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I've had this sitting around for a few days but lacked the time to finish it so maybe posting the first 2 rounds will encourage me to get it done ASAP. Been writing for a website which covers the draft this year so seen a little bit of most guys and seen some stuff from the guys playing SANFL seniors. I've written plenty of articles and profiles on players but never done a proper phantom so be nice 
1.GWS- Tom Boyd 199cm, 102kg – Eastern Ranges
Everybody knows what Boyd can do. Boyd is a beast of a man and he is a contested marking machine. He is an excellent kick for goal as well, getting great distance and accuracy on his kicks, largely due to a smooth and fluent kicking action. Boyd has the size and ability to take a game apart and is the best player in the draft so he deserves to go at number one. His marking is excellent and he is a beast in the air. He knows how to use his body well and doesn’t just push people around so he will have little problem adjusting to AFL standard defenders with more size and smarts.
2.Melbourne- James Aish 183cm, 74kg - Norwood
A really solid outside ball user who oozes class. Aish is one of those guys that makes everything around him look like its in slow motion. He has elite footskills and can kick off both feet. He likes to bring others into the game, especially by hands and is extremely unselfish, often dishing off handballs to more open players when he could have kicked an easy goal. He is stronger than his size suggests and is not afraid of contact, both in the air and on the ground.
3.St Kilda- Josh Kelly 182cm, 73 kg – Sandringham Dragons
One of the best users of the ball in the draft, and also one of the best runners this year. Kelly uses his elite endurance to get to a lot of contests, and gets a lot of handball receives where he can use his elite kick to get the ball forward. Is mainly an outside player at the moment but he can get his own ball at times as well, although if you can get your teammates to continually feed it to you then why wouldn’t you hang around the outside? His ceiling doesn’t appear to be as high as other midfielders but his current output is very good and he can make an impact immediately.
4.Brisbane - Matt Scharenberg 190cm, 89kg - Glenelg
Scharenberg is the swingman of the draft this year, showing an ability to go up forward or play in defence. He is a relatively clean user of the footy, with a long kick on him. His best attribute is his marking. Scharenberg loves to fly and is courageous enough to float back into the contest to take a grab. He has an elite ability to read the play, which is why I think he will make a great rebounding, 3rd tall defender in the Sam Fisher mould, although his versatility is appealing. He has been playing seniors for Glenelg and has held his own against bigger bodied opposition in some tough defeats which shows he has a lot of scope for improvement.
5.Western Bulldogs Jack Billings 183cm, 78kg – Oakleigh Chargers
Billings is an interesting prospect because he has no clearly defined position. Whoever takes him will be able to play him as a midfielder or as a forward where he has had more success this year. He as very strong hands and hardly drops a mark, especially overhead which makes him such a dangerous forward as he creates a mismatch with smaller defenders. He is a classy finisher around the goals, particularly from set shots. He has good range on his set shot kicking and hardly misses. He is also a very good field kick too which helps him spot up targets around the ground. I see Billings as more of a forward who can roll through the midfield rather than a midfielder who can go forward but he is still one of the classiest players in the draft.
6.Gold Coast - Ben Lennon 189cm, 79kg – Northern Knights
Lennon is an explosive footballer who is brings versatility and an elite kick to whoever picks him up. He is the definition of burst player, breaking the lines with a really quick burst of speed and then unleashing a 55m kick. He has the size and skillset to play almost anywhere on the ground and has spent time as a winger and on the back and forward flanks. He is the type of player who makes his team better, and there is no coincidence that the Northern Knights have starting winning again when Lennon has come back to them. I see him as more of a forward because he is really dangerous around the goals, especially if he cleans up his goalkicking, although he could contribute well as a rebounding defender or winger too.
7.North Melbourne- Luke McDonald 188cm, 80kg -Werribee
McDonald is a father son selection for North and despite the debate about whether he is worth a first round pick there is no chance he passes through to the second round. He is a very good kick, nailing 55m passes which is extremely useful for kicking over the zone. His kicks are penetrating and get there quickly, not sitting up in the air when he kicks them long. He is a willing tackler and puts a lot of pressure on the ball carrier. McDonald can win his own ball but he is better suited to an outside role like a half back flank or a wing where he can use his athleticism and kicking to create and set up attacks.
