Opinion 2012 draft thread.

[inyourcool]

GWS would be asking for trouble if they dont get him in their top 3. He is open to all clubs.
They should be thankful that he will be available to them at little cost. If they are smart they will use pick 3

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

What makes you say that? There's a few other clubs, including Carlton, who I think would consider him come their pick.

I don't think any other club, could realistically afford his asking price. $1.1 Million.

Besides, Malthouse has already ruled out any recruiting of Tippett for us.

 

[Omega Blue]

Doubt that he'd get past the Power.

1. GWS - Whitfield
2. GWS - Toumpas
3. GWS - O'Rourke
4. MELB - Wines
5. DOGS - Plowman
6. DOGS - Macrae
7. POWER - Grundy
8. LIONS - Mayes
9. TIGERS - Vlastuin
10. DONS – Daniher
11. BLUES - Kennedy
12. GWS - Menzel*
13. SUNS - Stringer*

*Injuries

thats a real good looking top 13 theres a couple in there you can almost definately lock in.
Macrae to the dogs looks good too, a good outside mid to complement there upcomming inside mids.

i personally would be thriled with either of 11,12,13

 

[bluejones]

I don't think any other club, could realistically afford his asking price. $1.1 Million.

Besides, Malthouse has already ruled out any recruiting of Tippett for us.

Has Tippett & his management even indicated which draft he will be nominating for?

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Has Tippett & his management even indicated which draft he will be nominating for?

Not that I've heard?

But regardless, it's a two-horse race.

 

[Silvagnis]

thats a real good looking top 13 theres a couple in there you can almost definately lock in.
Macrae to the dogs looks good too, a good outside mid to complement there upcomming inside mids.

i personally would be thriled with either of 11,12,13

I wouldn't be shocked to see Mayes get through, but Brisbane haven't shied away from picking SA players in Redden and Polec. Hard to see O'Rourke getting past Brisbane with Black certain to retire next year.

Wonder if Richmond will want to add some skill and pace by looking at an outside mid/small forward such as Kennedy or Garlett. Their small forwards aren't that great. Foley, Newman and Tuck turn 28, 30 and 31 next year, so they might even look at a hard mid or a player who can run and carry. Mayes could give them a good half forward/mid with more skill than Grigg and Jackson possess.

 

[Silvagnis]

Not that I've heard?

But regardless, it's a two-horse race.

It will be criminal if the AFL plays dumb to allow Sydney to get Tippett and a first round pick.

It's bad enough that they'll probably light the way for the Giants to get him after they wasted millions on Folau.

Scum.

 

[Sector 7G]

I wouldn't be shocked to see Mayes get through, but Brisbane haven't shied away from picking SA players in Redden and Polec. Hard to see O'Rourke getting past Brisbane with Black certain to retire next year.

After Jacobs walking out at the first chance he got, I think Port will go local and pick Mayes if he is still available.

 

[Silvagnis]

I would be rapt if they took Menzel. They took the risk on Hamish Hartlett who also has bad ligaments like his big brother.

 

[Sector 7G]

I would be rapt if they took Menzel. They took the risk on Hamish Hartlett who also has bad ligaments like his big brother.

Could be a possibility after they run their drafting strategy past Emma Q.

 

[Dramoth]

I still like Marcon.

We can have 39 on the senior list and draft two rookies.

and play Bell as the nominated rookie all year

 

[Aphrodite]

Unless the AFL have everything at hand to hit Melbourne now, then The Dees will be in this draft and pick #4 stands.

The timeline may just not fit, for the AFL to impose any penalties for this year at least

Didn't stop them imposing the "mother" of all penalties on us on the eve of the 2002 Draft.

 

[Aphrodite]

Is that right? I've clearly cleansed my mind of all those goings on back then.

Wasn't it all just a bad dream...........................a bad dream..............................a bad dream...........................

Probably took them less than 5 minutes to make a decision on our penalties.

Wish it was a bad dream Harks.

 

[King of Ruin]

Is that right? I've clearly cleansed my mind of all those goings on back then.

Wasn't it all just a bad dream...........................a bad dream..............................a bad dream...........................

All the booze consumed over the years may just of helped out.

 

[Silvagnis]

18 days to the draft is just too long. Too many phantom drafts and highlights packages to get through. My reaction to every deceiving highlights package is similar to Homer's response to the drinking bird.

"Kennedy is the greatest player in the world!

It would be great to have another gun midfielder wearing the number two guernsey.

O'Rourke for Sin.

 

[zeeCFC]

The bad news for us is that GWS aren't dominating the first round like last year and other sides are looking for midfield stocks too.

Toby Greene was pick 11 last year. I'd die of happiness if our pick 11 turned out to play like him. He was the 5th best midfielder last year.

I can only see Grundy being a lock to go top 10 aside from midfielders. Plowman or Menzel would be interesting prospects if they slid to us. Plowman could turn out to be a better Jordan Murdoch*

*sorry Agro (thanks RK), if you're reading this..

 

[Omega Blue]

I'm on the Kennedy bandwagon aswell, he could be a ripper

 

[Silvagnis]

The bad news for us is that GWS aren't dominating the first round like last year and other sides are looking for midfield stocks too.

Toby Greene was pick 11 last year. I'd die of happiness if our pick 11 turned out to play like him. He was the 5th best midfielder last year.

I can only see Grundy being a lock to go top 10 aside from midfielders. Plowman or Menzel would be interesting prospects if they slid to us. Plowman could turn out to be a better Jordan Murdoch*

*sorry grrofunger, if you're reading this..

Agro?

Don't know what to make of Plowman if he slides to 11. I guess he could give us more Jamison insurance. I just want a mid who can play inside and outside like Murphy.

