Draft Watcher Bastyy's 2021 AFL Draft Watch - Phantom V2 in post #154

Sep 18, 2015
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I thought I'd get started on this early. Top 20 are mostly the players I've seen the most. I've left Nick Daicos and Braden Andrews out due to lack of exposure

1. Jason Horne (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
2. Nick Daicos (Inside Midfielder/Victoria) (Collingwood F/S)
3. Sam Darcy (Tall Utility/Victoria) (Western Bulldogs F/S)
4. Matthew Roberts (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
5. Josh Rachele (General Forward/Victoria)
6. Finn Callaghan (Outside Midfielder/Victoria)
7. Josh Gibscus (Tall Defender/Victoria)
8. Campbell Chesser (General Defence/Victoria)
9. Neil Erasmus (General Forward/Western Australia)
10. Josh Sinn (General Defence/Victoria)

11. Matthew Johnson (Inside Midfielder/Western Australia)
12. Josh Goater (Inside Midfielder/Victoria)
13. Josh Fahey (General Defence/New South Wales) (GWS Academy)
14. Tyler Sonsie (Inside Midfielder/Victoria)
15. Mac Andrew (Ruckman/Victoria) (Melbourne NGA)
16. Sam Banks (General Defence/Tasmania)
17. Jack Williams (Tall Forward/Western Australia)
18. Ben Hobbs (Inside Midfielder/Victoria)
19. Josh Ward (Inside Midfielder/Victoria)
20. Cooper Murley (Outside Midfielder/South Australia)

21. Jacob van Rooyen (Tall Forward/Western Australia)
22. Arlo Draper (Utility/South Australia)
23. Rhett Bazzo (Tall Defender/Western Australia)
24. Joshua Browne (Inside Midfielder/Western Australia)
25. Darcy Wilmot (General Defence/Victoria)
26. Jye Amiss (Tall Forward/Western Australia)
27. Sam Butler (General Forward/Victoria)
28. Kade Dittmar (Inside Midfielder/Western Australia)
29. Judson Clarke (General Forward/Victoria)
30. Jake Soligo (Inside Midfielder/Victoria)

I usually have a favourite every year (Andy Brayshaw in 2017, Sam Sturt in 2018, Brodie Kemp in 2019 and Archie Perkins in 2020) and the ones that might end up number 1 include Sam Banks, Ben Hobbs, Josh Fahey and Corey Warner

For names outside of my top 20 outside of the two obvious ones, I'm a fan of Neil Erasmus, Luca Whitelum, Cooper Beecken, Max Chipper and Luke Polson

For Academy based names I like, I'm a fan of Lawson Humphries (West Coast NGA), Jermaine Pickett, Jesse Motlop and Richard Bartlett (Fremantle NGA), Austin Harris (Gold Coast Academy) and Noah McFayden (Brisbane Academy)

I'm sure we'll learn of plenty new names very soon that didn't get the chance to shine in their bottom age year, as well as the unlucky ones from Victoria who couldn't play this year (I'm a big fan of Jackson Bowne and Liam Kolar in particular.)

I'm hoping this year to focus more on SA and Vic players then I usually do. My rankings usually have a bias to WA and Tasmanian players as they're the ones I actively watch the most. I also hope to add better descriptions for players (ie, instead of just General Defence, replacing it with Dashing Half Backs, Lockdown Small Defenders etc)
 
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Sep 18, 2015
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How are you seeing Baynen Lowe and Noah Holmes fitting into it next season? Lowe especially is one I'm liking early, probably not top 20 but work rate in the midfield is immense
Lowe is one I have sitting in my top 40 at this stage. His composure and ball usage in the TSL Grand Final was what set in stone my rating of him, but his contested side and physicality that he provided all year are the tools that will put him on the map next year in the NAB League

