BigFooty Official 2023 Bigfooty Phantom Draft

Thunderstruck · Nov 1, 2023

Pick 24 Adelaide - Taylor Goad South Adelaide 205cm 90kg

This was a very hard decision, despite my known love for Goad. I have Tholstrup ranked higher and originally typed his name out but changed my mind due to our abomination that are our rucks and our forwards/flankers being the least of our needs. I don't have another pick either. I've also got Goad ranked higher than 24 in power ranks. McAuliffe was the other I considered (sorry Bicks)

Goad is raw, but he has rapidly developed this year and he shares a very similar junior appearance to a young Max Gawn who also took some time after his knee injuries. Is quick, very mobile for his height and can take a ripping mark. Showing nous at actual tapwork, which I rate the highest in this draft class. I don't expect Max Gawn levels at maturity but I see a 200 game AFL ruck who at some stage will be one of the best rucks in the comp.

TDS7 ur up

TDS7 · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 25 - St. Kilda - Lance Collard - 180cm 65kg

LemmingMaster for Carlton

LemmingMaster · Nov 2, 2023

Carlton - Pick 26 - Koltyn Tholstrup

Having two picks very close together, I did not want to explain my thoughts behind this pick. There were two players I really wanted at this point and Koltyn and Charlie Edwards were my two options. I banked on Edwards being a lot lower on most people's radar. I only have to worry about two selections, lock it in and walk away happy with my outing.

Koltyn in many aspects has been passing time waiting for AFL and playing senior WAFL footy he did not really get a chance to smash 18 year old players, instead he dealt with mature bodied players. He is a brute of a player and has that aggressive touch. Very nice vision kicking inside 50m and my main concern was his inconsistent impact on games was due to fitness issues, but his combine times removed some of my concerns.

He will play that hybrid forward the drifts into stoppages and can actually play inside midfielder long term. Modern day football is basically 4 forwards with high half forwards acting as midfielders. I could see him playing senior AFL footy from round 1 and with his WAFL experience, understanding the faster style of game.

Needs to work on defensive efforts
Consistency
Goal kicking

This has potential to be a boom pick or just someone that peaked as a 17 year old. Just fits Carlton's list needs to a tea in my eyes and has potential to play early in his career. Could be that Cunningham/Fogarty replacement at the Blues.

Monocle

Monocle · Nov 2, 2023

Pick # 27. West Coast . Charlie Edwards. 191cm 85kg. Midfielder. Sandringham Dragons.

Edwards has a season that finished with a real sprint to the finish line and as such he drew attention to himself and caught the eye of the drafting community a little off guard as his finish to the season had recruiting teams needing to reevaluate their draft boards.

He is a midfielder that has a real weapon, which is his burst speed that gets separation from the pack, with ball in hand thats a dangerous combination in a skill set.
His kicking skills are very tidy and therefore he is a good distributor of the ball.

Midfielders that possess all these traits: clean hands, burst speed, good foot skills and good decision making are highly sought after.

Would have been an interesting watch him at the championships against the best of the best, but that was not to be.

Why West Coast ?

First and foremost, his speed and separation from the stoppages, it's an area that West Coast are poor at.
He is another piece in the concerted effort to reboot a sub par midfield group.
He brings a mix of skills that would complement the two young mids that were drafted last year in Ginbey and Hewett, throw the #1 pick Harley Reid into the equation and the prospects of winning the ball at the stoppages and centre square improve significantly.

So when assessing his talent, his position and his scope for improvement he was just too difficult to leave on the board.

