Consolidated Draft Profiles

[Couch Coach]

Well I'm back posting (it seems as though this is the only time of the year I post in BF) and repeating a thread that seemed to help last year. The purpose of this thread is to consolidate all of the potential draftees profiles into one thread. For those of you who know how to use the SEARCH function or who are more knowledgable than me there may be nothing here that you didn't already know. For everyone else I hope it is informative.

Pretty much all of the information listed in my posts in this thread will be other peoples comments (thankyou all for posting your oppinions) and I have attempted to acknowledge there involvement. If you do not wish to be named, think you have been taken out of context, hardly done by, not acknowledged, etc. please PM me and I will attempt to rectify whatever you are unhappy with. Please also note that some of the information is a year old due to guys like Rockliff not being taken last year.

Please do not post in the thread untill I have finished adding the information for all 149 or so players.

The people covered in this thread are: Allwright, A'Vard, Banner, Barnes, Beams, Bennell, Blair, Blease, Blessing, Blight, Broadbent, Browne, Bryce, Bucovaz, Cahill, Carroll, Casboult, Clark, Clarke, Clisby, Cordy, Cornelius, Cox, Cunningham, Daly, Davis, Davis-Neale, Daye, DeBour, Duryea, Ediriwickrama, Ferraro, Fiegert, Foster, Fail, Gaetner, Gilchrist, Gordon, Gotch, Habberfield, Hall, Hanneberry, Harlett, Hayes, Heath, Heddles, Heenan, Heyne, Hughes, T.Hill, S.Hill, Hislop, Hooper, Hunt, Hurley, Heynes, Jetta, Johnston, Jordan Jones, Liam Jones, Joyce, Keefe, Kennedy, Kilpin, King, Kirkwood, Kitchin, Klause, Klemke, Ledin, Lisle, Lynch, Mangan, Martin, Martinello, Mather, McCulloch, McDonald, McGarry, McKenzie, McKernan, McNeil, Milne, Milverton, Moloney, Motlop, Murray, Myers, Naitanui, Nicolopolous, O'Keeffe, O'Sullivan, Pearce, Power, Purves, Rayner, Jack Redden, Jarred Redden, Reed, Renton, Rich, Richardson, Robinson, Rockliff, Roughead, Salter, Schoenmakers, Shannon, Sharpe, Sharples, Sheahan, Sheils, Shuey, Sibosado, Sidebottom, Silvagni, Simkin, Slattery, Sloane, Alistair Smith, Ashley Smith, Speight, Spiteri, Stanley, Stanton, Still, Stopp, Strauss, Suban, Suckling, Swift, Tapscott, Tiller, Thomson, Trengove, Van Unen, Varcoe, Vickery, Walsh, Walters, Watts, Western, A.Wilson, M.Wilson, Wright, Yarran, Young, Zaharakis and Ziebell. More may be added.

Questions that where raised last year: Yes I will be updating the format/spelling (if not correct) and adding additional information.
Yes I will be doing a phantom draft (not that it will be anymore accurate than anyone else's.)

Again thankyou to those who have put forward there oppinions and I appologise if there is anything that is not as you would like it to be.

 

[Couch Coach]

Jack Watts - (KPF) 26 March 1991, 194cm 85kg. VM/Sandringham/Brighton Grammar

"Sportz1: Jack Watts , Hell go for sure . got it all as far as recruiters go tall atheletic good thinker good skills very good mark etc etc . hell go very early whether it's 08 or no 1 09. Has them all very excited . he missed a lot of footy last year but still made AIS . Interesting watched him and Zieble play against each other twice. At country champs and a school game very interesting tussles between a great athelete and a great competitor . Watts is no doubt a Huge star on the rise"

"lowden: needs a lot of development he needs to learn to use his hieght. No doubt he's goot some great attributes just needs to maximise them."

"Kevin Sheehan: Jack Watts – A key position player, Watts has shone up forward, taking 16 marks and booting 11 goals.
Quick-leading key forward who has great hands. Cool under pressure."

"Jason McCartney: Jack Watts: Jack is a star. He’s one of our AIS boys and he’s also a very talented basketballer. He wanted to balance both footy and basketball through the scholarship program, but in the end he has chosen to go for football because his workload was just too great. He was a star in Vic Metro’s win Vic Country. He was a little bit quiet against Tasmania, but obviously very prominent against South Australia.
He kicked five goals, had 17 disposals and took three really big contested marks. He has great agility, great lateral movement and the ball just melts into his hands.
There has been a lot of talk about the WA boys and how talented they are, but Wattsy is a great kid and is right in that mix."

"Alan McConnell: Jack Watts - He finished with 12 possessions and booted four goals, including the match-winner."

"Shanrew5: Jack is about 194-5cms. Great football knowledge, one of the best contested marks going round with amazing skills.
2.72 20m sprint - better that anyplayer in last years draft, and one the best vertical leap of anyone at this AIS. The guy is a freak."

"the off white: Playing his first game of TAC cup on Saturday at Trevor Barker. Missed first couple with AIS commitments and has had school footy and Vic Metro since. Should be worth a look. His performances in the championships have been pretty amazing coming straight from school football, having never played a TAC cup game(to my knowledge), and missing last years 16's nationals with injury."

"Matt Burgan: The key forward took the championships by storm in Vic Metro's opening match, kicking four goals – including the match-winner. He ended the carnival in similar fashion, taking out the Larke Medal for the best player in division one. Watts' status has risen to the point that he is now being talked about as a potential No.1 draft selection."

"sandgroper: Jack Watts (Vic)
Quality key forward who may delay his draft nomination until next year to concentrate on his Year 12 studies. The key-position player shone brilliantly with his contested marking and goalkicking, winning the Larke Medal as the best-performed player at the Under-18 national titles."

"HFF 07: JACK WATTS 194cm 85kg KPP Brighton Grammar/Sandringham Dragon
Was awesome in the championships, big wraps on the kid, big strong contested marking. Long kicking, took out best player in div 1 this year.
PROS: -Strong, Agile, Accurate kick, Quick (off mark/sideways), Reads play well, Good skills,
CONS: - None reported as yet.
PREDICTION: Top 3"

"jackson45: Jack Watts (Vic Metro) - well worth No.1 pick. Tall, quick, athletic and smart. 2nd efforts were great."

"foj1:: 1. Jack Watts 194cm 85kg Vic Metro
Watts had an exceptional carnival and because of his basketball background and being bottom aged is seen as having a big upside which recruiters love. Watts has reliable hands and moves quickly both on the lead and with sideways movement. Looks like he could be a very potent chf/ff which makes him a very attractive proposition."

"ant555: Jack Watts – 194cm, 85kg – Sandringham Dragons/Brighton Grammar
Tall mobile forward who is a very strong mark who leads to the right spots and has a good understanding of how a forward line should work. Very good skills and has a great ability to get through traffic for a big bloke. His evasiveness in close defies his size at times and is capable of side stepping midfielders. Lovely long right foot kick and is generally a good set shot for goal. His pace is good. Reads the game very well and was good when used in the midfield in one game I saw him play for Sandy. He managed to quarter back the game in periods and used the ball well on a wet day. The only real down side I have is he did not look all that effective in the very few quarters of games he was used in defence.
Prediction – top 3"

"rizzo: Jack Watts - 85kg - 194cm - 26.03.1991
A lot of people’s favorites around the traps, and i can see exactly why that is the case. He is a beautiful timer of a lead and is a one touch player. Can take contested marks, doesn’t have that flair that Johnstone has. He does the 1%er’s well and will lead a few recruiters lists, that is for sure.
Skills - Marking, Set shots, 1%er's"

"Dermott Brereton: Jack Watts
GENUINE key-position height at 194cm, but is understandably still very lean. He has the frame to put muscle on in the coming years. Reasonable agility and pace, but nothing exceptional.
LIKES to lead at the ball carrier from full-forward, but can get a little lost at half-forward.
SET-shot kicking action is not copybook, but very effective. Like Jason Dunstall’s action, it is hardly poetry in motion, but nothing is out of line. Has an excellent temperament for set shots under pressure.
CAN side-step nicely, but doesn’t have a great turning circle.
IS VERY competent by foot on his non-dominant side.
CONTESTS aerial duels brilliantly when he has a run at the ball. His hands above his head are very, very good. But when he is in a genuine push-and-shove marking duel, one-on-one against an opponent of comparable size, he falls over a lot. Some more meat on his frame will help this.
I HOPE he has some anger inside, because he will need to develop into a big key-position player who is looked up to by his smaller teammates. He doesn’t seem to have a great appetite for tackling, either. He laid a few in the footage I have seen, but they were not the display of someone who instinctively likes that sort of contact.
HE APPEARS to be a young man who has dominated his junior career and rarely been challenged because of his height, talent and excellent overhead marking ability. That tells me that he has coasted through juniors without developing an insatiable appetite for a physical contest. He is about to get a wake-up call in open-age football.
HE IS a genuine top-five choice in this draft, but I would recommend that he doesn’t play in 2009 at AFL level. Physically, he will get punished. But if Melbourne wants an excellent longterm prospect that will assist its structure from 2010 and beyond, then this boy is a target."

"Quigley: Watts is a nice player and has good movement, very nice hands and good height. I am not sure that if he was not a Victorian whether he would be getting talked up as the number 1. Gets a few goals but maybe not the bags that I would like to see. He is a nice package but I am not convinced for some reason maybe I just like to see a bit more fire."

 

[Couch Coach]

Daniel Rich - (IM / OM) 7 June 1990, 183cm 83kg. WA/Subiaco

"Recruiter 1: Although he is ineligible for the national draft in 2007, he will no doubt be a player who will attract interest leading into next year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. He's a very similar player to Rhys Palmer – they both enjoy contested situations. He's naturally aggressive and brings other players into the game. He led by example today."

"Recruiter 2: He's got some similarities to Palmer and continually wins the ball in a contested situation. I really like the way that he goes about his football and thought that he had an outstanding game."

"Matt Burgan: Although ineligible for this year's NAB AFL Draft, Rich will be one to watch out for in 2008. A beautiful kicker of the ball, the talented midfielder/flanker again showed his class, winning 19 touches and laying seven tackles against Vic Country."

'Alan McConnell: Although he's not eligible for this year's draft, I thought he demonstrated that he is a real player of the future with his work-rate and his ability to influence the game. He's fortunate at this stage, because Western Australia has a lot of frontline midfielders, that he can be managed in a slightly lesser role."*

"Kevin Sheehan: Left-footed medium midfielder who is quick, agile and tough. Penetrating kick and decisive decision-maker, his inside 50s ranked in the top 10 for the championships. Not eligible for this year's draft but clearly an outstanding prospect for 2008."

'Chris Pike: Seventeen-year-old Daniel Rich continues his development as the next big thing to come out of WA football. In just his fourth league match, he was simply outstanding and proved that he can do it all on the field.
Despite copping a blood nose in the first-half, Rich finished with 16 possessions but not only that, his left boot was deadly. He hit targets around the ground and nailed three goals, including a Daicos-like effort from the pocket.
The good news for Subiaco and the WAFL in 2008 is that he is too young to be drafted this year and will spend almost the entire season with the Lions next season.
“We have to be patient with young kids coming through, but from Daniel’s first game he has always been a contributor,” coach Scott Watters said after the game.
“He does all the team things well, and we all know he’s going to be a fantastic player. I don’t think I’ve seen a young player that works as hard on the team things.”"

"Vinnie_Vegas69: Daniel Rich is a serious chance to win the Sandover Medal next year.
He's going #1 - People thinking anyone will go for the "potential" of someone as seriously flawed as Natanui over the already brilliant Daniel Rich are kidding themselves."

'Lynch takes a mark: He really is the best pre draft player I have seen
Some of the stuff he does for a 16/17 year old against full grown men in the WAFL is just freakish.
The amount of times he would grab the ball in a pack and rush a kick (usually over 45m) and still hit Brad Smith on the chest is just amazing. His disposal is as good as you would ever want from an outside midfielder but to combine that with being such a powerful inside mid is just incredible.
He is seriously well built (BIG Hamstrings) very clean quick hands, long and accurate kick and is very versatile for his size, have seen him play as an effective Braun style wing man, Voss style inside mid and a Luke Power type of small forward with a seriously powerful kick.
I would say he is Voss/Kerr/Mitchel/Palmer combined
Not sure on the height weight but I would say 180cm/82kg's, if Joel Selwood can win the Rising Star then Rich will be odds on from the moment he's drafted and would probably push for All Australian and Best and Fairest at whatever club he goes to."

"Jason McCartney: Daniel Rich - The other big gun was solid without being outstanding. He had the 15 possessions and being a senior premiership player at WAFL level last year, he had a pretty tight tag placed on him. He wouldn't have rated his game as outstanding, but it was solid."

"ravadongon: Rich – Was well held for most of the game by Kirkwood. Did the bulk of his work inside the pack freeing up others with handpasses, tackling etc., with only a couple of his scintillating, accurate left foot passes on display. Had very little impact in the first half, but improved in the 2nd, particularly the last ¼. Overall it was a disappointing game from him – I expected more from Rich. 15 disposals."

"Jason McCartney: Daniel Rich – He started well and had a good battle with Matty Broadbent and I think his work-rate was a lot higher this week than his previous match. He is a quality player who uses the ball well and his left-foot is quite deadly and penetrating.
He had 18 disposals, eight inside 50s and four centre clearances. He also has a strong body. Daniel was back near his best, but there is no doubt he's going to have to contend with run-with opponents throughout the rest of the carnival."

"Nicko4: Rich's impressive performances for Subiaco in the WAFL seniors late in 2007 stamped him as a likely high selection in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft. He has 16 disposals and booted three goals in the preliminary final before picking up another 13 disposals and two goals in Subiaco's grand final win. Possessing one of the best kicks of anyone his age, Rich ranked No.1 for effective kicks at the 2006 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships and has maintained an elite kicking efficiency in his junior career to date. He was named in the All-Australian team after the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and has the numbers to suggest he's going to be an elite goal kicking midfielder at AFL level."

"Jason McCartney: Daniel Rich – He worked into the game, after a slow start. He ended up with 16 disposals and six clearances, but what's so dangerous about Daniel is that he is so penetrating with his left-foot. He also had seven inside 50s and it was good to see some defensive pressure, laying four tackles. There have been such high expectations on Daniel and although he hasn't quite achieved those standards, I wouldn't say he's a poor performer. He's been pretty consistent on two or three occasions and probably lowered his colours a couple of times, but it's great to see him working hard."

"Jason McCartney: Daniel Rich – I thought he was fantastic. He had 17 disposals in the first half and ended up with 23 for the game. His clearance work was again enormous and his inside 50s were really dangerous. That left-foot is lethal and it takes him one-step to kick 55 metres with penetration and accuracy. I spoke to Nathan Buckley after the game who said: 'I like what I see'."

"sandgroper: Daniel Rich (WA)
This old-fashioned rover has one of the most accurate and penetrating kicks of anyone his age. Has drawn high praise for his constency of performance, racking up big possession numbers for Subiaco and after a late surge in the national carnival was named an Under-18 All-Australian two years running."

"HFF 07: DANIEL RICH 183cm 83kg MID Subiaco (WA)
Awesome in and around the stoppages, both inside and out, copped some heavy tags but was still able to come out on top.
PROS: - Pace, Position around stoppages, Clearance work, Tackling, Strong overhead, Good vision, Kicking
CONS: - Work ethic, Tagged??,
PREDICTION: Top 3"

"jackson45:Daniel Rich (WA) - All class. Great user of the ball."

"PAV for AA:10 Daniel RICH 07-Jun-90 183 83 Subiaco Football Club
17 Possessions in the first half.
it appeared as if both sides instructed their players no to tag in the first half.
When the tag was placed on him in the second half he accepted it yet again
it is a worrying trend, tends to remain stationery around a stoppage.
For a kid without explosive pace he can’t afford to do that
Having said that his best performance in the carnival and left foot is still damaging
Still not sure if he should be considered ‘Elite’"

"foj1:: 3. Daniel Rich 183cm 83kg WA
Midfielder with a deadly left foot. Is equally dangerous both inside and outside and displays a good midfielders motor. Not express pace but not one paced either. Rich reminds me of a slightly quicker Paul Haselby with Luke Hodge’s left foot. Rich will step straight into senior footy and looks to be a 200 game player."

