BigFooty Official 2018 Big Footy Phantom Draft

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Tomorrow morning at 9am we are kicking of this years Big Footy Phantom Draft.

Things to note;

- We will do a National and a Rookie Draft for the first time this year

- Pick swapping is not allowed. We may do a variation on this closer to the date to see how things might change.

- Lists have been assumed to be 40 senior players and 4 rookie players. Some exceptions have been made around the composition of this and will leave to the individual club posters to let me know if they would rather vary.

- The lists are based on lodgements as of 2pm today. If you think I have something wrong let me know via PM.

- Live bidding for Father / Son and Academy players is on and I will readjust the order based on when the bids come in for the various players and obviously use the AFL Draft Index table to work out residual points / selections. Please tag me in when you bid or match a big on one of these players. Note if an NGA or F/S player gets bid and the club does not have a senior spot left they will lose access to the player. Club posters will be given an opportunity pre the rookie draft to pre list any NGA or F/S player not taken.

- Some teams have more picks than list spots. This is because its likely they will need those picks to match various bid they may get.

- Where clubs have recommitted to re rookie a player I have slotted them in. If they have not fully committed I have left them eligible to be taken (eg Townsend)

- Any DFA's are now live to be taken in the draft even if a club ultimately takes them.

- If you are not going to be around please let either myself, Lemmingmaster or Chris25 know in advance via PM with your selection as we are usually around and can update. If we have to wait longer than 3 hours we will use Knightmare Board to find who is the highest rated player not taken and take that as your next selection.

Please remember all these posters have been selected because they are keen and astute judges of junior talent. They are also happy to put themselves out there and give their views. Applaud them for that and keep the criticism to a minimum.

Again if think have missed something or want to query something pls PM.

Team Posters are

Adelaide Thunderstruck
Brisbane cotter101
Carlton LemmingMaster
Collingwood - Knightmare
Essendon foj1
Fremantle Chris25
Geelong D_P_S
Gold Coast foj1 will take selection 2, 3, 24 / Knightmare 6 & 29
GWS Snoop Dog
Hawthorn Davo-27
Melbourne LemmingMaster
North giantroo
Port AsterixTheGaul
Richmond Pie 4 Life / Bishop
Swans D_P_S
St Kilda Pie 4 Life
Western Bulldogs Wizard17
WCE Monocle

 

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# 1 Carlton - Sam Walsh

# 2 Gold Coast - Jack Lukocious

Pick 2 Jack Lukosios 196cm 84 kg Key Forward WWT/ South Australia

Best key position player in the draft for mine.
Extremely athletic player who I think is suited to be a hard working up and down the ground forward.
Jack tests well with his endurance running and has good acceleration off the mark.
Jack kicks the footy extremely well and his field kicking will be creative at AFL level.
Jack leads into smart places and has good hands on the lead.
His areas of development will be his contested marking/ footy and putting on size.

Rationale for pick
Best key position player who will compliment Wright and Corbett.
Is a solid citizen who should evolve into a young leader.
On field he is athletic enough to play a Gunston type role and evolve into a Nick Reiwoldt type forward.

Next Pick Rationale
If I was the Suns I would nominate Nick Blakey next as I have done here.
I think he is the third best prospect in the draft and the Suns have to display a ruthless edge.
The swans have pigeon holed themselves into a spot in the draft where the only a grade talent they can grab is Blakey.
I would seriously consider bidding on Thomas at six.
The next player I select has a huge upside and is very solid off the field.

# 3 Sydney Swans (Matching Bid) - Nick Blakey

Nick Blakey


Happy to match a bid here since I feel this is his worth anyway, Blakey should get a top 5 bid and anything later seems crazy to me.


Now Blakey has been talked about for a few years now as a top line prospect, injury has effected his development at times and I would have been keen to see just how much more he could have shown, Blakey had an up and down championships but he really reminded everyone of his talent against WA when he went into the midfield in the 2nd half and single handedly got his team back into it. Standing at 195cm and with his light frame you wouldn’t expect him to be playing midfield time at AFL level anytime soon but ultimately that’s where I see him playing his best footy. Blakey is a competitive beast who loves to win his own ball but he also knows when to get on the outside and use his class with ball in hand especially by foot, his left foot kicking Is sublime and he can hoof it a mile, took some kickouts against North Melbournes VFL team for the academy and his kicking really stood out.


As a key forward he leads up at the ball but despite his frame can also use his body well in a one on one, of course doing tis against AFL men will be very difficult with his frame but once he does put on size he will be very dangerous to match up on, he is very good below his knees which also assists in his midfield game, he can be a willing tackler and despite some quiet games up forward its not usually from a lack of effort.


Swans will match Blakey at any bid obviously and once again they have another star along the lines of Mills and Heeney.

# 4 Gold Coast - Connor Rozee

Pick 4 Connor Rozee 184cm 72kg Mid/General Forward North Adelaide/ South Australia

Connor is a classy operator who improved as the season went on after having terrific bottom age and 16 year old seasons.
Connor has good speed and agility with a more than decent tank.
What I love about Connor is his high football IQ and he is a one touch player who makes great decisions with the footy.
Connor will begin his footy as a half forward/ wingman and move more into the midfield.
All reports have him as a ripping young bloke who will fit into a football club with ease.
Connor reminds me of Isaac Heeney and I think he can turn into a similar type of player.

Pick Rationale
It was either Rankine or Rozee here and both are wonderful talents. I went with Rozee as I think he fits better both culturally and with a game that can develop into a multifaceted skill set. Rankine is the most naturally talented player in the draft but is a little erratic and I would be fearful of his temperament to stay disciplined at GC if he faces adversity. I see a bit of Headland in Rankine.
With pick 6 I set up Knightmare to get either Rankine- the most naturally gifted, Max King the biggest potential goal scorer or Smith the most dogmatic, competitive inside midfielder with great leadership qualities- future AFL captain.

# 5 St Kilda - Max King

Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
07/07/2000 | 201cm | 86kg

I really weighed up with this selection between who I would pick, and who the Saints will pick. As much as I know Saints fans do not want a key forward, you cannot possibly be disappointed with this guy. A 200+cm bloke that runs 20m in under three seconds, has a massive vertical leap, a strong contested mark and a player who can genuinely dominate games - albeit at Under 18s level - is someone you want at the club. I understand the worry around the past key position 'flops' (with all due respect to the likes of Schache, Boyd, Watts who are still fine players on their day - the latter two in particular). But what sets Max apart from those guys is the fact that he is ridiculously athletic. He runs at speeds players his size should not be able to run, and if they do, they are not usually as ridiculously good at football as he is. Obviously he is coming off a knee reco so you have to be patient, but I think he is a franchise player in the future - and an absolute top bloke to boot. As a Saints fan, he bleeds for the club and would love nothing more than to pull on a jumper, and they're the kind of players you want in your organisation. Expect him to be an exciting talent over the next decade, and while you might have to miss out on a gun midfielder, key forwards of this athletic ability and potential do not come around too often.

# 6 Port Adelaide - Izak Rankine

Izak Rankine West Adelaide (SA)
Height, weight: 180cm, 77kg

Position: Small to mid-sized forward/midfield

Plays comparison: Andrew McLeod and Peter Matera

Stand out Attributes: Incredibly clean hands, speed, ability to read the play and get to the contest, ability to hit the contest at pace and great acceleration when dodging and weaving away from the contest. He is arguably the highest impact player in this year’s draft. The impact is not only in terms of what he does with the possessions but also in calculating that every important scoreboard impact.

This is both in a SANFL level (both league and colts) and in the U18 Carnival which he has shone at for over 2 years.

