BigFooty Official 2015 Big Footy Phantom Draft

[Snoop Dog]

That time of year again when we get some of the best Big Footy junior footy watchers together for the annual Phantom Draft. As always please be supportive / constructive. Some important notes;

- Have updated the order given the bids for Academy and F/S selections
- Have worked out clubs national draft selections based on Fridays first lodgement data
- Have assumed all senior list sizes will be the maximum (I know some clubs won't take 40 into next year)
- Players not bid on in the National Draft can be listed as rookies by their nominating club (e.g. Wagner, Silvagni, Lovett, Flynn, Cornell, McPherson) or add to senior list if they would like to.
- All DFA prospects can be taken
- Have inserted the rookie upgrades

Please make sure you include a bio on the player when you make the selection. Thats what people want to read and lets see if someone can't write a bigger one than Quigley this year

I will add the Rookie Draft order tomorrow.

Kick off tomorrow morning.....have fun.

Participants

Adelaide Skippos
Brisbane Quigley
Carlton LemmingMaster
Collingwood Knightmare
Essendon foj1
Fremantle Chris25
Geelong swannies
GWS Giants snoopdog
Gold Coast Suns Offsider
Hawthorn Jack Package
Melbourne Snoop Dog
North Melbourne beowulf
Port Adelaide Gee Dub
Richmond Bishop
St Kilda Rahul
Sydney Swans Thunderstruck
West Coast Eagles Monocle
Western Bulldogs Wizard17


Draft Order

# 1 Carlton - Jacob Weitering - 23/11/1997 - 194.9cm 94kg - CARLTON

Come draft night I personal think there are two top picks and then a little daylight to the next batch. (Well at least those not tied to academy picks). Weitering may not end up the best player from his draft class but his bust potential is the lowest of all players. Carlton are going to hope that this guy will control the backline for the next 10+ years. Weitering does not have a lot of negatives to his game but when/if he plays forward his leading patterns are not amazing and he often feels like a one lead player and relies on his ability in the air. I would also like to see some more aggression and be strong in his tackling. Weitering is a tall defender that is one of the best marks in the draft. His decision making ability is elite, kicking has a great combination of penetration and accuracy.
Carlton is going to need players that will set a fine example on and off the field for years to come. Weitering won the Ben Mitchell medal and has captain potential written all over him. At worst he will help captain the defensive unit at AFL level.At AFL level I think you could look at someone like Harry Taylor with maybe a touch less speed in his legs at the moment. Dear Carlton fans, I have a feeling I may select players with my next two picks that you may not like, so please just enjoy this pick and learn to meditate.

# 2 Brisbane Lions - Josh Schache

Schache is a big powerful full forward who has developed really nicely this year and dominated regularly throughout the year. He kicked the most ever goals at the Champs this year and won the Larke Medal for the best Div 1 player but he is by no means a certainty to succeed at the next level.


The big issue for him is his pace and an inability to get separation on the lead even at junior level. When he is matched up on the bigger and quicker AFL level defenders chances are that he is going to struggle, at least early in his career, when he does not enjoy the physical advantages he had over his junior opponents. Schache is a 3.2+ 20m runner and is not an endurance machine. He has reasonable agility for a guy his size but he lacks the burst to get away from a defender. He is smart enough to get a step or two but that is going to get closed down quickly at AFL level. He is going to need to rely on his big body and strength to be effective. There is every chance he will be able to do so but he is by no means a certainty to be a dominating force.


The pace issue is obviously a major concern but apart from that there is a lot to like about Schache. He is a very tall, powerfully built, true full forward type. When he gets on the lead he is strong and is not easily moved off his line. He has very good hands above his head (probably not quite elite but close) and he takes a nice contested mark, watching the ball into the hands very well. Below his knees he is clean and shows reasonable awareness for a big guy when shovelling it out. At AFL level I expect a lot of the better defenders to play in front of him and back themselves to read the ball better coming in. Schache takes a little while to pick up the flight of a ball and a good defender is going to beat him to the spot pretty regularly. Francis showed how this could be done when they matched up at the Champs.


He might be the best KPF kick for goal to come through in recent years. He is a left footer with an easy, uncomplicated set shot style that goes through the big sticks much more often than not. I have also been very impressed with his field kicking especially delivering it into 50. He has good hurt factor on his field kicks and tends to take good options.


Defensively, Schache is a bit of a bludger and he is very prone to having his man run off him. He lets his man go too easily and does not really work to impact defensively. What he does do though is get to dangerous spots and if there is a turnover he is in a position to impact the scoreboard. There is going to be more expected of him at AFL level but the smarts he shows in these situations will also stand him in good stead if he can get onto a team who can generate turnovers out of its forwards and mids.


Schache rucked a fair bit at junior level but I suggest he needs to improve quite a bit to do that at AFL level. In the ruck contest itself he often looks like he has no idea what he is doing. He has the height and strength to compete but he does not really use it effectively in the ruck. When the ball hits the ground he is better and around the ground he can be an effective option.


Overall I like Schache but I think he is going to take 2 or 3 years to work things out and develop his game to be effective at AFL level. Supporters are going to be frustrated with him early but I think he gets there. I struggle to see him being a Coleman contender but he will be a dangerous target who will help a team’s structure a great deal. As far as player comparisons go he reminds me most of the Rocca boys and I could see him having a career like those two.

# 3 Melbourne - Darcy Parish (Geelong Falcons / 181cm / 74kg)

Terrific player who have seen plenty of. Probably not as big as you want your midfielders these days but he ticks nearly every box. Very clever player around the stoppages who can win it and create space through the congestion to get away and clear the ball. Actually has real bounce about him and would think he would be a hard player to track and stay on top of as he is always on the move. As a bottom ager I thought he was a bit outside but he was a terrific ball winner this year and has really rounded him out. His ball skills are very good (averages circa 70% DE) and he is particularly good at using lateral kicks to create the play and set team mates up. His vision is elite and his spacial awareness very good to. Just doesn't really get flustered. From a defensive aspect notwithstanding the frame he loves to tackle and whilst an average 2-3 at champs / TAC he isn't averse to it but it is an area he could do some more work on to try and get that up around 5+ per game. Always love to watch how these kids go vs men and really rated his performance for the Academy side vs Blues and Werribee. He was hard at it and really competitive and I think the game vs the Blues was particularly good. Only knock is he didn't test that well at the combine which i was surprised by because when you watch him that is not the sense you get. Not sure where he will start at AFL level. He has shown he is very good off a HB flank, demonstrated this year he is a very good all round midfielder and has pushed forward as well to kick goals. He has a very light frame though and he won't be pushed to the middle to quickly I would have thought and with mids like Jones, Petracca, Brayshaw, Tyson and Viney they can afford to protect him a bit. With Salem & Bugg off HB wouldn't mind betting he starts as a HF flanker.