"ant555: Daniel Rich – 183cm, 83kg – Subiaco
Classy midfielder who has very good pace and good skill on both sides of the body. He struggled a bit during the champs with tags but he still managed to work his way into the games at various stages. His positioning and agility in and around stoppages is outstanding. Has the ability to lose his man in traffic which did not always pay off with possessions but will serve him well at AFL level. He is good overhead, has very good vision and is a quick thinker. Also a very reliable long range goal kicker. Kicks the ball 50 meters with ease. As far as down sides go the tags got to him a bit during this years champs so he will have to work a bit harder in that area. Another minor criticism I have from one of the champ games is he could have worked a bit harder as a small forward but overall he is a great midfielder.
Prediction – top 3"

"Dermott Brereton: DANIEL RICH
IS PLAYING senior football for Subiaco and it shows.
ALREADY built for league football, he will play AFL in Round 1, 2009.
IS AROUND the average for the AFL in the pace department.
INCREDIBLY quick thought processes and very clean hands. He is seriously smart for a young footballer. He easily found space away from a tagger within three steps at bounce-downs and ball-ups.
WHEN he is tackled, he has the uncanny ability to keep the ball free of his opponent’s grasp. And when pulled to the ground in a tackle, he can still hit the target by hand. His clear thinking with the ball is exceptional.
I LOVED the fact that he appeared to have a fondness for contact. For a skilful kick of the ball, it didn’t faze him to be on the inside of a pack. And he had a desire to tackle others.
HE WILL need to work on his running to get to the next contest. He will benefi t enormously from an AFL pre-season.
HIS kicking can be summed up very briefl y: awesome. A leftfooter who can thump it as well as putting it lace-out.
RICH is the most ready-made player in this year’s draft. If you imagine a slightly more agile Chad Fletcher with Luke Hodge’s left boot and Mick Fanning’s mop of surfy blond hair, that is what you’ll be seeing in Round 1 next year. He will be a 10-year player, that is a safe bet."

 

[Couch Coach]

Nicholas Naitanui - (RK) 4 May 1990, 197cm 95kg. WA/Swan Districts

"Recruiter 1: Nick has outstanding athleticism and although he still has some things to learn about the actual game, he is very much a player to watch in 2008 (he is ineligible for the national draft in 2007). Naitanui covers the ground easily and when he knows how to better play four quarters, he will be a genuine talent.'

"Kevin Sheehan: A ruckman with exceptional athletic ability, including speed and vertical jump, he was ranked first in division-one hit outs – winning 72 at an average of 24 per match. He was also in the top 10 for hardball gets (five per match). He had an outstanding final match against South Australia, adding contested marking to his attributes. His tackling was also rare for a tall player – he had 19 for the championships at an average of six per match. He is not eligible for the 2007 NAB AFL Draft."

"The Age: Nick Naitanui, who went to West Coast, was surprised to be included in every drill; he expected only to do the warm-up. He got on television and was later asked for autographs. "I said to them: but I'm not a football player …""

"Daryl Timms: JUST two days was the difference between outstanding teenager Nicholas Naitanui spending another year playing in Perth or being Carlton's No. 1 selection in the national draft.
Blues recruiting manager Wayne Hughes did not hesitate when asked whom he would have taken as the first pick in the national draft if the ruckman of Fijian descent had been available.
Naitanui, he said yesterday.
He is the most exciting player I have seen and he missed the draft by two days (because of his birth date).
People won't believe how much money they will pay to go through the gates to watch him play. I've never seen anything like it."
Naitanui, who plays for Swan Districts, was a standout in last season's under-18 championships, but was too young -- by just two days -- to be drafted this year.
He won All-Australian selection, along with Matthew Kreuzer."

"Vinnie_Vegas69: Natanui is a terrible kick of the ball, he's small for a ruckman and he can't play KP at this stage - There are a lot of question marks for a guy supposedly going #1. I still think he's terribly overrated around here. He's good - Definitely a Top 10 probability - But not a #1 candidate for mine."

"Lynch takes a mark: Nick Nat is big (198cm) and very athletic (will probably break the v. leap and will run a sub 2.9 at draft camp next year) but he is not footy smart, is not clean, ruck work is not good (even compared to Kruezer) and not smart enough to play key position. He's special and would go #1 most years since he can do some very very special things but would never take ahead of a prospect like Rich."

"GoOsh: mate, if you had watched Natanui, even once, you'd know exactly what he's talking about, and you'd agree. The kid has only been playing footy a couple of years, so he's very very raw. What he does have though is amazing athletic ability (speed off the mark, vertical leap, strength etc) and he really attacks every contest, not one that comes in and out of the game like some
What he doesn't have yet is good skills, or a footy brain, that's why he is a risk. He's a risk worth taking because his upside is incredible, but he's a risk none the less. Hughes obviously thinks his upside outweighs the safe bet the Kreuzer is, but it's a matter of opinion. Personally I'd take Rich over all of them, every day of the week."

"Prolix: Based on what I saw of Natanui last year I agree with this completely. He may be drafted in the top 3 based on potential alone, because he has plenty of it and hell, most ruckmen take a few years to develop anyway and he'd be worth waiting for, but whichever side does take him better be pretty confident in their track record for developing young players to fulfill their potential."

"Nicko4: Naitanui is a developing ruckman of Fijian decent. He was first seen at the 2006 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships and improved considerably throughout 2007. He was the No.1 hitout winner in division one at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 championships where he averaged 11 disposals and five hardball gets per game. At WAFL colts level he was part of Swan Districts premiership team, scoring 11 goals in his 14 appearances. He averaged 13 disposals per match and was again impressive at ground level with an average of four hardball gets. His hitout to advantage rate as a junior ranks in the average category."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Naitanui - One of the big guns only had the eight disposals, but he had 20 hit outs and six tackles. He is unique. I haven't seen many players with that type of agility and ability to jump in the ruck. Also at ground level, his second and third efforts and the way he follows up is fantastic. The way he picks up the ball, sidesteps and takes on the opposition is great. But the thing for me in this match was to see him chase and tackle and not many of those tackles were in-close grab-'em tackles. They were chase downs of small, quick midfielders. So you can see why everyone gets excited and there is definite potential there. Nick's footy education is also coming along, but we mustn't forget he's still new to the game. We probably got to try and keep a lid on him a bit, even though he is a freak athlete."

"ravadongon: Naitanui – When he got it there was an air of excitement and you knew something good was going to happen. His inside work, acceleration, tackling and second efforts are fantastic for a small mid let alone a ruckman. Abosultely dominated tapwork wise – I can’t remember the NSW/ACT bloke getting a clear tap. Didn't notice him getting a heap of the footy but when he did he had an impact - no junk possessions. 8 disposals, 20 hitouts (5 to advantage), 6 tackles, 1 clearance."

"Kevin Sheehan: Nick Naitanui – The ruckman leads the hit-outs with 51 (including 10 to advantage, which is ranked No.2). Naitanui is also ranked second in both clearances (16) and tackles (15) – statistics ruckmen are not usually prominent in. It also reflects his competitiveness and natural speed."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Naitanui – Nick was hard to ignore again, just for the fact he's had 10 clearances and six tackles. I suppose the thing with Nick, and what we've become accustomed to, is he's got great athleticism and he's great in and around the contests. I suppose because he shows so much we tend to mark his card a bit harshly.
It would be great to see him win more of the footy away from the contest though because his possessions are all coming from the follow-up work from his ruck contests – there's nothing really across half-forward or half-back. He's making the play around the contest but he is new to the game and it's part of his football education. I'd love it if WA could get a situation where he could play as more of a forward, but anything he does in contested situations is quite extraordinary."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Naitanui – He was very good. In Western Australia's first game, he did some quite remarkable things – even though he only had eight or nine disposals – but he had five hard-ball gets and five clearances.
What really stood out to me about Nick in this game was that he was really challenged in the first contest of the match. He went up in the ruck and produced a great leap, but he copped a heavy knock from the opposition ruckman. But Nick got straight back up and kept going, so he responded really well.
He was very effective with his hands, his work in and around the contest was great and his interception work was quite remarkable. An interception on Lewis Johnston was initially a smother, but then he actually marked the ball and then went inside 50 and found a target. He's still getting most of his disposals in and around the ruck contests, but personally, I would love to see him spend a bit more time up forward so we can see a bit more of the total package."

"Jimmy the Gent: If I had a knock on Nick it would be that he doesn't get enough clear possessions. I should stress that I've only ever seen him at WAFL level (never colts and only twice for the WA side -both times last year).
He gets plenty of hit outs, a huge amount of tackles, enough of the ball inside but I've rarely seen him on his own, carrying the ball along the wing or anything like that.
If he could add that to this game people would stand up and take more notice of him but the truth is, for a player who stands out so much he does a lot more of the small things.
That's my opinion anyway."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Naitanui – He had 15 disposals, including 13 handballs, but 10 were contested possessions, so in-and-around the stoppages, he was excellent. He also had 19 hit outs and really set the game up for Western Australia."

"Matt Burgan: The high-leaping athlete was tagged the 2008 No.1 draft pick even before last year's meeting, which meant he carried massive expectations into this year's U18 series. He responded well to be the most dominant ruckman in the champs, and one of the most exciting young talents to emerge in years."

"sandgroper: Nicholas Naitanui (WA)
The Swan Districts ruckman's giant leap and all-round athleticism makes him one of the most exciting AFL entrants in years. The dual Under-18 All-Australian is still considered a raw talent, but a certainty to be picked with the first or second selections in the draft."

"HFF 07: NICHOLAS NAITANUI 197cm 95kg Ruck Swan Districts (WA)
The big Fijian was touted as a number 1 pick last year, has a massive ngine and is one of the best prospects this year, seems lost at times, but has more pros than cons at this stage.
PROS: - Pace, Agile, Leap, Handball, 1%,
CONS: - Lost at times, Kicking, Offensive,
PREDICTION:"

"foj1:: 2. Nick Natanui 197cm 85kg WA
Spring heeled ruckman who is an athletic freak. Covers the ground amazing well, works hard to achieve 1%s such as tackling, shepherd and blocks and has a heap of upside to him. His kicking has been well documented and will need further attention. I also think he could benefit from learning to be more dangerous when in the ruck and try and be more of an offensive presence on the ground."

"ant555: Nick Natinui – 197cm, 95kg-Swan Districts.
Pace, big leap and athletic. Not a great kick and if he is running flat out he actually has to slow down a lot before he kicks the ball. His leap is a big advantage in the ruck and his palm work is pretty good. When he has the ball in his hand and is running forward he is very creative with his handball but the biggest concern I have is he is not a natural at reading the game. He gets caught out of position a lot and it reflects on the low amount of possession around the ground that he often has. Does not have a handle on running to the dangerous areas of the ground. I think he would actually make a sensational Rugby League or Union player because his peripheral vision with the ball in his hands is very good and he can hit team mates in space by hand very well when he is on the run. Personally I would not pick him if I had a top ten pick. In saying that he will get picked up in the top 10 because his athletic ability has to be seen to be believed.
Prediction – top 10"

"Dermott Brereton: Nick Natinui
TRUE ruckman size. Still thin through the shoulders, but will develop into a genuinely big man.
HIS arms look too long for his body, giving him amazing reach on an already lofty height of 197cm.
HAS some serious hang time when he jumps. But he is like a young colt who wants to have a run at every contest. League players will stand next to him and take away his spring; Brendan Lade will gobble him up without even jumping. He doesn’t appear to have a great knowledge of the craft other than youthful exuberance.
HIS athleticism is fantastic.
AFTER a ruck contest he instinctively chases the ball and becomes an extra midfielder.
WILL need to acclimatise gradually to AFL. Even though he is quick for his size, his dominance of junior footy means that he has not had to be consistently urgent.
IT IS up for debate whether he has footy smarts. He sees the ball, runs to it and gets it. You can’t ask more than that. But I didn’t see any tricks that originated from above the shoulders.
WILL be a marketing department’s dream come true in four years when he is ready to turn the game on its ear. He’s an agile ruckman with a cool name, islander heritage and dreadlocks to match Chance Bateman."

 

[Couch Coach]

Tyrone Vickery - (R) 31 May 1990, 200cm 86kg. VicM/Sandringham Dragons/Haileybury College

"Nicko4: Vickery is another potential draftee in 2008 who suffered a long term industry last season. He underwent a knee reconstruction after only one TAC Cup game for Sandringham but showed enough in the 2006 NAB AFL Under 16 Championships to suggest if he returns well from injury he'll be in consideration. He averaged 10 disposals and 11 hitouts per game in that carnival, taking three contested marks and booting four goals in one game as a forward/ruckman."

"The Age: Tyrone Vickery, who trained with the Kangaroos, nominates Andrew Swallow and Daniel Wells — Swallow for his interest, encouragement and determination to train hard despite a small injury, and Wells for other things.
"He was just a step above the others in class," he said. "Every time a drill wasn't going right, he was the one who turned it around and got it working again.""

"???: Good-sized ruckman who is very quick with his hands and moves well."

"Alan McConnell: Tyrone Vickery - Vic Metro's ruck dominance was due to McKernan and Vickery. Vickery also won his share of the ball as well as influencing the play with his ruckwork."

"Matt Burgan: Vickery's successful comeback from a full knee reconstruction was a testament to his character. In Vic Metro's title winning match against WA he kicked three goals and had 12 hit-outs as a ruckman/forward."

"Jason McCartney: Tyrone Vickery – I loved his game. He was outstanding overhead and is just as good below the knees and at ground level – up forward and in the ruck. Tyrone was really dangerous when he was in attack, kicking three goals. And full credit to him, after coming back from a full knee reconstruction."

"Dilediodelight: Tyrone Vickery: TV is recovering from an ACL operation last year and has improved from the beginning of the year, with both fitness and footy. he is a genuine ruckmen at 200cm and still growing, his ground level skills are very good for a ruckman, does pick up numerous touches around the ground and his skills by hand and foot are good, also as seen in the last u18 champs game can go forward and take a contested mark but more importantly kicks the goal. is a good height but needs a bit more muscle and fitness to play AFL next year and have an impact, but could play a game or two. 200cm, 86kg"

"HFF 07: TYRONE VICKERY 200cm 86kg Ruck/forward Sandringham Dragons/Hailebury College
Best allround ruck in the draft, huge leap, excellent tap work, and is good around the ground, really showed why he is highly rated among recruiters in the champs.
PROS: - Agile, Leap, Tapwork, Ground work, Strong hands, Strong lead,
CONS: - Small (Body size, for AFL), Knee reco 2007
PREDICITION: 5 - 15"

"foj1:: 9. Tyrone Vickery 200cm 86kg Vic Metro
Athletic tall who is continuing to improve at a very pleasing rate. Moves well across the ground and is getting stronger hands seemingly each time he plays. Vickery has put on a bit of muscle this year but still has a significant amount of size to acquire. Vickery is a very good lead for a player of his size and attacks the footy with much greater vigour this year as his strength improves."

