Draft Watcher 2018 Big Footy Phantom Draft - Trial Run

[Snoop Dog]

The Phantom draft will kick off on Monday morning. The teams and participants this year are;

Adelaide - Thunderstruck
Brisbane - Snoop Dog
Carlton - LemmingMaster
Collingwood - Knightmare
Essendon - foj1
Fremantle - Chris25
Geelong - D_P_S
Gold Coast - Danger in Texas
GWS - Snoop Dog
Hawthorn - Pie 4 Life
Melbourne - Hutchy Jnr
North melbourne - Ysaye
Port - AsterixTheGaul
Richmond - Bishop
Swans - Chris25
St Kilda - Davo-27
Western Bulldogs - Wizard17
WCE - Monocle

The Trial Run is all about just getting some names out so Father / Son Selections and Academy players are open slather and the discount system does not apply.

Participants are required to make their selection within 4 hours otherwise we will defer to the expert panel.

If you don't think you will be around best to PM someone but always safe that LemmingMaster Chris25 or myself will be around.

 

[Snoop Dog]

CONFIRMED ORDER

ROUND ONE

1. Carlton -Jack Lukosius

Jack Lukosius - Carlton

The debate on the Carlton board is huge with regards to our first pick.
I will not deal with those thinking we should trade away our first pick.

The only two names I would add to Lukosius would be Walsh and Rankine.

Rankine - Close to the most dynamic player I've seen and would not look out of place with the first pick. Reading between the lines, he might not be the most down to earth person off the field. There have been many players in their junior years that may not have been wonderful off field and sorted it all out. I think he has elite upside.

Walsh - Massive tank, very suited to modern day running football. I guess he is just lacking the x factor of Lukosius and Rankine. I think those two names have the potential to be once in a generation styled player. Walsh probably has the lowest upside but also maybe the lowest downside.

Lukosius
How will he break the trend of first pick tall forwards that don't live up to the selection?

• Already shown ability at SANFL level
• Massive tank
• Can play in multiple positions
• Mobile
• Clean hands
• Close to best kick in the draft, let alone for a tall forward

Those are my reasons for being confident in his ability to break the trend

Concerns from Carlton fans that warrant some questions.

• Contested marking/possessions
• Talls have high risks
• We already have a number of talls on our list developing.

First point, I think his tank allows him to get away from the contest but when it is his time to contest, he does.
Lukosius seems different to the other talls taken previously due to the trend breaking points.
I am not completely sold on a number of those talls already selected and Curnow/Lukosius are not one dimensional styled forwards.

2. Gold Coast - Izak Rankine

3. Brisbane - Bailey Smith

Bailey Smith.

Im preparing for the melts after overlooking Walsh at #3 but I rate Smith and Walsh as equals. So my decision with who I opted for at pick 3 came down to who I felt suits Brisbane’s young midfield brigade better. I believe a good midfield is made up of players who complement each other well rather than being individually good. If that makes sense.

Walsh reminds me of a Hugh McCluggage type whereas Smith is more of a Shiel type.

The handy thing with Smith is his inside/outside ability. He’s a bull on the inside and reads ruck taps well. But he spreads well outside of the contest too. He’s got a some pace about him and he is a nice size. Shown he can now go forward and impact too.

He’s an elite runner. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t end up having a very good career. Never seen someone as hungry for it as Smith is. Leadership potential in spades.

4. St Kilda - Sam Walsh

New
Pick 4 St Kilda - Sam Walsh - 183cm 74 kg - Geelong Falcons

has been on peoples radar for potential number 1 pick since he starred in Vic Country's 2017 campaign as an under ager and at Geelong Falcons also as an under ager, inside mid who accumulates possession and shows signs of brilliance every now and then as he bursts through packs.

averages over 30 poss and a goal per game at TAC Cup level, as well as starring for the under performing Vic Country in the u/18 championships in the last couple of months, which has seen his stocks rise to be a guaranteed top 5 pick and a dark horse number 1 pick, in a 3 horse race between Walsh, the very highly rated Lukosius and the enigmatic Izak Rankine.

strengths:
endurance
work rate
contested ball winning
accumulator
bursts of speed

weaknesses:
defensive running
kicking not at elite level

5. Western Bulldogs - Ben King

Pick 5 - Ben King

Club - Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
Height - 201cm
Weight - 85kg

Strengths -

Contested Marking
Ability at ground level for his size
Versatility
Kicking skills
Taking the ball at the highest point
Wingspan

Rationale - Best available, simple and straight. Picking him as a forward rather than a back due to the plethora of decent key backs already on the dogs list. I am one of the people who believe that Ben King could make a good forward combo with Schache and the resting ruck (Boyd/English) with Schache more suited to play up the ground it allows King to in time play deeper and gives the Dogs a key marking target up forward where we have been breaking down in recent times.

Also in the Mix - Thomas, Hately

6. Fremantle - Nick Blakey

Nick Blakey (195cm, 80kg from Sydney Swans Academy)

Not too difficult a pick, although obviously Blakey is going to Sydney come the real thing. But I have him at #5 on my big board, and the first four players had been taken. Also fills a need for Fremantle which is handy.

I don't think I need to go into it too much. There are some scouts out there who think Blakey is the best player in the draft, and I personally have him as the second best forward after Lukosius - who he's not that dissimilar too. I picture him being a roaming CHF type. He's very good in the air and hugely athletic, whether it's leading up the ground or using his speed running back to goal. His leading patterns themselves are excellent, rarely breaks stride to take a mark. Also showed enough signs at the Championships that he could be a genuine midfield threat at his size, although I do think that would be in a pinch hitting role.

For Fremantle specifically, long term he and Fyfe could be 50/50 forward/midfield. But primarily, I see him as the CHF with Taberner and Cox playing deeper forward as the contested marking threats. And the reason that would work is because he moves and runs like a small.

Otherwise, the next two on my board are Tarryn Thomas and Connor Rozee. So that's who else I considered.

7. Essendon - Ian Hill

New
Pick 7 Ian Hill 176cm 67kg

Dynamic, exciting and damaging with run and carry and kicking.
I think Hill moves straight into the side on the wing and moving forward on occasion.
Has strong defensive actions and has the most natural ability of anyone left in the draft.

Rationale
3 horse race for mine- hill, King or Connor Rozee who I like more every time I watch him.
I went for Hill because I think he is what Essendon needs most.
King is a jet who you could regret passing over however Essendon have traditionally gone for the bigger body in top ten picks and it has failed.
Gumbleton or Selwood?
Myers or Rioli?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.
Name me a genuine quick Essendon midfielder. Didn't think so.
We also have a 202 cm tall forward who will return from injury who goes okay.
Bring on the ridicule!!!!

8. Adelaide - Jackson Hately

Could not overlook the best SA midfielder remaining with my first pick. Rankine of course would be considered that but he was long gone and is also a more midfield half forward.

Hately is one of my favourites from this draft and has been showing elite signs for well over a year now. A genuinely tall midfielder with more growing to do, probably ends up as a 6ft3 type and has an excellent body frame to fill out and will be a big hulking player when fully developed, very muscular. He's got a knack of finding the ball, both inside the contest and outside, no troubles bashing in and using his size to his adantage to fight for the hard ball at the bottom of the packs, has a quick release with hands, some of his possessions like this go un-noticed. But also runs and spreads very well, elite running patterns and work rate and can comfortably link on the outside and run the ball. But to be a complete midfielder you need to work both ways and Jackson is probably one of the best tackling/defensive midfielders in the draft, always has a good tackle count in his games and to top it off is a very strong overhead mark and so he should be at his size. Very valuable for a mid to have all those tools. He also can hit the scoreboard, more often than not kicking a goal or two and can rest forward and be a threat overhead.

His biggest knocks for mine will be his ability to consistently hit targets by foot, hands are elite but kicking can be a touch on the ill-directed side with a lack of low punch and is fairly slow from hand to foot so can get pushed off it when under pressure. Distance in the kick is not an issue, can roost the footy. And as far as pace goes he does not possess any strong break-away power or top end speed but would be on the classic middle of the range, Josh Kennedy, Matt Crouch, Sam Mitchell type of speed. Nothing wrong with any of those footballers so am not worried at all as he has plenty of tools to develop into a top range midfielder with good scoreboard impact.

As far as the crows needs go, we still need tat big bodied mid who can perform at an elite level, CEY will not get there, Greenwood is still developing but will never be elite and Matt Crouch is not what I'd call a big body nor is Brad. Having that 6ft3-6ft4 90kg+ midfielder in Hately will just add that extra dimension of strength to the midfield and I think will serve Adelaide very well. I see Hately as a blend between a Luke Parker and Patrick Cripps, without the true elite standards of Cripps, just a level below but a very good 250 game AFL footballer.

