Review 2019 AFL National Draft

[Harris 10]

Next weeks game against Hawks will have will have a big bearing on who we select in this years draft.
Could be the difference in 3 or 4 spots.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Rookie pick 1: M. Hibberd
Rookie pick 2: D. Mountford

 

[giantroo]

 

[Psicosis]

Rookie pick 1: M. Hibberd
Rookie pick 2: D. Mountford

Yuck

 

[giantroo]

AFL to make changes to academy draft rules

The AFL is set to close the academy draft loophole which Sydney exploited to "park" picks, in a move that is likely to affect the Giants this year.

www.theage.com.au

The AFL is set to close the academy draft loophole which Sydney exploited to "park" picks at other clubs, in a move that is likely to have ramifications for Greater Western Sydney this year.

The Swans created a stir last year when they manipulated the league's points bidding system to acquire academy graduate Nick Blakey at No.10 for picks 34, 39 and 40 – a price which was widely accepted as a bargain.

The Swans achieved this by trading pick 26 to West Coast for the Eagles' future third-round selection. Then after drafting Blakey, they made another deal with the Eagles to get pick 22 for a future second-round pick.

This meant they were able to use lower picks for the points needed to secure Blakey.


The manoeuvre allowed them to get back into the second round of last year's draft and pick up James Rowbottom, whom the club has been highly impressed with in his debut season.

Though the league approved of Sydney's move last year, they have informally notified list managers this week at the Gold Coast that they will not be able to employ the same strategy during this year's draft.

The Giants are poised to secure gun youngster Tom Green from their academy at this year's draft

Green, the grandson of four-time Richmond premiership winner Michael Green, is a big-bodied midfielder in the vein of Carlton's Patrick Cripps.

The Canberra product has been touted as a potential top-five pick after starring at this year's national under-18 championships for the Allies.

If a rival club was to bid for Green at No.5, based on current ladder positions the Giants would have to use picks 10 (which they received from Essendon as part of the Dylan Shiel deal) and 14. The leftover points from the latter pick would see them slide down to 17.
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There are three other members of the Giants academy – Matt McGrory, James Peatling and Liam Delahunty – in line to be drafted but they are expected to go in the later rounds.

The Swans have two potential high draft picks in their academy for next year's draft in Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden, both of whom played as underagers in this year's national championships.

Despite his family ties to the Tigers, Green is open minded about where he ends up next year.
"The Giants have been very, very good to me through the academy," Green said.

"Where I'd like to play is whoever wants me. If it's the Giants that'd be awesome, if another club wants me I just want to play where I'm wanted."
Clubs are expected to have a clearer view of how the bidding system might operate from 2020 next week when some of the recommendations from the review conducted by former Carlton premiership player Andrew McKay are sent to teams.

The introduction of the Next Generation Academies that gives clubs access to Indigenous and multicultural players has taken the heat out of the issue of academies in NSW and Queensland.

There was uproar from clubs in Victoria after the Swans were able to secure Isaac Heeney by matching Melbourne's bid at two with their selection at 18 in 2014.
The rules were changed the following year when the Swans secured Callum Mills at three by parting with picks 33, 36, 37 and 43. Their next available selection came at 51.

 

[giantroo]

Write up from Davo-27 from the drafts board re Lachie Ash:


"Lachlan Ash - 186cm 80kg - quick running defender with the ability to win most 1 v 1's and a good intercept mark, its not uncommon to see him take off from half back and deliver a perfect kick to deep mid or even i50, he rarely runs himself into trouble, in fact I have seen him take on opponents about 40 times and have yet to see him get caught, he knows when to take on an opponent and when to play it safe, draft range 4-10 "

 

[giantroo]

Full write ups based on position thanks to Davo-27 from the drafts board

Best Ruck/KPP's in 2019 draft pool: (i want to add Gould, but i think he plays more like a flanker)

Luke Jackson 198cm 94kg - ruck - i really dislike ruckmen, because most of them are tap machines who do little else, the only ruckmen i like are the ones who affect clearances, take contested marks around the ground and have good disposal as well as goal kicking abilities and are athletic in some capacity, L.Jackson has everything(goal kicking unsure) which is rare and he can tap ruck, so therefore i rate him highly, draft range 6-20
Fischer McAsey 195cm 86kg - KPD - possibly the best kpd option in the draft, has been a pillar of strength in defence all season for Sandy and was a key player for Vic Metro in defence, has the height, intercept marking ability, good in the air to mark and spoil, quick for a tall guy and can read the play very well as making good decisions, because of the lack of kpf's in this years draft pool its hard to rate the kpd's but i would say draft range of 10-25
Harrison Jones 194cm 75kg - KPP - has played ruck and forw recently and has shown some ability as a slim tall prospect, he came from nowhere to kick 4 goals in the Vic Metro Trials and then played a good series of games up forw for Vic Metro kicking 4 goals in his 4 games, but showing he could take a big mark and play a role as the link up forw or CHF in a team structure, his weight is an issue, i think his draft range is 25-50
Charlie Comben 199cm 82kg- ruck/forw - had a good Championships, was used both as a ruckman and forw at times, had average tap numbers, but it was his athleticism, contested marking, goal kicking and ability to affect the clearances and mid contests that stood out for me, as i said i rate tap rucking as the lowest value a ruck can bring to a team, anyone looking for a ruckman to deveop they have a diamond in the rough here draft range 25-late
Josh Worrell 195cm 74kg - hbf/KPF - mostly has played hbf this season, but during the Champs showed an ability to play KPF and kicking 7 gls in 2 games and in one of those games providing enough scoring power to win against SA, but he would be considered a long term KPF player or a short term HBF and outside running player that has a contested side, draft range 15-40
Charlie Dean 194cm 86kg - def/forw - one of the best intercept marking defenders last year, was sent forward this year with mixed results, started the season on fire averaging 3 goals a game, taking great marks and kicking fairly straight, since then has gone to school footy where he has had some good and average games, then in the Champs played 2 games kicking only 1 goal and fluffing 2-3 other good chances before being dropped, i still rate him as a high value KPP even though he hasnt had a perfect season, draft range 20-50
Sam De Koning - 200cm 85kg - KPD - has played 8 games in the nableague this year without being a star, but it was the Champs where he has shown some ability to intercept mark and rebound out of 50, he is very athletic and quick for a big guy, i feel he takes uncontested marks a lot in defence through reading the delivery into the forw line, but because of the lack of KPF's in the champs its hard to really like the KPD's unless they do a lot of things to impress, draft range 30-rookie
Nick Bryan - 202cm 87kg - ruck - a tap ruck specialist with an ok general play game, is an ok mark, can win a clearance and affect some midfield contests, but mostly a ruck who wins you 20-35 hit outs a game, good size, good athleticism as well so worth drafting for the future, draft range 40-rookie
Karl Finlay - 192cm 88kg - KPD - good intercept mark, one of the few defenders i thought could beat their opponent in a contest, strongly built player with good disposal and was a pillar of strength for SA's miserly def, a weakness he has is his lack of athleticism which will hurt his prospects a bit, but i think his draft range is 30-rookie
Dyson Hilder - 196cm 91kg - def/forw - a bit more flexible than Finlay and as good an intercept mark, also won a few contested marking situations in SA's defence, not sure on his athleticism, but for a player i had heard little about before the Champs he played better than i thought he would again because of a lack of KPF's this year, draft range 35-rookie
Emerson Jeka 197cm 87kg - KPF - this guy plays KPF so well its a shame he cant kick goals, his leading, marking, general football play is sublime to watch, its just at the end of the day you look at the goal tally and its like 1 or less a game over 20-30 games, plus he is a specialised forw with little scope to play other roles, draft range rookie-undrafted
Jake Pasini - 193cm 81kg - KPD - was a good KPD in the champs this year, showed some ability but again against no real KPF's, but was clever and did what his team required, draft range late-undrafted
Mitch Georgiades - 191cm 78kg - KPF - has been injured all year, was a good prospect in last years Champs and was looking forward to seeing what he could do this season, his injury has robbed him of a chance to show what he could do in the Champs, draft range 40-rookie (could go higher depending on if a club has seen more footage and is willing to risk it in a weak KPF draft)
Corey Watts - 194cm 94kg - KPD - has played a stable role as a tall defender for Sandy and Vic Metro, lacks athleticism and speed, but good in the air and a decent prospect late, draft range late-undrafted
Josh Smith - 194cm 100kg - KPF - plays well as a forw and can kick bags of goals although inconsistent he has a chance of earning a spot on an AFL list if a club sees something with him, draft range rookie-undrafted
Sam Gaden - 195cm 91kg - ruck/kpp - only played a half a game for the allies before injury, but was one of their best in the Trials game and was one of their best in that half or so of footy, so an outside chance? draft range rookie-undrafted (Syd A)
Ben Kelly - 200cm 96kg - ruck - made a big difference when given the last 2 games for the Allies, where they won against VM and played well against SA, is a strongly built ready made ruck, lacks athleticism but is a plug and play option, draft range rookie-undrafted