8.West Coast- Marcus Bontempelli 191c, 83kg – Northern Knights
Bontempelli is a speedy, tall outside runner with neat foot skills and an ability to hit the score board. Bontempelli is a very raw outside player with a limited inside game at the moment, but with experience he will learn to win more of his own ball and this will make him an extremely damaging player. He is a line breaker and at his size he is difficult to tackle. His ability to play as a third tall in the forward line shouldn’t go unnoticed, as he has kicked bags of goals for both his school and the Northern Knights. His size is another big advantage as he is reportedly still growing, and at 191cm he is one of the taller mids in the comp.
9.Carlton- Matt Crouch 181cm, 77kg – North Ballarat Rebels
Crouch is a contested ball winning machine in the Selwood mould (minus the ducking). If you look at the bottom of the pack it is almost always Crouch getting the ball out or diving on it to cause a stoppage. He has a very ungainly style and isn’t a pretty footballer but he is very effective and will make an immediate impact, much like Ollie Wines. He is slow and his disposal, particularly kicking, is poor but his extraction work is top class which makes up for that. His decision making can be poor too and he often throws the ball on the boot instead of feeding it out or taking a bit more time to hit a target (part of this may be due to a lack of speed).
10.GWS- Lewis Taylor 173cm, 74kg – Geelong Falcons
Taylor has been the form player of the TAC Cup this year and its mainly because he is elite in many areas of his game. He has breakneck speed and uses it to burst through packs and take people on. He has an uncanny ability to make everything around him look like its going in slow motion and he is able to create time and space for himself with his agility and speed. One knock on this is he often tries to do too much and take on one person too many but that can be fixed easily. He is an elite ball winner and his disposal is quality most of the time although he does need to hit the first option a but more rather than trying to dance around people and get into trouble leading to a long bomb which he is prone to doing. The only thing stopping him from being a top 5 pick is his size as I believe he is as talented as Kelly and Billings but just lacks height.
11.Port Adelaide- Christian Salem 182cm, 83kg – Sandringham Dragons
Salem is one of the best kicks in the draft this year. He has the ability to hit up forward lace out over 50m with his penetrating, yet accuarate kicking. Doesn’t have a problem finding the ball either and has the ability to go forward and chip in with a couple of goals a game. His inside game is accomplished, especially his tackling which is the highlight of his game. He is a tough tackler and makes his opponents feel every tackle. Is a really willing competitor and his game will translate well to AFL level because of his willingness to do the little things like blocks and sheperds.
12.Essendon Dom Sheed 183cm, 82kg - Subiaco
Sheed is one of the most complete midfielders in the draft this year. He possesses a very good inside game and is more than capable on the outside as well. A lot of people are talking up down due to a lack of speed but in this draft there are few players who don’t have deficiencies in their game. His speed is not as poor as made out and his elite endurance more than makes up for it in my opinion. His endurance and work rate allow him to accumulate possessions out on the wings, while he can also win his own ball. His decision making is very good and he rarely misses targets, although part of this can be attributed to his tendency to take the safe option rather than pulling the trigger to a more high risk/high reward option.
13.Collingwood- Luke Dunstan 184cm, 84kg - WWT
Dunstan is a strong bodied inside midfielder who really stood up in the Champs and stamped himself as a high draft chance. His stock has been slipping lately but as I said about Sheed, everybody has their deficiencies. He has really stepped up lately and has been playing some good footy in the seniors at Woodville-West Torrens. He is a strong bodied inside ball winner and his ability to win a lot of the ball against bigger bodies in the SANFL rather than bullying smaller kids will certainly stick in recruiters minds. Dunstan possesses very good leadership and he captained the SA team for the Champs which shows that he is held in high regard by the coaches and players at SA. The biggest knock on Dunstan is his disposal, particularly on his opposite foot. On his right side he can be described as “safe” but on his left I would describe him as “erratic”. This kind of weakness is likely to get shown up at AFL level so it’s definitely something he needs to work on.