9. Hawthorn - Max King

It is crazy to think someone of King's ability is available at pick nine and while the chances of him being here are slim to none come November, in this hypothetical draft, there is no way on earth Hawthorn would overlook him. Craving another KPP, particularly up the forward end, the Hawks recruiters would not be able to read out his name fast enough should he still be on the board. As they showed with taking a punt on Ryan Burton, they look past immediate injuries if they have the talent to far surpass where they have fallen. Fully fit, King is the number two tall in the draft, and certainly the best pure key position forward. He is so hard to spoil because his athleticism, combined with his ability to take the ball at its highest point is a deadly combination.

For a tall, he can run all day and pinch hit in the ruck, but ideally, he is the bloke you want leading to 40m out, clunking the mark and nailing the set shot from long range. At times his set shots can be hit and miss - as one example he booted eight goals, six behinds earlier in the year, but such is his dominance, some days he can be much more accurate. He is one of those key position forwards who is mobile enough to back himself against the smaller, quicker defenders at ground level, and can do some freakish things. I think the one knock on him compared to Jack Lukosius and his brother Ben, is his versatility as he really has not played down back much, nor as a winger like Lukosius. But to be honest, if you are that good at being a forward, just be a bloody forward.

Max King is a genuine franchise forward who clubs would be mad to overlook because of one knee injury. He's a 200cm athletic monster who can dominate games like few others of his size. So, it is with all that considered, he was the obvious choice here, and while of course others will come into consideration, there is no way you pass him up. Tarryn Thomas and Connor Rozee were the next two in line should King have been taken.

10. North Melbourne - Tarryn Thomas

New
Pick 10 - Tarryn Thomas

Medium tall midfielder / forward

Strengths:
(1) Hardworking / repeat efforts - lots of tackles
(2) Very fast and agile - accentuates the tackling
(3) Tall - only slightly below modern KPF size at around 190-192cm
(4) Goalkicker / x factor - has had "days out" where he has kicked bags of goals and won games of his own boot.
(5) Versatility - can probably play anywhere bar the ruck.

Weaknesses
(1) Sometimes doesn't rack up massive possessions
(2) Kicking inconsistency - has days where it is not on.
(3) No/little leadership experience.

Overall evalution - despite the obvious link to North, I rate him and would have picked about 5 picks earlier. Has as close to everything recruiters look for in a modern footballer bar maybe leadership credentials. Seems to work hard defensively even when he does have the ball.

11. Geelong - Connor Rozee

Connor Rozee - North Adelaide
185/71 - midfielder/forward

This is the player I wanted at this pick from the very start and I’m happy to take him here. Rozee has spent most of his year playing as a forward but he has also shown some midfield traits these past 2 years and that’s where I see his future as a goal kicking classy midfielder able to win his own ball and also get on the outside with his speed and skill.

Rozee will start his career as a forward and he could play a variety of roles. He can be a pressure forward with his speed and tenacity perfect for that role, he also has great hands overhead and a good leap so he can also play a hit up role if needed. It will be a few years but I can see him easily transitioning into midfield/wing once he puts some size on, he is still very light so their is heaps of potential to work with. I can see him developing into a Robbie Gray style player.

I had other players to consider but I feel Geelong should be going best available. Bailey Williams is a good fit but a bit early for my liking at this pick. A bid on West was also considered.

12. GWS - Riley Collier-Dawkins

# 12 - GWS GIANTS - RILEY COLLIER-DAWKINS (OAKLEIGH CHARGERS / 193cm / 88kg / MIDFIELDER)

Tossed up a couple here as think it really flattens out around here and a number of guys would be in the discussion. For mine what gave Riley the edge is I think his progression has been terrific and am confident come end up year he will have elevated himself.

His work around the stoppages is elite and he has some really draftable attributes in his work in that area. His height and strength enable him to win first possession, his vision looks really good and he can hold the ball and create time and space for himself and his teammates. I love players that play inside that accept the tackle, get their arms up, release the ball by hand and create more space and time for teammates. He can do it / does that and as he matures think he will do it more. He has that Bontempelli / Cripps scope to him.

He has good agility and speed and can get on the outside and propel team forward which is terrific for a kid his size. His ball use by hand and foot is good but he can get himself into trouble at times. What's interesting with Riley is that he can take a mark as well and hence he can and does get forward. That gives him another edge.

For mine that presents a pretty good package as not sure he has yet to really grow into his body and understand what he has to offer at AFL level. In short he has the scope to be a really dominant player who can take the game on and significantly influence an outcome once he understands what he can actually do.

The knock on him is that he probably just hasnt put it all together yet consistently but I think when you look at his progression its understandable. He has the rest of the year to show us that including some finals and All Star games.

13. Adelaide (received from Melbourne) - Curtis Taylor

Pick 13 Adelaide Curtis Taylor 186cm 74kg

The sky really is the limit with this kid, he could easily end up being in the top 5 of this draft class, all comes down to how he develops in an AFL environment.

Super raw talent, shows glimpses of star qualities in various bursts but can drift out of games. Has superb ball-winning ability and the freakish ability to turn a game on it's head and is a terrific 1 on 1 competitor with a strong overhead mark and a knack of getting in the right spot to be dangerous and knows where the goals are. Has skills by hand and foot, always looks relaxed when disposing and will excite fans. Still a slightish build, will not have the strength and power to do what he has done at Under 18 level in the AFL but in a couple of years will explode into a damaging inside out midfielder or a dangerous half-forward, take your pick really, will alwasy win plenty of clearances and his own ball but it's his impact per possession that will be the most impressive aspect of his play. Currently he is a 15-20 possession per game type of player but if he can up to a 25 or more then he'll be at a very elite level in no time.

I'd like to see his engine improve a bit more and obviously his amount of the ball that he gets. There have been some question marks over his character and attitude but I'd like to think they can be ironed out no worries at all. Hopefully he doesn't go home here!

Comparison wise many compare to Robbie Gray which is fair enough but he's a less compact type than Gray is and more of a Heeney type but of a slighter build. He could well end up at that sort of level, perhaps without the strength of overhead mark that Heeney has.

14. Port Adelaide - Rhylee West

Pick 14: Port Adelaide - Rhylee West

Calder Cannons/Vic Metro

180cm, 81kg

Position: Proven inside midfield and effective as a medium forward

The son of Doggies great Scott West and like his old man, he has a great skill set, excellent approach and a decent football IQ. I expect the Doggies to be matching a bid on Rhylee at this level as a discount works out to be around pick 19 which is unders for him. Port should be prepared to bid on him and if not matched, then he is good value at 14. I expect this is about right value for West and the Doggies will do well to get their first pick (assume around 5) and then play with points and even go into a slight deficit in 2019 since they have no second round pick as it stands.

What are the attributes that I like? He is strong overhead, tough in the contest, stands up in the tackle, good vision in traffic and when going down field, fast and clean hands, works effectively forward as well as inside midfield, wins his one on one battles and impacts the scoreboard. Showed from his games at St Kevins that he could go up a notch to the TAC and then up another notch with the U18 Carnival. I have no problems in extrapolating that to AFL – some players just seem to be able to go up a level when the competition gets better.

Rationale for Port. They need midfielders and Rhylee fits the bill. He is a proven midfielder at the top level, no guesses required there. Whilst he made the U18 All Australian as a forward, he spent the majority of the carnival playing inside midfield and was top 2 or 3 for Vic Metro throughout the carnival.

Would fit in very well with the Bash Brothers and would benefit from having a couple of bulls around him. Would also work well with the Port structures where they like their midfielders to spend time forward.

15. Sydney - Liam Stocker

Liam Stocker (184cm, 83kg midfielder from Sandringham Dragons)

Unfortunately for Stocker, he broke his jaw in the lead up to the U18 Championships so didn't get a chance to play for Vic Metro. But if his TAC Cup form is anything to go by, I don't think it should hurt his draft stocks too much. I've had him inside my top 20 for the last three weeks, and he's been climbing with every match since.

Looking at Sydney's list, I feel midfielders is the way to go. And a large part of why I went with Stocker is because he's a genuine midfielder. He's not a flanker who may develop into one. He's a very good, and well rounded, midfielder. His clearance work is strong, uses his body strength well in the contest and always attacks the ball. Also clean at ground level and moves well, suggesting he could start more as an outside midfielder if required. He's also got the almost rare ability in young draftees these days of being a dual sided player. If he continues playing the way he has been in the TAC Cup, there's no reason he can't push himself up closer to the top 10 as he's a good player without many glaring weaknesses.