other outside chances: Brodie Newman, James Schischka, Aaron Clarke, Ben Hickleton, Liam Delahunty, Josh Rayner

Midfielders in the draft pool

Matthew Rowell - 178cm 74kg - is by far and away the best midfielder in the draft, has shown over 2+ years that he is consistently a performer and accumulator(avg around 30 disposal nableague), good disposal, high work rate, always busy, high clearances, big game player draft range 1-1 (i would be shocked if he isnt pick 1)
Noah Anderson - 188cm 86kg - tall goal kicking mid, has a turn of speed, can win a good amount of clearances, disposal is good, but under pressure less so, tends to perform well when given space and can tear a team apart, but in pressure games isnt so dangerous, in comparison to Rowell who is good in both forms of game, accumulator (avg around 30 disposals nableague), flexible as a forward, extrovert, draft range 1-3
Caleb Serong - 178cm 83kg - strong inside mid who can also play as a strong marking forw, great mark for his size, great tackler, wins tough clearances and can usually get it to a team mate even under a lot of pressure, disposal is generally good, his kicking for goal is good, has those captain moments in the mid, leadership material, flexible in that he can play mid and small forw at similar high levels, interviews well, draft range 2-6
Brodie Kemp - 192cm 82kg - very flexible player in that he can play mid, half back and tall forw, all at a really good level, strong inside mid who can dictate the play, good in the air being a tall mid has good hands, uses the ball well in general and stepped up to the big moments in the Champs which enhanced his ranking with some big goals and important contested marks, draft range 3-10
Deven Robertson - 182cm 80kg - nephew of Darren Glass, broke the record for amount of disposals at the Champs(i believe i heard?) and cracked the 30 disposals per game mark, very much an inside mid accumulator, fed the ball out to team mates who were better disposers of the ball, very much like Tom Mitchell/Taylor Adams in that they work hard to get the ball out to better users of the ball, draft range 3-10
Tom Green - 188cm 85kg - man mountain of a kid, just puts his body into every contest and comfortably led the clearances and contested poss tallys, kicked a lovely goal from 50m on the boundary for his only goal in the champs to show he isnt a hack kick, but majority of his disposals are him bursting through a pack to handball to someone clear, draft range 4-10
Sam Flanders - 182cm 81kg - strong inside mid who can also play as a small forw, made his name as a small forw last year, but has focused on mid this year and has been a strong 1-2 punch with Serong for Country, strong contested mark, strong clearance winner, decent disposal and lovely kick for goal, was really impressive at the Champs and also dominates at Gippsland, draft range 4-10
Mitch O'Neill - 181cm 70kg - has had an injury interupted year and mixed performances, really good user of the footy, can play a bit inside and outside, flexible in that he can play hbf as well, needs to bulk up a little, but has shown some good footy skills over the last 2 years and is the best talent from Tassie this year by a long way, draft range 10-20
Harry Schoenberg - 180cm 78kg - inside/outside mid who runs from packs and can win a heap of clearances, had the 2nd most disposals for the Champs with 27disp average, every game i watched of SA he was the one controlling the game for SA, he stood out as clearly their best mid and his ability to win poss in all parts of the ground also stood out, his clean disposal and repeat sprints really helped SA stay competitive during the champs, draft range 10-30
Dylan Stephens - 183cm 69kg - very light outside mid with some inside game, left sided winger, disposal is decent, i wouldnt call it a strength of his, has a good record playing at SANFL level which recruiters love, productive mid from around Mildura, but moved to S.A. for a better chance to get drafted, maybe denying Country a Championship?, i was expecting more from him based on reputation, draft range 10-30
Jackson Mead - 184cm 83kg - mostly outside running mid, who was Schoenbergs backup mid during the champs, as the champs went on he really stood up and proved he is a talent in this draft pool, an exciting running mid that will add to the wonderful depth of young mids Port have on their list, if he can kick a few more goals it will add to his value, draft range 15-30
Finn Maginness - 187cm 80kg - had an up and down champs, was one of the better mids for Vic Metro with Rowell, Anderson and Carafa, but the Vic Metro mid wasnt exactly dynamic, had a great game in the last against the Allies not only winning some clean clearances but tackling Tom Green and keeping him honest, but it wasnt enough to win that game unfortunately, as for the nableague i have liked his games in general, but he lacks a little hurt factor being mostly an inside mid who can go to a forw flank(lacks the accumulation needed to be a first rounder with consistently around 20 disposals a game), i like him as that 2nd group of mids in this draft pool and one of our best F/S which isnt saying much as all our F/S have been terrible except Josh Kennedy who Clarko traded away for peanuts and im hopeful at his high end can replicate that, draft range 15-30
Cooper Stephens - 188cm 83kg - tall mid with decent running speed, who can win clearances and is a decent disposer of the footy, got injured just before the Champs which was disappointing, probably could average more disposals and the lack of exposure to Championship football might hold him back a bit, but being a tall mid with decent speed and ability to in clearances might be something AFL clubs would want to harness, draft range 15-40
Riley Garcia - 175cm 68kg - was really impressive in the Champs for WA, his combinations with Robertson were a highlight of the WA campaign and being fed by a dominant ruckman in L.Jackson certainly helped, good disposal, good clearance winner, clever player, reminds me of Prestia when he plays, unfortunately hurt his knee in the final game just before quarter time which he was dominating, sad way to end the carnival, but he made an impression, draft range 20-50
Ryan Byrnes - 181cm 80kg - hard working inside/outside mid, clearance winner and loves to get the HR and burst away, disposal is average, but he has a high work rate and good second efforts, high energy mid with a good solid physique, good tackler, draft range 25-50
Josh Shute - 187cm 73kg - tall winger with quality disposal and who is clever, looked at home on the wing in the champs, always noticed he made good decisions and hardly wasted a disposal, was a key player for SA, has good athleticism to go with his height, draft range 25-50
Jack Mahony - 176cm 70kg - small mid/forw who has played in both champs in 2018-19, clean disposal, clever, goal kicking mid, good tackler, lacks poss numbers, he is a hard one to figure out because when he is on he makes other people around him better, quality disposal but doesnt get it enough to be a highly rated youngster, hard to judge where he might get drafted, draft range 30-late
