays for himself to a forward who plays to get team mates involved and make them look better and help them get into the game.
----- Depth at this stage but hopefully many will be more than this in the future (Where they are at based on form now)
25. John McCarthy: Has absolutely dominated at VFL level to such an extent that he has forced his way into the senior side during the middle bit of the season. Certainly hasn’t looked out of place at AFL level both up forward or through the midfield but at the same time doesn’t look good enough to ever break into our best 22 permanently which is the question with McCarthy. Quality depth and a fantastic surprise with one of his first injury free seasons in recent memory. Plays his best footy in the midfield but because our midfield is so loaded there just isn’t room for him in our best 22 unless it is for injury. Along with Simon Buckley has done a fantastic job of improving and proving viable options for when injuries hit. Don’t see him being around long term with better talent coming through in Fasolo, Bolton and Seedsman make him very replaceable and probably a fairly logical delisting since it looks to be against the odds that he goes past any of our existing midfielders. Had a disappointing close to the season considering the way he was dominating at for the most part which was probably the only thing I considered disappointing about McCarthy’s season. For mine it’s either trade or delist.
26. Simon Buckley: Started out this season making terrible decisions much of the time, and looked pressured, but with regular games started to gain some confidence in his ability but has in this later part like McCarthy really tapered off. A bit like Goldy, a real confidence player who performs best when his coach and playing group have complete faith in his ability. Has a great long kick on him! But at the age of 24 you’re looking for a best 22 player and not a career fringe player who is only really there as injury cover. There are better young talents coming through in Bolton, Young and Seedsman who make him very much expendable at his age like McCarthy. I don’t regard Simon as best 22 material yet, and I’m not sure he ever will be for Collingwood with superior young talents coming through. For mine it’s either trade or delist.
27. Josh Thomas: Absolute clearance machine and wins plenty of the contested ball. Such a good inside reader of the ball and in congestion is a standout. Tackling is solid. Has fantastic breakaway speed and has put on some muscle over the offseason which is very exciting. Could soon go from a very good inside player to a dominant inside player. Would be THE optimal replacement if Luke Ball was ever to miss a game. Needs to improve his endurance, and probably could to add some positional flexibility because it won’t be easy knocking anyone out of the midfield rotation.. Definitely view him as a full time inside midfielder and one who is good enough to make it at AFL level. Since return from injury his form has been immense in the second half of the season and he has put a big case together for an AFL debut. Really with every game has shown big progress and can’t wait to see what he can produce in 2012 when he will no doubt debut. Needs to trail Luke Ball all off season because his game is just so similar and he could learn so much from him. Perfect player to model his game on and hopefully in 2-3 years time can do everything that Luke is doing now and eventually replace him.
28. Cameron Wood: Will need to keep developing if he wants to make a career for himself at AFL level. At this stage he looks like a depth ruckman only. Certainly not someone you would want playing as your no.1 ruck if you want a serious chance of winning a premiership. Really needs to build up his endurance base to allow him to work harder around the ground for more than a quarter or a half each game. Needs to become more consistent by hand and by foot and also needs to continue to get stronger because he gets pushed around far too easily by opposition ruckman, particularly at boundary throw-ins. Will be retained at years end, but with Witts likely to join us next year he needs to lift significantly if he wants to have a long career at AFL level. Because he isn’t playing nearly well enough to get a ruck job at any team.
29. Lachlan Keeffe: Keeffe is an interesting one who has since arriving at the club shown great progress. Really seems to be a quick learner even though he started football late after having come from a soccer background. Still very skinny and probably needs to add another 10+kg, but for a 204cm kid who can run and kick like a medium size player, that is a huge win! With N.Brown’s current knee issues it looks entirely possible that Keeffe pushes past him as a defender. The other thing we might look to add into his game is the ability to play minor ruck minutes because L.Brown won’t be around forever, but for now I’d probably look for Ceglar to try to develop into that role. Hasn’t closed out the season as hard as I might have liked but I think he will come back hard and continue his improvement in 2012 and hopefully break into the squad as a regular.
30. Paul Seedsman: Skinny, but not out of his depth at VFL level. Classy ball user with pace and great agility. Tackles well and his tackles stick which is pleasing for such a skinny lad. Needs to put on size before AFL debut, but showing some great promise. Consistent from game to game and continues to show improvement which is a great sign. Don’t be surprised to see Seedsman break through into the senior side next year and surprise a few. Very encouraging start to his career. Plays not unlike a young Pendlebury. In short, I think he will make the grade based on what i’ve seen this year if he keeps working as hard as he has this year.
31. Jye Bolton: How good has this kid been? Had a great start to the season, started to taper off but gee he has come back hard and finished off the season well! Very happy with the way he has started off his career! Could very easily play on a on a wing or forward flank at AFL level without much difficulty. Has fantastic endurance and you can see how much he loves playing footy. Just tries his guts out every time he takes the field and watching him play you see a player who really, really wants to make it. Another of those rookie selections who like a Nick Maxwell will just will his way into the senior side through wanting it more than the next player. Deserves to be promoted onto the senior list at the end of the season. I’d like to see young Bolts continue to work on the consistency of his kicking. Inside game is coming along nicely. Looks likely to break through for a couple of games next year at the rate he is coming along. I’m cautiously optimistic for his future and if he keeps working hard on his game I think he can make the grade.
32. Luke Rounds: Had a slow and inconsistent start to the season but has put that behind him and strung together some better games in the second half. Has nice speed, and played a fantastic game on Brent Harvey which he seems to have taken allot of confidence out of. Still has a long way to go if he wants to come close to becoming a best 22 player at some point though. Do have my doubts at where he will fit and whether he will be good enough long term. Think a few could pass him but none the less I think he will be retained for another season since he is so young and has shown he can compete at AFL level. Even if he only looks long term like a depth player. Hope I’m wrong though!
33. Kirk Ugle: Tiny fella. Has loads of speed. Defensive pressure is very good and needs to keep building on this! Needs to impact the scoreboard more and add a few more strings to his bow. But has talent and a fair bit to work with. Less advanced than Blair was at this stage of his development. But better as a pure, natural forward. Could add more penetration to his set shot goal kicking, but with time that should develop. Also has midfield potential. A fair bit of talent to work with. Just needs to keep improving and adding more strings to his bow to give himself the greatest chance of making the grade.
34. Ben Sinclair: Speedy player with incredible hardness and desire to continually go hard at the man for the tackle. Really reminds me allot of Jaxson Barham. Still needs to physically develop more as well as improve the consistency of his kicking. Will have enjoyed his debut game and will want to keep building on his form for next season.
35. Tom Young: Had a slow start to the season after taking out the VFL B+F last year, but has slowly started to look better as the season has gone. Shows nice dash from defence and isn’t afraid to take on opposition players, even seems to have some midfield potential. Is really composed and can create time well with the footy. Is a big time ball winner. Has a nice work rate. Can accumulate big tackling numbers. Will be interesting to see what role he develops into. Allot of things need cleaning up if he wants to make the grade. Still seems to be learning the structures. Needs to have much cleaner hands. Kicking needs to be cleaned up as well as his decision making, and also needs to develop core strength so that when he takes on players he can break the tackles more easily because he often gets caught and goes to ground and can get pushed around a little. Think he can develop into a solid AFL level player if he continues to progress and continues to work hard on his weaknesses. Promising start to his career but not nearly there and if far from assured of a career at the next level.
36. Brent Macaffer: Had a slow start to the season with injury issues and really hasn’t picked up where he left off in 2010 unfortunately. Has been struggling with injury throughout the season and seems to have been struggling with the pace of the game. Needs to lay those hard tackles inside 50 as he was in 2010 while also being another marking presence up forward as we know he can be. Kicking goals is a bonus and in future seasons will want him to start to hit the scoreboard more consistently. Should with a full preseason get back to playing some of his better footy and hopefully he can get back to, if not improve on his 2010 form, because when he is playing his better footy he can be a very valueable player. Not worth trading. Has no trade value since he has hardly played this season and is worth retaining and persisting with. Will want to have a solid preseason though and probably needs to forget finals and start preparing now.
----- Development projects who still need time and aren’t ready to play senior footy.
