Draft 2021 AFLW Draft discussion

[The_Wookie]

Hi guys,

the live Draft thread is now open here.

Draft - The 2021 AFLW National Draft, 6.45pm AEST on womens.afl & the AFLW app

Click for a Full list of drafted players >> ============================ The 2021 AFLW Draft will take place on Tuesday, July 27 in a virtual format, commencing at 6.45pm AEST on womens.afl and the AFLW Official App. Like last year, it will be a studio show, hosted by Nat Edwards, Sarah...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Vacuous Space]

Bit of talk about St Kilda securing Georgie Prespaskis in this thread; am I being daft in not understanding why Geelong wouldn't grab her with #2?

I don't think Prespakis is the consensus best Victorian junior, for starters. Rowbottom is awesome too. St Kilda should just take whichever player out of Prespakis and Rowbottom that Geelong don't. Easy job. If Geelong go rogue and take Slender or one of the Falcons, then St Kilda should flip a coin. No point losing any sleep over it.

The Cats should forget that the Falcons exist for this draft. Take whichever of Prespakis or Rowbottom they rate higher, then take whichever of Stella Reid or Tara Slender is still on the board. If both; take both. Easy job. Assuming they only get one of those, I'd take Ella Friend. Then, if they absolutely have to have a Falcon with their last pick of the first round, they can have a Falcon with their last pick of the first round, but they don't need more. They have plenty of Falcons at home.

I don't understand their rush to get every available Falcon anyway. Last I checked, Melbourne is exactly as far from Geelong as Geelong is from Melbourne. There's every chance that Melbourne teams balk at the prospect of taking a Geelong girl for fear of her wanting to go home. We never get to find out, though, because they're off the board before anybody else can even think about taking them.

 

[Kchamp]

Hi guys, it has been a very intriguing draft with one hell of a finish. But now it's time to move onto the draft now that every pick is finalised. Below is my rough Phantom Draft for Round 1. It's still a work in progress, but there are some obvious choices as well as some eyebrow raisers. I'm happy for feedback, negative or positive. I want to build the perfect Phantom Draft before the 2021 Draft begins. So if there are any rumours from list managers please shout them out. Anyway, here's round 1.

Round 1	Team	Predicted Player
1​	Gold Coast	Tegan Levi
2​	Geelong	Charlie Rowbottom
3​	West Coast	Courtney Rowley
4​	St Kilda	Georgie Prespakis
5​	Richmond	Stella Reid
6​	Gold Coast	Mikayla Pauga
7​	Geelong	Nyakoat Dojiok
8​	Gold Coast	Maggie Harmer
9​	Geelong	Ella Friend
10​	Carlton	Grace McRae
11​	Carlton	Tara Slender
12​	St Kilda	Tahlia Gillard
13​	North Melbourne	Maeve Chaplin
14​	Fremantle	Kate Bartlett
15​	Geelong	Poppy Shaap
16​	Richmond	Jaide Anthony
17​	Adelaide	Gypsy Schirmer
18​	Brisbane	Bella Smith

 

[Vacuous Space]

So at this point the Cats should simplify everything and just draft whoever they think the best player is--that's what I'd be saying if there wasn't a risk of losing her as a free agent expansion signing (for which no compo is given) the following year.

I don't know whether I'm being a conspiracy nut here or whether this is one of those 'yeah, duh, of course, everybody knows that, why are you asking?' things, but the league massaged that whole Conti situation to get the Dogs compensation, right? Because my memory is that internet sleuths noticed she'd taken the '#8 Western Bulldogs' off her Instagram long before the Dogs had lost the requisite players (four?) that forced Richmond to trade for Conti.

I'm operating on the assumption, right now, that Geelong can just adopt a strategy of YOLO and the league will keep inventing picks for them until they get it right.