14.Richmond- Kade Kolodjashnij 188cm, 77kg - Launceston
There are questions over where Kolodjashnij will play at the next level, as he is a terrific running defender and also a very good outside midfielder (albeit lightly framed). As a defender he rebounds extremely well and makes excellent decisions with ball in hand. His kicking is another strength although he is unlikely to launch 50m passes off the back flank, instead choosing to hit up the shorter targets which means he hardly ever turns over the ball. As a midfielder he has a ton of potential. Teams love tall midfielders and he stands taller than most midfielders at 188cm. The downside to playing him in the midfield is his weight, as he gets pushed around very easily and he could get tagged out of games due to his reliance on others feeding the ball out to him. If he can put on some weight he could become something special.
15.Sydney- Trent Dumont 184cm, 84kg - Norwood
A strong bodied inside mid who has been playing consistent footy in the SANFL seniors this year. He doesn’t have a ceiling as high as others in the draft but he is very consistent and can win his own ball. He is ready to go from round one next year and is my smokey for the rising star award next year. He lacks an outside game and his disposal doesn’t really hurt the opposition, although most pure inside mids have average disposal. His athleticism is another thing that is lacking and whilst he has good endurance he lacks speed so he can’t burst through packs and is usually forced to handball immediately.
16.Fremantle- Darcy Gardiner 192cm, 84kg – Geelong Falcons
Guys who can play at both ends of the ground are certainly valuable assets. Gardiner has shown an ability to play as a key defender, third tall, running wingman and as a key forward and has had success in all of them. He is likely to settle as a third tall defender since he doesn’t have the height to tackle most of the dominant key forwards. Gardiner is the best one on one defender in the draft and his spoiling is a standout quality along with his closing speed. He never gives his opponent an easy kick and he times his jump superbly. The only downside on Gardiner is his size but he can make his mark as a third tall and has the versatility to be a swingman in the Jake Carlisle mould.
17.Geelong- Blake Acres 188cm, 84kg -West Perth
Acres is an outside running machine who finds a lot of the ball and uses it efficiently. He seems to effortlessly find himself in space and is clean by foot. He is not overly quick but backs himself to beat defenders and effectively runs with the ball, often linking up for one-twos with other players. He has good vision on the field and makes the right decision most of the time. Acres provides another midfield option for the Cats and will go into the midfield/forward rotation with the likes of Johnson, Chapman, Stokes, Duncan etc.
18.Hawthorn- Nathan Freeman 181cm, 85kg – Sandringham Dragons
Freeman is the definition of a Bigfooty hype player. He has some standout attributes such as his pace and inside ball winning ability but he also has his downsides and is not going to be the superstar many people believe he will. In a Dragons midfield with Christian Salem and Josh Kelly he was outshone although he still put in some very good performances, whilst in the Champs he was outperformed by other inside players. He has a turn of speed that few other inside mids have and he loves to pick up the ball and barge through a pack of players before hitting up a target with his very accurate disposal. His disposal is a strength but is also a weakness. He can hit targets with ease but can also miss horribly, particularly on opposite foot or when trying to kick it out of a pack.
19.Gold Coast- Cameron McCarthy 195cm, 89kg - South Fremantle
A high flying, strong marking key forward with plenty of x-factor. He probably has the most potential out of all of the key forwards in the draft this year. Boyd will be ready to go straight away and will do well but McCarthy will take a few years before making his mark in a big way, much like Jack Riewoldt. He loves to fly for marks and takes them at their highest point with his long arms. He won’t win too many one on ones as he will lose in a wrestling match but if he can get a jump at the ball he will win most times. His kicking action looks a little dodgy but it seems to work for him although I have my concerns on that at the next level.
20.GWS- Isaiah Miller 187cm, 82kg – Bendigo Pioneers
Miller is a running machine on the half back flank and he loves to take the game on. He is a line breaker and you will often see him running down the wing and taking people on. His decision making can be poor as he can try to do too much with ball but if he can learn to take less risks then he will be a very good AFL footballer. He has precise kicking and reads the play extremely well but he is not the best one on one defender. A concern I have with Miller is whether he can handle a tag because he is prone to making mistakes under pressure. He is the type of player who could easily go around pick 40 due to the quality of midfielders and the presence of rebounding defenders in Scharenberg and Kolodjashnij being in front of him although he goes at 20 here on talent.