37. Shae McNamara: Has had an up and down season with some spectacular highs, but just as many spectacular lows. Still learning the game and still makes lots of mistakes. But gee he can do some special things sometimes for someone his size! Has had some fantastic games in the ruck and now looks to have found a spot on the wing, which really suits him. Needs to play well and have an influence more consistently if he ever wants to make the grade. While older than Wood the thing working in McNamara’s favour is that unlike Wood he has make some serious progress and in his good games can seriously dominate. But at the age of 26 it is hard to keep a project player around for a 3rd season.
38. Thomas Gordon: Big key position player who should have gone in the main draft last year. Strong overhead. Has been really solid for a first year KPD and his kicking is a feature. Like him because he has that ability to play back or forward. Worth persisting with as a rookie even if as depth and well and truly deserves a second season for mine.
39. Jonathan Ceglar: The bonus we got out of the Krakouer deal. Solid ruck prospect who has at times shown some good signs in the first half of the season but has since really dropped off. Can look dangerous up forward at times. Has a long way to go but I think he will put the work in. Needs time. With Witts likely in 2-3 years time to take over from Jolly when he retires Ceglar might be a good no.2 ruck option because he does have the ability to play forward and look dangerous at times which makes him a good candidate for the role. Interestingly since Witts has joined the VFL squad Ceglar seems to have made an extra special effort to play some better footy. But long term I do see Witts as the better player. Regardless Ceglar is worth persisting with and needs time.
40. Daniel Farmer: One of my favourites we got through the draft. Had a very slow start to the season but has since that mid way point really started to show great progress. Needs to get stronger because he can get bumped off the ball too easily and needs to continue to work on winning his own ball. Work rate is getting better and starting to play smarter, learning to run to the right places and look dangerous up forward at times. Think he can have a future, but needs time and needs to work hard to make it happen. Needs a big offseason because he is a long way back but if he applies himself absolutely no reason why he can’t make it. Worth persisting with and would give him a second season on the senior list.
41. Paul Cribbin: Has done allot better than expected! Not out of his depth at VFL level which is great to see for the young Irishman. When he has the ball in hand looks very good at times. Has nice pace. Still learning the game. Allot of improvement to come, still needs to get better defensively and would like for him to add tackling into his game which always seems to take the longest for the Irish to learn. Looks good on a back flank or on a wing. Worth giving him a second year.
42. Scott Reed: Being in his 3rd year on the rookie list a decision needs to be made as to whether he gets promoted or delisted. With our list situation it will be incredibly difficult to fit him onto our senior list. Can let himself down with his ball use sometimes and really needs to find a role. Needs to play more consistency from week to week and the development just hasn’t been there this year. Won’t be retained.
43. Declan Reilly: Has shown some promising signs in the few VFL games he has played. Developing key position forward still with a long way to go. Can take a good grab and his set shot goalkicking is quite good. Needs to put on allot of weight, and needs to build up his endurance. Very much a project. Needs to continue to develop if he wants to be retained. Probably doesn’t have enough of a standout feature for my liking to develop into more than just a depth KPF which is my question with Reilly. Possible delisting.
44. Jack Perham: The mature age forward had a really strong start to the season up forward but after the first 7/8 games he has completely dropped off form wise. Was drafted as a depth KPF to replace Jack Anthony, but I definitely don’t see him as anything more than insurance. In the later part of the season got shifted back and was ok, but hardly incredible. Likely to get delisted, just hasn’t impressed me for enough of the year and doesn’t look like any threat to break into our side at any stage.
45. Trent Stubbs: Was a Hawthorn NSW/ACT scholarship boy who decided to enter the national draft. Fascinating prospect and good athlete. Has missed most of the season. In the limited games we have seen his performances haven’t been anything incredible which is to be expected given the time he has been out. Don’t think he should receive a 2nd season on the senior list. Maybe we rookie him but that’s up to the club if they think he is worth a full season.
---- Yet to play/ injured (ignore the numbering)
46. Nathan Brown: Injured. Would be best 22. Look forward to seeing him back next year and hopefully he can have a better injury run in future seasons!
47. Brad Dick: Has performed below expectation this season. Seems to be suffering from the same thing Sean Rusling has (too much time out of the game with injury and not enough confidence in his body when playing). Really needed to get his speed back as well as his tackling, but after his knee reco I have serious doubts that Dicky will get back to his early career best at all now unfortunately. His tackling energy and heart is what made him stand out and made him such a dangerous player. If we were to retain him he would take a good 2 years to get back into AFL condition, so I would definitely delist him because at his age we are better off trying out a new talent through the draft. With a list as strong as we have, it makes it near impossible to keep Dicky which is a shame because he is a great kid. Wouldn’t rookie him either.
48. Tom Hunter: Retired.
2011 finals best 22:
F: Andrew Krakouer Chris Dawes Jarryd Blair
HF: Steele Sidebottom Travis Cloke Dayne Beams
CEN: Dale Thomas Dane Swan Heath Shaw
HB: Nick Maxwell Ben Reid Harry O’Brien
B: Leon Davis Chris Tarrant Alan Toovey
FOLL: Darren Jolly Luke Ball Scott Pendlebury
BENCH: Leigh Brown Ben Johnson Sharrod Wellingham Alan Didak
EMG: Tyson Goldsack Alex Fasolo Lachlan Keeffe
Projected list changes at end of 2011 season: (Huge list turnover last year. Will elect to go minimal list turnover this year you’d think)
Retire:
Leigh Brown (Has already announced retirement. Has been a handy role player in his couple of years with the club. Is going to give coaching a go, think he might be good as a KPP/ruck coach)
Possible retire:
Leon Davis (Has mentioned that he might return home to WA to be closer to family. Maybe he retires. Maybe he requests trade. In any case has had a terrific season and owes the club nothing)
Delist:
Brad Dick (Sad that he has had such a bad run with injuries. Just can’t see him getting back to his best and will take too much time to get back up to pace. Not in our best interests to give him another season)
Trent Stubbs (Last pick in last years draft. Has been out for most of the season and hardly played a VFL game. Up to the club whether they want to offer him a rookie position, but certainly shouldn’t be retained on the senior list)
Possible delist:
John McCarthy: Has had a solid and injury free season. Has been ripping it up at VFL level and at AFL level hasn’t looked out of place. The question is whether he will ever break into the best 22. For me the answer looks to be a clear no because currently there are much better talents in our side and better talents coming through (Fasolo, Bolton and Seedsman). So his position is at risk given his age and lack of best 22 potential. Could be a good trade option for other teams though because he is still without a doubt an AFL level talent.
Simon Buckley: Buckley is in the same boat as McCarthy. Has had a very good season and has exceeded the expectations of most. But the same question applies. Where does he fit in our best 22? I don’t believe he does. Ben Johnson won’t be around for many more years and he looks like a fairly natural replacement but I believe like with McCarthy there are better young talents in (Bolton, Young and Seedsman) who make him expendable and don’t really make him best 22 relevant – which at the age of 24 you really need to be. Given his good season could be a good trade option for other teams because his kicking is a big weapon and I suggest there would be more than a couple of best 22s he could fit into. Won’t ever have more value than he does from a Collingwood perspective so move him on now.
Rookie delist:
Tom Hunter (Retired)
Jack Perham (Was drafted to replace Jack Anthony as some immediate forward depth. Started the season on fire, but has really dropped off in a hurry and just no longer looks competitive. We can do better)
Scott Reed (3rd year, but just no spot for him in senior side. No obvious player who he could possibly replace in the near future. Looks like a depth player only)
Shae McNamara (2nd year, will be 26 at the end of the year. While he has been a neat experiment, it is very hard to retain him even with the strong progress he has made. Too inconsistent and too far back)
Possible delist:
Declan Reilly (Still very young, but in the Jack Carter boat of 2010. Improving but very long term project and doesn’t have enough standout talent to suggest that he will be best 22 at any stage)
Rookie promote:
Jye Bolton (Spots on the senior list are worth more than spots on the rookie list, but it’s very difficult to come up with an argument for this kid to not get promoted at season’s end, such is his application and desire to have an impact in this league. Will come down to how many positions on the senior list we can come up with)
Jarrod Witts (Stared in the U18 Champs for NSW in the ruck. Even more impressive have been some of the signs he has shown at VFL level. Should go straight to senior list. But will take time)
Trade week possibilities:
With the retirement of Leigh Brown I’d be pushing hard to find an immediate replacement through trade week. Trent West is the optimal replacement and for mine is an upgrade who could also take over long term as the no.1 ruckman. Otherwise I’d be looking at value and players who look like they could fit clearly into our best 22 – which will not be easy.