"ant555: Tyrone Vickery – 200cm, 86kg – Sandringham Dragons/Hailebury College
This bloke is the pick of the ruckmen for mine. Good leap and excellent tap work. Managed to win a good number of ruck contests against Natinui when they came up against each other during the last Champ game. If it is not working for him in the ruck he does change the angles well and is prepared to come in from a different direction.
He has good skills and is mobile with reasonably good pace. Takes a good contested mark and kicks goals when he is playing forward. He has good hands at ground level and gets around the ground well. Played very well in the wet in a TAC Cup game against Roughead late in the season.
May not be rated as a top ten pick by some but he is by me because as a ruckman I don’t see a lot of negatives.
Prediction – pick 5 to 15"

"rizzo: Tyrone Vickery- 86kg - 200cm - 31.05.1990
Very gifted tall forward at 200cm. This is the type of guy you want patrolling down there. Nice lead and a very very strong mark. If he can get to the 200cm 100kg mark he will be a true power forward. At his size it is hard to get a hand in an spoil.
Skills - Marking, Size, Goal Kicking"

"1Mitch1: Tyrone Vickery- Vic Metro top aged player, 200 cm and 85 kg. All Australian in 08. Great build who reads the game so well. Had a knee reco in 2007 which i think some people forget and is a AIS graduate. Is used as a ruck man and as a tall forward who has some of the best hands i have ever seen. Dominated WA in the final game of the champion ships and has had 2 BOG for Sandringham Dragons in their last 2 games in TAC cup. Tackles hard, great agility, a nice leap and is very fit which is helped with his dad being the head fitness coach at Richmond Tigers. Was touted from 15- 20 but with his recent form has risen to a top 10 pick. One to watch for. Would love to have him at the Swans. Please Stuey."

 

[Couch Coach]

Michael Hurley – (KPD) 1 June 1990, 192cm 92kg. Vic Metro/Northern/Macleod

"Kevin Sheehan: A tall defender/forward, Hurley kicks the ball long and extremely well with either foot. He also competes strongly in the air. Led the championships in rebounds from defensive 50 with 22, and was a good decision-maker with or without the football. He capped off a consistent championships with very good game at full-back against Victoria Country in the final round."

"???: Powerfully-built defender or forward who is rarely beaten one-on-one and makes good decisions with the ball."

"Nicko4: Hurley is a proven performer at both ends of the ground and produced impressive numbers in the 2007 season. In 17 games for Northern in the TAC Cup he averaged 18 disposals per game playing in key positions at either end of the ground. When up forward he was always a threat, being a multiple goal kicker five times including a haul of 6. He spent most of his time in defence, however having six or more rebound 50s on seven occasions and averaging four spoils and two marks from opposition kicks per game. He is strong overhead highlighted by his tally of 29 contested marks, of which he took at least one in all games. He dominated at full back for Vic Metro in the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, totalling four more rebound 50s than any other player."

"Alan McConnell: Michael Hurley - Hurley was the best backman on the ground. He just doesn't get beaten in one-on-one contests. He hasn't had high possessions, but whenever he's been in a one-on-one contest, he never gets outmarked. He also doesn't give his opponent easy possessions, so I'd say he was the dominant defender."

"Jason McCartney: Michael Hurley – Another AIS boy, Michael was All-Australian at this level last year. He doesn't rack up the stats, but he plays a typical Michael Hurley game every week – playing in a key defensive post, either on talls, mediums or smalls. He's a rock in the back-half.
He's strong overhead and he uses his body really well. Michael rarely gets beaten. He's a natural defender and we haven't seen him up forward during the carnival, yet, but I know he can play forward – he has done for the Northern Knights. I see him as a natural defender, who can spoil with his left and right hand, which is really important. He also anticipates well, although he isn't naturally quick, but he reads the play well. Vic Metro also builds a lot of its rebound around him. He also has a strong body and has the ability to feed off."

"Jason McCartney: Michael Hurley – Michael was impressive again. The key defender didn't let the ball get past him and if he wasn't spoiling, he was marking everything. He had 15 disposals, including three strong contested marks and his rebound was excellent. He also uses the ball particularly well and is a penetrating kick. In the last quarter, he wandered down into attack – similar to a NAB Cup style of play – where he received the handball from Jack Fitzpatrick, who would not have kicked the distance, and Michael put the ball over the fence. What he lacks in leg speed, he makes up for with his anticipation. He's the type of player who gets in front and reads the ball really well. But overall it was yet another fine game from Michael."

"Jason McCartney: Michael Hurley – He's been outstanding. No doubt in my mind, he should be All-Australian again at full-back. He really looked the part on the big stage – he's big and strong. There has been a question mark over his leg speed, but his anticipation is very good and his marking is a highlight. In a star-studded line-up, he won Vic Metro's MVP."

"Matt Burgan: After winning All-Australian honours in last year's championships, Hurley backed up with another outstanding carnival. Vic Metro's co-captain, he was arguably the best key defender in the series and looms as a top 10 draft prospect come November."

"HFF 07: MICHAEL HURLEY - 192cm 92kg KPP
Has been the best defender in the past two champs and has the body and strength to play KP at AFL level, Question marks have been written over his pace off the mark, but has so much upside to his game.
PROS: - Kicking, Defensive pressure, Reads play well, Competitive,
CONS: - Pace off mark, Pace in general,
PREDICITON: Top 5"

"sandgroper: Michael Hurley (Vic)
A strong key defender who is rarely beaten one-on-one. Wins a lot of the ball rebounding outside defensive 50m and is a handy goalkicker, much like Adam Hunter is for West Coast."

"foj1:: 6. Michael Hurley 192cm 92kg Vic Metro
Hurly is a very reliable footballer who has been used primarily in the back half but has a few bags of goals to his credit in TAC footy. Hurley is tall enough and physically mature to hold down a key position in AFL. A slight query for me is his pace off the mark which will make his testing interesting. What I really like about Hurley is his competitiveness- he hates to lose a contest which is reminiscent of Nathan Brown when he was with the Rebels. Worse case with this bloke is getting Simon Prestigiacomo while he could be quite a bit more than that."
"ant555: Michael Hurley – 192cm, 92kg – Northern Knights.

"ant555: Has been the best defender in the last two Champ series. He has a smart footy brain and reads the play very well and will often direct his team mates on the where to be or where to run. In defence his communication skills are good and he will push forward to get involved in the play. Have seen him call a player back onto his man so he can get forward onto a different opponent and try and make things happen.
He is a lovely long right foot kick who can kick it 50 meters with ease and his left side is just as good. I have seen him easily kick the ball 50 meters on both sides of the body on a wet day.
His defensive skills are excellent and he has dominated any one on one duels.
The one question mark on him is his pace. He is not a lumberer but he does not have great speed off the mark and overall his pace is not great. He has made up for it at under 18 level with his great anticipation and reading of the play, the question is can he do that at AFL level.
Another string he does have to his bow is the fact that he has played a lot of TAC Cup footy at CHF. He has kicked bags of 6 a couple of times and has also kicked 2 or 3 goals from CHF in numerous games.
Prediction – top 6"

"rizzo: Michael Hurley - 92kg - 192cm - 01.06.1990
You want a tall defender? Look no further than this bloke. Is an absolute gun and is ready made for senior football. Does the job nullifiing the opposition back, then will hurt you with his run up the ground. Disposal is good most of the time, and he reads the play really well. The good thing about Michael is that he has both aspects of his game running at the same time. He will kill you with his run, however when the ball comes into the forward line quick he will always be there with a spoil.
Skills - Offensive, Defense spoils, Reading of the play"

 

[Couch Coach]

Hamish Hartlett - (IM / OM / SF) 14 August 1990, 182cm 74kg. SA/West Adelaide/Edwardstown

"Recruiter 1: Most AFL Clubs will have identified Hamish Hartlett through the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships last year and he has carried that good form into this year. He uses the ball nicely on both his left or right side and makes the right decisions under pressure. Although he is ineligible for the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, he is a player that clubs will look forward to watching again next year."

"Recruiter 2: A player of definite ability who simply understands how to play football. Hamish has genuine class and looks right at home playing against older boys despite being an under-age player in these championships."

"Alan McConnell: Hamish is very lightly built and still bottom-age, he's really classy and things happen around him when he gets the ball. He has a nice side-step and despite his build at this stage of his career, he is able to win the ball in one-on-one contests and find it in space. He also has lovely balance."

"FIGJAM#51: Hamish Hartlett: The kid is a star. Plays on the ball up forward. Great kick, strong hands hard at it, very balanced."

"AFL.com: 2006 U16 - The Kevin Sheehan Medal for the Division One best and fairest was awarded to Hamish Hartlett from Edwardstown, South Australia."

"Crashlander: Hamish Hartlett debuted for Westies in the SANFL and starred, plenty of the footy and a couple of goals...the coach labelled him a star of the future.
Very impressive and a good reason to bring in the brother and brother rule..."

"Nicko4: Hartlett is the younger brother of Adam who has been on Carlton's list for three years. But Hamish is a completely different player. While his brother is a key position type, Hamish is a midfielder who was prominent for South Australia in the 2006 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships. In that carnival he averaged 31 disposals and ranked No.1 for hardball gets and uncontested marks. He averaged 17 disposals in last years NAB AFL Under 18 Championships and made his senior SANFL debut late last season."

"Jason McCartney: Hamish Hartlett - He didn't have a super game; he only had 11 disposals, but he kicked a couple of goals. For South Australia to do well in this carnival, it needs Hamish to stand up. Still, the 11 touches he had were just silk quality. He's played senior footy and he frees the arms in a tackle and is able to dish off under pressure. Once he gathered the loose ball with one hand, swiveled and two players hardly laid a glove on him before he steadied to run inside 50 and kick a goal. He wasn't prominent but the things he did were really good. Jackson O'Brien from Tassie ran with him and Tasmania named O'Brien its best - that's how much Hamish Hartlett is rated."

"Jason McCartney: Hamish Hartlett – Hamish backed up against NSW/ACT. He had 24 disposals, four clearances and kicked one goal, but he also set up a couple of majors. His ball use is exquisite – it's just amazing. He also has a great side step and it was great to see his quality shine through after struggling a bit early in the carnival. It will be interesting to see if he is All-Australian."

"HFF 07: HAMISH HARTLETT 182cm 74kg MID/HFF West Adelaide
Good midfielder, reads play well and is clean with his disposal, was the standout player of the champs for SA,
PROS: - Skills (Both sides), Pace, Good clean hands, Reads ball well, Positioning at contests, Kick 50m, Good sidestep/evasive, Push forward,
CONS: - Struggled with tag, High numbers,
PREDICITON: Top 5"

"jackson45:Hamish Hartlett (SA) - can find the ball and is very quick. Carried the ball a few times down the wing but couldn't finish off."

"foj1:: 11. Hamish Hartlett 182cm 74kg SA
Hard working ball magnet who has already played quite a bit of senior footy this year. Received a lot of close attention during nationals which he seemed to find frustrating. Hartlett is an inside midfielder who wins his own football and is very good with his hands. Others may rate him higher but he doesn’t quite have the X factor for me. Saying that this bloke will be a very good AFL player who will be a very solid citizen in the mould of Matthew Boyd."

"ant555: Hamish Hartlett – 182cm, 74kg – West Adelaide
Highly skilled midfielder with very good pace. Has good hands in close and is a one touch player who rarely fumbles. Reads the clearances very well and has good skills on both sides of the body. His positioning and work at the centre bounce is excellent and he sets up play well. Will push forward and kick goals and can kick the ball 50 meters. He has a good side step and is evasive in close situations. He was tagged most of the way through the Champs and although in some games his numbers where not high he still made a pretty good contribution although he could have done a bit more work in and around the packs to loose his tag. One down side to his game is the fact that despite being highly skilled he can still produce a few lazy kicks at various stages which is more of a concentration thing than anything else.
Has played senior footy in the SANFL.
Prediction - top 6."

"rizzo: Hamish Hartlett - 74kg - 182cm - 14.08.1990
Absolute star. Love the way he goes about it. Really quick on his feet and is evasive. Good pace and is a big long booming kick. There is no wonder why the wraps are so high on him. Like it how he links up well from defense. Can run forward and kick goals from outside 50. Is a complete package. Easily in the top 10.
Skills - Running, Disposal, Evasive"

"Quigley: Hartlett (DOB – 14/8/90, Ht – 182, Wt – 74)
Coming into the Champs he was easily the most highly regarded of the SA players and coming out of the Champs that remained the case. Despite that though I am sure a few team recruiters would have been disappointed with his performance overall and a few flags might have been raised. He was heavily tagged in the Champs and apart from the last game against NSW he struggled to have much of an impact. His best game though was in the televised game against NSW and so many of us amateurs may have gotten a false impression of his Championship form. First the good – he has very good endurance and will appear all over the field. He is also very balanced in the contest, is strong in the tackle and holds his feet extremely well. He can break the lines and step around defenders well. Off hands he reads where the ball is going very well and collects the ball pretty cleanly in contested situations. He is still fairly slight in the upper body but his legs are pretty solid and he looks like he will fill out pretty well. He is an aggressive tackler and will get in and put his head over the ball. Coming into the champs the big selling point for Hartlett was his elite disposal. For me I have serious doubts about that. This year one of the commentators said of Travis Johnstone that he had the worst “elite” disposal in the competition and I feel much the same way about Hartlett. He seems to read play pretty well but he just misses too many targets. In the NSW game I counted 8 times that he missed targets and turned the ball over. He often looks good kicking the ball but for all that it looks pretty it doesn’t get where it is supposed to go consistently enough. Add to that that he duffs kicks pretty regularly. He has senior experience in SA and given the issues that remain I have concerns that putting him into an AFL situation might not be able to iron the problems. Every year there are a few players who are highly regarded on Big Footy who fall when the real stuff begins. This year Hartlett is one who I would not be surprised to see closer to the end of the first round rather than the beginning."

 

[Couch Coach]

Jack Ziebell - (Utility / IM)28 February 1991, 188cm 84kg. VicC/Marray/Wodonga Bulldogs

"Sportz1: Ziebell .He'd have to be a chance. He's already playing senior footy in Ovens and murray a very strong league and dominating by all reports . Capt Vic country u/16 .Hes a natural strong forward but Vic country played him at half back due to a few injuries they had which is a waste of a natural forward . Great player in the APS and he's as tough as they come . If he gets a couple more inches on him hell be a very damaging player . AIS member so he will have an even greater presence this year with the extra work . School footy wont allow him to play much TAC which may hurt him. Later pick 08 first round 09."

"Suspect1: Jack Zeibel- Although he's not as mobile as some he hits the ball and the opposition hard he'd be the strongest 16 yo in the country in terms of commitment at the ball has enormous and accurate kicking and very clean hand work in close and is a genuine match winner. great vision and thinker Leads by example and takes a lot of heat for his team. Plays senior footy in the Ovens and murray which is very good footy. He's like a tough hird .Needs a good year this year to confirm it all and needs to get real fit got injured in first game of carnival last year so might not of helped. plays forwards back and on ball .A couple more inches and you have got yourself a gun kpp if not you have a gun."

"Nicko4: Ziebell is a utility who performed well in a variety of roles for Vic Country in the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships. He averaged 17 disposals per game with his ball use the feature of his play, hitting the target with an elite 89% efficiency. He laid the third most tackles of any division one player and will play for Murray in the 2008 TAC Cup."

"TheBigUnit: Was seriously impressed by his game against WA. Like Hunch said he stood up at a crucial stage and showed great leadership winning several important clearances/contested possessions/marks and pinpointing targets by foot. Looks like he's a good size and build and has a wide range of attributes to play multiple roles. Would have a lot of recruiters wagging their tongues, I reckon."

"Jason McCartney: Jack Ziebell – Jack was very prominent in our AIS tour and won the Ben Mitchell Medal, awarded by the players, and the coaching staff also votes on three games. It was Jack's first game in four weeks after a quad injury, so he'd be reasonably happy with his first performance back.
He has good disposals – is a really good kick with both feet – and he's a good decision-maker and reads the play really well. Jack played half-back/midfield and Vic Country used him forward late in the game. He claimed 15 disposals and five rebound 50s.
He's one of the leaders of the group and he was pretty disappointed with the result after the game, but he's only going to get better from that performance after a month on the sidelines."

"Jason McCartney: Jack Ziebell – This kid was the star in my opinion. He was outstanding and uses the ball so well. I've been lucky enough to have a bit to do with him through the AIS academy this year, and it's a big call, but I think he has AFL leadership written all over him. Against WA he was tough in the contest, his clearance work was fantastic and he set the standard for his teammates early diving head first into a contest.
When he was needed most in the final term he was winning contested football and also taking contested marks across half-forward. He just reads the play so well and as a result ended up with 22 touches. Jack also had seven clearances and three tackles and he is a great player to have back in the side, firing for Victoria Country."

