Preview Crows' 2021 first pick candidates

Aug 7, 2015
10,621
17,320
AFL Club
Adelaide
This thread is for collecting together info/posts/etc in one place on players who we might look at with our first pick this year and concentrating on mids only as given we've drafted our big fish last year, I don't think it's a stretch we'll want a jet midfielder with our first pick this year.

I'll update this post as more info, interviews, videos, promising players come to light and shamelessly pinch other people's posts and bring it here. Will also add a poll as this upcoming season gets towards the pointy end.

No longer keeping track of updates
20210715 - added video link for Jackson & Calaghan
20210711 - added rachele chat/vid, knightmare july list
20210707 - added Into the Fire video links [murley, jackson, rachele, andrews]
20210705 - added Draft Central Power Rankings list
20210703 - added lists from PMBangers & Bastyy
20210701 - added Hobbs chat, Goater entry
20210630 - added Twomey's June Phantom Form Guide
20210628 - added some entries from Smythe's June Top 70
20210625 - added links to chesser, hobbs interviews
20210623 - added Callaghan chat
20210620 - added Callaghan entry, Hobbs chat
0616 - moved Vic/Other player entries to post no.6, split some SA player entries into post no.4
20210616 - added Murley chat, Birt entry
20210615 - added Davo-27 June rankings and comments on Roberts, Rachele, Sinn, Johnson, Sonsie & Banks, eDPS' chat on Stagg.
20210609 - added Stagg entry.
20210607 - added Chesser chat, eDPS' June top 20, news on Stagg & SA U18s r.8
20210601 - added PMBangers re. Roberts
20210527 - added Smythe nutshells, PMBangers re. Chesser, Knightmare re. Draper
20210514 - added Draper article, Roberts twitter video, moved descriptions of SA players to post no.2 and other players to post no.4
20210513 - added Hugh Jackson entry after big game last weekend
20210510 - added Roberts video
20210505 - added name to watch
20210504 - updated Knightmare & eDPS' April rankings, chat re. roberts
20210426 - added mids from Davo-27's list
20210424 - chat re. roberts, banks, sinn, rachele, johnson
20210413 - added Knightmare & eDPS' April rankings, chat re. draper, chesser, sonsie
20210405 - split post into two (using post no.2
20210405 - added Johnson news article, Roberts comments
20210322 - added Sinn comments
20210318 - added Braden Andrews entry
20210317 - Sinn height, more draft threads
20210301 - new Johnson comments
20210218 - added 7news Cheeser interview video (& extracted gifs)
20210217 - added AFL article on Sonsie

So who do we want?

Someone like a Dusty, or that bloke from Cats Creek maybe? Yes please!

A big, fast, line breaking, skilful mid jet is what we need.

While I don't think we'd say no to Horne - he's pretty unlikely to be available to us, and Daicos being likely Collingwood Father-Son - the following players who might be available to us that might fit the bill are:

* Roberts (SA 183cm)
* Draper (SA 185cm)
* Chesser (VicC 185cm)
* Rachele (VicC 179cm)
* Hobbs (VicC 182cm)
* Josh Goater (VicM 190cm)
* Sonsie (VicM 181cm)
* Sinn (VicM 190cm)
* Callaghan (VicM 190cm)
* Erasmus (WA 190?cm)
* Johnson (WA 192cm)
* Banks (Tas 184cm)

Other SA midfielders that may be of interest (for our 2nd pick in particular and if we continue to have an SA flavour in our choices) are:

* Hugh Jackson (SA 180cm)
* Hugh Stagg (SA 179cm)
* Cooper Murley (SA 177cm)
* James Willis (SA 180cm)
* Isaac Birt (SA 180cm)

For more details, what people are saying and media content on these players, go to:

* post no.2 for South Australians players Horne, Draper & Roberts
* post no.4 for other South Australians players
* post no.6 for Vic Country / WA / Tas players
* post no.8 for Vic Metro players

Also, player profiles posted by Mutineer:
* Horne, Roberts & Chesser
* Hobbs, Draper, Jackson & Dudley
* Sinn, Murley, Callaghan & Rachele
* Sonsie, Beecken, Wanganeen & Erasmus
* O'Loughlin, Williams, Hamilton & Conway
* Howes, Gibcus & Johnson
* Banks, Rankin, Andrew, Bazzo & Andrews


Current Rankings

Draft Central Power Rankings
: July

* Callaghan
* Sonsie
* Sinn
* Roberts
* Chesser
* Hobbs
* Johnson
* Erasmus
* Rachele
* Draper
* Goater


Knightmare's ESPN July power rankings currently has in order:

* Roberts [^]
* Rachele [^]
* Hobbs
* Callaghan
* Sinn [v]
* Sonsie [vvv+]
* Hugh Jackson
* Draper
* Johnson [vvv+]
* Neil Erasmus [vv]

Knightmare's previous lists: April - May

** ignoring F/S and non-midfield players


Twomey's Aug Phantom Form Guide currently has in order:

* Callaghan
* Hobbs
* Ward
* Rachele
* Erasmus [^^+]
* Draper [^]
* Sonsie [^]
* Sinn [vv+]
* Chesser
* Roberts [vv+]
* Goater
* Wanganeen-Milera
* Butler
* Johnson

Twomey' previous lists: June

eDPS' Sep top 20 - midfielders of interest:

* Callaghan
* Sonsie [^]
* Sinn [v]
* Erasmus
* Goater [^]
* Hobbs [^]
* Ward [^^]
* Draper [vv+]
* Chesser [^]
* Rachele [^]
* Johnson [^]
* Roberts [vv+]

eDPS' previous lists: April - May - June - July - Aug


Davo-27's Sep - midfielders of interest:

* Callaghan
* Hobbs [^^+]
* Erasmus
* Johnson [^^]
* Goater [v]
* Roberts [vv+]
* Ward
* Sinn [^]
* Rachele [v]
* Long
* Knevitt
* Chesser [^^]
* Sonsie [v]
* Draper [v]
* Banks

Davo-27's previous lists: April - June - July - Aug


Smythe's Sep Top 40 - midfielders of interest:

* Callaghan
* Hobbs
* Ward [^]
* Erasmus [v]
* Draper
* Goater [^^+]
* Rachele [v]
* Sinn [^^]
* Roberts [vv]
* Sonsie [v]
* Chesser
* Long [^]
* Knevitt [^]
* Johnson [vv+]

Smythe's previous lists: June - July - Aug

Some of Smythe's nutshells:

* BLAYNE O'LOUGHLIN - 173-74 - one touch - silky - multi positional
* HUGH STAGG - 180-80 - tough - attacks hard - tackles hard - multi-positional
* FINN CALLAHAN - 189-82 - lovely mover - great skills
* CAMPBELL CHESSER - 186-83 - clever - moves well - positioning
* MATT ROBERTS - 183-81 - bull - clearance king - tackles hard
* ARLO DRAPER - 185-71 - clever - finds goals - good hands
* LEWIS RAYSON - 182-69 - speed - efficiency - breaks the lines
* MATT JOHNSON - 191-80 - mid bull - great hands - smooth mover


Yet more Top-XYZ lists...

