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Preview 2024 AFL Draft General Discussion

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I'd say it had a lot to do with his U16 National Championships performance that earned him AA CHF selection. During those championships he averaged 13 disposals (7 contested), 8 hitouts, 4 marks and 2 goals a game. Add in his 195cm frame and a ridiculous vertical leap, you can see why Nancarrow was highly rated at the U16s level. Clearly that potential hasn't translated into the U18 level (yet?).
Back to Caleb earning AA CHF selection, that was against the 2nd division teams in NSW, Tassie, NT etc..
 
Yes, and 6 x Suns earned u16 AA selection in 2023, despite them finishing 2nd in Div 2 and being thumped by the Lions (who only got 2 in the AA side)

So 8 kids from Div 2 in the AA side.

Sounds like some affirmative action and marketing at play.

Right in the middle of trying to recruit Dimma, they were able to say they have 3 first round picks for the 2023 draft, another likely 1st rounder in 2024 and then 6 x AA players for the 2025 draft year.....

some wheels were getting plenty of grease!
 
Yes, and 6 x Suns earned u16 AA selection in 2023, despite them finishing 2nd in Div 2 and being thumped by the Lions (who only got 2 in the AA side)

So 8 kids from Div 2 in the AA side.

Sounds like some affirmative action and marketing at play.

Right in the middle of trying to recruit Dimma, they were able to say they have 3 first round picks for the 2023 draft, another likely 1st rounder in 2024 and then 6 x AA players for the 2025 draft year.....

some wheels were getting plenty of grease!
100% affirmative action AFL style.
With Caleb he clearly did well at Div 2 level but when he's been exposed to Div 1 kids with Oakleigh he wasn't nearly as effective.
 
Jagga Smith sighted at Collingwood today with two others I couldn't name. He has some skills and was a good kick from 40 out. Probably needs some more development to hit from 50.
 

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He's 191cm, not 195cm.
Yes his leap is pretty good but that never translated into pack marking dominance which is what you would hope to see. Jumping over other undersized junior ruckman whilst fun to watch is hardly the basis for getting drafted.
Kids go through phases in their development so maybe 2023 was that tough year for Caleb and 2024 will bring out his best.
Conflicting reports on his height. I've seen 195cm, 191cm and even 193cm. He's somewhere in that range and probably still growing.

He's not the first and won't be the last who struggles in his bottom ager year going from U16 to U18 footy. This is the year that counts.

Yes, and 6 x Suns earned u16 AA selection in 2023, despite them finishing 2nd in Div 2 and being thumped by the Lions (who only got 2 in the AA side)

So 8 kids from Div 2 in the AA side.

Sounds like some affirmative action and marketing at play.

Right in the middle of trying to recruit Dimma, they were able to say they have 3 first round picks for the 2023 draft, another likely 1st rounder in 2024 and then 6 x AA players for the 2025 draft year.....

some wheels were getting plenty of grease!
It does seem excessive. I guess we'll see if it was warranted. There's nowhere to hide this year when they come up against 18/19 year olds who are trying to get drafted. Despite being bottom agers, if they truly are of AA quality then they should still play reasonably well this year and one or two might make the Allies squad.
 
Of the available talent in Queensland, I can't see any kids pushing the Allies squad who are not top aged. Patterson or Addinsall probably the only good shouts, and maybe Annable from the Lions.

Though the Allies team is coached by the QLD academies this year, so a few might sneak in.

Of the top agers, Leo Lombard obviously plays again and would think Tom Gillett, Ryan Gilder, Jake Fazldeen and Tom Fry would be the ones pushing for Allies from the Lions. (alongside the highly overrated Sam Marshall)
 
Of the available talent in Queensland, I can't see any kids pushing the Allies squad who are not top aged. Patterson or Addinsall probably the only good shouts, and maybe Annable from the Lions.

Though the Allies team is coached by the QLD academies this year, so a few might sneak in.

Of the top agers, Leo Lombard obviously plays again and would think Tom Gillett, Ryan Gilder, Jake Fazldeen and Tom Fry would be the ones pushing for Allies from the Lions. (alongside the highly overrated Sam Marshall)
As for Sam Marshall being over rated, not many Qlders play for Vic Metro at the u16s champs, which is div 1 footy, also not many can say they won the u18s champs as an underager playing 2 games for the Allies, he was also a part of a u17 team playing for QLD that nearly beat Vic Country, he's got some skill on the inside, might not go top 30, but isn't a dud imo, I also thought he was a standout at times for Bris A in the CTL..
 
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He butchers the footy. He's happy to go find it, and is pretty effective at finding it too and has a great engine. However, he just gives it back every time. Also allergic to handballing to a teammate in a better position, only gives off the hands if he thinks he'll get it back.

Any queenslander that moves to Vic for schooling seems to get instantly overrated (like Nancarrow). Another one has just moved down called Milner, he is a very effective 3rd tall forward. Will be interesting to see if his name pushes up the radar as a result.
 
Potential top 10 draft prospect Leo Lombard will get his first taste of AFL footy after being named to play for the Suns in their scratch match against the Lions tomorrow night. Darren Millane's nephew Zai has also been named for any Collingwood fans out there that might be interested in seeing another Millane get a run against AFL opposition.
 
Potential top 10 draft prospect Leo Lombard will get his first taste of AFL footy after being named to play for the Suns in their scratch match against the Lions tomorrow night. Darren Millane's nephew Zai has also been named for any Collingwood fans out there that might be interested in seeing another Millane get a run against AFL opposition.

I mean, this is kind of the point with everyones frustration with the current system.

Sides aren't allowed to actually formally talk to prospective draftees until after the national champs.

