Phantom Draft Bishop's 2017 Draft Thread

[Hellgood]

Well what do you honestly expect Cam to say? Nah I don't want to go - of course not. Don't read into anything they say.

Would've been very easy for him to say something non-committal though, didn't need to go to the extent of appearing keen on the idea.

 

[chels]

greets Bishop,
I appreciate there is more to drafting than stats. Surprised that Alex Frederico does not seem to be discussed. Any insights or knocks? Thanks.

 

[footylover18]

Would've been very easy for him to say something non-committal though, didn't need to go to the extent of appearing keen on the idea.

Agree. Very easy to say: "im happy to be drafted and play AFL football. I am from Melbourne and certainly my preference would be to play in my home city".

That would scare off enough teams.

 

[Bishop]

Bishop I haven’t had the time this year to familiarise myself with this lot of draftee’s. West Coast are obviously in need of Inside Mids but also pace on the outside, who would you say would be ideal at their first two picks? 13 & 30 or are are there any whispers about who they’re keen on?

Haven't heard any whispers, but I haven't seen a lot of Rohan O'Brien around at games this year. WCE have watched a lot of Sandy Dragons games too.

Inside mids around 13: Hunter Clark, Aiden Bonar, Andrew Brayshaw -- To be fair though, they could all be off the board, just depending on how things fall.

Zac Bailey and Dylan Moore two that could be looked at - at Pick 30.

Jack Petruccelle may add some speed, his contested ball winning numbers suggest he can play as an inside mid.

Would've been very easy for him to say something non-committal though, didn't need to go to the extent of appearing keen on the idea.

Players are well trained, have managers - they know what to say. What players say publically and what they say around the traps to their mates can be completely different...

No player is going to be silly and not sound keen - especially when the first two clubs are interstates. Nevertheless - I would find it very hard to believe that Rayner is the No.1 pick to Brisbane.

 

[Bishop]

greets Bishop,
I appreciate there is more to drafting than stats. Surprised that Alex Frederico does not seem to be discussed. Any insights or knocks? Thanks.

Lacks speed - it's a big issue for him & is his biggest knock. Reckon a few clubs were keen earlier in the year, hard to say at the moment.

 

[DaveLister]

Are we going to get a post draft combine power ranking update?

 

[blueiris]

Haven't heard any whispers, but I haven't seen a lot of Rohan O'Brien around at games this year. WCE have watched a lot of Sandy Dragons games too.

Inside mids around 13: Hunter Clark, Aiden Bonar, Andrew Brayshaw -- To be fair though, they could all be off the board, just depending on how things fall.

Zac Bailey and Dylan Moore two that could be looked at - at Pick 30.

Jack Petruccelle may add some speed, his contested ball winning numbers suggest he can play as an inside mid.



Players are well trained, have managers - they know what to say. What players say publically and what they say around the traps to their mates can be completely different...

No player is going to be silly and not sound keen - especially when the first two clubs are interstates. Nevertheless - I would find it very hard to believe that Rayner is the No.1 pick to Brisbane.

Rayner seems like the best fit for the Lions Small forwards are a huge need for us with only Christensen and Taylor on our list

 

[HedgeFund]

Rayner seems like the best fit for the Lions Small forwards are a huge need for us with only Christensen and Taylor on our list

Take Gryan Miers then - he's a better small forward than Rayner. Will be available around 25-40 IMO.

 

[blueiris]

Take Gryan Miers then - he's a better small forward than Rayner. Will be available around 25-40 IMO.

We won't have a pick available in that area after our Academy player Ballenden is bid on and I think Higgins is the best Small forward in draft Rayner is rated the best player in this draft though by many draft experts

 

[HedgeFund]

We won't have a pick available in that area after our Academy player Ballenden is bid on and I think Higgins is the best Small forward in draft Rayner is rated the best player in this draft though by many draft experts

You don't know what your picks are until trade period finishes. At the moment you're getting a compensation pick for Rockliff at #19.

