Re your posts Glen, Hunter Clarke has had a really impressive 2nd half of the season, with some apparently really big, team-lifting games, and going into the season he was being talked up for his excellent, dual-sided kicking, but then once the season started he I believe was having a lot of games with a KE of under 50%, so what was being talked up as a strength going into the year, was suddenly being described as a weakness.
Having read a few opinions on him by those who watch a lot of junior footy, it seems that the issue may be that when he's in tight he doesn't necessarily have the best composure, or decision-making and can just throw it on the boot a bit much, whereas when he's out in time and space he can use it really well and on both feet, so because he was playing across HB last year his kicking prolly looked good out in all that space, but once moved into the guts this year it was nowhere near as good, in confined spaces.
Hopefully it's improved now that he's has time to adjust to the role.
Outside of that, he ticks a lot of boxes, as he's hard and tough, runs both ways, wins plenty of CP's and clearances, tackles a bunch, is good overhead, with a good leap and can hit the ground running and use his good speed to advantage. Plus he's versatile and seems the type to lift his team.
With his mix of attributes and how well he's performed of late in particular, if his dual-sided kicking was as good in tight as it apparently is out in space, I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be in the mix for as high as pick 1. Perhaps his composure in tight isn't as good as LDU, Rayner and Dow either?
As for LDU, he was apparently extremely good in the U16's, but then missed a big chunk of last year through injury, but then earlier in the year this season he was killing it week after week- including in the first champs game, when he had 33 possies- but then his form seemed to nose dive a bit out of nowhere, after a really strong start to the next week as well, and it took until that 33 possie final a couple of weeks ago for him to really get it back.
Prior to that form drop out of nowhere he was understandably widely talked up as one who was likely to go pick 1, but the big question is why did his form drop off?
Usually under those type circumstances I would think injury, but I haven't heard of one, so it would be really interesting to find out if there was something he was carrying. If he was, then you'd think he'd be a massive chance to go at 1, as he has a great mix of attributes and was consistently excellent.
As for Dow, I'd say he will definitely be gone by 7 and would be a very good chance of being gone by 2! He really seemed to rise up in everyone's rankings with his good performances in the champs and some really dominant school games (including bags of 7 and 5 or 6 in a couple of games) and he then had a cracker of a game in this last TAC Cup game as well, with 35 possies and I think a goal, after injuring his shoulder early in the game (which has now been operated on, ending his year).
His big weapon is his speed. LDU and Rayner are also quick (2.98 sec 20m, according to Bishop) and Stephenson a bit quicker again (2.96), but according to Bish, Dow recorded a 2.91sec earlier in the year, which is right where D-Mac for instance was in his draft year.
So he can really move and does so through stoppages, winning the ball at speed and then using his excellent agility and speed to get out of trouble and break away and then he can lower his eyes and hit targets going forward and also snag a goal or two.
Think maybe a cleaner version of Jack Steven. If by some chance we managed to trade up to pick 1, it wouldn't surprise me if we picked Dow there and given the ? on Rayner's endurance, I'd possibly pick him there personally as well, as much as I rate Rayner's ability and weapons.
Re Freo and who they pick, I doubt very much that they'd prioritise outside run when they already have Hill x 2, Bennell, Walters, Weller and Langdon. Think they'd be a massive chance to get one of Brander, Naughton, or Fogarty (who it seems is still very much in the mix to go top 6, especially with teams not wanting to go too tall up forward now. He is a good mix of marking ability without being too big).
That is all!