# 4 Swans - Callum Mills (Academy Selection Bid from Essendon)

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/2015-big-footy-phantom-draft.1116711/page-10

# 5 Essendon - Aaron Francis- 191cm 86kg West Adelaide

The easiest selection of the draft for mine. Only Jacob Weitering could be described as a better natural footballer.
Strengths - Aaron understands the game and has a high footy IQ. He is an extremely talented intercept mark playing as the third tall in defence. He shows courage and will leave his opponent to provide coverage for team mates. Aaron is a superb kick with terrific vision and decision making ability.I like that Aaron can kick 55 metres and his natural kick is low and quick. Aaron is also proficient on his opposite side. Aaron is clean below his knees.
I reckon Aaron will play round one as a third or fourth backman type. He will get the opportunity to learn his footy in a settled back line of Hurley, Hooker, Hibberd, Baguley and Fantasia.
Francis also has the ability to play forward and kick goals and run limited minutes in the midfield. The player who Aaron most reminds me of is Adam Hunter which I think Woosha would see as well.
Weaknesses
Aaron will need to change his body shape a little and harden up the rig through the torso. I think Francis can improve both his endurance running and agility but he tests ok in both.
Projection
200 game player who should develop into a consistent top line player at the Essendon Football Club

# 6 GWS - Jacob Hopper (Academy Selection Bid from Essendon)

# 7 Essendon - Charlie Curnow- 191cm 96kg Geelong Falcons

Charlie Curnow has all the tools to play football to a very high standard.
Strengths:
Curnow possesses a powerful frame that will allow him to compete at AFL level. Charlie has strong hands which are one grab on most occasions and I think he reads the ball in the air as well as anyone in the draft.
Curnow is an outstanding endurance athlete which belies his physical appearance a little. With the rotations dropping next year I think the ability to have outstanding endurance will become even more highly coveted.
Curnow will begin his career as a forward in the Stringer/Gunston mould and could then develop into a big forward who can go into the middle a little like Jarryd Roughead. Curnow is a good kick without being elite. He has got the capacity to kick long. Lastly Charlie is an extrovert who is very popular amongst his team mates. I think Charlie will settle into an AFL environment easily and enjoy the experience without being over awed.
Weaknesses
Charlie will be an absolute beast after a couple of per seasons in the gym. I think Charlie can become more explosive as he develops greater power in his physique. This in partnership with his endurance capabilities would make him an outstanding athlete.
Projection
I think Charlie can develop into a strong second forward at the Essendon FC A forward line containing Daniher, Langford, Laverde, Edwards, Curnow and McKenna could be pretty exciting moving forward.
Rationale for Selections
Francis was a no brainer. I would be shattered if Essendon over look him.
This selection came down to Weideman, Milera or Curnow.
I quickly eliminated Milera and alternated between Curnow and Weideman.
I just look at hawthorns success and believe you need forwards who have more than one string to their bow which Curnow certainly has.

# 8 Gold Coast - Harley Balic

At the moment Harley is a talented prospect who has a lot of upside. His performances have been good this year and he has really improved this year. You look at some of the good afl players and a lot of them have had draft years where they have really improved. I look at Harley and see a kid who has a ton of improvement left and has the potential to be a very good midfielder. His awareness is excellent, he has time with the ball, good vision and makes good decisions. He is an above average athlete yet not elite and he moves well. The upside is his disposal is improving and he is good above his head. He wins clearances yet not at a great level yet, he is not soft and is strong over the ball. He finds the ball well and his ball use improved. He is not an elite kick, they float a little and he is not proven as a mid so he is a risky pick. He does have the tools to be an A grade player. I was hoping Francis or Parish slid to this pick but alas it was not to be.

# 9 Brisbane Lions - Eric Hipwood (Academy Selection bid from Melbourne)

Hipwood is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft. I personally have no idea where he ends up playing. He has played mostly up forward and done pretty well, even in senior company, but he has not really dominated and kicked a big bag. He is a consistent 2-4 goal forward who will give a contest and clunk a few. Down back is where he has looked closest to dominating and is probably where he starts his career. The left field option, which is the one which might turn out the best, is in the ruck. I have not seen him ruck but his around the ground ability could make him a star at AFL level if he can actually compete decently in the ruck contest. He has the height for it. The question might be whether he can put on enough weight to compete body to body. At the moment he is very thin.

Hopwood measured in at 202cm at the Combine and is a player who plays to his height. On top of his height he has a good leap which he also showed at the combine. For most of his playing career to date he has been a medium tall type and he has retained the agility and playing style of a smaller player. For a ruck sized player he moves fantastically well. He is a fluid mover with good speed and the turning circle of a smaller player. Agility is what often gets the ruck sized defenders into trouble but that should not be a problem for Hipwood.


One of the big things I like about Hipwood and one of the reasons I see him succeeding is his aggressiveness. He is a big kid who loves to get in there and mix it up. He will attack the man and the ball whether it is on the ground or in the air. He loves a ruck contest in his area where he can play as a midfielder and he wins a surprisingly high percentage of clearances in such situations. He is not just making up numbers, he will hit the contest at speed and has nice clean hands. When he collects the ball his junior opponents often don’t really know how to handle him and he gets it away nicely. Hipwood likes to take the game on particularly when playing at the back and he will run on and present as an option going forward.


His kicking is often raised as a concern about Hipwood but for me I think he has the potential to be an elite kick. He has a very relaxed style in his kicking and he is capable of really drilling a pass. At the back he takes very aggressive options and has been prone to turning a few over. He regularly takes kick ins when he is at the back and that is a sign that his coaches trust his kicking ability. I am hoping he is just adjusting to having the ball need to fall further than it used to. Style wise, as mentioned, there is a lot to like but atm things go astray a bit too often. I like the aggressive options he takes even if he misses a few targets atm. He has a take-the-game-on attitude that appeals to me a lot. At the forward end he is an accurate shot for goal and will convert a good percentage of his chances.


Interestingly Hipwood appears to be a superior mark when playing down back but merely average when up forward. Down back he will play a read and react role and back himself to read the ball better and then outmark the forward. In the games I have seen he is very rarely beaten in the air when in defence. His ability to read the ball in the air is great and with his height and jumping ability he is justifiably very confident in his belief that he will be the one to come away with the ball. He often plays loose and this is a role that he does very well. Down back he likes a mark but makes good decisions about when to mark and when to spoil. Up forward he will clunk a few and competes hard but he is not the dominating presence he is down back. He goes up strongly for the ball and held his own strength-wise against junior opponents. In senior company he is going to struggle for a few years whilst he builds body strength. He needs to put on a lot of bulk to be truly effective at AFL level.


Hipwood likes to be involved going forward and is a good marking and running option coming out of defence. He runs hard to present and he genuinely seems to love that aspect of the game more than others. I have heard him compared to Fletcher in body shape and the way he plays and there is some merit in that. When I saw him play, the player I thought he reminded me of in defence was Josh Gibson. Up forward he reminded me of Joe Daniher with his size and his impact up forward. Daniher was certainly the better junior forward but in senior company he has looked dangerous without dominating and this is what I have seen from Hipwood this year. He contests and will pick up his 2 or 3 goals a game but he has not torn anyone apart with a big bag. He picked up 4 in a quarter against Tassie at the Champs but did not pick any in the second half (somewhat unluckily admittedly).


Hipwood is a real presence on the field and is someone who could be a crucial element of whichever unit he plays on. There is a fair bit of risk of him busting but on the other side of the equation he probably has as high a ceiling as anyone in this draft.

# 10 Melbourne - Sam Weideman (Eastern Ranges / 196cm / 91kg)

Terrific young prospect who we just didn't get to see enough of this year but the little we did was super impressive at times.He also showed us a fair bit last year as a bottom ager and suspect had Gary Pert trying to get grandsons included in the F/S rules. Presents as the best tall forward in this draft albeit Harry McKay pretty close for mine. Sam is a natural forward unlike guys like Boyd etc who have been drafted high in previous years. I think coaches really value key forwards that haven't got their success camped in the goal square clunking marks but rather kids who understand how, when and where to lead. He has real speed and many will find it hard to close space on him once he is ahead of them. Once he has the space ahead of him he will use his long arms and good hands to clunk them and his finishing is generally pretty good albeit has scope for some improvement. The knock I have on him is his consistency but that happens a lot with young talls and his kicking at times is a bit erratic. Loads of potential for mine.

Next best kid for mine is Clayton Oliver which would have taken if Melbourne needed another mid but they need a tall forward and hence only other consideration was Harry McKay who was bloody close.