Rayners tank is poor, so he will start his career as a Caddy type medium forward who will eventually go inside mid. He's not a small forward at all.

 

[The Stid]

Haven't heard any whispers, but I haven't seen a lot of Rohan O'Brien around at games this year. WCE have watched a lot of Sandy Dragons games too.

Inside mids around 13: Hunter Clark, Aiden Bonar, Andrew Brayshaw -- To be fair though, they could all be off the board, just depending on how things fall.

Zac Bailey and Dylan Moore two that could be looked at - at Pick 30.

Jack Petruccelle may add some speed, his contested ball winning numbers suggest he can play as an inside mid.



Players are well trained, have managers - they know what to say. What players say publically and what they say around the traps to their mates can be completely different...

No player is going to be silly and not sound keen - especially when the first two clubs are interstates. Nevertheless - I would find it very hard to believe that Rayner is the No.1 pick to Brisbane.

Thanks for that, Hunter and Bradshaw are probably the only two I’ve seen a bit of, like both of them for our pick but won’t hold my breathe on them being there still. I’m sure some West Coast fans will be glad to hear O’Brien hasn’t been around a lot. Most don’t rate him.

Rayner seems like the best fit for the Lions Small forwards are a huge need for us with only Christensen and Taylor on our list

Apologies for taking it off topic for a minute, but how is Christensen going? IIRC he was struggling and then got injured?

 

[Bishop]

Are we going to get a post draft combine power ranking update?

Yep - but for me, combine results don't have a huge bearing. Only a couple of players confirmed a few things from their testing, considering a large number of the best players didn't test - as well as some going "backwards" testing wise after a heavy month of footy.

Rayner seems like the best fit for the Lions Small forwards are a huge need for us with only Christensen and Taylor on our list

Lions need midfielders, of which Rayner is not one.

 

[M Malice]

Apologies for taking it off topic for a minute, but how is Christensen going? IIRC he was struggling and then got injured?

I go to a lot of the pre season training and Christensen was killing it this year, was running on top of the ground and looked in fantastic shape and touch, played a NEAFL game but unfortunately cracked the plate in his shoulder and was ruled out for the season. He was back in full training by the end of the season, he is a leader around the club and took on some coaching/mentoring tasks with our young players this year.

Christensen at his best is an A grade player and hopefully he has an injury free run at it in 2018, turns 27 mid next year so still has a good 4-5 years left in him.

 

[blueiris]

Yep - but for me, combine results don't have a huge bearing. Only a couple of players confirmed a few things from their testing, considering a large number of the best players didn't test - as well as some going "backwards" testing wise after a heavy month of footy.



Lions need midfielders, of which Rayner is not one.

The Lions have been building our midfield the last 2 seasons Keays Mathieson McCluggage Berry Witherden 1 or 2 mids could be in our sights but the massive need are Small forwards as I said we only really have Christensen and Taylor on our list I'm hoping we have a look at Higgins at 12 if he's available

 

[a mayes ing]

The Lions have been building our midfield the last 2 seasons Keays Mathieson McCluggage Berry Witherden 1 or 2 mids could be in our sights but the massive need are Small forwards as I said we only really have Christensen and Taylor on our list I'm hoping we have a look at Higgins at 12 if he's available

We are getting Cameron with pick 18/19 this year.

 

[HedgeFund]

The Lions have been building our midfield the last 2 seasons Keays Mathieson McCluggage Berry Witherden 1 or 2 mids could be in our sights but the massive need are Small forwards as I said we only really have Christensen and Taylor on our list I'm hoping we have a look at Higgins at 12 if he's available

Higgins will be long gone I believe.

 

[foj1]

Higgins will be long gone I believe.