I obviously considered the two SA mids in Tom Lewis and Luke Valente, but Stocker has impressed me and is shaping up as a more complete midfielder.

16. Collingwood - Connor McFadyen

Connor McFadyen (QLD - Brisbane Academy)

More than happy to snag the Allies best mid and most dangerous forward.

*bio to come later.

Also considered Xavier O'Halloran and Sydney Stack.

17. Gold Coast - Chayce Jones


18. Richmond - Luke Foley

Foley is one of the Top 20 smokies after the overager was overlooked entirely last year by AFL clubs. Foley is a tall midfielder who possesses a good endurance base. Foley is a very smart midfielder and has a real good Footy IQ. He possesses a nice right foot kick and he has shown his ability to push forward and hit the scoreboard. His clearance work is good and he has a high impact per possession. He battled a hamstring injury coming into the Under 18 Championships, but he finished as one of WAs best players — finishing the carnival with 17 disposals, 10 tackles and six inside 50s in their win over the Allies.

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROUND TWO

19. Adelaide (received from Carlton) - Luke Valente

Very pleased to grab the SA Under 18 captain with #19, his range is probably late first round to mid to late second round depending on who you talk to but he is for mine an extremely low risk player who will develop into a very solid AFL footballer.

Valente is a consumate professional midfielder, ticks just about every box from ability to leadership (school captain, state football captain, AA Under 18 vice captain) as well as SA MVP for the tournament eclipsing the likes of Lukosius, Rankine, Hately and Rozee which is no mean feat. His professionalism will make the transition and step up to AFL football much easier for him than for others and I think he will quickly slot into any AFL midfield and play good football in his first year.

Skills wise he is good of both feet, and his kicks can be penetrating, perhaps not always perfectly weighted but he has no trouble in hitting most of his targets. Can win his own ball, strong clearance numbers, very good inside/outside midfielder, has a little pace but nothing what I'd call quick or explosive. Strong in the contest, will burrow into packs and extract, be it first hands or quick kick out, great running patterns and fantastic defensive pressure, one game I think he had 14 tackles. Overhead ability probably only average and perhaps his scope for improvement might be a tad less than some of his peers, jack of all trades master of none but still very solid and could well be an AFL captain one day, just a no fuss all round midfielder.

I see him playing to a similar level of say a Liam Shiels or possibly if he really develops James Kelly from Cats/Ess a few years ago but that maybe be a reach.

20. West Coast (received from Gold Coast) - Xavier O’Halloran

21. Brisbane - Jye Caldwell

Caldwell write up:

With my first two picks I wanted to target midfielders with elite potential that can win their own ball. Add Smith and Caldwell to Rayner, Berry, McCluggage, Bailey, Cutler, Taylor and Mathieson and you’ve got a very nice group of young midfielders to run through the rotations and learn off Beams, Zorko and Robinson while they are still around.

Caldwell is a high production inside/outside midfielder that boasts the ability to play up forward or off the half back line. He wins his own ball but is also classy on the outside and is very much a dual sided player. As a midfielder he reminds me of a young Simon Black.

A strong Champs showing would have seen him a top 10 lock imo.

22. Port Adelaide (received from St Kilda) - Zak Butters

Zak Butters
Outside Midfielder Western Jets/Vic Metro
181cm, 70kg

Adelaide have strong collection of inside mids and need pace and class on the outside to balance the team. Butters offers this big time. His carnival was interrupted with his shoulder injury and he is off for surgery bringing 2018 to a close. The wing is his natural position while he has also played as a smaller forward.

Watching him play makes you appreciate both his pace and his skills. He is fast off the first 10 metres and quick to get separation from the contest. Not afraid to take on the contest and will also drift forward like Gaff and impacts the scoreboard.

23. Carlton - Xavier Duursma

Pick 23 Xavier Duursma - Carlton

With pick 23 I was hoping for one of the following players to land in my hands. West, Butters or Valente.... Most mock drafts have one of those styled players drifting to my picks. Duursma just does not have the same output as the other names I mentioned. Carlton are in need of leadership and high quality players when attempting to rebuild from the ground up. Duursma has leadership qualities and is solid at most elements of the game. Has solid speed, endurance, inside and outside ability. I actually don't mind his work in the back half of the ground and then when he bulks up he may move into the midfield full time.

I think he is a borderline round 1 selection at the moment and getting him here was purely the best player that also suits a need.

24. Greater Western Sydney - Ned McHenry

Ned McHenry / Geelong Falcons / 176cm / 71kg

Ned is a player I think will garner a lot of interest come draft day. He is a terrific kid and is really popular amongst team mates and has won the affection of those involved in the Academy with him. Kid possesses a lot of really draftable attributes. He is an elite endurance runner and has the scope to play a range of roles through the midfield and forward of the ball. He is one of those tempo players that seems to bring energy to his team and can influence his teams momentum with offensive and defensive plays. His defensive work is something coaches / scouts will love. In his position ground ball gets are going to be crucial and his hardness and cleanness when ball is in dispute is a standout. When he has it he is quick and skillful. He is one of those heart and soul players. Think he will be a really popular selection come draft day and suspect has many admirers.

25. Gold Coast - Jordan Clark

26. Carlton - Bailey Williams

New
Pick 26 - Bailey Williams - Carlton

Carlton fans are obviously going to hate this selection and others may accept it. Firstly, I will explain how I could justify the selection on a number of levels.

1. Lukosius and Curnow - They both have the ability to play on a wing/midfield. I was high on Ballard last season before the draft and he is roughly the same height as these two players and he was playing on the wings. With their ability and kicking skills, they could play a midfield role like Pavlich.
2. Levi replacement - Williams could move into the role of Levi and play that forward that pinch hits in the ruck.

While we did need midfielders, Williams I found too far above my other two selections to justify skipping his ability. You can never have too many players of high ability. Williams is not lost around the ground, moving forward and he has the speed and ability to play as a tall defender like a Pearce/Daw/Allir.... styled defender.

1. Williams is an atheletic beast of a player and has a frame that is built for AFL football.
2. He can play in the ruck and looks at home forward
3. Solid kick for goal and not completely lost when the ball hits the ground
4. Looks to have a solid tank for a tall ruck/forward

I loved him as a junior last year, thought he had that combination of aggression and athletic ability. The obvious issue is the selections of Kerr and TDK last year will create some depth in talls. I just think Williams is at another level compared to those two names. I've not seen the best of the King boys, but part of me wonders why is Williams not in the same conversation as those two players?
Williams reminds me so much of Ben Brown. If he could turn himself into Brown long term, we would have a winning player.
The two midfielders I would have thought about selecting were
Tom McKenzie or Kennerley.
With some more vision, I have a feeling that we may consider Riordan if those other names had already been selected.

27. Hawthorn - Riley Bowman

I almost came agonisingly close to snaffling Bailey Williams, but nonetheless, Riley Bowman is still a good pick-up at this selection. I have heard he is a late R1-mid R2 pick and after the obviously talented elite talls, is that next best option. He is athletic, can play ruck or forward and has had the experience of playing 50/50 ruck/forward as well as 80/20 and 20/80 in those roles too. Selected alongside Max King, it means the Hawks have two athletic forwards, but Bowman would ruck probably 80% of the time while King could pinch hit up forward. But should they need to play with a four-tall approach (Gunston plus say McEvoy) then Bowman and King both have the athleticism to now slow the side down. The reason Bowman is not up with the elite talls is he is still lights - about 82kg - and does not rip a game apart like they have the potential to do. The one advantage he does have is he is fairly consistent across all areas and he does not seem to have a "poor" game as such. He will grow into his body, but for now I think the combo of King and Bowman is huge for the Hawks, and it means they can target smaller players when there are no decent talls left.

28. North Melbourne - Tom Joyce

Tom Joyce

Small midfielder

Pros:
Large possession accumulator
Good speed
Good endurance
Described as a hard worker by recruiters

Cons:
Not large
Lacks depth with kicking

Summary:
Really good midfielder who hasn't had the exposure due to injury. Not a game breaker but a solid foundation type that will consistently rack up high 20 possession numbers at worst and run all day.

29. Gold Coast - Kieran Briggs

30. Essendon - Jack Bytel

Pick 30 Jack Bytel 188cm 86kg inside mid Calder Cannons

Bit of a steal landing Jack here. He is a pure midfielder who will keep winning the football. Jack is strong around the footy and will win a fair share of clearances. He also is good at being a link player.