"its game on: I've seen Jack play a fair bit of footy, and he has mostly played KPP, mainly due to his ability to read the play and because there was no one in the teams more suited to CHB.
He has a good strong body for his age and is about 188cm but IMO he won't play this at AFL level ( Campbell Brown not withstanding at I beleive 177cms).
To me he is a Brendon Goddard type and size with a thumping big kick, who plays well above his height. Goddard plays HBF, with maybe the odd foray in the midfield. I couldn't really comment on Jack's speed as he is rarely given a run there in the games I've seen. He is versatile enough to play forward and can kick goals, but IMO would also be suited to HFF.
Maybe at 188cm it's one of those heights that is more suited to the utility types.
I like his attitude and leadership skills too. Happy for him to go to the swans."

"Matt Burgan: After missing Vic Country's opening match through injury, Ziebell returned to show why he is a highly rated AFL prospect. He showed great leadership across the championships, and outstanding at the clearances, contesting the ball and tackling. He is a versatile player, either in the midfield or across half-forward."

"HFF 07: JACK ZIEBELL 188cm 84kg MID/HB/HF Murray Bushrangers
Good size for AFL footy already, has nice skills both sides of his body and is good at finding his own ball in tight or recieving in space, dont be surprised if he goes top 10
PROS: - Tough, Reads play well, Strong hands, Kicks long/accurate, Clearance work, Leader, Tackling,
CONS: - Pushes forward MOST of time, Speed, Injuries??,
PREDICTION: Top 10"

"foj1:: 4. Jack Ziebell 188cm 84kg Vic Country
Ziebell is a power athlete who is very well suited to the next level. Ziebell can play as a strong marking 3rd tall as well as run through the midfield. He possesses great acceleration and is hard at the contest. He also has strong hands in marking contests and is a penetrating kick. I see Ziebell as utility type in the AFL who can play as a tall to create mismatches but also take his turn in the midfield."

"ant555: Jack Ziebell – 188cm, 84kg – Murray Bushrangers.
Strong midfielder /half back / half forward. Good size and excellent skills on both sides of the body. Reads the play very well and is good at finding his own ball. Clearance work is pretty good although at times he does just charge forward hoping that his side’s ruckman wins the tap and he can burst away with the ball. It looks good when it comes off but when the ball goes the other way he can get caught out big time. He is a very strong mark and regularly takes one grab contested marks. Kicking for goal is good and he can kick long distances.
The only real question mark I have on him is his pace. He has a reasonable burst of speed when it is needed but in general he is not overly quick. He is not a player that will break the lines with his pace.
Prediction - top 10."

"Quigley: Jack Zeibell (DOB – 28/2/91, Ht – 188, Wt – 84)
Very powerfully built bottom aged player who should be a top 5 player this year. He is listed as a utility and is equally adept at HF, HB or in the middle. What I really notice is that whatever group he is with lifts when he is there and he makes those around him better. Long term I see him as being an inside midfielder but expect him to start up forward or down back depending on the needs of the team picking him. As he builds his endurance expect him to move into the middle full time and become that type of big bodied mid like Voss or Buckley that adds so much to midfield balance. He is a presence in the middle and has the knack of reading the ball off hands and being in the right place at the right time in contests. He is not a huge possession winner at the moment which I think is a factor of a lack of endurance and the fact that he plays at least half the game either up forward or down back. What sets him apart from virtually everyone is the quality of his disposal. He and Rich in my opinion are a class apart from anyone else available this year. He is a right footer with quick hands and exceptional vision and who works well under pressure. He is good overhead and can take a nice contested mark. He is good tackler and does the 1%ers that assist teammates. He doesn’t have elite pace but does have enough to get by I think and he does have a burst which combined with his size allows him to break tackles. Overall he is a class player who has a chance to be an elite player at AFL level."

 

[Couch Coach]

Shaun McKernan - (KPF / R) 1 September 1990, 196cm 95kg. Vic Metro/ Calder Cannons/Tullamarine

"Nicko4: McKernan is a similar player to his older brother Corey, spending time both up forward an in the ruck for Calder in the 2007 TAC Cup. He scored 17 goals in his 12 games last season and was a multiple goal kicker on five occasions. He averaged one contested mark per match, while in the ruck he averaged 15 hitouts with an elite 29% hitout to advantage rate."

"Kevin Sheehan: Shaun McKernan – He has been prominent in the ruck with 38 hit outs and 16 marks."

"???: Ruck/forward who takes a terrific mark and is very agile for his size. Chip off the brother’s block."

"Jason McCartney: Shaun McKernan: Shaun is really playing his part. Saturday’s game was probably the most time he has spent on the ground during the championships so far. In the first two games he switched between the ruck and interchange to make way for some of Vic Metro’s other good, tall options, but against SA he rested a bit up forward. He has a great attack on the footy in the air and is a great contested mark. He was really solid in the ruck with 15-hit-outs and it was another good performance from Shaun. It’s just frightening to think I played with his brother and watching Shaun is like seeing Corey play all over again. He’s just a replica."

"Alan McConnell: Shaun McKernan - His ruck-work was excellent. Vic Metro had the better of the stoppages because of McKernan's ruckwork."

"Jason McCartney: Shaun McKernan – The brother of former North Melbourne ruckman Corey McKernan has been really impressive. He's rucking and playing off the bench, so he's probably only playing 50 to 55 per cent ground-time, but he's very similar to Corey. It's incredible how similar they are.
Shaun really attacks the ball in the air and launches himself at the footy. His ruck-work has been really good. He's athletic and he's a really strong lad at 196cm and 95kg. Shaun only had eight disposals, but his tackling was good and he does set his team up.
Vic Metro kicked 6.3 in the first quarter and a lot of that was due to Shaun's ruckwork and aggression in the middle. Like we saw with Corey in his hey-day, Shaun just hit the ground running. He's a bit of an ace up Metro's sleeve, because he could also play a prominent role up forward during the rest of the carnival. I don't think there would be many defenders who could go with Shaun, if Metro decided to play him in the goalsquare. There have been some really good signs for Shaun."

"Jason McCartney: Shaun McKernan – His marking was strong. He looked so free – again, it was uncanny how much he plays like Corey. He had nine hit-outs and along with Vickery, they were able to curb the influence of Nick Naitanui. He was particularly good early when the game was at its hottest."

"HFF 07: SHAUN MCKERNAN 196cm 95kg RUCK/FORWARD Calder Cannons
Big kid, who can play as a ruckman or move forward, plays very similar to his older brother Corey, has good tap work when gets first hands on the ball.
PROS: - Mobile, Ruck cum forward, Leap, Goalkicking,
CONS: - Size for a ruckmen at AFL level
PREDICTION: 10 - 25"

"foj1:: 12. Shaun McKernan 196cm 95kg Vic Metro
Another super athletic tall who has the skill set to be a very good AFL tall. Is a very good tap ruckman and dangerous presence in the forward line. Has a very good leap though found it hard to counter Natanui- what was pleasing was his willingness to jump into Natanui to upset his ruckwork. McKernan can dominate periods of a game which was particulary evident against the Falcons last year when he booted 4 goals in a quarter as a bottom age player."

"ant555: Shaun McKernan – 196cm, 95kg – Calder Cannons.
Big lump of a kid who has played ruck and forward. Is probably short of genuine ruck size but he does possess a reasonable leap and gives a contest every time. His tap work is good when he gets first hands on the ball. He gets around the ground well but his pace is certainly not what you would call quick. His skills are good and he can push forward and take a good mark and kick goals.
His down side will be the fact that he is not going to be tall enough to make it as a number one ruckman in the AFL. This will mean he has to take on a KP role which he is pretty good at but he does not have that quick burst of speed to get him clear. He will have to rely on a bit of nous and his size.
Prediction – pick 10 to 25."

"rizzo: Shaun McKernan - 95kg - 196cm - 15.11.1990
O yes. This kid will be a star. A genuine Ruckman that can go forward and kick goals. Nice ruck skills at the stoppages. Likes to throw his body around as well which is a bonus. Love the passion he shows when he is out there. Looks very very dangerous when he drifts forward. This is because he is strong overhead and is a very good shot at goal. Has a great kicking action and kicks through it.
Skills - Tap work, Contested Marking, Set shots"

 

[Couch Coach]

Steele Sidebottom – (IM / OM) 2 January 1991, 182cm 79kg. Vic Country/Murray/Congupna

"Sportz1: Sidebottom would be a good show , He's very light but is in the AIS program so should develop a bit of strength, He's one they may just take early because he has so much natural talent and sit on him while he develops ala xav ellis.Has all the tricks left or right big mark runs hard and kicks goals from any where.If he doesnt go 08 he will be very early next.Hard to see anyone with more ability."

"Suspect1: Steele Sidebottom- Amazingly talented player that thinks well ,some of the things he does is amazing around the footy . Scully is a freak in his running capacity and has good skills vision etc but Sidebottom has more class in his vision foot and hand skills ,marking and thinking and still has a light frame for indurance . His only problem may be disipline off the ground where Scully is very focused.I'm a bit biased having whatched him a lot in club footy but the more you watch him the more you see and thats not taking anything away from scully who will ba number one pick 09 for mine."

"Nicko4: Sidebottom was one of Vic Country's leading players at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships, proving dangerous through the midfield and up forward. He averaged 20 disposals per game and totalled the third most kicks of any player (46). He showed strength overhead for his size with two contested marks in each match and was also good at ground level where he averaged eight groundball gets. He was a threat when pushing forward averaging six inside 50s and two goals in the three games.'

"???: Midfielder with great skills who kicks well on both sides. Doesn’t waste possession."

"Kevin Sheehan: Steele Sidebottom – Vic Country would be pleased with the output from Sidebottom, which has been supported by Champion Data statistics. He is rated fourth overall in disposals (55 at an average of 18.3) and first for contested possessions (29 at an average of 9.8). He is also ranked third in clearances (15 at an average of five)."

"Vinnie_Vegas69: Definite 1st round, IMO. He's got oodles of class, good size, good skills and has performed well at every level of underage footy so far."

"Jason McCartney: Steele Sidebottom – He's one of our AIS/AFL Academy boys. Steele just loves a contest – there's no doubt about that. He's a really good clearance player and he started at half-back in the first quarter and finished the match with seven clearances. He also spent a bit of time in the midfield and across half-forward as well. He had 22 disposals, seven hard-ball gets and seven loose-ball gets.
Steele also has nice balance and he is clever around the stoppages. His disposal, however, was not always polished in this match, but he was still one of Vic Country's better players."

"???: Probably more 10-16 than Top 10 material, but certainly could sneak up into the 8-10 range."

"McLean 4 Captain: Silky skills when he's got it, unmatched by anyone out there yesterday and he took an absolute screamer in the forward line, right in front of where i was sitting.
Only negative was he seemed to go missing for a big patch, i think it was the 3rd quarter when they pushed him deep into the forward line.
I didn't see Veszpremi last year, but i saw Sidebottom on sunday and his foot skills were a cut above. He can get the ball himself and he reads the play really well, but i wouldn't describe him as a tough, gritty midfielder, most the hard stuff was being done by Suban and Hooper.
I can't compare with the rest of the teams in the champs as i haven't seen them, but he was clearly the best ball user when he got his hands on it IMO"

"premiers07: yer he's quick enough.. hes really strong over head, similar to Jimmy Bartel.. has the best endurance at the murray bushrangers with a beep test score of over 15!!
he reminds me of Robert Murphy how he plays, hard to tackle, lovely looking kick off both feet.. If he gets a little taller he could even play in a position like Murphy."

"Jason McCartney: Steele Sidebottom – He had 17 disposals, 11 contested, with five tackles and four clearances. It was another good all-round performance. He used the ball really well from a half-back role."

"Jason McCartney: Steele Sidebottom – Playing off half-back and through the midfield again, I just love the way he goes about it. He had four tackles and made some big hits with his attack on the contest and eyes on the ball. He uses the ball really well and I think he would go extremely close to All-Australian selection, due to his highly consistent performances."

"Matt Burgan: Highly consistent and one of Vic Country's best performers, Sidebottom is a hard-at-it contributor either across half-back or in the midfield. Has an all-round game, built on his clearance work, ability to win contested possessions and lay tackles. There'll be no surprises if he's rated highly come November."

"HFF 07: Steele Sidebottom 182cm 79kg HBF/MID Murray Bushrangers/Congupna
Reads play well and has as some say, a very developed football brain, goes to the right places. Uses the ball well by both hand and foot.
PROS: - Kicking, Reads play well, Contested possesion, Tackling,
CONS: - Pace, Athleticism, Size,
PREDICITON: 5 - 20"

"foj1:: 20. Steele Sidebottom 182cm 79kg Vic Country
Bottom player who was born to play football. Has a very developed football brain which allows him to make great choices with the footy and attacks each contest with zeal. My query on young Steele is his level of athleticism and I have found that some of the best games I have seen from him are more at half forward rather than as a genuine midfielder."

"ant555: Steele Sidebottom – 182cm, 79kg – Murray Bushrangers
Natural smooth moving midfielder with excellent skills on both sides of the body. Very smart player who reads the play well and has a good understanding of the clearances. Runs to the right spots and provides good options. Uses the ball well by hand and by foot. The only real downside he has is he is only steady in the pace department. Has enough speed to get himself out of tight situations but is not going to burst out of a pack or through the middle of the ground. Has been used in a variety of roles including half back, half forward and midfield.
Prediction – 6 to 20."

"Quigley: Steele Sidebottom (DOB – 2/1/91, Ht – 182, Wt – 79)
The bottom aged Vic Country player has all the tools to be a very good AFL player. I see him as an inside midfielder at AFL level but he has shown at the Champs this year and last (under 16) that he can go forward and back and do a very nice job. He has reasonable size for a bottom aged player and doesn’t mind throwing it around. He is courageous to a fault and led the Champs in contested possessions (48). He commits to contests knowing he is going to get crunched and on the other side of the coin he really makes his tackles felt and hammers the man with the ball. Skills wise he is pretty good although I would not put him in the same category as teammate Zeibell. From what I have seen he seems to have excellent vision and takes pretty good options. Overhead he is a good mark for his size and when he gets an opportunity he finishes well shooting for goal. What I really like about Sidebottom is his balance in contested situations. He keeps his feet when others are going to ground and recovers quickly, steadies and this improves the quality of his disposals in contests a lot. He is a very passionate player who has a reputation for being very coachable. He is a low risk midfield prospect who may lack the class to be a star at the next level. I expect to get taken in the middle of the first round."

 

[Couch Coach]

Sam Blease - (OM) 19 February 1991, 183cm 72kg. VicM/Eastern/Norwood

"Nicko4: Blease was one of the leading midfielders at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships, averaging 19 disposals per game. His disposal efficiency of 83% was elite and he showed an ability to read the play by winning the equal third-most loose ball gets of any division one player. He scored 5 goals at the carnival and also averaged 3 clearances and four inside 50s."

"Sportz1: Blease , Very quick outside player. like scully but probably hasnt quite the skills damaging with his run but wont give it off enough tho this can be fixed . If he gets a bit smarter and better with his kicking he'll be very dangerous. In the AIS so should come on really well he'll go if he devops like they want him to."

"G-WizZ: As in his actual kicking skills need to improve or he needs to improve his decision making with who he kicks to and at what time? I've seen Blease play a lot of footy and I would have said that kicking is one of his strengths, can kick some great on the run goals and can kick it quite a distance. His accuracy is very good to.?"