21.Melbourne- Billy Hartung 176cm, 71kg – Dandenong Stingrays
Another of the small midfielder brigade that we have this year. Has had an injury interrupted start to the year but has come back with a bang. Just does everything well. He links up well through the middle of the park, is a very good runner and a great kick of the footy. Racks up high numbers and gets forward to impact the scoreboard, as well as working back the other way using his elite endurance. Hartung would have to be one of the best runners in the draft which allows him to run and spread all day. His height may see him slide down the order but the kid can play and is one of the better mids coming out of Victoria this year.
22.St Kilda- Daniel McStay 193cm, 83kg – Eastern Ranges
McStay is a tall defender who is agile enough to play on the wing and versatile enough to play at centre half forward. He is tall and lanky but a more than capable defender but his real strength is his rebounding work. He takes the game on and is a neat kick, one of the best kicks at his height. He can take a good grab and would rather take a big mark than spoil which has its positives and its negatives. He is certainly confident in his abilities and has the potential to be the best defender in the draft but could also develop into a very good forward.
23.Brisbane - Darcy Hourigan 190cm, 82kg – South Adelaide
A big framed key forward who has been kicking goals this year for his club and his state. Hourigan doesn’t possess elite athleticism but he is smart and knows how to use his body to his advantage and when to fly. He is good below his knees and is a good shot at goal. His verhead marking is good without being great but he is also very good on the lead. He can also play back but is better suited to the forward line.
24.Western Bulldogs Mitch Harvey 195cm, 97kg – North Adelaide
Harvey is a big bodied key forward who is probably more suited to playing out of the goal square than up the ground. He uses his size and strength to win a lot of marking contests but he has surprising agility for his size and wins his fair share of the footy when it goes to ground. He has bullied opponents in the U18s but when he stepped up to the Reserves he has been relatively unsighted which is a concern although he has all of the tools to make it at the next level. One thing that could stand against him is his lack of potential in comparison to others given that he is bigger than most others and can often rely on his size to win contests.
25.Gold Coast James Battersby 177cm, 78kg - Sturt
Battersby has starred in the seniors for Sturt this year and is regularly amongst the highest possession getters on the ground which is an amazing achievement for an 18 year old. He is a very good inside midfielder, reading the ball well off the ruckman’s fingers and his kicking is very neat and tidy, especially for an inside mid. He also has the versatility to play off a back flank where he was named All Australian this year after a blistering champs in the backline. His kicking is good and he hits his targets but he could try to hit them with a bit more penetration. He has great composure for a kid and is never hurried or scared, even with bigger bodies closing in on him. He is another who could be ready to go in round one.
26.North Melbourne- Jay Kennedy-Harris 173cm, 68kg – Oakleigh Chargers
Kennedy-Harris is a lightning fast small forward who can play in the midfield too. He probably settles as a small forward but he wouldn’t look out of place in the midfield rotations. He is very quick and his chasing and pressure is immense. His chase down and tackle in the Champs game against Vic Country at Etihad sticks in my mind whenever I hear his name and its those kinds of pressure acts that will see him love by fans. He is relatively new to the game so he has a lot of room for improvement, clubs will be picking a raw player but one who has built an extensive resume including Oakleigh captain and Vic Metro selection. His sidestep and pace allow him to break the lines and he needs no encouragement to run and carry. As a forward he is possibly the best crumber in the TAC Cup. He is always in the right position and knows exactly where the goals are.
27.West Coast- James Tsitas 180cm, 76kg – Geelong Falcons
Tsitas is a big time accumulator of the ball and regularly hits the 30 disposal mark. He has very good endurance which helps him spread and get to a lot of contests, although when he does get the footy he lacks the explosiveness and hurt factor to be really damaging to opposition. Defensively he is good and his tackling and pressure are two of his biggest strengths along with his ball winning ability. Unfortunately for Tsitas he is unlikely to rack up possessions at AFL level like he does in the TAC Cup so he needs to continue focusing on his defensive game. He is very good inside and has a reasonable outside game but I see little room for improvement in either. His kicking can use some cleaning up but its not poor by any means.