Trades I’d look at:
Trent West (My no.1 trade target. Perfect replacement for L.Brown as our no.2 ruck. Has the versatility to play forward or back. Strong mark overhead. Big leap. Strong enough to play no.1 ruck role and is good enough to take over the no.1 role once Jolly retires. Think he will develop into a top 10 league ruckman and soon. Get him)
Danyle Pearce (Would give our midfield that next dimension with his line breaking ability. As an outside player would only benefit from playing in a better team and it is not unrealistic to think his production and influence will increase with it)
Majak Daw (Is my other possible L.Brown replacement. Super athletic tall. Can move into the ruck and compete well in there while also having the pace and ability to play other positions. I’m convinced he will make the grade at AFL level and the man is ready to play now. Get him now before value increases because this likely will be the only chance to get him if we want him!)
Sam Gilbert (Having a poor season, but is a proven player and we all know what he can produce. Might need a change of club and I think we would be that ideal club for him. Maxwell is starting to show his age and likely won’t be around for too many more years. Gilbert is as good of a like for like replacement down back you can get. Is another of those who can read the ball as well as anyone and just gets all those marks off opposition kicks. Valuable. Would be a clear top 15 player at the club for mine)
Josh Toy (Rumours that he wants to return to Victoria and if true I’d recommend that Collingwood get in on the action. High level talent for Gold Coast who probably hasn’t benefited from playing a defensive role down back and because of it hasn’t played senior games regularly. Incredible attacking defender who is physically very strong and is amongst the best kicks you will ever see with either foot and his penetration is first rate. Would look at him if the right trade possibility came up. Defensively isn’t incredible and still has a long way to go but I think he could be a big time player for us if we could add him. Would give up 1st rounder + McCarthy/Buckley in the exchange, but likely that isn’t quite enough)
Players I would have on the trade table: (Outside of this wouldn’t be comfortable trading anyone else)
Simon Buckley: Has had a big year and shown big improvement. Has a big weapon of a kick on him but not sure where he fits in our future plans because he isn’t a best 22 player. Can see him being of AFL relevance for a number of other AFL clubs and I think a few might come knocking at our door.
John McCarthy: Has dominated at VFL level and then stepped in at AFL level and also looks quite good. Just outside of our best 22 and it is hard to see him getting in with the likes of Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas, Ball, Wellingham and the like all ahead of him. Could be a good value pickup for another club and would receive greater opportunities and regular games which would be fantastic to see.
Luke Rounds: Not a huge fan of his personally and don’t see him as a future best 22 player which is why I’d put him on the market. But had a great debut game shutting down Brent Harvey down back. The weapon Rounds possesses is his speed and when up and going can give serious dash from defence or through the midfield.
Ben Sinclair: Another of those I’d be willing to move on if an opposition club if it means getting a deal through. Very Jaxson Barham-esque in that he is a super speedy tackling machine and like Barham probably isn’t necessarily the best ball user or decision maker. Under Buckley this will be something I’m sure he will put a heavy weighting on and long term not confident he will make it. This doesn’t necessarily mean he has looked out of place at AFL level but more so a case of like with Rounds we probably have some better talent on our list and it is hard to see him securing that permanent position in our best 22 at any stage.
1st round pick 2011: Been a long time since we have had the opportunity to use this selection now but I’d certainly have it on the table because really we don’t need it and it’s probably one of the better things we can offer on the trade market if we are indeed going to strike a deal with a club. Essentially it’s only a 2nd round pick so I wouldn’t get too attached to it. We are getting enough quality young talent in – Jarrod Witts so I wouldn’t worry about it. Trade it to Geelong for Trent West!
Brad Dick: Will be delisted if no club wants him. Maybe a club like West Coast throw a garbage pick at us (eg. 5th or 6th round pick they have no intention of using). Just up to opposition clubs to weight up whether they are willing to deal with his poor run with injuries and give him the time to recover and get back his confidence in his body which won’t be a quick process! Won’t be back to anything near his best before 2013 which is the risk involved in taking Dicky on.
Jarryd Blair: Many would consider this a questionable trade. Is our lucky charm and has been good since joining the club. Best 22 at this stage. But is probably the best player with relation to our best 22 I would be willing to give up. Since he has been best 22 for two years now I don’t see his value going any higher because the way I see it, there is the chance that he does get passed in coming years and I don’t really ever see him becoming elite at any stage down the road.
Projected best 22 2012:
F: Andrew Krakouer Chris Dawes Alex Fasolo
HF: Steele Sidebottom Travis Cloke Alan Didak
CEN: Dale Thomas Scott Pendlebury Dayne Beams
HB: Nick Maxwell Ben Reid Harry O’Brien
B: Heath Shaw Chris Tarrant Alan Toovey
FOLL: Darren Jolly Luke Ball Dane Swan
BENCH: Sharrod Wellingham Lachlan Keeffe Paul Seedsman Ben Johnson
Well in the mix and will play games in 2012: Jye Bolton Josh Thomas Nathan Brown Jarryd Blair Tyson Goldsack Brent Macaffer
Draft plan:
The need I’d like for us to address either in the national draft or rookie draft is a high level small defender who can play pretty immediately – since Leon Davis is a potential retirement and Ben Johnson would have to be near the end so maybe that is a Luke Brown, Sam Docherty or Brandon Ellis in the 1st round. I’d also recommend we target a high level medium forward – think Steve Johnson or Nat Fyfe which we might be able to address in the 2nd or 3rd round with a Sebastian Ross or similar. Also worth consideration is another ruckman whether that be in the main draft or with a rookie selection. Obviously we are adding Witts already but I would consider a Tom Downie or a Mitch Brewer to secure our long term ruck division as Geelong did when in a similar position of power on the ladder – good ruckmen don’t have to come from high picks and there are some interesting types this year, so for mine it’s the year to load up.
Those we can add pre draft:
Possible draftees:
Jackson Starcevich (Potential F/S selection. KPF playing for QLD in the U18 champs. Doesn’t look like an early pick but might be a possibility. Was average at best during the U18 champs, but other form from what I have been hearing has been ok so perhaps he is an option)
Jarrod Witts (NSW/ACT Scholarship. 209cm, 114kg ruckman! Has been a standout so far at the u18 champs for NSW. Not an unco tall by any stretch of the imagination and while he blows up pretty easy he has shown more than just a couple of signs to suggest that he might have a future at AFL level with time. Has that big body and is starting to use it to advantage which is great to see! Should go senior list)
Jye Bolton (Rookie promotion. Been great at VFL level throughout the year and looks deserves to be upgraded from rookie list)
Rookie:
Michael Harley (NSW/ACT Scholarship. Key position defender. 196cm. Athletic background and was high jumper. Like Witts has shown promise this season and also looks like great value! Stylistically he plays allot like Presti. Limited offensive game. Interesting KPD prospect and would likely have gone in the main draft otherwise)
Caolan Mooney (Irish recruit. Haven’t seen the kid play but from the highlight clips I’ve seen he has incredible speed. Will probably start on the wing and go from there)
Some who I’d recommend we look at with each selection:
1st round:
Daniel Markworth: Overager who is pretty new to the game. Comes from a basketball and tennis background. Real high character guy who will put the work in. Has improved beyond belief this year and think he might develop into a top 10 talent in this years draft. Has positional flexibility and is one of those 190cm types who you can throw into the midfield or forward and see have an impact. Has immense leg speed and good decision maker, skill level very good + has nice penetration.
Luke Brown: Is that year older but is a really nice small defender. Has a great burst of speed and isn’t afraid to take on opposition forwards. Nice skill set. Strong overhead. Strong defensively.
Brad McKenzie: Flanker type with super high skills by foot. Perfect left footer and can load up 60m bombs and get them to hit their targets consistently. Under pressure kicking still very good.
Sam Docherty: Real weapon off a half back flank. Has explosive speed. Kicking is exceptional and doesn’t look pressured. Man on man defence excellent and is a big time rebounding machine.
Hayden Crozier: Inconsistent, but special talent. Best known for that specie during the u18 champs. Highlight machine with standout speed and with a really nice left foot kick on him. Endurance still a work in progress and incredibly light, so don’t expect more than just a couple of inconsistent flashes early, but once he develops. Watch out! Can play.
Brandon Ellis: Small but stocky type defender. Absolute star at TAC Cup level. Attacks the ball well. Shrugs tackles easily. Has a weapon of a kick on him. Not quick but gee he can play!
