Big Footy Phantom Draft 2014 - Trial Run

[Bulldogsnm1]

Alright, no point dragging this out any longer...

Pick 7 Richmond - Jarrod Pickett

I'll do a proper write up later on, but it was between him and three others - Weller, Duggan and Lever. Pickett wasn't quite top of the list, but I have very strong opinions on Richmond's list and I think they desperately need help on the outside and up forward. And Pickett is a pretty handy little player.

You might get this from him, not sure about his consistency though.

 

[LemmingMaster]

I know they're all in the pool for the trial but it was just about keeping it semi-realistic for me. I know the Dogs board follow this closely and like to generate some discussion around the picks, so it would have been a bit of a let down to pick somebody we can't actually select.

Might be better to remove the F/S and academy players from the draft pool and then all the phantom drafters rate those players.

Take the average of those ratings and that will show the board roughly how big a bargain they've got.
or
Pretend it is like the real thing.... Doggies nominate Heeney and also select someone else assuming that the club will pick up the player with their pick. That way we get to see where he is rated and still allow the team to select the player.

Example -

Doggies nominate Heeney. (Swans will pick him up with their first pick)

Doggies pick Laverde...

West Coast Eagles select Moore. (Pies say they will pick him up in the first round)

Eagles then select Clem Smith because he is from WA...

 

[HBF]

Marchbank injured so he could slide

 

[Super Hans]

Subbing.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Might be better to remove the F/S and academy players from the draft pool and then all the phantom drafters rate those players.

Take the average of those ratings and that will show the board roughly how big a bargain they've got.
or
Pretend it is like the real thing.... Doggies nominate Heeney and also select someone else assuming that the club will pick up the player with their pick. That way we get to see where he is rated and still allow the team to select the player.

Example -

Doggies nominate Heeney. (Swans will pick him up with their first pick)

Doggies pick Laverde...

West Coast Eagles select Moore. (Pies say they will pick him up in the first round)

Eagles then select Clem Smith because he is from WA...

We have this debate every year but we land on leaving it open as people are keen to see where players are ranked. If Heeney was worth pick 4 I would have taken it but I dont rate him that high. I think he is open market somewhere around 5-10 based on clubs needs.

 

[Quigley]

I rate Heeney as the best mid in the draft. If I was picking at 4 and he was there I would pick him. I was tempted to take him at 2 just to mix things up a bit but at the end of the day McCartin suits our needs the best.

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

Pick six - Western Bulldogs: Jayden Laverde
Height: 189cm
Weight: 82kg
Position: Utility
Where he fits: Short-term, I see Jayden playing a similar role to what Jake Stringer did mid-year for us: significant minutes down back, combined with some time on-ball, on the wings and up forward. He'll provide some drive from half-back - which the Dogs desperately crave - as well as continuing to develop other areas of his game. As he progressively develops that inside game and his endurance I see him moving into the midfield on a more permanent basis. With an inside quartet of Liberatore, Griffen, Wallis and Boyd (short-term; long-term Clay Smith), Laverde will be able to flourish in his natural outside role while also being given time at stoppages and really using his pace and athleticism to break through. As a player that can play most positions on the ground to a reasonable level, he will always be a genuine utility and somebody that is moved around as the game ebbs and flows. However, if he is to reach his potential, he needs to maximise his minutes through the middle - and in my opinion, that will come with the development of an inside game and natural progression.

I don't believe Laverde will ever be a mid fielder, hasn't shown that at all at TAC cup level, I see him very similar to Jeremy Howe from Melbourne. He will be very dangerous up forward or on the wing. He would also be a very difficult opponent as a defender.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Pick six - Western Bulldogs: Jayden Laverde
Height: 189cm
Weight: 82kg
Position: Utility
Where he fits: Short-term, I see Jayden playing a similar role to what Jake Stringer did mid-year for us: significant minutes down back, combined with some time on-ball, on the wings and up forward. He'll provide some drive from half-back - which the Dogs desperately crave - as well as continuing to develop other areas of his game. As he progressively develops that inside game and his endurance I see him moving into the midfield on a more permanent basis. With an inside quartet of Liberatore, Griffen, Wallis and Boyd (short-term; long-term Clay Smith), Laverde will be able to flourish in his natural outside role while also being given time at stoppages and really using his pace and athleticism to break through. As a player that can play most positions on the ground to a reasonable level, he will always be a genuine utility and somebody that is moved around as the game ebbs and flows. However, if he is to reach his potential, he needs to maximise his minutes through the middle - and in my opinion, that will come with the development of an inside game and natural progression.

I don't believe Laverde will ever be a mid fielder, hasn't shown that at all at TAC cup level, I see him very similar to Jeremy Howe from Melbourne. He will be very dangerous up forward or on the wing. He would also be a very difficult opponent as a defender.

I don't think he ever becomes a pure on-baller, but it's an area the club that drafts him will certainly attempt to develop in my opinion. If he can win his own clearances and use his pace, athleticism and skill from a stoppage situation in future he's going to be a very difficult player to stop.

That said, I agree he likely spends most of his time elsewhere - primarily on a wing, for mine.

 

[HBF]

I rate Heeney as the best mid in the draft. If I was picking at 4 and he was there I would pick him. I was tempted to take him at 2 just to mix things up a bit but at the end of the day McCartin suits our needs the best.

I did think about Moore, but I like the idea of having another KPP who can play at either end of the ground.

 

[Snoop Dog]

swannies has til 4pm AEST and if no selection by then we will welcome Jake Lever to the Eagles

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

swannies has til 4pm AEST and if no selection by then we will welcome Jake Lever to the Eagles

I know that's the rule but there's no way West Coast will go tall with their first pick. I reckon Swannies would be picking between Heeney and Ahern.