Jack had a poor national championships which was due to little niggles he was carrying and a lack of continuity in his football. His kicking has not been consistent as of late and he is a little one paced. Jack is good overhead and can be dangerous forward. He played limited game time against oakleigh this weekend and was super. Oakleigh only got away from Calder when he was off the ball. Jack's 17 year old form especially against other top shelf players last September was very good. It is also nice to snare a local talent here.

The rationale for this pick was best available talent with a preference for a midfielder. If Essendon snare Mitch Wallis as a free agent then I would possibly take Thomas Berry here for his dynamic speed and athleticism but a real footballer prevails right here right now.

31. Melbourne - Shane McAdam

Shane McAdam - South Australia/SturtFC - 185cm/ 84kg - Forward

32. Port Adelaide - Sydney Stack

Pick 32. Port Adelaide
Sydney Stack
Midfielder, Perth Demons/WA
177cm, 72kg

Stack was a surprise packet in the carnival. His production and impact on the games saw him named in the All Australian team. Not bad for a lad who missed the first game against SA due to not getting to training on time. He seems to have taken the kick up the backside well and managed to get his act together to show what he is capable of doing.

Stack played as a bottom age player in 2017 and when I went back through my notes, I had written busy, nice tricks and some great attributes. I wanted to see him take his game to another level and he did. He is a midfielder who can also play half forward (less this year than last year) but it was in the middle that he made his mark. Whilst I read some posters comparing him to Stephen Hill, I would say less this year than last year. He seems to have taken on board some inspiration from Byron Pickett and his new attack on the ball and the contest was great to see. He is hitting to contest at pace meaning he is starting to excel at clearances.

What are his strengths? Pace, aggression, holds his tackles (averaging 7 per game this year), clean hands, ability to get his hands on the ball at stoppage, ability to get separation from stoppage, pressure and toughness. I believe he will excel in an AFL environment, especially at a club like Port that have one of the best indigenous programmes. He has the potential to be a player with a point of difference and coached well with his skill set, he could be a steal at 32.

33. Sydney - Tom Mckenzie

Pick 33 Sydney - Tom McKenzie (184cm, 76kg from Northern Knights)

I wonder if maybe McKenzie might not be as highly rated on BigFooty as he will be in the minds of recruiters. So I'm happy to get him here. Played almost exclusively at half back for Vic Metro, he did it very well so it could be something that clubs look to continue. But his TAC Cup performances also show that he's a very good ball winning midfielder - and he did hint at this clearance work for Metro at stoppages in the defensive half. So I feel he offers a lot of versatility. His run from half back and excellent foot skills would translate well to a wing, while he can obviously win his own ball in the middle.

For Sydney, I'd be looking to develop his midfield game. I quite liked Ryley Stoddart last year who they have developing as a small defender already. So McKenzie would be a nice inside/outside midfielder to grow along with Liam Stocker in the first round. Or keep him down back, while moving Jones and Mills into the midfield rotations.

34. Sydney (received from Collingwood) - Fraser Turner

Pick 34 Sydney - Fraser Turner (186cm, 75kg from Clarence)

I do like my Division 2 players, and after passing on Chayce Jones to see where he fell to, I should probably take Tasmania's other draft chance here. He was the youngest player at the Championships this year, draft eligible by just 5 days. And there is a real growing trend to the idea that late birthdays have more development in them.

Purely an outside midfielder at the moment, Turner has a nice turn of speed and will run all day on a wing. And at a good size, he ticks most of the boxes for the position. His work rate sees him rack up the touches on the outside. Pushing forward, he can be dangerous and kicked a couple of nice goals for the Allies at close to full speed. Not the most damaging player in terms of elite skills, his kicking is handy. Definitely a role for him, and should be a lot of improvement to come.

35. West Coast - Jacob Kennerley

Jacob Kennerley. 184 cm 76 kg. Midfielder. Norwood.

This is a name that you won’t find on many mock draft boards.
Quite frankly I am not sure why IMO He had a very standout championships and impressed me.
He is an outside midfielder that also isn’t afraid to go in and get him own ball.

What I was most impressed with was his ball delivery and as a forward you would be licking your lips seeing the ball in his hands knowing that his delivery is so good.
His kick is accurate and also very penetrating.
Players who hit target with regularity are very valuable.
Kid has a good set of wheels on him also. Covers a lot of ground and roams far and wide. His run and carry is good as is his closing pace.

Makes good decisions and knows how to read the play. He comes across as a smart player.

Whilst inside bulls are all the go with midfield assessment at the moment it’s folly to forget the quality outside finishers.

I thought he had a pretty consistent Championships and was one of SA’s better players.

Yes he was a beneficiary of the good inside work that the likes of Hatley, Valente and Lewis did , nevertheless he finished of their good work with good run and carry and quality delivery.

Happy to pick him up at this point in the draft. I think this kid has a lot of tools that the recruiters will like and has good upside.

36. Richmond - Mitch Riordan

Injured plagued mid who if he gets it right can be a bargain. Might be overlooked in November, but could be a rookie. Very good runner, but constant hamstring injuries haven't helped.

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROUND THREE

37. Adelaide (received from Carlton) - Hugo Munn

Pick #37 Adelaide Hugo Munn Sturt 198cm 94kg

Struggled with this one, wanted Kennerley as I rate him fairly highly but also realise that the crows need a decent YOUNG key forward. Jenkins is rubbish and getting on, Tex is past his best and also getting on. Dear probably won't make it, rumours McGOvern might be gone and the jury is out on Himmelberg. That leaves Fogarty as the only other good young key forward so I'd like another one to help shore up the stocks.

Munn is a very talented player with great size and for someone of his size, he reads the flight of the ball very well and displays good smarts. Can take a contested grab but probably doesn't do it consistently enough, he's raw and talented, once he fills out that 198cm frame he'll be quite a big specimen and an imposing matchup for any key defender. His championships were good and he impacted the scoreboard but he didn't dominate in the air or physically impose and destroy his opponent, was all from his smarts which I like to see. His defensive pressure was consistent and he display good agility and is a great shot at goal. For pick 37 I'd be fairly happy to get someone like Hugo at the crows to bolster those stocks.

I looked closely at Berry and McLennan also with this pick as well, but decided the crows have a wealth of good young backs and Doedee would be first in line for that interceptor role that McLennan plays so well.

38. Gold Coast - Tom Berry


39. Brisbane - Luke English

I was really hoping to land one of Kennerley or Berry here. But I missed them by that much. Still pretty happy to get English with a third rounder.

He’s another high production midfielder with inside and outside ability that possesses a big tank that allows him to run and push hard all day. He’s a regular goal kicker too. English won the 2017 Jack Clarke medal for being the best player in the WAFL Colts despite not being draft eligible.

40. North Melbourne - Ben Jarvis


41. Western Bulldogs - Angus Hanrahan

Pick 41 - Angus Hanrahan

Club - Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
Height - 181cm
Weight - 68kg

Strengths -

Attacking Disposal
Finishing
Kicking Skills
Composure
Decision making

Rationale -

With the Dogs struggling to kick the ball, especially inside 50 I was looking for a player that could add to our forward mix and fix some of our weaknesses. Hanrahan has two of the most important traits in which he has the composure and smarts to lower his eyes and find the best target and the foot skills to back this up which is good to see because sometimes you see players with good skills make poor decisions. Hanrahan is the sort of player that will need a few years to develop physically but I feel that he is a good pick for the Dogs at this stage.

42. Gold Coast (received from Fremantle) - Jarrod Cameron


43. Greater Western Sydney (received from Essendon) - Sam Fletcher

Sam Fletcher - Dandenong Stingrays / 187cm / 79cm / Midfield & HB

Sam missed a fair chunk of footy last year but was well and truly on the radar as a high quality bottom ager. Really highly regarded kid who is going to present exceptionally well to clubs when the interviews really come into play later in the year and the pysch testing results gets some real focus. That aside the kid can play. He has played both midfield and back flank and I think its the latter where he will settle. Wins a lot of contested footy and has courage in spades. Will also work defensively pretty hard and his ball use in traffic and decision making I think is first class and for mine its probably his standout. Off the back flank he is a really good reader of the play, very clean in his ground balls and an efficient user.

44. Melbourne (received from Adelaide) - Isaac Quaynor

From Snoop Dog

Slick HB flanker who is tied to the Pies via the NGA. Highly rated and has put in some really good performances at TAC level this year and backed it up with some really good showing at the Champs. Is more your quick HB type who is very clean at ground level and uses the ball particularly well. His ball use is good and he attacking in the vein of JJ. I think the knock on him a little has been does he get the balance of the two right but to be fair clubs want to see what he is capable in an attacking sense. They can teach him the balance later on. Suspect will go higher than this come draft day.

