BigFooty Official Big Footy Phantom Draft

[foj1]

If only this will happen in the real thing!!


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It could mate.
The bombers will need luck in this years draft.
It has almost played out best case scenario for where I ranked players.
The only difference was I hoped for Jones at 31 but Taylor was a very good consolation prize.
If I get the last pick the way I hoped I would have got 3 out of 4 best case scenarios.

 

[Don_The_Sash]

Pick 33 Sam Philp 187cm 80kg Midfielder Northern Knights

Sam had a consistent year and just keeps winning the footy.
Sam is extremely proficient at winning clearances and applying strong defensive pressure.
Traits Essendon’s powderpuff midfield of Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, Parish and Zaharakis are not proficient at.
Sam is quite the athlete and tested number one in 20 metre sprint at combine. He does not use this as an offensive weapon in his game often enough but he uses it defensively.
Sam also tested top 10 for vertical jump and yoyo. Speed and endurance is a winning combination.

Rationale for pick
5th best midfielder for mine only Rowell, Anderson, Stephens and Kemp I rate higher.
I know that is a massive statement. McGuinness and Robertson fans would disagree.
Essendon need competitors as there are a group of downhill skiers who do not look great in the clinches or under physical duress. Philp, McGrath and Clarke are all young and made of the right stuff. No coincidence Smith won a best and fairest in his first year.
Philp is going to need to continue to work on his hurt factor with the footy but a lot of his footy is contested. He also needs to be cleaner with the footy. Neither of these flaws are deal breakers.

I again went for the highest on my board and the more I saw this kid the more I liked him. Fancy him not getting a vic metro opportunity. I would have loved to have nabbed Harrison Jones here as I have him 10th on my board. The tall players available are not quite there for this pick when Philp still available

Where do you rate Jay Rantall in comparison to the rest of those midfielders? Behind Maginness & Robertson even...? And what would make you go Philp before Rantall If both were available?

 

[foj1]

Where do you rate Jay Rantall in comparison to the rest of those midfielders? Behind Maginness & Robertson even...? And what would make you go Philp before Rantall If both were available?

I like Philp because he has hardness and is uncompromising.
Randall May be more effective with the footy and have more upside to his game but the bombers are cotton candy soft right now.
Heppell Merrett and Shiel in the centre square - zero physical intimidation and vigorous intent towards an opponent

 

[ShaunWDT]

Pick 59 Jake Riccardi 195cm 90kg Key Forward Werribee

The penny has dropped for the 20 year old from St Bernard’s.
Jake has gone from showing moments and 5 minute bursts at tac level to really impact games playing against men.
Riccardi kicked 38 goals this season and was also high on goal assists.
He can jump, play high and use his athleticism and kicks the footy well.
Jake has a strong build which will continue to develop.
Ground balls could be cleaner and perhaps greater physicality could be inserted in his game but pretty good value here I would have thought.

Rationale for Pick
I expect the bombers will lose Daniher.
Essendon hopefully will take this as an opportunity to move to a systems based forward 6 rather than relying on star power. Taylor and Riccardi would improve our forward 6 quite quickly.
I have 3 players in mind for my last pick. One i am staggered hasn’t gone yet and two are late picks/rookie chances.

Is the one I was surprised was still on the board, surely goes earlier than this in the real stuff could be anything.

 

[Knightmare]

It’s Knightmare time

I'm feeling like I'm in a nightmare.

Well done to the selectors before me. Shute, Riccardi and Baker were the next three on my board. And here I was hoping to get all three with my last three choices. Absolutely filthy not one of them made it through.

I'm well aware there are others that others will like here, but I just don't rate anyone remaining and don't share the optimism of the depth in this draft that others have expressed.

I'm at the stage of draft where I'm taking guys I fully expected to only have to consider as rookies.

#61 Collingwood - Ben Sokol
A goalkicking medium forward, Ben Sokol won the Simpson Medal for best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final. Sokol was the WAFL’s leading goalkicker, kicking 60 goals from 20 games while also taking a competition high 166 marks. A hard-leading forward, Sokol demonstrates a high work rate, has a strong body and has developed a reputation for having the strongest hands overhead outside the AFL.