I'd be a bit nervous about players with the injury history of Menzel and Stringer. Yet a dangerous medium forward/mid like these two plus Mayes could slot in nicely.

I could see Kennedy coming in and taking Armfield's spot in the next year or two. We might to have wait a year for him to get match fit like Christensen and Yarran. Don't know if he has the motor of Lucas who was a player in 2010. Or Garlett who was a better runner than Yarran in 2009.

Plowman could be your Jordan Lockyer for 2012.

 

[Buzz/Sticks/bryce]

174cm. Need to be very, very special to make it at his height. Is he?

 

[zeeCFC]

If Stringer is gone I'd take Menzel before anyone else. I'd still take Vlastuin over Kennedy.

I sort of hope we pass on Garlett or the decision is taken away from us by Brisbane.

 

[zeeCFC]

Agro?

That's him!

Plowman could be your Jordan Lockyer for 2012.

...don't remind me

 

[Silvagnis]

174cm. Need to be very, very special to make it at his height. Is he?

Ben Kennedy

Height: 174cm
Weight: 74kg
DOB: 03/03/1994
Club: Glenelg (SA)

For Gold Coast’s first pick, and probably only pick I think, I decided to pick up Ben Kennedy. I rate him very highly, he is a super talent and would probably go higher if he wasn’t so short. In the future I see him playing up forward and rotating through the midfield, similar to what Brent Harvey plays like. I think that he will fit in well at the Gold Coast playing up forward as a small crumbing player whilst also pushing up the ground and having stints in the middle. This should suit Gold Coast as no player here has anywhere near the talent of their starting midfield (Ablett, Bennell, Swallow and O’Meara) so they could use someone who has the ability to make an impact in other places and then rotate through the midfield. Still this is a best available pick.

Kennedy’s form this year has been inconsistent but mainly pretty good. His champs this year were excellent he averaged 26 disposals, kicked 9 goals, was efficient with his ball use and showed that he could break games open. In 2011 he showed how much potential he had playing as a small forward, this year he took his development to the next level and showed that he has the ability to dominate as a mid and go forward and kick goals. His form at SANFL level, and even reserves/U18 has been pretty average and I would have expected better. He has had groin injuries (OP maybe), and he does look a little slower this year compared to last year, but this shouldn’t be an issue. I have heard rumours he doesn’t want to leave Adelaide, but as I don’t get to interview him I don’t know if they are true so this is rating is purely on talent and how he will translate to AFL.

As for what his strengths are:

- Athleticism – looks to have elite pace and agility, uses regularly to get in and out of trouble very easily, can break lines and regularly does this taking bounces. He also has a great vertical leap which helps him in the marking contest (puts him back to normal)
- Outside ball winning ability – he is a very well rounded player, he can find the ball well on the outside, he wins one on one contests well, breaks the lines, his spread is great and he runs hard. I think his endurance is pretty good but has room for improvement.
- Footy smarts – just a natural player, knows where to run how to get it, finds the ball easily just plays smart. He finds space easily in the forward line which imo is the sign of a good player.
- Ability as a small forward – He shows a ton of potential as a small forward he can mark the ball well overhead, has a good leap and uses his body well. Also great at crumbing the ball of packs, can kick the freak goal and really lift a team with a great 5 minute burst. He is one of the best goal kicking mids in this years draft who can have a real impact forward.
- Excitement machine – He can really spark a team, runs round players, takes the game on like few in this years draft and does it well, has that touch of arrogance about him that just makes him look like a good player.
- Disposal – Ben has a great left foot kick, good distance, penetration, kicks it flat and hard, good decision maker but can blaze away and could do with lowering his eyes. Still it is normal to see him pick the ball up take a couple of bounces then deliver a lace out pass to a forward. He also has good hands round the contests and can give a quick handball.
- Very clean – I rarely have seen him fumble, picks the ball up well at pace and has quick hands.

Question Marks:
- Height – biggest issue (excuse the pun), he is very small at 174cm, so may struggle against the bigger bodies, but this is not that bigger of an issue for mine as he is reasonably strong over the ball and quite nuggetty. Still it will impact on his draft ranking.
- Defensive pressure/tackling – needs to improve this area of the game, capable of chasing and tackling but doesn’t do it enough or consistently. This will improve in the AFL imo.
- Inside ball work – not really a question mark at U18 level but may be at AFL level, he is a good clearance winner and just seems to win contests, great at extracting the ball and then just breaking free of congestion with speed and agility, may struggle in the AFL due to his body size. Still definitely has the potential to be a reasonable inside ball winner, but that’s not what you want him to do imo.
- Form/Injuries this year – has struggled at SANFL level a bit, is this due to bigger bodies and a reflection of how he will end up at AFL level.

All up Ben Kennedy is a super talented prospect who has a few deficiencies in his game that can be fixed. Comparisons to Brent Harvey and Luke Dahlhaus are apt. He can really give a team a lift and should be an important part of the Gold Coast team as a small forward who pushes up the ground.

 

[Silvagnis]

174cm. Need to be very, very special to make it at his height. Is he?

 

[true blue19]

If we pass on Kennedy ( unless someone slides like Grundy ) I'm going to lose my sh!t. I think Kennedy could come in from round 1 and have the same impact as murphy did in his first season before he hurt his shoulder. The will be a superstar

 

[Blue and Silver]

Trying to imagine a situation where we get Sam Mayes:

1. Whitfield
2. Toumpas
3. Grundy
4. Wines
5. Stringer
6. Plowman
7. Menzel
8. Jaksch
9. O'Rourke
10. Daniher
11. Mayes