Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2016 Draft Almanac

[Knightmare]

Saw your comparison of English to Josh Fraser... is that a good or bad omen considering the outcome of Fraser lol... is he a chance to be a massive slider consider that Rucks dont generally get picked up so early in the draft.

It's a bit of both.

It's a suggestion that English can have a good 200 game career potentially if things go right.

It's also a suggestion that he won't ever become a powerhouse of a ruckman and will lose at centre bounces v the stronger ruckmen with his usefulness to come more around the ground with his skills and ability to accumulate by position.

 

[Knightmare]

I hope we get Petrevski-Seton

Unlikely to be there for Carlton.

Petrevski-Seton may go pick 2 or 3.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Yeah i agree with most except this one. He has been carrying our midfield this season in nearly every game. Priddis may get touches but its been shuey thats either kept us in games or that has kept fighting throughout the year. Last night he kept us in the game early on when GWS threatened to blow the game open and was instrumental in all of our comebacks and when simmo needed someone to stand up and win us the game in that last quarter he did. Im still hesitant to jump the gun and call him elite but he is closing the gap fast

He's half right and it has to do with Shuey's strengths and how he has to be played.

If there was a particular area that Shuey can be criticized it is that he doesn't get free often enough and can't use his excellent disposal to full effect because a disproportionate number of his disposals are contested given his relative skill by foot vs his relative skills by hand. I think you can blame West Coasts midfield mix for that, if Shuey had someone else apart from him and Priddis winning the hard ball then he could free wheel more like when he was drafted on top of him winning the hard ball that he has since 2011.

He's certainly a much more complete midfielder now than he was all those years ago and there is no reason to think that he's going to stop here.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Not KM but watched Kiam Ryan yesterday and nut enough from an older player in a season dominating team .

Frim your list

Strnadica yes he will get drafted, will be late . Think he missed big combine invite by 4 not 5 inviting .

Bayok struggled big time at 19s, barely touched the ball which is no good for a small on ball player. Appeared to be 5 yards off it all the time .

Stan Wright , gets plenty of touches , loves a goal had a run in reserves yesterday . Went well but his size always makes selection that much harder if picked very late .

Hura not for me footy had flatlined last years , only just squeaked into WA 18s, got very limited game time .

Strnadica's colts form is the real issue. Has been abysmal all year, if anything he improved during the U18 champs. Preseason form was phenomenal and then he just hasn't fired a shot for most of the season.

Bayok was injured going into the U18 champ. Numbers are decent averaging 20 disposals a game at colts level in spite of some niggles, what he needs to more of is kick goals regularly.

Stan Wright doesn't get enough of the ball consistently given the role he plays and some of that has to do with fitness and other times it's work rate related. People will love a lot of Wrights work at some stages and hate him only minutes later. Kicking is elite in the full sense of the word and he's a smart footballer in how he accumulates in and around stoppages. But he's very much just another work horse and doesn't go all out at the contests that he needs to, it's this later point that highlights his lack of size.

Hura hasn't physically developed at all. He's marginally bigger than he was cutting up U16's. Doesn't use the ball well enough by foot, and isn't strong enough on the inside yet to make use of his clean ball handling skills. Id weight and see how he transitions into league football.

Keanu Shandley is the wild card. Midfield talent with X factor and the skills to play forward. Speculative pick with some body of work at colts level to justify it.

 

[Blues90]

Unlikely to be there for Carlton.

Petrevski-Seton may go pick 2 or 3.

Think venables is worth that pick?

 

[avishka5]

He's half right and it has to do with Shuey's strengths and how he has to be played.

If there was a particular area that Shuey can be criticized it is that he doesn't get free often enough and can't use his excellent disposal to full effect because a disproportionate number of his disposals are contested given his relative skill by foot vs his relative skills by hand. I think you can blame West Coasts midfield mix for that, if Shuey had someone else apart from him and Priddis winning the hard ball then he could free wheel more like when he was drafted on top of him winning the hard ball that he has since 2011.

He's certainly a much more complete midfielder now than he was all those years ago and there is no reason to think that he's going to stop here.

last night he did that to perfection i thought. His last qt was phenomenal considering coniglio went to him. Definitly a break out game and hope he has many more to come.

 

[Knightmare]

Think venables is worth that pick?

Venables is a risk early and top 10 is probably too early. Has attributes that can really be worked with. What is concerning is his injury issues and numbers that haven't been great or looked like that of a midfielder.

Marshall I like if there. Otherwise McGrath and Ainsworth are the others worth looking at if there beyond the multitude of high quality academy prospects.