2nd round:
Tom Downie: 205cm ruckman from basketball background. Has played limited football but in those few games he shown allot of potential. Doesn’t matter that we are taking Witts, this guy is worth a shot as another long term ruck prospect and is the ideal training partner for Witts to be learning with.
Waylen Manson: Bit of an unknown quantity and haven’t seen him play live and there is little known information. But what we do know is that his production in those very few games he has played is beyond belief, and considering he hasn’t played allot of footy in a professional type environment there is allot of potential room for growth. Real high risk type since there is that go home factor and we don’t know how he would fit in, but is well worth looking at because potentially he could become the next Lance Franklin up forward.
Jordan Lockyer: Agressive, but undersized KPP. Has the flexibility to play either end well and have an impact. Very physical and reminds me ALLOT of Jack Anthony with the way he plays.
Jackson Merrett: Versatile type mid. Skinny. High skill level. Has nice pace. Looks motivated and could be a good find. Very high character.
Sebastian Ross: Medium forward/ midfielder with great talent. Really nice left footer, never looks pressured. Good tackler. High character. Very draftable.
Matthew Jacquier: Talented medium forward with a really nice skill set. Skill level very high and finishes well around goal.
3rd round:
Best available slider.
4th round:
Jarrad Witts (Through NSW/ACT Scholarship promotion)
5th round:
Jye Bolton (Upgrade from rookie list)
Rookie draft options:
Mitch Brewer: Big ruckman who like Witts is from a rugby background. 204cm and 119kg. 19 year old. Showed big improvement up in QLD this year and that’s the thing you look for in these types of rookie ruckman. If we don’t take Downie, Brewer would be the other player I’d really push hard for us to look at as a possibility.
Aseri Raikiwasa: Athletic undersized key defender. High level athlete, well built already and was captain of the SA u18 side.
Sam Dwyer: Immediate player who has been ripping it up at VFL level all season. Midfielder who can also play forward. Skill level is very good and has nice pace. Could fit into our rotation and best 22.
Mark Baguley: High working, high character defender from Frankston VFL. Has been noted by the media that we are looking at him as a potential option.
Brett Eddy: If we are looking at an immediate KPF, Eddy is the man. Was having a super first season at VFL level but then hurt his knee. Won’t be back immediately but this just works into our favour if we want to rookie him because it will mean clubs will be put off drafting him in the main draft.
Jimmi Savage: High upside talented KPF who is an unbelievable athlete. Went in the rookie draft to GWS last year but has since gone back to SA. If he can prove he wants another shot he is worth taking a chance on.
Ben Brown: Overlooked last year but doesn’t mean he isn’t worth a look this year now that he has recovered from his knee reco. Project tall KPF/ruckman.
*Michael Hartley
*Caolan Mooney
----- A graders
1. Ben Reid: Having a sensational season just continues improving with every game which is rather scary! Continues to improve defensively and his long kicking from defence still remains a serious weapon. Reads the ball like Maxy off the opposition boot and could be best described as a Sam Fisher with close to the best kick in the league. Kicking is a beautiful thing to watch with that 60m penetration and the speed and accuracy he can get them off to its intended target. Every game somehow seems to get into my best which is impressive for a KPD!
2. Scott Pendlebury: As he does every year has reached a whole new level and I would now argue that he is our best and most important player. Continuing to build on his inside game and I would argue that he is very close to being the best player in the league! There is probably no player more important to our success from week to week, such is his influence. Like Thomas consistently gets up for those big games.
3. Dale Thomas: The big things Daisy has added into his game over the past 24 months is not just his tackling and pressuring ability but also his endurance which has allowed him to produce greater numbers more consistently and influence the contest going both ways more consistently which is big for this team. Could be argued that he is the inform player in the competition. His energy is team lifting and a big reason why we are as good as we are. Probably not quite as good a player as Pendlebury is but I regard his season as being better than Pendlebury’s.
4. Travis Cloke: Has had a surprisingly good conversion rate so far this season! Will keep the critics away for a while. What those who haven’t been watching Cloke closely won’t have noticed is that half his goals are from withing 10-15m out, directly infront when he pushes deep forward giving himself a deceptively good conversion rate. Not that I have a problem with this. Marking as strongly as ever and is dominating teams with his strength and contested marking ability. The inform forward of the competition. His confidence has never been higher which is fantastic to see. Never been more dominant and his professionalism is paying off which is great to see. On track to break league best ever contested marking title off Richo which is very impressive. Clear top 4 in B+F. Just needs to keep doing what he is doing and continue building in seasons to come.
5. Dane Swan: Had an electric start to the season then seemed to struggle with some niggling injuries. Since Arizona has managed to get back into some of his better form. Would like to see him do a little more defensively and collect a couple more tackles per game as well as continuing to work on his ball use, by foot in particular. But is a star of the competition and an absolute machine at his best!
----- AA Form
6. Luke Ball: Having a sensational season and probably the best for his career! Playing as hard as he did in 2010 but with a couple of differences worth mentioning since we all know what Ball does. Ball this season has been able to add an extra 10m to his kicking penetration and now can kick the full 50m if he wants to, and now can kick much more accurately to a target over a 30-40m range which is great to see! Certainly has increased his endurance and is really moving around the ground allot better and taking allot more marks than he would have previously. Amazingly accurate goal kicking whether it be from around the ground or from set shots. Makes our whole team better with his inside work and is a big reason why we are as good as we are. With so many star midfielders around the league it is hard to fit Ball into the AA team, but his form has been as good as any midfielder going around. Like Cloke his professionalism is the reason why he is as good as he is and has added serious leadership to the team which has been a big factor in our success.
7. Chris Tarrant: Started the season a little slow which was to be expected, but he has really adjusted very nicely to our defensive unit and really looks comfortable now in defence. With every game continues to get better. His new found maturity is worth noting. Can be relied on and you can tell he plays for his jumper week in, week out which you just love to see. The in form full back in the competition for mine. Much better at full back than he is at full forward now, as much as he’d hate to admit it.
8. Leon Davis: How good has this guy been this season? Fantastic story and could have gone either way. Has got his trademark speed back again which he didn’t have in 2010 and looks like a new man down back, and you can tell he really enjoys playing back there. Can beat his man 1v1 and is doing some creative and lively things down back. Kicking in from kick outs this season has been a highlight and his kicking consistency and decision making have only got better as the season has gone. Have faith that he can produce this finals series since there is no pressure on him kicking goals anymore. Along with Reid, Tarrant, Toovey and Shaw would have him amongst All Australian consideration down back! Playing the footy of his life!
9. Heath Shaw: Really down back is having a serious season and is our real defensive general. Offensively allot more consistent and isn’t getting tagged out of games as he has been over the past few years. Would have no doubt have received a position on the AA team had it not been for this whole betting thing forcing him to miss the remainder of the H+A season. Look forward to him coming back hard this finals series!
10. Alan Toovey: Has been a solid defensive anchor again in 2011 and even at times is adding some dash from defence and delivering some nice passes by foot which is nice to see. Just doesn’t ever seem to get beaten and is a seriously underrated improver. Been absolutely sensational this season and I would say he should be an All Australian. Whether he makes it is another thing, but as deserving as any defender in the league.
11. Dayne Beams: Has missed some time with injury this season but has been fantastic as always. Has built that set shot goalkicking into his game and is converting those shots he missed last year! Again winning allot of the ball and using it well with high hurt factor, rarely misses a target and is just one of those players where you just really want the ball in their hands because you know they are going to hurt the opposition every time. Next step is spending more time in the midfield, which he can certainly do with his ball winning ability. Needs to keep working hard defensively because while he is one of our best weapon players, Mick values defensive effort which Dayne needs to give more consistently which is the only thing holding him back from reaching that next level but is making inroads in this area which is pleasing. Work on endurance, adding some more size, defensive side of the footy and ball winning over the offseason and could become a major part of our midfield rotation.
----- Vital pieces (But seasons probably not quite up to the level you’d like)
12. Chris Dawes: Had a great start to the season but since has slowed down and succumbed to injury. Hopefully he will be right and ready to go for finals footy and have all the little niggles sorted out. Very important part to the side structurally and is so important because of the way he compliments Cloke to well and helps take pressure off him only making our forwardline harder to defend.