Holmes is one I’m less sure on. I feel compared to what Callow was doing at the same age he’s a bit behind and he’s going to need a big year next year to put his name on the map ahead of other 18 year olds plus the Victorian 19 year olds that missed out on footy this year
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Can you give me a bit more info on Lawson Humphries please mate?
Had a quick Google but it's hard to find out a lot.
I'm a big Lawson Humphries fan, he's a classy ball user off of half back and arguably has some of the best skills with ball in hand out of WA's 2021 draft pool. He's also a great intercepting mark, and with the two combined he's got the attributes you want in a modern day small defender. He's been pretty hidden in the PSA this year but he had two appearances in Round 9 for Swan Districts colts with 15 disposals, 5 marks and 3 tackles. He's a bit short, 179cm according to the WAFL website, but it doesn't affect him from the games I've seen.

I have him as a top 50 prospect, skills are a very important trait for me when it comes to ranking players and Humphries has some of the best of the lot. In the main draft I don't think he'll go top 20, so West Coast will be able to match a bid for him, and considering Hurn is on the back end of his career, his draft year is coming at a pretty good time. Compared to the defenders you've drafted in recent years (Johnson and Edwards) I'd probably rate Humphries slightly higher than both.

Seems like a good kid too off the field. He was captain of his school in the PSA and he had a pretty good interview for the West Coast NGA Facebook page a while back
 
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I'm a big Lawson Humphries fan, he's a classy ball user off of half back and arguably has some of the best skills with ball in hand out of WA's 2021 draft pool. He's also a great intercepting mark, and with the two combined he's got the attributes you want in a modern day small defender. He's been pretty hidden in the PSA this year but he had two appearances in Round 9 for Swan Districts colts with 15 disposals, 5 marks and 3 tackles. He's a bit short, 179cm according to the WAFL website, but it doesn't affect him from the games I've seen.

I have him as a top 50 prospect, skills are a very important trait for me when it comes to ranking players and Humphries has some of the best of the lot. In the main draft I don't think he'll go top 20, so West Coast will be able to match a bid for him, and considering Hurn is on the back end of his career, his draft year is coming at a pretty good time. Compared to the defenders you've drafted in recent years (Johnson and Edwards) I'd probably rate Humphries slightly higher than both.

Seems like a good kid too off the field. He was captain of his school in the PSA and he had a pretty good interview for the West Coast NGA Facebook page a while back
Thanks mate...Very much appreciated!
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Was hoping to have the chance to talk about Jesse Motlop's stats in the NTFL this week, but the Wanderers didn't record any whatsoever!

He's come into the NTFL with a 3 goal haul last week and has had some really good showings at multiple levels now. He had 7 goals in the PSA at one point this year and has has kicked 5 goals in a game multiple times this season, bit hard to judge him considering of level play there, but he managed to translate his goal kicking to the WAFL Colts this year when he got 4 goals for South Fremantle in Round 9.

I'm interested to see how he goes next year. He'll hopefully be in the Colts all year rather than in the PSA, and should hopefully have the opportunity of an u19's carnival. He's got some competition for small forward spots in WA (Neil Erasmus and Jermaine Pickett namely) but if he's consistent in the carnival and has a strong year in the colts, he could be a good option for a team that desperately needs a young small forward with speed and tackling pressure. I don't think he'll end up breaking into senior WAFL level, given the talent that South Fremantle has however. He's in Freo's Academy and probably has the highest chance of attracting a top 20 pick out of any NGA options next year (Alongside Youseph Dib maybe).

I don't think we'll see too many NGA options this year being lost due to the top 20 open pool, outside of Dib and Daicos in Collingwood's NGA, there isn't really any players that have got on peoples radar like Ugle-Hagen and McInnes did in their u16/u17 years. We'll probably see a few rise up the board considering we missed a whole year of Victorian development, but for now I think the new NGA rules won't be an issue for clubs just yet.
 