 

[Supersuns]

Knightmare what sort of player is Josh Williams? I've seen he is starting to rise up a few draft boards but I don't really know anything about him

 

[Apex36]

Saw your comparison of English to Josh Fraser... is that a good or bad omen considering the outcome of Fraser lol... is he a chance to be a massive slider consider that Rucks dont generally get picked up so early in the draft.

Say what you will about Fraser, but he was a 200 game player. Getting a player with that kind of ability and longevity is very rarely regarded as a loss. Fraser wouldn't have copped anywhere near what he did if he was a pick 10 instead of pick 1 imo.

 

[Apex36]

Wondering what your latest thoughts are on Callum Brown and Josh Daicos are Knightmare

Callum Twomey has them both sitting in the 20-30 range, which surprised me a lot given they were barely cracking top 50 in draft watchers ratings a couple of months ago.

 

[Rack Watts]

Knightmare, who's the best fit for Essendon?
McCluggage, Brodie or SPS?

 

[lionshine]

Looking ahead to next season James Worpel and Jack Higgins are shaping up to be gun midfield prospects. What are your thoughts on them? Cassidy Parish is another good midfield prospect for next year. Do you rate him higher than you did Darcy at the same stage?

Their stats in the TAC Cup from over the weekend:

Jack Higgins 25 disposals, 2 goals, 9 marks, 5 tackles.

James Worpel 27 disposals, 2 goals, 2 marks, 5 tackles.

Cassidy Parish 26 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles.

 

[Bicks]

Knightmare what sort of player is Josh Williams? I've seen he is starting to rise up a few draft boards but I don't really know anything about him

Fasttttttttttttttttttt!

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

Hey Knightmare, when Ben Ainsworth plays midfield, who does he play like?

 

[eDPS]

Hey Knightmare, when Ben Ainsworth plays midfield, who does he play like?

I think he plays like Shuey in the midfield

 

[ringo1]

Looking ahead to next season James Worpel and Jack Higgins are shaping up to be gun midfield prospects. What are your thoughts on them. Cassidy Parish is another good midfield prospect for next year. Do you rate him higher than you did Darcy at the same stage?

Their stats in the TAC Cup from over the weekend:

Jack Higgins 25 disposals, 2 goals, 9 marks, 5 tackles.

James Worpel 27 disposals, 2 goals, 2 marks, 5 tackles.

Cassidy Parish 26 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles.

I'd love to see someone in the know have a crack at a list of the top 40-50 Tac prospects for 2017

 

[eDPS]

I'd love to see someone in the know have a crack at a list of the top 40-50 Tac prospects for 2017

That's near impossible but these are a few names that have impressed, sure I'm missing a few aswell,

Luke Davies-Uniacke
Sam Hayes
James Worpel
Connor Ballenden
Jaidyn Stephenson
Joel Garner
Lochie O brien
Cassidy Parish
Charlie Spargo
Hunter Clark
Jack Higgins
Will Donaghey
Callum Coleman-Jones
Lachlan Fogarty
Tyrone Hayes
Oscar Clavarino
Harrison Nolan
Aaron Darling
Jake Patmore
Patrick Naish
Darcy Fogarty
Kane Farrell
Aiden Quigley
Cody Henness
Trent Mynott

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare what sort of player is Josh Williams? I've seen he is starting to rise up a few draft boards but I don't really know anything about him

Light bodied, outside linebreaker. Straightline acceleration as good as any in this draft. He reminds me of Tim Golds. Not a great ball winner, but not someone as an opposition coach you'd want to allow space in front of to run through.

Wondering what your latest thoughts are on Callum Brown and Josh Daicos are Knightmare

Callum Twomey has them both sitting in the 20-30 range, which surprised me a lot given they were barely cracking top 50 in draft watchers ratings a couple of months ago.

Brown is a productive, hard goer who can play well through the midfield and is able to play forward but lacks polish.

Daicos is a terrific mover through traffic with his sidestep and has composure as well as the vision and skills but doesn't win enough of his own ball.

If clubs bid top 30 picks on either of them, they can have them. They're incomplete sub 180cm players. I rate both 40-50 if I'm to extend my draft board out to 50 with Daicos in my view the slightly better of the two. I'm happy for Collingwood to take on both, but only for the right price.

Knightmare, who's the best fit for Essendon?
McCluggage, Brodie or SPS?

McCluggage for me. His skills/production/scoreboard impact/improvement is too compelling for me at pick 1.

SPS isn't up there with McCluggage and Brodie for production. Brodie is the stronger contested baller but I'd argue less impactful and not as productive either.

Looking ahead to next season James Worpel and Jack Higgins are shaping up to be gun midfield prospects. What are your thoughts on them. Cassidy Parish is another good midfield prospect for next year. Do you rate him higher than you did Darcy at the same stage?