13. Darren Jolly: Seemed to be carrying injury late 2010 and injury so far this year for the first time in a long time has been getting the better of him. Might need to be managed Brad Ottens style from here on in. Critical if we are to again have September/ October success!
14. Alan Didak: Has understandably had a slow start to the season but hasn’t really ever looked settled this year. Can’t burn off opponents like he could previously but more importantly he isn’t hitting targets he would hit 100% of the time by foot which is the big worry for mine. Still clever with the ball and is every bit a vital part to the Collingwood machine. Only just now late season he is starting to put together some better form which is promising. Could be a big part of our September machine only making us more dangerous. Needs to get his consistency by foot back up there by finals and he could be big for us!
15. Harry O’Brien: Had a noticeably slow start to the season and really hasn’t played like himself. Certainly nowhere near the level he was playing at in 2010 and really needs to work hard to get back to anything close to that form because he is a long way off his best! Only really looked ok at times but without any real consistency. Perhaps injury has been behind this but would hope he can rebound in 2012. Will be important to September success and just needs to get back to his better footy.
16. Nick Maxwell: Had a slow start to the season and like O’Brien has been underwhelming this season. Vital for on and off-field leadership and still clearly best 22 assuming fit and ready to go. With injury you have to ask the question whether he will play a part in September?
----- Clear best 22
17. Ben Johnson: When he is playing he is going really well, but has had some hamstring difficulties which have unfortunately kept him out of the action for much of the season. Best 22 if he can keep injury free. Form is good.
18. Andrew Krakouer: How good is the guy? Fantastic recruit and has done a fantastic job to establish himself in our best side. Has earned his position. Outstanding fit both up forward and through the midfield. Every game he seems to do something special and have an influence on the game. Real game breaker and a great asset. What he is really good at doing is creating time for himself in situations where others would have to rush the ball on less effectively. Has over the month or two had a dry patch in front of the goals but has not lacked effort and has tackled strongly which is more what his performances should be graded on. Hopefully he continues to build on his current form as he did in the WAFL in 2010 where he eventually took over in the finals series. Dangerous game breaker who could very easily make our finals series.
19. Steele Sidebottom: Is playing some good football again in 2011. Being in his 3rd year I would like to see Sidebottom have a bigger influence more often. If he can find that next level it will be big for us! Would like for us to continue playing him in the midfield for significant minutes, more than has the endurance to play a big part in there. Has strung together some fantastic games so far and would want to continue improving. Is a big time finals player and always lifts for the big games which is fantastic. Often throughout the season though i’ve felt even though Sidey gets his 20 disposals often enough he often really lacks that big impact on the game and can go pretty unnoticed. Needs to become more of an inside ball winner and add some more hurt factor when he has the ball to take the next step.
20. Sharrod Wellingham: Had a slow start to the season but has since then started to pick up where he left off in 2010. Still needs to become more of a consistent 4 quarter player but it was a great sign in the game where both Dale Thomas and Dane Swan were both missing against Melbourne where Sharrod stepped up and played his best game for his career so far. Hopefully a sign for things to come.
21. Leigh Brown: Has played his role well all season without standing out. Why he is so important is because he is that big body up forward who can take the pressure off Cloke and Dawes to help further increase their effectiveness up forward. Also his tackling for a big bloke is sensational and an absolute highlight of his game. Very important player structurally and an important player even if his stats sheet might not suggest it.
----- Best 22 Quality (But not guaranteed games every week at Collingwood)
22. Jarryd Blair: Had really lively start to the season but probably hasn’t fully recaptured that form. What he has shown over the past month is consistent tackling intensity which might just be enough to keep him inside our best side if he can keep it up. Just needs to keep working hard and giving maximum effort defensively to stay in this side.
23. Tyson Goldsack: Glandular fever has meant a slow start to the season where he lost all that weight. Ideal sub option with his flexibility of position and most importantly with his ability to close games harder than just about anyone. Would easily make any other opposition best 22. Has put together a very strong past month of footy and looms as the likely September replacement for Maxwell since his form and confidence is there. Has just come into form at the right time of year which is what you want to see. What makes Goldsack so good is his closing speed which allows him to go for incredibly impressive tackles. As well as this with his length which allows him to spoil opponents pretty easily. Long kicking is a highlight even if from kickouts he is rather predictable. Real confidence player who if given regular opportunities at AFL level can perform to an incredibly high level and to a higher level than maybe believe. Don’t want to see Goldsack traded at season’s end because firstly he looks like the long term Maxwell replacement down back given he is a similar size, dimensions and type and secondly while others might not agree I think his best footy is yet to come and I can see him breaking out and possibly becoming an AA player down back if he can get a regular run of games together. To improve I’d look for Goldsack to improve his composure under pressure, looks more pressured than most when he has ball in hand and really needs to become much quicker and cleaner by hand. Also needs to continue working at reading the ball and providing rebound off opposition kicks as the likes of Reid and Maxwell do to perfection.
24. Alex Fasolo: How good has this kid been? First season kid who coming into the draft was considered a top 35 prospect. Really nice surprise to see him drop to us, and he has not disappointed. Has looked fantastic so far on a forward flank for us and with every week continues to get better. His kicking for goal as well as his tackling have been highlights. Can win the hard ball and you’d think he will only get better. Could step in for Didak on a forward flank in the finals if needed which is a big win. Recent form has been sensational and has development this season has been a real highlight. Looms as a really nice sub option for the finals and could be a chance to get some finals games, but have him just outside of our best 22. One thing Fas really needs to work on is his unselfishness. At every opportunity he just blasts off for goal, even in unrealistic situations. In the future he needs to better sum up when to go for goal and when to pass off. Really needs to become allot less selfish and make the Medhurst transformation from a forward who plays for himself to a forward who plays to get team mates involved and make them look better and help them get into the game.
----- Depth at this stage but hopefully many will be more than this in the future (Where they are at based on form now)
25. John McCarthy: Has absolutely dominated at VFL level to such an extent that he has forced his way into the senior side during the middle bit of the season. Certainly hasn’t looked out of place at AFL level both up forward or through the midfield but at the same time doesn’t look good enough to ever break into our best 22 permanently which is the question with McCarthy. Quality depth and a fantastic surprise with one of his first injury free seasons in recent memory. Plays his best footy in the midfield but because our midfield is so loaded there just isn’t room for him in our best 22 unless it is for injury. Along with Simon Buckley has done a fantastic job of improving and proving viable options for when injuries hit. Don’t see him being around long term with better talent coming through in Fasolo, Bolton and Seedsman make him very replaceable and probably a fairly logical delisting since it looks to be against the odds that he goes past any of our existing midfielders. Had a disappointing close to the season considering the way he was dominating at for the most part which was probably the only thing I considered disappointing about McCarthy’s season. For mine it’s either trade or delist.
26. Simon Buckley: Started out this season making terrible decisions much of the time, and looked pressured, but with regular games started to gain some confidence in his ability but has in this later part like McCarthy really tapered off. A bit like Goldy, a real confidence player who performs best when his coach and playing group have complete faith in his ability. Has a great long kick on him! But at the age of 24 you’re looking for a best 22 player and not a career fringe player who is only really there as injury cover. There are better young talents coming through in Bolton, Young and Seedsman who make him very much expendable at his age like McCarthy. I don’t regard Simon as best 22 material yet, and I’m not sure he ever will be for Collingwood with superior young talents coming through. For mine it’s either trade or delist.
27. Josh Thomas: Absolute clearance machine and wins plenty of the contested ball. Such a good inside reader of the ball and in congestion is a standout. Tackling is solid. Has fantastic breakaway speed and has put on some muscle over the offseason which is very exciting. Could soon go from a very good inside player to a dominant inside player. Would be THE optimal replacement if Luke Ball was ever to miss a game. Needs to improve his endurance, and probably could to add some positional flexibility because it won’t be easy knocking anyone out of the midfield rotation.. Definitely view him as a full time inside midfielder and one who is good enough to make it at AFL level. Since return from injury his form has been immense in the second half of the season and he has put a big case together for an AFL debut. Really with every game has shown big progress and can’t wait to see what he can produce in 2012 when he will no doubt debut. Needs to trail Luke Ball all off season because his game is just so similar and he could learn so much from him. Perfect player to model his game on and hopefully in 2-3 years time can do everything that Luke is doing now and eventually replace him.
