Preview 2024 National Draft Preview Thread

[My Left Foote]

Draft	ESPN Phantom NOV 24
1	Richmond – Sam Lalor
2	North Melbourne – Alix Tauru
3	Brisbane (bid) – Levi Ashcroft
4	Carlton – Finn O'Sullivan
5	Adelaide – Sid Draper
6	Melbourne – Harvey Langford
7	Richmond – Josh Smillie
8	St Kilda – Jagga Smith
9	Gold Coast (bid) – Leo Lombard
10	St Kilda – Tobie Travaglia
11	Melbourne – Murphy Reid
12	Richmond – Harry Armstrong
13	Richmond – Bo Allan
14	West Coast – Xavier Lindsay
15	Essendon (bid) – Isaac Kako
16	Port Adelaide – Jack Whitlock
17	Fremantle – Joe Berry
18	GWS – Taj Hotton
19	GWS – Jobe Shanahan
20	Western Bulldogs – Ollie Hanford
21	Richmond – Luke Trainor
22	Brisbane (bid) – Sam Marshall
23	Sydney – Matt Whitlock
24	Richmond – Cooper Hynes
25	GWS – Hamish Davis
26	Sydney – Jesse Dattoll
27	Richmond –– Alex Dodson
28	Richmond –– James Barrat
29	Western Bulldogs – Tom Gross
30	West Coast – Jack Ough
31	Port Adelaide – Harrison Oliver
32	Fremantle – Jonty Fault
33	St Kilda – Jasper Alger
34	Hawthorn – Tom Sims
35	Western Bulldogs – Christian Moraes
36	Port Adelaide – Noah Mraz
37	GWS – Angus Clark
38	Carlton – Harry O’Farrell

 

[My Left Foote]

2024 AFL Phantom Draft: Every pick in the first two rounds

Jasper Chellappah has released his latest two-round AFL Phantom Draft for 2024, with the first of a big two-night event now just two weeks away. Who is your club looking to pick with its early selections?

www.espn.com.au

 

[Newbie Real Talk]

So many phantoms have us reaching for Tauru. I just don't see it. pick 2 is an overpay.

 

[My Left Foote]

So many phantoms have us reaching for Tauru. I just don't see it. pick 2 is an overpay.

The more it happens the more I'm convinced we're playing with the media. We've run a tight ship since Luff left, so I'd be extremely surprised if it's common knowledge we're taking Tauru with 2, it's a red herring if you ask me.

 

[King Corey]

The more it happens the more I'm convinced we're playing wth the media. We've run a tight ship since Luff left, so I'd be extremely surprised if it's common knowledge we're taking Tauru with 2, it's a red herring if you ask me.

We started linking ourselves to Curtin last year too.

Generally we're playing a better subterfuge game these days hopefully this is more of the same.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

What if the talent available isn't elite?

FOS, Draper, or Jagga Smith - you don't think any of those are elite?

 

[tales129]

The ones who bomb are mostly the ones who lack competitiveness and aggression, i.e. Schache, Cox, Reid, Wiedeman. Noone can accuse Tauru of that, which makes me confident he'll be at the very least a useful asset at AFL level.

Nail. Head.

campaigner wants it and is so ****ing aggressive. Cox is the equivalent of a plastic bag in comparison

 

[Shermanator]

Nail. Head.

campaigner wants it and is so ****ing aggressive. Cox is the equivalent of a plastic bag in comparison

Unless he's a Glad Bin Bag.. they're pretty tuff..

 

[Ichiro #51]

Shanahan is my pick of the talls. I think he’s well-rounded skills wise, has the competitiveness and has the body shape/size to grow into a big, strong unit.

 

[My Left Foote]

We started linking ourselves to Curtin last year too.

Generally we're playing a better subterfuge game these days hopefully this is more of the same.

Excellent point. I'd completely forgotten about that.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Nail. Head.

campaigner wants it and is so ****ing aggressive. Cox is the equivalent of a plastic bag in comparison

Aggressiveness and competitiveness don't make up for other short comings like Footy IQ and skills.

You even see it with Comben, does some amazing things due to his raw competitive streak, but it also results in him making some terrible mistakes too.

 

[King Corey]

Aggressiveness and competitiveness don't make up for other short comings like Footy IQ and skills.

You even see it with Comben, does some amazing things due to his raw competitive streak, but it also results in him making some terrible mistakes too.

Was going to say something similar.

A shortcoming is a shortcoming. An honest trier without AFL talent isn't going to benefit the team anymore than a sublime talent with no competitiveness.

You can't get around it. There's been 16 Morrish Medalists across the last 10 Draft years.

These are the kids with the drive to stand out amongst their junior peers.

10 never made it to the AFL.

Clubs can't afford to blindly prioritise one skillset, as handy as that would be.

