Opinion 2014 Draft Prospects / Strategy

[Dalphonso]

Also, Kane Mitchell is being upgraded to the main list
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl...m-to-senior-list/story-e6frf3e3-1227095363044

Not much of a reaction to his upgrade but I guess he does add a bit of depth. One stage I thought he should never play for Port again after that Sydney game.In Ken we trust.He knows more than me.

 

[Ant Bear]

He was lambasted for not tackling in that Sydney game.

I'm comfortable with him being upgraded - he has improvement to make but is valuable depth and suits our game plan

 

[snozulu]

Wonder if we might cut Hawthorn's lunch with Harry Dear?

Paige Cardona Phantom Draft 5.0
Pick 77: Hawthorn – Harry Dear

Position: Key forward/ruckman
Height: 197 cm, Weight: 98 kg, DOB: 18/09/1996
Club: Sandringham Dragons
Projected draft range: Father-son selection
Plays like: David Hale

Just because Hawthorn didn’t initially select Harry Dear in the nomination process, it doesn’t mean he isn’t still within their thinking. Whilst it’s probable that a club may snatch him a touch up the order, there is just as much to suggest that he’ll still be available late in the draft. A terrific prospect in terms of his ceiling for further development, Harry Dear is a really nice player who unfortunately had to undergo a shoulder reconstruction after a blistering start to the season. Dear, who is blessed with a flawless set shot technique and vice-like hands, also has above average agility and athleticism for a player of his size. He’s really come on this year after a few injury plagued junior years, and has shown he’s more than adept as a rotation through the ruck where he thrives on the contact, aggression and physical side the role demands. Dear looms as a perfect long-term replacement for David Hale, and will be an absolute monster in five years.
Paige Cardona Phantom Draft 5.0

Here's a short highlights reel

 

[cmpower]

I thought Spina, Battersby and Thompson were all stiff to get delisted by the crows. Any of those worth a rookie spot?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Here's a short highlights reel

He looks a fair size, mobile enough for such a big kid who is growing into his body. Plays at Sandringham whose region manager is former Port Magarey Medallist Ryan O'Connor.

Hawks eye new Dear

 

[scottjr]

I thought Spina, Battersby and Thompson were all stiff to get delisted by the crows. Any of those worth a rookie spot?

Battersby prehaps but we are really struggling to find spots and the number of untried players we would like to look at along with Krakouer if they choose to give Nathan at chance. Just going to be a bit too hard I suspect.

 

[Rankor]

Isn't battersby slow and one paced? If so I don't think we need him.

 

[raptalia]

He looks a fair size, mobile enough for such a big kid who is growing into his body. Plays at Sandringham whose region manager is former Port Magarey Medallist Ryan O'Connor.

Hawks eye new Dear

So why haven't Hawthorn claimed him under father son? Maybe his injury plagued last few seasons have put them off?

 

[RangaInTeal]

I thought Spina, Battersby and Thompson were all stiff to get delisted by the crows. Any of those worth a rookie spot?

Spina not sure on
Battersby Mr Vanilla
Thompson, if the right guy I'm thinking of, outright knob.

If anyone from there Patrenko as a

 

[Hellgood]

Again, bear in mind when reading SC Paige's profiles that they are all sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. In terms of an opinion what a player could be potentially capable of, they're a good read, but there's no apparent downside whatsoever to any of the superstars she writes about.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

So why haven't Hawthorn claimed him under father son? Maybe his injury plagued last few seasons have put them off?

He's being talked about as the last guy picked in the draft or maybe not at all but he played some u18 championship footy, so he's not going to be a world-beater. Injury may put them off, his tweener ruck size too. Hawthorn might not wanted to have been snookered into giving up an earlier draft pick than they thought they needed to.

Again, bear in mind when reading SC Paige's profiles that they are all sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. In terms of an opinion what a player could be potentially capable of, they're a good read, but there's no apparent downside whatsoever to any of the superstars she writes about.

That's just judgement. You know players that slide out of the first round are going to have flaws that magnify as you go down the draft order.

But seeing as we're starting in the 50s we're just going to have to accept that and try and pick players with the most upside.

Neither Paige nor Knightmare have Baulderstone in their phantom drafts. And he looks to have enough potential to pick up. Tag team him with Panos and see how their clearance act works at the highest level.

Maybe Wagner can surprise us as a clearance mid, he would be similar in size to Panos and is quicker.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Daniel Nielson is pick 58 in Paige's phantom draft and 55 in Knightmare's so he's still in contention.