PMBangers' Sep - midfielders of interest:

* Callaghan
* Hobbs [^^]
* Ward [^^+]
* Sinn [vv]
* Erasmus [vv]
* Chesser [v]
* Sonsie [^^+]
* Johnson [^^+]
* Draper
* Goater [vv]
* Roberts [vv]
* Rachele

PMBangers' previous lists: Jul - Aug


Bastyy's Top 30 - midfielders of interest:

* Callaghan [^^]
* Erasmus
* Johnson [^^+]
* Rachele [v]
* Sinn [^]
* Ward
* Draper [^^+]
* Hobbs [^^+]
* Sonsie [^]
* Chesser [vv+]
* Goater [vv]
* Knevitt

Bastyy's previous lists: Jul -


ModernArtillery's Top 50 - midfielders of interest:

* Erasmus
* Sonsie
* Hobbs
* Ward
* Johnson
* Rachele
* Callaghan
* Goater
* Draper
* Roberts
* Sinn


Mutineer's top 10 [20210930]
Danger in Texas' top 25 [20211012]



Draft Threads

2021 Draft picks: 1/20/29/56/62/74 (+ Melb 2nd, Freo 4th)

Knightmare 2021 Draft Almanac
eDPS’s Cream Of The Crop 2021

MAIN BOARDS
ModernArtillery 2021 Draft Thread
Davo-27's 2021 u18 Draft Thread
... - NAB AFL Academy v Geelong VFL Match Replay (Horne, Johnson, Rachele)
PMBangers 2021 Draft Board
Bastyy's 2021 AFL Draft Watch
Smythe's 2021 Draft Thread
2021 Draft General Discussion
2021 South Australian Draft Prospects
WA 2021 - Western Australia’s junior footy talent
Draft 2021 Watch - Hesaaa

OTHER BOARDS
2021 AFL National Draft [North]
2021 AFL Draft [Haw]
Draft Watch 2021 [Bums]

Draft 2021 [StK]
2021 Draft and Trade thread [Bris]
2021 Young Talent Time [Freo]
2021 AFL Draft [Geel]
2021 draft and trade period [GC]
2021 List ... Trading & Draft [GWS]
2021 Draft Thread [Poos]
2021 draft pool [Rich]
2021 Draft and Trade Hypotheticals [Syd]

OTHER

AFL Draft - April's Power Rankings: Nick Daicos cracks the top 5 [Chris Doerre aka Knightmare]

Into The Fire with LJ


Sauces
tenor-com-gravy-gif-7262944-e-gif.1018834



[01] My hopes for our 1st round pick [Mutineer]
[02] Shifter Sheahan's take on the 2019 AFL U16's [Mutineer]
[03] Draft: 10 to watch in 2021 [Cal Twomey]
[04] Ben Hobbs [Mutineer]
[05] just off the top of my head ... Josh Rentsch, ... Matthew Dsintriansky, Sam Breuer, ... Alex Lucic, Charlie Molan, Lewis Rayson, Isiaih Dudley, Blayne O'Loughlin, Judd McVee, Cooper Beecken, Isaac Birt, Youseph Dib etc etc. [Mutineer]
[06] Davo-27's 2021 u18 Draft Thread #1
[07] Draft Central - James willis
[08] Draft Central - Sam Banks
[09] Davo-27's 2021 u18 Draft Thread #64
[10] AFL scraps top-20 NGA picks, new mid-season draft plan [AFL, 20201104]
[11] Draft Central - Matthew Johnson
[12] The top AFL draft prospects to watch in 2021
[13] 2021 Draft General Discussion #576
[14] Smythe's 2021 Draft Thread #17
[15] Oakleigh Chargers FC tweet
[16] Hawthorn Magic News
[17] Stars of the future [Foxfooty.com.au]
[18] Herald Sun extract
[19] Scouting Notes: 2021 SANFL Under 18s – Round 1 [afl.draftcentral.com.au]
[20] NAB AFL Futures Match (OCTOBER 21, 2020) - TEAM EBERT - BLUE [sanfl.com.au]

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Last edited:
Aug 7, 2015
10,621
17,320
AFL Club
Adelaide
South Australians

Jason Horne

South Adelaide Midfielder/forward
182cm/75kg 21/6/03
Medium forward/midfielder who captained South Australia and won their MVP award. Averaged 17.7 disposals (9 contested possessions), 4.3 marks, 6 tackles and 4 clearances across the championships. [02]

Horne is the most credentialed of any of the top prospects for next season and will start next season as perhaps the favourite for the first pick. The strongly built midfielder starred at under-18 level this season in South Australia before being blooded by South Adelaide's senior side. He didn't look out of place, continuing to fly for his marks and take the game on as a forward. Is good overhead, can dominate at the clearances and has set himself up for a big 2021. [03]

The South Adelaide star has it all and it’s why he’s the early favourite to be taken with the first pick of the 2021 draft. He’s strong on the inside, but also electrifying away from the contest and boasts a mix of speed, eye-catching evasiveness and terrific hands overhead. Horne was SA’s MVP at the under-16 national carnival and after a dominant start to 2020 in the under-18s, played the final nine games of the year in South’s league side. [12]

Horne seems comparable to Rowell, the other 3 (Rachele, Sonsie, Sinn) slightly behind that, but its so hard to tell because of the missing 2020 season, ... [Davo-27]

(Pity he's a Port supporter.)
jason-horne-01-jpg.1045967




#1 Jason Horne - Life as a potential number 1 AFL Draft pick

giantroo's videos of Horne

Pykie's post video


Arlo Draper
South Adelaide Midfielder
185cm/71kg 30/1/03
One of a very exciting group of players at South Adelaide ahead of next year's draft. Draper is a midfielder who can find the ball, use it well and hit the scoreboard. He was named in South Australia's state Academy hub for 2020 so would have pushed to feature in the state's under-18 championships side had it gone ahead. [03]

Draper was another standout bottom-ager in the SANFL under-18s this year, showing off his versatility with a number of blistering performances through the midfield and as a marking target inside-50. The classy ball user had 21 contested possessions and 11 clearances in Round 9, before booting 4.1 in the semi-final loss to the Eagles. [12]

Draper is a member of the Under 19 State Talent Hub and was dominant for the Panthers on Friday, collecting 25 disposals to go with seven marks, six tackles, seven clearances and two inside 50s. While he is extremely versatile and can play any position on the ground, he was predominantly played as a midfielder in this contest. In this role, he proved that he is a class above Under 18 level and certainly can impose his will on a contest at the centre clearances. Draper has great closing speed and spreads well from stoppages, and he provided plenty of exciting link-up play through the middle of the ground. He is also a strong tackler, as demonstrated when he caught Redlegs speedster Archie Richardson holding the ball in the first term. Draper went forward at times, looked dangerous in one-on-one situations and booted two goals in the second half. His second goal was a clever soccered effort off the ground from a forward 50 stoppage, a moment that should feature on his highlight reel come the end of the season. [19]

He looks a complete package for the modern game. Good height + talent + athletic ability and can genuinely hurt the opposition in all 3 areas of the ground.
He has huge upside and was easily the most stiff to miss the AFL academy [eDPS]


If it came down to Arlo Draper or Matthew Roberts for pure damaging midfielder, who would you pick?
Got a feeling these two will be around the Crows first pick.
Also, with the new rules giving forwards the ability to lead and mark, they could be become more sought after [Cleric]

Both are good forward of centre, Roberts the better field kick and Draper the quicker and bigger upside. Both are high impact but I’d lean slightly to Draper. [eDPS]

From giantroo post
:

SANFL Under-18 SuperRankings: Top 50 performers by ranking points
An SA midfielder was overlooked for the AFL Academy game, but he’s been dominant at under-18 level. These are the top 50 performers after five rounds.

Matt Turner and Jordan Pinto

3 min read
May 5, 2021 - 6:51AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom


A South Adelaide player has further staked his draft claims after being snubbed from the AFL Academy game.

Midfielder/forward Arlo Draper impressed with 23 disposals in the Panthers’ 56-point SANFL under-18 win over Norwood at home on Saturday.

A week earlier, the Willunga product contributed three goals, 24 disposals and six clearance in South’s three-point victory against Central District.

That display came on the same day the academy side was in Victoria playing Geelong’s VFL team and helped him earn the competition’s Most Valuable Player award for the round.

Before that, Draper kicked two majors and collected 22 touches and four clearances in a 16-point loss to Woodville-West Torrens.

arlo-draper-02-jpg.1127601


Top SA draft prospect Arlo Draper, left, has starred in the opening rounds of the SANFL under-18 season. Picture: Morgan Sette/The Advertiser


Those three performances have helped rocket Draper up the Champion Data points rankings in the SANFL under-18s.

After sitting 14th two rounds into the season, the 185cm talent is now third with an average of 136 points.

Panthers coach Mark Clayton said Draper was unlucky not to be selected for the academy match.

“I had a recruiter text me last week to say he thought he was unlucky as well,” Clayton said

“But I don’t think it’ll affect the result at the end of the year, whether he gets picks up or not – he’s shown enough over the last two years and he’s got enough attributes.

“He’s been playing good footy.

“He’s been working hard, he’s got really good speed, good agility, good acceleration out of stoppage, his midfield stuff is all right and he can go forward and kick goals.”


Hard-running South Adelaide midfielder Matthew Roberts tops the rankings, enhancing his first-round condentials further with a huge performance against Norwood on Saturday.

Roberts, who played in the Academy side against the Cats reserves, tallied 34 disposals, 17 contested possessions, 11 score involvements, nine tackles and a remarkable 240 ranking points in the 56-point win.