Connor Budarick - 175cm 72kg - had a good 5 games earlier in the year against other academy and weakened nableague teams to win the Harrison Medal, in the Champs was disappointing, didnt raise to the level of championship football, got AA based on his 5 games earlier in the year, i personally think GCS will take him late or match a mid draft bid on him, draft range 30-rookie
Miles Bergman - 186cm 75kg - has played mostly as a forw for Sandy, but at the Champs was used on the wing to good effect, was one of Vic Metro's best outside mids and went for a few big marks and big runs as well as some good kicks i50, he went from being a forw who showed some talent sometimes to a winger who showed a lot of flair and ability to rise up the ranks, draft range 30-rookie
Jay Rantall - 184cm 82kg - ex-basketballer who started playing football this year, has improved dramatically as the season has gone on, good run and carry mid, averages over 5 clearances and 26 disp at nableague level, good hands and good run and athleticism, good in close, what he has accomplished this year is impressive imo and i think he may have even more improvement in him, draft range 30-rookie
Riley Baldi - 178cm 74kg - has had a good underage year and has improved this season, was good in 3/4 Country games, a value pick late in the draft, good running mid with clean hands and good disposal, can play with defence in mind or attacking mid, draft range 40-rookie
Thomson Dow - 182cm 72kg - Dow was super impressive earlier in the season playing for Bendigo and i put him in first round contention expecting similar performances, but since then he has played well without being a star, which has dropped him back to the pack, his Champsionships was ok without being great, he was down the pecking order a bit, but is a talented footballer, just needs more determination to compete, draft range 30-rookie
Ryan Sparkes - 184cm 78kg - i liked him in the nableague, but he really shone on the wing in the Champs, was a busy winger who really gave Vic Country drive on the wing, a bit random with his kicking, but his work rate on the wing and getting the ball moving forw helped with VC's momentum enough for him to stand out as a player worth a shot at drafting, draft range 40-rookie
Zakery Pretty - 183cm 80kg - strong bodied endurance mid, who is having a great year for eastern, averaging 6 clearances and 26 disp a game and is a good user of the football and a very hard working mid who plays inside and outside mid, a diamond in the rough and has improved exponentially in his draft year, draft range 40-rookie
Adam Carafa - 181cm 76kg - inside mid who played well for vic metro, he has also been a highlight for North as well this season, but injury has limited his impact, is another value pick later in the draft imo, draft range 40-rookie
Lachlan Stapleton - 177cm 72kg - another value pick late in the draft although he does have a slim frame, which might count against him, but a good mid who wins his own ball and a good user of the footy, also had some good moments for Vic Metro in his limited time, has been solid for 2 years now, draft range 40-rookie
Darcy Chirgwin - 191cm 80kg - tall mid who has been injured for most of this season, has had some good performances and been talked about last year and this year so likely to be on someones radar, im yet to be convinced about him, draft range late-rookie
Hewago Paul-Oea - 174cm 65kg - talented winger who is very slim, on talent i would take a chance on him, but he is very small and slim, although he really brought the best out of Rosas Jnr in the champs and was always solid for GCS in their academy series, draft range 40-rookie
Isaac Wareham - 187cm 80kg - tallish winger with some talent, although he can fumble at times and lacks a little penetration on his kick he could be a player a club wants to develop because of his size? draft range late-undrafted
Hugo Ralphsmith - 186cm 77kg - a winger who has mixed performances, his best moment was kicking a goal from 35m on the boundary in the champs, he didnt really get a lot of poss and had limited impact in the champs, has a bit of a reputation as a talented player but hasnt really shown his best this season, draft range late-undrafted
Ben Jungfer - 185cm 75kg - high poss player from NT who is playing reserves in the SANFL, can win the ball and his disposal is a bit messy, played well for the Allies in his short stint which put him in a position to possibly get drafted, draft range rookie-undrafted
Will Martyn - 183cm 73kg - solidly built mid that played well in the academy series and under performed for the Allies, has some ability but seems slow and doesnt have the best of disposals, prior to the champs it seemed like Brisbane were looking to draft, but now he might be a rookie option, draft range rookie - undrafted
Lachlan McNeil - 182cm 80kg - he is one of those mids that gets it on the boot as fast as possible without looking, which isnt exactly what an AFL team is looking for, but he gives 110% to every contest, winning clearances, just his desperation alone is worth considering, he might not be highly talented, but he is willing to work hard enough to make it which some uber talented players are not willing to do(i liked him in the top 40 earlier but i was tossing up between rantall and mcneil, i think maybe mcneil is too workman and not skillful enough to catch the eye of the recruiters?), draft range late-undrafted
Daniel Mott - 182cm 73kg - has been underwhelming for Calder except for a few games where he has played against lower tier mids, his performances in the champs were him basically playing behind the ball looking for easy ball, sometimes he would get the ball and get a nice handball or kick out of congestion, but usually would look for a safe option, never taking a good risk, draft range late-undrafted
Jye Chalcraft - 176cm 78kg - i feel sorry for this talented mid who is stuck in a terrible Murray team this season, he is a good runner and kick for goal, talented player who is off the radar and so could be a value pick late in the draft, well worth considering imo, draft range late-undrafted
Liam Herbert - 182cm 73kg - another basketballer who started playing footy this year from GWV, good hands in tight, clever, not as industrious as Rantall who is in a similar situation, but could be an interesting option to see if they have improvement, draft range rookie-undrafted
Jed McEntee - 177cm 74kg - small strong bodied inside mid, clever, uses the ball well, but lacks a bit of work rate and poss numbers which could hold him back being a under-180cm mid, draft range late-undrafted
Chad Warner - 181cm 80kg - strong bodied inside mid, a bit slow, wins tough poss, use of the footy is ok, is a rookie consideration, draft range rookie-undrafted
Sam Thorne - 175cm 73kg - Syd A small mid/def, played well in the academy series and the champs, could be a rookie consideration for Syd, draft range rookie-undrafted

outside chances: James Peatling, Jackson Barling, Mitch Mellis, Angus Hanrahan, Sam Ramsay, Harrison Minton-Connell, Chas Karpala, Ashton Crossley

 

[giantroo]

