Draft Review 2016 - Revisiting the 2016 AFL Draft

[Haychh]

Funny to think SPP and Witherden would’ve been a lot of people’s #1 and #2 at one stage or another from this draft. Both would be barely top 20 now.

 

[Supersuns]

Bowes is quietly playing fantastic football for us at the moment, playing a general role in the backline.

 

[Pykie]

Simpkin ? Really lol. It's only been 2 games. He is gonna need a much bigger body of work before we can even talk about him being compared to the other three.

You really need to watch more and before you 'lol', Simpkin was considered as good a prospect as McCluggage etc before he snapped his leg in the NAB League as a 17 year old. It's taken him a little longer to get the strength and fitness up, I remember when we drafted him, he could barely kick 40m after the leg break.

As has already been stated by a few, he had a big second half of last year.

Which included the following games:

30 disposals 9 clearances
36 disposals, 11 clearances, 1 goal
33 disposals, 7 clearances, 1 goal

He's come back noticeably fitter and stronger, this form isn't going anywhere, most North supporters consider him close to our best mid atm because of his general ball use and agility at the stoppages.....

 

[eDPS]

You really need to watch more and before you 'lol', please realise Simpkin was considered as good a prospect as McCluggage etc before he snapped his leg in the NAB League. It's taken him a little longer to get the strength and fitness up, I remember when we drafted him, he could barely kick 40m after the leg break.

As has already been stated by a few, he had a big second half of last year.

Which included the following games:

30 disposal 9 clearance
36 disposal, 11 clearance, 1 goal
33 disposal, 7 clearance, 1 goal

He's come back noticeably fitter and stronger, this form isn't going anywhere...

I had him top 10 all year in his draft year but he has already gone past my previous expectations aswell which is exciting for North.

 

[andleanback]

I had him top 10 all year in his draft year but he has already gone past my previous expectations aswell which is exciting for North.

Would’ve gone top 5 easily if he didn’t break his leg. I remember him being touted as a potential number 1 coming into his draft year.

 

[Pykie]

Would’ve gone top 5 easily if he didn’t break his leg. I remember him being touted as a potential number 1 coming into his draft year.

There's the story of him going to Melbourne as part of the AFL Academy training 2 week programme as a bottom ager with Paul Roo's in 2015.

Roo's is quoted as saying he would of played him that weekend if he was able to given how well he went in match simulation training.

The leg break set him back a few years, but he's about to deliver on his potential by the looks of things.

He will be North's next captain, common knowledge at the club and they are already preparing the handover in a year or two.

 

[scoman]

The Lions top three from this draft haven't had the greatest starts this season. Witherden is out of the side and Clugga and Berry have both been a little flat so far. Looks like Clugga is attending more centre bounces/ playing more inside this year so it may take him some time to adjust.

 

[Wild Bill]

I recall him having an impressive purple patch last season as well. That being said once you stray from the top 3 picks you can also throw in Florent and Berry as quality mids

As for the comparison between the four I’m hoping that McGrath speed and athleticism can set him apart from the others.

Florent is a gun as well.

McGrath, Florent and Simpkin have all got coaches votes in both rounds.

Simpkin and Florent could go head to head this week.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Exceptionally happy that we took who we took.

Took him 24-30 months to recover fully from his leg break, and he is now flourishing.

 

[citizen-erased]

Simpkin was always a top 5 contender
And have to admit, i was thinking he and Taranto would make a great pairing when there was speculation about us trading 1 out to GCS for 2 of their top 10s.

I'd struggle to put a list together on this draft. So many semantics to be argued about who'd be where in the top 10, and 11-20 wouldnt be much easier.

 

[susurrar]

to me simpkin looks set to explode. he had 36 touches (21 contested) and a beautiful goal tonight. he has had 20 clearances over the last 2 games. arguably back to back BOGs.

has an astonishing highlight reel but is starting to put together some nice consistency in the middle. smoothest mover i have seen in a while. what a sidestep. magic through traffic.

i consider him norths most talented player and very happy to get him with pick 12 due to injuries.

from the looks of this thread it doesnt really seem like he is rated by other club supporters which is interesting. maybe that will come.

i posted this almost a year ago.

were looking at a very special player here. ill let the expert posters who watch every game closely do the rankings, but i wouldnt trade him for anyone.

 

[Haychh]

i posted this almost a year ago.

were looking at a very special player here. ill let the expert posters who watch every game closely do the rankings, but i wouldnt trade him for anyone.

I think everyone’s in agreement that he’s going to be elite if not already.

Several players from this draft have taken massive leaps this year and others who have definitely stagnated if not gone backwards.

 

[KissKiss]

The Lions top three from this draft haven't had the greatest starts this season. Witherden is out of the side and Clugga and Berry have both been a little flat so far. Looks like Clugga is attending more centre bounces/ playing more inside this year so it may take him some time to adjust.

Clugga and Berry rebounded well this week

 

[bungalow_bill]

McCluggage was scary good last night and scarier still no where near his ceiling. Berry also back to his best. Super draft for the Lions even excluding Witherden who will hopefully be back to his best sometime this year. Kids kicking is elite

 

[Pykie]

i posted this almost a year ago.

were looking at a very special player here. ill let the expert posters who watch every game closely do the rankings, but i wouldnt trade him for anyone.

I think what’s most surprising is his clearance numbers.

He’s top 10 in the AFL at the moment.

Also top 5 for score involvements.

when coupled with his lateral movement, footskills and general vision - he’s a super talent.

 

[Wild Bill]

Florent was good yesterday and Simpkin was outstanding and will get coaches votes for the 2nd week in a row.