 

[Vacuous Space]

Hi guys, it has been a very intriguing draft with one hell of a finish. But now it's time to move onto the draft now that every pick is finalised. Below is my rough Phantom Draft for Round 1. It's still a work in progress, but there are some obvious choices as well as some eyebrow raisers. I'm happy for feedback, negative or positive. I want to build the perfect Phantom Draft before the 2021 Draft begins. So if there are any rumours from list managers please shout them out. Anyway, here's round 1.

So, fair warning: I've correctly guessed exactly one Vic pick in each of the last two drafts - and last year was McKenzie (the free square of 2020 draft bingo). It's questionable whether I should be giving anyone advice on these matters. However, I think it's unlikely that girls with 02 birthdays go in the first round to Victorian teams. Also think it's unlikely that Schaap's the first of the Falcons off the board. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but I think her size is going to be an issue for her getting drafted. The other Vics I think I have either in or near enough the first round that it's not worth quibbling.

In general, I'm not going to comment on other states because I'm pig-ignorant. However, I've absorbed enough Franklin v Rowley debate in this thread to assume that those two will be the top-2 WA picks. In some order. And I'm not taking sides. But Franklin is clearly the pick.

 

[Kchamp]

So, fair warning: I've correctly guessed exactly one Vic pick in each of the last two drafts - and last year was McKenzie (the free square of 2020 draft bingo). It's questionable whether I should be giving anyone advice on these matters. However, I think it's unlikely that girls with 02 birthdays go in the first round to Victorian teams. Also think it's unlikely that Schaap's the first of the Falcons off the board. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but I think her size is going to be an issue for her getting drafted. The other Vics I think I have either in or near enough the first round that it's not worth quibbling.

In general, I'm not going to comment on other states because I'm pig-ignorant. However, I've absorbed enough Franklin v Rowley debate in this thread to assume that those two will be the top-2 WA picks. In some order. And I'm not taking sides. But Franklin is clearly the pick.

Yes, you are not wrong about Franklin. I've gone with a mature ager in Bartlett who is crushing this years WAFLW with 34 goals from 14 games. She is still young, only 21 years of age. I may change my selection later, but with Ash Sharp being pregnant, there is room in Fremantle for another forward and she is a decent height with great mobility. Amy Franklin, you could not go wrong with and I may change that later. But for the moment, I think Bartlett should be considered. Shaap also could be changed but there are few forwards to go around this year's draft and Geelong have no second-round pick.

 

[footyknut]

Yes, you are not wrong about Franklin. I've gone with a mature ager in Bartlett who is crushing this years WAFLW with 34 goals from 14 games. She is still young, only 21 years of age. I may change my selection later, but with Ash Sharp being pregnant, there is room in Fremantle for another forward and she is a decent height with great mobility. Amy Franklin, you could not go wrong with and I may change that later. But for the moment, I think Bartlett should be considered. Shaap also could be changed but there are few forwards to go around this year's draft and Geelong have no second-round pick.

If Bartlett goes before Franklin in the WA draft then one recruiting manager will be looking for a new job.

 

[Kchamp]

Yes, you are not wrong about Franklin. I've gone with a mature ager in Bartlett who is crushing this years WAFLW with 34 goals from 14 games. She is still young, only 21 years of age. I may change my selection later, but with Ash Sharp being pregnant, there is room in Fremantle for another forward and she is a decent height with great mobility. Amy Franklin, you could not go wrong with and I may change that later. But for the moment, I think Bartlett should be considered. Shaap also could be changed but there are few forwards to go around this year's draft and Geelong have no second-round pick.

If Bartlett goes before Franklin in the WA draft then one recruiting manager will be looking for a new job.

I wouldn't go that far. But as I said, you couldn't go wrong with Franklin or Bartlett. But if Fremantle selects Franklin, and West Coast doesn't select Bartlett within their next two picks of the second round, the recruiting manager will definitely be looking for a new job.

 

[Stan Judkins]

Hi guys, it has been a very intriguing draft with one hell of a finish. But now it's time to move onto the draft now that every pick is finalised. Below is my rough Phantom Draft for Round 1. It's still a work in progress, but there are some obvious choices as well as some eyebrow raisers. I'm happy for feedback, negative or positive. I want to build the perfect Phantom Draft before the 2021 Draft begins. So if there are any rumours from list managers please shout them out. Anyway, here's round 1.