It follows the 183cm onballer’s 175-point performance in Round 1

In the same game, amid the Panthers’ attacking onslaught, Norwood defender Matthew Dnistriansky stood tall, bolting into the No. 6 spot in the rankings after finishing with 27 disposals, 10 rebound-50s and 189 points.
Draper I view as a possible late first or second round pick. He's worth a top-30 pick. Athletic, good skills, has some versatility with mid/fwd capabilities. Still thin and has some physical development left. Can win his own ball. So he has some capabilities. [Knightmare]

... Draper doesn't have a great defensive side of his game ... [PMBangers]

I've been critical of Drapers work rate, I may have exaggerated that on revision. I still don't think it's great, but he definitely pushes to get to every stoppage and will lay a tackle if it's there to be laid, he just isn't a gut runner. Still needs improvement but I don't think it's the achilles heel I was convinced it was. His work forward of the ball was really good as well, dropped a couple of marks he should've held and got infringed a few times, but the option he presents as is really dangerous. Speaking to @eDPS I think we both agree that seeing him play at SANFL league level or champs as a more permanent forward would be great, that's the role he's likely to play at the next level and he's got the skillset for it. [PMBangers]

Draper reminds me of Dylan Williams at Port Adelaide who had huge wraps only to drop a bit in his draft year, good mark on the lead and general forward ability with some midfield qualities as well, but when under pressure does the Tim O'Brien fall on the footy in fetal position thing, which frustrates me, definitely is a good player but i wouldnt be taking him top 10, i have him in the 15-31 group from what i have seen (imo). [Davo-27]

Draper ... I don't expect him to be a midfielder at the next level, and looking at his impact as mainly a forward makes him a much better looking prospect imo. [PMBangers]
arlo-draper-01-jpg.1045969
[link]

arlo-draper-02-jpg.1127601









[link] Round 17 AAM Rookie - Arlo Draper (South) No.45


Matthew Roberts
South Adelaide Midfielder
183cm/78kg 31/7/03
An accumulator of the ball who has already shown he can match it with other midfielders in his class. Roberts showed some exciting signs as a bottom-ager this season with South Adelaide's under-18 team and can make an impact as a first-possession player at the stoppages. [03]

The hardworking left-footer is a ball-magnet – and one of the most promising midfield prospects in the 2021 pool. He may not have as many weapons as his Panthers teammates Horne and Draper, but Roberts is tough, competitive, makes good decisions and is always in the right spot. Even inside-50, where he booted 12 goals in seven games this year. [12]

On Roberts though, he's a prolific mid and hits the scoreboard in a big way. He's along with Horne at this point that other complete player based off of what I saw from him last year. [Knightmare ->]

Roberts is the among the highest rated South Australian midfielders in this year’s draft class, and on Friday at Flinders University Stadium, he showed exactly why that is. He played predominantly as an inside midfielder and eased himself into the contest, collecting several marks around the ground and displaying his quick hands. While he found plenty of ball on the outside, he wasn’t his usual dominant self at the stoppages early in the match. With that said, the last quarter was when he really stepped it up. Norwood were within a goal for most of the final term, and Roberts responded to their efforts by frequently pushing back to help the defence, taking intercept marks and hunting the football at stoppages to get it moving in his team’s direction. Once South earned a seven-point lead with a couple of minutes to go, Roberts pushed forward and kicked the sealing goal with a volley out of mid-air. He finished his well-rounded performance with 25 disposals, eight marks, six clearances, six tackles, six rebound 50s, five inside 50s and a goal. [19]

Matty Roberts a lazy 37 touches 9 marks 8 tackles 5 clearances 8I50 6R50 and 1.1 [Thunderstruck] (under 18s)

having one of the best individual games I’ve seen this season. Head and shoulders above anything else out there today. Watching him live it’s just incredible how hard he works off the ball too [Great8]
Racks them up but hunts his own ball and uses it well. Work rate is really impressive and has great ability to get to the next contest [Great8]

Talking of classy ball using midfielders I rate Matty Roberts' foot skills to be better than those of Jason Horne, Roberts left foot is very close to elite. [Mutineer]


A left footer, Roberts is a goalkicking midfielder who has the performances on the board both as a goal kicker and ball winner in the SANFL Under-18s.
Through the midfield, Roberts mixes inside and outside craft. He's a strong contested ball winner and tackler with clean hands in traffic, who distributes effectively to targets and spreads well from the contest. He covers a lot of ground, displays a high work rate and links up well on the outside. While best suited as a midfielder, Roberts is more than adept as a forward with a strong overhead mark, ground level prowess and an eye for where the goals are.
Roberts is most comparable to Dayne Beams. Like Beams, Roberts appears ready for the rigours of AFL already, and because he is so damaging across half-forward and can hit the scoreboard in bunches, it is likely Roberts starts his career across half-forward as Beams did before transitioning into predominantly a midfielder with a few years of experience.
The major area Roberts will need to work on is taking more time with ball in hand, not blasting long by foot as often and lowering his eyes more often to find short and medium targets. Currently, Roberts tends to immediately swing around onto his left foot to move the ball quickly and at what feels like just about every available opportunity. The result of this is often a kick to no one in particular, rather than a kick directed to a teammate to mark. If Roberts fine-tunes these elements of his game, it will only support his already high draft stocks. [Knightmare@espn
]

> Why do you have Matthew Roberts lower than most other draft watchers?
I have my queries over Roberts, he's undoubtedly a good prospect and I wouldn't be surprised if he went Top 5 or if someone had him as high as Number 3 on their rankings, but I think he lacks a certain element of burst speed and class by foot, especially to longer targets, than some of those higher than him. [PMBangers]


unfortunately injured himself recently, i have liked his form in the sanfl quite a bit, strong bodied, moves like a Treloar, long left foot kick and is equally a natural forward as he is a midfielder, so has flexibility in position, can burst out of the centre or mark on the lead, theres a lot to like about his footy imo. [Davo-27]

He won’t be there for our 2nd pick that’s for sure, unless we get a 2nd too 10 pick. Agreed it’s a big call. Mutineer hits the nail on the head with the kicking and I’d also add decision making to that. ...
Roberts isn’t a human highlight reel but he just does everything well. Versatile- inside/outside, covers both ends of the field, damaging kick, good overhead , makes great decisions. I just don’t see many weakness’s to his game. My only criticism of his game that I noticed in a school match was that he hasn’t quite worked out how to shake a good tag. [DaKids]


... was good, had more of it and probably was more consistent quarter-to-quarter and worked hard both ways, I don't think he'll really rise from where he is for me, and if he does it won't be a dramatic rise into the top 10 or something (unless he has some really good performances from here, which is a very real possibility). Most people have said it, he's just a natural footballer, one of the safer picks this year which may see him go top 10, but don't think he's got the ceiling of a lot of others. [PMBangers]
matthew-roberts-01-jpg.1045970
[link]


[link] Round 6 AAMI Rookie - Matt Roberts (South) #44




[link] U18 Torrens Uni MVP of Round 5





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Last edited:
Aug 7, 2015
10,621
17,320
AFL Club
Adelaide
More South Australians


Hugh Jackson

North Adealide Outside Midfielder
180cm/69kg --/--/--
Smooth-moving outside midfielder who uses the ball well between the arcs. Runs good patterns in offence to get into good positions. Working on his contested ball consistency. [SANFL]

It was quite simply the Hugh Jackson show on Saturday afternoon at Prospect Oval, with the balanced midfielder having it on a string. He spent much of the first term stationed down back, where he was able to set up the play with his deadly left foot. His skillset is well suited to a role as a ‘kicker’ down back, however, with the Roosters needing a lift around the ball, Jackson was soon thrown into the middle and dictated terms from then on. As has been on display all throughout the season, Jackson’s quick-give handballing was elite, as was his vision, ability to win the ball at ground level, and burst of acceleration. Jackson always seems to free his hands, even while being tackled, allowing him to pass it off despite the mounting pressure. His extraction work and stoppage smarts were excellent, but when allowed time and space, Jackson really made the Eagles pay, hitting targets by foot with ease over a variety of distances. Even when he was rested up forward, Jackson still couldn’t get away from the action, getting on the end of a spearing inside-50 ball from Isaac Keeler. His couple of misses in front of goal were just about the only blemish in what was a complete performance from the ball magnet, who finished with 41 disposals, nine marks and eight clearances. [2021 SANFL Under 18s – Round 6 - afl.draftcentral.com.au]
hugh-jackson-01-jpg.1126819



[link] U18 Torrens Uni MVP of Round9 (North no.12)





Cal & Nat video near start of article has video of Roosters' Hugh Jackson (~2min mark) wearing no.12.