28. Cameron Wood: Will need to keep developing if he wants to make a career for himself at AFL level. At this stage he looks like a depth ruckman only. Certainly not someone you would want playing as your no.1 ruck if you want a serious chance of winning a premiership. Really needs to build up his endurance base to allow him to work harder around the ground for more than a quarter or a half each game. Needs to become more consistent by hand and by foot and also needs to continue to get stronger because he gets pushed around far too easily by opposition ruckman, particularly at boundary throw-ins. Will be retained at years end, but with Witts likely to join us next year he needs to lift significantly if he wants to have a long career at AFL level. Because he isn’t playing nearly well enough to get a ruck job at any team.
29. Lachlan Keeffe: Keeffe is an interesting one who has since arriving at the club shown great progress. Really seems to be a quick learner even though he started football late after having come from a soccer background. Still very skinny and probably needs to add another 10+kg, but for a 204cm kid who can run and kick like a medium size player, that is a huge win! With N.Brown’s current knee issues it looks entirely possible that Keeffe pushes past him as a defender. The other thing we might look to add into his game is the ability to play minor ruck minutes because L.Brown won’t be around forever, but for now I’d probably look for Ceglar to try to develop into that role. Hasn’t closed out the season as hard as I might have liked but I think he will come back hard and continue his improvement in 2012 and hopefully break into the squad as a regular.
30. Paul Seedsman: Skinny, but not out of his depth at VFL level. Classy ball user with pace and great agility. Tackles well and his tackles stick which is pleasing for such a skinny lad. Needs to put on size before AFL debut, but showing some great promise. Consistent from game to game and continues to show improvement which is a great sign. Don’t be surprised to see Seedsman break through into the senior side next year and surprise a few. Very encouraging start to his career. Plays not unlike a young Pendlebury. In short, I think he will make the grade based on what i’ve seen this year if he keeps working as hard as he has this year.
31. Jye Bolton: How good has this kid been? Had a great start to the season, started to taper off but gee he has come back hard and finished off the season well! Very happy with the way he has started off his career! Could very easily play on a on a wing or forward flank at AFL level without much difficulty. Has fantastic endurance and you can see how much he loves playing footy. Just tries his guts out every time he takes the field and watching him play you see a player who really, really wants to make it. Another of those rookie selections who like a Nick Maxwell will just will his way into the senior side through wanting it more than the next player. Deserves to be promoted onto the senior list at the end of the season. I’d like to see young Bolts continue to work on the consistency of his kicking. Inside game is coming along nicely. Looks likely to break through for a couple of games next year at the rate he is coming along. I’m cautiously optimistic for his future and if he keeps working hard on his game I think he can make the grade.
32. Luke Rounds: Had a slow and inconsistent start to the season but has put that behind him and strung together some better games in the second half. Has nice speed, and played a fantastic game on Brent Harvey which he seems to have taken allot of confidence out of. Still has a long way to go if he wants to come close to becoming a best 22 player at some point though. Do have my doubts at where he will fit and whether he will be good enough long term. Think a few could pass him but none the less I think he will be retained for another season since he is so young and has shown he can compete at AFL level. Even if he only looks long term like a depth player. Hope I’m wrong though!
33. Kirk Ugle: Tiny fella. Has loads of speed. Defensive pressure is very good and needs to keep building on this! Needs to impact the scoreboard more and add a few more strings to his bow. But has talent and a fair bit to work with. Less advanced than Blair was at this stage of his development. But better as a pure, natural forward. Could add more penetration to his set shot goal kicking, but with time that should develop. Also has midfield potential. A fair bit of talent to work with. Just needs to keep improving and adding more strings to his bow to give himself the greatest chance of making the grade.
34. Ben Sinclair: Speedy player with incredible hardness and desire to continually go hard at the man for the tackle. Really reminds me allot of Jaxson Barham. Still needs to physically develop more as well as improve the consistency of his kicking. Will have enjoyed his debut game and will want to keep building on his form for next season.
35. Tom Young: Had a slow start to the season after taking out the VFL B+F last year, but has slowly started to look better as the season has gone. Shows nice dash from defence and isn’t afraid to take on opposition players, even seems to have some midfield potential. Is really composed and can create time well with the footy. Is a big time ball winner. Has a nice work rate. Can accumulate big tackling numbers. Will be interesting to see what role he develops into. Allot of things need cleaning up if he wants to make the grade. Still seems to be learning the structures. Needs to have much cleaner hands. Kicking needs to be cleaned up as well as his decision making, and also needs to develop core strength so that when he takes on players he can break the tackles more easily because he often gets caught and goes to ground and can get pushed around a little. Think he can develop into a solid AFL level player if he continues to progress and continues to work hard on his weaknesses. Promising start to his career but not nearly there and if far from assured of a career at the next level.
36. Brent Macaffer: Had a slow start to the season with injury issues and really hasn’t picked up where he left off in 2010 unfortunately. Has been struggling with injury throughout the season and seems to have been struggling with the pace of the game. Needs to lay those hard tackles inside 50 as he was in 2010 while also being another marking presence up forward as we know he can be. Kicking goals is a bonus and in future seasons will want him to start to hit the scoreboard more consistently. Should with a full preseason get back to playing some of his better footy and hopefully he can get back to, if not improve on his 2010 form, because when he is playing his better footy he can be a very valueable player. Not worth trading. Has no trade value since he has hardly played this season and is worth retaining and persisting with. Will want to have a solid preseason though and probably needs to forget finals and start preparing now.
----- Development projects who still need time and aren’t ready to play senior footy.
37. Shae McNamara: Has had an up and down season with some spectacular highs, but just as many spectacular lows. Still learning the game and still makes lots of mistakes. But gee he can do some special things sometimes for someone his size! Has had some fantastic games in the ruck and now looks to have found a spot on the wing, which really suits him. Needs to play well and have an influence more consistently if he ever wants to make the grade. While older than Wood the thing working in McNamara’s favour is that unlike Wood he has make some serious progress and in his good games can seriously dominate. But at the age of 26 it is hard to keep a project player around for a 3rd season.
38. Thomas Gordon: Big key position player who should have gone in the main draft last year. Strong overhead. Has been really solid for a first year KPD and his kicking is a feature. Like him because he has that ability to play back or forward. Worth persisting with as a rookie even if as depth and well and truly deserves a second season for mine.
39. Jonathan Ceglar: The bonus we got out of the Krakouer deal. Solid ruck prospect who has at times shown some good signs in the first half of the season but has since really dropped off. Can look dangerous up forward at times. Has a long way to go but I think he will put the work in. Needs time. With Witts likely in 2-3 years time to take over from Jolly when he retires Ceglar might be a good no.2 ruck option because he does have the ability to play forward and look dangerous at times which makes him a good candidate for the role. Interestingly since Witts has joined the VFL squad Ceglar seems to have made an extra special effort to play some better footy. But long term I do see Witts as the better player. Regardless Ceglar is worth persisting with and needs time.
40. Daniel Farmer: One of my favourites we got through the draft. Had a very slow start to the season but has since that mid way point really started to show great progress. Needs to get stronger because he can get bumped off the ball too easily and needs to continue to work on winning his own ball. Work rate is getting better and starting to play smarter, learning to run to the right places and look dangerous up forward at times. Think he can have a future, but needs time and needs to work hard to make it happen. Needs a big offseason because he is a long way back but if he applies himself absolutely no reason why he can’t make it. Worth persisting with and would give him a second season on the senior list.
41. Paul Cribbin: Has done allot better than expected! Not out of his depth at VFL level which is great to see for the young Irishman. When he has the ball in hand looks very good at times. Has nice pace. Still learning the game. Allot of improvement to come, still needs to get better defensively and would like for him to add tackling into his game which always seems to take the longest for the Irish to learn. Looks good on a back flank or on a wing. Worth giving him a second year.
42. Scott Reed: Being in his 3rd year on the rookie list a decision needs to be made as to whether he gets promoted or delisted. With our list situation it will be incredibly difficult to fit him onto our senior list. Can let himself down with his ball use sometimes and really needs to find a role. Needs to play more consistency from week to week and the development just hasn’t been there this year. Won’t be retained.
43. Declan Reilly: Has shown some promising signs in the few VFL games he has played. Developing key position forward still with a long way to go. Can take a good grab and his set shot goalkicking is quite good. Needs to put on allot of weight, and needs to build up his endurance. Very much a project. Needs to continue to develop if he wants to be retained. Probably doesn’t have enough of a standout feature for my liking to develop into more than just a depth KPF which is my question with Reilly. Possible delisting.