Round 1	Team	Predicted Player
1​	Gold Coast	Tegan Levi
2​	Geelong	Charlie Rowbottom
3​	West Coast	Courtney Rowley
4​	St Kilda	Georgie Prespakis
5​	Richmond	Stella Reid
6​	Gold Coast	Mikayla Pauga
7​	Geelong	Nyakoat Dojiok
8​	Gold Coast	Maggie Harmer
9​	Geelong	Ella Friend
10​	Carlton	Grace McRae
11​	Carlton	Tara Slender
12​	St Kilda	Tahlia Gillard
13​	North Melbourne	Maeve Chaplin
14​	Fremantle	Kate Bartlett
15​	Geelong	Poppy Shaap
16​	Richmond	Jaide Anthony
17​	Adelaide	Gypsy Schirmer
18​	Brisbane	Bella Smith

Okay here's mine


Foot note: i know nothing about the interstate girls, so i left them as Kchamp had them

 

[Teen Wolf]

I don't know whether I'm being a conspiracy nut here or whether this is one of those 'yeah, duh, of course, everybody knows that, why are you asking?' things, but the league massaged that whole Conti situation to get the Dogs compensation, right? Because my memory is that internet sleuths noticed she'd taken the '#8 Western Bulldogs' off her Instagram long before the Dogs had lost the requisite players (four?) that forced Richmond to trade for Conti.

I'm operating on the assumption, right now, that Geelong can just adopt a strategy of YOLO and the league will keep inventing picks for them until they get it right.

Another wrinkle in all of that is the expansion signing rules for the next phase could possibly be different anyway, however:

It would be just as safe to assume that Geelong's original coach and head of women's football would both still be there if the team had performed closer to expectations. So even if the AFL keep giving them priority picks, it doesn't mean Brett Johnson (or whoever) is personally going to get an unlimited amount of chances. That's enough incentive to not only get it right but also to get it right as quickly as possible.

 

[PMBangers]

As a starting point, Queensland is split into Brisbane and Gold Coast nomination zones for Queensland based players, so good chance Lions academy girls will end up there

 

[Kchamp]

As a starting point, Queensland is split into Brisbane and Gold Coast nomination zones for Queensland based players, so good chance Lions academy girls will end up there

I have no idea how the Geelong/Melbourne zone is gone but the Gold Coast/Brisbane zone stands. It's only an extra 20-minute drive. However, after double-checking, you are correct. Unless they decide to change it before the draft. Fortunately, I only need to change Harmer to Brisbane. Pauga's a Gold Coast girl now playing for Bon Uni and doing well.

 

[PMBangers]

I have no idea how the Geelong/Melbourne zone is gone but the Gold Coast/Brisbane zone stands. It's only an extra 20-minute drive. However, after double-checking, you are correct. Unless they decide to change it before the draft. Fortunately, I only need to change Harmer to Brisbane. Pauga's a Gold Coast girl now playing for Bon Uni and doing well.

Pauga is still Brisbane Academy eligible AFAIK, she can opt to nominate for the whole of Queensland so Gold Coast can select her in that situation

 

[Kchamp]

Pauga is still Brisbane Academy eligible AFAIK, she can opt to nominate for the whole of Queensland so Gold Coast can select her in that situation

But she can still nominate Gold Coast?

 

[PMBangers]

But she can still nominate Gold Coast?

I'm not sure on that, I think it's a 'nominate your academy zone or nominate the whole of Queensland' situation, which wouldn't be bad given Gold Coast have the 2 priority picks. So unless a genuine gun nominates Queensland/ nationally it would be an easy choice

 

[Kchamp]

I'm not sure on that, I think it's a 'nominate your academy zone or nominate the whole of Queensland' situation, which wouldn't be bad given Gold Coast have the 2 priority picks. So unless a genuine gun nominates Queensland/ nationally it would be an easy choice

Fair enough. Either way, I can't see Pauga not heading to Gold Coast. Why else would she play an entire season for Bond Uni when she's from Maroochydore.

