2008 Official BigFooty Phantom Draft

[swannies]

North Melbourne - Chris Yarran

Had to deliberate long and hard here, between Yarran, Sidebottom and a couple of talls, however, on talent Yarran is the must select.

Played key forward for WAFL league side, Swan Districts and won their goalkicking award, despite missing 8+ games. Last year at colts level showed me he can play midfield and ran the show with Naitanui and Walters. Provides a hardness at the ball which many don't give him credit for, but it's there, trust me, has exquisite skills and a superb football brain. I've said time and again that he reminds me a lot of Chris Lewis, who has had a fair bit to do with his coaching in the past couple of years.

 

[-VC-]

Excellent pick chrsco and I daresay he won't slide this far on draft day. A supreme talent is Yarran.

Thunder is online now, so after his pick I'd say we're done for the day. Snoop Dog did PM me the other day to say that he would be out of action all day Thursday, so I'm sure he'll be on earlyish tomorrow, pending amount of alcohol consumed at Oaks Day today.

 

[jgb99]

We might have a bolter if he posts late tonight or early tomorrow

Nice pick chrsco, didn't expect Yarran to be getting past you.

 

[-VC-]

We might have a bolter if he posts late tonight or early tomorrow

Thunder or Snoop? I know who Thunder is taking. He already told me. I'll give you a hint - it starts with "My" and ends in "Avatar"

Snoop is picking for Collingwood. He has to come up with the obligatory Hine bolter. Maybe it'll be Heyne (pronounced Hine).

 

[Thunderstruck]

*Gets back from naked run down street to announce*

PICK 10 STEELE SIDEBOTTOM ADELAIDE

Stoked with this, didn't expect it but funnier things happen in footy. If this happens on draft day I'll be a happy happy man. As we all know Steele is a class act, can win his footy and use it well and finish with goals. Has a great footy nous, combined with a wide array of footballing skills. Good hands, good leg and good inside and outside. Not a purely outstanding midfielder but brings a lot to the table for a first round pick. A club like the crows need goalkicking midfielders with some leadership and raw talent and he would be a terrific first round draft pick. Too often the crows have gone tall with their first pick and too often it has come to bite them hard. Angwin, Gilligan, (possibly Sellar) just to name a few.

All in all a solid safe pick, I couldn't pass on him. I tossed over Swift for his all round skills and height and pure stats but thought I'd take a fresher player over a semi risk one even though I do rate Swift very highly. I did think about Blease for pace as the crows could do with some more to back up Dangerfield and the other young brigade but in the end I'd be mad to pass on Steele. So welcome rusty to the AFC!! May this be real on November 29th.

 

[Salaryman]

Not being precious, but I'd prefer NN listed as his true 201cm on the first page please

 

[Souup]

Would be very happy with Yarran, good pick chrsco

Our recruiters have said that we will go best availabe with pick 9. So if Yarran was still there i'd say we'll snap him up pretty quickly

 

[TheRedPill]

That is a super top ten isn't it... what's the bet that if any of these ten were in last year's draft they would have gone Top 5? Just glad it isn't GC17 time... they would have cleaned up - 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 in Round 1. Watts, Naitanui, Rich, Trengove, Ziebell and Yarran so far. That isn't bad at all.

(and as per the now-gone posts... apologies for the hostile tone, no offense intended, sounded worse than it was supposed to )

 

[-VC-]

Not being precious, but I'd prefer NN listed as his true 201cm on the first page please

Not precious at all. That's one of the most relevant stats going around.

I just copied all of the info so far from the Trial Run summary. If there's anything at all that appears wrong on that first post then I want people to point it out.

Looks like we're done for the day. Good job so far by all. Especially Thunderstruck.

 

[-VC-]

That is a super top ten isn't it... what's the bet that if any of these ten were in last year's draft they would have gone Top 5? Just glad it isn't GC17 time... they would have cleaned up - 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 in Round 1. Watts, Naitanui, Rich, Trengove, Ziebell and Yarran so far. That isn't bad at all.

(and as per the now-gone posts... apologies for the hostile tone, no offense intended, sounded worse than it was supposed to )

What I find really interesting is that the 10 players taken so far match my actual Top 10. The order is a fair bit different, but it's all the same names. Mind you, having seen a bit more video of Swift recently that could be changing.

I know that my rankings get a little bit more 'alternative' after 11 or 12.

 

[3MELBOURNE6]

Not being precious, but I'd prefer NN listed as his true 201cm on the first page please

Actually his true height is 200.9cm. And also he weighs 93kg not 95kg.

And Watts is 195.8cm.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Mind you, having seen a bit more video of Swift recently that could be changing.

I can actually see Swift going in the top ten, the more I see and hear about him the higher I rate him. Not only does he have talent on the football field, he is highly talented acedemically.

Swift has a great work rate and seems to have that professionalism. This is a huge jump of the gun, but I see a little Hird likeness.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Travelling at moment so apols for being tardy.

# 11 Collingwood - Sam Blease

Hard to choose frankly. Ultimately we need a bit more class in our midfield and whilst Heyne, Swift and Robinson really appeal its the potential of Blease that really excites. Quick, sublime skills, poise, vision are his trademarks. Will also do the little things.

May have gone with Swift but given I don't know the medico report I will stay away. Big wrap for Robinson and Heyne as well around here for us.

Will do better write up when back today.

 

[grub29]

Sorry for the delay as I was dancing a little jig in celebration.

