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BigFooty Official 2015 Big Footy Phantom Draft

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I really like Clark too. Interested as to what you've thought of his progression as a player this year though? Looked like he was going to be bona fide elite as a 16 and 17 year old, but this year hasn't kicked on with the dominant performances that most would have thought he would be producing. Like you, even with the development curve flattening out a bit I still see a guy with a lot of AFL attributes, but often see that clubs get concerned when players appear to stagnate in their final years and fall way down the ultimate pecking order.

2015 wasn't a great year for Clark really, as you said he didn't really dominate the way his junior years suggested he could. But nobody in the WA team stood out at the Championships this year. Their best player was the full back, while there was very little midfield support at all. I do think one of the things that hurt Clark most, was not being able to settle into one position. Maybe he's a Marsh type who goes late in the draft, but that doesn't bother me. I'm confident that with some more muscle on his frame, he'll be a good player. And I'm sure a club will be equally intrigued at a 194cm midfielder like him.
 
2015 wasn't a great year for Clark really, as you said he didn't really dominate the way his junior years suggested he could. But nobody in the WA team stood out at the Championships this year. Their best player was the full back, while there was very little midfield support at all. I do think one of the things that hurt Clark most, was not being able to settle into one position. Maybe he's a Marsh type who goes late in the draft, but that doesn't bother me. I'm confident that with some more muscle on his frame, he'll be a good player. And I'm sure a club will be equally intrigued at a 194cm midfielder like him.

This guy didn't, "stand up", he just decided to fly up, literally. ;););)
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Pick 41: North Melbourne - Stephen Tahana
Height: 183cm,
Weight: 78kg,
DOB: 02/02/1997
Recruited from: North Adelaide
Profile: 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.
 
Pick 23 - Carlton - Jade Gresham

Pick 23 - Jade Gresham - Carlton

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.
 

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Just so you know Snoop Dog McKernan upgrade is moved back to 111 due to delistings of O'Brien and Hams, the latter being moved to the rookie list.
 
Pick 43 Sydney - James Parsons 189cm 75kg, DOB: 12/04/1997 Eastern Ranges

Considered a KPD but gambled he would be available with pick 48 shortly after.

Felt I'd go with someone who I really do rate, he has some class and skill and Sydney need to replace some of what was lost when Jetta departed.

Parsons is a classy outside type midfielder/half forward with excellent skills, especially by foot. Will consistently deliver lace out passes to his forwards, he just does some things that make you go, 'wow, what class' but will also go missing for large periods resulting in lower than ideal possession rates for a midfielder. But no doubting his ability, with some pre-season work could really turn into a class player, has many AFL traits and a big upside.
 
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I think the fact this this draft has little to no depth gets overstated. Of course there are more selections to go, and maybe it's not as good as previous drafts, but there are still some really solid prospects being picked up and a few left on the board
 

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Such a tough pick with so many guys I was considering but settled on....

44. Port Adelaide- Alex Morgan (Oakleigh)

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.
 
Pick 23 - Jade Gresham - Carlton

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.

If Gresham slips through to 23 I will be delighted.
 

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