Who else was considered: Joel Freijha was the only other player, as the players who went just before Charlie Edwards were all in the cluster from which I was hoping to be able to pick from.

goodcop badcop · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 28 - Geelong - Joel Freijah

LemmingMaster

LemmingMaster · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 30 - Carlton Ashton Moir

Write up tonight.
Smythe

Smythe · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 31 - Richmond - Archer Ried - 203cm 94kg - KPF

Archer has had an up and down then back up year. It is very common with these big guys, and he projects as a slow burn with a big upside potential.
He has big hands and clunks marks, then with a very sound kicking technique can slot a goal. Not overly fast on the lead and although his size has helped him in the juniors he will need a couple of years toning his body and building strength and muscle to dominate the big leagues. Would benefit greatly from learning the craft from a very similar type in Lynch down at Tigerland. Has the one on one craft working for him currently but will need to hone the skills needed for the big league defenders, and with his body changing he will learn to use smart leading patterns and be quicker off the mark. As I said earlier he started the year ok then had a bit of a slump but came back strongly to end the year with very good momentum and show his potential. I think the tigers need a KPP to develop and whether they see Archer as a target or are looking at one down the order or even as a train on I don’t know but if he is available at this spot I think he would be the pick.

Ysaye

Ysaye · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 32 - Angus Hastie

Height: 190cm
Weight: 74kg
Likely AFL Position: Rebounding defender / midfielder / utility

What do I like about the player? Good runner with good speed and agility (Top 10 at Combine) who just moves through congestion with ease and breaks lines. His kicking looks really good but is probably not quite as effective as it looks but I think with a bit of work it can a real weapon at AFL level. His handballing is also pretty effective. At the moment he plays half back but with his strengths I wonder if he might be one who makes a successful transition into a big bodied midfielder? There aspects of his game that remind me of David Mundy.

What are the weaknesses? As mentioned, I reckon the effectiveness of his kicking could be tidied up a little and needs to increase his disposal count. Also if he is playing half back I think he should be looking to improve his intercepting capacity; he feels more like a ground player at the moment.

Why Brisbane? Brisbane have strengths all over the ground but arguably have a list which is maybe a little more stacked with forwards than defenders. I think that Hastie could potentially play a number of roles and so that was also attractive.

eDPS you are up

eDPS · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 33 - Essendon - George Stevens
189cm - Midfielder/Defender

Just about the least Essendon style pick you could get, a big bodied midfielder? Perposterous! But this is exactly why he should be under consideration.

Essendon has long avoided bigger midfielders and Stevens will certainly add that point of difference on the list and although his size and mobility is certainly something clubs have avoided in recent drafts it’s hard to ignore his body of work and fantastic character traits and leadership which is an area Essendon could always bolster.

Stevens kicking composure at stoppages could use some work but his kicking outside the contest is sublime and could be a real asset even if he isn’t doing the inside grunt work, a player who did an ACL and didn’t get to complete a full pre-season my hope is that he will be even fitter and more dangerous next year with the full year of playing he has had this year on top of that.

Pie 4 Life · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 34 - Will Green (Northern Knights)

Northern Knights tall Will Green has delivered on his bottom-age potential, and still has plenty more to offer after a decorated top-age campaign. The 204cm ruckman previously juggled cricket commitments with football, but prioritised the latter heading into 2023 and has not looked back since.

His upside was recognised across 14 Coates Talent League appearances last year, which was enough to earn a late call-up to the Under 17 Futures showcase on AFL Grand Final day. Green was also selected in the National Academy and thus turned out twice in Australian colours against VFL opposition this year.

Named co-captain of the Knights for 2023, he was selected as the starting ruck in the Team of the Year having also been named in the All-Australian side – despite only playing three of a possible four games. A couple of breakout performances highlighted Green’s potential, though he remains far from the finished product.

STRENGTHS:

Clean hands
Endurance
Fundamentals
Mobility
Ruck craft
Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:

Consistency
Production

A ruck capable of dominating the domain on his day, Green has seldom had an issue racking up hitouts. This year, his averages of 22.8 hitouts and 6.5 to advantage at Coates Talent League level were boosted to 24.3 and 8.0 in the National Championships, highlighting his ability against the best possible opposition. Ruck craft is clearly Green's top trait and he's a clever hitter, often improvising while utilising his size and reach.

He may not be a particularly high-production player elsewhere just yet, but is certainly taking great strides in that department. Green's best game this year came in Round 9 with the Knights, where he posted 22 disposals, five marks, 18 hitouts and two goals. His ability to take grabs around the ground, follow up on his ruck work, and even impact up forward were ultra impressive.