"Dilediodelight: Sam Blease: Sam is a bottom aged midfielder, is fast across the ground and generally uses his speed well at stoppages. is also very skilful especially by foot, is very clean and balanced when disposing of the ball, he can look relaxed at times during games but in a good way, (its like things go into slow motion). is light but is bottom aged so will develop more, probably won't play next year. 183cm, 72kg"

"HFF 07: SAM BLEASE 183cm 72kg MID/HFF Eastern Rangers
Bottom aged midfielder cum forward who posesses explosive pace, has genuine pace to burn when required and is a beautiful long fick off his right when at full tilt.
PROS: - Pace to burn, Good hands, Clean, Right foot, Tackling,
CONS: - Body size
PREDICTION: not sure 10 - 25"

"foj1:: 19.Sam Blease 183cm 72kg Vic Metro
Bottom age midfielder who possesses explosive acceleration and a nice right foot. He was terrific during the U/16 championships and was not out of place at this years championships against older and stronger bodies. Will physically develop further with time and is one who may creep higher in the pecking order after draft camp."

"Lynch Beast: Watched the Vic M vs WA game today
The guy probably only got 10 disposals but he OOZES class - seriously high hurt factor on his disposal and does VERY little wrong
6ft Flanker/Midfielder - Dal Santo with genuine pace IMO - his work in traffic to burst away, set up play and anticipate the reading of the play is as good as it gets. Every time he is near it he will seriously hurt the opposition - A-Grade user of the ball forward of center.
This guy good be a serious bargain if we can pick him up around the 17-20 mark."

"ant555: Sam Blease – 183cm, 72kg – Eastern Rangers.
Bottom aged winger / midfielder. Not much of him but he has excellent pace and great skills. Beautiful long right foot kick. Kicks well on his left but it does not have the same penetration as his right side. Has good hands at ground level and a great side step in traffic. Despite his size he does put his body on the line and tackles well. Plays a mainly outside role but is able to move into the middle and find the ball at clearances. His work rate is very good. His closing speed is very good and he catches a lot of players by surprise.
One downside to his game is the fact that he can have quiet periods during a game. Needs to find more consistent involvement during games. He also has a bit to work on with some of his defensive aspects. When he plays on a good opponent he can lose touch and get burnt going back the other way.
I think it will surprise a few people how early this kid goes in the draft.
Prediction – pick 5 to 25."

"rizzo: Sam Blease- 72kg - 183cm - 19.02.1991
I would be inclined to take his bloke before Broadbent and Blessing. Just seems a more rounded package. He has a super tackle on him and will not give up until the bloke is driven into the gorund. Kicking and overall disposal is excellent. Is a sppedy little bugger and generates a lot of run and movement. He is a strong mark both contested and uncontested and will always be good for a spoil from behind.
Skills - Disposal, Speed, Tackling"

"Quigley: Sam Blease (DOB 19/2/91, Ht – 183, Wt – 73)
Extremely classy bottom aged player who has had an injury interrupted beginning of the year. He was still recovering during the Champs and played only three of the 5 matches and in the matches he did play he had limited time on ground. Notwithstanding the cameo performance in which he picked up only 30 disposals across the three games he impressed many and could very easily go very high. In all honesty I would not be surprised if he had a meteoric rise much in the way Pendlebury did a few years ago. He has an extremely high ceiling and could end being a player a lot like Pendlebury or even Hird. He is a great mover who seems to glide across the ground, is extremely elusive and has elite speed and endurance. His second efforts are also fantastic and he keeps himself in contests and follows on exceptionally well to create plays. His kicking skills are at an elite level and his ability to hit players inside 50 is right up there with Rich. Blease can laser his right foot kicks but he is also good on his left. He is a big run and carry guy and hits his targets well on the run. He is a goal kicker given the opportunity. At AFL level I think he will continue to play the outside in role he plays we have seen him play at junior levels. That is he will start outside the square but will follow the contests and will win his own ball at the ruck contests around the ground. He runs to space extremely well and positions himself where he can be dangerous. He gives his teammates options. He is also another who tackles well and has a bit of fire in his belly. At the moment he is still very light and I think it likely that he might spend a lot of next year building up and not play much in the AFL. Injury has prevented him getting his conditioning up and he has not been a big possession winner this year (although he was at u16 level) and this is the main concern that people will have. Blease is one of my favourite players available this year and I would love the Lions to pick him up."

 

[Couch Coach]

Nick Suban - (IM / SD) 9 May 1990, 179cm 82kg. Vic Country/North Ballarat/Bacchus Marsh

"Recruiter 2: Nick Suban is a natural footballer who just knows how to give his all. He has good skills. While ineligible this year, he should be a genuine player again at the 2008 championships."

"Alan McConnell: Suban was an interesting one. He actually played on Palmer. Palmer's work-rate will be a great learning experience for Suban in terms of what you have to do to play in the midfield. He's only a bottom-age player at this stage, but it was certainly a fine lesson for him to know how hard you have to work to play in this competition and you want to be at the top end. But to his credit, he kept at it and didn't lose his composure. He continued to find the footy over the course of the game."*

"Kevin Sheehan: Left-footed, small defender/midfielder who averaged 23 disposals showing good poise and disposal skills whether in defence or midfield. Ineligible for this year's draft, he made the most of his opportunity and won Victoria Country's Most Valuable Player Award."

"???: Nick Suban - Currently year 9 at St Pats, represented Vic Country at U15 level 2005, made all australian..finds the ball endlessly and all round freak show."

"Nicko4: Suban averaged 19 disposals per game in the 2007 TAC Cup where his kicking efficiency of 76% ranked in the elite category. He can play all over the ground and works hard when not in possession, averaging five tackles per game last year. Suban was named in the All-Australian team at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships where he ranked in the top three in division one in kicks, long kicks and rebound 50s and won a large portion of his possessions in an uncontested manner."

"Alan McConnell: Nick Suban - Suban's ball-winning ability and ground work was great."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Suban – Got my attention for different reasons against WA. He's an on-baller, but full credit to the Country coaching staff, they changed things up against the home side. He played as a permanent small defender on Chris Yarran, an exciting talent who looked extremely dangerous, and wore him like a glove.
He provided good rebound when needed and uses the ball exquisitely. Nick's another AIS academy boy and to see him play a different role on a dangerous forward was a real positive. It was a great game for his development."

"???: Left-footed centreman who shows great leadership and toughness. Uses the ball well."

"Jason McCartney: Nick Suban – Nick had 19 disposals, including nine contested possessions, five tackles and six inside 50s. He was very good through the midfield and back behind the ball. He's a left-footer and continually sets the play up by foot. He doesn't waste the ball and showed really good leadership again."

"HFF 07: NICK SUBAN 179cm 82kg BP/HBF North Ballarat Rebels
Tough and uncompromising, the best way to sescribe this old fashoned defender cum midfielder, has shown sublime skills and was one of the better small defenders in the champs.
PROS: - Leadership, Competitive, Kicking, Tough, Reads play well,
CONS: - Genuine pace, Field kicking (placement)
PREDICTION: 10 - 25"

"foj1:: 30. Nick Suban 179cm 82kg Vic Country
Tough as old shoes solid onballer/ utility. Had a very good championship last year and was serviceable again this year. I don’t see that much upside to Suban however you know what you are getting with him. A tough uncompromising footballer who will be ready to go at AFL level. Hard to categorise where and if Suban will go come November as there are always players like Banner, German, Hughes, Sloane and Zaharakis competing for limited spaces as well as a tonne of little blokes in the VFL like Andrew Horne who are equally as good."

"ant555: Nick Suban – 179cm, 82kg – North Ballarat.
Strong bodied small defender / midfielder who has had two pretty good carnivals now. Has been used mainly on the half back line but can go into the middle and win the ball if needed. Did a great job as a small defender on Yarran in Country’s win against WA. He is a smart player who has good skills on both sides of the body. His defensive side is good and he reads the play well .Can kick the ball a long way.
The TAC Cup games he has played in the midfield have generally been very good and he has read and directed the play well.
The question marks he has on him are his lack of genuine pace and the fact that he kicks to contests at times during games. Natural player who displays good on field leadership. May be a bit of a slider in the draft because of the fact he plays a lot of footy at half back and is not overly quick.
Prediction – pick 10 to 25."

 

[Couch Coach]

Chris Yarran - (SF / OM) 19 December 1990, 180cm 84kg. WA/Swan Districts

"Recruiter 1: While still ineligible for this year's draft, he is a very talented player. He has very good kicking skills and proved to be a very dangerous forward at all times. No doubt, he will be a player to watch in 2008."

"pasta: Chris Yarran. (W.A) Think Motlop, Steve Johnson, Alan Didak all in one."

"David3030: Me thinks you have been on the wacky tobaccy a little too long here pasta. I don't know if your parrot etc and I don't particularly care one way or the other ... but I do know that Daniel Rich at this stage is a far better player / prospect .. and I repeat at this time than Chris Yarran is.
Chris Yarran is a very good prospect but Daniel Rich is way way better."

"wherecomingyouknow: Chris Yarran: = 16 yrs old. More clever version of our own Peterson (who by the way is a player). Think Didak, Dale Thomas, Maric (draft this year), Ebert (Port) Akermanis, Brad Johnson, Daniel Motlop, Brett Deledio and Rhan Hooper all in one. Superstar. Plays tall."

"Trump: Yarran form Swan Districts is pressing his claim for a top 5 spot at the moment.Two BOG's from as many games, a standout in the wet and has all the tools. Silky ball use and a strong body.Did anyone head along to the game before the Eagles match this week, I saw the second half only and Cane Lucas was a standout, too young for this years draft but a very likely type for 09's draft."

"Nicko4: Yarran is a talented general forward who booted 26 goals in 12 games for Swan Districts in the 2007 WAFL colts. He scored at least one goal in each game he played and was also a threat around the stoppages where he averaged four clearances. He played all three games for Western Australia at the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships where despite limited game time he totalled four goals and three score assists."

"Jason McCartney: Chris Yarran – Chris had 16 disposals and seven tackles. He played forward and got into the midfield a bit, but he is very classy and uses the ball extremely well. It looks like he is coasting around in second or third gear, because he is such a great mover, but when he got up into the midfield, he put the foot down and accelerated a few times. There is still more in the tank from Chris, so that's a worry for Vic Metro on Wednesday."

"sandgroper: Chris Yarran (WA)
Quick and clever forward remains a high priority despite a quiet national carnival. Has great goal sense and can be an imposing aerial force if given the room to weave his magic."

"HFF 07: Chris Yarren 180cm 84kg FP/HFF/MID Swan Districts
Is a small forward cum midfield type, could become anything, does everything well and has a deft tough, especially around goals where he is even more dangerous.
PROS: - Strong mark, Kicking, Smooth mover, Good hands, One touch player,
CONS: - Body Shape, Athleticism,
PREDICTION: 5 - 20"

"PAV for AA:30 Christopher YARRAN 19-Dec-90 180 84 Swan Districts Football Club
Silk. That’s the first word that comes to mind.
Fantastic skills at ground level, by hand and by foot.
Used his body well to out position direct opponents. If he didn’t take the mark, his pace ensured he was gone when he picked the ball up.
out marked Mckernan One on One simply by reading the flight of the ball better and using his body to Good effect.
Perhaps Needs to do more further up the ground. When cast in the middle tended to lean forward of the play searching for kicks, similar to Rich in that aspect.
Definitely AFL Ready and a Fairly safe bet for a forward Pocket HFF who could develop into a midfielder"

"foj1:: 13. Chris Yarran 180cm 84kg WA
Exciting midfielder/ small forward who others will rate much higher. (as I have done earlier) Yarran is a superb kick and a one touch player. Yarran is also extremely dangerous around goals. I am concerned about Yarrans bodyshape and his capacity to match athleticism in the AFL. This bloke could be a Didak or Cyril Rioli type but he could also be Ashley Sampi which I think may worry some clubs."

"ant555: Chris Yarran – 180cm, 84kg – Swan Districts.
Solid half forward / midfielder. Had a steady carnival without really reaching any great heights. Very nice mover who has great skills on both sides of the body. Even on a quiet day he manages to chip in with a couple of goals or a few goal assists. Takes a good contested mark and has great hands at ground level. Has huge potential if his endurance allows him to move into the midfield at a later stage. Can make the difficult things look very easy on his best day.
His down side currently is the lack of motor to play long periods in the middle and finding a consistent level throughout the whole game.
Prediction – pick 10 to 20."

"Sico 17: Chris Yarran (Swan Districts): 19 December 1990 - 180cm 84kg
A standout in his first League game this year where he kicked 7 goals and was named WAFL player of the week. Spends time in the midfield in underage competition but could become the perfect FP.
Season so far: 5 League games, 16 goals.
2007: 3 U18 games, 4 goals."

 

[Couch Coach]

Jackson Trengove - (R / KPD) 2 November 1990, 196cm 77kg. Vic Metro/Calder/PEGS/Strathmore

"Nicko4: Trengrove was one of the best players in the 2007 TAC Cup finals series, putting in four dominant performances in the ruck for premiers Calder. He averaged 17 disposals, six marks, six groundball gets, 19 hitouts and three clearances in those four games, winning plenty of possession around the ground along with an eilte hit out to advantage rate. While he impressed in the ruck towards the end of the year, he was versatile enough to play in defence early in the season when he averaged six rebound 50s and six spoils per game in his opening four matches."

"vinnie_vegas69: Somewhat like Paddy Ryder - He's really more of a ruckman at this stage, but he's athletic enough to and already does play KP pretty well.
Of course, this injury sounds pretty severe, so you might question what it could potentially do to his athleticism. Hopefully there are no long-term effects though.
You wouldn't have thought his injury is anywhere near the kind of concern that Beau Muston's was, so I'd say he should still be drafted around the same range - 15-25."

"HFF07JACKSON TRENGROVE 196cm 77kg RUCK/FORWARD Calder Cannons
Another injured young gun, was touted as potential top ten and may still be before struck down with hamstring tendonitis, Can play in the back half aswell as stints in the ruck.
PROS: - Good skills, Good pace, Gret work rate, Reads play well, Competitive, Leap,
CONS: - Season ending hamstring injury
PREDICTION: 5 - 20"

"foj1:: 7. Jackson Trengove 196cm 77kg Vic Metro
Trengove suffered a season ending injury at Metro training ripping his hamstring off the bone. I still rate him extremely highly as a good punter always looks at past form! Trengove was dominant last year as a bottom ager who took all comers including Kruezer, McEvoy, Lobbe, Simpson and McKenna to the cleaners playing in the back half or in the ruck. Trengove has a superb leap and hates to lose a contest. He also has a lot of upside due to his physical immaturity, lack of TAC footy (plays at PEGS) and missing most of this year. Should develop into a rangy CHB who can also be a mobile ruckman."

"ant555: Jackson Trengove – 196cm, 77kg – Calder Cannons.
Another with an injury question mark after suffering a hamstring tendon injury earlier this year. Before going down with the injury he was in very good form. A tall defender with good pace who also had stints in the ruck in the TAC Cup. Had a great year last season and was one of the standouts. Good skills. Good pace. Great work rate and ability to read the game which is a big plus for a tall. Without the injury he would certainly be talked about as a genuine top 10 prospect or even higher. His injury may hinder his draft camp performance so the test results may not revile the full picture. He is good enough that you would certainly look at taking a risk with him.
Prediction – pick 10 to 30."

"Season-ending injury for top draft hope
VIC METRO young-gun Jackson Trengrove will miss the rest of the season with a knee and hamstring injury sustained during a recent training session.
Trengrove, a 196cm tall defender/ruckman from the Calder Cannons, is one of the most highly rated players in this year’s NAB AFL under 18 championships, and a top 10 draft prospect.
AIS/AFL Academy high performance manager Alan McConnell is confident Trengrove will bounce back in time for the October NAB AFL Draft Camp.
“[The injury happened] in a mock pressure situation training drill with Metro on Thursday evening,” McConnell told afl.com.au.
“He’s ruptured the lateral ligament in the knee and torn the hamstring from the bone, so it’s actually a break of the bone that’s caused the attachment to come free.
“He’ll be operated on Tuesday next week to deal with both of those matters.
“The prognosis is good, provided that there’s no surprises when the surgeon gets in – they expect 100 per cent recovery and about a three-month rehab, so we’d hope he’d be ready to do something by draft camp time at this stage.”**

"1Mitch1: Jackson Trengove- Vic Metro top aged player- 196 cm 77 kg. With the Calder Cannons in the TAC cup and dominated as a bottom ager for them. Is an AIS graduate. Had a season ending knee injury in pre-season resulting in him not playing at all this season. Was touted as a top 10 maybe higher but will slide due to the fact of his knee. Has good pace for his height and does ruck a little bit of ruckwork which is an added bonus. Everybody in the football world rates him and will be interesting to see where he goes. 10-30"

 

[Couch Coach]

Lewis Johnstone - (KPF) 3 March 1991, 192cm 87kg. SA/North Adelaide/Port Bulldogs

"Nicko4: Johnstone is a power forward who averaged 13 disposals and three marks at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships. While his numbers at that carnival were only modest, he spent the 2007 season in the SANFL U-17's where he produced some impressive performances. He kicked 31 goals in 20 games and was named in the best players on seven occasions, proving to be not only strong overhead but also at ground level."