Rationale: The question to be asked is not why he is pick 6 but why he wasn’t picked earlier. The answer lies in the strength of this year’s draft at the pointy end plus some question marks for the Suns and Saints to determine is he a flight risk. It is also answered in that the Crows did not have a pick before the Power. After some casual statements about wanting to stay his SA, he has effectively done a Wingard and scared interstate clubs off him when there are such strong alternatives.

Port paid the premium to get to 5 and it worked, they pick up the star they have been salivating over and the ready-made Wingard replacement.

Port desperately need pace and class on the outside and up front and in selecting Rankine they address their biggest area of need He will be ready to play in 2019 and will find instant appeal with Port likely to play an extra tall up front with the inclusion of Lycett joining Ryder and Dixon. Nice player to have at the base of the packs and he will also relish the AFL attempts to lengthen the area for the players and allow more one on one contests with balls coming in faster to attack.

7 Gold Coast (Knightmare) - Bailey Smith

7 Gold Coast - Bailey Smith (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 185cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Sandringham
Projected draft range: 5-10
Plays like: Jaeger O'Meara
Rationale: Arguably the best and most complete midfielder in the draft. Smith places ahead of the more highly touted Sam Walsh with his contested ball-winning, kicking and acceleration of a higher standard. Sat out the latter portion of the year with Achilles bursitis which he was playing through since the start of the season.
September Ranking: 2
Strengths:
Production
Work ethic
Contested ball-winning
Stoppage work
Outside accumulation
Kicking precision and placement
Vision
Endurance
Work rate
Acceleration away from the contest
Versatility to play midfield or defence
Reading of the ball in flight
Intercept marking
Weaknesses:
Impact forward of centre
Contested marking

Rationale:
Smith - Best midfielder in the draft. Better contested ball winner, kick and more explosive runner than Walsh and more prolific of a ball winner and accumulator than anyone else in this draft. Projects to become Gold Coast's best midfielder. High character guy who works as hard as anyone in this pool and if he joins Gold Coast could well become a future captain.

There was no other consideration with this pick.

8 Western Bulldogs - Ben King

9 Adelaide - Jye Caldwell

Jye Caldwell

Simply a case of best availble with the first pick for the crows here and what a class player he is. For the moment, I will look simply and purely at the quality football player he is (and certainly was before his injuries) which was right up there with Smith and Walsh as a top shelf mid in this draft.

Caldwell is a classy dual-sided midfielder with a real burst of speed out of congestion and is exciting to watch when in full flight. He is the consumate inside/out midfielder, my favourite type where they can win their own ball, burst away and deliver it. I have no doubt if he had a full campaign this year he'd go top 5. His sideways movement is excellent as well, he's hard to tackle and slips through the gaps, using his agility and speed well in those first few steps and that's all you need, especially in tight. His hands are good but perhaps not excellent, whilst his kicking is usually very good off both feet but certainly he can kick the ball too hard sometimes if I were to find a flaw. His defensive game is very good, and he will tackle when required and finally he possesses very good leadership skills and was co-captain with Sam Walsh for VC. He's got quite the resume and if (a big if) he can overcome his injuries then he'll be a long term AFL gun mid. There is perhaps the risk he takes the Brad Crouch path and succumbs regularly to injury but hopefully that does not happen.

In summary, a great fit for the crows, speed, power and a very good all round game with few weakneses to really bolster a midfield that needs some more pace and class.

10 GIANTS - Jackson Hately

# 10 - Jackson Hately / Central Districts / 192cm / 80kg

Great fit for GIANTS. Terrific young man and will be a great leader I suspect in years to come. At every level he has played at this year he has demonstrated he is every chance of being a high quality and long term player at AFL level. Was terrific in the Academy game earlier in the year, dominated at champs and been terrific at SANFL Seniors and Reserve level.

Big powerful midfielder with exceptionally clean hands around the contest. His decision making and release to team mates is first rate and he uses it well by hand and foot. Athletically probably not one that stands out with any particular x factor trait but watch him in a game and you will see he reads the game well and gets to position quickly. He also attacks the game when the opportunity arises. He moves really well for his size and puts that ball to his team's advantage. Defensively does everything you want.

He reminds me of Callan Ward and whilst GIANTS probably have more pressing areas just need to take the best kid at this selection.

11 North Melbourne Matching Bid - Tarryn Thomas

12 Port Adelaide - Liam Stocker

Liam Stocker - Sandringham Dragons (Vic Metro)
Height, weight: 183cm, 83kg

Position: Balanced midfielder – mainly inside

Plays comparison: Clayton Oliver and Rory Sloane

Stand out Attributes: Three attributes that made me chose Liam:- (1) ability to win the contested ball at stoppages, (2) ability to work in traffic and (3) speed when leaving the contest.

With these attributes, he consistently just gets a lot of the ball and makes very good decisions with ball in hand and is clean by hand and foot. He is a stoppage king but different to Wines as he is not the inside bull but has more subtlety and skill. Once leaving the contest, he is comfortable on the outside and is one of the better dual sided players in this year’s draft.

Liam missed the combine due to his shoulder surgery, but the general view of the recruiters is that he possesses top notch character and would cope well interstate and excel with leadership responsibility. Don’t be put off the shoulder surgery, there was a guy called Chris Judd who also needed shoulder surgery!


Rationale: The Morrish Medallist is one of those litmus tests that although not guaranteeing you a genuine star, it is a pretty good indication that there is something special with the player. The last 4 winners have been Clayton Oliver, Hugh McCluggage, Jack Higgins and now Liam Stocker. At pick 12, there would appear to be a load of upside to Liam.

Liam would allow Grey to spend more time in the forward line and could also be played off a wing with the vacancy left by Polec. At 83 kg, he may be ready to play in 2019. He will eventually be leading the midfield so a gap of 5 years from Wines is about the right level for bringing on your elite next king of the mids.

13 GIANTS - Jordan Clark

JORDAN CLARK - Claremont / 182cm / 78kg

Been super impressed with this kid and given he hasnt really ever done a pre season I think his ceiling could be a lot higher.

Tough and skillful HB type who has focussed more on his cricket up until recently. Was outstanding at the champs and then went back and progressed through reserve level and then senior level with Claremont (not an easy side to break into). His performances were really strong and he just kept getting better and better. He reads the game well, he is creative, he puts his body in harm's way, he is clean at ground level and in the air and he distributes it at an elite level. Defensively does what's required and some.

Given some of his testing I think he is a chance to also push into the middle at some stages so the coaching group have a bit of flex with his as well.

14 Geelong - Isaac Quaynor

Isaac Quaynor


Not a player I expected Geelong to end up with but here you go, in the case of best available I would have gone Ian Hill but I felt Geelong would look for a most AFL ready player with this selection with the inevitability of Tim Kelly leaving. Ian Hill despite his talent will take a few years to get going but Isaac Quaynor on the other hand could line-up for most AFL teams next year.


Quaynor is one of the best characters in this draft, a well mannered, humble and determined young man who goes out every week and can either play a shut down role and do it without fuss or provide game breaking rebound. Quaynor has the running ability and size to make an impact early and I can see his first season at AFL level comparing well to Andrew McGrath’s first season where he won the Rising Star. Quaynor is a good long kick and his hands are incredibly clean and quick, his game in the wet early in the year down at frankston showed he could play exactly the same way in any conditions.


In the real thing I expect Quaynor to get a bid here at the earliest but I believe will be around this mark anyway, many on Bigfooty feel this is too high but talk to any draft expert or scout at games and they will all agree that Quaynor would be a worthy top 20 prospect.


Other players considered again was Ian Hill for best available, Jye Caldwell was my hope to slide and if Hill was somehow taken I may have looked at Xavier O’Halloran or Riley Collier-Dawkins.

