BigFooty Official 2018 Big Footy Phantom Draft

[eDPS]

If I am Geelong, I have the option of picking Quaynor or Jones and the Pies do what Knightmare did, I would be spewing that I missed out on Jones to play games with the Pies.

Jones was never getting taken at my pick, Ian Hill would have been my pick.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

If I am Geelong, I have the option of picking Quaynor or Jones and the Pies do what Knightmare did, I would be spewing that I missed out on Jones to play games with the Pies.

There's precisely 0% chance Collingwood don't match.

 

[Snoop Dog]

There's precisely 0% chance Collingwood don't match.

Agreed.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Monocle

 

[Davo-27]

I agree with Knightmare in that Quaynor is a bit over-rated, but Collingwood may have already guaranteed him they will match a bid?

 

[Monocle]

Pick . 23 West Coast.

Xavier O'Holloran. 187 cm 83 kg. Midfielder / HFF/HBF. Western Jets.

I picked O'Halloran in the mock earlier in the year and nothing since then has lessened either my grade on him, or my desire to add him to the West Coast list.
Rather his Combine results have further reinforced my rating and grade on him, because his combine results have backed up what I had seen in "game time".

Those select few player, who perform well, in the three different athletic facets of Combine Testing : Sprints / Agility / Distance , rarely fail at the next level.

Genuine midfielder that ticks a lot of boxes that I like.
Good speed, accurate kick, decent spring in his step that assists overhead marking and high possession count numbers.
Impressive football IQ and he is a consistent performer.
Can play both inside and out with his inside work being very good and his forward 50 entry numbers being elite.
He is a hard nut who hunts the ball in close at the coal face and yet has the uncanny knack of being able to get the ball away, be it by hand or foot, when being tackled and more importantly he plays outside midfielder with pace and exhibits good run and carry with burst speed.
He also has capabilities of playing half back and even more so half forward , its this addition positional versatility that will appeal to West Coast.

Was always my intention to take the best genuine balanced midfielder available on the board at this pick and O'Halloran is that in my opinion.

By all accounts he is very coachable and has great character and leadership ability , having Captained both the Western Jets and Vic Metro.
At pick 23 I think O'Halloran is a pretty safe pick.
He has scope for much improvement based on the fact, that the basics that he has shown thus far, are impressive and look to be transitional to those needed to make it at the next level.

I also think that O'Halloran's game style is a good match for the way WestCoast play and I see him also being well suited to being able to play well on the expanses of Optus Stadium which is a fast track
O'Halloran brings a skill set that will complement the current West Coast midfield and add another dimension to it.

Very happy with this pick up and think O'Halloran will play in 2019.

Snoop Dog write up done and Thunderstruck your up.

 

[Chris25]

While I agree with your concept of him being selected too high, it would be interesting to see what happened to your selections if you did match.

I have a feeling that late in the draft, you still may get the player you wanted anyway but you would also have Q as well.

Collingwood would have used picks 41, 44 and 57 to match the Quaynor bid. While getting a pick around 70 back. So essentially 3 third round picks for a first rounder, you'd take that value everyday.

Hill just has Fremantle written all over him

With my second pick, sure.

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

Knighta not a criticism but just curious as to your thinking.

Given you have a pick at 40 isn't the question do you rate Quaynor inside your top 40. I only ask because I look at it as a choice between Quaynor and now what you could reasonably get for pick 40.

I guess on the other side you might highly rate a player and be confident they drop but its a risk. You might also have to use that 40 on Kelly if you rate him / someone bids him so then the gulf between where you rated Quaynor and your first live pick becomes the real question.

Having said all that, was expecting you to pass as you have been consistent on your view on Quaynor and you stuck to it.

I think you have nailed the point here. By going so far back in the draft to pick up points, the question is not whether you rate him when another club is to bid on him but do you rate him more than what you can pick up in the third rounds with multiple picks in the 50’s and 50’s.

The Pies are cutting it very fine.
They have 1,260 points in picks 41 44 57 59 60.
If Quanor and Kelly are bid no earlier than 18 and 30 respectively, then all ok within a noise level of slight push back in 2019.
If Quaynor is bid on at say 14, they will only have enough points for Kelly if he slides to 42 without a significant deficit in 2019.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Ok just at work, doing a few things but shoudn't be more than half an hour. Got a tough call to make

 

[Thunderstruck]

Pick #24 Adelaide Luke Valente - Norwood 186cm 79kg

Could not overlook the SA captain given I'd gone interstate with the first 3. Couple of others who I rate slightly higher on potential but higher risk so went for a near sure thing to round out the 4 picks. Write-ups on all to follow soon.