45. Hawthorn - Joe Ayton - Delaney

Another awesome get at #45, which would have only been made better if I hadn't have put Quaynor above him in my rankings. Ayton-Delaney is a quick defender who is a good user by hand or foot and moves well out of defence. He is not a huge accumulator compared to his contemporaries, but he has good smarts and can play midfield if required. He is an outside leaning player, but has the foot skills to hurt teams coming out of defence and the reason I have selected him for Hawthorn is to replace Grant Birchall at half-back. He is the type of player the Hawks would take because of his ability to make good decisions and use the ball well out of defence and fit into the Hawks' structure.

46. Port Adelaide (received from North Melbourne) - Riley Grundy

Riley Grundy – Sturt, SA
KPD
195 cm, 80 kg

The journey for a younger brother following in the footsteps of a successful sibling is intriguing. In the case of Riley, it should help him. Looking at blood lines, Brodie has been competitive at hit outs but it is his athleticism that has been the differentiating part to make him a top ruckman. Riley is smaller than Brodie (195 cm versus 202 cm) and given Brodie did not grow after the carnival, recruiters will need to decide whether 195 cm is tall enough. Where he will develop is his body shape and size – he is only listed as 80 kg which is quite light for his height and he will need to bulk up. I was surprised with the weight as Riley did not look out of place during the carnival and he is solid standing his ground. He is a genuine KPD though best suited as the second tall defender leaving the other KPD to take the monsters. Like Brodie, he has good athleticism plus he has a touch of the nasties. I can imagine what backyard football looked like at the Grundy household and I suspect that Riley has an arsenal of tricks. I like my defenders to be a little angry at forwards and Riley certainly showed this in the championships.

Riley had a good carnival. The one exception was the third quarter against Vic Metro when King got the better of him. At 195 cm he was a little undersized but to be fair to Riley, the reason Vic Metro went on a rampage in the 3rd quarter was that the ball was coming down to the Vic Metro forwards fast and with precision making defending hard.

Riley has genuine pace when the ball comes to ground and is clean below his knees. I will be interested in seeing what his sprint times are like at the combine as he showed good pace on the field. There was enough in Grundy’s athleticism for me to think he can also develop as a chop out in the ruck. The game is seeing smaller players taking a turn in the ruck and this may well be something for Riley. His foot skills are strong (not elite but he generally hit his targets) and his decision making looked really good. Put it this way, throughout the carnival the ball came out of the SA backline with relative ease meaning credit has to be given to the defenders as a whole. The SA boys seemed to all understand the team strategy which is always a good sign for recruiters.

A KPD is a need for the Port list and they have the luxury of time for someone like Riley to grow and to learn his craft at SANFL. It is always nice to have a developing tall as a local lad meaning they are more patient and will not get despondent and home sick due to lack of games I the first 2 years. I had wanted Hugo Munn as my first choice but he was taken a few picks earlier. My other option was Jacob Koschitzke who had a good carnival but I think there is more upside in Riley.

47. Geelong - James Rowbottom

Pick 47 - Geelong - James Rowbottom - Oakleigh Chargers - 185cm 78kg - Midfielder
Rowbottom doesn’t fill a need but in my opinion he is too good to pass up at this stage. Rowbottom is one of the best clearance mids in this draft with his clean hands and attack on the footy well in the top 5 this year. He hunts the ball at stoppages and around the ground so if he wants the ball he often gets it or tackles the player hard with it.

Rowbottom isn’t a plodder either with good speed and agility, he doesn’t really on his size to win the ball but some added size would be beneficial for his style of play. Rowbottom played in defence at the start of the year and played that role well, he has kicked goals at school level but so far I haven’t seen a great ability around goal so something that could be improved is his ability to get forward.

Rowbottom’s kicking has been debated but I think his technique is sound and better than other inside mids in recent drafts who have slid due to poor kicking. Just have to look at the last kick in the highlights below to see that he can hit up targets pretty well. Many of his poor kicks come from him trying to take the game on and get the ball forward, you will rarely see him kick sideways or backwards.

Bailey Scott was the other main player considered for this pick

48. Greater Western Sydney - Bailey Scott

Bailey Scott - Suns Academy / 186cm / 74kg / Midfielder

Been watching Bailey for a while as his old man was always a player I enjoyed watching and hence taken some interest. Get the impression son is cut from same cloth but with a little more polish. True midfielder who can play inside and outside the contest and backs himself to run and present as a forward option which I rate (a trait v similar to Dad). I think he has a lot of footy nous about him. Runs to good spots and when he touches it he influences the play. He reminds me a little of Nathan Freeman who I rated highly at a similar age. Athletically he will tick all the boxes for recruiters - quick, seems to have good endurance, good lateral movement. Skill wise he wont present any headaches in that he is a solid user of the ball and can kick reasonably well off both feet. He doesnt tend to overuse it so maybe a question mark will be is he attacking enough by foot but that would be really nit picking and I wouldnt necessarily agree with that. I suspect at AFL level he will start at HB or HF where he has shown he can play well as well. Forward of the ball at junior level he has been a difficult match up so he has scope there and certainly down back he has played well also.

The kid is already 186cm and whilst only 75kg you get the impression he will fill out a bit and become a really solid footballer. He is a competitor and will give it his best shot.

49. Melbourne - Toby Bedford

Toby Bedford
Victoria Country | Dandenong Stingrays | 176 cm | 65 kg

Bedford has been playing mostly as a half forward for Country and Dandenong from what I've seen and heard, playing bits in the middle and sometimes inside 50. Despite his size Bedford has a very strong core and isn't brought to ground easily from what I've seen, but he doesn't seem to find a lot of the ball and doesn't hit the scoreboard a whole lot which is why he's in this range. I like how he doesn't really panic with ball in hand and his ability to find a player inside 50.

Melbourne have picked Shane McAdam, Isaac Quaynor, and Bedford so far, with one pick left.

50. Port Adelaide - Daly Andrews

Daly Andrews Westerns Jets, Vic Metro
183 cm, 76 kg
Outside midfielder

The anti-density rules are coming and this will mean a high priority to be placed on speed. Speed is something that Port are not overly blessed with in their midfielders. Daly is an outside midfielder that has great line breaking speed. He knows how and when to put on the afterburners and whilst usually playing on the wing, he is not afraid to take the game on and both run through the middle and pass through the middle. Exactly what Mr Hocking is wanting to add to our game.

At 76 kg, he is slight and will probably take a couple of years prior to being AFL ready. That said, he has some meat on the frame and has shown at a TAC level and again at the carnival that he can break tackles and make tackles. He loves to chase down as well which is always a crowd pleaser and a team lifter and when the game opens up more, expect more of the chase downs on the big bulls. I had hoped that Rowbottom was available however he went a couple of picks earlier. There will be some who think this is a bit early and some a bit late. I think it is about right although there are possibly another 5 players I could have taken ahead of him but for me it is a balance of the list and I wanted speed.

51. Collingwood (received from Sydney) - Will Kelly


52. Collingwood - Mitch Podhajski


53. North Melbourne (received from West Coast via on-trades) - Jason Carter


54. Geelong (received from Richmond) - Zane Barzen

Pick 54 - Geelong - Zane Barzen - Murray Bushrangers - 193cm 77kg - Forward

Barzen is a talented medium tall forward with a lot of upside. Last year Barzen was a standout young player for Murray often hitting the scoreboard and taking a nice mark every game. Barzen has grown 3cms since last year to be a genuine 3rd tall option. He will take a few years but Geelong need a developing tall forward.

Barzen copped an injury early in the year which caused him to be a little underdone for the championships and being on the lighter side does make it hard for players to stand out in the championships. Barzen has been tried on a wing this year and he has shown and ability to take marks around the ground and be an option but I don’t think he plays wing at the next level but perhaps more as a high half forward.

It hasn’t been a feature this year but his kicking inside 50 last year was elite and he can kick 50m comfortably. He is much better overhead than at ground level where he needs to be stronger over the ball and really attack it, hopefully with some added size and confidence this could improve. When up and running his standout traits are his overhead marking and elite long kicking inside 50.

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROUND FOUR

55. Geelong - Zac Foot

Pick 55 - Geelong - Zac Foot - Dandenong Stingrays - 180cm 71kg - Wingman

Foot was a late callup to the Dandenong squad and he impressed so much at TAC level that he even got a Vic Country spot and also played every game for them, he didn’t dominate the champs by any means but he still did some nice things.

At TAC level Foot showed his line breaking ability on a wing and he often ran with the ball inside 50 nailing goals at pace with ease, this wasn’t something he could show off at the champs but he is a genuine goalkicking quick wingman. Foot was born on Christmas Eve so he only just qualifies for this years draft and considering his lack of development in the TAC their is plenty of upside.