Hugh Stagg
Glenelg Small Midfielder/Forward
179cm/80kg --/--/--
hugh stagg Archives - Aussie Rules Draft Central

Hugh Stagg (179cm and 80kg) –Strong and powerful small/medium forward who can also run up into the midfield when needed. Likes to generate overlap when playing as a midfielder. Very good one-on-one ahead of the ball both when ball is in the air and on the ground. Developing his focus on decision-making and kicking. [glenelgfc.com.au]

Stagg’s ability to burst through would-be tacklers with speed, strength and bustle set his game apart. Also showcasing his overhead marking strength, Stagg concluded the match with 30 disposals, five marks (two contested), four tackles, seven clearances and eight inside-50s in another sensational performance from the teenager. [SANFL U18 Scouting Notes – Round 8]

Hugh Stagg has emerged as one of the best players in the under-18 competition this season, and his round seven effort was similarly dominant. Involved in everything from the get-go, Stagg hit every contest with the sort of speed and power of a Patrick Dangerfield-type, looking to use his superior size and strength to burst his way through traffic. Not one to fear using the fend-off, Stagg clearly relished the competitive side of the game. Although not everything he touched turned to gold, with some of his kicks lacking penetration or just missing their desired target, you just felt like something was going to happen whenever he was around the ball. His overhead strength saw him take a couple of nice grabs up forward, as he ended the game with three goals. The goal kicking forward/midfielder, who seems to be going from strength-to-strength with each game, gathered another 31 disposals, nine marks (three contested), three tackles, four clearances and five inside-50s in his sides 113-point demolition. [2021 SANFL Under 18s – Round 7]

... mid-forward prospect Hugh Stagg put on an exhibition of strength and power - showcasing his ability to absorb and break tackles, and remain standing and dispose of the ball with bodies hanging off of him.
Stagg's ground ball winning was a further highlight with how low he gets over the ball before bursting away with some of the fastest first four to five steps you'll ever see. The bonus with Stagg is while he can influence games through the midfield, he causes headaches for rival teams forward of centre with how dangerous he is at ground level, when one-on-one, and as a contested mark. There is a distinct feeling with Stagg whenever the ball is in his area or coming his way that he will make something happen.
With his strength, power and acceleration, Stagg has some Quinton Narkle vibes to his game, sharing some similar attributes. The exciting midfielder and forward amassed 30 disposals, five marks, seven clearances, eight inside 50s, three goals and three behinds.
At this stage, Stagg has a far from complete game and will need to add additional polish. Specifically, he would benefit from lowering his eyes more and placing his kicks out in front of his forwards to lead onto when kicking into the forward 50 arc as opposed to going for low percentage shots on goal or directing his kicks exclusively to contests. [Knightmare@espn]


Posted by: footytragic01 (here)

Recent article from Adelaidenow.

Stagg and Dnistriansky carving it up in SA U18's.

Here is the article

"Explosive Glenelg midfielder Hugh Stagg has made another big statement at under-18 level, a week after his best-on-ground performance against the Panthers.

The 18-year-old, who captained Immanuel College’s first XVIII side last year, almost got his side over the line with another dominant performance, finishing with 30 disposals, 18 contested possessions, eight inside-50s, 3.3 and a huge 187 Champion Data ranking points in the four-point loss to West Adelaide.

Stagg’s showing on Saturday followed his 32-disposal, three-goal, 175-ranking point display in Round 7.

The 179cm on-baller’s ability to not only win the ball, but break away from the contest with it, and also get forward and hit the scoreboard is drawing a lot of attention.

And, after 63 disposals and six goals in the past two matches, his stocks are rising fast.

Stagg has moved into 12th spot in the SANFL under-18 SuperRankings and joining in him in the climb is Norwood defender Matthew Dnistriansky.

Amid an Eagles attacking onslaught, the neat-kicking defender stood tall - not for the first time this season - to be one of his side’s best in the 50-point loss.

Dnistriansky, who ranks elite for disposals, kicking efficiency and intercept marks this year, finished with 36 disposals, eight rebound-50s, eight intercepts and 178 ranking points - his third tally of more than 170 in 2021.

SANFL Under-18 Super Rankings - Round 8
*Minimum 3 games
1. Matty Roberts (South), Mid, 3 games, 201 points
2. Hugh Jackson (North), Mid, 8 games, 142 points
3. Kobe Ryan (West), Mid, 4 games, 136 points
4. Arlo Draper (South), Mid, 7 games, 134 points
5. Matthew Dnistriansky (Norwood), Def, 8 games, 134 points
6. Lewis Rayson (Glenelg), Mid, 6 games, 131 points
7. Blayne O’Loughlin (North), Def, 5 games, 131 points
8. Benjamin Ridgway (Glenelg), Mid, 3 games, 128 points
9. Isaiah Dudley (Central), Mid, 8 games, 128 points
10. Cade Kennedy (West), Mid, 8 games, 127 points"
hugh-stagg-01-jpg.1150657



[link] U18 Torrens Uni MVP of Round 8 (Glenelg no.5)

Hugh Stagg videos on hudl (nothing yet :neutral:)


Cooper Murley
Norwood Small Midfielder/Forward
177cm/66kg 20/06/03
cooper-murley-01-jpg.1045971
[link]


Round 6 Torrens University Cup MVP - Cooper Murley (Norwood)



Into the FIre Ep. 120 Cooper Murley


Round 15 Torrens University Cup MVP - Cooper Murley (Norwood)

Into the Fire Ep 250 Cooper Murley [Mutineer]


James Willis
North Adelaide Midfielder (Crows Academy)
180cm 73kg 04/06/03 (source [20])
Was a stand out in the u17 SA game before the All-Stars game, speed, x-factor, flair, skill. [06]

While his outside game would be sound given his speed, Willis looks just as good on the inside where he uses his strength to fend off opponents and bring them down in desperate tackles. ... There were periods in the third term where Willis looked like tearing the game apart. The dynamic midfielder showed he can do it all in his on-ball role; accumulating around the ground early, winning his own ball, bursting away with strength, and adding deft agile movement in congestion. [07]

Willis is one of my favourite South Australian prospects. He's a strong bodied, hard running midfielder that has the positional versatility to play wing, half forward and half back. He wins his fair share of contested footy but has shown he can also accumulate on the outside as well. He has a touch of forward craft too which has seen him hit the scoreboard on occasion. I think his competitiveness, physical/athletic ability and positional versatility should at least position him as a draft candidate. I hope he gets the opportunity to play at the U19 Champs as I'd love to see what he could do at that level. [ModernArtillery]

apart from lacking a few cm's I really think his physical and athletic traits could see him as a great value pick in this draft. I believe he even has the versatility to play the small forward role probably better than anyone on Adelaide's list currently if we chose to take that path with his development. I see him as very much an inside/outside midfielder/forward. [Mutineer]

The thing I like most about Willis is that he's plug and play in a few different roles and his skill set and physical traits allow him to be successful in all of them. He's quite physically developed but unlike a lot of physically advanced juniors he's got speed and explosiveness which means that he can crack in and win the inside ball but then exit at high speed and get on the outside too. His stoppage wins are high value because of that ability to win the footy and then exit to the outside himself, opposed to those stoppage winners who have to rush the ball to boot. I think he's well suited to the flanks too, although probably more likely in the forward half. Again, he's got the speed to work both ways and the physical strength to lay tackles and hit the contest hard. He seems to be quite agile too so he's more than capable of applying pressure around the footy and won't allow the opposition to go around him. If he can improve his finishing inside forward 50 and use by foot at speed, which at times have both been a bit inconsistent, then that will really help him press his case for opportunities at the level. [ModernArtillery]
james-willis-01-jpg.1046180
[link]


[link] Round 13 Torrens University Cup MVP - James Willis (North Adelaide)


Isaac Birt
South Small Midfielder/Forward
180cm**/67kg 04/06/03 (source [20]) ... {** as at Oct 2020}
isaac-birt-01-jpg.1204631



Posted by: Mutineer (here)




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It could do with some heights and weights in that OP.
It's a long season ... they could grow a few cm by the end :grin:



Will do.
 