"Kevin Sheehan: Lewis Johnston – Bottom-aged tall forward, Johnston (192cm), is also from North Adelaide and he shows great promise. He leads the competition in contested marking."

"Jason McCartney: Lewis Johnston – He was outstanding. In a losing side, which went down by 64 points, he was a standout. Playing at centre half-forward, he took 10 marks, including six contested. He also had five inside 50s and he was by far the best key position player on the ground.
He presented really well, but what was really great was his lateral movement. And that is such a key for a centre half-forward – you can't be just that one straight lead-up player. You've got to move laterally. He did it really well and his hands were superb all day.
That should be a benchmark performance for Lewis. If he can get his work-rate up like that for the remainder of the carnival, it's going to cap off a great series for him."

"Jason McCartney: Lewis Johnston - He's a boy I've had a little bit to do with in the program. He's a key position player - centre half-forward or full-forward - and although he didn't have a lot of ground time, he made the most of his opportunities kicking four goals. He's a beautiful kick of the footy and a beautiful finisher. He's got great timing in his leads and is quick off the mark."

"Trucklover: hes from pt pirie in country sa and plays u/17s for north but really should push for games in higher grades at some stage in the season. one of the best kicks u will see on both feet and kicks atleast 60 meteres no joke. pretty tool and solid. would be a very good player if he sets his mind to it. give him a few years though. would be very surprised to see him play in his first season and expect only little amount in his 2nd season but hav no doubt wen he does get ther he will be worth the wait takes a good grab and has a thumping kick would be just wat the demons need in ther forward line now without neitz."

"Matt Burgan: The key forward stood out with his lead-up work, contested marking and goal scoring. Kicked four against NSW/ACT, and took six contested grabs earlier in the tournament against WA on home soil."

"Jason McCartney: Lewis Johnston – Lewis played a fantastic game. He was leading up, taking contested grabs and quick on the burst. He booted four goals, is mobile, has great hands and a high work-rate. I think Lewis will be a big chance to be All-Australian this year. He's a lovely kid and been a pleasure to work with at the AIS/AFL Academy – it's great when you see these kids put in the hard work and reap the benefits at the end."

"Dilediodelight: Lewis Johnstone LJ like Sam is bottom aged, he is a tall forward 192cm but should have some growth still in him. his mobility is a feature of his game, is a good contested mark and when the ball hits the ground is very good for a tall, his 1% and efforts to bring others into the game is also a feature. is usually a solid shot for goal and i could see him playing either FF or CHF in future and just needs the physical side of him to develop. 192cm,(i misplaced his weight sorry)"

"HFF 07: LEWIS JOHNSTON 192cm 87kg KPP North Adelaide
Awesome contested marking in the champs playing either at FF or CHF, kicked a few goals, has the skills and engine to play through the midfield, much like an Adam Goodes or a Chad Cornes,
PROS: - VERY Good contested marking, Strong hands, Leads well, accurate set shot for goal, 'X factor',
CONS: - Defensive pressure, Discipline,
PREDICTION: 10 - 30"

"jackson45:Lewis Johnston (SA) - didn't do a lot but when he did get it was pretty good and he has the buddy strut"

"foj1:: 8. Lewis Johnston 192cm 87kg SA
Mobile key position type who has the skills to run through the midfield. Reminds me a little of Chad Cornes in the sense that he has the skills of a key position player with the athletic attributes of someone who could run through the midfield. Will need to work on the defensive side of his game and his discipline will be put under the microscope by scouts around the league but has a heap of talent and is the right AFL size."

"Thunderstruck: Yer apart from the odd silly undisciplined act he played a solid game. HARD worker, around the packs, strong on the lead, clean first grabs - plenty of contested marking ability. That has always been his best asset, strong hands. But is a real goer, can play well up the ground and find the footy and at 189cm could become a very dangerous marking/floater across half forward at AFL. Ryan O'Keefe written all over him or perhaps a better version of Nick Gill. Love the hair - dead ringer for Geoff of Home and Away."

"TFLUA Tiger: Probably around 20-35 mark.
Of reasonable pace, and with really good athleticism - complete with a bounding leap - Lewis positions himself really well. Has very good hands, and is capable of taking some very good grabs. As has been mentioned, is a thumping kick, and just as good on either foot.
What lets Johnston down at times is his work ethic. Doesn't seem to be interested at times, and appears to be too harsh on himself, which leads to him going back into his shell.
If he can realise he'll make a few mistakes - we all do - and keep working all day long - he'll become a much better player - and a player every club will be having a good look at come draft time."

"ant555: Lewis Johnston – 192cm, 87kg – North Adelaide.
Bottom aged tall forward who starred in a couple of games for SA. Playing CHF or FF he took numerous contested marks in a few of the games and kicked for goal well. Kicks mainly left foot but does have a right side. His pace is ok and he works well on his leads and does lead to the right spots on the ground, works the angles well on his leads and is not just a straight up leading player.
Needs to work on stopping his opponent running off up the ground and getting involved and he also gave away some silly free kicks at times during the champ series.
Prediction – pick 8 to 30."

"rizzo: Lewis Johnstone - 87kg - 192cm - 03.03.1991
I dont want to give away my top 30, but I will give away this guy as my number 1. Have kept a keen eye over him this year and has turned out a gem. He has natural ability, something that a lot of clubs would love. Mix that with a great running ability and agility and you have the perfect player. At 192 he can play tall, which is great. Mix that with his ability to take pack marks and a good leap. Don’t worry when the ball is at ground level, because he will star there as well. He is just so natural in everything he does. A person that has flair, but also does the team things. A real person you could market your club around. Can also go back as well, which adds another string to his bow.
Skills - Awareness, Forward line prowess, Marking, Match winning ability"

"1Mitch1: Tall Forward, Lewis Johnstone: South Australian Bottom aged player, 192 cm and 87 kg. Very gifted footballer. Has a high level of skill and has a huge amount of ability. Has a fantastic leap and a great set of hands. AIS graduate and an All Australian in 08 who is being touted as a 10-15 draft which is where i think the swans draft picks will lie."

 

[Couch Coach]

Ayce Cordy - (R) 6 August 1990, 202cm 77kg. Geelong/Geelong College/Ocean Grove (Western Bulldogs F&S)

"Nicko4: Cordy is eligible to be taken by the Western Bulldogs under the father son rule in 2008 after his father, Brian, played 124 games for the club from 1981-88. He spent most of 2007 playing school football, but appeared 3 times for Geelong in the TAC Cup where he showed his mobility by averaging 14 disposals per game. He was strong in the air with an average of two contested marks in those games and despite standing over 200cm he was also good at ground level where he averaged 5 hard ball gets."

"foj1:: 10. Ayce Cordy 202cm 77kg Vic Country
Ayce is a very exciting athlete who is built like a lollypop. Another lightweight tall who has an outstanding vertical leap and good set of hands. Will need several AFL preseasons but looms as a definite F/S selection for the Bulldogs who will lick their lips at gaining this young bloke on their list."

 

[Couch Coach]

Mitch Robinson - (IM) 7 June 1989, 188cm 77kg. Tas/Lauderdale

"Jason McCartney: Mitch Robinson – Mitch again took the game on. That was something that really stood out against Vic Metro. He won 21 disposals, the equal of Tom Lynch, who was Vic Metro's highest ball-winner. He broke the lines, attacked and delivered really well by foot."

"Mitch also delivered the ball inside 50 three times and he really sets the standard for his side. He also had six hard ball gets and five tackles. He was a very good player in division two and he has performed just as well at this level."

"Kevin Sheehan: Mitch Robinson – Robinson has continued the form that saw him win the Hunter Harrison Medal as division two's best-and-fairest in the qualifying series. He has great ball-winning ability (averaging 19 disposals), is a penetrating kick and is evasive to boot. The youngster from Lauderdale has been a shining light for the Mariners."

"Jason McCartney: Mitch Robinson - Mitch won the Harrison Medal in division two and I thought he was outstanding against South Australia. He did tire late in the game, but playing along the wing and in the midfield, he really took them on. He's a line-breaker and a penetrating kick. Mitch had 22 disposals and seven inside 50s and was super impressive. He probably set the scene for the whole team, taking on the opposition and his teammates followed his lead. He was really good."

"Matt Burgan: Playing as an over-age player in the championships, Robinson, 19, produced an outstanding series and was far and away his state's most prominent player. The ball-winner won the Hunter Harrison Medal as the best second division player and was named Tasmania's Most Valuable Player."

"Jason McCartney: Mitch Robinson – Once again, Mitch produced an outstanding performance. I'd never seen him play until the championships, but he took my eye right from his first game in division two. I thought: 'Gee, this kid can play a bit'. And with every game, he got better and better. He starts the games really well and against Vic Country, he ended up with 24 disposals. He was the deserving winner of Tasmania's NAB AFL MVP award, on the back of his Hunter Harrison Medal in division two."

"HFF 07: MICH ROBINSON MID/WING 188cm 77kg Lauderdale/Tasmania (VFL)
Skinny inside/outside player, won div 2 award for best player and has played senior footy for the Tassie VFL side.
PROS: - Tough, Inside/Outside, ball magnet, Clearance work, Good pace, Good skills both sides, Burst of speed,
CONS: - none to note
PREDICTION: 5 - 20"

"foj1:: 16. Mitch Robinson 188cm 87kg TAS
Super athletic with a very penetrating right foot. I originally didn’t rate this guy so high but his carnival has propelled him way up the charts. I am much more happy with the way he attacks the footy now as I thought he was a little outside waiting to use his strong foot skills. Robinson has a good burst of speed and looks like he will have an AFL tank with more development."

"ant555: Mitch Robinson – 188cm, 77kg – Lauderdale – Tasmania.
Tall skinny winger/midfielder who had a great Champ series. Found a heap of the ball both in close and as the link player. Reads the clearances well and has good pace. Good skills and good hands in close. Can take a nice mark and works hard all day. Not afraid to put his body on the line. Nice long right foot kick. Right side is ok to get him out of trouble but not great.
One downside to his game is his kicking under real pressure can be a little suspect.
Has played V.F.L footy.
Prediction - pick 8 to 25."

"Jason McCartney: Mitch Robinson - He was one I hadn't seen or heard much of until today, but he played off the wing and half-back and won 21 possessions. His athleticism, the way he found space all day, his run-and-carry and the way he used the ball impressed me. I didn't see much of him the other day, but he bobbed up against the Northern Territory."

"rizzo: Mitch Robinson-77kg - 188cm - 07.06.1989
Prolific ball winner who player both inside and outside. Love his height, a perfect size for a tallish midfielder. The best thing about him is that he is reliable. He very rarely plays a bad game. Always is up there and his disposal is pretty good. His ability to get the ball himself or sit out the back of the backs is also a bonus.
Skills - Disposal, Consistency, Running"

"Quigley: Robinson – the other player from Tasmania who should definitely be picked up in the draft. He is a bit of a poor man’s Cale Morton – he is a tall thin outside player who runs well, reads the play well and is a key link man who his team mates look to use him at every opportunity. He takes good options and his disposal is amongst the best of the Div 2 players. He makes his disposals count. He is a nice mark, has good pace and is good under pressure."

"Quigley: Mitch Robinson (DOB – 7/6/89, Ht – 188, Wt – 77)
Overaged player who has come from nowhere before the Champs to be a virtually certain first round pick. He lead all players in disposals in the second stage of the Champs with 110 disposals across the 5 games and was second in contested possessions. He was Tasmania’s best player throughout the Champs. In the Div 2 Champs he played mostly an outside role but did more inside work when the Div 1 side of things rolled around. He reminds me quite a bit Cale Morton – he is a tall thin mainly outside player who runs well, reads the play well and is a key link man who his team mates look to use him at every opportunity. He has excellent vision and the options he takes are usually first class. His disposal is pretty good although when combined with his vision and option taking and a good feel for weighting his kicks it often appears very good indeed. He is a player who makes his disposals count and has definite hurt factor. Pace wise he seems good although not exceptional and during the Champs he went all day and kept racking them up indicating a good motor. He can take a good contested mark and is a persistent tackler who will follow up and crunched a few guys who got near him in the Champs. In the Vic Country game he was matched up on Zeibell for a while and I thought he had the better of Zeilbell all things considered. I think he will start on the wing in the AFL but with his ability to read the ball off hands and his quick hands in close I think he could spend his fair share of time in the square as he develops. His age might count against him a little but teams will factor in that he has only been in the system this year and the massive improvement he has shown might well indicate that there is a bit more developing to go yet. At his age I would expect him to play next year. He needs to bulk up a bit but he is quite strong."

 

[Couch Coach]

Nick Heyne - (OM) 22 July 1990, 187cm 79kg. VicC/Gippsland Power/Orbost Snowey Rovers

"Alan McConnell: Nic Heyne - Heyne created a number of opportunities to work his way into the game. He used the ball effectively and also created a number of scoring opportunities."

"HFF 07: NICK HEYNE 187cm 79kg UTILITY
Smart forward who posesses an accurate left foot, is not as classy as some, but does the job, does however go missing for some games, but can then pop up with a couple of goals or goal assists to get himself going.
PROS: - Goal kicking, Marking, Left foot, Inside/Out player,
CONS: - Goes missing
PREDICITON: 10 - 30"

"foj1:: 17. Nick Heyne 187cm 79kg Vic Country
Another tallish athletic type who is a very good runner, amasses a high amount of possessions and will be very versatile at the next level. I think he doesn’t always hurt the opposition as much as he could with his disposals and perhaps not quite as classy as Broadbent and Robinson but a high quality athlete who gets a lot of footy both inside and out."

"???: Strongly-built onballer with a raking left-foot who adds an extra dimension in the air."

"ant555: Nick Heyne – 187cm, 79kg – Gippsland Power.
Lovely moving left footer who has done really well this season. Has absolutely dominated some TAC Cup games and had a reasonably good Champ series. Kicks mainly on the left side but can kick on the right pretty well. Is a dangerous forward who can kick goals from all angles and is a very good mark. Reads the clearances well in the middle and can find the ball. Pace is pretty good. Does have a few games where you wonder if he is on the ground at certain stages but then he will have a great quarter out of nowhere. If he can find more consistency in his performance over the whole game he will be a very damaging player.
Prediction – pick 10 to 30."

"1Mitch1: Nick Heyne- Vic country top aged player and AIS graduate- 187 cm and 79 kg. Very similar to Ryan O'keffe. Had an ok national championships in 08 with his best game against Vic Metro kicking 4 goals. Outside type of player with great skills who has patches where he totally domimated play. With Gippsland power in the TAC cup but has had an ordinary season. Still is someone that is highly rated that should go 25 +"

 

[Couch Coach]

David Zaharakis - (OM) 21 February 1990, 180cm 73kg. VicM/Northern Knights/Marcellin College

"VicCrow: Bottom aged wingman with fantastic pace. I was already considering him for this fourth round pick but yesterday confirmed it for me. He was running hard and controlled his wing for the whole day. He likes to keep the ball moving and plays on at most opportunities. He seems to have improved his hardness at the contest. Earlier in the season he was a bit tentative but yesterday he did a few gutsy sort of things - taking a mark running with the flght, a great smother which the Knights ended up scoring off.
Very impressed by his athletic abilities but he needs to work on his disposal by foot. Has many elite attributes and will greatly benefit a full year in the AFL system to fast track his progress. A late pick in 2007, but I reckon he'd be a Top 20 pick in 2008 and you see clubs projecting that sort of stuff a lot more these days."