Foot’s disposal under pressure an be questioned and he is on the smaller side but being as quick as he is it shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve chosen Foot for Geelong to give them more genuine line breaking speed on their list.

56. Geelong - Alastair Richards

Pick 56 - Geelong - Alastair Richards - Sandringham Dragons - 187cm 78kg - Defender/Wingman

Richards had a strong start to the year in the TAC being among the bests in just about every game he hasn’t played in especially in the big game against Oakleigh where teammate Max King kicked 8 goals. In this game Richards was a ball magnet and running machine able to run and carry and win the ball all over the ground.

Richards has genuine speed and good balance and his kicking is very good when he can compose himself, often his poor kicking comes from rushing it. Richards decision making is solid without being as good as some at the top of this years draft. Richards has flexibility on his side aswell playing well as a rebounding half back, a ball magnet wingman and from last year he was able to kick goals as smart forward.

Richards like Foot has been taken too add more genuine leg speed to the Cats list and his TAC form makes him hard to ignore in the 50s

Others I considered with these picks include

57. Brisbane - Hudson Garoni

Hudson Garoni(195cm/93kg)

Brisbane don’t exactly need another Key Forward but I rate Hudson pretty highly and think he’s a good pick up here. I can see him arguably developing into one of the better forwards this draft has to offer.

He’s big, strong and is a very good contested mark. You’ll also be able to back him into go back and kick a goal as he is a very accurate set shot.

He’s defensive running is a bit hit and miss but the endeavour is there and he presents a a really nice prospect.

For mine, he’d be the second best forward prospect on our list behind Hipwood.

58. St Kilda - Jacob Koschitke

196cm 94kg Albury (Murray Bushies)

best tall defender in the draft pool imo, really good intercept mark, links well with smaller defenders, can play on the big forwards, Cousin of Justin who was at the saints so has some family ties to the saints and with the Saints ageing tall defenders, he will be a good pickup for the next generation at the saints, good contestor in the air and can give the saints good structure in defence.

59. Western Bulldogs - Buku Khamis

Pick 59 - Buku Khamis

Club - Western Jets/Vic Metro
Height - 190cm
Weight - 81kg

Strengths -

Disposal by foot
Intercept Marking
Contested Marking
Composure
Defensive Efforts

Rationale -

Too good to fall through this late. Same with Jez McLennan. Khamis gives the Dogs a player that can develop over the next few years as a replacement for captain Easton Wood in the back line with his strengths being very similar to the Bulldogs skipper. At the dogs he will need to develop more football smarts but with intercept marking defenders like Adams, Naughton, Crozier and Wood to help him learn I am pretty confident that he will become a player for the Dogs in the future.

60. Western Bulldogs (received from Fremantle) - Corey Rich

Pick 60 - Corey Rich

Club - Frankston VFL
Height - 183cm
Weight - 83kg

Strengths -

Goal Kicking
Good overhead marking
Can play midfield
Work rate (on and off field)
Speed

Rationale -

With Dickson injured over the last few years and our lack of genuine smaller forwards at the Bulldogs a mature player like Rich late in the draft would be more than welcomed by our supporters. Rich has been one of the leading goal kickers in the VFL this year despite playing for one of the bottom sides in Frankston which shows that he can find the goals with limited opportunity and has the speed that the Dogs lack forward of centre. This wasn't a hard pick for me at this stage of the draft.

61. Essendon - Ely Smith

Pick 61 Essendon Ely Smith 188cm 86 kg inside mid Murray Bushrangers
This bloke can play.
Inside midfielder who is adept at winning clearances and has got above average hands which are used to release teammates. Smith has a big body which he uses to compete and apply strong defensive pressure.
Kicking is steady without being elite and running is okay though one paced.
However what he brings to the dance is his ability to win the footy especially on the inside.
Ely is winning the footy 30 times a game and his game style and improvement is reminiscent of clayton Oliver.

Rationale
Ely is 24 on my board with a bullet. He reminds me of clayton Oliver with the way he uses his hands and is very strong and competitive in the mould of Powell pepper.
The other two players I considered with this pick were Tom Lewis and Irving mosquito.
Lewis has some similarities to smith I just prefer smith's size and better hands while mosquito is super exciting and is a natural small forward at afl level.

How draft is panning out for Bombers?
Hill gives unbelievable speed and X factor which Essendon is lacking. Passing on max King is ballsy or foolhardy though I don't reckon he would realistically be available anyway.
Bytel and Smith gives the midfield some much needed size and grunt.
Best available is usually my mode of operation although speed and or a tall would be good.

62. St Kilda (received from Adelaide via on-trades) - Tom Lewis

New
Pick 62 St Kilda - Tom Lewis

Sturt 180cm 80kg

big bodied midfielder, who was part of the strong championship winning S.A. team, alongside stars Valente, Hately and Munn was a core part of that midfield group, tough inside mid that can spread and play a linking role through the mid, nice mark and good user of the ball, doesnt have as many elite talents as some of the other S.A. mids and this is why i think a pick in the 2nd/3rd round is justified, but at this stage in the draft im very happy to have picked him up.

63. West Coast (received from Hawthorn via on-trades) - Luke Moore

Pick 63 . West Coast. Luke Moore . 180 cm 85 kg. Small Forward . South Fremantle.

I have been tracking this kid for a while now and have been impressed with his production and his development. I first noticed him against the Claremont Colts last year where he only had 10 possession but had an impact and kicked 2 goals 1 , he had a point of difference, that was compelling.

He is an opportunist around goals ,who reads the play well, things seem to happen when he is near the ball.
He is "as cunning as a s**t house rat", hard to catch, and hard to stop.
Has a bag of tricks in his quiver.
For a small forward the number of tackles he puts on is commendable as is his forward pressure acts.

Luke had a reasonably impressive Championships and while that was pleasing, it just adds to his solid resume of work for the South Fremantle Colts side this year. Where he averages a couple of goals a game, he is one of those player that only need a dozen possession in a game to hurt you.

Micky Ablett likened him to Alan Didak and I can see the resemblance and I think he will follow as similar pathway at AFL, that being :
Starting as a small forward that as he develops will make his way into the midfield rotations.

I also liken him a little to Zac Langdon, but five years younger.

Lots to like about this kid and lots for coaches to work with.

64. North Melbourne - Dillon O'Reilly

New
64 - Dillon O'Reilly

Tall forward

Pros
Fairly prolific goal kicker at WAFL colts and played league as an underager
Decent set of hands
Good kick
Reasonable leap and can ruck a bit

Cons
Looks a bit slow
Needs to work on endurance

65. Carlton (received from Geelong) - Tom Sparrow

While Carlton did select two talls with their first three picks, we have added some speed and grunt into the side with this late selection. When selecting this late in the draft, you're picking players with as many AFL traits as possible and hoping that the flaws in their game can be solved.
This kid has a few AFL qualities in my eyes

1. Elite Speed
2. Goes in HARD
3. Loves to tackle
4. A few reports I've heard he is a player that coaches will love and a real team player
5. When finding the ball, shows attacking flair

At under 18's level he has shown the ability to find the ball a heap. His kicking is not amazing, but not terrible. Sometimes I have a feeling it is the speed his is moving that makes him struggle, really needs to work on being balanced when kicking on the run. Has a few moments of headless chicken, when you compare that to someone like Walsh, Jones, Butters who just make wonderful decisions and have time.

I watched the SA coaches give him a go in the backhalf and I think there is potential to become a small defender long term while he potentially works into the midfield. He will give a contest, provide run and carry and will add speed to your team. Ticks enough AFL boxes for mine and a good value pick this late in the draft.

66. Greater Western Sydney - Lachlan Scholl

Fan of Lach and pretty sure will get taken as has real class and some traits that clubs will really go for. Good composure, good decision maker who displays good footy nous, can kick really well either side has a bit of x factor in his play and has speed. Think will be more a HB type but wing and even half forward would be in his scope as well at AFL level. Reminds me a lot of his Dad. Couple of areas for him to focus on but lot to like.

67. Adelaide (received from Melbourne) - Jordan Sweet


68. St Kilda (received from Port Adelaide) - Oscar Chapman

Pick 68 St Kilda - Oscar Chapman

North Adel 187cm 72kg

i'm happy to pick up this guy here, i wanted to take him earlier but thought he might be a safer bet taken later so i could guarantee Lewis which i was right about, he is a 3rd tall forward who impressed me at the u/18 championships, he is an over ager, but he can play footy, nice lead, contested mark 3rd tall type forward (flexible), he is a bit slim so needs some gym time, but he has all the tools you need for a medium forward and i liken him to a Mark Le Cras type or a Jack Gunston type, was a dangerous forward for S.A. and showed character in the games i saw him in. I rate him quite highly, but i know he'll slide in the draft because their doesnt seem to be huge hype around him, but if he fills out in the gym he could be quite a good pick up for an AFL team if he lives up to the potential i think he has. He also has that S.A. mullett which means he is a bit of a character which is always good to have around the club.