 

[eDPS]

Back to Monocle

 

[Davo-27]

Pick . 23 West Coast.

Xavier O'Holloran. 187 cm 83 kg. Midfielder / HFF/HBF. Western Jets.

I picked O'Halloran in the mock earlier in the year and nothing since then has lessened either my grade on him, or my desire to add him to the West Coast list.
Rather his Combine results have further reinforced my rating and grade on him, because his combine results have backed up what I had seen in "game time".

Those select few player, who perform well, in the three different athletic facets of Combine Testing : Sprints / Agility / Distance , rarely fail at the next level.

Genuine midfielder that ticks a lot of boxes that I like.
Good speed, accurate kick, decent spring in his step that assists overhead marking and high possession count numbers.
Impressive football IQ and he is a consistent performer.
Can play both inside and out with his inside work being very good and his forward 50 entry numbers being elite.
He is a hard nut who hunts the ball in close at the coal face and yet has the uncanny knack of being able to get the ball away, be it by hand or foot, when being tackled and more importantly he plays outside midfielder with pace and exhibits good run and carry with burst speed.
He also has capabilities of playing half back and even more so half forward , its this addition positional versatility that will appeal to West Coast.

Was always my intention to take the best genuine balanced midfielder available on the board at this pick and O'Halloran is that in my opinion.

By all accounts he is very coachable and has great character and leadership ability , having Captained both the Western Jets and Vic Metro.
At pick 23 I think O'Halloran is a pretty safe pick.
He has scope for much improvement based on the fact, that the basics that he has shown thus far, are impressive and look to be transitional to those needed to make it at the next level.

I also think that O'Halloran's game style is a good match for the way WestCoast play and I see him also being well suited to being able to play well on the expanses of Optus Stadium which is a fast track
O'Halloran brings a skill set that will complement the current West Coast midfield and add another dimension to it.

Very happy with this pick up and think O'Halloran will play in 2019.

Snoop Dog write up done and Thunderstruck your up.

talk about a player with real character, i saw him at etihad in the vic metro v sa game, vic metro were being well beaten and i was looking to see who would step up when the chips were down for vic metro and it seems he and ben king were the main 2 that stood up and wanted to win even when they were behind, another moment was against Oakleigh when western jets were being well beaten in a final and he wins a 1 v 5 in the middle, passes it to Daly Andrews and starts a fight on the ground with a guy who tackled him.

im a huge wrap for him too

these examples show he isnt just a skillful player, he is mentally tough and willing to fight, thats what you want to see from a youngster

 

[PMBangers]

I agree with Knightmare in that Quaynor is a bit over-rated, but Collingwood may have already guaranteed him they will match a bid?

Guarentees arent worth much until acted upon on draft night, but its hard to see the pies turning down any bid unless they were planning to trade up on draft night

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

talk about a player with real character, i saw him at etihad in the vic metro v sa game, vic metro were being well beaten and i was looking to see who would step up when the chips were down for vic metro and it seems he and ben king were the main 2 that stood up and wanted to win even when they were behind, another moment was against Oakleigh when western jets were being well beaten in a final and he wins a 1 v 5 in the middle, passes it to Daly Andrews and starts a fight on the ground with a guy who tackled him.

im a huge wrap for him too

these examples show he isnt just a skillful player, he is mentally tough and willing to fight, thats what you want to see from a youngster

It is when you get to picks like this and see who is taken and who is still available that you realise the strength of the draft this year.

As a West Coast supporter, I would be very happy with 2 picks in the early 20's and would be tempted to trade for a third at the right price - I see strength through to about 40 that is well above prior years.

 

[Monocle]

Pick # 25. West Coast.

Ely Smith. 188cm 86 kg. Midfielder. Murray Bushrangers.

Thunderstruck made this pick easier for me, because I have been vacillating over just who to take here, Valente or Smith, for the past fortnight and to be honest there was only a bees dick between the two of them as they both bring different attributes and each have strong merit.

I digress.

Ely Smith has come in from being a draft possibility six months ago, to having risen high into draft calculations, based on a late call up for Vic Country ( and a very impressive Championships ) and then making an emphatic statement at the Combine.

I first noticed Smith with his hard arsed bullish efforts for Vic Country in the Championships and what first caught my eye was his ability to use his agility and pace to extricate himself from tight situations at the coal face, it was obvious that he was a burst extractor in the midfield.
The more the Championships went on, the more evident it became, that Smith was also able to use his acceleration to great advantage when he got on the outside.

