UPDATING W/E 20/11/2015, LAST WEEK BEFORE THE DRAFT
Now we have a final set draft apart from F/S and Academy bids it makes the process of a mock much easier. I'll give my selection for now and add gradually add write ups for the first round.
MY TOP 30 on pure ranking
1. Jacob WEITERING – On pure ranking alone Weitering stands out as the number one pick in my opinion.
2. Callum MILLS – Highest quality mid in the draft. Swans will get another midfield beauty via the academy. Pick 3 lock IMO
3. Darcy PARISH – Mills and Parish is a coin toss. On form and exposed form in draft year you'd take Parish but Mills has plenty of credits in the bank before 2015.
4. Jacob HOPPER – Available to GWS and had a solid carnival. Really strong inside player who will bring similar traits to Adam Treloar.
5. Josh SCHACHE – Destined to go to the Lions at 2. Well worth a number one pick to the Blues as well. The sentimental outcome would be Brisbane after his late father played there as a goal kicking forward.
6. Aaron FRANCIS – Versatile player but is best used down back. Projected to go inside the top 5 to 10 picks.
7. Charlie CURNOW – I’m a fan of the way Curnow plays. Prototype modern player and has all the traits to be a beast in the midfield. Interesting pick come draft night after a drink driving issue came to light on Friday. I've moved him down my actual draft order already.
8. Matthew KENNEDY - GWS lost Treloar via the trade but gain Hopper and Kennedy via the Academy. Like Hopper his strength is contested play and has the body size to be an impact early at AFL level. There will be an early bid on him and GWS should match that.
9. Ryan BURTON - Possibly reaching a bit here but I'm bullish on Burton when he is fully fit. Draft Range: 10 - 20.
10. Sam WEDIERMAN - The biggest question mark on Sam is his endurance and defensive pressure. Definite chance to go pick 3 to the Demons as a focal point behind Jesse Hogan but more likely somewhere later insider the top 10.
11. Kieran COLLINS - I'm a big wrap for Collins. Not inside the best 11 in the draft pool but what I love is that he can make an immediate impact at any club he gets to. Not even 18 yet and is already pushing 100 kg. Lock him in a KPD for the next 10 - 15 years. Any club that gets there hands on him has got a ripper KPD.
12. Clayton OLIVER - Stoppage specialist midfielder who just racks up the ball and is a threat when used forward as well. Draft Range: 5 - 19
13. Wayne MILERA - Explosive player whose best use initially is off HF as he adjusts to full time AFL and builds his body strength up. Could go as early as Essendon's picks and as late as Richmond's first rounder.
14. Harley BALIC - Jack of all trades almost. Interesting to see what role he settles into at AFL level but early days I'd say he is a HF who can play midfield. I'll sat draft range between Gold Coast's first pick and North's first pick.
15. Ben KEAYS - Later 1st round Academy bid for the Lions. Any bid would be matched. DEAD SET LOCK to the Lions and a player who could step straight in to a round 1 team. Not elite with speed or class but a ball accumulator who is ready to go in season one.
16. Callum AHCHEE - Being an ex Sandgroper Ah Chee is my token West Aussie in the top 20. Exciting talent with upside to play outside midfield. Class act and not 18 till October. Will probably go at a pick somewhere in the teens
17. Rhys MATHIESON - Contested ball winning midfielder. Just an attractor of the ball through hard work and contested play. Not the most polished user but wins it a lot.
18. Jade GRESHAM - Smaller mid forward. Another who I predict to go somewhere later first round to St. Kilda, Hawthorn or North Melbourne.
19. Darcy TUCKER - His been a slider in my phantom draft. When Adelaide secured pick 9 from the Dangerfield trade he was the player I had them chasing for some extra run and polish on the outside but views change and I'd say his in that same mix of late teens picks as Gresham.
20. Harry McKAY - Could be another Burton here. I've always had him going first round but could go as high as Melbourne's 7 (10 with Academy picks) or go to the end of the first round. Depends a lot of whether Melbourne are willing to bite the bullet with Charlie Curnow at 10 and what they do with pick 3 if it is Weiderman or Parish.
21. Riley BONNER - Draft Range: mid to late first round
22. Mitchell HIBBERD - Draft range: mid first - early second round (Bulldogs will be all over him if available IMO)
23. Eric HIPWOOD - Another Lions Academy pick. Another rated highly in pure ranking mocks and has all the traits to show why I've just named him later because he really is a development player early. Spend some quality time in the weight room over summer son. Draft Range: FIRST ROUND BID
24. Ryan CLARKE - He's my man this draft, if I could give him an Eagles jumper now I would. Ticks all the boxes in what I want and I'm just hoping and praying that when pick 27 - 28 roll around that he is still on the board.
Draft range is late first round - early second round in my opinion
25. Ben McKAY - The twin of Harry. Shouldn't last any further than thew Bulldogs first picks at start of second round.
26. Daniel RIOLI - Excitement machine. Interesting to see where he goes. Do Richmond pull the trigger early in search of a genuine small forward or does he last until Essendon's bracket of second round picks. Like Cyril Doesn't need to have 20 plus possessions a game to swing the game and impact it in his teams favour.
27. Thomas COLE - Draft Range: Late first - early/ mid 2nd Round
28. David CUNNINGHAM - Draft Range: 2nd Round
29. Luke PARTINGTON - Draft Range: 2nd Round
30. Josh DUNKLEY - Get him in the right team and he'd be able to play from Round 1. If he ends up at Sydney it will be great for him with the father/ son Swans connection but he will need to bide his time in the NEAFL before earning a regular game at senior level. For a first year draftee enters the AFL already as a good sized midfielder with exposure at Richmond VFL level.
