Resource 2024 Draftee Highlights

[Keys]

Courtesy of the great work noobermensch in the Contract/Trade/Draft thread providing video breakdowns of potential 2024 draftees I’ve started this thread to warehouse copies of those videos (and any others that might get posted)

Those videos will remain in the contract thread so they can be discussed but I will copy them into this locked thread so over time they can be found without wading through hundreds of posts

 

[noobermensch]

Pure domination in this game from Josh Smillie - a performance worthy of a number one pick. He was unstoppable at stoppage racking up 12 clearances for the game, he applied strong defensive pressure when he didnt find it himself, he set up his teammates by hand and foot, and he even got forward to kick three majors of his own.

After this showing he's now clearly out front in the race to be pick one at the end of the year. Can anybody catch him?

 

[noobermensch]

The dynamic and powerful Kako continues to impress in 2024. Once he got a couple of early fumbles out of his system his clean marking was a feature in this game, as well as his quick and decisive decision making. He kicked three goals and it could have been more if he'd nailed a couple of relatively straight forward chances late.

 

[noobermensch]

Its rare to see such a large discrepancy between and individual and team performance. In a game in which his Chargers team were belted by nearly 100 points, Jagga was unstoppable for most of the day, slicing through stoppages like a surgeon with a scalpel and setting up his team with opportunities they failed to capitalize on. The one criticism you could make is that he contributed to the lack of defensive pressure around the footy by Oakleigh, only laying one tackle for the game.

 

[noobermensch]

Cooper Hynes had a huge game for the Stingrays against the Suns Academy and took out the rookieme player of the week as a result. Cooper is a strong and bullocking mid/fwd who knows how to use his size and strength to gain advantage in marking contests and win contested footy.

 

[noobermensch]

New haircut but familiar game from Harvey Langford. His strength at stoppage helped his Stingrays team gradually gain ascendancy in that area and he was typically dangerous when swung forward where his goals were a part of a surge for his team in the third quarter.

 

[noobermensch]

With his twin brother Jack absent, Matt Whitlock was relocated from his usual key defensive post into the forward line and responded with a bag of five goals. Cal Twomey referenced this game on his show Gettable in suggesting that Matt is now in the top 10 conversation and the numbers do look impressive. A number of his goals did have an element of luck however, with a couple of free kicks as well as two over the back run in's to open goal. He was largely beaten in aerial duals, although he did manage to pull down some impressive marks.

 

[noobermensch]

Joe Berry has been one of the most consistent goal scorers in this years talent league having registered four majors in three of his four games for the Bushrangers. He's giving Isaac Kako a run as best small forward in this years national draft, ticking all the boxes for a modern small forward. Nice size, quick off the mark, able to anticipate and crumb a ground ball at pace and adept overhead, not to mention a sharpshooter around goal.

 

[noobermensch]

One of the most impressive inside mid displays we've seen so far this season. Lindsay spent a decent amount of time in the forward line, but whenever he was in the midfield he had it on a string racking double digit clearances. His kicking wasnt always accurate, but he was attacking and direct pumping the ball inside 50 ten times.

 

[noobermensch]

Another strong inside mid performance from Langford. His team struggled to cope with the pressure being applied by Tassie, but Langford was able to win stoppages and find enough space to drive his team forward with his penetrating left foot.

 

[noobermensch]

Another massive game from Smillie who can't be contained by teams at this level. He was a little more subdued at stoppage than usual and his defensive pressure was down, but he was hugely effective on the spread pumping the footy inside the 50 thirteen times and kicking a couple of goals. One of those majors put his team ahead on the scoreboard with 2 minutes to go.

 

[noobermensch]

A solid game from Moraes who spent more time on ball than he has for most of the season and responded by finding a stack of the footy. He ran all game and linked the play well with hands. His kicking was a bit of a lottery, some nice accurate passes and some sprayed.

 

[noobermensch]

Jagga "The Lone Ranger" Smith continues to play exceptional football in a team that routinely coughs up big losses. His defensive efforts were an improvement on last week, and his stoppage craft was as elite as always as he sliced through congestion with decisive and attacking intent. His kicking was his typical mixed bag, starting off with some nice spot up targets hit and then seeming to degenerate at the game went on.