I thought I'd get started on this early. Top 20 are mostly the players I've seen the most. I've left Nick Daicos and Braden Andrews out due to lack of exposure

1. Jason Horne (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
2. Josh Rachele (General Forward/Vic Country)
3. Tyler Sonsie (General Forward/Vic Metro)
4. Ben Hobbs (Inside Midfielder/Vic Country)
5. Josh Sinn (Utility/Vic Metro)
6. Sam Banks (Balanced Midfielder/Tasmania)
7. Jacob van Rooyen (Tall Forward/Western Australia)
8. Matthew Johnson (Inside Midfielder/Western Australia)
9. Josh Fahey (General Defence/Queensland)
10. Arlo Draper (General Forward/South Australia)

11. Rhett Bazzo (Tall Defender/Western Australia)
12. Matthew Roberts (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
13. Campbell Chesser (Balanced Midfielder/Vic Country)
14. Cooper Murley (Outside Midfielder/South Australia)
15. Jase Burgoyne (Outside Midfielder/South Australia) (Port Adelaide F/S)
16. Lewis Rayson (General Defence/South Australia)
17. Alex Lukic (Tall Forward/Vic Metro)
18. Charlie Molan (General Defence/Vic Country)
19. Joshua Browne (Balanced Midfielder/Western Australia)
20. Corey Warner (Outside Midfielder/Western Australia)

I usually have a favourite every year (Andy Brayshaw in 2017, Sam Sturt in 2018, Brodie Kemp in 2019 and Archie Perkins in 2020) and the ones that might end up number 1 include Sam Banks, Ben Hobbs, Josh Fahey and Corey Warner

For names outside of my top 20 outside of the two obvious ones, I'm a fan of Neil Erasmus, Luca Whitelum, Cooper Beecken, Max Chipper and Luke Polson

For Academy based names I like, I'm a fan of Lawson Humphries (West Coast NGA), Jermaine Pickett, Jesse Motlop and Richard Bartlett (Fremantle NGA), Austin Harris (Gold Coast Academy) and Noah McFayden (Brisbane Academy)

I'm sure we'll learn of plenty new names very soon that didn't get the chance to shine in their bottom age year, as well as the unlucky ones from Victoria who couldn't play this year (I'm a big fan of Jackson Bowne and Liam Kolar in particular.)

I'm hoping this year to focus more on SA and Vic players then I usually do. My rankings usually have a bias to WA and Tasmanian players as they're the ones I actively watch the most. I also hope to add better descriptions for players (ie, instead of just General Defence, replacing it with Dashing Half Backs, Lockdown Small Defenders etc)
Both the Giants and Suns have named Josh Fahy on their academies.
Heard he is back in NSW, the fact he moved away means we can't select him as an academy player unfortunately.
 

footywizard819

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Pretty interested in the Northern Knights as they haven't had a great deal of success in recent years and i have heard from a few sauces they are genuine flag contenders next year. Just wondering maybe a few players to keep an eye on (draft prospects) and what to expect. Cheers
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Pretty interested in the Northern Knights as they haven't had a great deal of success in recent years and i have heard from a few sauces they are genuine flag contenders next year. Just wondering maybe a few players to keep an eye on (draft prospects) and what to expect. Cheers
The main u18 players to watch out for are Josh Ward and Ned Long. Long is a balanced midfielder and Ward is a ball magnet inside midfielder. Both are probably rated around the top 50 area. I rate some of the 19 year old prospects they have, particularly Liam Kolar, who's a developing tall forward with the scope to become a midfielder and Jackson Bowne, a small forward born December 31st with elite speed and a lot of x-factor. A few other 19 year olds include Rhys Seakins, Joel Trudgeon and Mackenzie Hogg who impressed in the practice matches before the season was stopped last year.