28. Carlton- Luke Reynolds 186cm, 85kg – Port Adelaide
Reynolds is a medium sized forward who has put together quite a good season for Port Adelaide in the SANFL and for SA in the Champs. He could have tore the Champs match against Vic Metro to shreds had he kicked straight and that is the type of game that he needs to have more consistently. One of his main problems is his inconsistency. He has good games but then not get a kick the next week. He is a very good user of the footy and hits targets with ease. He would be the perfect high half forward, linking the midfield with the forwards and hitting up forwards with his low bullet –like passes.
29.Port Adelaide- Fraser Fort 196cm, 84kg – Geelong Falcons
Fort is a tall, lanky defender who has a lot of potential at either end of the ground. He has excellent athleticism for his size and is quicker than you would think. This helps him on the lead (when he plays forward) and to close down a man when in defence. He has long arms and uses them to advantage, getting them in to spoil or putting them up to take marks where he can outreach most others. He is a very good forward and played out much of the year there for the Falcons, kicking multiple goals most weeks but he is very erratic in front of goals and needs to iron that out. Whatever team picks him is getting a project player who they can mould into whatever they want- a forward, defender and pinch hitting ruckman.
30.Essendon- Mitch Honeychurch 175cm, 65kg – Eastern Ranges
Honeychurch has been this years draft bolter. Before the Champs he was hardly spoken about but after an MVP winning performance for Vic Metro he has rocketed into contention for first round honours. I wouldn’t take him that high due to some concerns on his size, attitude and consistency but he is still a very good player. He finds a lot of the footy and has a strong core which makes him very hard to tackle. He is very confident and will back himself to win most contests and he is a very good clearance player for that reason. His attitude can get him into trouble and he has a bit FIGJAM about him which could be problematic. His size is another thing that could count against him with many of the top players this year being small midfielders and sub 180cm however a good combine and a big finals series for Eastern Ranges should cement him in the top 30.
31.Collingwood- Patrick Cripps 188cm, 88kg – East Fremantle
Cripps is a big bodied, bullocking inside midfielder who is a real competitor and loves the hard ball. He can be relied upon to win clearances although part of this could be attributed to his size in comparison to other 18 year olds. When another big bodied player sits on him and puts body on him he tends to crumble which could see him slide, or be rather uncompetitive at AFL level. He is an above average user of the ball for an inside player and his outside game is fairly solid. He spreads well but he is much more suited when it’s in close rather than open and fast moving out on the wings.
32.Richmond- Dwayne Wilson 178cm, 75kg - Sturt
Wilson is a flashy outside player who has an extremely high hurt factor. Whilst Wilson doesn’t get a lot of the ball, he can influence the game with 15 possessions, using his elite pace and foot skills to his advantage. He is very consistent and can go for a long time without finding the ball but when he does he seems to have it on a string and get 2-3 touches quickly. He seems to be the kind of player who can be easily tagged out of the game like a Stephen Hill or Danyle Pearce.
33.Sydney- Lloyd Perris 179cm, 74kg – St George
Perris is a typical Sydney footballer who will fit into their system seamlessly. He is capable on the inside and outside and wins a lot of the ball. He is a good user of the footy without being elite, and makes good decisions with the ball. He is a natural leader which is why he was awarded the Ben Mitchell medal after his work in the AIS/AFL Academy. He is lightly framed but he won’t be pushed around by bigger bodies as he holds his own against stronger guys and has played a bit of senior footy. I wouldn’t be expecting an immediate impact from Perris but if Longmire’s handling of Mitchell is anything to do by he could explode onto the scene after a couple of preseasons.