"footy draft 2007: David Zaharkis
November 9th, 2007
David Zaharakis – Northern Knights
Ht: 180 cm Wt: 70 kg
Junior position – HBF/ Midfield
AFL position – HBF/ Midfield
Zaharakis is a bottom aged dasher who shows genuine speed and the willingness to run. Was especially good in the final where he showed genuine heart in a depleted and battered midfield.
Strengths: Speed and willingness to run. Is a decent reader of the play and plays with significant heart and courage.
Weaknesses: His kicking, decision making and poise all need to improve. Often running too fast that he just bombs the ball or miskicks. Will be a much better player when he learns how to use his speed more effectively. He will need to bulk up significantly to be a regular AFL midfielder.
Question marks:
Draft Prediction: 35+. In a weak draft he has sufficient upside to be taken.
Stats: Zaharakis has a tendency to butcher the ball. 107 effective kicks to 75 ineffective kicks is quite damning. He is extremely efficient by hand. He has an extremely high amount of handball receives which illustrates his willingness to run."

"Jason McCartney: David Zaharakis: David had a really good first game; was a bit quieter in the second, but he was just tremendous again on Saturday. He’s got a really high work rate and can play out on the wing and also in the midfield. He’s pretty hard at it and always finishes well. He had another 21 touches against SA and also five inside 50ms. David is a really good leader and is a bit of a barometer for Vic Metro. When he plays well; the team usually does and that was certainly the case on Saturday."

"Kevin Sheehan: David Zaharakis – A medium-midfielder, Zaharakis finds space and uses the ball well, winning 25 effective kicks (ranked fourth) and averaging five inside 50s."

"Alan McConnell: David Zaharakis - Zaharakis also gained 19 possessions, behind only Gotch for Vic Metro."

"Jason McCartney: David Zaharakis – Playing off the wing and through the midfield, David showed great leadership qualities in his role as captain, particularly with his attack on the footy. He uses the ball well, breaks the line and after resting last game, came back against Western Australia and more than played his part."

"HFF 07: DAVID ZAHARAKIS 180cm 73kg MID/HFF Northern Knights
Was overlooked in last years draft with queries about his kicking, has taken his game to a knew level and has established himself now, has been kicking plenty of goals for the Knights in the TAC cup comp this year aswell as having stints running through the middle.
PROS: - Leader, Kicking (Right foot), Hardball gets, Pace,
CONS: - Decision making, One sided, ball handling
PREDICTION: 15 - 30"

"foj1:: 41. David Zaharakis 180cm 73kg Vic Metro
Speedy player who many including yours truly felt might have been taken late in last year’s draft as a bottom ager. Has been renowned for his speed but questioned about his kicking and ball handling. This year he has taken his game to a higher level having several standout games. Top quality individual who would give himself every opportunity at the next level."

"ant555: David Zaharakis – 180cm, 73kg – Northern Knights.
Speedy midfielder/winger who was overlooked in last years draft which was a surprise to a number of people. He has kicked on a bit this year and captained Vic Metro to victory in this years champs. Has a very good long right foot kick but also tends to be very one sided which can catch him out under pressure. He has games where his decision making can let him down a touch as well. He reads the game pretty well and is reasonably good at stoppages. Can take contested marks and his work rate is good. His TAC Cup form this year has been very good and has included games where he has kicked multiple goals. Has stepped up in the leadership side of things this year.
Should go somewhere in the second or third rounds."

"rizzo: David Zaharakis - 73kg - 180cm - 21.02.1990
Genuine midfielder who will damage you off half forward. Really elusive and tends to pop up when you least expect him to. Really good disposal, and is probably a little more outside than in. Is deceptive in his speed. One that if you let run around for to long he will rip you to shreds.
Skills - Game breaker, Elusive, Good disposal"

"VinnieVegas69: David Zaharakis (Northern Knights) - Gun, IMO. Great pace, racks up touches and uses them well. A little small, but got the rest. Goalkicker as well."
"Moose1: have to agree on david zaharakis vv69. Selected as captain of Northern nights but will miss games in the TAC cup this year due to school commitments. Was down at Marcellin watching a herald shield match against Box hill senior and he showed so much. Extremely athletic and a superb kick. Hawthorn showed lots of interest in him last year and were looking to pick him up with pick 46 but ended up taking Stuey Dew instead in a last minute change of heart. Finished up with 6 goals today playing out of the forward pocket. Usually plays midfield but was a bit sore and was rested down in the forward line. VV69 commented on how he uses the ball so well which is spot on. In round 1 of the TAC cup, he had 23 kicks, 21 of which were effective."

 

[Couch Coach]

Aaron Cornelius - (KPD) 29 May 1990, 192cm 84kg. Tasmania/Glenorchy

"Quigley: Is bottom aged and not eligible for selection this year. Notwithstanding this he was probably the best KPF that I saw in Div 2. He looked a threat every time he got near the ball. He is extremely good overhead and took a lot of contested marks. He can kick it from the 50 and kick it straight. He moves nicely and has separation speed. He also creates for others and Bowden was the beneficiary from the work of Cornelius and the attention he demanded of the Qlders. I was surprised that he was only credited with 5 goals as I thought he had a couple more than that. For me he would have to be considered a top 5 certainty for next year at the moment."

"Recruiter 1: Aaron Cornelius kicked five goals for Tasmania, but he isn't eligible for this year's draft. There are good wraps on him moving forward."

"Recruiter 2: Cornelius has got a bit of excitement about him. He plays from behind a bit too much and plays with some arrogance, but he's got natural talent."

"AFL.com: Too young to be drafted this year, but certainly one to watch out for in 2008, Cornelius starred against Queensland with five goals and showed plenty of spark in his game. He also grabbed seven marks – including a sensational pack mark in front of goal."

"Kevin Sheehan: Strong marking tall forward who took 18 marks in the championships – averaging six per match. His seven goals included five against Queensland during Tasmania's first match at the SCG. He has a spectacular leap and a vice-like grip, whether on the lead or in a contested marking situation. Not eligible for the 2007 NAB AFL Draft."

"The Prototype: Here's a name to look out for in the next couple of years, at 17 years old he has represented Australia in South Africa. Plays for Glenorchy in the AFL Southern Tasmania Premier League, booted 7 goals on début, and has had a decent season. Had a quite début for the Tasmania Devils, though to his defence there's not a lot going right for the Devils.
I am not sure about his eligibility for this season, but he'd certainly be worth a look next season. There are some other good young players to look at as well here in Tassie."

"Nicko4: Cornelius has proven in his junior career to date to be one of the best marks for his age. Since taking nine contested marks for Tasmania in the opening game of the 2006 NAB AFL Under 16 Championships, Cornelius has continued that form to average more than three per game in 14 games of under-age football for his state in the past two years. At age 17 he made his debut for Tasmania in the VFL late last season and took the equal most marks of anyone in the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships."

"Jason McCartney: Aaron Cornelius – By his own admission he had a shocker last round and this week he started down back. His work-rate and body language were much better. He worked his way into the game and then returned to his more familiar surroundings up forward.
He grabbed the ball quite cleanly towards the end of the game and he ended up with six marks. It wasn't a super game, but he was starting to look dangerous. I really think he is now set for a big game against NSW/ACT on Saturday, after some positive signs in this match."

"Jason McCartney: Aaron Cornelius – I thought this was Aaron's best game in four or five games. He had 14 disposals, seven marks – three were contested – and this was a fine effort, considering the ball only went inside 50 for Tasmania 20 times. His second quarter was outstanding. He had six marks in that period. It was a really solid performance. He played on instinct, he played in front and his work-rate was high."

"Jason McCartney: Aaron Cornelius – I want to give a big wrap to Aaron. Once again, the ball didn't get down into Tassie's forward 50 a lot of times, but Aaron kicked four goals. He's got great hands, takes a really good mark and reads the ball well, but I was really impressed with ability to work into the front position. When a side kicks six goals and your key forward kicks four, you've done your job."

"HFF 07: AARON CORNELIUS 192cm 84kg FF/FP/CHF Glenorchy/Tasmania (VFL)
Like Robinson, has played some VFL for Tasmania, is not as quick as others, but leads to the right spots, and is smart where he gets his shots from, has string hands, which is a feature of his game,
PROS: - Marking, Footy smarts,
CONS: - Pace, set shot kicking,
PREDICTION: 10 - 30"

"foj1:: 14. Aaron Cornelius 192cm 84kg TAS
Very clever forward who is agile and has a good set of hands. Cornelius is very good on the lead and can also fly for the big pack mark. Cornelius has had the advantage of playing senior footy for over a year now which has toughened him up and helped him on the defensive side of his game. A very exciting prospect."

"ant555: Aaron Cornelius – 192cm, 84kg – Glenorchy/Tasmania
The go to man in the Tassie forward line. Played a mixture of CHF and FF and was Tasmania’s best forward. Is not overly quick but is a good contested mark and works to the right areas on the ground. He is a pretty long right foot kick and his kicking skills are pretty good. His set shots from a distance where a bit patchy at times during the champs. Does a lot of things right. The only real concern I have is at his pace if he is not taking marks and dominating in the air he could turn into an also ran at AFL level.
Another who could sneak up into the first round but will surely be picked up somewhere in the second round or third round."

"Jason McCartney: Aaron Cornelius - A lot is expected from Aaron, but I thought he was okay. Every time he went to the contest, he had three guys around him - he's going to get that a lot because he is a super overhead mark - but he still managed to take some good contested marks. I thought he worked really well and as a key forward, it can become frustrating playing against three players. He took six marks, three contested and finished with three goals."

"rizzo: Aaron Cornelius - 84kg - 192cm - 29.05.1990
Tassy had a one man forward line and it was him. Tallish, without being really tall. He has good speed off the lead and a nice strong mark. I wouldn’t say contested marking is a strength, but you will rarely see him drop one at full belt. He leads to the right places as well, which is vital.
Skills - Speed, Determination, Kicking at goal"

"Quigley: Cornelius – easily the best Div 2 prospect and is a definite top 10 pick I think. He played CHF for Tas and is a top shelf forward prospect. He is a little on the short side for a KP (about 191) but he is a fantastic mark. Quite simply his hands are superb and combining that with excellent judgement of the ball in flight and pretty good pace makes him a very difficult match up. He is a reasonable shot for goal without being elite. The other thing which I think teams will like is the work he does in support of his team. He works hard on the 1%ers, chases hard and works well within the team concept."

"1Mitch1: Aaron Corneilus- Tasmanian top aged player. All Australian in 2007 and 2008 and an AIS graduate. Has been touted the best forward in this years draft. Has got qualities others don't have as a forward and has the best mark in the draft. 192 cm and 84 kg. Reads the play well and has a good set shot on goal. mid to late 2nd round"

 

[Couch Coach]

Tom Swift - (OM / IM) 6 July 1990, 190cm 84kg. WA/Claremont

"The Age: Tom Swift went to Collingwood and suspects he would have had a less comfortable time had Harry O'Brien not made sure he understood all the small details he needed to know. Nick Maxwell, too."

"Nicko4: Swift underwent a knee reconstruction in April last year and as a result missed the remainder of the season. He is still a likely early draftee for 2008 after producing amazing numbers as a midfielder for Western Australia in the 2006 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships. He began the carnival with 40 possessions, followed up with 24 in the next game and racked up a whopping 45 disposals in the final game against Vic Metro. He led division one in handballs, marks, short kicks, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, handball receives, clearances and frees for and looms as a prolific ball winner."

"Dilediodelight: Tom Swift: Tom is also coming back from an ACL injury but hasn't recovered aswell as TV, while i admit he is a risk i think what he put on show in the u16 champs was absolutely amazing. he is a high possession player, in the u16 it was something like 45,30, and 40, and they where not all cheap outside touches, his skills were good, but haven't seen much of him post ACL, so will be interesting to see him over the rest of the season and especially at draft camp. could play next year as his body is a good size and weight, but would need to be fully over his injuries 190cm, 84kg"

"TOA: Swift is going to be very interesting to watch because many people rated him higher than Rich in the u16s. That doesnt mean a whole lot because many players dominate u16s and dont even get drafted but it gives an indication of what he is capable of."

"Lynch Beast: - Big praise from Vossy as the best 16 year old in the land at the time
- Did the ACL in April 07 & the cartilage this year in the other knee
- only played a handful of games since U16 champs
- book smart christ church boy
IIRC he is a Jess W. Smith style tallish running defender which I would love to get - Bones/Hurn/Davis & Schofield + Swift for run out of the backline Geelong style in a couple of years.
Nothing about where he could go in the draft (and I HIGHLY doubt a recruiter with any reputation to uphold will be letting on either) I have only seen a little of him this year and that was just recovering from injury so nothing to really go on (no video to review or notes or anything) but I would trust the recruiters to know this guys game inside out.
fwiw I don't remember a single draftee going in the first round after a knee reconstruction as a junior (TOA could help out here)
Muston the only recent one to go close anyway"

"HFF 07: TOM SWIFT 190cm 84kg UTILITY Claremont
Not sure about Tom, was injured for most of last year and only got back in April this year, was sensational from all reports in the under 16 carnival 2 years ago where he led nearly every midfield stat, is a tall midfielder who uses the ball well, will see how his second half of the yar goes.
PROS: - Tough, Kicking, Tackling,
CONS: - Nearly 2 years out of the game
PREDICTION: 15 - 30"

"foj1:: 26. Tom Swift 190cm 84kg WA
A tall utility/ midfielder who suffered an injury setback last year and looks to be just treading water a little at the moment which is understandable. Had a great U/16 year and recruiters wont forget that. His draft position will be dictated by how his second half of the year pans out."

"ant555: Tom Swift – 190cm, 84kg – Claremont.
One of the big question marks of this draft. Was sensational in the 2006 under 16 Champs for WA where he lead division one for just about every midfield stat. He missed pretty much all of last year after doing a knee in April and has had limited games since then. Personally I have not seen him play but if you can lead the division in handballs, marks, short kicks, contested possessions, uncontested possessions, handball receives and clearances then you must be doing something right. Guess it will all depend on how he gets through the end of this year and how he goes at draft camp.
Prediction - ?? pick 5 to 30."

"Realistic Tiger: Tom Swift - 183cm 75kg midfielder from Claremont. In the 2006 U/16's Championships he had 3 games with 40, 24 & 45 disposals. He led division 1 in handballs, marks, short kicks, contested & uncontested possessions, handball recieves, clearances and frees for. Would not mind adding him to the midfield group if he was to slide which is a possibility after missing all of last year through injury."

 

[Couch Coach]

Michael Walters - (OM) 7 January 1991, 177cm 75kg. WA/Swan Districts

"Nicko4: Walters may stand only 175cm, but he proved at the 2007 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships he could be an elite goalkicking midfielder at the highest level. He not only led division one in disposals with 87 in the three games, but his tally of 10 goals was also the equal most. He had an elite 85% kicking efficiency, led the carnival with 40 effective kicks, and was most damaging as an inside player as he won the second most contested possession and most clearances of any player."

"???: Walters – Very classy. Decision making and kicking was very good (set up a few goals early) and kicked a couple of goals himself. Safe hands as well - took a v.good OH grab too up forward. He’s small and slightly built, but more than willing to put his body on line when needed. 20 disposals, 3 goals."

"Jason McCartney: Michael Walters - Another AIS boy, Michael was quality. He didn't waste a possession after starting in the midfield in the first half and spent the second half up forward. He's extremely creative and booted three goals. He also ended up 20 possessions and had a really good game."

"Jason McCartney: Michael Walters – He had 18 disposals and for a little guy, he was good in a marking situation. There is no doubt he is a super talent, but I saw some really selfless acts. The defensive side of the game is starting to catch on and that's the pleasing thing. It's complementing his great skills."