A few other under 18 names to watch include Darcy Wilmot, Pat Dozzi, Joel Fitzgerald and James Nadalin; I don't know too much about them, but talent manager Rhy Gieschen thinks positively of them.
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Both the Giants and Suns have named Josh Fahy on their academies.
Heard he is back in NSW, the fact he moved away means we can't select him as an academy player unfortunately.
Fahey's going to be very good, all the footage I've seen of him has been elite, I think the Giants could do with a player like Fahey but all the more lucky for everyone else he's in the open draft really :p
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Could you name your top 50 please

On Pixel 4 XL using BigFooty.com mobile app
I currently don't have a top 50 I'm 100% confident in, outside of the top 20, most names in the 21-50 range are either players I have not seen enough of or I don't think are top end talents


from current afl players who is the most comparable and whats his range
He's a like for like clone of Hayden Young. Raking left foot with speed off of half back. I'd rate him at 6, and he'd probably go top 15 in the draft if it took place today, but I think he could go top 10
 
Sep 18, 2015
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Did some browsing through each WAFL Clubs websites looking at lists for 2021

Interestingly Brodie Lake is listed as a colts player at Peel Thunder for 2021 (I don't believe he was listed for 2020, despite having played for Peel in 2019) so he could be working his way through the WAFL next year. No idea if this has been stated anywhere

Jye Clark, Jordan Clark's brother, has been signed by Perth (Previously playing for Claremont). He's showed signs, but was stuck in the reserves this season, interested to see if he can break through

All of the 2021 candidates I'm expecting to be in contention are listed, but a few 2022 players I think could be good aren't listed yet.

Edit: Also noticed Joshua Cripps, younger brother of Patrick, isn't listed anywhere. I assumed he'd have a go again next year considering his season ending injury this year.
 
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Freezin

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Would of thought J Cripps would be out for most of 2021 due to his mid 2020 ACL injury, thus maybe why he isn't on EF list at present. Players in rehab with long term injuries, for some reason, fall off WAFL clubs lists....hopefully he will appear again when out of rehab and ready to play.
 

BigDance

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I thought I'd get started on this early. Top 20 are mostly the players I've seen the most. I've left Nick Daicos and Braden Andrews out due to lack of exposure

1. Jason Horne (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
2. Josh Rachele (General Forward/Vic Country)
3. Tyler Sonsie (General Forward/Vic Metro)
4. Ben Hobbs (Inside Midfielder/Vic Country)
5. Josh Sinn (Utility/Vic Metro)
6. Sam Banks (Balanced Midfielder/Tasmania)
7. Jacob van Rooyen (Tall Forward/Western Australia)
8. Matthew Johnson (Inside Midfielder/Western Australia)
9. Josh Fahey (General Defence/Queensland)
10. Arlo Draper (General Forward/South Australia)

11. Rhett Bazzo (Tall Defender/Western Australia)
12. Matthew Roberts (Inside Midfielder/South Australia)
13. Campbell Chesser (Balanced Midfielder/Vic Country)
14. Cooper Murley (Outside Midfielder/South Australia)
15. Jase Burgoyne (Outside Midfielder/South Australia) (Port Adelaide F/S)
16. Lewis Rayson (General Defence/South Australia)
17. Alex Lukic (Tall Forward/Vic Metro)
18. Charlie Molan (General Defence/Vic Country)
19. Joshua Browne (Balanced Midfielder/Western Australia)
20. Corey Warner (Outside Midfielder/Western Australia)

I usually have a favourite every year (Andy Brayshaw in 2017, Sam Sturt in 2018, Brodie Kemp in 2019 and Archie Perkins in 2020) and the ones that might end up number 1 include Sam Banks, Ben Hobbs, Josh Fahey and Corey Warner

For names outside of my top 20 outside of the two obvious ones, I'm a fan of Neil Erasmus, Luca Whitelum, Cooper Beecken, Max Chipper and Luke Polson

For Academy based names I like, I'm a fan of Lawson Humphries (West Coast NGA), Jermaine Pickett, Jesse Motlop and Richard Bartlett (Fremantle NGA), Austin Harris (Gold Coast Academy) and Noah McFayden (Brisbane Academy)

I'm sure we'll learn of plenty new names very soon that didn't get the chance to shine in their bottom age year, as well as the unlucky ones from Victoria who couldn't play this year (I'm a big fan of Jackson Bowne and Liam Kolar in particular.)

