U18 Champs 2018 Allies Squad

[Pykie]

AFL draft guru Kevin Sheehan has labelled outrageously talented Tasmanian Tarryn Thomas’s championships better than any he has seen by an individual in his time covering the under-18s.

Thomas underlined his talents with five goals in another best-afield performance in Tasmania’s 42-point win over the GWS Giants Academy at the Twin Ovals on Saturday.

Sheehan said it capped off a remarkable unbeaten series for the team, with Thomas the standout.

“If there has been a better display at under-18 level, I can’t remember it,” Sheehan said.

“He has been just brilliant.

“He was best on the ground outright in four of the five matches and certainly in the best players in the fifth. He really dominated the series.”

Sheehan said Thomas, from North Launceston, fitted comfortably beside a handful of players for the No.1 national draft pick, especially given his versatility, but appears set to go to North Melbourne as part of the Roos Next Generation Academy selection.

“You only have to go back a couple of years where he was the most valuable player in the under-16s and in the under-18s in the same year — no one has ever done that,” Sheehan said.

“He’s continued that form into his 18th year and looks an outstanding prospect wherever you might play him.”

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He said that in the forward line Thomas would have any defender nervous with his evasiveness, goal sense and strong marking.

“We saw that on Saturday [against the Giants] with his five goals and then he could play off half-back and set the play up or he could play in the middle and win contested ball,” Sheehan said.

“His marking is strong one on one, he can take pack marks, he’s got good speed — he’s got all the attributes to be a future star of the game.”

Sheehan is part of the Allies selection panel that has already nominated 12 Tasmanians for the upcoming division one championships — Thomas, Fraser Turner, Baxter Norton, Chayce Jones, Nick Baker, Mitch Anderton, Matt McGuinness, Rhyan Mansell, Tim Auckland, Blair Rubock, Mitch O’Neill and Lachie Gadomski.

But Sheehan said another name could be added when the initial squad was announced on Wednesday.

“All of the boys that get through and play for the Allies are in the running to be drafted,” he said.

“There is obviously a dozen or more contenders in the squad. We’ll cut it probably to 30 to 32 who will play and, if you get into that, it is all a matter of how you perform,” he said.

12 Tasmanians in the initial squad.

According to Sheehan, 50 to be named in the initial squad this week.

Trial games against Metro and Country in 2 weeks.

 

[Chris25]

Initial squad...

Gold Coast Academy

Emmanuel Baru
Ryan Gilmore
Caleb Graham
Dirk Koenan
Bailey Scott
Lachlan McDonald
Connor Budarick
Timakoi Bowie

Brisbane Lions Academy

Ben Sloan
Jack Tomkinson
Keidan Coleman
Jesse Quint
Connor McFadyen
Toara Marango
Tom Matthews
Darcy Marsh

Greater Western Sydney Academy

Kieran Briggs
Riley Corbett
Jacob Koschitzke
Jeromy Lucas
Guy Richardson
Nick Murray
Matt Walker
James Peatling
Ben Kelly
Thomas Green
Liam Delahunty

Sydney Academy

Joey Reinhard
Josh Stern
Zak Cameron
Kyle McKellar
Nick Blakey
Josh Rayner

Tasmania

Baxter Norton
Chayce Jones
Nick Baker
Tarryn Thomas
Fraser Turner
Blair Rubock
Lachlan Godomnski
Mitch Anderton
Rhyan Mansell
Matt McGuiness
Tim Auckland
Ethan Jackson
Mitch O'Neill

Northern Territory
Matt Green
Michael Mummery
Izaak Wyatt
Rodney Baird

 

[Chris25]

What could a 22 look like?

b: Nick Murray - Dirk Koenen - Mitch Anderton
hb: Matthew McGuinness - Caleb Graham - Matthew Green
c: Tarryn Thomas - Chayce Jones - Jesse Quint
hf: Matthew Walker - Nick Blakey - Tom Matthews
f: Blair Rubock - Liam Delahunty - Michael Mummery
r: Timothy Auckland - Bailey Scott - Tom Green
i: Zak Cameron - Kiedean Coleman - Lachlan Gadomski - Fraser Turner

 

[Ralphyboy]

Only 6 from Sydney swans what a f$&*ing joke.