 

[Phhht]

Havent been able to watch bugger all underage footy the last couple of years. Going by our late picks and simply from known quantities and mock draft descriptions

Pick 57 Panos or Hammelman.
Pick 75 Krakouer or Harry Dear
Pick 10987 Mitchell (not by my choice but oh well)

Rookie pick 1 Baulderstone\Pittonet (not sure Baulderstone will last this far)
Rookie pick 2 Oleg Markov or Caleb Daniel
Rookie Pick 3 Nielson\N Jackson (I think I'm right in that we can pick up 3 rookies)

 

[Comettski_1]

Havent been able to watch bugger all underage footy the last couple of years. Going by our late picks and simply from known quantities and mock draft descriptions

Pick 57 Panos or Hammelman.
Pick 75 Krakouer or Harry Dear
Pick 10987 Mitchell (not by my choice but oh well)

Rookie pick 1 Baulderstone\Pittonet (not sure Baulderstone will last this far)
Rookie pick 2 Oleg Markov or Caleb Daniel
Rookie Pick 3 Nielson\N Jackson (I think I'm right in that we can pick up 3 rookies)

You could even swap your rookie picks and ND picks around, not sure what that says about the quality (or lack thereof) available around our picks.

 

[Nater]

We only get 3 rookie picks if we delist 2 more players and leave a gap open on the list by not taking more than 2 players in the Nd or psd

 

[FallingLiefs]

I don't think we'll be going with mature aged players this draft period. Maybe 1 or 2 but with already losing our early picks and hence that new wave of 18 year olds it would really hurt to go with mature aged players. Cripps has already said he was wary of losing picks two years in a row, so I suspect he would also be thinking he won't be compounding that with even less 18 year olds this year. It's the perfect year for a bit of high risk slow burning rookie picks.

 

[MrMeaner]

Neither Paige nor Knightmare have Baulderstone in their phantom drafts. And he looks to have enough potential to pick up. Tag team him with Panos and see how their clearance act works at the highest level.

Would they though? They'd be more likely to team up at the Maggies...oh, I see your point.

 

[Phhht]

We only get 3 rookie picks if we delist 2 more players and leave a gap open on the list by not taking more than 2 players in the Nd or psd

Yup, gonna be a nervous time for Stevenson and Logan I think.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

No surprise. You cant play 10 games and be emergency for all 3 finals and not be offered a contracr when you play more games than Newton, Moore, Stewart,Stevenson, Butcher, Clurey, Neade, Logan etc

For me this draft
#57 Baulderstone
#75 another big bastard 100kg type either ruckman ready to go or KPP
#97 Mitchell

Rookie draft
#16 Krak man - nobody will take him before this and will probably be Logan's replacement
# 34 another big bastard

 

[Jim Dixon]

No surprise. You cant play 10 games and be emergency for all 3 finals and not be offered a contracr when you play more games than Newton, Moore, Stewart,Stevenson, Butcher, Clurey, Neade, Logan etc

For me this draft
#57 Baulderstone
#75 another big bastard 100kg type either ruckman ready to go or KPP
#97 Mitchell

Rookie draft
#16 Krak man - nobody will take him before this and will probably be Logan's replacement
# 34 another big bastard

I'd be gobsmacked if Baulderstone is still there at 57. The Cows will pick him up with one of their flock of picks in the 40's if nothing else. It will be random big bastards all round I'm afraid.

 

[Powerstufff]

I'd be gobsmacked if Baulderstone is still there at 57. The Cows will pick him up with one of their flock of picks in the 40's if nothing else ....

You're probably right. They cleaned out a lot of their spare talls in the last few weeks, the prima facie position would be that both SA clubs would like him.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I'd be gobsmacked if Baulderstone is still there at 57. The Cows will pick him up with one of their flock of picks in the 40's if nothing else. It will be random big bastards all round I'm afraid.

Crows only have 1 pick in the 40s as they traded them in and out as part of the Cheney + Lowden package. They have 14, 35, 43, 59, 86 etc

They might take him with #43. Its why I keep saying we have to take him with #57 if he is there but so many others say take him with #75 or wait until the rookie draft. Cant get thru to them that he wont be there after #59 which the crows have. The crows obivously believe their first pick will be there at #14 seeing as they traded away #10. I hope they have their hearts set on a couple of kids with #35 and #43.

 

[raptalia]

Unless the AFL have changed it yet again the article linked below suggests that clubs can have up to six cat A rookies and up to three cat B rookies. That was at the start of 2013 and that is a long time in AFL rule longevity.

We have retained Russell and Gray and Mitchell is upgraded and I assume that both Flynn and Wagener are cat B. We could have four more rookies.

This assumes that the information article below is still correct. Looking through last year's lists I note that both West Coast and Essendon had six cat A rookies so that must be the max. Clubs have to pay Rookies of course so most clubs appear to minimise the number that they carry.

http://www.afl.com.au/afl-hq/the-afl-explained/rookie-players

 

[Nater]

We can only have a total of 44 non cat b slots though so to have 6 cat a rookies we can only have 38 on the main list

 

[Andre]

Mitchell is a good depth player. It's hard to know if he can become more than that. He has the basic attributes, but is it going to be the case that he's 24 and near his ceiling. Or he's played < 50 games and players under 50 games should be cut some slack? With his age he falls into both camps to a degree. If he's near his ceiling then I'd hope he only gets games in case of injuries. If he can improve further over the pre-season and address some of his shortfalls then we won't tear out our hair (hair ) if he does get games.