# 11 Carlton - Wayne Milera 14/09/1997 - 183.4 am 77.6kg

Medium forward/midfielder that would be one of the most skillful players in the draft. His decision making ability by hand or foot is top notch and he is deadly around goals. I watched him play against WA and was insanely dangerous around goals. Very strong overhead and strong at ground level, very hard match up for any small defender. Is not scared of a contest and provides nice forward line pressure.
Was questioned about his ability to move into the midfield and manage to show that at senior SANFL level which is a great sign. Helped carry his team into the finals and win a few games.
Always a good sign to finish the year strongly.

# 12 GWS - Matt Kennedy (Academy Selection bid from Adelaide)

# 13 Adelaide - Rhys Mathieson (185 cm, 79 kg inside midfielder)

At some parts of the year, Mathieson has been considered an elite prospect. At others, he's slid. The public's perception of him is like a yo-yo. And I don't really know why, because there's nothing speculative about his game. Rhys is the same player he was a year ago. We knew what he was before the season even started; he's the definition of a known quantity. I rate him the fifth best player in the open draft, so for him to be there at nine, well, it was always happening. With twelve coming up later, I'd decided I was taking a key forward and a best available, unsure of the order. I could have taken McKay here, but I felt like Mathieson > McKay by more than the best available would > Burton at twelve.

As a player, Mathieson is reliable. He wins his own ball, cracks in hard, sees the angles inside, has good awareness, consolidates the won ball, finding an outside runner well. You know what you'll get - a contested beast. He's strong, he's fearless. He can find out outside but he's not lethal. His ball use is okay without being offensive or a liability. He's not athletic but not an absolute plodder. Needs to work on his fitness though. Really, I can see him being an excellent inside mid - Brad Sewell type would be a 'mid point' with a Selwood being his ceiling. Two years of TAC dominance - you know what you'll get.

# 14 Carlton - Harry McKay 24/12/1997 - 200.1cm 94.5kg

He is going to be a long term project and with Chol, I've taken two semi ruck/forward players. I love the way he presents on a lead with the ability to mark at full pace. Lovely left footer and his testing results looked worse than he plays and his game speed and agility look stronger for a player his size. Very strong below his knees for a 200cm player and I see him playing more forward than ruck.

# 15 Richmond - Clayton Oliver

Morrish Medalist Clayton Oliver is off to Richmond with Pick 15 in the 2015 Big Footy Phantom Draft.

Oliver is a contested hard nut playing as an inside midfielder for the Murray Bushrangers. Oliver was picked in the original Vic Country squad of 52 before the U18 Championships- However Oliver missed the final squad applying his trade instead at Richmond VFL & TAC Cup level.

Oliver is an aggressive midfielder who propels the ball forward with his long boot. He averaged 24 disposals, just over 6 clearances & 14 contested possessions per game. Throughout the TAC Cup season, he also kicked 20 goals in 16 games for the season. Oliver is a stoppage king and is one of the better inside midfielders in the draft. A strength of Oliver is his handballing in stoppages which allows for him to clear the ball from the contest helping his team move forward. Oliver also averaged 6 tackles a game for Murray & is a fierce competitor playing on the inside. His aggressive approach can sometimes cost him when he goes in too hard, tackling opposition players high resulting in some free kicks against- However his tackling in the final for Murray single handedly nearly got them over the line against Oakleigh.

Oliver screams out 'Pick me' after his impressive year- The fact that nobody picked him in the last Big Footy Phantom shows how quickly he has developed and come on as a prospect. There is a big chance that Oliver makes into the Top 10 on draft night with Essendon, Melbourne & Gold Coast all interested.

Oliver hardly completed a preseason for Murray and had been injured earlier in the year with OP. A few question marks have appeared on Oliver's endurance/body size, but I believe all Oliver needs is a few preseasons under his belt to develop in an AFL environment & is a player I firmly believe could be one of the better from the 2015 draft crop after his rapid development since April.

# 16 Adelaide - Ryan Burton (191 cm, 90 kg general forward)

Burton has a lot of risk - but that's all injury related. His game is safe. Having broken his leg mid last year, he hasn't played organised football for 15 months. Having broken his leg just below the knee, it's a devastating injury with a long rehabilitation and chances of never reaching the same athletic peak. But Burton is worth the punt. He ran 3.09 20 metre despite the lack of conditioning. Jake Lever ran one close to 3.30 in a similar situation. I suspect Burton's a bit nippier than that when he's fit. He's got a good leap, a very long leg and is a great user of the ball. Inside 50 his leading patterns are superb - he knows where to lead to and times it well. His hands are strong and he's usually a one grab player who takes it at the highest point. He's yet to develop a contested marking game but with the weight he's put on post-injury, it's possible he develops one. Long term I suspect he becomes a third tall who can play as a second tall, and a reliable 40-50 goal a season option. There are parts of Gunston and Darling in there. I don't buy the 'Fyfe-esque' midfield potential hype, however.

# 17 St Kilda - Ryan Clarke

# 18 Hawthorn - Mitchell Hibberd

Think it's a pretty obvious Hawthorn selection, especially with how high I rate him so I'm not going to overthink it here. We've seen how good he is when he's allowed play off half back in that Tassie sweeper role that they love but if I'm drafting him I'm doing it with a mind for developing him more in the middle. Yeah it's obviously great for him to have that dual position string to the bow with the way the game is currently played but I think he's got all the attributes to become one of those bigger midfielders that everyone's in love with.

He's got that height and frame, a really strong endurance base and really good top end speed which he likes to use in games, and then obviously the very good footskills and vision to go with it. With tassie he hasn't really played a lot inside the contest because they like to have the ball in his hands with space to use it, but I'd take an educated punt on him being able to develop a more well rounded midfield game if he's developed that way. Injury issues could impact where he actually goes but without knowing how his medicals went this pick is all about ability, also not too concerned about him being over aged, he's only 2 months older than someone like Mathieson.

Reckon Hibberd is a pretty safe pick for anyone who gets him, at worst you get a really safe ball user who can hit you targets going forward and at best you potentially get a 190cm midfielder with a nice mix of outside/inside that still has that raking left foot kick.

# 19 Gold Coast - Callum Ah Chee

Next up for Gold Coast I select a medium forward. Callum has as much upside as anyone in this years draft. Gold Coast have a hole in their forward line. They lack small goal scoring threats with now only Matera and Martin small or medium forwards. Ah Chee is a natural goal scorer, be it leading at the ball, crumbling a pack or even taking a huge mark he knows where the sticks are. He is very fast, agile and has elite speed. Sure there are huge outs whether he will be a midfielder and over his application but he has talent. When you look at his talent you wonder what is wrong and the truth is he struggles to find a lot of the ball, he can be inconsistent ad his defensive pressure fluctuates. Still if he puts it all together he could kick close to 50 goals a year. He is worth the risk I of as he has a lot of excellent qualities and plays well in better company.

# 20 North - Luke Partington

I rate Partington, especially with his excellent display for SA at the Carnival. Any team would be very happy to boost their midfield with a guy of his class.
I went for Partington because North's midfield tend to be a bit one paced. They have a number of strong mids who can get a clearance of two, but not a lot of dash around the packs. Partington provides dash and he has played against men in the SANFL and more than held his won. His kicking is good and his decision making is excellent.
I was tempted to go for Daniel Rioli: that may have appeared to be a little overenthusiastic, but North need pace and he also has it is spades. But I decided they needed their run in the midfield more.