Small/Medium Forwards

Liam Henry - 179cm 67kg - one of the best general kicks in the draft pool, moves well, takes clean marks, he just plays like someone who should be at the next level, he lived up to expectations, was BOG with 4 goals in the first game and from there played mostly HFF and linking play with his great kicking skills, Frem have a beauty with this guy, draft range 12-25
Cameron Taheny - 185cm 80kg - has kicked 15 gls in 5 games at SANFL level, and is looking good there, at the champs he was a little underwhelming at times, kicked 3 goals in 3 games in the champs and fumbled a bit, dropped a few marks as well and suffered with a few injury niggles, but his SANFL form is too good to ignore, but i believe his champs form with all the recruiters watching will give some pause, daft range 5-35
Dylan Williams - 185cm 79kg - last year during the finals series and his solo VM game he was on fire, so much so that people had him going early in pre-season predictions, has had a very ordinary season so far with slight injury niggles and poor form, during the champs he had some moments with strong 1 on 1 marks and good kicks from 40m+ out that just missed, he has a bit of De Goey about him, but his performances all year and even some last season creates a little doubt that he is worthy of a top 10 selection, draft range 10-30
Cody Weightman - 177cm 73kg - i have liked his season so far for Dandy in the nableague, ive had him in and out of my top 50 during the season, but at the champs he showed his energetic defensive forw ability and his x-factor goal kicking skills, high energy skillful forw and his performances kicking 9 goals in the champs should see him get drafted, draft range 15-35
Kysaiah Pickett - 170cm 67kg - strongly built and very quick small forw with good defensive pressure, similar build and play style to Byron Pickett his uncle, but shorter, can fumble at times, but when he gets it right can be explosive and can kick some outstanding goals as example against WA in the champs, he is hard to rate as his best is great and his worst is sloppy, has some good performances at SANFL and SANFL reserves level, draft range 20-40
Ned Cahill - 178cm 77kg - this small forw caught my attention in last years finals series where he kicked a bunch of goals and set up as many as he kicked in a dominant finals display for Dandy in their maiden premiership year, has been solid this year without being dominant so far this year, but is a solidly built defensive small forw with a knack to kick and set up goals, draft range 25-late
Elijah Taylor - 185cm 75kg - lanky skillful marking forw with good evasion skills and a knack for snapping goals, doesnt get a lot of poss but is dangerous around goal, can take a lovely overhead mark, had a half dozen good plays where he would run around an opponent or take a great mark and kick a goal, impressed a few people with his natural athleticism and flair, kicked 6 goals at the champs, draft range 20-40
Malcolm Rosas Jnr - 175cm 70kg - had an impact for the allies, skillful small forw who loves going for a run and running around an opponent, got fed a lot by Oea and Gulden and kicked 5 goals for the Allies and could have had 8-9, good evasion and an exciting talent from NT, draft range 35-late
Josh Gore - 177cm 75kg - he was one of the standouts in the academy series and when he got his chance for the allies really stepped up to the plate and kicked 5 goals in 3 games, he is a chance to get picked up by GCS late in the draft, draft range late-undrafted
Jai Jackson - 185cm 80kg - solid marking forw/mid, was one of WA's under rated performers, strong bodied smart player with a good mark and good disposal, seemed to be a part of a lot of good plays for WA, draft range late-undrafted
Fraser Phillips - 186cm 71kg - lanky leading forw with good marking skills, has a good record kicking a bunch of goals in the nableague 19 goals in 9 games and led up to the midfield as a leading forw for VC, didnt kick a goal for VC but looked lively, good athleticism, draft range late-undrafted
Mitch Martin - 183cm 78kg - played midfield and forw this season, mixed results this season, looked good earlier in the year but seems to have dropped off a bit recently, good kick for goal, can win a decent amount of poss when in the mid, draft range late-undrafted
Josh D'Intinosante - 177cm 76kg - won the best and fairest award at the knights as an underager, solidly built small forw, good tackler, good skills, knows where the goals are averages 1-1.5 goals a game, but he isnt quick or athletic and doesnt stand out as a normal AFL player, but could be a worthwhile rookie pick up, draft range rookie-undrafted
Tyrone Thorne - 167cm 60kg - very small and slim player, but kicked 6 goals at the champs to put his name up for a rookie spot potentially, draft range rookie-undrafted

outside chances: Hudson Kaak, Jordan Jaworski, Cooper Sharman

small/med defenders

Lachlan Ash - 186cm 80kg - quick running defender with the ability to win most 1 v 1's and a good intercept mark, its not uncommon to see him take off from half back and delivery a perfect kick to deep mid or even i50, he rarely runs himself into trouble in fact i have seen him take on opponents about 40 times and have yet to see him get caught, he knows when to take on an opponent and when to play it safe, draft range 4-10
Hayden Young - 188cm 82kg - plays the loose man in defence role perfectly, can take intercept marks is one of the best kicks in the draft pool, has a lovely kick under pressure, can go for runs but is more likely to hit a team mate kicking out of defence, i have noticed him play some average games and thats why when i compare him to Ash who has a consistant performance record i slightly preffer Ash, Young does have mid potential, draft range 4-10
Will Gould - 191cm 98kg - he does have the potential to be KPD, but i think he could also play hbf with his run and kicking ability out of defence and the freedom of hbf could make him use these weapons more safely, in both 2018-19 champs he was impressive and has a flexibility that few hold being able to hold down a key post and a counter-attacking post in defence, draft range 4-10
Jeremy Sharp - 187cm 79kg - i was a huge fan of him on the wing in 2018 champs, he then played hbf in the trials and dominated that game looking like a star, then the 2019 champs come along and rumours of him getting an injury in the WAFL prior to 2019 champs, i thought he was average in the champs, his kicking was a little off, but he has such a high level of athleticism, speed and potential its hard to ignore, draft range 12-30
Trent Bianco - 178cm 70kg - half back flank from Oakleigh, gets a good amount of poss, he is a very clean user of the footy, worked his way into the champs from a slow start, but got going later in the champs and was a key reason they won against SA, defensively he is ok but he is used more for his counter-attacking abilities, draft range 20-40
Will Day - 187cm 70kg - very slim, but he is an intercept marking machine, he knows where the football will be and defused many attacks, his decision making and use of the footy was generally ok, obviously needs to put on weight, but has a heap of talent and ability to read the ball in flight and is very brave also, draft range 20-40
Trent Rivers - 188cm 85kg - another high quality hbf defender, has the ability to play mid, just racked up disposals off of half back in the champs and looked comfortable at the higher level of competition, played it safe mostly, but every now and then took some good risks, draft range 15-35
Trey Ruscoe - 190cm 90kg - half back flank with a high quality kick from defence, a bit more of a pure defender that also can use the ball well, i liked him prior to the champs but by the end i thought he improved his draft stocks, i liked the fact he would take good risks and kick the ball long and not take the safe 20m chip kick sideways, draft range 25-50
Brock Smith - 188cm 81kg - solid defender who i noticed playing well at Gipps and the way he was playing i thought he would make a good leader/defender, strong player that completely blanketed Taheny when VC played SA and was really good against WA in the championship game, draqft range 25-50
Flynn Perez - 187cm 82kg - caught my eye last season, intercept marking off half back, going for runs and hitting targets, looked like a high quality prospect and i was considering him somewhere around 1st-2nd round in the draft, then he did his knee in the pre-season and it made me push him down the ranks a bit especially because of the performances of others, draft range 25-50
Harrison Magor - 183cm 83kg - played well off half back and midfield, tough player, run from defence was ok, not a lot of speed or athleticism but has the ability to affect contests, draft range 40-rookie
Noah Cumberland - 183cm 79kg - had a solid champs for the Allies as a def/mid/forw, was a good performer for Bris A in the academy series and then took that to the next level for the Allies, draft range late-undrafted
Luke Parks - 188cm 80kg - was a constantly good performer for the Allies in defence, Syd A prospect, might get taken late or rookied by the swans if not bid on by a rival AFL club, talented medium defender, draft range late-undrafted
Ryan Sturgess - 187cm 78kg - at first i was surprised he got in the VM team ahead of a few others, but he played pretty well in the champs and is a good size player, performed well later in the champs, draft range late-undrafted
Jesse Clark - 188cm 79kg - had a good champs in defence, defeating most of his opponents and providing rebound out of defence, played better than i thought he could as i had not been a big fan of his playing for Geel, i have to say he did step it up, draft range late-undrafted
Harrison Pepper - 180cm 83kg - didnt have the best champs, but was a solid player for VC, a strong bodied NGA for the Hawks i think he will be rookied or maybe taken late, draft range rookie-undrafted
Lachlan Potter - 184cm 70kg - running defender, can run into trouble, has a billy hartung look about his play, is very quick and loves to take on opponents, but his disposal can be a bit iffy at times and he can run himself into trouble as i said, but has raw potential for a team wanting to try their luck with him, draft range late-undrafted
Callum Park - 188cm 67kg - slim tall defender with good disposal and clever use of the football, could be a project player for a team wanting to develop the rangey defender, draft range late-undrafted
Jarvis Pina - 176cm 71kg - quick small defender with good run and carry and uses the ball safely, good athleticism and combine results, overager, draft range late-undrafted
Max Murphy - 189cm 78kg - came into the champs late, but made an impact, overager, looked really good in defence with clean disposal, impressed me with his form at the champs and might be a value pick late in the draft, draft range late-undrafted