15 Adelaide - Chayce Jones

16 Fremantle - Sam Sturt

Pick 16 Fremantle - Sam Sturt (188cm, 78kg from Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country)

Definitely not as left field as it would have been a couple of months back, but still around the top of his draft range I feel. I haven't seen as much of him as usual of the players I draft - but that's true for everyone involved here as he's only played 6 TAC Cup games. The sample size is small. But with the talk around him at the end of the season, he's one I went back and caught up on. And it's easy to see why he's considered one of the biggest draft bolters this year.

One thing I've always rated highly in draftees, particularly medium sized ones, is marking ability. If a skinny kid can take a one grab overhead mark, then it tends to translate well at the next level. Marking is something a player rarely learns to do. And Sturt looks a really good overhead mark to me. He's also got one of the best kicks in the draft, both over distance and hitting up forward 50 targets. Also killed the testing at the Combine - top 10 in the sprint and agility, and winning the running vertical.

Still has some way to go with his endurance, but most draftees do. Otherwise he's very much a potential pick, and his midfield game is largely unknown.

For Fremantle, I really wanted to add a fast and skilled medium forward at some stage. I feel it's the missing piece alongside Hogan and Lobb, while I would personally develop Cam McCarthy higher up the ground. So I did also consider Curtis Taylor, whereas Zac Butters and Ned McHenry didn't quite have the size I was after. Sam Sturt ticks nearly all the boxes, and I think could offer a similar output to Jaidyn Stephenson and Will Hayward.

17 Port Adelaide - Xavier Duursma

Xavier Duursma Gippsland Power (Vic Country)
Height, weight: 185cm, 71kg

Position: Midfielder (inside and outside)/HBF/HFF

Plays comparison: Brad Sheppard and Dyson Heppell

Stand out Attributes: Mr Versatile. The Power captain has shown he can play in many positions which in the modern game is a great attribute. Not only can he play those positions, he has delivered in those positions. He is still quite light framed so will take some time before being AFL ready.

He satisfies the need for speed with good endurance, demonstrated line breaking speed and good on the burst. Exactly what Port are going to need. He wins his own ball whilst being a great link from defence to attack with ability to take a decent overhead mark. Decent kick without being elite and knows how to stay engaged all game.

Easy to project him to a wing with decent pace, great decision making and top skills. Will he make it in the AFL system as an inside mid? Not sure but the fall-back will be a great wingman, a line breaking HBF in the quarterback role and is very comfortable going forward and impacting the scoreboard.

Rationale: Having taken Rankine and Stocker, I was tempted with Collier Dawkins but chose to go for versality. The Port midfield will be tough to break into and Duursma will need a couple of years to develop. Xavier would round out a great trio of first round picks that possesses differentiation for Port and would set them up with a core group to develop together.

18 Adelaide - Riley Collier Dawkins

19 Western Bulldogs (Matching Bid) - Rhylee West

 

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20 Richmond - Ian Hill

21 Brisbane - Jezz McLennan

22 GIANTS - Zak Butters

Zak Butter
Western Jets / 181cm / 70kg

Thrilled he lasted this long as considered taking him at #13.

Terrific talent who has some serious x factor about him. Only a little fella but at TAC level has made a name for himself as a ballwinner however he is going to struggle with that given his frame at AFL level. I think recruiters / coaches will see him more as an outside type who can play wing and forward. Watch him and you see he has really clean hands and makes really good and quick decisions. Has genuine speed and agility when exiting traffic and his touch by hand and foot is fantastic. Covers the ground well and runs both ways. Suspect he may start as a forward given his size but I would expect him to finish on a wing at some stage. He is going to need to get some weight on that body so the strength and conditioning people have some work to do but great to get him here. Word is he has interviewed really well.

23 West Coast - Xavier O'Halloran

Xavier O'Holloran. 187 cm 83 kg. Midfielder / HFF/HBF. Western Jets.

I picked O'Halloran in the mock earlier in the year and nothing since then has lessened either my grade on him, or my desire to add him to the West Coast list.
Rather his Combine results have further reinforced my rating and grade on him, because his combine results have backed up what I had seen in "game time".

Those select few player, who perform well, in the three different athletic facets of Combine Testing : Sprints / Agility / Distance , rarely fail at the next level.

Genuine midfielder that ticks a lot of boxes that I like.
Good speed, accurate kick, decent spring in his step that assists overhead marking and high possession count numbers.
Impressive football IQ and he is a consistent performer.
Can play both inside and out with his inside work being very good and his forward 50 entry numbers being elite.
He is a hard nut who hunts the ball in close at the coal face and yet has the uncanny knack of being able to get the ball away, be it by hand or foot, when being tackled and more importantly he plays outside midfielder with pace and exhibits good run and carry with burst speed.
He also has capabilities of playing half back and even more so half forward , its this addition positional versatility that will appeal to West Coast.

Was always my intention to take the best genuine balanced midfielder available on the board at this pick and O'Halloran is that in my opinion.

By all accounts he is very coachable and has great character and leadership ability , having Captained both the Western Jets and Vic Metro.
At pick 23 I think O'Halloran is a pretty safe pick.
He has scope for much improvement based on the fact, that the basics that he has shown thus far, are impressive and look to be transitional to those needed to make it at the next level.

I also think that O'Halloran's game style is a good match for the way WestCoast play and I see him also being well suited to being able to play well on the expanses of Optus Stadium which is a fast track
O'Halloran brings a skill set that will complement the current West Coast midfield and add another dimension to it.

Very happy with this pick up and think O'Halloran will play in 2019.

24 Adelaide - Luke Valente

25 West Coast - Ely Smith

Ely Smith. 188cm 86 kg. Midfielder. Murray Bushrangers.

Thunderstruck made this pick easier for me, because I have been vacillating over just who to take here, Valente or Smith, for the past fortnight and to be honest there was only a bees dick between the two of them as they both bring different attributes and each have strong merit.

I digress.

Ely Smith has come in from being a draft possibility six months ago, to having risen high into draft calculations, based on a late call up foe Vic Country ( and a very impressive Championships ) and then making an emphatic statement at the Combine.

I first noticed Smith with his hard arsed bullish efforts for Vic Country in the Championships and what first caught my eye was his ability to use his agility and pace to extricate himself from tight situations at the coal face, it was obvious that he was a burst extractor in the midfield.
The more the Championships went on, the more evident it became, that Smith was also able to use his acceleration to great advantage when he got on the outside.

The sealer and the "final nod of respect" for me ,was his Combine performances, it was both a statement and an announcement that he was a genuine riser.
His previously demonstrated pace and agility in real game time was given another element to consider when he came in eighth in the Yo -Yo test.
He also blitzed it it all the vertical jumps , having done well in all three measurable's of jumping: Standing , Left foot and right foot, this didn't surprise me because generally sprinters with explosive acceleration have good jumping ability.
Thats the athletic side of things covered.

Now for what he does well on the ground in game time.
He is a tough no nonsense player that in a very good driver in close traffic , he has an attack on the ball that's impressive and he has an ability to get the ball out to other outside team mates while being tackled in the heat of battle.
His hands are very good in tight and he makes good distribution decisions to other players advantage.
The times that he took the game on himself and burst away from the contest with pace showed another dimension to his game that translates to AFL standards.

Again the three aspects to his game speed, agility and endurance is hard to ignore and for a midfield like West Coast that has limited burst speed Smith could become a real asset.

I do get the comments on Smith that question if its his more mature stature that has given him a leg up against , slighter skinnier opponents and some wonder how he will go against harder more mature bodies at the next level.
However I would counter those queries by highlighting his agility in close and his acceleration as these two tools will make him difficult to counter regardless of his opponents size and age.