# 21 Brisbane Lions - Ben Keays (Academy Selection (Bid from Hawthorn)

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 22 Hawthorn - Kieran Collins

Purely a best available selection but the Hawks interest in Carlisle and Lake's retirement makes this a good match in any event.
Collins is an interesting one, despite the fact he looks about 25 already I reckon he's still got physical development left in him (very late December birthday too), he's just got a ridiculously wide and thick torso that I think he'll continue to grow into as he gets into a gym program. Think Hurley or Hawkins as a finished product physically. As far as game goes he's defensively very sound, and makes up for not being overly fast by putting himself in the right spots to spoil and chop off kicks by anticipating the angles and by just generally being very sticky. Despite that he does have a bit of a rebound game too that comes from his ability to read the ball in the air and take a nice intercept mark more than running off his man to create like a Fletcher or Rance do. When he gets it he generally uses it well enough too, he's not a transcendent kick by any means but he generally retains the ball with a safe option, which could just be him knowing his own limitations and sticking to them.Think the only potential issues with Collins are his speed off the mark and his now less than ideal key position size (although 193 with the potential to add a bit more isn't exactly undersized), but despite that he's clearly the 2nd best key defender in this class and probably still the 3rd best out of the last 3 draft classes and he definitely presents value anywhere in the teens and definitely the early 20s this year and i'm wrapped to get him here. I'm always a big wrap for the old school dour full backs and that's what Collins is, with a good mix of modern tools thrown in.

# 23 Carlton - Jade Gresham

Once I decided to select McKay instead of Oliver, it was highly likely I planned to pick a midfielder with my 23rd pick. I really wanted Clarke to drift to this pick and was hopeful as he had not received a heap of love. Still Gresham is a great option and when you have a big bodied midfield with the likes of Cripps you can afford to select a player like Gresham.
Gresham has no troubles finding the ball and averaged close to 30 possessions for the Knights. I also have faith that he may start his football in the same way Touk Miller did at the GCS (Miller was another personal favourite of mine from last year)
When you're small you have to have some elite attributes that scream pick me and Gresham can

• Find the ball
• Accurate kick
• Great hands
• Strong tackling
• Great endurance
• Not slow

Obviously when you have plenty of ticks, you have one big question mark and that is his height of 178cm, still he has enough AFL qualities that will cover his height issues.

# 24 Western Bulldogs - Ben McKay

# 25 Western Bulldogs - Riley Bonner

# 26 Fremantle - Greg Clark

First off, no this isn't a need at all for Fremantle. But there was really only one key position player still on the board that I would genuinely consider at this pick. Perhaps it's time for Fremantle to start reaching on those types of players, but I'm sticking true to Fremantle's recent recruiting form. Hopefully it payoffs when my next pick comes around...

So the obvious thing that sticks out about Greg Clark is his size - a 193cm midfielder. Everyone talks about the likes of Curnow and Francis and whether they can become midfielders, but this guy already is a midfielder. And taller than both of them. While we're talking about measurables, it certainly looks as though Clark has the frame to support another 5-10kg. A couple of preseasons and he should be in excellent shape and a scary midfield prospect.

As a player, Clark at the moment tends to lean more towards being an outside midfielder. His best games this season came in that sort of role. He can create mismatches with smaller players, and has elite endurance so can burn off a taller opponent too. He also offers real versatility. In the U18 Championships alone, Clark played as an outside midfielder, inside midfielder, lead up half forward and that sort of roaming general across half back. But long term, you'd need to be developing his inside game and playing him there. He played a few games in the middle for WA this year and while he didn't dominate, he certainly showed some nice glimpses. What I like is that his clearances this year were from his footballing smarts and body positioning, he doesn't have the out and out strength to just bulldoze his way through. And that's always a positive to me.

Just in terms of his football alone, his greatest strength to me is just his smarts. He reads the play well, positions himself nicely and seems to make things happen. His biggest downside however is probably his kicking, sometimes he doesn't have the boot that matches his vision. He knows the kick to make, but he doesn't always have the power and gets a bit too much loop on his kicks. His handballing though is very good, particularly in traffic.

What does he offer Fremantle? Well, it's just a best available selection and a really high character guy. The combination of Clark and Blakely will hopefully be the Mundy/Barlow in 5 years time, and Clark would be a guy who could rotate through allowing the likes of Fyfe and Bennell to spend more time forward.

Don't want to read all that? Long story short, Clark is a tall midfielder with top line endurance and vision. Still developing inside, needs to put on some more muscle and tighten up his kicking. I see him as a reasonably safe draft prospect, Michael Barlow may end up being the best comparison for him.

# 27 West Coast - Josh Dunkley

# 28 Essendon - Bailey Rice (St Kilda F/S Selection successfully bid by Essendon)

I really rate Bailey Rice and he plays in a position where we are deficient.
Mark Baguley is a stopper with little offensive threat, Orazio Fantasia may be played as a Johansen style half back and Martin Gleeson must have questions about his ability to be physical enough for AFL footy. Some of his physical efforts could be described as pathetic. None of these players are elite kicks.

Strengths
Bailey Rice is a terrific kick of the footy. He kicks the footy long, low and hard and I can see him launching attacks from half back with precision and vision. Francis and Rice from the back half would improve our half back launching pad immeasurably.
Rice is a nice size for an AFL small defender and I think will fill out nicely as he has a broad frame.
Rice is good in the air for his size and he is quick enough to play on small forwards.
I like Rice's tackling and defensive pressure acts.
Rice has shown some promise as a high half forward.

Weaknesses
Rice is unproven as a midfielder however I forecast that he can develop into a strong kicking, Lindsay Gilbee style half back.
Can Rice win enough footy at AFL level

Rationale
A ballsy move nominating Rice here would St Kilda or Carlton match him here? I think so. When I look at who is left on the board I do not believe the Saints would be paying too high a price especially with the discount they get on Rice which I believe is about 20% which would make Rice's value at about 33 by my rough calculations.

# 29 Essendon - Darcy Tucker

# 30 North Melbourne - Daniel Rioli

I really like Rioli. He has real pace and football smarts. I am taking something of a risk here, but North have an aging Thomas and not a lot else as far as small forwards go. Rioli would add real pace and x-factor to an aging forward line.
Rioli is in many ways a typical indigenous small forward; he has lots of pace, he can do the improbable, he doesn't tend to pick up his man but he does hunt and chase and tackle and he can mark better than would be expected of a guy his size and weight. he played for North Ballarat and was good, but not outstanding. He played quite well at the Carnival, showing some magic. But he shone out at the Draft Camp with his elite pace.
There are certainly areas of his game he needs to improve; consistency and endurance come to mind very easily. But he has something that few teams have; a mercurial guy who can make goals out of nothing.

In the Practice Draft I went for Kieran Lovell and I am seriously tempted by him. But I saw a need and decided to address it.

# 31 GWS - Harrison Himmelberg (GWS Academy Selection bid from Collingwood)

# 32 Collingwood - Kieran Lovell (TAS – MID)

Lovell is a high production, extremely athletic small midfielder with rare agility and excellent pace and endurance. Lovell will regularly burst out of traffic and run around guys easily as if they’re stationary and look to take on the game with his pace. Lovell finds high disposal numbers through the midfield and has a nice balance between contested and uncontested ball winning numbers, with his contested ball winning numbers particularly excellent, with his strong body for his age helping with this. Lovell as a ball user is generally clean but has also at times shown that he can shank some balls by foot for some awful turnovers. From a versatility standpoint I am not convinced that Lovell while he could play forward, would necessarily be as effective as he is through the midfield, as he doesn’t quite for me have that front half talent where he could offer heavy scoreboard impact or provide any particularly meaningful offense. Additionally from a tackling and pressuring standpoint while it’s something Lovell can do, it is not something he does as well as other smalls with his quickness.

Rationale: Best available talent. Lovell has the performances on the board as a super high production mid and in my view has the highest probability of an AFL career of those remaining talents. Collingwood with the list losses of Seedsman, Freeman and to a lesser extent Kennedy badly lack pace and Lovell while he'll be in a dog-fight for minutes through Collingwood's improved midfield, with his acceleration he offers a dynamic Collingwood otherwise lack through the midfield.