The sealer and the "final nod of respect" for me ,was his Combine performances, it was both a statement and an announcement that he was a genuine riser.
His previously demonstrated pace and agility in real game time was given another element to consider when he came in eighth in the Yo -Yo test.
He also blitzed it it all the vertical jumps , having done well in all three measurable's of jumping: Standing , Left foot and right foot, this didn't surprise me because generally sprinters with explosive acceleration have good jumping ability.
Thats the athletic side of things covered.

Now for what he does well on the ground in game time.
He is a tough no nonsense player that in a very good driver in close traffic , he has an attack on the ball that's impressive and he has an ability to get the ball out to other outside team mates while being tackled in the heat of battle.
His hands are very good in tight and he makes good distribution decisions to other players advantage.
The times that he took the game on himself and burst away from the contest with pace showed another dimension to his game that translates to AFL standards.

Again the three aspects to his game speed, agility and endurance is hard to ignore and for a midfield like West Coast that has limited burst speed Smith could become a real asset.

I do get the comments on Smith that question if its his more mature stature that has given him a leg up against , slighter skinnier opponents and some wonder how he will go against harder more mature bodies at the next level.
However I would counter those queries by highlighting his agility in close and his acceleration as these two tools will make him difficult to counter regardless of his opponents size and age.

Taking Smith coupled with having taken O'Halloran two picks earlier gives a couple of very different midfield options to West Coast and I believe the two compliment each other.

There are still some very good players still on the board.
The likes of Williams , McHenry and Kennerley.

Snoop Dog write up done. LemmingMaster your up.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Pick 26 - Melbourne - Bailey Williams

I have read that Melbourne do require other positions before filling the forward/ruck position, but I rate this kid a lot higher than many it seems. He reminds me in some ways of Brown from North. I think he will do his best work forward and can pinch hit in the ruck. A combination long term of Gawn and Williams is going to be something to be seen. This guy is a pure athlete and already has a body shape suited for AFL. Strong mark and nice hands, not the worst player below his knees for his height, but still something he will need to work on.
Melbourne losing Hogan allows me to select Williams at this position. I have a feeling I can address other needs with their next few picks.

Concerns for Williams
- Goal kicking
- Ability below knees
- Forward craft

Once again talls take a number of years to develop but his already developed body and atheletic profile make me think he will develop quicker than some other talls. Give him 2-3 years and he should start to impact at AFL level.

Snoop Dog

 

[LemmingMaster]

foj1 you're up

 

[Johnny Bananas]

A combination long term of Gawn and Williams is going to be something to be seen.

So you don't see Preuss sticking around?

 

[Warhorse]

Geelong bid for Isaac Quaynor

Knightmare will you match

Confused by this pick. Do you see him developing as a midfielder? A high price to pay for that type of defender..

 

[eDPS]

Confused by this pick. Do you see him developing as a midfielder? A high price to pay for that type of defender..

Quaynor is ready made and could slot in a BP next year seemlessly. This range isn’t far off where he will be bid in the real thing I reckon and to be perfectly honest a bid would get matched here aswell.

 

[LemmingMaster]

So you don't see Preuss sticking around?

I am not completely sold on the ability of Preuss and Gawn working in the same team. I think Preuss is a back up if Gawn gets injured. If history is any proof, rucks do have a great ability to get injured. (Gawn two knee recons)...

Having depth in that position and Williams while providing depth in the Ruck position, he will also provide depth in the tall forward department, is an added bonus. I also rate Williams very highly purely on a talent perspective and in my limited viewing showed as much as Ben King, yet does not get all the accolades of King. (I would have loved to see Max King a lot more)

 

[LemmingMaster]

Quaynor is ready made and could slot in a BP next year seemlessly. This range isn’t far off where he will be bid in the real thing I reckon and to be perfectly honest a bid would get matched here aswell.

What does not make sense is the fact you have Hill ranked at 10 in your rankings and Quaynor at 21. You may update your rankings in the near future and reverse those rankings.

 

[eDPS]

What does not make sense is the fact you have Hill ranked at 10 in your rankings and Quaynor at 21. You may update your rankings in the near future and reverse those rankings.

Went with Quaynor because I felt he was the best fit to play a role straight away and Hill would have been the obvious choice as best available.

 

[David C]

Don't see Port bidding on him. If anything, it'll be Adelaide at 13 that will bid.

They would have agreed not to bid as part of the Polec trade.

 

[Warhorse]

Went with Quaynor because I felt he was the best fit to play a role straight away and Hill would have been the obvious choice as best available.

Do you see him developing into something other than a back pocket?