outside chance: Lucas Rocci, Brady Rowles, Ben Worme, Jackson Davies, Logan Fitzgerald, Oscar Lewis, Louis Butler, Tom Griffiths

 

[andana]

Luke Jackson 198cm 94kg - ruck - i really dislike ruckmen, because most of them are tap machines who do little else, the only ruckmen i like are the ones who affect clearances, take contested marks around the ground and have good disposal as well as goal kicking abilities and are athletic in some capacity, L.Jackson has everything(goal kicking unsure) which is rare and he can tap ruck, so therefore i rate him highly, draft range 6-20

9 goals in the last 10 games

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

AFL to make changes to academy draft rules

The AFL is set to close the academy draft loophole which Sydney exploited to "park" picks, in a move that is likely to affect the Giants this year.

www.theage.com.au

The AFL is set to close the academy draft loophole which Sydney exploited to "park" picks at other clubs, in a move that is likely to have ramifications for Greater Western Sydney this year.

The Swans created a stir last year when they manipulated the league's points bidding system to acquire academy graduate Nick Blakey at No.10 for picks 34, 39 and 40 – a price which was widely accepted as a bargain.

The Swans achieved this by trading pick 26 to West Coast for the Eagles' future third-round selection. Then after drafting Blakey, they made another deal with the Eagles to get pick 22 for a future second-round pick.

This meant they were able to use lower picks for the points needed to secure Blakey.


The manoeuvre allowed them to get back into the second round of last year's draft and pick up James Rowbottom, whom the club has been highly impressed with in his debut season.

Though the league approved of Sydney's move last year, they have informally notified list managers this week at the Gold Coast that they will not be able to employ the same strategy during this year's draft.

The Giants are poised to secure gun youngster Tom Green from their academy at this year's draft

Green, the grandson of four-time Richmond premiership winner Michael Green, is a big-bodied midfielder in the vein of Carlton's Patrick Cripps.

The Canberra product has been touted as a potential top-five pick after starring at this year's national under-18 championships for the Allies.

If a rival club was to bid for Green at No.5, based on current ladder positions the Giants would have to use picks 10 (which they received from Essendon as part of the Dylan Shiel deal) and 14. The leftover points from the latter pick would see them slide down to 17.
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There are three other members of the Giants academy – Matt McGrory, James Peatling and Liam Delahunty – in line to be drafted but they are expected to go in the later rounds.

The Swans have two potential high draft picks in their academy for next year's draft in Braeden Campbell and Errol Gulden, both of whom played as underagers in this year's national championships.

Despite his family ties to the Tigers, Green is open minded about where he ends up next year.
"The Giants have been very, very good to me through the academy," Green said.

"Where I'd like to play is whoever wants me. If it's the Giants that'd be awesome, if another club wants me I just want to play where I'm wanted."
Clubs are expected to have a clearer view of how the bidding system might operate from 2020 next week when some of the recommendations from the review conducted by former Carlton premiership player Andrew McKay are sent to teams.

The introduction of the Next Generation Academies that gives clubs access to Indigenous and multicultural players has taken the heat out of the issue of academies in NSW and Queensland.

There was uproar from clubs in Victoria after the Swans were able to secure Isaac Heeney by matching Melbourne's bid at two with their selection at 18 in 2014.
The rules were changed the following year when the Swans secured Callum Mills at three by parting with picks 33, 36, 37 and 43. Their next available selection came at 51.

Ahh yes, shut the gate after an entire stable of horses have bolted.

 

[Souup]

I'm a big fan of the draft best available, trade for needs way of building a list. If we can somehow snag someone like Papley keep our first rounder I'd be pleased.

Young, Serong, Ash, Williams or Stephens for me in that order providing Anderson, Rowell and Green are gone.

Running on the assumption that Shaw will in fact be senior coach and knowing the emphasis he places on defence along with a weakness in depth back there, I wouldn't be surprised to see us take Young, Ash, Gould or McAsey with our first pick.

 

[andana]

Sam Wright retiring, EVW often injured, we probably looking at a hbf

 

[Harris 10]

Sam Wright retiring, EVW often injured, we probably looking at a hbf

Riley Bonner for Dumont.
Keep our first and take a best available

 

[LB2Snake]

Ahh yes, shut the gate after an entire stable of horses, to the right club, have bolted.

EFA, hope ya don't mind TennisPlayerAndy

 

[Souup]

Riley Bonner for Dumont.
Keep our first and take a best available

That's be a horror trade for us. Bonner can't get a game for Port Adelaide at the moment and I rate Dumont - a bit of development still left in him and his best is very good.

Take it with a grain of salt but Champion Data rated Dumont an elite winger at the end of last season.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Harris 10]

That's be a horror trade for us. Bonner can't get a game for Port Adelaide at the moment and I rate Dumont - a bit of development still left in him and his best is very good.

Take it with a grain of salt but Champion Data rated Dumont an elite winger at the end of last season.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Disagree with all of your points.

Bonner is exactly what we need, is 22 years old, has plenty of improvement left him and isn’t struggling to get a game.

And i don’t really care how CD rate Dumont, he’s not an elite wingman.

 

[year of the roo]

I would look at Corigliano from Coburg, I think he has the tools to make it as a half back on the big stage. And you would be able to get him with a late pick.

Good luck to you, Jesse.

 

[giantroo]

Caleb Serong is set to be a top 10 pick. Photo: Michael Dodge/AFL Photos via Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
NORTH MELBOURNE

Draft picks (after Round 19): 5, 23, 41, 70, 77

The type of player they should target: Endurance-based midfielders

Ideal player: Caleb Serong

Draftable Father-Son/Academy prospects: N/A

Ben Cunnington headlines the North Melbourne inside midfield, but they would love a few more hybrid/outside types. Some endurance based on-ballers would be handy for the club, playing alongside Shaun Higgins and Jared Polec. Lachie Ash would provide speed on the outside, while Caleb Serong has put up strong numbers this year and can run all day. Considering Serong had a limited pre-season, it says a fair bit given he has starred throughout 2019. Although Tom Campbell has re-signed with the club, another young ruck wouldn’t look out of place, especially if Todd Goldstein was to leave the club. Nick Bryan and Luke Jackson are the two ruckman set to be drafted.