Though, that effort was more so an indicator of his ceiling rather than the norm. Of Green's 13 Talent League games, nearly half yielded single-digit disposals and he only hit the scoreboard in two of them. Going forward, boosting his consistency of production and maintaining a steadier output from week to week will be key to proving just how effective Green can be as the primary ruck.

It's certainly an attainable goal. The 204cm big man is mobile and has a great running base. His 2km time at the National Draft Combine (6:34) is up there with some midfielders in the same crop, and allows him to move from contest to contest. If he can get his hands on the ball, Green's fundamental skills and overall mechanics are quite sound too, meaning he can join in on the play with high efficiency and little fuss.

With enough nourishment in an AFL environment, Green can become a tall who does many things which are elite for a player his size. He kicks well, moves well, has clean hands, runs down smaller players, and is an extremely dextrous with his touch. With those attributes combined, there is more than enough substance to see him given a chance, and the best is yet to come.

DRAFT RANGE: 20-30

SUMMARY:

With a few ruck options knocking about within a similar range, Green will likely be a selection made on upside somewhere in the second round. His base is sound, boasting strong ruck craft and fundamental skills, but more importantly he has plenty more room for development once he enters the elite level. He may not feature very early in his AFL career but could really be anything if he continues his upward trajectory.

PMBangers · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 35 - Gold Coast Suns - Will Graham

186 cm 81 kg
General Defender/ Midfielder
An extremely athletic prospect with proven form in the defensive 50 and centre square, Graham has been the forgotten man of the Suns Academy (well, not as much as Williams tbf) given the accolades of Jake Rogers, Jed Walter and Ethan Read over the last 24 months. Graham was somewhat an unknown heading into the season given his two ACL injuries, but has placed himself firmly in second round contention with his play for the Allies and Suns sides this season.

Personally, I think he was pretty clearly in the Allies best midfield rotation but was limited in his midfield opportunities due to the limitations of other players in the midfield mix, seeing him shifted to the back half which may have been a blessing in disguise really. He got to show off his rebound game and natural competiveness on the last line of defence, before moving into the midfield for the Allies final game and doing well against VIC Country.

So athletic, competitive, fairly versatile are great anywhere on the ground, but his contested game and ability to drive from congestion is what has me convinced he's a midfielder at the next level, and if he can bring a bit more damage to his disposal he'll pair well with the likes of Anderson and Rowell in future

Chris25 go again

Chris25 · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 36 Fremantle - Luke Lloyd (193cm and 84kg forward from Sandringham Dragons)

The AFL website just couldn't wait until tomorrow to post their article on him, could they?

I would have loved for someone like Freijah or Moir to drop a little further, but it wasn't to be. Kind of feels like a bit of no man's land picking here - the top names haven't slipped, but it's a touch early to go too left field. Fremantle fans would probably want to hear me call our Gothard or Delean.

It's probably not saying much since this group of key forwards is pretty poor overall, but I have Luke Lloyd as the #3 KPF behind Walter and Caddy. And if the U18 Champs was held at the end of the year, I think he would have been a key part of the Vic Metro team. He's got natural talent, but more importantly he looks to understand the game. He reminds me a bit of Jye Amiss in that he just knows where to be, whether it's on the lead or simply working into space. Good mark, good kick. I'd rather a smart 193cm forward than a 200cm tall who can run.

And the reason I like him for Fremantle is because I think he's well suited to playing an old school CHF role. Working up the ground, being that link through the centre square.

eDPS

TDS7 · Nov 2, 2023

eDPS said:
Essendon bids on Calsher Dear TDS7

Bastards, the lot of you.

I don't think we would match if it meant going into deficit here, but I think we have the points for it in this scenario.

Pick 37 - Hawthorn - Calsher Dear - 195cm 90kg - Key Forward

Back to eDPS

eDPS · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 38 - Essendon - Tew Jiath
188cm - Defender

With D’Ambrosio and Lord leaving the club Essendon has no young developing half backs as cover for the future and Jiath is the perfect project with his enormous upside.