 

[Sphynx]

Was going to say something similar.

A shortcoming is a shortcoming. An honest trier without AFL talent isn't going to benefit the team anymore than a sublime talent with no competitiveness.

You can't get around it. There's been 16 Morrish Medalists across the last 10 Draft years.

These are the kids with the drive to stand out amongst their junior peers.

10 never made it to the AFL.

Clubs can't afford to blindly prioritise one skillset, as handy as that would be.

He's more than an honest trier, I think that's being slightly disingenuous. He completely destroyed the Stringrays in one of his only games as a forward, in an elimination final to boot.

Kids with his ability in the air, his athleticism and his aggression don't grow on trees. Making out like he's Sam Wright or something is way off the mark. He's also got a big tank for a KPP prospect.

He certainly has some kicking issues, but the theory behind that is, those kicking skills are much better forward of center than behind center. Will they be perfect? No. Are they any worse than Harry McKay? No. I'm sure you would take Harry at North if given the option at the moment.....

He's a late developer, his footy IQ isn't on the same level as some other kids. Some clubs would view that as a positive though. We also aren't talking about a midfielder either in that respect.

He'd be viewed as a key forward able to move back imo at AFL level.

Very few junior key forwards are anywhere near the finished article. Look at Walter. Everyone was waxing lyrical about him last year and he was seriously underwhelming this year.

Ben King barely played a game forward for Haileybury and the Dragons. He's barely played a game back at AFL level.


Things change with these guys.

Plenty of people don't have him as a top 10 pick, I certainly do after that final, but in that 6-10 range. I'd take him over Armstrong.

I prefer Tauru over Caddy. He's simply on a different level in the air and Caddy had proved very dangerous in the air at AFL level.

He's the epitome of a boom or bust prospect. His ceiling is probably the best key forward in the game imo (with obvious drastic improvement), do I think that's likely? No. But clubs obviously pay through the nose for a % chance at that.

His absolute ceiling is probably a Naughton/Curnow hybrid key forward.

He could quite as easily be Elliott Himmelberg however.


If I was in charge, I'd be taking Draper/FOS/Lalor/Smith and then trade into the second round to try and get Tom Sims, who is also a great athlete and will provide a good foil for Larkey.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

His absolute ceiling is probably a Naughton/Curnow hybrid key forward.

He could quite as easily be Elliott Himmelberg however.

That's the thing. We aren't quite in a position where we can afford to take that risk. Especially if it involves pick 2 on it's lonesome.

As I said prior, split the pick and I'm fine with taking him between 6-10, but if we don't and we reach at pick 2, I think that will be a mistake.

You got any issues with the hip tendonitis and back stress fractures? I'd hate to spend that sort of draft capital and end up with another tall who spends more time in rehab than he does developing his game.

 

[Sphynx]

That's the thing. We aren't quite in a position where we can afford to take that risk. Especially if it involves pick 2 on it's lonesome.

As I said prior, split the pick and I'm fine with taking him between 6-10, but if we don't and we reach at pick 2, I think that will be a mistake.

You got any issues with the hip tendonitis and back stress fractures? I'd hate to spend that sort of draft capital and end up with another tall who spends more time in rehab than he does developing his game.

Im not taking him at 2, as I really think FOS is perfect for our midfield.

I'd be holding 2, and trying to trade into the 20's with our F2 for Sims or if unavailable Gerryn. You may even get Trainor there. If we can crunch our pick in the 60's, into the 40's and end up with Gerryn himself.

I wouldn't be unhappy with Draper, but it's going to be a challenging list decision and likely causes some decisions with regards to Powell and Phillips at the end of 2025.

There's plenty of options.

If we end up with FOS or Draper, it's already a good draft imo.


I was merely pointing out I don't have Tauru in the mid teens. I rate him higher than that.

Tauru only interests me if it leads to another one of Berry, Hannaford, Whitlock or Armstrong.

But I honestly don't have Sims that far behind Armstrong or Whitlock and we will be able to secure him in that 25-30 range imo.

I truly believe a FOS/McKercher wing pairing has premiership contender written all over it. I've always said, I wouldn't be giving that up unless it was for complete overs. Draper I rate higher than FOS as a player, but as fit, less so. Again, would be thrilled if we recruited him.

FOS is a Sheezel like ball user, we need more of them, particularly one with his outside ability (but also tough and inside when required)

 

[King Corey]

He's more than an honest trier, I think that's being slightly disingenuous. He completely destroyed the Stringrays in one of his only games as a forward, in an elimination final to boot.

Kids with his ability in the air, his athleticism and his aggression don't grow on trees. Making out like he's Sam Wright or something is way off the mark. He's also got a big tank for a KPP prospect.

He certainly has some kicking issues, but the theory behind that is, those kicking skills are much better forward of center than behind center. Will they be perfect? No. Are they any worse than Harry McKay? No. I'm sure you would take Harry at North if given the option at the moment.....