AFL draft 2019: The gun draftees your club can take to fill biggest list chasms

Gun draft prospects that can fill your AFL club’s biggest list chasms

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[LB2Snake]

Caleb Serong is set to be a top 10 pick. Photo: Michael Dodge/AFL Photos via Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
NORTH MELBOURNE

Draft picks (after Round 19): 5, 23, 41, 70, 77

The type of player they should target: Endurance-based midfielders

Ideal player: Caleb Serong

Draftable Father-Son/Academy prospects: N/A

Ben Cunnington headlines the North Melbourne inside midfield, but they would love a few more hybrid/outside types. Some endurance based on-ballers would be handy for the club, playing alongside Shaun Higgins and Jared Polec. Lachie Ash would provide speed on the outside, while Caleb Serong has put up strong numbers this year and can run all day. Considering Serong had a limited pre-season, it says a fair bit given he has starred throughout 2019. Although Tom Campbell has re-signed with the club, another young ruck wouldn’t look out of place, especially if Todd Goldstein was to leave the club. Nick Bryan and Luke Jackson are the two ruckman set to be drafted.

AFL draft 2019: The gun draftees your club can take to fill biggest list chasms

Gun draft prospects that can fill your AFL club’s biggest list chasms

www.foxsports.com.au

I like the Keith Greig wrist strapping. Could this be a sign from the footy gods :hokuspokusfacethingy:

 

[tiltraise]

Draft picks (after Round 19): 5, 23, 41, 70, 77

5,23+41 all look like strong positions to hold a pick in this pool which seems to even out after ~#15. These picks can be used to either select from or potentially trade on the night if the right situation materializes thus id like us to take these into the draft. This means we need at least 3 primary list spots vacant.

Zurhaar has just spent his 3rd year on the rookie list thus needs to be upgraded to primary requiring list vacancy number 4.

A quick look at our player contract situation shows Sam Wright retiring whilst 5 primary listed players remain OOC (Goldy,Durdin,Watson,Thompson+Hrovat).

If Goldy is to leave via fa id expect a 2nd round or end of 2nd thus id like us to keep said pick as it once again holds a strong position in the pool.

Assuming we bring no one into the club via trade/fa that means that 3 of the above need to go at a minimum. I would be reluctant to lose 3 KPD's at the same time thus Hrovat seems likely to go along with 2 of Durdin-Watson-Thompson.

If we wish to bring in players from other clubs we must also vacate list positions for them.

.

 

[kaboom kid]

Rookie pick 1: M. Hibberd
Rookie pick 2: D. Mountford

Yeah, must confess I was a bit mystified by the Mountford delisting. Had pace and decent disposal. Looked like he was being groomed for run with roles. How is he going in the WAFL? Hibberd never showed that much at AFL level but had his share of injury problems. Certainly a good size, athletic with a big tank. I understand he is going very well at Willi, correct?

 

[Rooboys Rool]

5,23+41 all look like strong positions to hold a pick in this pool which seems to even out after ~#15. These picks can be used to either select from or potentially trade on the night if the right situation materializes thus id like us to take these into the draft. This means we need at least 3 primary list spots vacant.

Zurhaar has just spent his 3rd year on the rookie list thus needs to be upgraded to primary requiring list vacancy number 4.

A quick look at our player contract situation shows Sam Wright retiring whilst 5 primary listed players remain OOC (Goldy,Durdin,Watson,Thompson+Hrovat).

If Goldy is to leave via fa id expect a 2nd round or end of 2nd thus id like us to keep said pick as it once again holds a strong position in the pool.

Assuming we bring no one into the club via trade/fa that means that 3 of the above need to go at a minimum. I would be reluctant to lose 3 KPD's at the same time thus Hrovat seems likely to go along with 2 of Durdin-Watson-Thompson.

If we wish to bring in players from other clubs we must also vacate list positions for them.

.

It’s actually one less senior list spot to go than that. Reason being that we have a 39 senior list / 5 rookie list squad this year. So Zurhaar’s promotion will take the 40th senior list spot.

 

[Harris 10]

It’s actually one less senior list spot to go than that. Reason being that we have a 39 senior list / 5 rookie list squad this year. So Zurhaar’s promotion will take the 40th senior list spot.

Can Hosie become a rookie?

 

[giantroo]

Gary Buckenara names his top 30 performers from under-18 championships ahead of 2019 draft
AFL recruiting guru Gary Buckenara is keeping a close eye on the 2019 draft class. He names his top 30 players from the recent under-18 championships and reveals who he’d take with the No.1 pick.
Gary Buckenara, Herald Sun
Subscriber only
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an hour ago



With just one month left of the AFL season for 10 clubs, our attention now starts to turn to the draft.
The 2019 Under-18 national championships have been played and won (by Western Australia), as the best talent on offer in this year’s draft showcased their talent. There were some tight results during the carnival, which reflected the even spread of talent across the teams to represent the Allies, South Australia, Vic Country, Vic Metro and WA.

That brings us to the strength of this year’s draft and what type of players fans can expect their clubs to recruit for the future.

The talent pool is even, especially after the top 5-10, but this should be a reasonably deep draft. While it’s fairly light on for ruckmen and key-position players, clubs keen to bolster their midfield stocks with all types will be very happy with the depth of talent emerging. There are also some nice skilled outside runners coming through in addition to clever forwards.

Matt Rowell in action for Vic Metro.

There are also quite a few sons of former players eligible to be drafted, but not all qualify under father-son rules.
Noah Anderson, son of former Hawk and Saint Dean Anderson, is the best of the lot but unfortunately for Hawthorn and St Kilda, isn’t eligible to be taken under father-son rules given his father played 83 games for the Hawks and just 67 for the Saints.


Over the next few months I will continue to track the progress of the 2019 draft class as they finish their seasons before turning attention to the testing at the draft combine, which will play a role in the final order of my top 50 prospects.

For now, here are the players who were the standouts during the U18 championships and are currently in the mix to be taken in the top 30 at the draft in November — including the top-10 performers at the carnival listed in order.

PLEASE NOTE: Gary Buckenara’s top-10 players listed below are his top-10 from the U18 championships, not his top-10 draft order.

BUCKENARA’S TOP-10 PERFORMERS
1. MATTHEW ROWELL
178cm, 74kg, midfielder, Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers
Rowell has starred on the big stage over the past 12 months. Last year he almost got Vic Metro over the line in the U18 championship decider against South Australia, he was named best afield in the TAC Cup Grand Final in a losing team, won the medal the following week for the standout player in the NAB AFL All-Stars game on Grand Final day, and in April was judged best on ground in the Australian U18 team’s win over Casey Demons. Rowell is a tough, explosive midfielder who excels at the stoppages and imposes himself on games. It’s no wonder he’s seen as one of the leading contenders to be the No.1 pick this year and his performances at the championships only cemented his position as a very early selection — most likely No.1 — in 2019.
2. NOAH ANDERSON
188cm, 86kg, midfielder, Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers
The son of my former premiership teammate Dean Anderson, Noah shows enormous talent and had excellent start to the year when he averaged 32 disposals and nearly three goals in the opening three rounds of the NAB U18s. He’s a tall midfielder with a very strong endurance base and is good overhead. Noah also regularly kicks goals as a midfielder, be it on the run from long range, a mark on the lead or a snap around his body. At this stage, he’s the player I’d take with the No.1 draft pick, but a lot can change as the season plays out.