A player who has improved massively as the year has gone on he has shown a great ability to take the game on with clean and composed ball use under pressure and an impressive intercept marking game for his size. Another key feature is his ability to also shut down when needed which is always a hard trait to find when looking for quality half backs at 17-19 years old.

He will need work on his ball drop so plenty for the coaches and himself to work on there to make him a very well rounded prospect and I feel it’s one of the major reasons he is even available at this point.

Monocle · Nov 2, 2023

Pick # 39. West Coast . Wil Dawson. 200 cm 86 kg. KPP/Utility. Gippsland Power.

Dawson is a player thats grown on me as the season has progressed and after doing a bit more research on him.

Firstly he is as raw as raw, however he has many likeable attributes.

For a kid that tall, it's unusual that they have such an instinctive ground ball game, as he is very good below his knees and gets involved in winning the ball in dispute when the balls on the ground.
That also puts him into a good position to tackle if he is close at the coal face, furthermore I would say that his frequency and ability to tackle is a real point of difference , in his game for someone so tall.

The kid has long levers and a massive wing span, thats going to be difficult for opponents to counter.

The other point of difference for such a tall kid is his closing speed, while he is rather lanky, he covers a lot of ground at a surprisingly fast pace. His straight line speed is very good but so too is his sideways movement.

Kicking is more than adequate and his kicking range is complete, as he hits up the 35-45 meter passes and still has a long roost on him as well.

Now this should not be surprising given his height, but his leap and aerial ability is exceptionally good.

As is his use of his body when jostling for position under he ball before the marking contest, once he builds some mass and strength, I think he is going to be very hard to beat one on one in the high ball marking contest and pack mark.

So many parts to his game that I see real upside in, that makes it impossible for me to let him pass and run the risk of him being snapped up before my next pick

Acknowledging that I am reaching for him here, but I doubt that he will be there for my next pick and there is an even cluster that I considered at the pick, that I reckon one of which will still be on the board.

Just where he eventually plays at AFl I am not sure, thus far hr has rucked, played as a forward and as a defender.
At he very least I like his projected trajectory as a CHB.

Still only 17 and 200cm, so who knows what height he eventually peaks at, most tall's seem to add a couple of cm in the first two or three years on an AFL list.

This Kids the baby of the draft 20.12.05, had he been born a few weeks latter he would not even be eligible for this years draft.

Wil Dawson is a very impressive prospect with so many attributes that could see him develop into a really good tall, the scope for improvement is exciting.

Now this is a big call, but I watched a young raw Dean Cox running around at East Perth before he went on to be an elite AFL player, I do see quite a few of the same raw attributes in Dawsons game.

Ysaye · Nov 2, 2023

Pick 40 - Phoenix Gothard

Height: 178cm
Weight: 72kg
Likely AFL Position: Small forward

What do I like about the player? Top 10 in the 20m sprint and also the standing vertical jump, Gothard is fast and can be a difficult small to match up on a lead and also getting behind the play. He has a consistent kick both for goal and as a field kick up the ground and is a pretty good tackler too. At times I have wondered if he would be effective further up the ground as well.

What are the weaknesses? Whilst fast and effective on a lead or chasing someone down, I am not as convinced in terms of lateral movement which is something that is often important deep in the forward line. His disposal numbers are generally pretty low and he is very light weight and easily knocked off the ball by bigger players. I actually prefer some of the other small forwards a bit more taking the club out of it, but I went with him because of the pace that he brings which may be of value to Brisbane.

Why Brisbane? A player who brings some extra speed to the club.

TDS7 your turn.