44. Jack Perham: The mature age forward had a really strong start to the season up forward but after the first 7/8 games he has completely dropped off form wise. Was drafted as a depth KPF to replace Jack Anthony, but I definitely don’t see him as anything more than insurance. In the later part of the season got shifted back and was ok, but hardly incredible. Likely to get delisted, just hasn’t impressed me for enough of the year and doesn’t look like any threat to break into our side at any stage.
45. Trent Stubbs: Was a Hawthorn NSW/ACT scholarship boy who decided to enter the national draft. Fascinating prospect and good athlete. Has missed most of the season. In the limited games we have seen his performances haven’t been anything incredible which is to be expected given the time he has been out. Don’t think he should receive a 2nd season on the senior list. Maybe we rookie him but that’s up to the club if they think he is worth a full season.
---- Yet to play/ injured (ignore the numbering)
46. Nathan Brown: Injured. Would be best 22. Look forward to seeing him back next year and hopefully he can have a better injury run in future seasons!
47. Brad Dick: Has performed below expectation this season. Seems to be suffering from the same thing Sean Rusling has (too much time out of the game with injury and not enough confidence in his body when playing). Really needed to get his speed back as well as his tackling, but after his knee reco I have serious doubts that Dicky will get back to his early career best at all now unfortunately. His tackling energy and heart is what made him stand out and made him such a dangerous player. If we were to retain him he would take a good 2 years to get back into AFL condition, so I would definitely delist him because at his age we are better off trying out a new talent through the draft. With a list as strong as we have, it makes it near impossible to keep Dicky which is a shame because he is a great kid. Wouldn’t rookie him either.
48. Tom Hunter: Retired.
2011 finals best 22:
F: Andrew Krakouer Chris Dawes Jarryd Blair
HF: Steele Sidebottom Travis Cloke Dayne Beams
CEN: Dale Thomas Dane Swan Heath Shaw
HB: Nick Maxwell Ben Reid Harry O’Brien
B: Leon Davis Chris Tarrant Alan Toovey
FOLL: Darren Jolly Luke Ball Scott Pendlebury
BENCH: Leigh Brown Ben Johnson Sharrod Wellingham Alan Didak
EMG: Tyson Goldsack Alex Fasolo Lachlan Keeffe
Projected list changes at end of 2011 season: (Huge list turnover last year. Will elect to go minimal list turnover this year you’d think)
Retire:
Leigh Brown (Has already announced retirement. Has been a handy role player in his couple of years with the club. Is going to give coaching a go, think he might be good as a KPP/ruck coach)
Possible retire:
Leon Davis (Has mentioned that he might return home to WA to be closer to family. Maybe he retires. Maybe he requests trade. In any case has had a terrific season and owes the club nothing)
Delist:
Brad Dick (Sad that he has had such a bad run with injuries. Just can’t see him getting back to his best and will take too much time to get back up to pace. Not in our best interests to give him another season)
Trent Stubbs (Last pick in last years draft. Has been out for most of the season and hardly played a VFL game. Up to the club whether they want to offer him a rookie position, but certainly shouldn’t be retained on the senior list)
Possible delist:
John McCarthy: Has had a solid and injury free season. Has been ripping it up at VFL level and at AFL level hasn’t looked out of place. The question is whether he will ever break into the best 22. For me the answer looks to be a clear no because currently there are much better talents in our side and better talents coming through (Fasolo, Bolton and Seedsman). So his position is at risk given his age and lack of best 22 potential. Could be a good trade option for other teams though because he is still without a doubt an AFL level talent.
Simon Buckley: Buckley is in the same boat as McCarthy. Has had a very good season and has exceeded the expectations of most. But the same question applies. Where does he fit in our best 22? I don’t believe he does. Ben Johnson won’t be around for many more years and he looks like a fairly natural replacement but I believe like with McCarthy there are better young talents in (Bolton, Young and Seedsman) who make him expendable and don’t really make him best 22 relevant – which at the age of 24 you really need to be. Given his good season could be a good trade option for other teams because his kicking is a big weapon and I suggest there would be more than a couple of best 22s he could fit into. Won’t ever have more value than he does from a Collingwood perspective so move him on now.
Rookie delist:
Tom Hunter (Retired)
Jack Perham (Was drafted to replace Jack Anthony as some immediate forward depth. Started the season on fire, but has really dropped off in a hurry and just no longer looks competitive. We can do better)
Scott Reed (3rd year, but just no spot for him in senior side. No obvious player who he could possibly replace in the near future. Looks like a depth player only)
Shae McNamara (2nd year, will be 26 at the end of the year. While he has been a neat experiment, it is very hard to retain him even with the strong progress he has made. Too inconsistent and too far back)
Possible delist:
Declan Reilly (Still very young, but in the Jack Carter boat of 2010. Improving but very long term project and doesn’t have enough standout talent to suggest that he will be best 22 at any stage)
Rookie promote:
Jye Bolton (Spots on the senior list are worth more than spots on the rookie list, but it’s very difficult to come up with an argument for this kid to not get promoted at season’s end, such is his application and desire to have an impact in this league. Will come down to how many positions on the senior list we can come up with)
Jarrod Witts (Stared in the U18 Champs for NSW in the ruck. Even more impressive have been some of the signs he has shown at VFL level. Should go straight to senior list. But will take time)
Trade week possibilities:
With the retirement of Leigh Brown I’d be pushing hard to find an immediate replacement through trade week. Trent West is the optimal replacement and for mine is an upgrade who could also take over long term as the no.1 ruckman. Otherwise I’d be looking at value and players who look like they could fit clearly into our best 22 – which will not be easy.
Trades I’d look at:
Trent West (My no.1 trade target. Perfect replacement for L.Brown as our no.2 ruck. Has the versatility to play forward or back. Strong mark overhead. Big leap. Strong enough to play no.1 ruck role and is good enough to take over the no.1 role once Jolly retires. Think he will develop into a top 10 league ruckman and soon. Get him)
Danyle Pearce (Would give our midfield that next dimension with his line breaking ability. As an outside player would only benefit from playing in a better team and it is not unrealistic to think his production and influence will increase with it)
Majak Daw (Is my other possible L.Brown replacement. Super athletic tall. Can move into the ruck and compete well in there while also having the pace and ability to play other positions. I’m convinced he will make the grade at AFL level and the man is ready to play now. Get him now before value increases because this likely will be the only chance to get him if we want him!)
Sam Gilbert (Having a poor season, but is a proven player and we all know what he can produce. Might need a change of club and I think we would be that ideal club for him. Maxwell is starting to show his age and likely won’t be around for too many more years. Gilbert is as good of a like for like replacement down back you can get. Is another of those who can read the ball as well as anyone and just gets all those marks off opposition kicks. Valuable. Would be a clear top 15 player at the club for mine)
Josh Toy (Rumours that he wants to return to Victoria and if true I’d recommend that Collingwood get in on the action. High level talent for Gold Coast who probably hasn’t benefited from playing a defensive role down back and because of it hasn’t played senior games regularly. Incredible attacking defender who is physically very strong and is amongst the best kicks you will ever see with either foot and his penetration is first rate. Would look at him if the right trade possibility came up. Defensively isn’t incredible and still has a long way to go but I think he could be a big time player for us if we could add him. Would give up 1st rounder + McCarthy/Buckley in the exchange, but likely that isn’t quite enough)
Players I would have on the trade table: (Outside of this wouldn’t be comfortable trading anyone else)
Simon Buckley: Has had a big year and shown big improvement. Has a big weapon of a kick on him but not sure where he fits in our future plans because he isn’t a best 22 player. Can see him being of AFL relevance for a number of other AFL clubs and I think a few might come knocking at our door.
John McCarthy: Has dominated at VFL level and then stepped in at AFL level and also looks quite good. Just outside of our best 22 and it is hard to see him getting in with the likes of Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas, Ball, Wellingham and the like all ahead of him. Could be a good value pickup for another club and would receive greater opportunities and regular games which would be fantastic to see.
Luke Rounds: Not a huge fan of his personally and don’t see him as a future best 22 player which is why I’d put him on the market. But had a great debut game shutting down Brent Harvey down back. The weapon Rounds possesses is his speed and when up and going can give serious dash from defence or through the midfield.