Noah Anderson is Bucky’s early tip for the No.1 pick.
3. HAYDEN YOUNG
188cm, 82kg defender, Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays
Young looked every bit the early pick at the MCG against VFL side Casey when he gathered 17 disposals and took six marks in a polished performance. He has at times played in the midfield this year but looks most comfortable and is more damaging across halfback, where his vision, poise and precise kicking stands out. Young, whose brother Lachie plays for the Bulldogs, is a good size and is considered a leader within his group.
4. CALEB SERONG
178cm, 83kg, forward/midfielder, Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Vic Country’s co-captain at the carnival surely stood out to AFL recruiters with his impressive and consistent performances as a powerful small forward/midfielder who can influence games in a number of ways. The talented cricketer is sharp at ground level, neat by foot and is able to set-up teammates with his clever ball use. He’s also very clever around goal where he uses his uncanny goal sense, and when he has time in the midfield, his burst of speed is really exciting. I’m sure he’ll be an in-demand player in this year’s draft.
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Exciting draft prospect Caleb Serong.
5. DYLAN STEPHENS
183cm, 69kg, midfielder, South Australia/Norwood
A big engine coupled with pace and a precise left foot will make Stephens one of the most talented and sought-after midfielders in this year’s draft. Stephens, who grew up in country Victoria before moving to South Australia for school, has already played for Norwood at senior level in the SANFL this season, while his U18 carnival form was consistent. He does look like a very nice midfielder-in-the-making, with his attributes to find plenty of admirers amongst AFL recruiters. He should be a top-30 selection.
6. LACHLAN ASH
186cm, 80kg, defender, Vic Country/Murray Bushrangers
Ash brings real speed to this year’s draft. He’s an exciting line-breaker off halfback who likes to put the ball under his arm and take the game on, but the best part is he doesn’t just and run blindly — he’s composed with the ball. Ash has played senior footy at country level and won a country premiership with Shepparton last year and he finished second in the Murray Bushrangers’ best-and-fairest as an underage player.
7. SAM FLANDERS
182cm, 81kg, forward/midfielder, Vic Country/Gippsland Power
Sam has a strong body already and has showcased his best football as a forward who can also have a run in the midfield. His early-season form saw him average 23 disposals, five tackles and a goal at U18s level and he’s capable of doing some eye-catching things like taking big marks and kicking freakish goals or being very clean to pluck the ball off a pack. I suspect he could get himself much fitter and getting into a full-time AFL environment will see him improve sharply.

Sam Flanders has a great highlights reel for Gippsland Power.
8. WILL GOULD
191cm, 98kg, defender, South Australia/Glenelg
Gould was one of only three bottom-aged players selected for last year’s U18 All-Australian team after his impressive carnival for South Australia. He’s stepped up to play well at SANFL level, where his mature frame and booming kick is a feature of his game. He reads the game well and provides excellent rebound, which has been likened to West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn given his powerful style. He will certainly have many admirers with what he brings to the table and I’m sure he’ll be busy come the draft combine, fielding questions from many clubs.
9. FISCHER McASEY
195cm, 86kg, defender, Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons
A promising defender, McAsey was solid throughout the U18 championships playing as a key defender, where he did some of his best work in the air, taking many intercept and contested marks. He has certainly been noticed and I’m sure, given the need for key defenders, McAsey will be very high on the key-position talent flow lists at clubs. He can really elevate himself by finishing off the year well and performing well in the draft combine.
10. LIAM HENRY
179cm, 67kg, forward, Western Australia/Claremont
Fremantle will get first access to Henry as a member of the club’s Next Generation Academy. The lightly framed indigenous teenager is a lively small forward who kicked four goals from 24 disposals for Claremont’s colts’ side early this year in an exciting display. A minor knee injury has halted some of his progress, but I believe Henry is exactly the type of player Fremantle needs for its future to create chaos up forward as Michael Walters and Brandon Matera bring other attributes as higher half-forwards. A top-20 bid is not out of the question if Henry continues at his current rate of development given his blistering speed and delightful skills.
BUCKENARA’S 20 STANDOUTS
TRENT BIANCO
178, 70kg, defender/midfielder, Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers
Bianco performed really well during the carnival and what is most impressive about him is his ball use as a rebounding defender. It is a long-held opinion of mine that players who can kick the ball well hold very strong appeal to recruiters in this day and age. He’s put himself on the radar with his performances for Vic Metro and if his final part of the season goes well and can impress at the combine, then I am sure Bianco will have many suitors at this year’s draft.

Trent Bianco in action for the AFL Academy.
NICK BRYAN
202cm, 87kg, ruck/forward, Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers
Bryan has emerged quickly as one of the best ruck prospects in this year’s draft and was selected in the Australian U18s team to face VFL side Casey. Although lightly framed, his strengths are that he’s so mobile that he virtually plays as an extra midfielder around the ground, has good skills and reads the play very well, while he can also provide a marking option up forward. Clubs will look at him as a developing ruck/forward.
CHARLIE COMBEN
199cm, 82kg, ruck/forward, Vic Country/Gippsland Power
A bit of a project player as a developing ruckman/forward who has shown some glimpses of talent very similar to a young Harry McKay during his time at Gippsland Power. We always want to see more of his good moments but at present Comben is still raw and developing. Talls always take a bit of time to grow in their frames but he showed some of what he can produce during the U18 carnival. Comben has traits that recruiters will like given his athleticism for his size, so I’m sure he’ll be given an opportunity at the draft this year, but how early remains to be seen. I suspect he’ll be a top-30 pick.
WILL DAY
187cm, 70kg, defender/midfielder, South Australia/West Adelaide
A tall rebound defender/outside midfielder, Day has a light body but it doesn’t stop him from being a fierce competitor. He has good athleticism and run of halfback and was a good consistent performer for South Australia, who often set his team up with very good running patterns to link up some attacking moves.

Sam De Koning is a long-term prospect.
SAM DE KONING
200cm, 85kg, defender/forward/ruck, Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays
The brother of Carlton’s Tom De Koning, Sam is much like his older sibling in that he’ll take time to fully develop and make his mark at AFL level. At 200cm, De Koning can play key position at both ends of the ground and can be used in the ruck, with his versatility set to appeal strongly for clubs looking to bolster their tall stocks. He’s very athletic but is still raw. He played as a key defender in the U18 nationals and looked good.
THOMSON DOW
182cm, 72kg, midfielder, Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers
The younger brother of Carlton’s Paddy Dow, Thomson has caught the eye of recruiters this year. He’s different to Paddy in that he plays a little bit taller and occasionally drifts forward to be a target. Thomson is lightly framed but agile, has a good burst of speed, and started the season in strong form for Bendigo, so he looks like a nice prospect. It will take him some time to build up his light body, but he brings some nice attributes to the table.