TDS7 · Nov 3, 2023

Pick 41 - St Kilda - Harvey Johnston - 183cm 79kg - Midfielder/Half-Forward

Smythe · Nov 3, 2023

Pick 42 - Richmond - Koen Sanchez - 177cm 70 kg - fwd/mid

I’m not going to lie here, there were a couple of players with a potential to have a higher ceiling on the board, but none to my eye that are as solid a pick as Koen here. Over the last few years of watching Koen all I see is Liam Baker 2.0. Is athletic but not the most athletic, goes in hard without shirking a single contest. He will bury in and win his own ball, get clearances after clearances, spread and be damaging outside of the pack and run lines to impact further up the ground and stay in link up play and if there is a turn over he runs hard the other way too and like all little guys he tackles to hurt. Little bugger backs into packs like he is 6 foot 4 and will go all day long. He is a footballers footballer. I say Liam Baker 2.0 because I think his football IQ and ball use is better. Multi positional and rarely, rarely makes a mistake with the ball. I see him as being a player that everyone would love to have on their team and then on top of that, watching his interactions with teammates on the field and the way they get up and about after he has been involved in a play, made a big tackle or kicked a goal, he seems to be looked up to by them. With his excellent ball use and grasp of the basic fundamentals of how the game is played I see leadership qualities in Koen.

up next ModernArtillery for melbourne

ModernArtillery · Nov 3, 2023

Pick 43
Melbourne
Clay Hall
Peel Thunder / Western Australia

I think Hall makes sense as a midfield option for the Dees at this point of the draft. I think he has a pretty high floor and will ultimately out-perform his draft position. He's a nice size, is a good runner and wins a nice balance of contested and uncontested footy. He's capable of applying himself defensively and can finish tackles, so I think there's enough to work with. I think it's fair to say his kicking is a little suspect, but I don't think it's broken. I'm projecting is use gets to a satisfactory level without ever being a weapon for him.

PMBangers

PMBangers · Nov 3, 2023

Pick 44 - GWS - Lachlan Charlson

177 cm 74 kg
Small Forward/ Midfielder

Lachlan Charleson Draft Profile

GWV Rebels prospect Lachlan Charleson is a clever, quick and energetic small forward with a deep bag of tricks.

central.rookieme.com

STRENGTHS:

Defensive pressure
Ground level game
Intensity
Speed

IMPROVEMENTS:

Consistency
Conversion

One of the best pressure forwards in this year's draft pool, Lachlan Charleson has traits that aren’t too dissimilar to West Coast's Noah Long. The pair share share a similar path as primarily inside midfielders that developed as small forwards in their top-aged seasons. Charleson approaches the footy inside 50 like he’s at a stoppage, hitting the ball at 100 per cent when it hits the deck and happily taking out any opponent in his way before looking to quickly dish the ball off. Celebrating big and getting under his opponents' skin is another trademark Charleson trait.

He has developed rapidly as a forward, kicking 17 of his 24 Talent League goals for the season in his final five games with less rotation into the midfield, able to show his ability as a marking option as well. His best effort was a bag of eight against Bendigo Pioneers in Round 16. Whilst a goal kicking return of 24.14 reads quite nicely, Charleson may look to refine his set shot routine to maximize his opportunities in front of the sticks, while also building some consistency when playing at higher levels given his impact reduced when playing for Vic Country this year.

----
This was a really hard pick given there's still some pretty good quality left on the board imo, but having already taken a defender I ruled Bodie Ryan, Oscar Ryan and Geordie Payne out, and did the same for the pure midfielders left I have in this region because of the Sanders selection. SO it then became a choice between Callinan, Delean, Charlson and Ry Cantwell, all would be good picks in this area but Charlson's strength with his a) defensive pressure b) contested game and c) athletcism made him the choice. I think Charlson has all the makings of a pretty consistent best 23 player at the next level, and has traits that suit the role requirements of modern small forwards with his work in the defensive phase of the game, and, for GWS at least, an ability to role through centre bounces as a bit of a point of difference.

I was really tempted by Cantwell, it essentially came down to a coin flip, but as mentioned the contested nature of Charlson made him appeal slightly more

Ysaye up with Swans

Ysaye · Nov 4, 2023

Pick 45 Caiden Cleary
Height: 182cm
Weight: 79kg
Position: Midfielder

What do I like about the player? Having selected (for both Brisbane and Sydney) players that have significant athletic strengths, we move to Caiden Cleary who is just a strong footballer with "average" (for AFL) athletic ability. Having really drive to get to each contest and have an impact, I really like his balance and disposal by hand around the contest, but also that he is a player that is always on the move and whom is also always looking to keep the ball moving. He has also played on the outside as well this year and I think would be a generally reasonable option out there as well.