From a Collingwood perspective Lovell can be considered a supercharged, more complete Ben Kennedy with his acceleration, agility and more importantly willingness to use his acceleration in game on another level. Lovell is just as good a contested ball winner but critically has a much better ability to find the outside ball giving him a more suitable balance to his game.

# 33 North Melbourne - Callum Moore

Moore is an over aged player in the TAC Cup who can take a nice mark and kick a nice goal. He is quite an athletic package.
At the moment most of North's forwards are much nearer the end than the beginning of their careers. So I went for a guy to succeed them in the coming years. Moore is a good height for a modern forward, although not the extra height that has become popular. He moves well and he has the potential to take the spot of a Jarrad Waite or the like in a year or so.

# 34 Gold Coast - Aidyn Johnson

# 35 Western Bulldogs - Brayden Fiorini

Fiorini's year has been one that I have really liked. Consistent throughout and towards the end of the year he showed good growth in an area that was seen as being his weakness. Capable of breaking the 30 disposal mark regularly using to his elite ability to spread from the contest, Fiorini like Bonner has a weapon of a left foot in his arsenal and has shown leadership as well as having a tough mentality. He reads the play very well, breaks lines and sets up attacks as well as getting back to help out his defense. His weakness is in his inside game though it is developing he still wins the majority of his footy from team mates.

# 36 West Coast - Sam Skinner

Sam Skinner. 197 kg . 96 kg. KPP . Gippsland Power.
WC will take a tall at some point in the draft and pre his ACL injury Skinner was a late first / early second rounder IMO.

So to take him at this point feels OK.

You can't ever have too many versatile talls on your list.

WC arnt requiring him to be ready right away so they can afford to invest the time in him to get over his knee injury. Will need 3-4 years development and the fact that he can play both ends is a bonus. He should be ready to impose himself at about the same time Kennedy, Mckenzie , Brown and Schofield are about ready to retire .

I was torn between Skinner and Tahana as Tahana is very impressive and plays a role that WC could do with.
Also like James Parsons at this stage of the draft.

However at the end of the day I think it's always prudent to sure up your talls early as it's much easier to trade and draft around a spine . Vozzo has gone on record and stated , after the trade period just gone , that WC would go to the draft and start thinking about replenishing it's list of talls to go forward with.

# 37 Port Adelaide - Nick OKearney

O'Kearney has been described as a jack of all trades and master of none and I think that is an apt comparison. While he does not have a stand out quality he does a lot of things well and I like that well rounded game. He attacks the ball hard and has quick hands. He is brave and reads the play well, while he is also a neat enough kick. His decision making is something I like a lot. He may look like he doesn't do a lot of damage with his disposal but that is because he knows his limitations generally and isn't afraid to go sideways to keep the ball rather than pulling the trigger and losing it. He has a really good workrate and good footy smarts in that he knows where to run to and where to position himself in the contest to protect his body and protect the receiver if he is dishing it out by hand which is his number one preference when winning a hard ball. I think Port need a player like this- a play a role, never let you down sort of player who won't burn the ball, something Port's mids have been guilty of a lot. Is he a Port type of player- not really, however he is one that I like and I feel he is being marked down to harshly for not having a big strength. At times I'd rather have a guy like O'Kearney who will do a lot of things to a good level than a guy who does one thing extremely well but has a big flaw (eg someone with great speed but poor skills).

# 38 Fremantle - Dylan Smith

There are other players I rate higher, but I wouldn't be allowed back on the Fremantle board if I went for another small. And when I made my first pick, I was banking on either Sam Skinner or Dylan Smith still being available. So this choice really has been made for me. I personally have the two of them at a comparable level to Harry McKay and higher than Ben McKay.

Smith is a versatile tall, capable of playing both up forward and down back, as well as rotating through as a second ruck. He hasn't really had the 2015 season that he would have liked. Through the Championships, he showed glimpses of what he can do as a forward but never put it together consistently. A good game against South Australia was followed by some quiet ones. He has good speed on the lead as a key forward, and is hands are very good. But I just don't see him as a true forward target. His game just isn't dominating enough. He reminds me a bit of Nick Coughlan and Matt Uebergang - both were forwards in their draft years and overlooked, yet made the transition to the back lines and have excelled.

So down back is where I see Smith forging an AFL career. For a 198cm player, he has excellent speed and lateral agility. He showed good signs as an underaged player when he was down back, worked hard and generally kept his opponent under close check. He'll need to work on his fitness base and running ability, but that's true of most talls. He shouldn't be beat on the lead too often, but repeat leads and hard running forwards will have his measure at the moment.

And how does this fit with Fremantle? Smith would give us another young tall defender to develop alongside Alex Pearce and Tanner Smith. Ideally, he becomes the full back which allows Pearce to run and swing forward when needed. In a draft full of first round talls but little else, I wouldn't be surprised to see Smith go inside the top 30.

# 39 St Kilda - David Cunningham

# 40 Melbourne - Ben Crocker

Another type I really like and think clubs will be drawn to him because he has a fair bit of versatility and x factor. Have seen him play back, middle and forward and I think ultimately it will be medium forward role for Ben. He is a wonderful 1:1 player who can dominate his opponent when the ball is on the deck or in the air and is an elite ball user. He is very composed and will stay on his feet through traffic with his strong core. I think he also has a sense for the occasion and would be a type that will step up and do great things in big games at important moments and that’s probably the knock in him in that he can overdo things at times so he will frustrate. Reminds me Stevie Johnson….big call but has the talent.

# 41 North Melbourne - Stephen Tahana

Tahana is a guy often called on to do a negative role, but he has more to his bag of tricks that just that. He played pretty well in the Carnival and has been on the recruiting horizon for quite a while. North should be happy with this guy at this pick.
Earlier in the year I was wondering about what sort of player to recruit for North. I noted their pace and their age. Now that they have flicked a few guys and traded a few, there are more options open. I thought that Tahana would fill one of these pretty well.
Tahana has been highly rated for a long time and has been through the system at all levels. He was touted as an early pick a long way back. However, he hasn't set the world on fire this year. Not the way he was expected to do.
Fine, but I hadn't seen him until this year, so I looked at him from what I saw not what was predicted.
What did I see? I saw a lad who has played against men in the SANFL and more than held his own. I saw a lad with enough athleticism to tempt most clubs. I saw a gut who can play in a lot of roles, from defence to attack. I saw a guy whose disposal was decent and whose work rate was good.
I see a good future for this lad. I think he will fit into North's inevitable rebuild quite well.

# 42 Hawthorn - Tom Cole

# 43 Swans - James Parsons

# 44 Port Adelaide - Alex Morgan

What I really like about Morgan is his lateral movement in the contest that gives him time. He seems cool as a cucumber in traffic and seems to be pretty good by hand. He is a good kick on both sides of his body and this is probably the reason he got over the line for this pick ahead of the others I considered. He can hit targets long and short and on both sides and is a reasonable kick under pressure. I think he has matured from all reports after deciding that he didn't want to enter the draft last year, and I don't think he is a Josh Glenn case where he will crack when he gets into an AFL environment. Morgan has a bit of speed about him and is the running player that Port seem to love. His versatility is another big plus as I could see him playing on a back flank, forward or on the ball/wings.

# 45 Melbourne - Aaron Vandanberg (Rookie Upgrade)

# 46 Western Bulldogs - Jesse Glass-McCasker

Glass-McCasker is one of the few WA players that stood out for me at the champs. Probably the most athletic of all the talls in this draft and has the ability to rebound from defense. He is also generally strong in his one on one's, I view him as one of the biggest risk reward types in this draft as with his elite athletic traits and size he has a very high ceiling if he can improve on his deficiencies. He needs to work hard on his footy smarts and his disposal by foot if he is going to make it and if he succeeds in doing so he can be a very good player at AFL level.