Taking Smith coupled with having taken O'Halloran two picks earlier gives a couple of very different midfield options to West Coast and I believe the two compliment each other.

There are still some very good players still on the board.
The likes of Williams , McHenry and Kennerley.

26 Melbourne - Bailey Williams

Pick 26 - Melbourne - Bailey Williams

I have read that Melbourne do require other positions before filling the forward/ruck position, but I rate this kid a lot higher than many it seems. He reminds me in some ways of Brown from North. I think he will do his best work forward and can pinch hit in the ruck. A combination long term of Gawn and Williams is going to be something to be seen. This guy is a pure athlete and already has a body shape suited for AFL. Strong mark and nice hands, not the worst player below his knees for his height, but still something he will need to work on.
Melbourne losing Hogan allows me to select Williams at this position. I have a feeling I can address other needs with their next few picks.

Concerns for Williams
- Goal kicking
- Ability below knees
- Forward craft

Once again talls take a number of years to develop but his already developed body and atheletic profile make me think he will develop quicker than some other talls. Give him 2-3 years and he should start to impact at AFL level.

27 North Melbourne (matched bid) - Bailey Scott

28 Brisbane (matched bid) - Connor McFadyen

29 Gold Coast - Curtis Taylor

Curtis didn't have quite the year I anticipated that he would have.
He spent a lot of time forward due to niggles and calders lack of forward options.
Curtis has a wide skill set. When fit he can win the footy on the inside and also on the spread. When in form he is a one touch player who is creative with the footy.
He can play forward and prove a dangerous match up as he is above average in the air for his size. His kicking is a little inconsistent but he does possess the ability to kick goals and hit targets.
I get a sense that Taylor has been struggling with fitness and treading water a little this year. He is going to have to get much fitter, keep his feet in the contest and be ruthless in every contest.
If the penny drops he has the talent to become a very good afl player.

Rationale for pick.
I tried to nab some very good local talent but predictably fell short.
Taylor has the biggest upside for mine but seriously considered McHenry for his running capacity, competitiveness and extrovert personality. However I was swayed by Taylor capacity to become a top flight afl footballer.

#30 - GWS GIANTS

WILL KELLY / OAKLEIGH CHARGERS / 193cm / 83KG

Pretty happy to get Will Kelly. Think has really progressed this year and put in some really eye catching performances in some big games since the Champs. Has settled into playing a key defensive role and not surprisingly being played there consistently has led to him being able to balance getting the attacking and defensive elements of the role right. Got some speed so he closes space but he has good footy IQ and is a good intercept player in the air and on the ground. Provides great run and drive is terrific for a big kid and he has really neat skills to get with it. Only light so will take time but every chance being a very good player.

#30 - GWS GIANTS

WILL KELLY / OAKLEIGH CHARGERS / 193cm / 83KG

Pretty happy to get Will Kelly. Think has really progressed this year and put in some really eye catching performances in some big games since the Champs. Has settled into playing a key defensive role and not surprisingly being played there consistently has led to him being able to balance getting the attacking and defensive elements of the role right. Got some speed so he closes space but he has good footy IQ and is a good intercept player in the air and on the ground. Provides great run and drive is terrific for a big kid and he has really neat skills to get with it. Only light so will take time but every chance being a very good player.

31 Melbourne - Jacob Kennerley

Pick 31 - Melbourne - Jacob Kennerley
One of my favourite later round selections and when I watched him play, he really stood out on the wings. I really like the inside midfielders for the Demons and I think they could use some outside run and carry. This guy will run all day long and can find the ball. Has a tidy kick that is accurate just maybe not a bullet like kick that you may want from an outside player. I actually see him being able to get some inside ball later in his career once he builds a midfielders frame.
One aspect that really stood out when I watched him was the direction to other players on where to run and how to set up, thought he had great on field leadership.
I really wanted Taylor here to be honest and I was unsure if I should have rolled the dice and selected Taylor first and hoped that Williams would have slipped to my pick instead.

32 Gold Coast - Sydney Stack

32 Gold Coast - Sydney Stack (WA)
Best position: Inside midfield/general forward
Height, weight: 177cm, 72kg
Recruited from: Perth
Projected draft range: 25-50
Plays like: Sam Petrevski-Seton
Rationale: One of the most exciting and impactful players through the Under-18 Championships. A prolific ball winner who hits the ball at speed and accelerates away. Production strong and tackling energy around the ball as impressive as any through the carnival. Not looking out of his depth at WAFL League level.
September Ranking: 15
Strengths:
Wins first possession at stoppages on the move
Tackling
Pressure around the ball
Acceleration
Speed
Agility
Composure and evasion in traffic
One-touch ground ball winner
Clean ball user
Weaknesses:
Height
Size
Discipline

Rationale:
Stack - Best talent available and brings excitement and electricity to a now vanilla midfield. Gold Coast need talent and need guys who can impact the game offensively and Stack brings that. The expectation in drafting Stack is that Harbrow takes Stack under his wing, mentors him and helps Stack get the best out of himself. If Stack fulfils his potential, he has the scope to become a best five on list standard talent which in the 30s I can't pass up the opportunity at as one of a handful who not only consistently wins first possession at stoppages but bursts away and drills his targets.

Ned McHenry was the other consideration as the best pressure player in the draft, but with his scoreboard impact poor and not being a prolific contested ball winner on a team badly lacking ball winners or any offence, the selection was an easy one with Stack the better overall talent.

33 Fremantle - Ned McHenry

Pick 33 Fremantle - Ned McHenry (178cm, 71kg from Geelong Falcons/Vic Country)

Quite an easy pick here for me, it's simply best available. In my write up for Sturt at #16, I mentioned that McHenry was one that I considered there. I didn't anticipate him being available with my second pick. But here he is.

I can only assume it's size that has seen him overlooked until now. Because the only real 'weakness' as such is a lack of straight line speed, which he makes up for with work rate and evasiveness. Otherwise his kicking for the most part is good, could maybe be cleaned up a touch. Only other thing I can think of is that some may question his role at the next level.

For me, I think he starts Round 1 next year as a small forward. He is by far the #1 tackler and pressure player in this draft. He had 38 tackles in 4 games for Vic Country at the Championships. He'll fight and chase as hard as just about anyone. But I expect him to transition into the midfield before too long. And I think Devon Smith is a good comparison on what to potentially expect. Part of the reason I'd have been happy taking him in the first round is because I really like his inside game. He's smart at stoppages, moves well in congestion and has that fighting attitude. All that coupled with his elite endurance suggests a midfielder in the making to me, and one who can be dangerous going forward.

Simply best available, but also fills a need for Fremantle. He can be that tackling presence in the forward 50 that we've sometimes missed, while also being developed as a long term replacement for Lachie Neale.

34 Essendon - Jarrod Cameron

Pick 34 Jarrod Cameron 180cm 69kg Small Forward Swans Districts/WA
Jarrod is a quick small forward who is a dangerous threat in the forward half and has improved his defensive work which is imperative in the position he is required to play. Jarrod took some time to work his way into the season but his 5 goal national champs game was almost his coming out party.
He showed some exciting form in the colts with his qualifying final performance of four goals being particularly eye catching. Only Rankine is a more exciting small forward in this draft class. I think Cameron could be very exciting playing around Daniher, Stringer, Fantasia and Tippa.

Rationale For Pick
Cameron was the highest rated on my board and Essendon delisted Green and have Baguley as a small forward which probably means there is a position that will be open sooner rather than later. People talk about our midfield depth but we added Shiel and lost no one from our midfield. We also have Kobe Mutch and Dylan Clarke who have been in the system two years and Matt Guelfi has been out of the 18s for three years.If the Cameron bid was matched which would most likely happen in the real deal I had Rowbottom as next choice. I love his attack at the ball and the opponent.
I am a big wrap for Jack Bytel but i believe his back is a real issue.