Ben Sinclair: Another of those I’d be willing to move on if an opposition club if it means getting a deal through. Very Jaxson Barham-esque in that he is a super speedy tackling machine and like Barham probably isn’t necessarily the best ball user or decision maker. Under Buckley this will be something I’m sure he will put a heavy weighting on and long term not confident he will make it. This doesn’t necessarily mean he has looked out of place at AFL level but more so a case of like with Rounds we probably have some better talent on our list and it is hard to see him securing that permanent position in our best 22 at any stage.
1st round pick 2011: Been a long time since we have had the opportunity to use this selection now but I’d certainly have it on the table because really we don’t need it and it’s probably one of the better things we can offer on the trade market if we are indeed going to strike a deal with a club. Essentially it’s only a 2nd round pick so I wouldn’t get too attached to it. We are getting enough quality young talent in – Jarrod Witts so I wouldn’t worry about it. Trade it to Geelong for Trent West!
Brad Dick: Will be delisted if no club wants him. Maybe a club like West Coast throw a garbage pick at us (eg. 5th or 6th round pick they have no intention of using). Just up to opposition clubs to weight up whether they are willing to deal with his poor run with injuries and give him the time to recover and get back his confidence in his body which won’t be a quick process! Won’t be back to anything near his best before 2013 which is the risk involved in taking Dicky on.
Jarryd Blair: Many would consider this a questionable trade. Is our lucky charm and has been good since joining the club. Best 22 at this stage. But is probably the best player with relation to our best 22 I would be willing to give up. Since he has been best 22 for two years now I don’t see his value going any higher because the way I see it, there is the chance that he does get passed in coming years and I don’t really ever see him becoming elite at any stage down the road.
Projected best 22 2012:
F: Andrew Krakouer Chris Dawes Alex Fasolo
HF: Steele Sidebottom Travis Cloke Alan Didak
CEN: Dale Thomas Scott Pendlebury Dayne Beams
HB: Nick Maxwell Ben Reid Harry O’Brien
B: Heath Shaw Chris Tarrant Alan Toovey
FOLL: Darren Jolly Luke Ball Dane Swan
BENCH: Sharrod Wellingham Lachlan Keeffe Paul Seedsman Ben Johnson
Well in the mix and will play games in 2012: Jye Bolton Josh Thomas Nathan Brown Jarryd Blair Tyson Goldsack Brent Macaffer
Draft plan:
The need I’d like for us to address either in the national draft or rookie draft is a high level small defender who can play pretty immediately – since Leon Davis is a potential retirement and Ben Johnson would have to be near the end so maybe that is a Luke Brown, Sam Docherty or Brandon Ellis in the 1st round. I’d also recommend we target a high level medium forward – think Steve Johnson or Nat Fyfe which we might be able to address in the 2nd or 3rd round with a Sebastian Ross or similar. Also worth consideration is another ruckman whether that be in the main draft or with a rookie selection. Obviously we are adding Witts already but I would consider a Tom Downie or a Mitch Brewer to secure our long term ruck division as Geelong did when in a similar position of power on the ladder – good ruckmen don’t have to come from high picks and there are some interesting types this year, so for mine it’s the year to load up.
Those we can add pre draft:
Possible draftees:
Jackson Starcevich (Potential F/S selection. KPF playing for QLD in the U18 champs. Doesn’t look like an early pick but might be a possibility. Was average at best during the U18 champs, but other form from what I have been hearing has been ok so perhaps he is an option)
Jarrod Witts (NSW/ACT Scholarship. 209cm, 114kg ruckman! Has been a standout so far at the u18 champs for NSW. Not an unco tall by any stretch of the imagination and while he blows up pretty easy he has shown more than just a couple of signs to suggest that he might have a future at AFL level with time. Has that big body and is starting to use it to advantage which is great to see! Should go senior list)
Jye Bolton (Rookie promotion. Been great at VFL level throughout the year and looks deserves to be upgraded from rookie list)
Rookie:
Michael Harley (NSW/ACT Scholarship. Key position defender. 196cm. Athletic background and was high jumper. Like Witts has shown promise this season and also looks like great value! Stylistically he plays allot like Presti. Limited offensive game. Interesting KPD prospect and would likely have gone in the main draft otherwise)
Caolan Mooney (Irish recruit. Haven’t seen the kid play but from the highlight clips I’ve seen he has incredible speed. Will probably start on the wing and go from there)
Some who I’d recommend we look at with each selection:
1st round:
Daniel Markworth: Overager who is pretty new to the game. Comes from a basketball and tennis background. Real high character guy who will put the work in. Has improved beyond belief this year and think he might develop into a top 10 talent in this years draft. Has positional flexibility and is one of those 190cm types who you can throw into the midfield or forward and see have an impact. Has immense leg speed and good decision maker, skill level very good + has nice penetration.
Luke Brown: Is that year older but is a really nice small defender. Has a great burst of speed and isn’t afraid to take on opposition forwards. Nice skill set. Strong overhead. Strong defensively.
Brad McKenzie: Flanker type with super high skills by foot. Perfect left footer and can load up 60m bombs and get them to hit their targets consistently. Under pressure kicking still very good.
Sam Docherty: Real weapon off a half back flank. Has explosive speed. Kicking is exceptional and doesn’t look pressured. Man on man defence excellent and is a big time rebounding machine.
Hayden Crozier: Inconsistent, but special talent. Best known for that specie during the u18 champs. Highlight machine with standout speed and with a really nice left foot kick on him. Endurance still a work in progress and incredibly light, so don’t expect more than just a couple of inconsistent flashes early, but once he develops. Watch out! Can play.
Brandon Ellis: Small but stocky type defender. Absolute star at TAC Cup level. Attacks the ball well. Shrugs tackles easily. Has a weapon of a kick on him. Not quick but gee he can play!
2nd round:
Tom Downie: 205cm ruckman from basketball background. Has played limited football but in those few games he shown allot of potential. Doesn’t matter that we are taking Witts, this guy is worth a shot as another long term ruck prospect and is the ideal training partner for Witts to be learning with.
Waylen Manson: Bit of an unknown quantity and haven’t seen him play live and there is little known information. But what we do know is that his production in those very few games he has played is beyond belief, and considering he hasn’t played allot of footy in a professional type environment there is allot of potential room for growth. Real high risk type since there is that go home factor and we don’t know how he would fit in, but is well worth looking at because potentially he could become the next Lance Franklin up forward.
Jordan Lockyer: Agressive, but undersized KPP. Has the flexibility to play either end well and have an impact. Very physical and reminds me ALLOT of Jack Anthony with the way he plays.
Jackson Merrett: Versatile type mid. Skinny. High skill level. Has nice pace. Looks motivated and could be a good find. Very high character.
Sebastian Ross: Medium forward/ midfielder with great talent. Really nice left footer, never looks pressured. Good tackler. High character. Very draftable.
Matthew Jacquier: Talented medium forward with a really nice skill set. Skill level very high and finishes well around goal.
3rd round:
Best available slider.
4th round:
Jarrad Witts (Through NSW/ACT Scholarship promotion)
5th round:
Jye Bolton (Upgrade from rookie list)
Rookie draft options:
Mitch Brewer: Big ruckman who like Witts is from a rugby background. 204cm and 119kg. 19 year old. Showed big improvement up in QLD this year and that’s the thing you look for in these types of rookie ruckman. If we don’t take Downie, Brewer would be the other player I’d really push hard for us to look at as a possibility.
Aseri Raikiwasa: Athletic undersized key defender. High level athlete, well built already and was captain of the SA u18 side.
Sam Dwyer: Immediate player who has been ripping it up at VFL level all season. Midfielder who can also play forward. Skill level is very good and has nice pace. Could fit into our rotation and best 22.
Mark Baguley: High working, high character defender from Frankston VFL. Has been noted by the media that we are looking at him as a potential option.
Brett Eddy: If we are looking at an immediate KPF, Eddy is the man. Was having a super first season at VFL level but then hurt his knee. Won’t be back immediately but this just works into our favour if we want to rookie him because it will mean clubs will be put off drafting him in the main draft.
Jimmi Savage: High upside talented KPF who is an unbelievable athlete. Went in the rookie draft to GWS last year but has since gone back to SA. If he can prove he wants another shot he is worth taking a chance on.
Ben Brown: Overlooked last year but doesn’t mean he isn’t worth a look this year now that he has recovered from his knee reco. Project tall KPF/ruckman.
*Michael Hartley
*Caolan Mooney