Their stats in the TAC Cup from over the weekend:

Jack Higgins 25 disposals, 2 goals, 9 marks, 5 tackles.

James Worpel 27 disposals, 2 goals, 2 marks, 5 tackles.

Cassidy Parish 26 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles.

Worpel I view as one of if not the best midfielder in next years draft. He can be a top 10 pick.

Higgins I view as a probable second round selection for next year, who may be able to sneak into the back end of the first round - mostly on the basis of being a smaller mid.

Cassidy Parish is behind his brother from last year. Taller and better contested ball winner, so he can push to be a first round choice, but skills and consistency of performance at this stage not where Darcy's was. Will be interesting to see how much he improves next season and how close he comes to being as good as Darcy.

Hey Knightmare, when Ben Ainsworth plays midfield, who does he play like?

Ainsworth is a powerful little midfielder. Can feel quiet in some games and lack impact. In other games can win it in close and show some signs.

As a midfielder Ainsworth is something like Melbourne's Ben Kennedy. Good but not great ball winner when used through the midfield and more someone I'd look at for rotational midfield minutes rather than full time midfield minutes.

 

[Yoda_]

Looking ahead to next season James Worpel and Jack Higgins are shaping up to be gun midfield prospects. What are your thoughts on them? Cassidy Parish is another good midfield prospect for next year. Do you rate him higher than you did Darcy at the same stage?

Their stats in the TAC Cup from over the weekend:

Jack Higgins 25 disposals, 2 goals, 9 marks, 5 tackles.

James Worpel 27 disposals, 2 goals, 2 marks, 5 tackles.

Cassidy Parish 26 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles.

Add on 17 year old Jake Frawley (Dandenong Stingrays) has a confirmed ACL tear. Will miss a large chunk of 2017

 

[Leemas]

Rolls seems to have fallen off the radar. No combine invite and I noticed not taken in the BF phantom. Still a rookie chance?

 

[CrusaderAussie1]

Strnadica's colts form is the real issue. Has been abysmal all year, if anything he improved during the U18 champs. Preseason form was phenomenal and then he just hasn't fired a shot for most of the season.

Bayok was injured going into the U18 champ. Numbers are decent averaging 20 disposals a game at colts level in spite of some niggles, what he needs to more of is kick goals regularly.

Stan Wright doesn't get enough of the ball consistently given the role he plays and some of that has to do with fitness and other times it's work rate related. People will love a lot of Wrights work at some stages and hate him only minutes later. Kicking is elite in the full sense of the word and he's a smart footballer in how he accumulates in and around stoppages. But he's very much just another work horse and doesn't go all out at the contests that he needs to, it's this later point that highlights his lack of size.

Hura hasn't physically developed at all. He's marginally bigger than he was cutting up U16's. Doesn't use the ball well enough by foot, and isn't strong enough on the inside yet to make use of his clean ball handling skills. Id weight and see how he transitions into league football.

Keanu Shandley is the wild card. Midfield talent with X factor and the skills to play forward. Speculative pick with some body of work at colts level to justify it.

Agree with most of this , Bayok should not have been played if injured , he certainly was a passenger . Have seen him since he was a kid at Ellenbrook. Colts level gets the ball , delivers well by foot but shirt kicks only .

Strnadica had big game Saturday but against a weakened Perth

 

[Bicks]

That's near impossible but these are a few names that have impressed, sure I'm missing a few aswell,

Luke Davies-Uniacke
Sam Hayes
James Worpel
Connor Ballenden
Jaidyn Stephenson
Joel Garner
Lochie O brien
Cassidy Parish
Charlie Spargo
Hunter Clark
Jack Higgins
Will Donaghey
Callum Coleman-Jones
Lachlan Fogarty
Tyrone Hayes
Oscar Clavarino
Harrison Nolan
Aaron Darling
Jake Patmore
Patrick Naish
Darcy Fogarty
Kane Farrell
Aiden Quigley
Cody Henness
Trent Mynott

Add Jordan Johnston and Aiden Domic to that list....

 

[Banshee23]

Hi Knightmare - can you rank your top 20 prospects this year against the top 20 from the two prior years (ie. 60 total)? Apologies if you have already done this, and nevermind if the task is too onerous.

Cheers

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Knightmare - Who are some players who have taken off since the champs ?

Cedric cox .... ? Any other late moves ?

 

[ringo1]

Add Jordan Johnston and Aiden Domic to that list....

Reckon you'd have most of the 17 futures boys in the mix with the academy boys so that would be a good guide Id suspect