35 Brisbane - Tom Berry

I won't deny it, there is a lot of romance for Brisbane supporters in this pick.

Tom Berry's older brother, Jarrod Berry, is already viewed as a leader within the club, and one day possible Captain or Vice Captain. Adding Tom Berry, who captained Vic Country at under 16 level, to our list not only fills a need on the field, but also fills that leadership and solid citizen on and off the field the club has been looking for in many of it's draftees.

It also help that Tom Berry can play a bit to.

Tom is a hard nut midfielder who will bury himself in a pack to win the hard ball, but he's much better staying on his feet, winning the ball and breaking from contests at speed. He lacks some polish with his disposals, which can be worked on in a full time environment.

Tom can also go forward and kick a goal. As long as he keeps a little distance from point posts in the future.


The club's recruitment team has repeatedly said we are looking for midfielders and smaller defenders this draft, with a focus on speed and the ability to run the ball out of defence. Tom Berry certainly adds speed to our midfield, and while played as a small defender in the National Championships, that is not his position.

When making this decision, my first thought was to look for a half back flanker with speed. But in following the various draft watchers and their draft boards, there just weren't any running defenders around this pick that I liked. It took me about 30 seconds to realise I should stick with the kid we've spoken about so much on the Lions board for this pick. Hopefully we can look for a small defender with pace at our last pick, or in the rookie draft.

36 Melbourne (matched bid) - Toby Bedford

37 St Kilda - Will Hamill

38 Richmond - Luke Foley

39 Swans - James Rowbottom

 

[Snoop Dog]

40 Collingwood - Noah Gown

#39 Collingwood - Noah Gown (VIC)
Best position: Key forward
Height, weight: 193cm, 91kg
Recruited from: Gippsland Power
Projected draft range: 20-60
Similar to: Tom McDonald
Rationale: Among Gippsland's bests in each of their past 10 matches, managing TAC Cup highs of 21 goals and 19 contested marks in his last seven matches. Rises on the back of a super finish to 2018.
September Ranking: not ranked
Strengths:
Scoreboard impact
Reading of the ball in flight
Protects the drop of the ball
Bodywork in one-on-one contests
Keeps his feet in the contest
Contested marking
Attacks the ball aerially
Marking on the lead
Leading patterns
Intercept marking
Football smarts
Courage
Competitiveness
Reliable skills
High leaper
Rate of improvement over second half of the season
Scope to play forward or back
Weaknesses:
Capable but not freakish at ground level
Only average speed and agility

--
Rationale: On my draft board a clear best available and the best key position player in the draft outside of Lukosius and the King's. While he has gone to work as a key forward with 21 goals, 45 marks (19 contested marks) in his last 7 TAC Cup games I feel like he could be even better as a key defender with the way he reads it and takes grabs.

41 Fremantle - Tom Sparrow

Pick 41 Fremantle - Tom Sparrow (182cm, 81kg from South Adelaide)

I had a few players I was choosing between here (Bytel and McKenzie being the others) but when in doubt, always go with the South Australian. And in a super year for SA talent, Sparrow has pushed himself right up the board after being a fairly unheralded underage player prior to this season. I now have him about equal with McLennan and Valente, and ahead of Kennerley amongst the South Australians.

There was a bit of hype around Sparrow at the Championships, he played more of a support role in the middle and across the flanks but flashed some real potential with his power in the contests. Since then he returned to U18s and school football, being named amongst the bests in every game he played.

As a strong bodied midfielder, he's shown himself to be a solid ball winner - particularly in close. The argument could be made that he's bigger and stronger than his opponents, therefore getting by simply on that (which I don't think is true). But what sets him apart from similar prospects is his athleticism. There aren't too many with his body type that also have not only his speed and initial burst, but also his endurance base. Which lends itself to him playing a number of roles in the midfield or at either end of the ground.

I'm not sure Fremantle fans will like me saying this, and I don't mean it in a bad way, but there's a bit of Nick Suban about him. I imagine most clubs would take a 150 game player in the third round though. But they're similar body shapes and were similar prospects in their draft years. Sparrow does have him beat athletically, but he's similarly rushed with his disposal at times. Suban was a great kick and technically sound, but didn't always get the most out of it by being too eager to get rid of the ball. The only other thing is that a big game for Sparrow tends to be around 25 touches and 10 tackles, I'm nitpicking here but a few more games up around the 30 disposal mark would be nice.

But I'm happy to get Sparrow here, I think he represents good value. Offers a different element to our young midfield mix, bringing some more power that the likes of Brayshaw and Cerra don't have.

42 Western Bulldogs - Boyd Woodcock

Pick 42 - Western Bulldogs - Boyd Woodcock (174cm, 70kg forward/mid from North Adelaide)
Outstanding senior SANFL finals series and his winning of the MVP at U18 level last year, I just feel that there is something here with this kid that could turn into a quality AFL forward. Considering the Dogs lack of genuine goal kickers especially smaller types I feel that picking Woodcock here is just the right thing to do list wise.

43 Giants (matched bid) - Kieran Briggs

44 Sydney Swans - Jacob Koschitzke

45 Collingwood - Jack Ross

#45 Collingwood - Jack Ross
Tucked away playing APS Football for Caulfield Grammar, looked like Oakleigh's best draft age prospect on return to the TAC Cup. Dominant contested ball winner who uses it beautifully by hand and foot and makes great decisions with the football. Physically ready and one of this draft's underappreciated midfielders.

46 Western Bulldogs - Daly Andrews

Pick 46 - Western Bulldogs - Daly Andrews (183cm, 76kg Outside Mid from the Western Jets)
Filling another need for the Dogs in gaining outside speed in the midfield and linebreaking ability, I was tossing up whether to select Zane Barzen or to take a chance with Jack Bytel but I feel that Andrews is the best pick for the Dogs list build wise.

47 St Kilda - Fraser Turner

48 Geelong - Jack Bytel

49 Geelong - Josh Kemp

50 Hawthorn - Xavier O'Neill

Pick 50 - Xavier O'Neill 183cm 75kg

another under rated midfielder from Oakleigh, good size, seems energetic on field, always notice him freeing up a team mate with a handball and has a wonderful kick which is a strength, he also has good numbers in tackles and marks which indicates his work-rate around the ground(1 %, team work) and has the flexibility to play as a flanker, the reason why i went mid/flanker here was because there wasnt any reliable tall at this pick and the Hawks have an abundance of medium forwards and defenders, so mids and talls was the strategy at this pick, Noah Gown might come into consideration if he was still around, whereas Garoni and O'Reilly didnt peak my interest as much, Hamill, Ross and Vandermeer are others i was hoping for so it was a choice between O'Neill a mid/flanker over Vandermeer a flanker/mid, Tom Joyce was also a consideration but i had less information on him.

51 Brisbane - PASS

52 Collingwood - Mitch Podhajski

#52 Collingwood - Mitch Podhajski
Terrific in the TAC Cup both as a ball winning midfielder and as a goal scoring threat forward of centre. Held his own in the VFL. An ideal modern midfielder at 191cm with his contested ball winning and tackling capabilities among the best in the pool while being as dangerous of a mark and goalkicker as any of this year's midfielders.

53 North Melbourne - Darcy Fort

54 Collingwood - PASS

55 Collingwood - PASS

56 West Coast Eagles - Lachlan Scholl

Lachlan Sholl. 185 cm 77 kg . HBF / Utility . Calder Cannons.

