Opinion 2014 Draft Prospects / Strategy

[Holden Hillbilly]

LIKELY first-round draft picks Jake Lever, Sam Durdin and Caleb Marchbank lead the group of tall defenders selected to attend the NAB AFL Draft Combine.

The AFL has released the names of the 13 tall defenders nominated to attend the four-day testing at Etihad Stadium in the week following the Grand Final.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-17/lever-durdin-head-tall-defenders-picked-for-combine-

 

[Nemisis]

Is interesting that Clem Smith is on the slide starting to look like a second round pick? Weller is looking realistic as well. Wouldn't have thought? Will trade our 1st pick for a ready to go Key Position player that can push forward but thinking any1st round pick is gold

Weller would be perfect - all class

 

[It Just Is]

I wonder what affect Patton's 2nd ACL will have on Jake Lever's draft position.

 

[x_les_x]

Is interesting that Clem Smith is on the slide starting to look like a second round pick? Weller is looking realistic as well. Wouldn't have thought? Will trade our 1st pick for a ready to go Key Position player that can push forward but thinking any1st round pick is gold

Clem Smith will be snapped up by west coast bookmark it, hometown lad and they need leg speed through the middle. I have the same theory that somehow if we trade for someone like gorringe out first will be involved somehow. Wouldn't mind weller really keen on Caleb Daniel, bampton, blakely and from a mature ager brett eddy

 

[FallingLiefs]

I wonder what affect Patton's 2nd ACL will have on Jake Lever's draft position.

you can't tell from the outside but i wouldn't think too much. Lever is close to 3 inches shorter and much lighter. Patton is in a bit of trouble because he has to lumber round 105-110kg on the knees. theres history everywhere, TMenzel is running around with a LARS in one knee and people would be spewing they didnt pick him up as of now. I havent seen Patton's knee today but his first was innocuous and there seems to be a correlation from my view of innocuous knee's reinjuring and the Texan landing on it(touchwood) freak tear being stable. i really think it's just a case by case thing.

 

[Hellgood]

Clem Smith will be snapped up by west coast bookmark it, hometown lad and they need leg speed through the middle.

No I very much doubt that. Smith's stocks have fallen pretty significantly over the course of this year. In the games I have seen of him in the U18's and for the Perth league side his skills have been disappointingly scrappy and his decision making has been careless. Will still be drafted on the back of the excitement he generated last year, but won't go anywhere near first round.

 

[x_les_x]

No I very much doubt that. Smith's stocks have fallen pretty significantly over the course of this year. In the games I have seen of him in the U18's and for the Perth league side his skills have been disappointingly scrappy and his decision making has been careless. Will still be drafted on the back of the excitement he generated last year, but won't go anywhere near first round.

Never said he was going to be taken in the first round, west coast will have a pick before us in the second regardless unless we trade one in. The only scenario where he won't be taken by the eagles is if they pick up pickettt in the first round. Personally I would like us to go after one of lamb/goddard with our first if we don't trade it away

 

[Janus]

Disappointed to miss out on Lycett but I'm not sure he was a high priority for what we need.

Mason Shaw and Mitch Harvey will be strong contenders for a key forward spot next year, and a fit Jarrad Redden will be a big option. John Butcher as a swingman ... certainly prepared to give him a full pre-season and look how he shapes up next year.

A solid back up ruck option like Giles or Grimley would be alright and not do much damage to our drafting options then draft another ruck and KPP and put one of each on the rookie list.

Take a look at who Knightmare has us drafting - Reece McKenzie. If we end up with a player like that...pants down lap around the table time as far as I'm concerned, because that's EXACTLY the sort of second tall that we need as a foil for Schulz/Butcher/Shaw/Harvey...not your lead-up forward, but a 196cm, 100kg rock who loves a contested mark and draws double and triple teams. The only drawback is that he believes he'll take 4 years before he is ready to play, and 6 before he realizes his potential as a 'go-to' forward. But that's the beauty of it...we don't need him to be a go-to guy. All we need to do is plonk him in the goalsquare, say "Don't move past 20m" and let the defenders s**t themselves on whether they follow Schulz/Shaw/Harvey on the lead, stay to help against McKenzie or try to push up to help in the midfield against the likes of Gray, Boak, Ebert, Wingard etc.

Oh, and he can ruck too.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Take a look at who Knightmare has us drafting - Reece McKenzie. If we end up with a player like that...pants down lap around the table time as far as I'm concerned, because that's EXACTLY the sort of second tall that we need as a foil for Schulz/Butcher/Shaw/Harvey...not your lead-up forward, but a 196cm, 100kg rock who loves a contested mark and draws double and triple teams. The only drawback is that he believes he'll take 4 years before he is ready to play, and 6 before he realizes his potential as a 'go-to' forward. But that's the beauty of it...we don't need him to be a go-to guy. All we need to do is plonk him in the goalsquare, say "Don't move past 20m" and let the defenders s**t themselves on whether they follow Schulz/Shaw/Harvey on the lead, stay to help against McKenzie or try to push up to help in the midfield against the likes of Gray, Boak, Ebert, Wingard etc.

Oh, and he can ruck too.

Sounds brilliant! Would be perfect for what we need. I'm a firm believer we can build what we need at the top end with the draft and strengthen our depth through astute trading and picking over delistings.