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LoBu

Club Legend
Dec 4, 2015
2,950
3,375
AFL Club
Adelaide
Hard to say this early, but Horne has played well for South at senior level makes him stand out for number 1 in February.

Let's hope the Vic kids get a great shot at it this year and the top 4 are all guns, we would have to have a preference for Horne and Rachele over the Vic metro kids.

Our ideal haul is Horne in 2021, then in 2022 trade 2022 1st and 2023 1st for Lukosuis.
 
Aug 7, 2015
10,621
17,320
AFL Club
Adelaide
Vic Country / WA / Tas


> Would be curious with your thoughts on Callaghan v Sinn, Rachele and Sonsie for specific strengths and weaknesses
... quickly though for the most pronounced strengths and weaknesses I'm seeing from what I've seen to date:
Callaghan:
Major strength: Evasion+agility+movement through traffic
Major weaknesses: Hard ball winning+tackling
Sinn:
Major strengths: Speed+agility+evasion+drive from defence
Major weaknesses: Production+accumulation
Rachele:
Major strengths: Skills on both sides+vision+kicks to i50 targets+first possession winning at stoppages
Major weaknesses: Struggles finding easy outside ball
Sonsie:
Major strengths: Skills+kicks to i50 targets+acceleration+contested ball winning
Major weaknesses: Consistency (not only game to game, but quarter to quarter)
[Knightmare]


> which out of Callaghan, Sonsie, Sinn, Roberts, Chesser, Hobbs and/or Goater would you happily take with our first?
Sinn would be my least preferred of those named, Callaghan I want to see more of re the contested stuff before I'd commit fully.
Roberts being a local and you'd think with little want away has to be factored in but Chesser and Goater with points of difference from what we already have interest me the most at this time so I'll be watching their progress closely. Ben Hobbs IMO is the safest pick of the lot as you could put your money on him being a 200 game player with his innate ball winning ability and aggressive attack on the contest also now proving his outside game is on the up and with that has come his hitting the scoreboard regularly. [Mutineer]



Vic Country

Campbell Chesser

Sandringham Dragons Defender
185cm/78kg 27/4/03
Medium midfielder/defender with explosive pace and is a good ball-user. Reads the game very well and averaged 16.7 disposals, 5 marks and 5.3 tackles across the championships. [02]

Chesser showed his speed with a 2.97-second run earlier this year, highlighting a key weapon in his game. The rebounding defender likes to take the game on but has also had stints playing as an inside midfielder. Is tied to Sandringham despite hailing from country Victoria as he studies in Melbourne. [03]

"... athletics, which was his primary sport when he was growing up. He picked footy and he captained Vic Country in the Under 16s. Josh Sinn captained Vic Metro Under 16s, which is probably the first time players from the one NAB League club have captained Vic Metro and Vic Country in the same year in the Under 16 program. Campbell’s got the combination of speed and endurance and he’ll run through the wing and on the ball." [18]

reliable midfielder with a bit of pace when needed, solid inside mid and contested player who can find space and link up with runners on the outside, he improved his draft stocks with his performance today [Davo-27]

you can just tell that the kid has it. Will be an interesting storyline over the course of the season to see if he moves past Sinn. He is definitely a top 10 talent. ... [Mixed Results]

> consistently linked to the Giants, what is the thought process here.
I think Chesser ticks most boxes well overall, without being outstandingly athletic he has enough tricks and knowledge to get himself out of tricky spots. Very neat skills, doesn't try to punt the leather off it but gets the penetration required, handballs, marks, collects it well.
The two standout traits though for me are 1) doesn't try to do too much with it, I think a lot of the other top end mids can get caught up with that at times, but Chesser is very inclined to take the first good option rather than try to sidestep around others to hold it for 2 extra seconds, and 2) his work in transition both ways, he's just switched on constantly and offers himself as a threat pretty much all the time [PMBangers]


does this not simply read as Chesser lacking a point of difference, or even being relatively vanilla? I guess what I'm asking is, what is the club who drafts him likely to be picking him for? [Virgin Dog]

His disposal and balance around contests is top notch, and as mentioned that workrate and danger in transition I've liked as arguably the best of the top enders, bar Horne, it's his athleticism that you might say doesn't have a POD about it, but that's because it's all above average-very good rather just being average across the board. [PMBangers]

... I'm more interested in composure in traffic, decision making and kicking (doesn't need to be elite, but if it's poor then they need to be absolutely elite in another area). Any particular player you would compare him to? [Virgin Dog]

... those 3 things you're looking for he's shown he's one of the better few in the NAB League early on, with his composure being a big draw for me. [PMBangers]

Chesser has also shown an ability to lift in important moments, im predicting he goes on to have an underrated career in a similar vein to cats pair Duncan and Guthrie [eDPS]

... is another workhorse through the midfield and just oozes composure and class. [eDPS]

Chesser is very skillful and has a lot to like about how he plays, but he went missing in his Vic Country game, also has been injury plagued which could be an issue in future as thats one of a few ways quality juniors fail to make it, one of the best users of the footy though, but i have him dropping to late first like Sinn because he doesnt perform under the pressure of state games in his draft year so far, which i think is important for potential top 10 types. . [Davo-27]
campbell-chesser-01-jpg.1045972
[link]
campbell-chesser-02-jpg.1046181



Rising footy star and Young Achiever Award finalist Campbell Chesser is using athletics to give him an edge over...

From above video:

campbell-chesser-is-using-athletics-01-gif.1060820

...not sure which one is Chesser

campbell-chesser-is-using-athletics-02-gif.1060821

... based on hair length, Chesser might be the ball extractor and dishing out to the goal kicker.

Into the Fire Ep 247 Campbell Chesser [Mutineer]


Josh Rachele
Murray Bushrangers Midfielder/forward
179cm/77kg 11/4/03
Small midfielder/forward who was a prolific ball-winner throughout the championships, averaging 26 disposals, 4.3 marks, 2.3 clearances and 4 tackles. A clean ball-handler who is elusive and creative, he won Vic Country’s MVP award as well as the Kevin Sheehan Medal for the Best and Fairest player in Division One. [02]

A prime mover for Vic Country's under-16s side in 2019, Rachele placed himself among the players to watch when he claimed the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the best player in division one at the carnival last year. A powerful midfielder who has an explosive streak to get out of the stoppages and burst away, he got a taste of the NAB League last year with the Bushrangers. [03]

did some good stuff late even though he was cramping, didnt get a lot of opportunity because of the low i50 count along with most of the forwards, but kicked a 55m+ goal in the 3rd and was one of the few AFLA that could match it physically with the VFL team. [Davo-27]

i loved his form in 2019 and so far has been good for Murray and was a stand out in an otherwise poor day for the AFL Academy with a 55m goal and some tough contested possessions that highlighted his competitiveness and ability to step up to the level, as a small forward he is more likely to go 5-10, but i like him as the 4th best at this stage pre-champs [Davo-27]

from the academy game:
The exciting Murray forward took some time to get into the game but he certainly looked like the Academy’s most dangerous forward, looking dangerous whenever he got the ball or was in the vicinity. He kicked a great goal from beyond 50m after taking a lead up mark which was one of only two goals scored for the Academy. Rachele was skilful in the air and at ground level and his efforts to tackle were also a highlight
Snapshot: A lively forward who has drawn comparisons to GWS star Toby Greene, Rachele has unbelievable smarts, skills, and a keen eye for goal..

Rachele is rightly a standout among his draft class, having taken out the Under 16 Division 1 MVP award for Vic Country in 2019. He quickly went on to represent the Murray Bushrangers, averaging a tick under 18 disposals and two goals in four games as a 16-year-old. The exciting forward hails from an elite soccer background and has quick feet to show for it, as well as the smiling celebrations on the end of well-finished goals. Rachele is lauded for his skills and smarts in the forward half, but has shown an aptitude for midfield work with his turn of speed and ability to find the ball at ground level. He’s capable of highlight-reel moments.