Sholl is a player that has no elite qualities but was he does have is a high football IQ.
Has been played primarily on a HBF but I see him have some more positional scope as he develops physically and progresses his game further.
He is one of the better, genuine dual sided players in this cohort, both by hand and foot.
Reads the play well and makes good decisions under pressure.

Will be a great link man and distributor of the ball as he either moves the ball into the forward line or switches the play.

He is a footballers footballer first and foremost and is very poised in the heat of battle.
Combines both inside and outside play but is at his most damaging when he is on the fly distributing the ball to others further up the ground.

Was wanting to take a HBF at some stage in the draft and this is an opportune time to draft a thinking mans footballer at the latter end of the draft.
As I said earlier I think he will , in time offer some positional versatility to the team that drafts him.

He is the son of Brett Scholl who played at Carlton after having initially been recruited by North Melbourne.

57 Western Bulldogs - Buku Khamis

Pick 57 - Buku Khamis (190cm, 81kg Defender from the Western Jets)

Rate this kid highly, a natural intercept defender who can play tall and small are invaluable in the modern game.

58 Richmond - Damon Greaves

59 Fremantle - Tom Lewis

Pick 59 Fremantle - Tom Lewis (179cm, 80kg from Sturt)

I'm a big fan of Tom Lewis. I had him top 20 all year, but dropped him down into the 30s in my most recent rankings - more because I didn't want it to seem too SA biased. But if I update before the draft, he'll be right back up there. It's hard to call someone a steal before they're even drafted, but if he gets picked where the talk seems to be then he'll be a massive steal in my opinion.

If we're talking true inside midfielders, the bottom of every pack getting the ball out kind. Then Lewis is arguably the best in the draft. There's Ely Smith and Rhylee West too, but Lewis is that good. Put him one on one with Liam Stocker (the TAC Cup Morrish Medal winner as an inside midfielder) and I'd back Lewis to win more often than not. He won Sturt's Reserves B&F playing less games than most - reserves, not U18s. Could pretty much count on him to get double figure contested possessions and tackles.

Skills wise, he has elite hands amongst the draft prospects. In close he can get the handball out anywhere, sometimes seeming to contort his body to get it to the open player. For a stocky player, he has good control over his body movements and is slippery in close - hence his good agility testing at the Combine. I'm sure with some more training, he'd be able to drop like Selwood in a tackle every time. While his tackling is super, good technique and strong. Leadership qualities are high from all reports, a lead by example type.

Every year there's that a handful of players for which people say 'if only he was 5cm taller then he'd be a first rounder'. Lewis is one of the few that I think that's true for. His strengths aren't typically the ones that recruiters overlook size for early on in the draft. He doesn't have the speed of Ian Hill or the versatility of another small like Ned McHenry. If you draft him, he's playing as an inside midfielder. I'm sure he could rotate through the forward line with his defensive work, but it's not something you're banking on. He does have average speed, kicking is better over shorter distances. Perhaps some recruiters will have doubts over his crash and bash style - will he still be able to run through packs, will bigger and better tacklers wrap him up before he can squeeze out.

From the sounds of it, there's plenty of interest - generally as a later pick though. But come the third round, I don't think you'll find a much better prospect. And I'd back him to play early and have a successful career. And for Fremantle specifically, I think he'd be a really solid pickup with our third or fourth selection. He'd be a good replacement for Neale and can do the dirty work with Brayshaw in the middle, letting Cerra stay clean and add the polish. With Banfield, Fyfe and Blakely in the middle too, his height wouldn't be a real issue. While Crowden could then focus on developing as a half forward, not needing to split his time in the middle.

60 Essendon - Marlion Pickett

Pick 60 Marlion Pickett 183cm 85kg on baller/ utility South Fremantle

27 year old midfielder who deserves a chance at AFL level.
Played in the midfield this year and averaged 22 disposals and was a cut above most blokes in the wafl. Can place inside and outside and has some genuine speed. i really like his defensive actions and when he hits an opponent they stay hit. I think his endurance running will need some work but he will thrive in a full time afl environment.

Rationale For Pick
Pickett can play in our round one side and with Shiel adds immediate impact to our midfield. Picketts age and past are both brought up but you have to put some faith in your club and the individual. Interestingly 35 years ago Essendon took a punt on a 27 year old Leon Baker. If Marlion turns out to be half as good then bomber fans will be very happy. I didn't think Pickett would be available so was a monty. Tom Lewis was high on my thinking but Chris shrewdly got him. I also think Irving Mosquito is too good to still be available. Make them Hawks pay!
I have two blokes in mind for my last pick however I reckon you should go best available.

61 Melbourne (Residual Selection) - Tom McKenzie

Pick 61 - Melbourne - Tom McKenzie

Another player at around the 25-50 ranking mark in my books and I could see going a lot higher come draft night than this mock draft. Is coming home with a wet sail with regards to development.


Has shown plenty across the HBF where his decision making ability and kicking skills being a real highlight to his game. He does have midfield ability and will most likely be on the wings at AFL level. Is one of the quicker players in this draft class and this will help Melbourne with some outside speed. Like most players that require someone else to get the ball, he can go missing at times during a game but even with limited disposals he will be damaging.

Picking at this point in the draft, you basically look for enough AFL attributes to give a player a chance.

- Kicking
- Speed
- Decision making

All those attributes are in the top 20% of his draft class, so a nice selection at this point in the draft.

62 St Kilda - Angus Hanrahan

63 - Hawthorn Matching Bid - Irving Mosquito

Pick 63 - Irving Mosquito 175cm 69kg

small forward who is a burst player and a goal kicking opportunist, averages a goal a game, finished 5th or 6th in the Morrish Medal, has some raw talent, but also needs a lot of work to get to the next level, has some good agility and burst speed, can go missing in games for long periods, Gippsland tried him in the midfield to give him more exposure with mixed results, his left foot kicking can be a mix of very good to ordinary, but he is a highlight package of a player, so when he does get it right its usually the highlight of the game, but as i said i wouldnt have matched before our first pick as i think he is a project and pick 50 was much more valuable

64 Richmond - Hugo Munn

Richmond select Hugo Munn.

Not the quickest key forward you will ever see, but I love his thirst for the contest and looking at the depth in the position for the Tigers, they do not have a heap after their two elites. Getting some extra depth there, especially one who can ruck/forward is important IMO. Might not be there at the next pick, hence going now.

 

[Snoop Dog]

65 Carlton - Tom Joyce

Pick 65 - Carlton - Tom Joyce
Cripps certainly needs some help on the inside and picking up Setterfield made me less concerned about adding another smallish midfielder to our list. All information can only be based on his 2017 form as injuries have ruined this year. He was a standout midfielder, averaging 21 disposals 4 tackles and 5 marks. His height has not stopped his desire to get his hands dirty on the inside and once he has possession, his hands are clean and quick in traffic. Will need plenty of time in the weights room to allow him to stay competitive at AFL level. Carlton are building a nice WA group of mids and this will add further depth to their ranks.

All reports suggest before his injury, he was in the running to be WA captain, so leadership is also another bonus. I am hoping he develops along the lines of Sloane. (Nice high bar to set)

66 North Melbourne (Residual Selection) - Zac Foot

Pick 66 - North Melbourne | Zac Foot | H: 180cm W: 71kg | Forward | Dandenong Stingrays
After missing out on his chance to be picked up by the Stingrays last year, this speedy forward was picked up by the Rays in 2018 and has not disappointed them. Foot was named in the 2018 TAC Cup team of the year after kicking multiple bags of 3 + goals. Foot has electrifying pace, marking power and goal sense, which is something North Melbourne desperately needed.