TOM GREEN
188cm, 85kg, midfielder, Allies/GWS Academy
Green starred for the Allies in the U18 nationals, showing his ball-winning ability through the midfield. The Giants academy prospect shapes as a possible top-10 selection due to his status as a big and strong inside midfielder who can bullock through traffic like Patrick Cripps and set-up the game from the midfield. He lost quite a bit of weight over the pre-season and has improved his endurance this season, which has led to improved and more consistent numbers this year. Another nice player in the making for GWS.
HARRISON JONES
194cm, 75kg, forward, Vic Metro/Calder Cannons
Jones has elevated himself into draft calculations with his strong performance as a key forward during the carnival. He is light at present at just 76kg but I feel he’s capable of putting on good size and clubs will identify him as a developing project player who has a good work ethic. He leads up well to the ball carrier, has a good pair of hands, is agile and looks comfortable in front of goal. There’s a lot to like about Jones and given these types of players are always hard to find, I expect there will be many clubs tracking him at the Cannons for the remainder of the season. He could be a top-30 pick.

Brodie Kemp was another Vic Country standout.
BRODIE KEMP
192cm, 82kg, utility, Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers
Unfortunately Brodie ruptured his ACL in a school game, which could see him drift out to a late first or second-round selection. Clubs like Gold Coast, St Kilda and Carlton would find it hard to lose 12 months of development from a top draft pick, whereas the likes of Richmond, Collingwood and Geelong would be able to support a player of Kemp’s talent because their needs are less urgent right now, so he could be a bargain/bonus pick up for a club willing to be patient. Kemp is athletic, moves well for size and his overall ability means he can play in most positions on the ground — he’s been used as a marking forward, as a tall midfielder who can extract the ball and also across halfback where his vision stands out. Kemp hasn’t been a huge ball-winner, but his performances at the carnival would have pleased recruiters given he was able to find far more of the footy. He has plenty of upside and may have been a top-10 selection if not for his serious knee injury.
FINN MAGINNESS
187cm, 80kg, midfielder, Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons
The son of my two-time Hawthorn premiership teammate Scott Maginness, Finn has enjoyed a really strong start to this season and had a very good carnival where his consistent performances should push him into contention to be a first-round selection. He’s a tall and athletic midfielder who uses his size to good effect, makes good decision and uses the ball well (better than dad did, sorry Scotty!). I’m sure the Hawks will be happy to have him.
JACKSON MEAD
184cm, 83kg, midfielder, South Australia/Woodville-West Torrens
The son of Port Adelaide’s inaugural best-and-fairest winner Darren Mead, Jackson is a midfielder/utility type. His national championship form would have pleased the Port Adelaide recruiters, who will have first option to draft him as a father-son. His composure and decision-making are his best traits, while he needs to tidy up his foot skills to reduce the number of targets he misses.

Impressive WA midfielder Deven Robertson.

Jackson Mead is a father-son prospect for Port Adelaide.
DEVEN ROBERTSON
182cm, 80kg, midfielder/defender, Western Australia/Perth
Robertson played all four of WA’s games last year as a bottom-ager and has continued his development through the midfield this season where he’s improved his athleticism, which allows him to get to more contests. He captained WA’s under-16 side and was named its MVP at that championships, and this year completed the double by claiming those two titles again at U18 level. He’s the nephew of former West Coast skipper Darren Glass — some really good pedigree.
JAY RANTALL
184cm, 82kg, midfielder/defender, Vic Country/GWV Rebels
Rantall was a consistent performer during the carnival. One of his best traits is his strong work ethic, which was definitely on show and recruiters would have also liked his no-nonsense style, where his trademark is his ability to just get the job done. He looks to be a real professional with the way he goes about his football and as a player who had a strong carnival, his finish to the season for GWV will be important, as will be his ability to cope with some expectation at the draft combine. I’m sure, however, we’ll see the same diligence from Rantall and he won’t be one to get ahead of himself.
JEREMY SHARP
187cm, 79kg, midfielder/defender, Western Australia/East Fremantle
A slick prospect who performed well last year to be one of his state’s leading draft hopefuls, Sharp was named an U18 All-Australian last season and was then a standout in the NAB All-Stars game on Grand Final day across halfback. Sharp has good skills and dash and made his senior WAFL debut for East Fremantle in Round 1 this season. He will be monitored closely at WAFL level for the rest of the season — playing at a senior level will be really good for his development and clubs will be interested in how he fares.
HARRY SCHOENBERG
180cm, 78kg, midfielder, South Australia/Woodville-West Torrens
Playing as a midfielder with occasional stints across half-forward, Schoenberg shows some terrific traits that recruiters like to see — competitiveness, decision-making and skill. In particular, his ability to compete inside, win the ball and then feed it to the outside runners is very good. His U18 nationals form was very good as he was one of South Australia’s shinning lights, which would have elevated his stock enormously to be one of the players heading up the charts with a rocket. Schoenberg looks to be a very nice player for the future and I’m sure clubs will have him fairly high on their talent flow lists.

Cameron Taheny is shaping as one of SA’s top draft prospects.
CAMERON TAHENY
185cm, 80kg, forward, South Australia/Norwood
Taheny is an exciting and dangerous forward who can produce something from nothing. He’s already played at senior level for Norwood in the SANFL and performed well, booting five goals from three games despite some injury niggles with his knee and quad. Taheny has really good speed and a nice leap and will be monitored closely by recruiters for the remainder of the year. Let’s hope he can get over those niggles so we can see his full talent as I suspect he might be a really good prospect when fully fit.
ELIJAH TAYLOR
185cm, 75kg, forward/midfielder, Western Australia/Perth
Taylor is an extremely talented footballer who can hopefully fulfil his true potential as his speed, skills and football nous is there for all to see. At present, he tends to play in bursts and can drop out of games when he gets close attention from his defender. He doesn’t need much space to be dangerous and he can quickly impact a game. If he can work hard on his fitness, I see him as a very dangerous forward/midfielder because he has real brilliance and reflexes combined with pace, skill and football nous. Can he make the most of his talent?

Cody Weightman celebrates a goal for Vic Country.
CODY WEIGHTMAN
177cm, 73kg, defender, Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays
The speedy small forward continues to impress following good early form for Dandenong Stingrays by topping the goalkicking in his four U18 national games. He finished with nine goals and has pushed himself up the rankings as a small forward with good pace — the type of player that has really come to the fore at AFL level in recent years, so there should be strong interest in him. How high up the pecking order he goes will depend on his form and testing at the combine.
DYLAN WILLIAMS
185cm, 79kg, utility, Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers
Williams showed his talent last year for the Chargers when he booted 14 goals in the finals series as an underage player. His marking is a real strength, while he’s clean at ground level, is clever near goal and is a lovely left-foot kick. He can also be used across halfback, where his reading of the play comes to the fore, while he has the ability to occasionally have a run through the midfield. Williams will often find a way to impact a game as he has genuine X-factor and ability. He looks a very nice prospect as a utility and potential ‘Mr Fix It’.

JOSH WORRELL
195cm, 74kg, defender, Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons
The way Worrell is able to float into marking contests in the back half and make an impact in the air should bode well for his prospects as a third tall defender at AFL level. His leap, agility and his versatility should appeal to clubs, particularly given there’s a lack of taller types at the top end of this year’s draft. Worrell has been tried in the ruck at school level this year but is most comfortable setting things up in the backline. He’s a player that clubs will follow for the rest of the year and will be interested in his testing and interviews.

 

[King Corey]

Don't forget Tom Murphy is going to be elevated to the list as part of his contract as well.

Wonder if we'd cut the same deal if we had our time again?