*35 on my draft board.
--
Rationale:
I can't say I had any intention of selecting Sokol here with my expectation being that I could snag him as a rookie, I'd prefer to take someone of AFL standard who is plug-and-play here rather than speculate on a kid who has a couple of traits with 'yeah buts' which is what's left to my eye.

Sokol is one I loved in his draft year from 2013, and still really like, stepping things up each year.

In Collingwood's front half I don't only rate Sokol ahead of Thomas/Varcoe/C.Brown/Daicos, but I also rate Sokol ahead of Will Hoskin-Elliott and feel that's the spot he ultimately takes as a more complete, consistent and influential player.

Sokol adds further flexibility and weaponry to Collingwood's front half as someone who opponents will find hard to match up against as such a powerful mark and body-on-body player who uses his body so well but then has the endurance to work opponents over. If required while he's only 186cm, he can be a fill-in key forward and provide a focal point as needed, and can play a similar role to De Goey which could allow De Goey (still should be used primarily forward) some more regular midfield stints in 2020.

While Sokol hasn't ever played through the midfield, he reminds me so much stylistically of Dane Swan (the forward from earlier in his career before he became a full-time mid) with his body strength and bodywork, overhead marking, work rate and has those same football smarts and instincts for when to hit the ball or contest on the move and the clean hands in close to take it. Then he's obviously adding to all that the scoreboard impact on a high level.

 

[Davo-27]

pick 62 Hawthorn - Jaxon Prior
West Perth 189cm 82kg

looking for a winger/hbf, missed out on Ruscoe, Perez and Shute, i also had to take Pasini or potentially miss out on a good KPD, so im picking Prior here to fill a need for the Hawks, i like that he has a ready made build physically and is tall for a wing/hbf, has good results at the combine, comes from a football family with his father playing for Ess and WCE, i would look to either turn him into a winger OR keep him as a half back and push Impey onto the wing, the Hawks are looking for some outside run as our 3 wings are veterans and in a couple of years we will need an up and comer with Prior being in a position to take advantage of that opportunity.

foj1 your turn

 

[Warhorse]

I'm feeling like I'm in a nightmare.

Well done to the selectors before me. Shute, Riccardi and Baker were the next three on my board. And here I was hoping to get all three with my last three choices. Absolutely filthy not one of them made it through.

I'm well aware there are others that others will like here, but I just don't rate anyone remaining and don't share the optimism of the depth in this draft that others have expressed.

I'm at the stage of draft where I'm taking guys I fully expected to only have to consider as rookies.

#61 Collingwood - Ben Sokol
A goalkicking medium forward, Ben Sokol won the Simpson Medal for best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final. Sokol was the WAFL’s leading goalkicker, kicking 60 goals from 20 games while also taking a competition high 166 marks. A hard-leading forward, Sokol demonstrates a high work rate, has a strong body and has developed a reputation for having the strongest hands overhead outside the AFL.

*35 on my draft board.
--
Rationale:
I can't say I had any intention of selecting Sokol here with my expectation being that I could snag him as a rookie, I'd prefer to take someone of AFL standard who is plug-and-play here rather than speculate on a kid who has a couple of traits with 'yeah buts' which is what's left to my eye.

Sokol is one I loved in his draft year from 2013, and still really like, stepping things up each year.

In Collingwood's front half I don't only rate Sokol ahead of Thomas/Varcoe/C.Brown/Daicos, but I also rate Sokol ahead of Will Hoskin-Elliott and feel that's the spot he ultimately takes as a more complete, consistent and influential player.

Sokol adds further flexibility and weaponry to Collingwood's front half as someone who opponents will find hard to match up against as such a powerful mark and body-on-body player who uses his body so well but then has the endurance to work opponents over. If required while he's only 186cm, he can be a fill-in key forward and provide a focal point as needed, and can play a similar role to De Goey which could allow De Goey (still should be used primarily forward) some more regular midfield stints in 2020.