67 Geelong - Oscar Brownless

68 Carlton - Ben Jarvis

69 West Coast - Sam Fletcher

Pick # 69. West Coast.

Sam Fletcher. 187cm 79kg. Midfielder. Dandenong Stingrays.

There is no question about Fletchers ability to play, rather the question is can he stay on the park. Injuries have robbed him of a bit of TAC Cup game time over the past few years.
Fletcher is a player who’s best work often goes unnoticed because it’s done in close and it done in the blink of an eye. Has good pace and has a pretty good all round skill set for making it at the next level.

You only need look at his last game to see the quality that he brings, he was judged BOG in the TAC Cup grand final, where he was instrumental in ensuring that the Stingrays won their first Cup.

70 North Melbourne (Residual Selection) - Dillon O"Reilly

#70 - North Melbourne select Dillon O'Reilly | 194cm 79kg | Key Forward | East Fremantle FC
The son of Fremantle, Geelong and Carlton's Stephen O'Reilly, Dillon is a promising, athletic key position player who can also assist in the ruck. He showed signs during the 2018 championships of being able to play multiple roles for Western Australia.

Dillon can provide another target for the North Melbourne forward line to fill the massive gap left by the departing Jarrad Waite and to assist the lonely Ben Brown

 

[Snoop Dog]

71 Adelaide - Jordan Sweet

72 Richmond - Harry Reynolds

73 Western Bulldogs - PASS

74 West Coast - Oliver Eastland

Oliver Eastland. 196cm 86kg . Claremont.

This pick may raise a few eyebrows, it’s a bit left field.

Just where The Claremont ruckman plays in the AFL is the question that many will ask and rightfully so , as he is to short to be an AFL ruckman.
He has done a lot of the ruck work at Claremont this year simple because that’s a positional area of very little depth at the Club , and at 196 whilst undersized Eastland has been impressive when asked to go into the ruck averaging 28 hit outs per game.

The tall leftie brings a lot of athleticism to the game. Strong overhead with pretty sticky self assured hands and he is a good kick both stationary and on the run. For a guy his size he is very nimble and clean below his knees. Doesn’t mind putting his body on the line and won’t shirk a physician confrontation, I would say he shows controlled aggression when he attacks the ball and contest. Averages 15 possessions per game 4 marks and cover the ground well with both speed and endurance.
I see him as a player with a skill set that can be adapted to a KPD role.

Being a Claremont Member I have watched a lot of Claremont over the years and what I see is a skill set not that dissimilar to Jeremy McGovern ( Not saying as good as , saying plays like ) at the same point in his career.
Eastland is only 20 and the comparisons to Gov at the same age are uncanny.
West Coast will need another KPD in at the end of next season when Schofield retires. It’s a position of need but not an urgent one.
Eastland has already shown that he can match it with the AFL tall's from both Fremantle and West Coast when they came back to play in the WAFL.

It’s West Coasts last pick and as such I am happy to punt on Eastland as I rate his football talent. He has a good skill set and it’s now up to the coaching staff to work out how to best utilise and harness that talent.

I think Eastland would thrive in a professional environment and unlike Gov at the same age , Oliver is a much harder worker.

75 Carlton - Laithan Vandermeer

Carlton - Laitham Vandermeer
Medium defender/midfielder with line breaking speed which he displayed to great effect when representing Vic Country as an over-age player in this year’s NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Averaged 20.9 disposals at 76 per cent efficiency with the Bushrangers this year.

Sorry everyone, work and life is crap atm.

76 St Kilda - Tyrone Smallwood

77 Gold Coast - Ben Silvagni

78 Western Bulldogs - PASS

79 Adelaide - Oscar Chapman

80 Essendon - Riley Grundy

Pick 80 Riley Grundy 195cm 80 kg Key position Sturt/SA
I am very suprised young Riley is here due to his height and athleticism and high end potential to further develop.
Riley had a mixed National carnival. He looked a bit lost against Ben King at times but I thought he looked highly promising against the Allies.
I like Grundy's speed for size and natural leap. He has a neat kick and he positions himself ok on the field. His hands need to get stronger as does his body but he has a frame that has a bit to work with. I also would hope he may grow a little more.

Rationale For Pick
High on my draft board and has height and athleticism that is required in today's game. I still believe he will be a forward in time.
Having Grundy and Zerk Thatcher gives the club two very athletic key position prospects. I have two other players in my top 45 on the board so I am hoping on more will slip.

81 Swans - Will Golds

82 Melbourne - Nick Hind

83 Richmond - Brayden Ham

84 Gold Coast - Mitch MacGuire

I'll go mature age and take Mitch Maguire.

Dubbed the next Dayne Zorko with similar ball-winning capabilities, damaging skills, power and capacity to hit the scoreboard, Mitch Maguire was this year's NEAFL Rising Star. The 20-year-old, 175cm midfielder also placed fourth in the NEAFL MVP. The highlight of Maguire's season was his elimination final performance with 45 disposals and 10 tackles. He is a suitable choice in the second half of the draft and may be best suited to a role where he splits his minutes between the midfield and front half.

85 Essendon - Riley Bowman

Pick 85 Riley Bowman 198cm 82kg Ruck/Forward Dandenong Stingrays
Cliche time didn't expect Riley here.
Riley can take a mark and has a nice kick for his size.
Like a lot of talls he showed glimpses of his ability and didn't dominate matches. Riley moves around the ground ok and has a decent leap without being tremendous. Like a lot of talls Riley is probably a mark and kick player too much at the moment but that will improve playing with men.
I thought Riley was terrific in the tac grand final and took a few clunks but also physically imposed himself on the game. It would have been good to see Riley get more time in the ruck but williams and the Cummings also needed time there. I think bowman has a chance to develop into a Nathan vardy type second ruck and forward which good teams need.

Rationale

I nearly took Riley last pick but Grundy has the athletic edge. Bowman is arguably the second best ruck/ tall in the tac this year. There is a player who is 44 on my board still available who I would hope to nab in the rookie draft.

86 Swans - Lachlan McDonnell

87 Richmond - Zane Barzen

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROOKIE DRAFT


1 Carlton - Durak Tucker

2 Gold Coast - Brad Scheer

3 St Kilda - Noah Answerth

4 Brisbane - Kyle Reid

5 Fremantle - Ryan Nhyius

6 Western Bulldogs - Charlie Sprague

7 Adelaide - Louis Miller

8 Essendon - Luke English

9 Port Adelaide - Connor Idun

10 North Melbourne - Ty Leonardis

11 Geelong - Hayden Sampson

12 Swans - James Jordan

13 GIANTS - Rylie Morgan

14 Hawthorn - Will Langford

15 Melbourne - James Blanck

16 Richmond - Matt McGannon

17 Collingwood - Marty Hore

18 West Coast - Matthew Parker

19 Carlton - Stefan Radonavic

20 Gold Coast - Harrison Wigg

21 Brisbane - Kieden Coleman

22 Fremantle - Michael Apenness

23 Western Bulldogs - Will Hayes

24 Port Adelaide - Luke Meadows

25 North Melbourne - Joel Crocker F/S

26 Geelong - Blake Schlensog

27 Swans - Atu Bosenavualagi

28 GIANTS - Joe Ayton-Delaney

29 Hawthorn - Lachlan Young

30 Melbourne - Hudson Garoni

31 Richmond - Will Kennedy

32 Collingwood - Tim Broomhead

33 West Coast - Luke Moore

34 Carlton - Aaron Nietschke

35 Fremantle - Ethan Hughes

36 Western Bulldogs - Stephen Cumming

37 Port Adelaide - Luke Strnadica

38 Geelong - Jai Nanscawen

39 Swans - Ethan Hansen

40 GIANTS - Jake Gaspar

41 Hawthorn - Mitch Riordan

42 Collingwood - Sam Murray

43 GIANTS - Shane Mumford

 

[PMBangers]

Robbed of a call up smh

 

[LemmingMaster]

Pick 1 - Sam Walsh

A huge part of me still wants Lukosius but with the inclusion of McGovern, I just cannot see Carlton heading down that path anymore. I will still enjoy watching him play for many years to come.