34.Fremantle- Nick Robertson 188cm, 83kg - Perth
We haven’t seen a lot of Robertson this year due to a nasty shoulder injury but he was one of the most talked about WA prospects coming into this season. He is a big bodied midfielder/defender with a bit of mongrel about him. He is an outside player but he isn’t soft and can get his own footy but he is just better when others give him the ball since he is a fairly good user of the footy. He accumulates well off the back flank and midfield but he also has a strong defensive game and beats his opponent in one on one contests. I’ve heard whispers that he has an attitude problem and is quite arrogant and likely to interview poorly with AFL clubs at the combine which could see him slide along with his injury but on exposed talent and potential as a tall midfielder he should go in the second round.
35.Geelong- Cameron Giles 195cm, 93kg - WWT
Giles is a big, tall key defender who is an excellent attacking defender as well as being a good man on man defender. Giles is a neat kick for a big guy and provides another option coming out of defence. He is always running off his man when his team has the ball and spreads very well. He plays more like a back flanker or third tall but at his height he will probably end up playing on gorilla forwards so he will need to tone down his offensive game a little. He is versatile enough to pinch hit in the ruck and has the athleticism to play on a wing. Giles will be a good option as a third tall or could take the second best forward allowing Harry Taylor to run off or play forward.
36.Hawthorn- Eli Templeton 182cm, 67kg - Burnie
Templeton is a skinny midfielder but his build certainly hasn’t stopped him from winning a lot of the footy this year. He has very good endurance and is very outside so don’t expect to see him diving into many packs but his outside work is very solid. He was arguably Tasmania’s best player in the Champs which is no mean feat considering the team contained Toby Nankervis and Kade Kolodjashnij, but it highlights how good the kid is. If he can put on some weight he will become a very good footballer but his build will limit him in the mean time. He is quite evasive and likes to take the game on although he doesn’t possess great pace but it is a sign that he is confident in his own abilities. His kicking is also quite good and is one of his standout attributes along with his endurance, x-factor and ball winning ability.
37.GWS- Toby Nankervis
38.Melbourne- Nick Bourke
39.St Kilda- Cameron Conlon
40.Brisbane- Riley Knight
41.Western Bulldogs- Zac Jones
42.Gold Coast- Alex Spina
43.Adelaide- Nick Favretto
44.North Melb- Louis Herbert
45.West Coast- Tom Barrass
46.Carlton- Jonathon Marsh
47.Port Adelaide- Jarman Impey
48.Essendon-Dallas Willsmore
49.Collingwood-Alex Spencer
50.Richmond-James Sicily
51.Sydney- Darcy Byrne-Jones
52.Fremantle-Ben Sokol
53.Geelong-Zac Merrett
54.Hawthorn-Jared Jansen
55.GWS- Michael Gibbons
56.Melbourne- Tom Langdon
57.St Kilda- Darcy Lang
58.Brisbane-Isaac Conway
59.Western Bulldogs- Josh Scott
60.Gold Coast- Errin Wasley-Black
61.Adelaide- Jake Kolodjashnij
62.North Melbourne-Will Maginness
63.West Coast-Blaine Johnson
64.Carlton-Guy Dickson
65.Port Adelaide-George Hewett
66.Essendon- Darcy Cameron
67.Collingwood- Nick Holman
68.Richmond-Willy Rioli
69.Sydney-Orazio Fantasia
70.Fremantle- Sean Lemmens
71.Geelong- Richard Bourne
72.Hawthorn-Nathan Drummond
Unlucky to miss/Rookie chances:
Campbell Combe
Sam Heavyside
Ben Cavarra
Jake Greiser
David Iaccarino
Jacob Chisari
Jack Leslie
Max King
Karl Amon
Matt Merlo
Michael Apeness
Hugh Curnow
Sam Bennett
Tom Cutler
Jarrod Stokes
Jed Redden
Dayle Garlett
Peter Steffe
Bryden Squire
Max Hayes
1.GWS- Tom Boyd 199cm, 102kg – Eastern Ranges
Everybody knows what Boyd can do. Boyd is a beast of a man and he is a contested marking machine. He is an excellent kick for goal as well, getting great distance and accuracy on his kicks, largely due to a smooth and fluent kicking action. Boyd has the size and ability to take a game apart and is the best player in the draft so he deserves to go at number one. His marking is excellent and he is a beast in the air. He knows how to use his body well and doesn’t just push people around so he will have little problem adjusting to AFL standard defenders with more size and smarts.