While Sokol hasn't ever played through the midfield, he reminds me so much stylistically of Dane Swan (the forward from earlier in his career before he became a full-time mid) with his body strength and bodywork, overhead marking, work rate and has those same football smarts and instincts for when to hit the ball or contest on the move and the clean hands in close to take it. Then he's obviously adding to all that the scoreboard impact on a high level.

Yeah hard to grab a good player this late. A ruckman to develop, maybe a small forward or a lockdown defender. Role players or long term prospects

 

[Wedgetailed Westerner]

Pick : 46 West Coast.

Picking : Riley Garcia. 176 cm. 70 kg. Midfielder. Swan Districts.

View attachment 775469


Going to visit the Infirmary for this pick.

Injured yes I know, he will miss the better part of the 2020 season ..... but if he overcomes the knee I have no doubt that he can play at the next level.

This is where I found the choice of players gets a bit tricky, as I pondered do I take a less talent player with no injury cloud hanging over them, that may or may not have the talent to make it at the next level.

Or.

Do I go a player that has already played senior football for Swan Districts and had a great Under 18 Championship until he popped his knee.
And a player who has already shown me signs that I think will translate at the next level, the kid has undeniable talent.

I decided to go with talent first and foremost.

Garcia is a good balanced mid that is, however better on the inside than on the outside.
You cant help but notice that he attacks the ball with vigour and real grunt and also with some pace.
I just love players that put their head over the ball and are capable of winning their own football.
He does occasionally over run the ball with his ambitious attack, but I have never been too critical of the occasional mistake if the ball is attacked with dash.
His style very much reminds me of Daniel Kerr ( not saying he is as good as , merely commenting on style ).

He started the year in the League team with Swans before the Championships and impressed as a boy playing against men.
I similarly was impressed with his 2018 Colts Finals performances, always a box ticker for me when players stand up in finals and big games.
As a bottom ager in the Colts Finals in 2018, he announced himself as a player of note and one to watch going forward..

His injury wont go against him long term and, he will not be pressing for selection for a few years with West Coasts current midfield , so plenty of time to fully recover and rebuild his game ... time will be his friend.

He does need to work on his scoreboard impact as for someone who gets so much of the ball he hasn't troubled the scorer as much as I would have liked.

That said IMO he was tracking nicely for serious consideration for AA at the 2019 Championships before he popped his knee, so having seen him perform on the bigger stage over a two year period I am more than happy to take the chance on Garcia.

Great pick Monocle. I am hoping we can find another pick in the early 40s. Two of Garcia, Georgiades and Ruscoe would be a great hall for us

 

[M Malice]

I'm surprised that Lions overage academy guy Keidean Coleman hasn't been taken yet, was very good all year in the NEAFL, puts on great pressure when played forward, very neat kick, has speed, agility, x factor, also seems to make time for himself and plays a calm assured brand of footy.

 

[anotherletdown]

I'm surprised that Lions overage academy guy Keidean Coleman hasn't been taken yet, was very good all year in the NEAFL, puts on great pressure when played forward, very neat kick, has speed, agility, x factor, also seems to make time for himself and plays a calm assured brand of footy.

Cat’s out of the bag now.

 

[PMBangers]

I'm surprised that Lions overage academy guy Keidean Coleman hasn't been taken yet, was very good all year in the NEAFL, puts on great pressure when played forward, very neat kick, has speed, agility, x factor, also seems to make time for himself and plays a calm assured brand of footy.

Literally the next player on my list

 

[gcsunsfc]

Would anyone have bid on Connor Budarick by this stage if he wasn't pre-listed?
Trying to get a feel of where he is rated amongst this draft group.

 

[foj1]

Pick 63 Nick Bryan 202cm 87kg Ruck Oakleigh Chargers

Bryan’s last month of footy was too compelling not to be taken here. He is the 2nd best ruckman in the draft with athletic upside and a heap of footy development left in him. In the nabgrand final Bryan showed what he can become an athletic tap ruckman who can mark around the ground, win footy and be a factor.
Like all young ruckman Nick is going to have to find size as quickly as he can but I thought he showed a greater aptitude to compete when he came back from school footy which was my big worry on him.