Walsh in my eyes may not have the biggest upside of the top draft selections but he has close to the highest floor. It would be a shock if he was not a 200 game player. (I could only see injury stopping him from making it at AFL level)
Has a great combination of elite endurance and the ability to find the ball. While he is not the biggest midfielder going around, he has ability on the inside and outside of the contest. Most people knock his kicking and while it may not be elite he certainly knows his skill set and never attempts to exceed his ability level. I think he is fine 40m and below with regards to distance. All reports say he has leadership qualities and should be a fine addition to any club.

Parts of his game that could take him to the next level are penetration in his kicking. The ability to move forward and kick goals.

 

[theGav56]

Pick 1 - Sam Walsh

A huge part of me still wants Lukosius but with the inclusion of McGovern, I just cannot see Carlton heading down that path anymore. I will still enjoy watching him play for many years to come.

Walsh in my eyes may not have the biggest upside of the top draft selections but he has close to the lowest floor. It would be a shock if he was not a 200 game player. (I could only see injury stopping him from making it at AFL level)
Has a great combination of elite endurance and the ability to find the ball. While he is not the biggest midfielder going around, he has ability on the inside and outside of the contest. Most people knock his kicking and while it may not be elite he certainly knows his skill set and never attempts to exceed his ability level. I think he is fine 40m and below with regards to distance. All reports say he has leadership qualities and should be a fine addition to any club.

Parts of his game that could take him to the next level are penetration in his kicking. The ability to move forward and kick goals.

Semantics I know, but shouldn't it be the highest floor? Meaning that the bottom of his performance range is still a very good player, whereas the lowest floor is a total bust.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Semantics I know, but shouldn't it be the highest floor? Meaning that the bottom of his performance range is still a very good player, whereas the lowest floor is a total bust.

Correct

 

[Toadvine]

I hope we see some picks out of the box. Not much variance in most of the Phantoms around at the moment.

 

[Snoop Dog]

foj1 you are up

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 2 Gold Coast Suns - Jack Lukosious

@ Foj1

 

[Snoop Dog]

Gold Coast Suns Bid - Nick Blakey

Swans will match D_P_S

# 3 - Sydney Swans - Nick Blakey

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 4 Gold Coast Suns - Connor Rozee

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 5 St Kilda - Max King

Pie 4 Life

 

[Snoop Dog]

AsterixTheGaul you are up

 

[Pie 4 Life]

# 5 St Kilda - Max King

Pie 4 Life

#5 Max King
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
07/07/2000 | 201cm | 86kg

I really weighed up with this selection between who I would pick, and who the Saints will pick. As much as I know Saints fans do not want a key forward, you cannot possibly be disappointed with this guy. A 200+cm bloke that runs 20m in under three seconds, has a massive vertical leap, a strong contested mark and a player who can genuinely dominate games - albeit at Under 18s level - is someone you want at the club. I understand the worry around the past key position 'flops' (with all due respect to the likes of Schache, Boyd, Watts who are still fine players on their day - the latter two in particular). But what sets Max apart from those guys is the fact that he is ridiculously athletic. He runs at speeds players his size should not be able to run, and if they do, they are not usually as ridiculously good at football as he is. Obviously he is coming off a knee reco so you have to be patient, but I think he is a franchise player in the future - and an absolute top bloke to boot. As a Saints fan, he bleeds for the club and would love nothing more than to pull on a jumper, and they're the kind of players you want in your organisation. Expect him to be an exciting talent over the next decade, and while you might have to miss out on a gun midfielder, key forwards of this athletic ability and potential do not come around too often.

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

6. PORT ADELAIDE

Izak Rankine West Adelaide (SA)
Height, weight: 180cm, 77kg

Position: Small to mid-sized forward/midfield

Plays comparison: Andrew McLeod and Peter Matera

Stand out Attributes: Incredibly clean hands, speed, ability to read the play and get to the contest, ability to hit the contest at pace and great acceleration when dodging and weaving away from the contest. He is arguably the highest impact player in this year’s draft. The impact is not only in terms of what he does with the possessions but also in calculating that every important scoreboard impact.

This is both in a SANFL level (both league and colts) and in the U18 Carnival which he has shone at for over 2 years.

Rationale: The question to be asked is not why he is pick 6 but why he wasn’t picked earlier. The answer lies in the strength of this year’s draft at the pointy end plus some question marks for the Suns and Saints to determine is he a flight risk. It is also answered in that the Crows did not have a pick before the Power. After some casual statements about wanting to stay his SA, he has effectively done a Wingard and scared interstate clubs off him when there are such strong alternatives.

Port paid the premium to get to 5 and it worked, they pick up the star they have been salivating over and the ready-made Wingard replacement.

Port desperately need pace and class on the outside and up front and in selecting Rankine they address their biggest area of need He will be ready to play in 2019 and will find instant appeal with Port likely to play an extra tall up front with the inclusion of Lycett joining Ryder and Dixon. Nice player to have at the base of the packs and he will also relish the AFL attempts to lengthen the area for the players and allow more one on one contests with balls coming in faster to attack.

Knightmare over to you

 

[Knightmare]

#7 Gold Coast - Bailey Smith

Bio to come when I have time.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Wizard17 , you're up

 

[benblinkau]

6. PORT ADELAIDE

Izak Rankine West Adelaide (SA)
Height, weight: 180cm, 77kg

Position: Small to mid-sized forward/midfield

Plays comparison: Andrew McLeod and Peter Matera

Stand out Attributes: Incredibly clean hands, speed, ability to read the play and get to the contest, ability to hit the contest at pace and great acceleration when dodging and weaving away from the contest. He is arguably the highest impact player in this year’s draft. The impact is not only in terms of what he does with the possessions but also in calculating that every important scoreboard impact.

This is both in a SANFL level (both league and colts) and in the U18 Carnival which he has shone at for over 2 years.

Rationale: The question to be asked is not why he is pick 6 but why he wasn’t picked earlier. The answer lies in the strength of this year’s draft at the pointy end plus some question marks for the Suns and Saints to determine is he a flight risk. It is also answered in that the Crows did not have a pick before the Power. After some casual statements about wanting to stay his SA, he has effectively done a Wingard and scared interstate clubs off him when there are such strong alternatives.

Port paid the premium to get to 5 and it worked, they pick up the star they have been salivating over and the ready-made Wingard replacement.

Port desperately need pace and class on the outside and up front and in selecting Rankine they address their biggest area of need He will be ready to play in 2019 and will find instant appeal with Port likely to play an extra tall up front with the inclusion of Lycett joining Ryder and Dixon. Nice player to have at the base of the packs and he will also relish the AFL attempts to lengthen the area for the players and allow more one on one contests with balls coming in faster to attack.

Knightmare over to you

Yes please!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LemmingMaster]

It will be very interesting to see if Rankine does drift to pick 5/6 in the real draft, Wingard out and Rankine in.

 

[THE_GUN]

Gold Coast Suns Bid - Nick Blakey

Swans will match D_P_S

# 3 - Sydney Swans - Nick Blakey

Good Bid , Hope its similar in the real thing

6. PORT ADELAIDE

Izak Rankine West Adelaide (SA)
Height, weight: 180cm, 77kg

Things will get really interesting if Rankine does fall to Port, They would be over the moon and trading wingard will become a good call