Rachele ... defensive running and workrate to burn off a tight opponent is something I want to see more of he is of course highly talented but at AFL level you need to get the other side right aswell especially as a forward/midfielder. [eDPS]


Ben Hobbs
GWV Rebels Inside Midfielder
182cm/76kg 15/09/03
Strongly built hard as nails aggressive inside bull with a developing outside game, penetrating kick and loves to lay a bone crunching tackle. He was generally Josh Rachele's partner in crime in the midfield for Vic Country at the 2019 U16 Nationals...probably 2nd best throughout the Carnival behind Rachele [04]

Medium midfielder who has a good balance between winning his own ball and providing run on the outside. Was a prolific ball-winner in the championships, averaging 25.7 disposals (11 contested possessions), 6.7 tackles, 5 clearances and a goal a game. [02]

Hobbs is a ball magnet who wins the footy on the inside and gets it out cleanly to his teammates with his tidy skills. The Rebels midfielder produced a mammoth effort in Vic Country’s final game at the U16 carnival against South Australia, finishing with 25 disposals (18 kicks at 72 per cent), eight clearances, six inside 50s, two goals and 196 ranking points – trumping the exploits of Horne and Rachele. Hobbs was used at the coalface and across halfback in his five NAB League games for the Rebels in 2019. [12]

Somewhat forgotten top line midfield prospect Ben Hobbs returned to footy after a quite a long lay off due to injury incurred very early in the season, came back with a real BANG! in the GWV Rebels big win over the Murray Bushrangers. 34 disposals, 19 kicks, 15 handballs, 3 marks, 9 tackles, 2 goals.
Reckon he's the type of mid Nicksy really likes, a real hard nut, highly contested ball winner with a good all round game.
Certain to be a starting midfielder in Vic Country's assault on the National Championships. [Mutineer]

> Can he run and can he kick though ? Also can he play multiple positions as we need all of that
Tough as teak, not too many mids in this draft that can win their own ball better than Ben Hobbs, not slow, decent tank and a good all round game, only thing Horne has over him IMO is superior aerial ability. You'll see for yourself next month where he's odds on to be a starting mid for Vic Country as hopefully the Nationals will go ahead. [Mutineer]


Arguably the best player afield in game one, Hobbs proved his top 10 credentials with another superb outing. His return from injury has been seamless, cracking in and running hard to find plenty of the ball over the last fortnight. Hobbs started in midfield and got to work straight away, though some of his ball use was rushed under the early pressure. He still got good penetration on his kicks and brought good intensity to the contest with his tackling. Having moved forward after half time, Hobbs still managed to find the ball through sheer work rate and finished the game with two goals, one of which was a clean snap in term three. [PMBangers]

> Thoughts on type of player Ben Hobbs is and which comparison you can see?
Hobbs has really impressed me these past two weeks.
My expectation was that he would be just a strong ball winning mid, but he has a lot more diversity to his game. From scoreboard impact (2 goals on the weekend and 2 the week before on return to NAB League), he's finding it around the ground and reads the ball really well. Skills seem sound. He's not quick though. He's looking like one of the very lowest floor prospects in this draft and is a year one ready mid.
I've heard comparisons to Jacob Hopper, and that's the type of game you're going to get, though possibly not as reliant on finding it inside and perhaps slightly better forward of centre if the signs on the weekend is any indication. [Knightmare]


Hobbs was the standout for me in the other game as he hits his straps at a good time, just a workhorse around the ground and will be a high volume accumulator at the next level. [eDPS]

Hobbs still has some issues with his kicking but he is just a real bull, a workhorse and a smart player. [eDPS]




WA

Neil Erasmus

188cm/80kg 2/12/2003
Subiaco Midfielder/Forward

Matthew Johnson
192cm/80kg 16/03/2003
Subiaco Inside Midfielder
Inside Mid - SO SO SO UNDERRATED. I will be shocked if he doesn’t go top 10. Has the perfect build for the AFL has the best skills of any midfielder I’ve seen from WA in some some time. Has the potential to play league all season and be a number one pick candidate. [13]

Subiaco Colts premiership player, Johnson developed well in 2020 to become one of his state’s leading midfielders. He has a terrific balance of aggression and class, able to win his own ball and carve ways around his opponents on the exit. Has great upside as a raw, tall ball winner. [11]

The tall midfielder is one to watch in 2021. He was a standout in the WAFL Colts grand final in his bottom-age season, tallying 22 disposals, 10 contested possessions, eight score involvements, five clearances and 143 Champion Data rankings points. Johnson is tough, clean, clever in traffic and looks to have big scope for improvement. [12]

Bio from page one/ESPN:
Matthew Johnson
A tall, ball winning midfielder at 192cm, Johnson combines ball winning capabilities with composure, class and evasion in traffic. Johnson plays a style of football resembling
Scott Pendlebury and shares many of the same rare gifts for a tall midfielder. By hand and foot Johnson hits his targets, with his vision and decision-making additional strengths. Johnson wins a high proportion of his ball in contested situations and connects on his tackles.
He'll need to improve his volume of accumulation/ball winning. But he has all the tools to be as good as any in this pool. [Knightmare]


Matt Johnson - The West Australian 20210321.png [cick to enlarge]

was one of AFLA most consistent and best performers, was involved in many contests and stood out as one of the best midfielders in the draft pool [Davo-27]

i really like this tall midfielder from WA, he was also a player that stood out in the WAFL Colts GF last year, as well as winning some important poss in the AFL Academy game, his debut in the WAFL was decent as a half back, but its not his natural position and so he didnt get impressive numbers, but i liked how he handled himself nonetheless, has gone back to Colts and seems to be doing better playing in his natural position as inside mid who can roam. [Davo-27]

... was the most polished player afield, looking smooth as ever in midfield. The first round prospect benefitted from others’ hard work at the coalface, proving a point of difference with his cleanliness and poise in possession. He often propped in traffic, drew opponents, and found teammates with aplomb by hand, seemingly unfazed by oncoming pressure. His kicking was also terrific, making for a really well-rounded game in the middle. Johnson hit the scoreboard too by taking a clean half-volley and snapping the ball home during term two. [draftcentral]



Other

Sam Banks

Clarence Defender/Midfielder
184cm
Tasmania’s top prospect for 2021 had one of his better games for the year, racking up some big numbers across the ground and working into the game more and more as it went on. He continually showed clean hands and has the nice balance of skill and athleticism that sees him hard to match up on. [08]

Attacking inside mid, kicked a goal from the centre circle in the NAB League against Oakleigh, as a 16 year old looked a class prospect, good movement on the field, good use of the footy, goal kicking mid [09]

The Apple Isle’s leading 2021 draft prospect. Banks has brilliant skills by foot on both sides and strong hands overhead, displaying these strengths on repeat at the division two under-16 carnival last year, where he won a mountain of footy on the outside. The defender/wingman also stepped up into Tasmania’s NAB League side, playing eight matches and averaging 11.5 disposals. In 2020, he showed positive signs for Clarence in the Tasmania State League against senior bodies ahead of his draft year. [12]

... was again on fire in the game has broken his wrist, bad timing for the lad as that would see him miss some very serious time on the sidelines. Similar type player to Lachie Sholl but IMO a more rounded player at the same age, exceptional foot skills on both sides, quicker and more an aerial threat than Sholl on what I've seen. [Mutineer]

i really like Banks' athletic qualities as well as his disposal, run and carry and when he goes forward his goal kicking, he has played mostly half back this year and hurt his arm, but he looks like the 3rd best outside player in a year where mids are the flavour of the 2021 draft. [Davo-27]



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Hard to say this early, but Horne has played well for South at senior level makes him stand out for number 1 in February.

Let's hope the Vic kids get a great shot at it this year and the top 4 are all guns, we would have to have a preference for Horne and Rachele over the Vic metro kids.

Our ideal haul is Horne in 2021, then in 2022 trade 2022 1st and 2023 1st for Lukosuis.
If we get the chance to nab Horne, it might be too good to pass up.

But if we miss on Horne, you don't think we should go for a big bodied midfielder like Bicks' fav Chesser (185cm), Draper (185cm), Johnson (192cm) or even Vic metro Sinn (186vm)?
 
Last edited:

LoBu

Club Legend
Dec 4, 2015
2,950
3,375
AFL Club
Adelaide
If we get the chance to nab Horne, it might be too good to pass up.

But if we miss on Horne, you don't think we should go for a big bodied midfielder like Bicks' fav Chesser (185cm), Draper (185cm), Johnson (192cm) or even Vic metro Sinn (186cm)?