Yet the Academies are allowed to expose their prospects to AFL level as 17 year olds?

Say what you will, the system is completely ridiculous on so many levels.
 

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I mean, this is kind of the point with everyones frustration with the current system.

Sides aren't allowed to actually formally talk to prospective draftees until after the national champs.

Yet the Academies are allowed to expose their prospects to AFL level as 17 year olds?

Say what you will, the system is completely ridiculous on so many levels.
if northern states werent doing this people would be complaining that they dont actually put any effort into developing these kids and should not deserve access under that metric

i seem to recall thomas being involved with north melbourne from a very young age....?

most father son prospects are offered the chance to get early exposure to their potential club too
 
I mean, this is kind of the point with everyones frustration with the current system.

Sides aren't allowed to actually formally talk to prospective draftees until after the national champs.

Yet the Academies are allowed to expose their prospects to AFL level as 17 year olds?

Say what you will, the system is completely ridiculous on so many levels.

Harley Reid played VFL footy last year for at least 2 aligned clubs. Exposing talent to a higher level early isn't something new.

Father/son prospects have been training and involved in AFL programs as young as 13-14.

Levi Ashcroft was at the Lions game last night, surprised he didn't play in the VFL portion of the game at the end.
 
I mean, this is kind of the point with everyones frustration with the current system.

Sides aren't allowed to actually formally talk to prospective draftees until after the national champs.

Yet the Academies are allowed to expose their prospects to AFL level as 17 year olds?

Say what you will, the system is completely ridiculous on so many levels.
Exposing top prospects to footy against AFL footballers isn't that uncommon these days. Will Ashcroft got permission as a father-son prospect to play three VFL games for Brisbane's VFL team in 2022, despite living in Melbourne at the time and not being a member of their northern academy. Last year we saw Harley Reid play for Carlton's VFL team on multiple occasions, Zane Duursma played a game for the Demons' VFL team, Sydney father-son prospect Indhi Kirk played eight games for the the Swans' VFL team, Ethan Read played one game for the Suns' VFL team etc. This year we already know Tyler Welsh is going to play the entire season for the Crows' SANFL team when he doesn't have rep commitment. So Welsh will end up playing 10+ games for Adelaide's SANFL team this year.

It's becoming far more common these days and not just the northern clubs that are doing it.
 
Predictions.

No. 1 pick: Finn O'Sullivan. (VC.)
First bid: Levi Ashcroft.
Biggest slider: Sid Draper.
Biggest riser: Charlie Nicholls.
Pick 10: Hawthorn.
Pick 20: Port Adelaide.
Pick 30: Richmond.
First SA player selected: Ben Camporeale.
First WA player selected: Bo Allan.
First VM player selected: Tom Gross.
First Allies player selected: Leonardo Lombard.
ND pick count: 67.
MSD pick count: 15.
First round pick count: 22.
CTL winner: NK.
U18 winner: SA.
ND invitees: 18.
Lastly, Callum Twomey's favourite: Jagga Smith.

Anything else?
 
Predictions.

No. 1 pick: Finn O'Sullivan. (VC.)
First bid: Levi Ashcroft.
Biggest slider: Sid Draper.
Biggest riser: Charlie Nicholls.
Pick 10: Hawthorn.
Pick 20: Port Adelaide.
Pick 30: Richmond.
First SA player selected: Ben Camporeale.
First WA player selected: Bo Allan.
First VM player selected: Tom Gross.
First Allies player selected: Leonardo Lombard.
ND pick count: 67.
MSD pick count: 15.
First round pick count: 22.
CTL winner: NK.
U18 winner: SA.
ND invitees: 18.
Lastly, Callum Twomey's favourite: Jagga Smith.

Anything else?
I just want to point out that there are currently 20 picks in the first round, thanks to the two end of first round picks handout to North and subsequently traded.

With no changes mooted for this year's bidding system, I'm pretty confident there will be more than 22 picks in this years first round.
 
With no changes mooted for this year's bidding system, I'm pretty confident there will be more than 22 picks in this years first round


I was being conservative with this.
 

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Predictions.

No. 1 pick: Finn O'Sullivan. (VC.)
First bid: Levi Ashcroft.
Biggest slider: Sid Draper.
Biggest riser: Charlie Nicholls.
Pick 10: Hawthorn.
Pick 20: Port Adelaide.
Pick 30: Richmond.
First SA player selected: Ben Camporeale.
First WA player selected: Bo Allan.
First VM player selected: Tom Gross.
First Allies player selected: Leonardo Lombard.
ND pick count: 67.
MSD pick count: 15.
First round pick count: 22.
CTL winner: NK.
U18 winner: SA.
ND invitees: 18.
Lastly, Callum Twomey's favourite: Jagga Smith.

Anything else?
My tip going very early is Pat Retschko will be the first VM player taken aside from Levi Ashcroft.
 
WCE will finish last be interesting to see if we get pick 2 to go with pick 1

Its going to be a long long year I just cant believe we have not played a game yet and
our injury list is greater than last year same time

Depressing.
The only good news we actually look fit this year
 
WCE will finish last be interesting to see if we get pick 2 to go with pick 1

Its going to be a long long year I just cant believe we have not played a game yet and
our injury list is greater than last year same time

Depressing.
The only good news we actually look fit this year
Depressing indeed, I think our new headquarters are cursed or something.

Oh well, it'll be semi interesting watching O'Sullivan and Jagga Smith at Oakleigh this year as they duke it out to go number 1
 
WCE will finish last be interesting to see if we get pick 2 to go with pick 1

Its going to be a long long year I just cant believe we have not played a game yet and
our injury list is greater than last year same time

Depressing.
The only good news we actually look fit this year
Who will you trade to get pick 2?
 
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