He could be the best player in the game...

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

From HFC.....

Conor Glass (a first year Irish recruit) will not win a Brownlow, but for mine he has the most upside on our list. He has the `born to be' DNA, a celebrated junior in Ireland. I`m thinking more sacraficial Norm Smith Medal winning captain, ala Hodge. Here's hoping!

Burton will continue to be a very very classy player, but could surprise me by being much much more. I know a lot of HFC supporters think he can/will.

No Tom Mitchell?

 

[Luv_our_club]

No Tom Mitchell?

He is too good already yea?

I kinda hope O`mera turns out better... Mitchell has been a gun for years now but has little of the unknown about him.. i can't see him getting much better. O`mera has the unproven blue sky quality.

 

[Damon_3388]

Those 2 players have both been Brownlow medalists, Wines as good as he has been hasn't reach those heights yet.

Neither had Dusty or Dangerfield when they were Wines' age (23).

 

[Damon_3388]

He will finish as a player like Jobe Watson or Matt Priddis or Nathan Jones

One of these is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong...

 

[Damon_3388]

And now for my 'totally weird - what have you been smoking?!?' call.
I reckon Matt Taberner could become one of the top KPFs in the game. Time is running out, however. I don't think his problem is talent - it's brain. If it clicks for him - he could be very, very good.

The knock on him previously has been lack of physicality and presence, but he actually improved his contested marking immensely this year. Small-ish sample size, but he led the league in contested marks per game (2.75).

If the Dockers can play him forward full-time (rather than as a forward/second ruck, and in and out of the side), he should be a pretty handy player for them next year.

 

[TigerKnights]

Neither had Dusty or Dangerfield when they were Wines' age (23).

Wines is a champ. But what is his special move? It has been clear all along from a pack you cannot tackle Dusty and you cannot catch Danger.
Ollie will be (already might be) elite, but that as high as his tower goes. The Chrysler building is not a lesser building, it just cannot do what the Empire State does.

 

[Natho]

Ben Brown. Full preseason. Watch out.

 

[Scotland]

Elliott Yeo the only player on our list with the physical attributes, but I don't think his ceiling is quite that high. More like a top 20-30 prospect.

Fyfe/Danger/Martin are going to be around a while yet. I could see Heeney being the #1 player in the comp down the track.

 

[perplexed]

Hes peaked. But having said that he should be able to maintain the level for the next 4-5 seasons. Which still makes him a gun player of the league and great of Norf.

Brown is not even close to his peak yet.
Has improved every year and is yet to even have an uninterupted pre-season. When his core strength improves he will go up another level.
Brown has been in the elite afl system at least five years less than Daniher.

 

[liam123]

A big call but I think venables will be a star of the comp

 

[The Passenger]

Elliott Yeo the only player on our list with the physical attributes, but I don't think his ceiling is quite that high. More like a top 20-30 prospect.

Yeah Yeo is the only one I can see on our list who really propels into that top echelon of players, but like you I think it might be a bit too high hopes for him.

Unfortunately for Eagles fans it's hard to see where it's going to come from. Duggan, Sheed and Partington all look like they could become very good 150+ (even 200+) games for us, but it' hard to imagine any of them becoming AA contenders year-in-year-out. Venables is an unknown. Big wraps but couldn't get on the park this year.

 

[The Pop Up]

I thought this was going to be about about O'meara. Anyway, I guess that's pretty much out of the question now.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Would love to see Liam Jones raise his game to Rance-levels all year in 2018.

 

[citizen-erased]

I like Francis, but also Kyle Langford from Essendon. Has a lot of pendlebury about him and i can see him getting to those levels if he really makes a full fist of his career.
Darcy Parish is quite underrated for a 2nd year player. He started a little quietly this year, but there have been times he has looked to be Cousins-like with his ability to break lines and deliver a ball to advantage.

From other clubs:
Ive been on Petracca's bandwagon since his U18 year.
De Goey is another who can hit those elite levels.
Jack Bowes is another. Very early but he looks a complete midfield package for me.

Charlie Curnow took massive strides this year. I can see a Brownlow in him
Of the bunch, he'd be the one i think will hit those levels first.

 

[Dazb86]

Jake Stringer unfortunately. If he becomes dedicated to football he could be an absolute star.

 

[Engimal v3]

Hes peaked. But having said that he should be able to maintain the level for the next 4-5 seasons. Which still makes him a gun player of the league and great of Norf.

Peaked at 24, without having a proper preseason to date?

 

[dajesmac]

Elliott Yeo the only player on our list with the physical attributes, but I don't think his ceiling is quite that high. More like a top 20-30 prospect.

Fyfe/Danger/Martin are going to be around a while yet. I could see Heeney being the #1 player in the comp down the track.

Venables.

Although I think he will be a long way off ever being the best player in the league. Just a very good mid/fwd.

 

[mrjones]

You know your team is s**t when the only good thing to happen is a 21 year old kid from another team gives away a lot of soft frees because of crap umpiring.

Laphroaig likes this.

Result was good too. Will say high on the way by!

 

[Coldacre]

THE PACKAGE!

 

[AjsGuns]

Leaving Daniher and Bontempelli out since they have both been AA and their respective clubs BnF. Although I can see both being the best player in the competition.

Clayton Oliver
Patrick Cripps
Jaeger O'Meara if his body holds up, although he will be 24 next season. Might end up like Mark Coughlan

One from left field no one has said -
Hugh McCluggage. Will take another year or two to build up his body, but kid looks like another Pendlebury with better goal kicking ability.

If I had to pick one outside of Daniher and Bontempelli, I'd go Oliver.

 

[Xhoquelin]

I think to be best player in the competition level you need to have 2-3 strings to your bow. Fyfe, Danger, Martin are all great marks so they can play forward if required. GaJ was an elite small forward because of his tackling, skill and goal sense. Goodes and Judd were also good forwards when required.

I think Heeney is the closest to the former 3, great mark, love his courage and attack on the footy. Still got a bit to go but he will reach top 5 in the competition levels, I'm very confident he will become a Robbie Gray type player which would be insane regardless.

Petracca is explosive, really strong around the contest, thought his decision making improved a lot this year and will keep improving, and as a footy player he incorporates a lot of spin moves and sidesteps ie agile too and can get free of a man. I don't think he will ever be able to average 30+ touches a game like Danger because of endurance issues but I'd be really happy if he could average 25 touches and rest forward often and kick 30-40 goals a year as a third tall.

Charlie Curnow really scares me. Great mark, he's got the height of the new hybrid midfielder, fantastic athlete. Whilst I'm not sure if he will easily move into the midfield time will tell.

But I really think Bontempelli should be playing 90% midfield. He's got it all as a midfielder, great vision, always a strong tackler, and similar to Pendles, everything he touches seemingly turns to gold(ok maybe silver sometimes). I really think the Dogs already have a top 5 player in the comp who they are wasting up forward far too often.

 

[Young Gun #6]

Charlie Curnow. One of my favourite non Port players. Can play any position and has such great hands a.l.a Fyfe, Heeney, Danger.