 

[Chaisa]

1. Hugh McCluggage
2. Tim Taranto
3. Jy Simpkin
4. Andrew McGrath
5. Rowan Marshall
6. Ollie Florent
7. Tom Stewart
8. Cameron Zurhaar
9. Sam Petreski-Seton
10. Jarrod Berry
11. Brandan Parfitt
12. Harry Perryman
13. Todd Marshall
14. Nick Larkey
15. Ben Ainsworth
16. Luke Ryan
17. Jack Henry
18. Jack Bowes
19. Tim English
20. Shai Bolton

This is a superb draft. Lots of potentially excellent players missing out - Setterfield, Scrimshaw, Powell-Pepper, Hayward, Witherden, Long, Fisher, Lipinski, Brown, Darcy, Battle, Cox, Young, Rioli (if he can get off his drugs ban), Graham, Narkle, Lewis, Ronke......

Did it on a mix of proven form and upside. Realistically though apart from the Top 3/4 the order is in significant flux.....

 

[Ambrosia]

Can’t really think of a good player comp for Simpkin especially if he keeps up his work inside. Sam Mitchell has a lot of similarities but Simpkin is a better athlete. He’s not nuggety like your Neale, Adams, Prestia, T.Mitchell type inside mids. Z.Merrett has never been consistently a top clearance player and is more outside. I don’t see the D.Kerr comparison raised earlier in this thread.

I guess best I can come up with is a S.Mitchell/Z.Merrett hybrid.

 

[Ambrosia]

1. Hugh McCluggage
2. Tim Taranto
3. Jy Simpkin
4. Andrew McGrath
5. Rowan Marshall
6. Ollie Florent
7. Tom Stewart
8. Cameron Zurhaar
9. Sam Petreski-Seton
10. Jarrod Berry
11. Brandan Parfitt
12. Harry Perryman
13. Todd Marshall
14. Nick Larkey
15. Ben Ainsworth
16. Luke Ryan
17. Jack Henry
18. Jack Bowes
19. Tim English
20. Shai Bolton

This is a superb draft. Lots of potentially excellent players missing out - Setterfield, Scrimshaw, Powell-Pepper, Hayward, Witherden, Long, Fisher, Lipinski, Brown, Darcy, Battle, Cox, Young, Rioli (if he can get off his drugs ban), Graham, Narkle, Lewis, Ronke......

Did it on a mix of proven form and upside. Realistically though apart from the Top 3/4 the order is in significant flux.....

Ridley has massive wraps on him from Essendon’s as well.

I think T.English coming good is based on more hope than reality at this point. Atm he’s a poor tap ruckman doesn’t follow up his work at stoppages

 

[Haychh]

Ridley has massive wraps on him from Essendon’s as well.

I think T.English coming good is based on more hope than reality at this point. Atm he’s a poor tap ruckman doesn’t follow up his work at stoppages

I get why opposition supporters wouldn’t rate Ridley as there isn’t enough of a sample size there yet. However I’d be shocked if the majority didn’t have him well inside the top 20 come seasons end.

 

[Ambrosia]

I get why opposition supporters wouldn’t rate Ridley as there isn’t enough of a sample size there yet. However I’d be shocked if the majority didn’t have him well inside the top 20 come seasons end.

Yeah it’s fair. I was mentioning him to be in non ranked group.

 

[Pykie]

Can’t really think of a good player comp for Simpkin especially if he keeps up his work inside. Sam Mitchell has a lot of similarities but Simpkin is a better athlete. He’s not nuggety like your Neale, Adams, Prestia, T.Mitchell type inside mids. Z.Merrett has never been consistently a top clearance player and is more outside. I don’t see the D.Kerr comparison raised earlier in this thread.

I guess best I can come up with is a S.Mitchell/Z.Merrett hybrid.

I think the Kerr body shape and size makes sense.

Kerr was also fairly good inside and outside. Although probably little more run and carry than Jy.

I can see the San Mitchell similarities. But he is hard to peg, he’s almost like a rugby league half back playing AFL at times with his lateral movement and sidesteps in and out of traffic.

 

[Ambrosia]

I think the Kerr body shape and size makes sense.

Kerr was also fairly good inside and outside. Although probably little more run and carry than Jy.

I saw Kerr’s play style as more power/athleticism reliant than Simpkin’s

 

[Ambrosia]

Peak Marc Murphy is what I’m thinking atm

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

1. Hugh McCluggage
2. Tim Taranto
3. Jy Simpkin
4. Andrew McGrath
5. Rowan Marshall
6. Ollie Florent
7. Tom Stewart
8. Cameron Zurhaar
9. Sam Petreski-Seton
10. Jarrod Berry
11. Brandan Parfitt
12. Harry Perryman
13. Todd Marshall
14. Nick Larkey
15. Ben Ainsworth
16. Luke Ryan
17. Jack Henry
18. Jack Bowes
19. Tim English
20. Shai Bolton

This is a superb draft. Lots of potentially excellent players missing out - Setterfield, Scrimshaw, Powell-Pepper, Hayward, Witherden, Long, Fisher, Lipinski, Brown, Darcy, Battle, Cox, Young, Rioli (if he can get off his drugs ban), Graham, Narkle, Lewis, Ronke......

Did it on a mix of proven form and upside. Realistically though apart from the Top 3/4 the order is in significant flux.....

Griffin Logue from Freo is getting better every game.

Crazy depth in this draft with an elite top 4 in Simpkin, McCluggage, Taranto and McGrath (McGrath just behind the first three but making big steps this year)