# 47 Richmond - Hisham Kerbatieh

# 48 Swans - Michael Hartley

Sydney will need some more KPD in the coming years, Collins was one I was considering but did not expect him to be available by my first live pick at 43 let alone 48.

Hartley is a mature aged and ready made key defender, who is more than capable of holding down the role of a stopper against the main gun forward. He has plety of size, 198cm and 102kg which will allow him to wrestle with the gorillas but has the nous and creativity to leave his man and get involved in some link play. Can take a strong overhead mark and is adding intercept marking to his game, which wasn't as good a few years ago. Kicking could do with some work, but is no means terrible, has smarts to make good decisions under pressure, which is what most of his game will be under. Grundy isn't getting any younger and Sydney are crying out for a big bodied key defender. Should be ready to play round 1.

If it wasn't for the need of a KPD, others I really like by this pick are Redman, Dew, Ferreira and Parella

# 49 Gold Coast - Mason Redman

# 50 Essendon - Mitch Brown

I had hoped to pick Brown or Hartley at this selection with Brown being my first choice due to his greater flexibility of playing back and forward.
Strengths
Brown is a legitimate key position size who possesses the ability to defensively stop his opponent and also win his own footy whether he is playing forward or back.
Brown is a nice kick for his size and a decent athlete.
I think he has a body that is a late developer as he seems a bit broader and stronger than he did in his Geelong days.
Brown must be much more confident about playing afl football now than at any stage in his career. He had a great nab series, a terrific vfl season and will enter a draft that lacks depth.
Brown is 25 and is in his prime football years. He will be in the land of opportunity if he lands at Essendon.
Weaknesses
Brown needs to do the business at afl level. He has played only 15 or so games albeit in a strong team in his last afl stint. The time is now to build a possible 7 year career.
Rationale
Taking Rice and having Tucker fall in my lap meant Skinner wasn't a possibility and Brown here was my first choice plan. With two late delists I get to get best available with perhaps an emphasis on speed.

# 51 Brisbane Lions - Rueben William (Academy Selection bid by Carlton)

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/2015-big-footy-phantom-draft.1116711/page-13#post-41919197

# 52 Carlton - Mabhior Chol (Brisbane Academy player successfully bid by Carlton)

# 53 Carlton - Tom Doedee

Tom Doedee - 188cm 80kg - CARLTON

When you're picking at 53 you have to accept your picking someone with a few issues and hopefully those issues can be fixed and they have enough AFL attributes to give them a fighting chance.
Weakness

• Height for his position - He plays as a defender and it would have been nice if he was 4 or 5 cms taller
• Kicking - A little hit and miss, with his height that could be a problem in this modern day football environment
• Basketball background so his football knowledge is a little lacking
• Defends first and attacks second, single minded and needs to work on his offensive game

Positives

• Loves a contest and does not like to get beaten, now that is the main skill you want from a defender.
• X Factor
• Plenty of development potential being from a basketball background and Vic Country kid.
• Will completely stop a player from having an impact
• Does not lose his feet
• Strong below his knees and one touch footballer
• Can play like Stratton on those tall and short players.

# 54 GWS - Nicholas Coughlan (Academy Selection offer bid by Fremantle)

# 55 Fremantle - Blake Hardwick

# 56 West Coast - Sam Menagola

Just about to head into a meeting so write up tonight.

This pick may surprise a few readers but the reinvigorated Menagola finished off the WAFL season in rare form and showed the form that many knew he had in him. Just shows how sometimes a fresh start in a new role at a new Club can be the making of some players.

# 57 Brisbane Lions (Residual Academy Selection) - Brayden Hackett

Brayden Hackett

Ht – 183 Wt 69


Coming into the Champs I had heard nothing of Hackett and it took a couple of games for me to really pick up on him. It was when I saw him live that I realised how much of a gem this kid could be. He is an inside mid who is very undeveloped at the moment but managed to hold his own very nicely in a very undermanned WA midfield. WA had a few top age “names” in their midfield at the start of the Champs but Hackett outplayed every one of them.


I like his work around the clearances. He is always on the move and will fly in and attack the contests. He moves through traffic really nicely and has good clean hands. He has good spatial awareness in the clearances and pretty good body strength for such a slight frame. His hands are quick and he makes decent use of the ball when he wins it on the inside.


One of the things which impressed me live was how much ground he covered. He worked hard forward and back and was always around it and where he needed to be. He was working when other bigger names had stopped and let their heads drop. His defensive chase is good and he can create turnovers in the open field.


When he gets the ball in a bit of space he has some class about him and will take good options and hit them. He spreads pretty well and whilst he is not a ball magnet he gets enough of the ball. There will need to be a bit of work on his spread immediately after the contest. With that said he seems to have a good feel for the game and looks to be a natural footballer with a high football IQ. He will get out and bounce the ball when he has the chance and is a nice deliverer into 50. In the WAFL Colts he averaged 20 disposals, 4 tackles and 4 clearances a game. At the Champs he only got it 15 times per game but I do not think he was in the middle for all of the games he played.


I was a bit disappointed with his testing at the Combine. Not unexpectedly he tested very well in the 3km run (in the top 5 overall) at just over 13 minutes but the rest was pretty disappointing. He is a country boy and might not have trained for the testing like the others but I was expecting better. His beep was okay at 14.3 but I expected better. His 20m and agility testing were very disappointing for a guy who plays with reasonable pace and elusiveness.


Hackett is a player who I think could really blossom in an AFL environment if he can deal with the training load. He has a lot of natural talent and feel for the game and if he could get his physical attributes up to the level they could be I think he could easily be one of the best players to come out of this draft. The ceiling is very high for him but then so is the floor which I why he is so far down most mock drafts. He is physically behind most others, did not test well and has not shown the consistent great play making ability to make him a must draft. I would certainly be prepared to take a punt on him if I was picking about this stage but I could understand teams letting someone else take the risk.

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 58 GWS - Lachlan Tiziani (Academy Selection offer bid by Fremantle)

# 59 GWS - Bailey Williams

# 59 GWS - Bailey Williams (Glenelg / 185cm / 75kg)

Has come to prominence in the 2nd half of the year with some really standout performances not the least of which was the 56 possession game vs Eagles. Has not come through any of the junior pathways and so clubs will look at him as someone with potentially even more upside than others given what they could do with him inside an AFL environment. What stands out about Bailey is that he has time.....oodles of it. He just waits longer in the congestion than other kids would do so he make really decisions on exit. He is beautifully balanced on either side and his hands are exceptionally clean when the ball is on the deck. His ball use by hand is very good and he can bandpass off either hand equally as well. His by foot won't worry anyone and whilst its not hugely penetrating it is good and he weights and advantages his kicks well. He is already a good runner and tests well for endurance and uses it to best advantage to get as many stoppages as he can. He has some pace but again it will be something that clubs will look to work on with him and build that explosiveness from the stoppage. He is light but he has already shown he has the ability to add weight to his frame and that will continue to come. Its a massive call and he is nowhere near it but he does share Pendlebury traits and it is worth remembering with one year in the talent pathway Pendlebury improved out of site. Williams hasn't had that year yet but suspect he will in 2016.

# 60 Collingwood - Marcus Adams

Marcus Adams (WA - KPD)
Adams is a super athletic key defender with a 2.9sec 20m sprint time, 24.85sec repeat sprint time, and 76cm vertical leap. In addition to having the athleticism he has the strength at 193cm, 98kg. Adams this season as a 22 year old in the WAFL made the transition from key forward where he was inconsistent at best to the dominant key defender in the competition. Adams has the ability to stop his direct opponents given his athleticism and strength, and does so consistently but on top of that also has the production with 322 disposals and 118 marks from his 19 games and strong intercept marking ability. Adams given this was only his first season as a key defender and is still young has further scope to improve.