69. Sydney -Michael Mummery

Pick 69 Sydney - Michael Mummery (185cm, 87kg from Nightcliff)

Feels like a very long time ago that I first saw Mummery play. He was the youngest player to play a senior game in the NEAFL, debuting for the Thunder as a 16 year old. On the back of that, he was part of the AFL/AIS Academy and was considered a genuine top 20 chance when his draft finally came around. Well its here and while he's not considered as high a pick anymore, I'm still happy to pick him up.

A medical problem and subsequent groin problems ruined most of his 2017, save for a few matches up north where he again showed his pure ability. He's been regarded as one of the most talented players to come from the NT for some time. At the Championships this year, he was good for the NT in a midfield/forward role. For the Allies, he struggled a bit but he had limited opportunities compared with others. I like him as a small/medium forward, he does everything that we've come to expect from Indigenous players and more. I also think he has scope for midfield time, either in the middle or on a wing. He's well worth a chance at this point in the draft.

Otherwise, I had been hoping Tom Sparrow would be available here. While my top rated player remaining was Jez McLennan, so I considered him and a couple of mature aged players.

70. Collingwood - Kyle Reid


71. West Coast - Tom Medhat

Pick 71. West Coast - Tom Medhat. 190cm. 81 kg. West Perth.

Medhat is an interesting prospect as he has some traits that are going to be hard for recruiting staff to ignore.
The first thing you notice is that he has clean hands and is skilful.
For a guy his size he is pretty quick across the ground and also covers some territory around the ground.
At his size and speed he is going to be a tricky match up.
At this stage of his career he is a third tall forward option he has a good set of sticky hands that marks well and is an accurate shot at goal.

With Oscar Allen and Waterman West Coast are not short of his type but with The Frenchman on the way out a bit of cover isn’t a bad thing.
I also think given Medhat’s skill set he may have some positional versatility down the track.

He is a academy kid that’s available for Fremantle as he is of Irianian extraction.

72. Richmond - Jez McLennan

Smart HBF, that reads the play exceptionally well and is willing to intercept. Kicks the football well and is a steal this late.

ROUND FIVE

73. Carlton - Oscar Brownless


74. Gold Coast - Rylie Morgan


75. Brisbane - Keideam Coleman


76. St Kilda - Laitham Vandermeer

Pick 76 St Kilda - Laitham Vandermeer

180cm 76kg (Murray Bushrangers)

flanker/mid who averages low 20's poss in the TAC Cup and who caught my eye as a stand out for Vic Country in the championships, moreso than a few others selected earlier in the draft and with bigger profiles, he seemed calm and collected and clean with poss, so with a late selection i'll pick this kid and develop him into a utility flanker/mid rotation, i think he is good value so late in the draft.

so far in the draft i've picked a tall defender, medium forward, 2 inside mids and a utility

i was also tossing up between:
Irving Mosquito as that pressure forward, he averages 5 tackles and 1.5 goals a game and has some rioli traits
Matthew Walker that tall mid/flanker who can go forward and kick goals and looks to have some good AFL traits
but i decided on Vandermeer, because he was 1 of few vic country lads that impressed me in the championships and deserves to be recruited either in the draft or as a rookie, for his performances in the u/18 championships imo, another over ager i think has done enough to get drafted this year mid to late in the draft

77. Western Bulldogs - Stefan Radovanovic

Pick 77 - Stefan Radovanovic

Club - Western Jets/Vic Metro
Height - 192cm
Weight - 85kg

Strengths -

Attack on the ball
Versatility to play back and inside midfield
Athleticism
Size
Contested ball winning

Rationale -

Radovanovic is one of the players that I'd be more than happy for the Dogs to pick up. He gives the dogs some much needed body size in the middle of the ground where I believe that he will develop in time and is very aggressive around the ball always putting his body on the line, using his big body well. Another strength of Stefan's is his ability athletically as he appears to be quite quick for someone his size running the ball out of defence quite a lot for the Jets. Because of this he would make a nice combo with our less athletic tall inside mids like Bont, Dunkley and to a lesser extent Macrae in time.

78. Fremantle - Joshua Corbett

Josh Corbett (190cm, 90kg from Werribee)

For mine, 22 year old Corbett is the best mature aged player in this years draft. And with a strong finish to the VFL season, he could easily end up going inside the top 40. He's almost an identical prospect to Mitch McGovern - same size, position, elite contested mark. If it came down to giving up a first round pick and a massive contract in a trade for McGovern or drafting a player 2 years younger with a second or third round pick, I'd be backing myself in and going for Corbett.

In 9 VFL games this year, Corbett has 22 goals and 11 behinds. He's averaging almost 8 marks a game, and leading the league in both contested marks and marks inside 50. Like McGovern, if there's a marking contest he just seems to come down with it. Regardless of where he is in the pack. And not only is he a marking option inside 50, but his work rate is elite and is running 14km a match. That would be up there with the best forwards in the AFL.

For Fremantle specifically, he'd add some much needed competition up forward for Cam McCarthy and likely would have played a fair bit this year. A forward line with Taberner and Cox as the two key talls with Corbett as the third would be a dangerous one given our propensity for kicking long.

79. Essendon - Jordan Butts

Pick 79 Jordon Butts 196cm 82 kg Key position Murray Bushrangers

Selected him two years in a row. Kiss of death?
Jordon is born in late December hence really young 19 year old.
Didn't get drafted as clubs questioned his maturity and his readiness for AFL footy is my guess.
He has a good year playing at centre half back and as a high hit up half forward. I see Jordon's best chance of an AFL career playing as a high half forward who is too athletic for players of similar height and too tall for similar athletes. Justin Westhoff like.
Jordan needs to find strength in his body and I question his competitiveness on occasion.
Kick is okay, reads ball well and has decent hands. Should have played for Vic Country this year.

Rationale
I picked a tall just for the balance of the draft however young Mosquito is too good not to be picked up. In the real thing Irving would have been called because of pure ability.
I thought Corbett would be available here and considered Jake Riccardi and James Rendell.
The other player who I think is a real show to be on an AFL list is Josh Kemp from Calder. He was a late addition to the Cannons list playing terrific footy at Essendon Grammar. He is a mid sized forward who has some outstanding talent.
My guess he may go top 60 in November if injuries are kind and Calder play a couple of games in September.
Remember this is just a trial draft.
It would be hard to pass on Max King in the real thing. Though Essendon need a genuinely quick midfielder. Colyer is never going to be good enough. Parish and McGrath are not legitimate line breakers for mine.
I would be rapt to grab Bytel in the second round and getting Smith in the fourth round surprised me significantly.

80. Adelaide - Brendan Dew

Dew was a very dominant Under 18 footballer in his draft year but didn't produce the goods at the champs and due to him not having any eye-catching abilities, largely went under the radar but I've always been a fan. High production and clean wingman/half forward who can also get his own ball at times. Has some pace but generally just a clean and polished classy midfielder who has played a great month in the league side with some strong performances. He'd add some great depth to the crows who lack a bit of class at times and would compliment their running game on the outside very well. Only knock is his defensive side, he'd want to lift that a bit more and also he could be accused of being a tad outside but I have seen him win his ball plenty of times. Has the Nick Dal Santo's about him when on.

81. Hawthorn - Brayden Ham

Really rate this kid because while he did not make the final Vic Country squad, Ham just has that X-factor about him. Each time I have seen him, he has hurt the opposition despite not having a huge amount of touches. He is the kind of player that will often head home with 20 disposals and three goals, and has recently been moved to the backline, still having an impact there with a number of rebounds and still maintaining his ability to find the ball. He seems like he can be used in any position and has good core strength with plenty of upside. He is an over-ager, but one I can see going late/rookie and is great value here in the lottery of picks.

82. North Melbourne - Matthew McGuiness


83. Geelong - Bailey Schmidt

Pick 83 - Geelong - Bailey Schmidt - Dandenong Stingrays - 199cm 97kg - Key Forward/Ruckman
Schmidt has been a solid player for Dandenong who has been overshadowed by his highly talented teammates Williams and Bowman. Schmidt has spent plenty of time at full forward and shown some promises signs, he has sticky hands and a solid set shot routine.