I don't believe so.
12 would get him comfortably I reckon

 

[Determinant]

Higgins could go as early as 5, would be a slider to go past 10 imo

 

[M Malice]

If we go in with 1 and 12 I'd hope we go-

1) Luke Davies-Uniacke > Paddy Dow > Jaidyn Stephenson.
12) Which ever one of these is available (trying to be realistic), I am assuming Rayner, Dow, Cerra, Stephenson and Coffield would be definitely gone.
Preference order- Aiden Bonar > Hunter Clark > Andrew Brayshaw > Lochie O'Brien > Charlie Constable.

 

[gothedons]

Where do you rate Dawson/Crossely? Both have had quite good numbers throughout the year, but seem to be lower impact per posession players....

 

[Blue and Silver]

Everytime I watch a Stephenson clip I can't help but see him missing targets and making poor choices.

Is this an accurate reflection or am I being harsh?

 

[briztoon]

Everytime I watch a Stephenson clip I can't help but see him missing targets and making poor choices.

Is this an accurate reflection or am I being harsh?

Has been noted in the Lions draft thread.

 

[briztoon]

The Lions have been building our midfield the last 2 seasons Keays Mathieson McCluggage Berry Witherden 1 or 2 mids could be in our sights but the massive need are Small forwards as I said we only really have Christensen and Taylor on our list I'm hoping we have a look at Higgins at 12 if he's available

Do not want. Fear he will be rather underwhelming at AFL level.

Would rather target Gryan Miers if we really wanted to draft a SF this year.

We need 13 players who can play HBF and HFF, wing and inside midfield in our best 22. Plus a couple of pure small forwards and possibly one or two more small defenders. We're still a long way short on numbers, even if you add Sam Mayes, Lewis Taylor, Jacob Allison, Cedric Cox and Charlie Cameron to that list. Even adding depth players such as Nick Robertson, Jake Barret, Corey Lyons.

Quite happy to take the two best pure mids with our first two picks this year.

We simply can't address all our needs in one trade period and draft. Have patience. We're not playing finals for at least another two or three seasons yet.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Higgins could go as early as 5, would be a slider to go past 10 imo

Cerra, Rayner, Dow, LDU, Brayshaw, Clark, Naughton, Brander, Coffield, Constable, Stephenson, Hayes, Fogarty... Just a list of names that people may not blink over being picked ahead of Higgins.

He may go top 5, but I think it is more likely he drifts passed pick 10 than goes as early as pick 5.

 

[Bishop]

The Lions have been building our midfield the last 2 seasons Keays Mathieson McCluggage Berry Witherden 1 or 2 mids could be in our sights but the massive need are Small forwards as I said we only really have Christensen and Taylor on our list I'm hoping we have a look at Higgins at 12 if he's available

If you're looking for a small forward Rayner isn't your man. Charlie Cameron comes in and plays at role. Higgins should be there at 12, but I reckon there's others the Lions would take at that pick.

Higgins could go as early as 5, would be a slider to go past 10 imo

I reckon he gets past Pick 10. For a bloke who has "focus" full on footy in 2017 - his testing results from the weekend were woeful. For a player who isn't fast, he went backwards in a fair few tests. A 3.16s 20m sprint isn't good for anyone, especially a small forward.

The only club in the top 10 that I think could consider him would be the Dogs. Nobody in the top 5 have shown interest to take him that early

If we go in with 1 and 12 I'd hope we go-

1) Luke Davies-Uniacke > Paddy Dow > Jaidyn Stephenson.
12) Which ever one of these is available (trying to be realistic), I am assuming Rayner, Dow, Cerra, Stephenson and Coffield would be definitely gone.
Preference order- Aiden Bonar > Hunter Clark > Andrew Brayshaw > Lochie O'Brien > Charlie Constable.

It'll be one of LDU and Dow for Pick 1.

From your Pick 12 - I think Bonar/Clark/Brayshaw/Constable touted at top 10s - one may slide. But in reality I could see as things stand atm Brayshaw Freo Pick 5, Bonar/Clark/Constable two of them Saints picks, other player that is left of those 3 at Essendon Pick 11.

Lochie O'Brien is a 2nd rounder, might get closer to 30s than 20s.