In a Collingwood context Adams is someone with the ability to surpass Jack Frost and give the back half a better balance and also allow Reid to play forward which I feel is required for Cloke to get back to his best.

# 61 Geelong - Jordan Lockyer

# 62 St Kilda - Josh Schoenfeld

# 63 Swans - Sam Naismith (Rookie Upgrade)

# 64 GWS - Will Snelling

Will Snelling (West Adelaide / 176cm / 75kg)


Terrific little midfielder from SA who has been a standout for some time now. Looks to have a terrific work ethic and the SA coach Phillips speaks very highly about his character. His form in the Champs this year really put him on the radar for a high selection along with his performances at senior level later in the year. He ticks every box insomuch as he reads the game very well, excels at stoppages, has acceleration, he wins his own ball, clean with his hands, good by foot, will tackle with real intent but the fear is his height will probably drop him back a bit. He recorded a fantastic beep result and the combination of all that will see him go and from then on its really up to him.

I actually picked him because whilst I think he offers something as a midfielder I would also look to develop him as a small forward. I think he is a really smart footballer who gets to good places and understands structures really well. He is strong, has pace and reads the game well and has a strong defensive element. Not sure he is a natural crumber but i think that could come and in that sense he might have a similar pathway to a Jaryd Blair and what appears to be Gregsons.

# 65 Adelaide - Gach Nyuon

# 66 Swans - PASS

# 67 North Melbourne - Andre Parella

Andre Parella
Height: 203cm,
Weight: 96kg,
DOB: 21/09/1997
Recruited from: Sturt
Brief Profile: Parella was SA’s ruckman this year and he looks promising at 203 cm and 96 kg. He moves well and kicks the ball well enough, but he is pretty raw and has a lot of improvement in him.
I read recently that Parella has been playing football for less than 3 years. Considering where he has come from, he is maturing quite well. He has a LOT to learn, but he probably the 2nd best ruckman after Gach Nyuon at the Carnival (but then, there were very few good ruckman coming through this year).
Why did I go for a guy who is a long term project? Because North have only 1 real ruckman, and although he is very good, he is not immortal. If Goldstein goes down, then there is little to come up. North have moved on one good option and dropped Majak Daw to, maybe, a rookie. They need a ruckman who can come in. Now it is going to be a little while for Parella to be ready, he has the potential to be a top ruckman.

# 68 GWS - Nathan Broad

Nathan Broad (Swan Districts / 191cm / 82kg)
With clubs looking for speed and pace .....and more to the point the next Isaac Smith then think will take Nathan Broad here.

Tall and quick HB who have watched for a few years now and think can play a role in a couple of different areas. Was interviewed by a number of clubs in his draft year and has probably remained on their radars and wouldn't surprise to see him go given his improvement this year. Has terrific pace and tested really well at the combine for both speed, agility and endurance and from that perspective is ready to go. Kicking is good but not elite but few are in this draft.


One part of Broad game that probably does need some work is his tackle pressure. Only averages 1 per game and not sure that is good enough.

.....reckon he might end up at Collingwood.

Was pretty keen Brandon White but think will go with the more ready player in Broad

# 69 Fremantle - Brandon White

# 70 West Coast - Yestin Eades

# 71 Hawthorn - Daniel Capiron

# 72 Collingwood - Josh Wagner

(QLD – DEF)
Height: 189cm, Weight: 80kg, DOB:
Recruited from: Aspley
Reminds me of: Adam Oxley
Brief bio: *to be written.

# 73 Brisbane Lions - PASS

# 74 Gold Coast - Kaine Stevens

# 75 Essendon - Kurt Murtimer

The only reason I picked this kid here is because he has received no Big Footy love. I rate this kid top 30 and the more vision I see the more I like.

Strengths
Mutimer is seriously fast. He clocked under 2.90 for 20m sprint at combine.
He has a powerful frame.
Mutimer is a booming kick and can carry 50 metres with either foot.
Mutimer can get the pill averaging over 20 disposals per tac game.
Multimer is average in the air for his size.
Kurt is made to be an outside afl midfielder with real speed.

Weaknesses
Mutimer does not have a strong inside game.
This will come in time where it can be average but we are drafting him for speed and kicking.
Nationals were ok but didn't get as much of the footy as I would have liked.

# 76 St Kilda - Jack Sinclair (Rookie Upgrade)

# 77 Melbourne - James Harmes (Rookie Upgrade)

# 78 Collingwood - Tom Phillips

Tom Phillips (VIC – MID/FWD)
Height: 184cm, Weight: 74kg, DOB: 07/05/1996
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Brief bio: Phillips is an overager who has come back this season and really elevated his play significantly. He has played mostly through the midfield, both outside and inside, and also has the ability to push forward or back as required. Phillips has clean and reliable skills, consistently making good decisions with ball in hand and demonstrating good vision finding good targets up the ground. His numbers have been strong throughout the season and he has a good balance between finding the outside ball and winning the contested ball. Athletically he is above average, and what most stands out athletically with Phillips is his sidestep which he uses very well in game with ball in hand to give himself more time and space. Through the season and particularly through the finals Phillips showed a real knack for getting forward and hitting the scoreboard, and averaging more than a goal a game. His tackling ability is sound. He also in his one VFL appearance this year appeared in the bests for Port Melbourne which is another tick. Phillips overall is not overwhelmingly great in any one area but has an overall exceptionally well rounded game and the production to make a case for himself.

Rationale
Cliche time- mutimer is a top 25 talent who I think will go top 40. He is just what the bombers need at a bargain basement price. One more pick to find a bargain. I have number 36 and 39 on my board still available.

# 79 Collingwood - Chris Jansen

(SA – MID/DEF)
Height: 189cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 12/07/1995
Recruited from: Central Districts
Reminds me of: Blake Acres
Brief bio: Jansen has had a big year through the SANFL at League level and has really come into his own. Jansen has made the transition from playing as a back flanker to this year playing through the midfield and his production has been outstanding. He has demonstrated a sound balance of winning the contested ball and finding the outside ball. With ball in hand he displays some class and uses the ball well by hand and foot. Jansen is an only average athlete from a speed and agility standpoint, but has good leaping ability and reasonable endurance. Impressive also with Jansen has been his yearly improvement, suggesting further improvement to come as well as his reported strong work ethic and leadership qualities demonstrated.

# 80 Geelong - Davin Ferreira

# 81 Port Adelaide - Nash Holmes

# 82 Western Bulldogs - PASS

# 83 Richmond - Will Sexton

# 84 Adelaide - Jake Kelly (Rookie Upgrade)

# 85 Swans - PASS

# 86 North Melbourne - PASS

# 87 Fremantle - Liam Hulett

# 88 West Coast - Oleg Markov

# 89 Melbourne - PASS

# 90 GWS - Declan Mountford

# 91 Brisbane Lions - PASS

# 92 Gold Coast - Jarred Grant (DFA)

# 93 Essendon - Clint Hinchliffe

# 94 St Kilda - PASS

# 95 Melbourne - PASS

# 96 Collingwood - Jack Frost (Rookie Upgrade)

# 97 GWS - PASS

# 98 Geelong - Bailey Rogers

99 Port Adelaide - PASS

100 Western Bulldogs - PASS

# 101 Richmond - Andrew Moore (DFA)

102 Adelaide - PASS

103 Swans PASS

104 North Melbourne - PASS

105 Fremantle - PASS

106 West Coast - PASS

# 107 Hawthorn - Kurt Heatherly (Rookie Upgrade)

# 108 Carlton - Maris Olekalns

109 Brisbane Lions - PASS

# 110 Gold Coast - Jarred Grant (DFA)

# 111 Essendon - Shane Yarran

# 112 St Kilda - PASS

# 113 Melbourne - PASS

# 114 Collingwood - PASS

# 115 Richmond - PASS

# 116 Geelong - Aidan Tropiano

# 117 Port Adelaide - PASS

# 118 Western Bulldogs - PASS

# 119 Richmond - Kane Lambert (Rookie Upgrade)

# 120 Adelaide - PASS

# 121 Swans - PASS

# 122 North Melbourne - PASS

# 123 Fremantle - PASS

# 124 West Coast - PASS

# 125 Hawthorn - PASS

# 126 Carlton - Daniel Gorringe (DFA)

# 127 Essendon - Francis Watson

# 128 Gold Coast - Adam Saad (Rookie Upgrade)

# 129 Geelong - Darcy Cameron

# 130 Essendon - Tyrone Leonardis

# 131 Geelong - Michael Luxford (Rookie Upgrade)

# 132 Essendon - Shaun McKernan (Rookie Upgrade)

 

[Snoop Dog]

* Have agreed with Knightmare that Keefe and Thomas from CFC are not to be added to Collingwood rookie list*. Additional F/S Academy Selection can be added but only up to point we start the Rookie Draft.