We would all love Jeremy Cameron but he's a pipe-dream to me and I would hate to give up a very good player and early draft pick given how we are building a group dedicated to their AFL club.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Take a look at who Knightmare has us drafting - Reece McKenzie. If we end up with a player like that...pants down lap around the table time as far as I'm concerned, because that's EXACTLY the sort of second tall that we need as a foil for Schulz/Butcher/Shaw/Harvey...not your lead-up forward, but a 196cm, 100kg rock who loves a contested mark and draws double and triple teams. The only drawback is that he believes he'll take 4 years before he is ready to play, and 6 before he realizes his potential as a 'go-to' forward. But that's the beauty of it...we don't need him to be a go-to guy. All we need to do is plonk him in the goalsquare, say "Don't move past 20m" and let the defenders s**t themselves on whether they follow Schulz/Shaw/Harvey on the lead, stay to help against McKenzie or try to push up to help in the midfield against the likes of Gray, Boak, Ebert, Wingard etc.

Oh, and he can ruck too.

So this is him? And he's only 17yo? I see he kicked 10 goals against Eastern Ranges in early July.

Mind you, Knightmare has him going at #12, we'd have to finish 7th by my reckoning. I'm expecting to do better than that.

 

[Janus]

So this is him? And he's only 17yo? I see he kicked 10 goals against Eastern Ranges in early July.

Mind you, Knightmare has him going at #12, we'd have to finish 7th by my reckoning. I'm expecting to do better than that.

He's done it based on finishing positions from last year to make it easy (because position changes throughout the year and he started his thread back in January I believe)...I'm hoping he's sort of factoring in needs of other clubs when he does his picks.

Does that mean we'll go 1-1 against Sydney in the next two GFs?

Nah, it means we'll win five flags in the next 15 years.

 

[RangaInTeal]

So this is him? And he's only 17yo? I see he kicked 10 goals against Eastern Ranges in early July.

Looks very appetizing

 

[*PAF]

So this is him? And he's only 17yo? I see he kicked 10 goals against Eastern Ranges in early July.

Mind you, Knightmare has him going at #12, we'd have to finish 7th by my reckoning. I'm expecting to do better than that.

There may be a few compo picks this year and pick 12 could become 15 or 16.

 

[Janus]

Also, if you look at other Phantom Drafts - not many rate him as highly. He missed the bottom age of his draft due to playing basketball, so he's only got one year of results to go on. Some are saying he could have been a top ten pick had he had two years worth of results...but they also say he could translate more into a Ryan Willits than a Tom Hawkins.

Guess it depends on whether or not we think he will continue to improve. I think we're at the stage now where we can take a punt on these sorts of things, unless a super talented midfielder is on the table (despite our need for a second tall, I still think we are an explosive mid with speed away from a super elite midfield).

 

[x_les_x]

Cal Twomey believes we need a ruckman but won't go with our first pick. Maybe a flanker or best available with our first a liam duggan or Jayden Laverde

Have a listen here a small snippet about at 17:30

listen to this on Audioboo

 

[Nemisis]

Duggan, Laverde Weller and Ahern - any one of these kids would be great for the club.

 

[Long live PAFC]

Ahern has pace. Laverde has height and skills. Weller is supposed to be all class. Happy with any of the above and would whack Blakely into that mix. If McKenzie slid to our second round that would be tick the box nicely.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Liam Davis looked a likely type for Norwood today against the camries. 22yo, 196cm 100kg, 17disp 11 marks, kicked 5 goals.

Another one of Nathan Bassett's unusual recruiting stories, was playing A6s at Houghton a couple of years ago.

How Lady Luck put Liam Davis at Redlegs

 

[Zakk Wylde]

Coobk001 is that your mate ??

 

[Coobk001]

Liam Davis looked a likely type for Norwood today against the camries. 22yo, 196cm 100kg, 17disp 11 marks, kicked 5 goals.

Another one of Nathan Bassett's unusual recruiting stories, was playing A6s at Houghton a couple of years ago.

How Lady Luck put Liam Davis at Redlegs

Yeah Liam is seriously one of those amazing stories. He was a star in div 6 and Bassett saw him when he played a game with us and asked him to come out but it took him a year to say yes and go for it. He struggled at first in the reserves, but after a couple pre seasons and a lot of work in the gym he is definitely now a SANFL player.

I'm not sure if he will make AFL, I know the kangaroos apparently chatted to him last year about rookie list potential, but he is a big boy with a big frame, a lot of agility, a great kick and a big pack marker.

If he made AFL my club would surely get a good payout too, which would be almost a Hollywood-esque story.

 

[scottjr]

Jack Steele just going along under the radar. If he's still there come the 4th round would not mind having a look at him.
http://m.smh.com.au/sport/act-sport...laustralian-leg-up-to-afl-20140704-zswft.html

 

[Long live PAFC]

Connor McKenna?

178cm but apparently very skilled.

Another Irish recruit but apparently was BOG in the Euro legion vs AIS game.

 

[PowerKidd]

Johann Wagner? From the Recruit?

 

[Kickpuncher]

Johann Wagner? From the Recruit?

If he wins the show he gets to pick who he plays for as he'll be a category B rookie. We could technically get him in the same circumstances we got Daniel Flynn.

 

[PowerKidd]

If he wins the show he gets to pick who he plays for as he'll be a category B rookie. We could technically get him in the same circumstances we got Daniel Flynn.

well it'll either be us or the Crows id assume