Yeah, I'm not as convinced because we seemed to have picked up in the big body department recently, I'm thinking Hately (190cm), Cook (189cm), Gollant (191cm), Keays (185cm), even Fogarty (192cm - dreaming he's a mid), and then we have Sholl (185cm) and Hamill (186cm), Milera (184cm), and Pedlar (183cm).

However our smaller Jones (180cm) and McHenry (179cm) are not projecting well, if we put Berry in this group (181cm) and Shoenberg (180cm) then the opportunity for a smaller but dynamic player in the mould of Laird (177cm - see how he goes this year), but more impressively Rowell (178cm) or Neale (179cm) exists.

It's a balance, and we would have to go best available, but I still see the smaller sub 181 player role as critical.
 
Aug 7, 2015
10,621
17,320
AFL Club
Adelaide
Vic Metro


Finn Callaghan

Sandringham Dragons Half-Back/Wing
189cm/82kg 26/4/03
finn callaghan Archives - Aussie Rules Draft Central
Compare the Pair: Finn Callaghan / Josh Sinn - Aussie Rules Draft Central

Callaghan's stocks seem to be rising exponentially- I'm wondering what more he'd need to show to overtake Sonsie as most likely third pick?
Chances are they go head-to-head on Saturday so that'll be an interesting match up, but given Callaghan is bigger and arguably more athletic I reckon chances are he will overtake him for most, if he hasn't already that is. I reckon Callaghan's better defensive side of his game will gain him favour as well, despite Sonsie being better with his work going forward imo. [PMBangers]
> Anyone see the Sandy game and able to give an insight to Callaghans game?
> I'm guessing he played through the guts?
Yeah, started shaky with his disposal but ended up being a pretty clear best on after the first 5 or so minutes, I'd be surprised if there's many that don't have him as a top 3 vic prospect after watching that game, the key will be maintaining his spot on the inside when Sinn (expected return next week) returns [PMBangers]


His game isn't perfect. His contested stuff in watching him closely isn't on the level I'd like and I'd even suggest he was slightly timid on a few occasions in attacking the ball. Kick placement also lacking at times. But he's one of those where he has the tools and in his own way can really impact games. He reminds me of a Jack Macrae at a similar age just with how freakish his evasion in traffic is. Not sure he'll reach that level as a ball winner/accumulator, but there are shades of that. [Knightmare]

He's an unbelievable mover at his height and just continues to wow me every time he has ball in hand in traffic. [Knightmare]

Displaying freakish evasion through traffic, Callaghan amassed 31 disposals, 10 contested possessions, seven inside 50s, and four score assists. What was striking with Callaghan was whenever he had ball in hand, there was an immediate sense he was going to make something happen.
He has the speed and agility to move easily around or through opposition numbers, a sharp change of direction, a spin in traffic to avoid tackles, and a timely raise of the arms with ball in hand to avoid a tackle. Callaghan is one of those rare players who not only is quicker than everyone else, but also has more time with ball in hand than others display which makes him so unique and desirable for a player of his height.
At stoppages, Callaghan is more a receiver than a ball-winner, often receiving then bursting for 10 to 15 metres at a time before hitting a target by hand or foot. While Callaghan does his best work in traffic, he is similarly capable on the outside, and his work rate is impressive. In one play, Callaghan received the ball in his defensive 50, disposed of the ball, and worked his way up onto a wing to provide offensive run-on support.
Playing a similar game to Jack Macrae at a similar age, Callaghan will need to continue developing the contested side of his game and as a tackler if he's to reach similar heights, as there were a couple of occasions when he needed to be more aggressive in his attack both on the ball and ball carrier. [Knightmare at espn]


Being pushed back out to the wing as he had done earlier in the NAB League season, it took Callaghan some time to work into the game and start impacting like he’s proven he can. Apart from taking the advantage from a teammate’s free kick and missing a shot on goal from 25 out early on, it was another typical Callaghan display that we’ve become slowly accustomed to. He held his space well when positioned on the wing, taking some good overhead grabs but also proving crafty when having to pick the ball up off the ground, getting separation on opponents when he had the ball to give himself space to deliver via foot, usually to a central target. He moved into a rover spot in the second half where he really put his foot down and started stamping some more authority on the game, able to accelerate away from the opposition as he got handball receives from the stoppage winners. Callaghan also looked particularly classy when bringing the ball out of the defensive half, side stepping opponents and delivering in front of leading targets. [draftcentral]

I wish I could describe how he got away from opponents better, like there was one in the first quarter where he spun away from an opponent, went back towards his defensive side through traffic, spun again and hit up an inside 50 target, was just insane [PMBangers]

... has something special about him and now that he has taken his outside skill to a more contested inside game where he likes to run through contests and uses it intelligently, also starting to amass good numbers, makes me think that these 2 players could join Horne and Daicos in the Elite category. [Davo-27]

Why I'm seeing boom/bust with Callaghan is there isn't one position where he's absolutely beyond doubt certain. On the outside I don't look at Callaghan as necessarily all that damaging (kick is okay to good but not exceptional) and he'd likely only be a moderate accumulator on the outside, so he's not someone on the outside I find all that appealing. The spot he can become great is as an inside mid because of that all-time special movement in traffic. He just needs to develop both as a ball winner and tackler to become that AFL standard piece through there, and he has some way to go to get there still having even in his best on ground performance v Eastern not gone nearly hard enough when the ball way there to be won or to lay tackles he needed to go all in on.
I'd be looking to Callaghan to be watching lots of Pendlebury and Macrae. That's the kind of player he has the upside to be if he fulfils his potential, but if he doesn't develop those ball winning and tackling capabilities he could be something more like a far less damaging and less penetrating Jared Polec. And he's yet to convince me he won't be more like the latter, so I remain cautious in talking about him ahead of the better midfielders in this year's draft. [Knightmare]
finn-callaghan-01-jpg.1159097

finn-callaghan-02-jpg.1159099



Finn Callaghan video on hudl

Long range goal 20210419 [twitter]

Cal & Nat video near start of article has video of Finn Calaghan (~30sec mark, wearing no.17 & then no.12)

Into the Fire Ep 260 Finn Callaghan [Mutineer]

Road to the Draft interview


Josh Goater
Calder Cannons Inside Midfielder
190cm/79kg 2/06/2003

Josh Sinn
Sandringham Dragons Midfielder
190cm/72kg 28/1/03
My friend Josh Sinn is now 190 and will go at 1. [14]

Medium defender/midfielder who sets the play up with his line-breaking speed and use of the ball with his penetrating left foot. Excellent leader of the title-winning team averaging 17 disposals, 5.3 marks, 4.3 tackles and 3 clearances across the championships. [02]

Sinn has won comparisons to Greater Western Sydney star Josh Kelly for his brilliant run and ball use. The Dragons midfielder is already being spoken about as one of the leading No.1 pick contenders for 2021 given his ability to penetrate and break the lines. The classy youngster would likely have been given strong exposure this year at under-18 level. [03]

Best footballer I have seen pure talent is josh sinn ... kids a freak. Imagine putting Isaac and Luke hodge together But taller ... [ummmbont ->]

he is my favourite player in this draft! Super prospect. Has it all! Height, courage, leadership, skills, speed, versatility. [lionshine ->]

> Who does he remind you of?
Bachar Houli[/Lachlan Ash down back but he is rather unique. He is a major metres gained player and is just so dangerous whenever he gets possession. He took a kick in the back pocket then hit a brilliant pass into CHB, ran up to receive quicker than a hiccup and then hit a bullet 50m pass inside 50. Litterly took the ball coast to coast on his own and in the wet no less.
Leans more to the outside but he has to be tagged to be stopped or else he will cut you up badly. [eDPS ->]

> A move eventually onto the midfield?
Maybe but wing is more likely to get the most out of his run and carry and long range kicking which is his biggest weapon. [eDPS ->]

i see a lot of Isaac Smith in him. [Davo-27 ->]

Agreed. From what I have seen of him that is my closest comparison but he also has traits similar to Josh Kelly and Luke Hodge imo. My tip for pick 1 this year. Whoever get's him is going to have a super damaging and effective player on their hands. [lionshine ->]

Sinn-tillating: The explosive No.1 contender who piled on 13kg in six months [afl.com.au]

played defence and midfield today, was a bit shaky in defence with the ball in air and with his use of the footy being a bit wayward, also didnt have the biggest impact in the midfield, i think he lacks something to be a top 5 pick tbh [Davo-27]