 

[noobermensch]

Another game another 4 goals for Joe Berry who's become the most consistent forward in the Talent League. His disposal and set shot kicking wasn't quite as sharp this week, but he showcased some excellent 1v1 contested marking.

 

[noobermensch]

I'll pop this in here but I think you dont have a MSD pick at this stage? Let me know if you dont want me to post the MSD guys.

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Jacob Blight is one that's played his way into the mid season draft conversation through his strong start to the season for Peel Thunder. Jacob's a big and mature key defender who's a solid aerialist and has a nice penetrating kick, although in this game we see him miss a few.

 

[noobermensch]

Edit: You might not be interested in another key forward. I just read your discussion on that right after I posted the vid so apologies.

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If you're playing as key forward this season for South Adelaide then you need to make the most of your chances, and that's what Noah Howes does. Big lad with a mature body for an 18 year old, Howes moves well and is a strong contested mark (ranked second in the SANFL). His kicking is solid with a fluid action and he even has a few tricks in his bag.

 

[noobermensch]

After a pre-season injury sidelined him for the first couple of months of the 2024 season, Sid Draper finally made his much awaited return over the weekend in a trial match for the SA Under-18 team against a combined Swans and Giants Academy squad. Drapers minutes were significantly limited here, playing only parts of the first two quarters, but he showed enough to get draft watchers excited for what he might produce when the Champs kick off in a couple of weeks.

 

[noobermensch]

Still working his way back into game shape, Draper had a much stronger outing in the second state trial match for the U18's. He played in shorter bursts and spent plenty of time on the bench, but ran out the full game and was influential, although he noticeably tired as the game went on.

 

[noobermensch]

A look at the early favourite for pick 1 in 2025, manchild Dyson Sharp. Playing off half back with stints through the middle, even at only 16 years of age Dyson is already more than capable of matching it physically against his opponents from the U20 team. Strong over the footy, excellent balance and composure, nice mark and excellent disposal... plenty to be excited about for the future.

 

[noobermensch]

Every week Kako is spending more time in the midfield for Calder and its starting to pay off big time for both his own form and that of his team. He was dynamic with his ability to win contested footy and bust clear for damaging possessions, pumping it inside 50 12 times and setting up a number of shots on goal for his teammates. On a rainy and slippery day, Kako's cleanness with the footy stood out.

 

[noobermensch]

Langford's consistent production at this level can't be denied, but this game from him was a little scrappier than usual. His normally strong kicking was off, and he seemed to struggle at times with the lack of space and time afforded to him due to the excellent pressure applied by the Lions players.

 

[noobermensch]

Smillie struggled to get anything going in this game, one in which his Eastern team was comprehensively beaten by the Devils. He appeared to work from contest to contest as hard as usual, and perhaps applied even more defensive pressure, but he struggled mightily to get first hands on the ball at stoppage registering just one clearance for the game, and wasn't able to find much of it on the spread either.

 

[noobermensch]

Geordie Payne can't do much more to put himself in contention for the upcoming mid season draft. His hot form to start the new Talent League season was franked on the weekend by an outstanding display against an Eastern Ranges team boasting some of this years elite midfield talent.

 

[noobermensch]

Here I give my thoughts on how things are shaping up in the years AFL National Draft. I cover:

• High level thoughts on the pool (depth, strength and composition)
• My top 20 prospects pre-champs
• Predictions for the champs series and some players to look out for

Trying something new here so thanks for watching and I hope its a worthwhile exercise.

 

[noobermensch]

Sid was solid but not spectacular in his first champs outing for 2024. My guess is that he's still searching for match fitness and form after his long injury layoff - he had a strong opening half before fading out of the game and there was a lot of hands on head or knees sucking in the big ones in the second half. His defensive efforts in particular we poor at times.

 

[noobermensch]

Another solid performance from one of SA's deep contingent of midfielders. Hargrave is coming off a promising bottom age campaign where he was named MVP of the SANFL U18s competition. He's tough and strong in the contest as well as tidy and clever with his disposal.