You could use a loophole and say that Heeney would have been next in Knightmare's phantom except he's tied to the Swans

 

[TedDougChris]

I know that's the rule but there's no way West Coast will go tall with their first pick. I reckon Swannies would be picking between Heeney and Ahern.

You could use a loophole and say that Heeney would have been next in Knightmare's phantom except he's tied to the Swans

You're right, unless you have a new 'Everybody above 6 ft 6 Strategy' that hasn't been leaked yet....

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

You're right, unless you have a new 'Everybody above 6 ft 6 Strategy' that hasn't been leaked yet....

We do have a seven-ruckman gameplan in the works :/

 

[TedDougChris]

We do have a seven-ruckman gameplan in the works :/

I've got this midfielder that you can have.... Goes by the name of Howard..... Very nice kick... Swap you a KPF for him....

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

We do have a seven-ruckman gameplan in the works :/

The Dogs and the Eagles should average our ruckmen out. We run a one ruckman plan, you run a seven-ruckman plan. You can have four, we'll have four.

 

[swannies]

Well, FiveStrings has read me correctly, not to say I would take this guy in the real thing, but I liked what I saw a lot at the U18s and sat next to his old man and grandfather and had a chat. I was telling them who I thought were the best players before they told me who they were tied to. Phew, could have been embarrassing.

Welcome to West Coast, Paul Ahern.

What did I like? You got it, stood under the high ball, quite a few times, and took marks he had no right to take. Didn't flinch. Has good pace and delivers the ball well to the forwards and then kicked a couple himself. Normally plays wing/HFF, but Metro started pushing him to the middle and I thank them for that.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Sorry snoopdog, I'll take him, if you wish, but I was just finishing my basic write up for Paul Ahern. Sorry to mess it up for everyone.
swannies

No thats fine - I am happy to change as long as the next pick hasnt been taken so lock in Paul Ahern.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Welcome to West Coast, Paul Ahern.

Ahern does everything Pickett does and more.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Thunderstruck you are up

 

[Chris25]

Ahern does everything Pickett does and more.

I would argue that Ahern may do more, but what Pickett does is done at a much higher level. I still think Luke Dahlhaus is a good comparison for Ahern.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Pick 9 - Adelaide – Isaac Heeney 186cm 82kg DOB: 05/05/1996

This might seem like an easy or a boring pick given that it won't happen like this in the real thing but, for the purpose of this trial, he is there and boy I will take him. Clearly the best available at this pick.

Briefly, he is a dynamic and powerful mid who will accumulate as well as deliver into the f50. Competent off both feet he is the classic inside/outside midfielder and will quickly establish himself as one of the best mids going around in a few years time. To me, he always looks like he already knows what he is going to do before he even has the ball, then he just does it. Doesn't panic, he just doesn't need to. Has a burst of pace from the packs and is very strong. Very few weaknesses, perhaps defensive pressure could be more consistent, though he can apply it when it is needed with strong tackling, he definitely prefers to be the one being chased. Pound for pound I'd love to see him in a wrestle, just holds his feet and delivers by hand or foot. He's by far the best player I have seen in my draft years to come from a Second Div side. Sydney are incredibly blessed to have this bloke at their disposal. Will be a gun.

 

[God Save Max King]

We have this debate every year but we land on leaving it open as people are keen to see where players are ranked. If Heeney was worth pick 4 I would have taken it but I dont rate him that high. I think he is open market somewhere around 5-10 based on clubs needs.

Agree Snoop, partly because I haven't seen him as much as some of the Vics, partly because I haven't seen him deliver Pick 1 games like I have Petracca.

More on CP, I think there's been enough said on him here for a while, he's now everything you want from a modern midfielder. Tough, big, strong, agile, quick, versatile, penetrating, goal-kicker, extremely aggressive, match-winner and someone who will just crack a game open. As a Saint, the other player I considered was Peter Wright to play as a forward but with the recent improvement seen in Rhys Stanley, I thought it was worth passing him up. He'll slot right into our midfield come round 1, I would have thought a season with an AFL club will fix some of his weight issues and his running can only get better. He's one of the guys that will play high TOG% as he's so capable of 'resting' up forward.

 

[Quigley]

He's by far the best player I have seen in my draft years to come from a Second Div side.

Cyril still that for me.

Heeney very good all around player though. With O'Keefe about to ride into the sunset (if he hasn't already) they get Heeney who can come in and play that role beautifully.

 

[Offsider]

Pick 10 - Gold Coast - Jake Lever
Height: 194cm, Weight: 87kg, D.O.B.: 05/03/1996
Club: Calder Cannons (VM)
Position: Key Defender

I was a bit unsure about who to select at this pick as there is no one left who screams pick me, and the talent at this stage is a bit average for mid first round imo. I decided to go with Jake Lever at pick 10 as he is the best talent available and has only slid as he has missed this year with injury. If he has grown to 194cm as reported then he is big enough to be a number one key defender, but he is capable of playing either on the big forwards or as the third tall where he can make a contest as that third man up and take intercept marks. He is good in the contests in the air and decent when the ball hits the deck, he rebounds well for a big man and has a good kick. His contested work and marking in the air is elite for a defender and it si what sets him apart from others around this mark. Athletically he is, or rather was, above average but by no means elite, still he should be good enough for the majority of AFL players. It remains to be seen how well he should come back from his knee injury but modern medicine is much better now with fixing knee injuries so I don't see this as a huge issue. He should slot in well at Gold Coast as a developing tall defender alongside Rory Thompson, Steven May and Henry Schade.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Lever was the main other player I considered at pick six. Huge talent and would be great for the Suns. Good pick.