Schmidt is a smart player and often makes good decisions around the ground, he isn’t a big ball winner when playing in the ruck and his ruck work is only solid from what I’ve seen but to be fair I’ve mostly seen him as a forward.

Schlensog being a Geelong boy was also considered but I feel Schmidt has the better scope for improvement. Plenty of players I still like are available and if I was able to see more of him I would have taken Joshua Kemp with one of my picks in the 50s

84. Greater Western Sydney - Sam Collins

Absolute stand out in the VFL this year who has just dominated in the air. Was always surprised got discarded by Freo given their list profile and was even more staggered that he didnt get picked up by a club albeit had pretty good mail the Swans were very close. I think given the success of blokes like Dunn and Mihocek over last few years someone will give him a go this year. He is a terrific fella and whilst going well outside of footy would be a terrific get and would be absolutely committed.

85. Melbourne - NIck Hind

VFL | Essendon VFL | 180 cm | 75 kg

Hind is a player that I've loved for 2 years, and for me would be the best midfield talent in the VFL this year. His ability to break lines off half back, a wing or in the middle has been his main feature for most of the time, and his tenacity is something to behold. Needs to work on his strength and his kicking can be hit and miss but I feel he can have 8 years of good football for the Dees.

86. Port Adelaide - Louis Miller


87. Sydney - Caleb Graham

Pick 87 Sydney - Caleb Graham (194cm, 84kg from Gold Coast Academy)

Talented and versatile big man, best played down back. Not too many key defenders I’d take ahead of him and think he should go much earlier.

88. Collingwood -Martin Frederick

88 - Collingwood - Martin Frederick
If I want a guy who can provide run and dash from defence there is no better in this draft class than Martin Frederick. Absolutely lit it up for SA with that sheer acceleration with which he takes on the game. He's a linebreaker with elite speed, agility and evasiveness using it in game as well as any outside of perhaps Rankine. I'm also a fan of his kicking with some of his low bullet kicks a highlight.

Overall Frederick isn't a pressing need but he was the standout value choice.

My other consideration was Atu Bosenavulagi, but given he's still here and Collingwood have priority to him as an academy prospect, if this was to extend to a rookie draft, I'd take him there as that ideal long term pressure forward who wins the ground balls as well as any small forward in this draft class.

89. West Coast - Noah Answerth

Pick 89. West Coast. Noah Answerth . 182cm 82 kg. Oakleigh Chargers. Defender / Midfielder.

I will admit that I am a bit of a sucker for an underdog and after having his dreams of being drafted shattered last year and in such adversity have the balls to have fought his way back as a overage kid to play for Vic Metro and once again put his name up for Draft Consideration is just a great story.

Answerth broke his back ( fractured L1 vertebra) early last season and that put paid to him playing in 2017 and also dented his draft prospects.
He was able to come back again this year as a 19 year old and not only play for, but Captain the Chargers.

Thats the background :

So why am I picking him ? He is scrapper who fights hard for the ball in close at the coal face.
He spent time in the midfield for Vic Metro and did well so its not a question of IF the dashing backman can play in the midfield because he already has.
Answerth has firstly, both an inside and an outside game and secondly his main point of difference is his leg speed ( two attributes than I rate highly )

He is a bit of a dasher who's run and carry on the outside is better than most. His disposal at times could be a little crisper but I tend to cut inside mids a but more slack as they do most of the work in very confined spaces.
I like the kids work ethic and his fierce attack on the ball.
At pick 89 I am happy to role the dice as I think he has a lot of upside.

Any kid who fights back from the disappointment and adversity that he has faced shows courage, determination and perseverance now they the are sort of character traits that I like young aspiring players to have.

@Bishop your up to close the show out.

90. Richmond - Joel Crocker

North Melbourne Father-Son, expecting him to get a late bid or go to the club as a rookie. Can play anywhere, has looked the goods in defence for Brighton Grammar at school footy in the last two years, when he has been out on the ground - and even went forward to good success in the opening few rounds of the APS season, with a bag of five goals and 26 disposals against Caulfield Grammar. Battled ankle/foot injury, but is out of a moon boot and aiming to be running at the Combine.

 

[briztoon]

Hey Snoop Dog, this is not a personal comment, but as a Lions supporter, feel like cotter101 would be a good choice to represent the Lions if he’s willing.

Or Bicks, even though he’s only a closest Lions fan (on account of our Vic Country kids).

 

[theGav56]

Chris.....

Chris....

wake up mate.

You there?



It's pick 78.

 

[cotter101]

Hey Snoop Dog, this is not a personal comment, but as a Lions supporter, feel like cotter101 would be a good choice to represent the Lions if he’s willing.

Or Bicks, even though he’s only a closest Lions fan (on account of our Vic Country kids).

Happy to. Unless Quigley returns?

Besides. Not sure how I feel about a Collingwood supporter taking our picks.

 

[briztoon]

Happy to. Unless Quigley returns?

Besides. Not sure how I feel about a Collingwood supporter taking our picks.

Now now, I wasn't going to say it out loud...

 

[trikster]

Now now, I wasn't going to say it out loud...

Goes without saying surely

 

[Davo-27]

can i do Hawthorn?

 

[eDPS]

can i do Hawthorn?

No

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Hey Snoop Dog, this is not a personal comment, but as a Lions supporter, feel like cotter101 would be a good choice to represent the Lions if he’s willing.

Or Bicks, even though he’s only a closest Lions fan (on account of our Vic Country kids).

I did Brisbane back in 2016 ADC Phantom draft and went alright...

4.Ben Ainsworth (McCluggage was taken)
17. Alex Witherden
23. Jarrod Berry
24. Cedric Cox
42. Declan Watson
75. Jacob Allison

 

[briztoon]

I did Brisbane back in 2016 ADC Phantom draft and went alright...

4.Ben Ainsworth (McCluggage was taken)
17. Alex Witherden
23. Jarrod Berry
24. Cedric Cox
42. Declan Watson
75. Jacob Allison

Fired for not preempting that North would bid on one of our academy kids.

North always bids on a Lions academy kid.

 

[M Malice]

I did Brisbane back in 2016 ADC Phantom draft and went alright...

4.Ben Ainsworth (McCluggage was taken)
17. Alex Witherden
23. Jarrod Berry
24. Cedric Cox
42. Declan Watson
75. Jacob Allison

That is impressive P4L.

 

[Chris25]

Could have had Will Hayward and Brandon Parfitt/Jack Graham instead of Cedric Cox and Declan Watson.

Fired alongside Leppitsch for sure.

 

[Davo-27]

you better do a better job this draft Pie 4 Life last years was a hatchet job.....

tag me in if you have no idea

 

[Pie 4 Life]

you better do a better job this draft Pie 4 Life last years was a hatchet job.....

tag me in if you have no idea

Wow. Just wow. How's the respect in this post?

 

[Davo-27]

Wow. Just wow. How's the respect in this post?

im just screwing around, good luck in the mock draft

 

[LemmingMaster]

Pick 1 - Jack Lukosius - Carlton

The debate on the Carlton board is huge with regards to our first pick.
I will not deal with those thinking we should trade away our first pick.

The only two names I would add to Lukosius would be Walsh and Rankine.

Rankine - Close to the most dynamic player I've seen and would not look out of place with the first pick. Reading between the lines, he might not be the most down to earth person off the field. There have been many players in their junior years that may not have been wonderful off field and sorted it all out. I think he has elite upside.

Walsh - Massive tank, very suited to modern day running football. I guess he is just lacking the x factor of Lukosius and Rankine. I think those two names have the potential to be once in a generation styled player. Walsh probably has the lowest upside but also maybe the lowest downside.

Lukosius
How will he break the trend of first pick tall forwards that don't live up to the selection?

• Already shown ability at SANFL level
• Massive tank
• Can play in multiple positions
• Mobile
• Clean hands
• Close to best kick in the draft, let alone for a tall forward

Those are my reasons for being confident in his ability to break the trend

Concerns from Carlton fans that warrant some questions.

• Contested marking/possessions
• Talls have high risks
• We already have a number of talls on our list developing.

First point, I think his tank allows him to get away from the contest but when it is his time to contest, he does.
Lukosius seems different to the other talls taken previously due to the trend breaking points.
I am not completely sold on a number of those talls already selected and Curnow/Lukosius are not one dimensional styled forwards.

 

[eth-dog]

Now foj1, don't let us down . It would be lovely if you knew who I was talking about.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Ok we are away, the order has been updated and now for the selections.

Danger in Texas you go!

 

[Snoop Dog]

cotter101

you are up after Danger

 

[Danger in Texas]

Izak Rankine

Write up coming later

cotter101

 

[eth-dog]

Huh. Figured it would have been one of the King's.