"HFF 07: MICHAEL WALTERS 177cm 75kg BP/FP Swan Districts
Small pocket player, has good pace and is clever with his disposal, is a little outside, but can win his own ball, was AA so is a capable player,
PROS: - Pace, Skills, Goal kicking,
CONS: - Outside, Size,
PREDICTION: 15 - 35"

"PAV for AA:17 Michael WALTERS 07-Jan-91 177 75 Swan Districts Football Club- Best on Ground for W.A along with Clancee Pearce
Worked well around the stoppages
Very creative
Nice acceleration and Good closing speed
Very High footy IQ, exceptional positioning
Hits most of his targets"

"foj1:: 21. Michael Walters 177cm 75kg
Very talented little man with a nice burst of speed and A1 disposal. Is able to win his own ball and also dangerous around the big sticks. Very hard to guess where this bloke will go come November but has a ton of talent and is very exciting."

"ant555: Michael Walters – 177cm, 75kg – Swan Districts.
Small forward or midfielder with great pace and good skills. Plays a bit outside. Very good ground level pick up and very creative with his hands. Kicks mainly left side and uses the ball well. He leads well as a forward and his crumbing work is good. His forward pressure was also very good during the champs.
Prediction – pick 10 to 30."

"Sico 17: Michael Walters (Swan Districts): 7 January 1991 - 177cm 75kg
Plays in the midfield but has the quickness and skills to make a dangerous forward.
Season so far: 4 Colts games, 0 goals. 1 U18 game, 3 goals."

"stu: Michael Walters - Started at Midvale JFC at 9yrs. left footer. Small but very, very hard at the ball. fantastic ball skills ( very special.. Cousins like ). Plays Midfield and forward. Played State Schoolboys, State 16’s (best at carnival ), State 18’s and all Australian squad. Won fairest and best at Swans every year in Juniors and 13’s, 15’s at Midvale JFC ( drew with Blight in 14’s ) runner up to Blight every other year . He will draft no doubt at all. Has had a few injury’s lately. Has footy smarts and a gifted player. His dad played in the SANFL"

 

[Couch Coach]

Tom Lynch - (F) 15 September 1990, 191cm 84kg. VicM/Sandringham Dragons/Haileybury College

"Nicko4: Lynch missed the majority of the 2007 season after undergoing a knee reconstruction but impressed enough in the opening three rounds of the TAC Cup season to be considered a likely early pick. In that time he averaged 24 disposals, nine marks, six hard ball gets, six inside 50s and two goals per match and looks capable of filling a number of roles."

"Alan McConnell: Tom Lynch - He was dominant early, but drifted out of the game. He presented up extremely well early in the game, when he was playing as a leading forward, coming up to half-forward."

"Jason McCartney: Tom Lynch – An AIS boy, Tom played centre half-forward and full-forward and late in the quarter he really presented well. He marked well in the air and was good at ground level. He ended up with 21 disposals and kicked four goals."

"???: It was really pleasing for 'Lynchy', considering he is coming off a full knee reconstruction last year. He's only been playing since Easter, but his preparation is second to none. He did everything that was asked of him in his rehab and he's reaping the rewards now. He maintained his fitness levels at such a high level that he has been able to play good footy since returning. Tom was really good in this match."

"HFF 07: TOM LYNCH 191cm 84kg UTILITY Sandringham Dragons/Haileybury College
A tall midfielder/utility, has good footy smarts has set up alot of goals from CHF for his school side and Sandringham, is able to play both ends ofthe ground and is was a genuine first rounder before being struck down with injury.
PROS: - Reads play well, Footy smart, Link player, Defensive pressure, 1%,
CONS: - Knee reco last year
PREDICTION: 15 - 35"

"foj1:: 24. Tom Lynch 191cm 84kg Vic Metro
Deceptively tall midfielder/ utility who has been a hampered by a knee injury last year. Lynch possesses footy smarts and reads the play exceptionally well. I see Lynch developing into a link player in the mould of Sam Fisher but when he was fully fit last year he played some very good games in the TAC on the ball early in the season."

"ant555: Tom Lynch – 191cm, 84kg – Sandringham Dragons / Haileybury College.
Good KP prospect who can play both ends of the ground. Takes a strong mark and has good pace for a big man. Knows where to lead to as a forward and his work rate is very good. His skills are pretty good and his defensive game is also pretty good. His goal kicking is ok and he sets up goals from CHF on a regular basis. Generally finds a lot of the ball which can be credited to work rate efforts. He had a knee reco last year so his efforts to get himself up and running for this years champs have been outstanding. If he did not miss so much time last year and early this year with injury he may well have been talked up as a genuine top 15 pick. Will give you 100% all day.
I can not see him being passed over. Should go second or third round."

"rizzo: Tom Lynch - 84kg - 191cm - 15.09.1990
Sneaky player who players smaller than his height suggests. A true forward flanker who is just as good above his body as he is below it. Sometimes doesn’t do the team thing and will blaze away towards goal. The thing that stands out for him is that he wins the ball alot at ground level, however if he is asked to be at the front of a pack or is after the loose ball he will do it without any problems. Very flexible. I like.
Skills - Ability to play tall and small, Aware of what is happening around him, Goal sense"

"Gilly1972: Lynch has a great footy brain and footy smarts and early last year i would have been all over him, but he hasn't grown at 191 and having lost a touch of mobility and speed post knee reco I'm not convinced he is the type of KPF we are looking for. Probably a forward flank/FP so I would probably use pick 40 on him, but personally prefer others at 24."

"TheBigUnit: Tom Lynch - ultra competitive, play-anywhere 191cm utility - I think every club could do with that type of player -ultimate bench player."

 

[Couch Coach]

Matthew DeBoer - (OM / HB) 10 March 1990, 187cm 85kg. WA/Claremont

"Megaldon: Bottom age wing / half forward, showed good skills in 18s, very quick, runs close to the ground, has great balance and weaves through traffic easily. Breaks wide quickly at kick-ins and turnovers, is a good contested mark and a very good kick at speed, has good vision and delivers very well to leading forwards, pushes hard to contests and crumbs well. Is also a very cleaver medium size leading forward and can kick goals. Sometimes goes too wide, but does know how to find space. Very versatile and will find 2-4cm."

"Nicko4: DeBoer bypassed the 2007 NAB AFL Draft despite being one of the leading junior midfielders in 2007. In 17 games at WAFL colts level for Claremont he averaged 25 disposals, 5 hardball gets and 3 clearances per game and had a kicking efficiency of 73% which was in the average category. At the 2007 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships DeBoer averaged 17 disposals and five hard ball gets per game."

"ravadongon: De Boer – Loves to get the HB receive and back himself to run the lines. Unfortunately his kicking let him down on several occasions. Was fairly prominent in the 1st half, but dropped off in the 2nd. 24 disposals."

"Kevin Sheehan: Matt De Boer – A medium-sized midfielder, De Boer has been very good for his team, with his strong attack on the ball and run. This has been supported statistically, with 69 disposals in total (averaging 23 per match) which ranks him No.1. He has also taken 20 (average of 6.9) marks, ranking him first in the competition. De Boer has also 17 inside 50s, which is also number one in the competition."

"Jason McCartney: Matt DeBoer – The most noticeable thing with Matt is his considerably high work rate, and he does accumulate possessions, having 23 against Vic Country. But his disposal isn't always polished and he probably doesn't influence the game as much as he should because of that. But it's pleasing to see Matt continually working so hard and you've got to admire how he goes about it."

"Jason McCartney: Matthew DeBoer - He stood out and was the leading possession winner for Western Australia with 24 disposals. He also had three tackles and seven inside 50s. Matty was eligible for the draft last year - as a 17-year-old - but chose not to nominate. He played through the wing and midfield and displayed a terrific work ethic. He created and used the ball well, going inside forward 50 and he's also had some senior experience this year at Claremont, showing some good form. He had experience at under-18 level last year and was very good first-up."

"Matt Burgan: After opting not to nominate in last year's NAB AFL Draft – despite attracting strong interest from AFL clubs – the Western Australian vice-captain produced a first class carnival, winning plenty of the ball in midfield. Works hard and is exceptionally consistent."

"HFF 07: MATT DEBOER 187cm 85kg MID Claremont
Tough as nails inside midfielder, gets alot of ball, but does seem to butcher it at times and when under pressure, is good in the clearances and is solidly built for AFL football,
PROS: - Gut runner, ball winner, Clearance, Tough, Tackling, Leader,
CONS: - Kicking
PREDICTION: 15 - 30"

"PAV for AA:5 Matthew DEBOER 10-Mar-90 187 85 Claremont Football Club
Fairly disappointing.
Has had a more than reasonable carnival but a tad dissapointing
his disposal was reasonably assured, especially by hand.
Certainly knows where to go the find the footy but actually taking it from a contested situation is another matter
a Good carnival from a workhorse."

"foj1:: 18. Matthew Deboer 187cm 85kg WA
Solidly built son of a gun who attacks contests hard and gets a fair amount of footy. Chose to not nominate for last years draft though it wont hurt him like it did Arrowsmith. Deboer has a good tank though I haven’t seen him use express pace which will make his testing results interesting reading. Reputedly very solid citizen off the ground and possesses genuine leadership qualities."

"ant555: Matt Deboer – 187cm, 85kg – Claremont.
Solidly built midfielder who has had two pretty good champ series. Finds a lot of the ball and is good with his clearance work and positioning. Kicks mainly on the right side and his pace is reasonably good. Is good in traffic and his work rate is good. Needs to sharpen up on his kicking as he can miss targets by foot. Good player who knows where to run and how to find the pill.
If he can improve his kicking and his decision making (as far as where he kicks the ball) he could be close to a star midfielder.
Prediction – pick 10 to 40."

"TheBigUnit: Matt De Boer - probably has been a bit harshly dealt with recently (Chops_a_must ). His footskills do need work - they were average last year and haven't improved/regressed a little, though it wouldn't surprise me if they improved to an appropriate level under AFL coaching - ball drop seems more the issue rather than the action. Apart from that doesn't have much wrong with him - courageous, hard worker, excellent endruance and can break a line or two and has been a contributor at WAFL level - would like to see him kick more goals from the midfield though. Would be very good value in the 3rd round and beyond when you have to pick players with a few deficencies."

 

[Couch Coach]

Stephen Hill - (OM / HB) 1 May 1990, 182cm 72kg. WA/West Perth

"Jason McCartney: Stephen Hill – Stephen was prominent in the last round. His GPS tracking results at Subiaco Oval last round suggested he ran 15 kilometres, which shows he has a fantastic work-rate. He played on Hamish Hartlett during the game – one of the stars for South Australia – and Stephen just went about his business by winning the footy. He was good overhead, he finishes well and he covers the ground well with a high work-rate. He's also quite lively."

"???: Stephen finished with 16 disposals, but he actually spent the third quarter deep in defence, when Hartlett went forward. What impressed me about Stephen was that he kept winning the footy in his run-with role and was very dangerous. There is a lot of quality about him."

"Jason McCartney: Steven Hill – I've watched this young player very closely and he's had a very consistent three games. Steven's a left footer and played midfield and centre half back against Country displaying great balance with his 15 possessions. Also impressive was how he uses the ball, he is quite creative with his hands. He looks like being a real good player actually and he's got a high work rate, we tracked him covering 15kms in his first match this carnival."

"Matt Burgan: A classy left-footer with great balance, the talented Sandgroper blossomed throughout the championships. His performances were consistent and his teammate Naitanui rated him the best player of the championships."

"Jason McCartney: Stephen Hill – He played on Tom Scully, an outstanding bottom-age prospect, but they had a really good duel. Scully had 14 disposals and Hill had 16, but Stephen showed his class several times. He had four tackles and was good in close. Stephen has played some really good run-with roles."

"Dunn - Well Done: West perth colts boy only one to make state 18's
185 cm i thought and 72 kg. Plays as a floating HBF and winger who can go onball. Has a massive carnival so far and i am unsure how geelong and sydney can say they dont rate him a source would be good.
I think he is simialr to Grant Birchall HBF/winger. This kid has the best kick and one of the best in the carnival. He must go top 30 as he is a chance for Larke Medal and should be an All Austalian for sure. Good skills, good mark, great speed (2.79 for 20 metres) , good endurance (runs high 14 beeps low 15's and ran 15 km in a game against NSW).
Hope that helps
pick 17 he will go with eagles second pick i have that feeling. He could go between 10 and 30 though. Freo and WC will snap him up with there 2nd pick and freo may trade warnock or Mundy to get a pick 15 or so."

"From [Re: WA Watch - Who you'll see come draft day; #37]
Stephen Hill is a good call by one poster, comes out of Quinns juniors but been in WP colts for a couple of years now. Suffered a bit early I think from being in weak teams with lack of coaching (only game plan: kick it to Stephen) but whereas the above poster called him skinny, I would have said wiry strength and this kid has a big motor. Left footed from memory but capable on the right (cf Rich). If I had to pick an existing AFL player he most resembles, I'd probably say Jared Brennan. Big call, I know, but ..."

"TFLUA-Tiger: Steven is a terrific young player, and a fantastic prospect that will have recruiters salivating.
Has had a tremendous championships so far, showing off his dazzling speed and gut running, hard attack at the ball and nice leap, whilst gathering possesions at will.
Foot skills are good wqithout being superb. His work rate and hunger for the football are top notch, and will be a real excitement package in the AFL.
As far as draft position goes, I'd say late first round to late second round pick.
Has been one of the performers of the carnival though, so could easily rocket up to close to the top 10.
Stephen is certainly a player to keep your eye on."

"TheBigUnit: Listed as 182cm and 72kg on the U18 Championships WA list.
Can play almost any non-key position (midfield/wing/flanks/pockets), at AFL level I envisage him playing a flanker/wingman role. Plays with tremendous enthusiasm, has an incredible workrate (clocked up 15km in the NSW/ACT game!), line-breaking, explosive speed, tackles ferociously, is a v.good mark for his size (nice leap too) and a solid kick. As I mentioned in my WA/VC report I'd probably compare him to Dale Thomas.
Unsure on draft position without seeing any of the VM/SA boys. I'd hazard a guess at 2nd round at this early stage, but moving up the rankings fast. Read on EFH the other day that apparently the Geelong and Sydney recruiters don't rate him that highly - which was certainly very surprising."

"HFF 07: STEVEN HILL 182cm 72kg HBF/MID/HFF West Perth
WA prospect who uses the ball extremely well, especially with his long raking left foot, runs all day and reportedly ran 15km in the SA game, can play almost any non KP on the ground.
PROS: - Gut running, Kicking, Breaking lines, Contested ball, Tackling,
CONS: - Sometimes doesnt win enoungh ball, Body size,
PREDICTION: 5 - 20"

"PAV for AA:4 Stephen HILL 01-May-90 182 72 West Perth Football Club
Likely type. Good frame for utility
Needs to bulk up, disposal affected by frame, ie breaking tackles
Good attack on the ball
Nice speed
Penetrating kick on the left"

"foj1:: 25. Stephen Hill 182cm 72kg WA
Another WA midfielder who can run, use the footy and run through the lines. Hill had a prolific carnival and probably boosted his stocks along the way. Hill will fit nicely into an AFL midfield rotation once he builds his body more."

"ant555: Steve Hill – 182cm, 72kg – West Perth.
Mainly a winger who can play a midfielder role. Very good pace. Reads the play well and gets involved off the wing to create options for those in close clearing the ball. Kicks both feet and his skills are pretty good. Has a lovely long left foot kick. Has an exceptional motor and reports say he ran about 15km in the game against SA. Although he did most of his best work in an outside role he is more than able of wining his own ball and is pretty good around the stoppages. Played on Hartlett in the game against SA and did the run with role very well winning a fair bit of the ball himself. Played well in all the Champ games. His work rate up and down the ground is excellent.
Will have to put on a bit of muscle before he will be a permanent fixture at AFL level which will be his down side. Will possibly be someone who will need a couple of season to build up his body.
Prediction – pick 5 to 25."