He's a late developer, his footy IQ isn't on the same level as some other kids. Some clubs would view that as a positive though. We also aren't talking about a midfielder either in that respect.

He'd be viewed as a key forward able to move back imo at AFL level.

Very few junior key forwards are anywhere near the finished article. Look at Walter. Everyone was waxing lyrical about him last year and he was seriously underwhelming this year.

Ben King barely played a game forward for Haileybury and the Dragons. He's barely played a game back at AFL level.


Things change with these guys.

Plenty of people don't have him as a top 10 pick, I certainly do after that final, but in that 6-10 range. I'd take him over Armstrong.

I prefer Tauru over Caddy. He's simply on a different level in the air and Caddy had proved very dangerous in the air at AFL level.

He's the epitome of a boom or bust prospect. His ceiling is probably the best key forward in the game imo (with obvious drastic improvement), do I think that's likely? No. But clubs obviously pay through the nose for a % chance at that.

His absolute ceiling is probably a Naughton/Curnow hybrid key forward.

He could quite as easily be Elliott Himmelberg however.


If I was in charge, I'd be taking Draper/FOS/Lalor/Smith and then trade into the second round to try and get Tom Sims, who is also a great athlete and will provide a good foil for Larkey.

I was replying to the premise that you just prioritise competitiveness as a trait.

Not a specific player, unsure who you're referencing?

 

[The Talent Scout]

Gettable on Pick Swaps

Twomey - Pick 2 from North in play. Tigers don't want to deal, the one I'm watching is Adelaide at 4, could crows move up to get the mid they want and North move back to get Tauru

Beveridge - what's the piece to make it work?

Twomey - well Adelaide don't have anything

Both: silence

The futility of human existence, right there.

And on the next episode of Gettable, hold on a minute, we'll think of something else!

 

[The Talent Scout]

The more it happens the more I'm convinced we're playing with the media. We've run a tight ship since Luff left, so I'd be extremely surprised if it's common knowledge we're taking Tauru with 2, it's a red herring if you ask me.

Yeah, it might well be, either that or we do like Alix a lot at our second pick, problem is we might not know our second pick till draft night, that's why this draft is so fascinating in all aspects.

 

[perplexed]

The more it happens the more I'm convinced we're playing with the media. We've run a tight ship since Luff left, so I'd be extremely surprised if it's common knowledge we're taking Tauru with 2, it's a red herring if you ask me.

To what advantage though? I know these guys struggle with strategy, but they aren't stupid. Making it look like we are interested in Tauru reduces the motivation for both Richmond and St Kilda to trade for pick 2 which reduces its trade value.

 

[pupstar]

To what advantage though? I know these guys struggle with strategy, but they aren't stupid. Making it look like we are interested in Tauru reduces the motivation for both Richmond and St Kilda to trade for pick 2 which reduces its trade value.

I am not sure but has anyone of real note from the NMFC actually come out and said we want him with any of our picks.

 

[My Left Foote]

Yeah, it might well be, either that or we do like Alix a lot at our second pick, problem is we might not know our second pick till draft night, that's why this draft is so fascinating in all aspects.

To what advantage though? I know these guys struggle with strategy, but they aren't stupid. Making it look like we are interested in Tauru reduces the motivation for both Richmond and St Kilda to trade for pick 2 which reduces its trade value.

Perhaps "playing with the media" wasn't the best choice of words. I think we are very interested in Alix Tauru BUT I don't think we are necessarily interested in him at pick 2. I think we're letting the media assume it's pick 2.

 

[perplexed]

Perhaps "playing with the media" wasn't the best choice of words. I think we are very interested in Alix Tauru BUT I don't think we are necessarily interested in him at pick 2. I think we're letting the media assume it's pick 2.

Why would we do this though? It doesn't help us in any way.

If we were being clever, we would make it look like we were interested in FOS or Draper, anyone other than Tauru.

 

[My Left Foote]

Why would we do this though? It doesn't help us in any way.

We have been very good the last few years of staying tight lipped about who we like in the draft. This year is no different we are neither confirming or denying our interest in Alix Tauru. Where has all the media commentary come from? Not us.

"Rival clubs, all year, have suspected North would lean towards taking a key-position player with its first pick at November’s national draft"

"At last weekend’s draft combine, there was a strong sense the Roos are keen on exciting Gippsland Power utility Alix Tauru"

 

[pupstar]

Why would we do this though? It doesn't help us in any way.

If we were being clever, we would make it look like we were interested in FOS or Draper, anyone other than Tauru.

Maybe Taura is the red herring.

 

[King Corey]

Maybe Taura is the red herring.

It may even be bait to entice clubs holding picks in Tauru's supposed range to make offers.