But with the draft region still in effect, Gold Coast may struggle to get the most out of Bond Uni and Coolangatta Tweed.

Lily Tarlington's might be a good tall option, Lucinda Pullar would be a shoo-in to be signed before the draft. Then there's Courtney Sexton, Eloise O'Brien, for crumbers, and Georgia Brehmer, with Shannon Dankheart for mids. But they're still developing, and the list at Bond goes thinner from there. The only option I'd look at from Coolangatta would be Leigh Alder.

Gold Coast will have to look at NT. Grace Mulvahil, Ashanti Bush, the incredibly overlooked repeatedly Freda Puruntatameri, and Bella Clake. If Gold Coast was ever going to draft solid Territorian talent, they better do it this coming draft.

 

[PMBangers]

Why else would she play an entire season for Bond Uni when she's from Maroochydore.

Probably her University scholarship that stipulates she has to play for their QAFLW team to remain eligible for it

 

[PMBangers]

The expectation is that WA will have a few girls looking to get drafted interstate because the interest isn't there from Eagles or Freo, Gold Coast would be stupid not to through their hat in the ring as an option for them given it's essentially WA on the East Coast, minus the footy fanaticism, and with Joyce now coach it wouldn't be a shock to see some of the more speculative Tassie girls like Prokopiec, Maurer, Webster, etc. nominate Queensland, but overall yes it is looking grim for them, think it's telling when you have such a big offer for interstate A-graders and no one takes it

 

[Biggie]

I’ll riot if we don’t take Amy Franklin first pick.

And I can’t see Freo skipping Rowley next pick

 

[PMBangers]

pretty quickly thrown together first round from me hence missing two gold coast picks, interested to see what rookie/ DFA signings are made for the remainder of the month as there's some options that fit some clubs needs well.

 

[Kchamp]

View attachment 1151654
pretty quickly thrown together first round from me hence missing two gold coast picks, interested to see what rookie/ DFA signings are made for the remainder of the month as there's some options that fit some clubs needs well.

Slender is up pretty high. And Aroura Smith? Definitely different, I didn't even notice her in u19 championships. But everything else seems in order. Although I don't know why Grace McRae is absent after her u19 championships for Vic Country. She looked like the influential midfielder and definitely led like a captain. Please tell me it's not because she was born in 2002, so she will be overlooked for the first round?

 

[PMBangers]

Slender is up pretty high. And Aroura Smith? Definitely different, I didn't even notice her in u19 championships. But everything else seems in order. Although I don't know why Grace McRae is absent after her u19 championships for Vic Country. She looked like the influential midfielder and definitely led like a captain. Please tell me it's not because she was born in 2002, so she will be overlooked for the first round?

Outside of inside ball winning she doesn't really have a point of difference, if she's getting picked up it's going to be later on when teams are weighing up taking speculative picks or going for relative safety. It's ironic you say you didn't notice Smith at the championships when she won more footy in the SA and Queensland games than Macrae as well, but hey mistakes happen. What's probably most impressive about Smith is she's shown to be capable when it tight situations despite being exclusively a winger, could see her moving to a rover role in time and maintaining that ball winning and compsure in her disposal.
Slender is a jet with a good history for top performances, versatile, tall, good mark, ball user and smooth as butter through traffic, I wouldn't be shocked, or even mark it against them, if Geelong went with her at 1, I doubt it happens however.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

View attachment 1151654

Gold Coast passing two picks in the first round?

Much better than your first effort.

 

[PMBangers]

Gold Coast passing two picks in the first round?

Much better than your first effort.

Always start at rock bottom I say

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Always start at rock bottom I say

Don't worry you can get much worse!

 

[PMBangers]

Don't worry you can get much worse!

If that's a challenge I accept