What are the weaknesses? He is kicking is just what I would call average, and perhaps the bigger average bit is the decision making with his kicking; with his disposals by foot being somewhat characterised by long bombs.

Why Sydney? Very good value local pickup with a bit of versatility in what he can play (Wing, Midfield). A bargain at Pick 45 and to one train of thought surprised that no one bid earlier - I was really contemplating Sydney's draft with him until I saw Delean was still available....

Chris25 your up

Chris25 · Nov 4, 2023

Pick 46 Fremantle - Shaun Mannagh

Shout out to the champion of the mature aged pick. It’s no Casey Voss in the first round, but I hope this does you proud. Gone but not forgotten. We miss you Knightmare.

Some picks just make sense. And with Schultz leaving, Fremantle need immediate help in the forward line. So why not the 26 year old half forward/mid from the VFL.

I do like a greedy player and that’s Mannagh. If he’s within 60m of the goals, he may as well be the only player on his team. And I’m okay with that. He can crumb, lead, mark, run forward from the middle. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to make the transition to the top level, and I don’t think the drop off from Schultz would be that significant. Plus Mannagh might give you some midfield minutes too if you need a wrecking ball like impact.

Back over to Ysaye

Ysaye · Nov 4, 2023

Writeups later today.....

Pick 47 Cooper Simpson
Height: 181cm
Weight: 79kg
Position: Midfielder / Forward

What do I like about the player? Co-Captain of the Dandenong Stingrays, Cooper Simpson is an attacking midfielder who has a bit of pace about him and can really hit the scoreboard. I think that whilst he has predominantly played as a midfield, his set of strengths should see him still useful on the outside or down forward.

What are the weaknesses? Was injured for quite a bit of the season. A below average size midfielder at 181cm. He also doesn't use his kicking weapons as much as he could at the moment, preferring to deal in fast handballs whilst in close - however I think this is something that can be addressed at the next level training.

Why Brisbane? Again a player with some speed but also a midfielder who hits the scoreboard a bit.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Pick 48 Joe Fonti
Height: 189cm
Weight: 79kg
Position: Wing / Half Back

What do I like about the player? Fonti is a line breaker and interceptor and someone I can definitely envisage lining up on a wing and doing breaking runs. A 20m time of 2.884 seconds is top line fast, and he also had reasonable results in the agility and vertical leap results. On the field he uses this to really breaks the lines. He is also a very good intercept mark around the ground; part of this is his good sense of the play and his positioning (which would be useful if he is playing a fat-side wing role).

What are the weaknesses? Kicking - I have seen it be pretty good when not under pressure, but he also has had nightmare games where he has run at low percentages. Having said that I am seeing (in the situation Brisbane picked him) as being a wing, and in many respects he is no worse a kick than many of the best wingers, and in an AFL environment I see this picking up so that it just average.

Why Brisbane? If we are thinking that he plays wing then he is a line breaking wingman who can also be two way, positioning and taking intercept marks through the middle of the ground and driving the ball back into the forward fifty.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Pick 49 Jack Delean
Height: 181cm
Weight: 77kg
Position: Half Forward / Midfielder

What do I like about the player? Skillful, smart player who works hard, tackles well and kicks goals; kicking 53 from 20 games at all levels. I like his kicking both in terms of kicking for goals and disposing to others, and his positioning and timing makes up a bit for being only an average speed player.

What are the weaknesses? I guess the main query is whether he has the speed to play as a small forward at AFL level? And if not whether he can make it further up the ground?

Why Sydney? I was going to stop picking after Cleary but I just think that Delean is someone who fits the Sydney team and can add some more forward power either as a half forward or up in the midfield somewhere, and I just see him as someone who can definitely be significant at an AFL level.

goodcop badcop · Nov 4, 2023

Pick 50 - Western Bulldogs - Kane McAuliffe

roos_fanatic08

roos_fanatic08 · Nov 4, 2023

Pick 51 - North Melbourne - Logan Morris - Western Jets - 191cm & 90kg.

Write up to come.

Monocle WC are up next.

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