I'm hoping this year to focus more on SA and Vic players then I usually do. My rankings usually have a bias to WA and Tasmanian players as they're the ones I actively watch the most. I also hope to add better descriptions for players (ie, instead of just General Defence, replacing it with Dashing Half Backs, Lockdown Small Defenders etc)


I was wondering on what basis you think Corey Warner will go at Number 1? He wasn’t named in the AFL academy for 2021, he never made the WA U18 squad In 2020. I am not saying he won’t get drafted but he is almost 0% chance of being the first name name called out on draft night.
 

BigDance

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Would of thought J Cripps would be out for most of 2021 due to his mid 2020 ACL injury, thus maybe why he isn't on EF list at present. Players in rehab with long term injuries, for some reason, fall off WAFL clubs lists....hopefully he will appear again when out of rehab and ready to play.
Injury or no injury, he was never getting drafted. Romantic story as is always with the younger brothers but Josh is not AFL standard- quite a long way off unfortunately. Clunky and lacks speed, skills. If he had a different surname, no-one one would have ever mentioned his name. Not even sure if he’ll be a wafl league player.
 

BigDance

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Was hoping to have the chance to talk about Jesse Motlop's stats in the NTFL this week, but the Wanderers didn't record any whatsoever!

He's come into the NTFL with a 3 goal haul last week and has had some really good showings at multiple levels now. He had 7 goals in the PSA at one point this year and has has kicked 5 goals in a game multiple times this season, bit hard to judge him considering of level play there, but he managed to translate his goal kicking to the WAFL Colts this year when he got 4 goals for South Fremantle in Round 9.

I'm interested to see how he goes next year. He'll hopefully be in the Colts all year rather than in the PSA, and should hopefully have the opportunity of an u19's carnival. He's got some competition for small forward spots in WA (Neil Erasmus and Jermaine Pickett namely) but if he's consistent in the carnival and has a strong year in the colts, he could be a good option for a team that desperately needs a young small forward with speed and tackling pressure. I don't think he'll end up breaking into senior WAFL level, given the talent that South Fremantle has however. He's in Freo's Academy and probably has the highest chance of attracting a top 20 pick out of any NGA options next year (Alongside Youseph Dib maybe).

I don't think we'll see too many NGA options this year being lost due to the top 20 open pool, outside of Dib and Daicos in Collingwood's NGA, there isn't really any players that have got on peoples radar like Ugle-Hagen and McInnes did in their u16/u17 years. We'll probably see a few rise up the board considering we missed a whole year of Victorian development, but for now I think the new NGA rules won't be an issue for clubs just yet.

I am also unsure what to make of this kid. I find him inconsistent but has the flair and pizzazz like Many other small forwards which gets you talked about. Also the surname. Can fade in and out of games but that is also acceptable for a SF. I could see him getting drafted To the right team At the right pick and I could also see him being overlooked. He’s that type of player. Interestingly was overlooked for the WA U18 squad at the end of 2020 and wasn’t one of the WA kids in the AFL academy for 2021.

Why do you think he’ll play Colts and not PSA? PSA is compulsory for these lads so he might get a couple of wafl games in before And after the PSA Season but that’s it. I see PSA as a bit of a closed shop- no stats except goals and sometimes a write up/opinion by one journalist here in Perth. If they ever interview the coaches, of course they are going to talk up the kids under them- PSA schools are a financial business who use their AFL draftees as their advertising. It was laughable reading about some of the kids the coaches talked about last year.


What do you think if the four WA kids who made the AFL academy? You’ve not mentioned Jack Williams - how do you rate him?
 
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