Rationale for Pick
Bellchambers and Phillips if luck have 2 to 3 good years. Draper is the anointed one but hardly played footy and done a knee. Bryan has the athletic profile and enough footy pedigree to take here and invest time into. He has a high ceiling and frankly shares some athletic traits of Brodie Grundy. Not that I think he will be quite that level of player.

There are two players I think are intriguing and severely underrated here which I may get in rookie draft.

 

[LegendLewis]

are you guys going to do a rookie draft too?

 

[PMBangers]

Would anyone have bid on Connor Budarick by this stage if he wasn't pre-listed?
Trying to get a feel of where he is rated amongst this draft group.

Yes, I would've expected one around 30

 

[Yojimbo]

are you guys going to do a rookie draft too?

No point, how many times do you want to see the words re-rookied lots of commitments already made along
with Cooper Sharman, Josh Honey, Jai Jackson, Isaac Wareham, Emerson Jeka, Ronin O,Connor, Riley Baldi,
Lachlan Williams, Ajang Ajang, Keidan Coleman, Will Martyn, Louis Butler, Ryan Sturgess, Ryan Sparkes,
Jesse Clark and Oscar Lewis just to name a few. Plus a few like Luke Partington and Cole Gerloff who can be
taken before the draft and even the often maligned Mitch Podhajski.

 

[Yoda_]

No point, how many times do you want to see the words re-rookied lots of commitments already made along
with Cooper Sharman, Josh Honey, Jai Jackson, Isaac Wareham, Emerson Jeka, Ronin O,Connor, Riley Baldi,
Lachlan Williams, Ajang Ajang, Keidan Coleman, Will Martyn, Louis Butler, Ryan Sturgess, Ryan Sparkes,
Jesse Clark and Oscar Lewis just to name a few. Plus a few like Luke Partington and Cole Gerloff who can be
taken before the draft and even the often maligned Mitch Podhajski.

To be fair, it's not so much the names, it is more the rationale behind some of the choices that intrigues everybody. It's also fun to watch some drafters melt when the player they desperstely wanted taken two picks before theres and the names of unknown guys taken right to the very last pick.

 

[Macca19]

Just to confirm, are we doing rookie upgrades, or do I have 3 live picks coming up?

 

[Davo-27]

Just to confirm, are we doing rookie upgrades, or do I have 3 live picks coming up?

i think we are just doing 1 big draft? but its your turn now.

 

[Davo-27]

Just to confirm, are we doing rookie upgrades, or do I have 3 live picks coming up?

i also have 2 upgraded rookies so instead of 8 im taking 6 and the last will be a rookie. thats my plans anyway, 6 draft + 1 rookie so 7 all up

 

[Ysaye]

I can't imagine how depressing this draft will be for the real Saints recruiters; I like finding diamonds in the rough with the best of them but really....

 

[Snoop Dog]

Macca19

Macca you have filled your list.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Just to confirm, are we doing rookie upgrades, or do I have 3 live picks coming up?

yes mate you are done. We will aim to do a rookie if people keen. Might do it with a smaller number of us if people opt out.

 

[Davo-27]

pick 66 Hawthorn - Brock Smith
189cm 82kg Gippsland

this is a best available pick, im a big fan of Brock Smith as a medium sized defender, i was first impressed with how he handled himself at nableague and then to see him also step up and play a strong champs was what won me over with this guy, good 1v1, decent athleticism, smart, can play a shutdown role or run off an opponent, good in the air as well, just a good all round defender who will add to our good young group of defenders and has Leadership qualities

Chris25 you are next.

 

[andleanback]

pick 66 Hawthorn - Brock Smith
189cm 82kg Gippsland

this is a best available pick, im a big fan of Brock Smith as a medium sized defender, i was first impressed with how he handled himself at nableague and then to see him also step up and play a strong champs was what won me over with this guy, good 1v1, decent athleticism, smart, can play a shutdown role or run off an opponent, good in the air as well, just a good all round defender who will add to our good young group of defenders and has Leadership qualities

Chris25 you are next.

Absolute steal at 66