Now we have a final set draft apart from F/S and Academy bids it makes the process of a mock much easier. I'll give my selection for now and add gradually add write ups for the first round.
MY TOP 30 on pure ranking
1. Jacob WEITERING – On pure ranking alone Weitering stands out as the number one pick in my opinion.
2. Callum MILLS – Highest quality mid in the draft. Swans will get another midfield beauty via the academy. Pick 3 lock IMO
3. Darcy PARISH – Mills and Parish is a coin toss. On form and exposed form in draft year you'd take Parish but Mills has plenty of credits in the bank before 2015.
4. Jacob HOPPER – Available to GWS and had a solid carnival. Really strong inside player who will bring similar traits to Adam Treloar.
5. Josh SCHACHE – Destined to go to the Lions at 2. Well worth a number one pick to the Blues as well. The sentimental outcome would be Brisbane after his late father played there as a goal kicking forward.
6. Aaron FRANCIS – Versatile player but is best used down back. Projected to go inside the top 5 to 10 picks.
7. Charlie CURNOW – I’m a fan of the way Curnow plays. Prototype modern player and has all the traits to be a beast in the midfield. Interesting pick come draft night after a drink driving issue came to light on Friday. I've moved him down my actual draft order already.
8. Matthew KENNEDY - GWS lost Treloar via the trade but gain Hopper and Kennedy via the Academy. Like Hopper his strength is contested play and has the body size to be an impact early at AFL level. There will be an early bid on him and GWS should match that.
9. Ryan BURTON - Possibly reaching a bit here but I'm bullish on Burton when he is fully fit. Draft Range: 10 - 20.
10. Sam WEDIERMAN - The biggest question mark on Sam is his endurance and defensive pressure. Definite chance to go pick 3 to the Demons as a focal point behind Jesse Hogan but more likely somewhere later insider the top 10.
11. Kieran COLLINS - I'm a big wrap for Collins. Not inside the best 11 in the draft pool but what I love is that he can make an immediate impact at any club he gets to. Not even 18 yet and is already pushing 100 kg. Lock him in a KPD for the next 10 - 15 years. Any club that gets there hands on him has got a ripper KPD.
12. Clayton OLIVER - Stoppage specialist midfielder who just racks up the ball and is a threat when used forward as well. Draft Range: 5 - 19
13. Wayne MILERA - Explosive player whose best use initially is off HF as he adjusts to full time AFL and builds his body strength up. Could go as early as Essendon's picks and as late as Richmond's first rounder.
14. Harley BALIC - Jack of all trades almost. Interesting to see what role he settles into at AFL level but early days I'd say he is a HF who can play midfield. I'll sat draft range between Gold Coast's first pick and North's first pick.
15. Ben KEAYS - Later 1st round Academy bid for the Lions. Any bid would be matched. DEAD SET LOCK to the Lions and a player who could step straight in to a round 1 team. Not elite with speed or class but a ball accumulator who is ready to go in season one.
16. Callum AHCHEE - Being an ex Sandgroper Ah Chee is my token West Aussie in the top 20. Exciting talent with upside to play outside midfield. Class act and not 18 till October. Will probably go at a pick somewhere in the teens
17. Rhys MATHIESON - Contested ball winning midfielder. Just an attractor of the ball through hard work and contested play. Not the most polished user but wins it a lot.
18. Jade GRESHAM - Smaller mid forward. Another who I predict to go somewhere later first round to St. Kilda, Hawthorn or North Melbourne.
19. Darcy TUCKER - His been a slider in my phantom draft. When Adelaide secured pick 9 from the Dangerfield trade he was the player I had them chasing for some extra run and polish on the outside but views change and I'd say his in that same mix of late teens picks as Gresham.
20. Harry McKAY - Could be another Burton here. I've always had him going first round but could go as high as Melbourne's 7 (10 with Academy picks) or go to the end of the first round. Depends a lot of whether Melbourne are willing to bite the bullet with Charlie Curnow at 10 and what they do with pick 3 if it is Weiderman or Parish.
21. Riley BONNER - Draft Range: mid to late first round
22. Mitchell HIBBERD - Draft range: mid first - early second round (Bulldogs will be all over him if available IMO)
23. Eric HIPWOOD - Another Lions Academy pick. Another rated highly in pure ranking mocks and has all the traits to show why I've just named him later because he really is a development player early. Spend some quality time in the weight room over summer son. Draft Range: FIRST ROUND BID
24. Ryan CLARKE - He's my man this draft, if I could give him an Eagles jumper now I would. Ticks all the boxes in what I want and I'm just hoping and praying that when pick 27 - 28 roll around that he is still on the board.
Draft range is late first round - early second round in my opinion
25. Ben McKAY - The twin of Harry. Shouldn't last any further than thew Bulldogs first picks at start of second round.
26. Daniel RIOLI - Excitement machine. Interesting to see where he goes. Do Richmond pull the trigger early in search of a genuine small forward or does he last until Essendon's bracket of second round picks. Like Cyril Doesn't need to have 20 plus possessions a game to swing the game and impact it in his teams favour.
27. Thomas COLE - Draft Range: Late first - early/ mid 2nd Round
28. David CUNNINGHAM - Draft Range: 2nd Round
29. Luke PARTINGTON - Draft Range: 2nd Round
30. Josh DUNKLEY - Get him in the right team and he'd be able to play from Round 1. If he ends up at Sydney it will be great for him with the father/ son Swans connection but he will need to bide his time in the NEAFL before earning a regular game at senior level. For a first year draftee enters the AFL already as a good sized midfielder with exposure at Richmond VFL level.
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