 

[Chris25]

Seems about right to me. Coming into the series, it seemed like Sydney was very much a one person team. And from the bits I saw and in speaking to people, they put in solid team performances around Blakey. Could make a case for Sam Wicks, but I daresay his spot went to Josh Stern. And they don't tend to pick many overaged players who also played the year before.

Blakey, Reinhard, Cameron and Rayner will all likely play at various stages.

 

[Yoda_]

So how high is this Tarryn Thomas kid that Pykie keeps banging on about likely to go?

A serious and genuine possibility to go pick 1?

 

[Snake_Baker]

So how high is this Tarryn Thomas kid that Pykie keeps banging on about likely to go?

A serious and genuine possibility to go pick 1?

If you look at the pick 1 candidates a long way out I would highly doubt it:

18th Brisbane: Dunno what Brisbane would do, but I doubt they would take a flanker/mid with their 1st pick.
17th Carlton: KPP's Lukosious/King
16th StKilda: KPP,s Lukosious/King
15th Essendon: They will definitely be hoping for Walsh, or otherwise the next best inside midfielder.

I reckon Thomas will be bid around the 5-10 mark, and who knows what will happen at the championships?

 

[DavyRed]

Seems about right to me. Coming into the series, it seemed like Sydney was very much a one person team. And from the bits I saw and in speaking to people, they put in solid team performances around Blakey. Could make a case for Sam Wicks, but I daresay his spot went to Josh Stern. And they don't tend to pick many overaged players who also played the year before.

Blakey, Reinhard, Cameron and Rayner will all likely play at various stages.

Swans were labelled a one man team because it was easy and lazy to do so. They were no more ‘one man’ than Tassie. GWS got 11 players selected for goodness sake.

 

[Chris25]

Considering Tasmania have Chayce Jones, I don’t think anyone would have called them a one man team coming in. And then at the Champs, a number of other players stood up and had big performances.

Who from Sydney should have been picked? And who from GWS not?

 

[DavyRed]

Considering Tasmania have Chayce Jones, I don’t think anyone would have called them a one man team coming in. And then at the Champs, a number of other players stood up and had big performances.

Who from Sydney should have been picked? And who from GWS not?

I think that from Sam Wicks (although I take your point re over age players), Connor Flanagan, Cooper Kilpatrick and Michael Carroll. If Under 17s are on the table there were probably a couple of them that could be considered. To be honest I’ve always been a bit reluctant to publicly single out individual youngsters as not good enough. I appreciate that that may come across as me trying to dodge the GWS question so will just have to accept any criticism in that regard.

Btw, I re-read my original post and it may have come across more dismissive than I had intended. My apologies if you did indeed take it that way.

 

[Chris25]

No worries.

Overaged players are always a bit harder to predict. I don't know if it's actually a rule, it might be, but players don't tend to come back as 19 year olds if they played in their draft year. It's more for late developers or players who missed through injury. So someone like Michael Carroll probably wouldn't have been considered. Whereas guys like Bowie, Sloan and Baird were a part of the Allies squad last year but never played.

 

[Ralphyboy]

I think that from Sam Wicks (although I take your point re over age players), Connor Flanagan, Cooper Kilpatrick and Michael Carroll. If Under 17s are on the table there were probably a couple of them that could be considered. To be honest I’ve always been a bit reluctant to publicly single out individual youngsters as not good enough. I appreciate that that may come across as me trying to dodge the GWS question so will just have to accept any criticism in that regard.

Btw, I re-read my original post and it may have come across more dismissive than I had intended. My apologies if you did indeed take it that way.

I think Wicks was in the best players every week, including some big games. As I recall he got overlooked last year for allies and then went on to play well in the neafl.

He must be devastated and I hope the swans are giving him some support. I also hope he keeps going as I understand he is a great kid.

 

[Ralphyboy]

Also re Blakey, he is a great player, but he did get a lot of support, and had a team of hard workers supplying him the ball. The last game against Gold Coast was not won by Blakey it was won by some very hard midfielders in a very congested physical game. I saw the game and I actually think Blakey was a bit soft compared to some of the others. I would not have had him in the best players.
The fact he gets a good ride is not his fault, and he is a genuinely good player, but I do think the endless preoccupation with father sons is unfair on other players.

 

[DavyRed]

No worries.