Rookie Draft

1 Carlton
2 Brisbane - Corey Wagner - Academy Selection
3 Gold Coast
4 Essendon
5 St Kilda
6 Melbourne
7 Collingwood
8 GWS
9 Geelong
10 Port Adelaide
11 Western Bulldogs
12 Richmond
13 Adelaide
14 Sydney Swans
15 North Melbourne
16 Fremantle
17 WCE
18 Hawthorn
19 Carlton - Jack Silvagni (Father / Son)
20 Brisbane PASS
21 Gold Coast
22 Essendon
23 St Kilda
24 Melbourne - Jake Lovett (Father / Son Selection)
25 Collingwood
26 GWS
27 Geelong PASS
28 Port Adelaide
29 Western Bulldogs
30 Richmond
31 Adelaide
32 Sydney Swans
33 North Melbourne
34 Fremantle
35 WCE - Alec Waterman (Demoted Contracted Player)
36 Hawthorn
37 Carlton PASS
38 Brisbane PASS
39 Gold Coast
40 Essendon - Tom Wallis (Father / Son Selection)
41 St Kilda
42 Melbourne PASS
43 Collingwood
44 GWS
45 Geelong PASS
46 Port Adelaide
47 Western Bulldogs
48 Richmond PASS
49 Adelaide
50 Sydney Swans
51 North Melbourne PASS
52 Fremantle - Anthony Morabito
53 WCE - Brant Colledge (Contracted Demoted Player)
54 Hawthorn PASS
55 Carlton PASS
56 Brisbane PASS
57 Gold Coast
58 Essendon PASS
59 St Kilda PASS
60 Melbourne PASS
61 Collingwood PASS
62 GWS
63 Geelong PASS
64 Port Adelaide PASS
65 Western Bulldogs PASS
66 Richmond PASS
67 Adelaide PASS
68 Sydney Swans PASS
69 North Melbourne PASS
70 Fremantle - PASS
71 WCE PASS
72 Hawthorn PASS
73 GWS - Matthew Flynn (Academy Selection)
74 GWS - Jock Cornell (Academy Selection)

 

[swansfan51]

Some very interesting bidding results, with Rahul electing not to take Rice and Quigley passing on Chol (I'm sure they'll both provide interesting write-ups which I look forward to). Keays and Coughlan went lower than I expected and Mills went very high considering his lack of play this year.

This will be one of the most interesting parts of the draft so well done to all the phantom drafters for putting that mock process together!

 

[Duckworth]

Should Carlton have an option to match for Bailey Rice?

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ailey-rice-a-backup-plan-20150818-gj25ny.html

 

[Suma Magic]

Did you do the bidding prior to just make the draft flow easier?

 

[foj1]

Should Carlton have an option to match for Bailey Rice?

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ailey-rice-a-backup-plan-20150818-gj25ny.html

Yes I think so
By this article
I am happy for snoop to make a decision here.
It is extremely unlikely for rice to land anywhere other than Carlton or st Kilda
I am not sure how much Rahul has seen of rice.

 

[Bishop]

Yes I think so
By this article
I am happy for snoop to make a decision here.
It is extremely unlikely for rice to land anywhere other than Carlton or st Kilda
I am not sure how much Rahul has seen of rice.

Rahul would have seen a bit of him I'm sure. But at the end of the day, especially with the new point system, clubs aren't going to overbid on their academy/Father Son players.

As silly as it sounds if someone like Adelaide bidded on Jack Silvagni with Pick 16, Carlton wouldn't match it, regardless of the Silvagni name.

(That won't happen this year, but I've used a far fetched example)

If St Kilda don't deem him worthy enough for Pick 28 using this example, they won't match it- Similarly Carlton at the same time might view him as a Pick 35 too, so he could end up elsewhere. Despite how unlikely it may be.

 

[Gee Dub]

Shouldn't I (Port) have to use 3 picks? Only have me as using 2 and then passing Snoop Dog

 

[Snoop Dog]

Shouldn't I (Port) have to use 3 picks? Only have me as using 2 and then passing Snoop Dog

yep corrected

 

[Snoop Dog]

Did you do the bidding prior to just make the draft flow easier?

yes

 

[Snoop Dog]

Rahul would have seen a bit of him I'm sure. But at the end of the day, especially with the new point system, clubs aren't going to overbid on their academy/Father Son players.

As silly as it sounds if someone like Adelaide bidded on Jack Silvagni with Pick 16, Carlton wouldn't match it, regardless of the Silvagni name.

(That won't happen this year, but I've used a far fetched example)

If St Kilda don't deem him worthy enough for Pick 28 using this example, they won't match it- Similarly Carlton at the same time might view him as a Pick 35 too, so he could end up elsewhere. Despite how unlikely it may be.

foj1

yep he has seen a fair bit of him

 

[Snoop Dog]

Should Carlton have an option to match for Bailey Rice?

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ailey-rice-a-backup-plan-20150818-gj25ny.html

They did have the option. Lemmingmaster didn't bid on him.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Some very interesting bidding results, with Rahul electing not to take Rice and Quigley passing on Chol (I'm sure they'll both provide interesting write-ups which I look forward to). Keays and Coughlan went lower than I expected and Mills went very high considering his lack of play this year.

This will be one of the most interesting parts of the draft so well done to all the phantom drafters for putting that mock process together!

Biggest surprise was nobody bid on Corey Wagner.

 

[MightyDons4]

Biggest surprise was nobody bid on Corey Wagner.

Or Cornell

 

[foj1]

I am very pleased with rice here.
It also gives me the ability to go tall early.
Rice is a quality ball user.
It will be interesting to see who bids on him come draft time.
Unless its first round st Kilda will definitely take him in my opinion.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Glad with Mills, rather one gun than 3 list cloggers so he's ready to go

 

[saintkildaman]

Do us proud Rahul. One of Mathieson, Oliver or Tucker will do

 

[zeeCFC]

So nobody bid on Silvagni and we didn't match a bid for Rice that would require our two 3rd round picks? We would then use our last pick on SOSOS.

I understand there's a process to this certain phantom but a touch unrealistic from what Carlton would do. If Saints passed and we were able to take Rice with picks 50ish and change we'd jump at it.

 

[bontshow]

Was there a thread for the academy bidding?

 

[Chris25]

Keays and Coughlan went lower than I expected and Mills went very high considering his lack of play this year.

I would have bid higher on Coughlan but I knew nobody else had put a bid in, so I was hopeful of stealing him with a late pick. Maybe a bit too optimistic.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Just quickly I did assume I could pick up SoS with my last pick?

 

[LemmingMaster]

I am also confused by the Rice selection as well, I did now know I had the ability to select him as well.

 

[maanco]

St Kilda has 4 list posts, i think Sinclair gets pushed back.