Sydney Pick 12 Stephen Hill (West Perth)

Didn't think I'd have a hope in hell of getting him and had planned to go tall but I really think he will end up a terrific player and will go much higher in the real deal.
Has the pace, class and skills that Sydney require.He should also fit in well with Sydney's post 2011 midfield of Jack, Bird, Veszpremi.
There will still be plenty of KPPs available at 30 IMO.

 

[HBF]

From HBF via SMS

Selection 6 - Carlton - Michael Hurley

Finally get to do my write up, and I couldn't be happier with getting, who I believe, could quite easily be the best player in this years draft pool. Seen Hurley alot over the past couple of years, and the first thing you notice is his attack on the footy, and he just makes it his prime objective. His intensity at the contest is something I haven't seen at junior footy much, and a very astute person likened him to Glenn Archer in that way.

The other thing you notice about Hurley is how good his kicking skills are. His right foot is as good as any midfielder, and his left, my god, I have yet to see anyone of his height kick as well off his non-dominant side.

I've drafted him to fill our gaping hole at CHF, as I believe he is just too good to be played at CHB, and, Carlton have enough tall backs on our list at this stage. Hurley could quite easily turn out to be a 50+ goal a season CHF, and for this reason, selection #6 was a very easy one this year.

 

[Quigley]

Anyone else have concerns about Hill? Notwithstanding the talk of him going very high I have dropped him in my mock because quite simply I don't rate him. Admittedly I haven't seen him as much as others but to me he seems to me like a tagger who doesn't have a physical presence, a runner who doesn't get all that much of the ball and a guy with a big kick but no finesse on the short kicks.

 

[Salaryman]

I wrote this about NN at #2 on another board....

While it is all very well documented that NN has a lot to learn about reading of the play the thing is that he is super-competitive. He will give you 100% for 100 minutes no matter what the score is...a bit like Kreuzer. That is what I ask for in a top 10 pick. Worse-case scenario, even if NN only improves his reading of the play by 10-20%, I am happy taking him at #2 because of said competitiveness.

He has grown to 201cm, has long arms and an elite vertical leap and is going to be very competitive in the ruck. His second and third efforts are evident. Has also shown a bit of form down back for Swan Districts seniors in the WAFL (although he did struggle in one game, IIRC against WC listed Wilson) and shown he can go forward and be a target in the champs.

Power athlete who is super competitive and I have already seen him monster men in the WAFL at his tender age. Relatively new to the game and anything you will get development-wise in the future is big icing on the cake. Could be something out of the box, and when you get a chance to add his type to your list you don't pass it up.

Just some of my rationale.

 

[LukeHodge15]

Watched him again today in 2 games. His speed is outa this world. Puts the foot down and just runs away from the opposition like they standing still. I love his kicking technique and once he gets to the AFL, they will be able to refine it into a great kick IMO. No way he getting outa the top 10 for mine Quigs.

 

[LukeHodge15]

My major positive with NitNat is in a couple of years whoever drafts him will be starting 4 midielders at the centre bounces compared to the oppositions 3. His groundwork-workrate-TACKLING-2nd-3rd Efforts are that good.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Anyone else have concerns about Hill? Notwithstanding the talk of him going very high I have dropped him in my mock because quite simply I don't rate him. Admittedly I haven't seen him as much as others but to me he seems to me like a tagger who doesn't have a physical presence, a runner who doesn't get all that much of the ball and a guy with a big kick but no finesse on the short kicks.

Personally, I rate Hill higher than I do Blease.

Hill is quick, agile and has a good leap. He is a smart football player that is a TEAM player, he can do a number of different roles. There is nothing wrong with Hill being selected at pick 12.

The only problem I noticed with Hill in the local league was his lack of bulk, this made him a little nervous at times. I think he needs 2 or 3 preseasons on an AFL list and then watch out.

 

[Quigley]

With NN something that really sticks in my memory was when he was playing up forward against Hurley at the Champs. Hurley really had no answer for him and if NN knew the hell what he was doing he would have torn him a new one.

 

[LemmingMaster]

With NN something that really sticks in my memory was when he was playing up forward against Hurley at the Champs. Hurley really had no answer for him and if NN knew the hell what he was doing he would have torn him a new one.

That is the only question mark with regards to NN, his football smarts. He will never be a super natural like some other players, but there is no amount of training that can give you his height, speed, aggression and leap.

He is very down to earth and just wants to learn. The added bonus (not that you needed one) he will be a CULT figure, the amount of merchandise this guy will sell, he will pay his salary ten times over in the first few years.

 

[Salaryman]

With NN something that really sticks in my memory was when he was playing up forward against Hurley at the Champs. Hurley really had no answer for him and if NN knew the hell what he was doing he would have torn him a new one.

He pushed off him a couple of times and turned him pretty easily, but we are talking about NN here who is an even better ahtlete than Buddy for his size, so I suspect he would do that to most AFL listed FB's too.

 

[jgb99]

Quigley, Hill's boom or bust IMO -the upside is Peter Matera (outside high teen-low 20 possession getter, but can murder you when he gets the footy ... long ball carries, long sailing kicks inside 50), though he needs at least 10 kilos of weight on him before I'd even think of throwing him in at AFL ... men in the WAFL just toss him aside so easily in the body on body contests.

 

[Silvagnis]

Quigley, Hill's boom or bust IMO -the upside is Peter Matera (outside high teen-low 20 possession getter, but can murder you when he gets the footy ... long ball carries, long sailing kicks inside 50), though he needs at least 10 kilos of weight on him before I'd even think of throwing him in at AFL ... men in the WAFL just toss him aside so easily in the body on body contests.

Hill looks like a young colt that would be snapped up for a million dollars and penciled in as a Melbourne Cup winner.

Wish Carlton had another top ten pick.