Overaged players are always a bit harder to predict. I don't know if it's actually a rule, it might be, but players don't tend to come back as 19 year olds if they played in their draft year. It's more for late developers or players who missed through injury. So someone like Michael Carroll probably wouldn't have been considered. Whereas guys like Bowie, Sloan and Baird were a part of the Allies squad last year but never played.

All good. Like you I’m not sure of the over age rules so happy to be educated by anyone who knows more.

 

[Pykie]

Why are the Sydney supporters crying?

It's only the initial squad of 50.

What if they cut 6 Tasmanians and 6 GWS players and keep the Sydney 6?

They usually give the lesser knowns a bit of a run in the trial games because they won't be getting game time in the championship games.

The Allies squad doesn't exist to service the Sydney academy.

 

[HPKS]

I think Wicks was in the best players every week, including some big games. As I recall he got overlooked last year for allies and then went on to play well in the neafl.

He must be devastated and I hope the swans are giving him some support. I also hope he keeps going as I understand he is a great kid.

You answered the issue in this post.

As much as people think the squad is about the players that played best throughout the series it’s really about who is draftable. Perfect example is Rayner getting in the squad, he’s there because most likely will be drafted next year.

 

[Pykie]

So how high is this Tarryn Thomas kid that Pykie keeps banging on about likely to go?

A serious and genuine possibility to go pick 1?

I'm not banging on about him, the Academy series is the only games on at the moment and he recorded the highest CD ranking of all time in a Div 2 series, his performances spoke for themselves.


According to Shifter on the weekend he's one of a handful of potential #1's.

 

[Chris25]

I said similar in a thread about Blakey. But I'm of the opinion that Division 2 means almost nothing for the likes of him, Tarryn Thomas, Chayce Jones. The guys who are first round talents and should be dominating. It's more of a no win situation. If they play well, then it doesn't mean a lot because they're beating up on kids who wont play AFL. But if they do poorly, then it raises big questions.

Now we get to see how they perform against better opposition. The scouting really only starts now.

But for what it's worth, I have both Thomas and Blakey in the 4-10 range.

 

[Pykie]

I said similar in a thread about Blakey. But I'm of the opinion that Division 2 means almost nothing for the likes of him, Tarryn Thomas, Chayce Jones. The guys who are first round talents and should be dominating. It's more of a no win situation. If they play well, then it doesn't mean a lot because they're beating up on kids who wont play AFL. But if they do poorly, then it raises big questions.

Now we get to see how they perform against better opposition. The scouting really only starts now.

But for what it's worth, I have both Thomas and Blakey in the 4-10 range.

I don’t think its worth nothing.


More so recruiters look at the academy series in the same respects as the TAC Cup in terms of standard of opposition.

80% of the kids in a TAC Cup game aren’t drafted either.

 

[Chris25]

True. But for the players that you already know are good, I don’t think you’d be moving them up the board on the back of the academy series. At least I don’t.

Basically just confirms to me that they’re as good as I thought. And now I wait for the real thing to begin.

 

[Jazny]

I don’t think its worth nothing.


More so recruiters look at the academy series in the same respects as the TAC Cup in terms of standard of opposition.

80% of the kids in a TAC Cup game aren’t drafted either.

It was only like two years ago that players were drafted straight from div 2 without the allies being in div 1.

 

[Jazny]

What could a 22 look like?

b: Nick Murray - Dirk Koenen - Mitch Anderton
hb: Matthew McGuinness - Caleb Graham - Matthew Green
c: Tarryn Thomas - Chayce Jones - Jesse Quint
hf: Matthew Walker - Nick Blakey - Tom Matthews
f: Blair Rubock - Liam Delahunty - Michael Mummery
r: Timothy Auckland - Bailey Scott - Tom Green
i: Zak Cameron - Kiedean Coleman - Lachlan Gadomski - Fraser Turner

How do you think that squad will go against the others?

 

[eDPS]

A busy Sunday ahead

 

[Pykie]

 

[Snoop Dog]

Seems about right to me. Coming into the series, it seemed like Sydney was very much a one person team. And from the bits I saw and in speaking to people, they put in solid team performances around Blakey. Could make a case for Sam Wicks, but I daresay his spot went to Josh Stern. And they don't tend to pick many overaged players who also played the year before.

Blakey, Reinhard, Cameron and Rayner will all likely play at various stages.

Spot on.