Put some daylight between him and Horne, Sonsie, Daicos etc imo. It wasn't the best conditions for him today, but you could still tell he is a classy player with good skills and solid pace. Should be a good halfback at AFL level. ... [Mixed Results]

Josh Sinn has gotten about 8 disposals on the wing in the first quarter, he runs like Isaac Smith and kicks like Tom Mitchell, i think every kick has been a clanger, but he can run and find space though, he is a sensational line breaker like Isaac was/is, but theres 3 tiers of football between them when it comes to kicking skills.
i've been saying he doesnt look top 5 so far, but i think he has explosive run and carry which will see him go likely first round and likely 6-10 at this stage for me. [Davo-27]


> Sinn has fallen off a cliff last few months, I remember him being talked of top 5 in this draft.
In my eyes he has many traits to be a top 5 pick and have an extremely high ceiling and come the end of the year he still may be a top 6/7 pick, but, as i said (in my eyes), i don't like the fact that he cannot seem to consistently win contested ball and his disposal efficiency is not up there yet for me to have him higher. He shouldn't be dropping on my board as much as he has, but others are playing better in their roles at the moment and have to be promoted up the board. He has not dropped here due to his form but rather due to others showing more (in their roles). [Smythe]


i have been critical of his kicking accuracy at times, but his speed, run and carry and contested marks for a wing/hbf are really impressive, i remember liking Isaac Smith a lot prior to his draft year and there are similarities with Josh Sinn to his game, tall wings/hbf who have penetrating kicks, both good endurance, both good production in that they know how to get the ball a lot and both are goal kicking wings which gives them scoring power to their games when they go forward, also both can line break and kick over set defences, but both lack a bit of contested and defensive game as in tackling ect, very similar types imo [Davo-27]

Tyler Sonsie
Eastern Ranges Midfielder
181cm/73kg 27/1/03
Medium midfielder who had an outstanding championships, winning Vic Metro’s MVP award as he averaged 22.7 disposals, 3.3 clearances and 3.3 tackles. A prolific ball-winner with natural goal sense, he kicked 4 goals against Western Australia in the deciding game to help assure his team of the title. [02]

Sonsie is among the group of promising Vic Metro midfielders in the pool next year. The smooth mover impressed at under-16s level, claiming his side's MVP award at the championships, and also debuted last year at NAB League level for the Eastern Ranges. Uses the ball well and is prolific through that part of the ground. [03]

The MVP of a star-studded Vic Metro line-up at the under-16 carnival, Sonsie had a devastating impact in the final game, tallying 19 disposals and booting four majors – including three snaps from tight angles. Sonsie brings X-Factor, has a nice kick and is a prolific ball-winner. He featured in six NAB League last year for the Ranges and held his spot during all three of their finals. [12]

I currently play for eastern ranges and see first round the class of Tyler Sonsie ... Sonsie's class rose through in the second half with him taking control and using his sublime foots skills on both sides of his body to our forward half. ... Daicos and Sonsie, They both ooze of class and skill and both heavily impact the scoreboard. [Hessssa]

In my honest opinion after this year of football I expect daicos and Sonsie to be the top 2 picks of the draft. Sonsie is a ready made afl player that has elite speed and is by far the best kick on both feet i've ever seen. His decision making under pressure and smooth moving makes him similar to a pendles but he also has a massive scoreboard impact. His endurance is his weakness with him struggling to get to every contest causing a lot of rotations but no doubt that will be worked on at AFL level. Expect him to play like a Rozee/Bruhn in his first few years of afl but I expect him to be a bit ahead of them at his age [Hessssa]

...it seems, to me he seems a mix between Jack Billings and Jade Gresham, small goal kicking mid/forw that is more outside than inside, i like his goal kicking, i like his outside HR play, his disposal was a bit disappointing at times for me in the few games i have seen as well as the disappointment of his performance in the AFL Academy game compared to his peers, his VFL game was average other than his 2 wonderful goals and a good tackle in the 4th quarter, he kicked the ball to grass too often for my liking and seemed to get spooked in the AFL Academy game ducking a marking effort when no one was near him late in the game, which makes me wonder if he has some fears in contested situations, but he has heaps of talent and no one can deny that. [Davo-27]

sonsie for me is a 1 way runner and i have seen him get flustered a bit in contests and gets rid of the ball too quickly. the latter point can be fixed easy, but teaching the kid to be a 2 way runner and chase tackle is very hard to teach, you either have the hunger to do it or you dont. i feel, from what ive seen, that he doesnt have it and he has not improved that part of his game. [Smythe]


Braden Andrews
Oakleigh Chargers Midfielder
189cm/83kg ??/?/??
The Chargers are set to have another early draft prospect with Andrews among their crop of top talents for 2021. The tall midfielder is classy with the ball and possesses a great step that can help him cut through opponents at the stoppages. At Under 16 level, he was used in a number of roles and showed his composure with ball in hand. [17]
braden-andrews-jpg.1079692
[15]
braden-andrews-bball-jpg.1079693
[16]

Braden Andrews videos on hudl [NOTHING YET]






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Yeah, I'm not as convinced because we seemed to have picked up in the big body department recently, I'm thinking Hately (190cm), Cook (189cm), Gollant (191cm), Keays (185cm), even Fogarty (192cm - dreaming he's a mid), and then we have Sholl (185cm) and Hamill (186cm), Milera (184cm), and Pedlar (183cm).

However our smaller Jones (180cm) and McHenry (179cm) are not projecting well, if we put Berry in this group (181cm) and Shoenberg (180cm) then the opportunity for a smaller but dynamic player in the mould of Laird (177cm - see how he goes this year), but more impressively Rowell (178cm) or Neale (179cm) exists.

It's a balance, and we would have to go best available, but I still see the smaller sub 181 player role as critical.
O'Connor as well at 181cm. Our first pick is a chance to get a likely elite player tho.
 
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LoBu

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O'Connor as well at 181cm. Our first pick is a chance to get a likely elite player tho.

Yep, would take the best, but sometimes I think we are trying to get our next Dangerfield, and there just aren't many like him, and gun role players have their place (McAsey a good example - boring but a potential gun role player).

The last few years have demonstrated that the difference in the top 5-6 is just getting a choice, the rest a bit random (Rowell the exception - 3.5 games - 9 Brownlow votes, I've got a few dollars on him this year with his odds).
 
Jul 6, 2017
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Hard to say this early, but Horne has played well for South at senior level makes him stand out for number 1 in February.

Let's hope the Vic kids get a great shot at it this year and the top 4 are all guns, we would have to have a preference for Horne and Rachele over the Vic metro kids.

Our ideal haul is Horne in 2021, then in 2022 trade 2022 1st and 2023 1st for Lukosuis.
+1

where do we sign:cool:
 

Alwaysacrow

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Thanks for that OP. All those SA boys look good prospects. 1 in 2021 draft would be good, 2 would be fantastic. Horne looks like a gun.
 
Aug 9, 2019
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Chesser for me, line breaker with exceptional all round athleticism and skill set.

Forget Lukosius in in 2022 we need to get hold of Will Verrall if he continues his development as expected, easily the best Ruck prospect to come out of SA for a very, very long time. Our Academy kid Isaac Keeler another tall exceptionally athletic Ruck/Forward could also be around the mark.
 
Jul 6, 2017
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Chesser for me, line breaker with exceptional all round athleticism and skill set.

Forget Lukosius in in 2022 we need to get hold of Will Verrall if he continues his development as expected, easily the best Ruck prospect to come out of SA for a very, very long time. Our Academy kid Isaac Keeler another tall exceptionally athletic Ruck/Forward could also be around the mark.
any clips of him floating around?
 
Sep 5, 2017
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Whoever it is, will hopefully fill that midfielder that can push forward and be just as dangerous in front of goal.

Dusty, Dangerfield, Bont type.

Ive only seen Horne play but he seems to fit the bill with his impressive marking ability.
 
Aug 9, 2019
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Sorry..i meant clips of will verrall
Sure...

Keep in mind this is a 16 year old Ruck against mostly 18 year olds.

 

hey shorty

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30k Posts 10k Posts TheBrownDog
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Horne is the standout, but in current form we aren't going to get close to him. Particularly if we win this week, puts us 3 wins and % ahead of North with 3 winnable games to come.

I saw Draper and Roberts play on the weekend, they were a class above the U18 level.

Will be paying more attention to the NAB League as we go on.
 
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