2.Melbourne- James Aish 183cm, 74kg - Norwood
A really solid outside ball user who oozes class. Aish is one of those guys that makes everything around him look like its in slow motion. He has elite footskills and can kick off both feet. He likes to bring others into the game, especially by hands and is extremely unselfish, often dishing off handballs to more open players when he could have kicked an easy goal. He is stronger than his size suggests and is not afraid of contact, both in the air and on the ground.
3.St Kilda- Josh Kelly 182cm, 73 kg – Sandringham Dragons
One of the best users of the ball in the draft, and also one of the best runners this year. Kelly uses his elite endurance to get to a lot of contests, and gets a lot of handball receives where he can use his elite kick to get the ball forward. Is mainly an outside player at the moment but he can get his own ball at times as well, although if you can get your teammates to continually feed it to you then why wouldn’t you hang around the outside? His ceiling doesn’t appear to be as high as other midfielders but his current output is very good and he can make an impact immediately.
4.Brisbane - Matt Scharenberg 190cm, 89kg - Glenelg
Scharenberg is the swingman of the draft this year, showing an ability to go up forward or play in defence. He is a relatively clean user of the footy, with a long kick on him. His best attribute is his marking. Scharenberg loves to fly and is courageous enough to float back into the contest to take a grab. He has an elite ability to read the play, which is why I think he will make a great rebounding, 3rd tall defender in the Sam Fisher mould, although his versatility is appealing. He has been playing seniors for Glenelg and has held his own against bigger bodied opposition in some tough defeats which shows he has a lot of scope for improvement.
5.Western Bulldogs Jack Billings 183cm, 78kg – Oakleigh Chargers
Billings is an interesting prospect because he has no clearly defined position. Whoever takes him will be able to play him as a midfielder or as a forward where he has had more success this year. He as very strong hands and hardly drops a mark, especially overhead which makes him such a dangerous forward as he creates a mismatch with smaller defenders. He is a classy finisher around the goals, particularly from set shots. He has good range on his set shot kicking and hardly misses. He is also a very good field kick too which helps him spot up targets around the ground. I see Billings as more of a forward who can roll through the midfield rather than a midfielder who can go forward but he is still one of the classiest players in the draft.
6.Gold Coast - Ben Lennon 189cm, 79kg – Northern Knights
Lennon is an explosive footballer who is brings versatility and an elite kick to whoever picks him up. He is the definition of burst player, breaking the lines with a really quick burst of speed and then unleashing a 55m kick. He has the size and skillset to play almost anywhere on the ground and has spent time as a winger and on the back and forward flanks. He is the type of player who makes his team better, and there is no coincidence that the Northern Knights have starting winning again when Lennon has come back to them. I see him as more of a forward because he is really dangerous around the goals, especially if he cleans up his goalkicking, although he could contribute well as a rebounding defender or winger too.
7.North Melbourne- Luke McDonald 188cm, 80kg -Werribee
McDonald is a father son selection for North and despite the debate about whether he is worth a first round pick there is no chance he passes through to the second round. He is a very good kick, nailing 55m passes which is extremely useful for kicking over the zone. His kicks are penetrating and get there quickly, not sitting up in the air when he kicks them long. He is a willing tackler and puts a lot of pressure on the ball carrier. McDonald can win his own ball but he is better suited to an outside role like a half back flank or a wing where he can use his athleticism and kicking to create and set up attacks.
8.West Coast- Marcus Bontempelli 191c, 83kg – Northern Knights
Bontempelli is a speedy, tall outside runner with neat foot skills and an ability to hit the score board. Bontempelli is a very raw outside player with a limited inside game at the moment, but with experience he will learn to win more of his own ball and this will make him an extremely damaging player. He is a line breaker and at his size he is difficult to tackle. His ability to play as a third tall in the forward line shouldn’t go unnoticed, as he has kicked bags of goals for both his school and the Northern Knights. His size is another big advantage as he is reportedly still growing, and at 191cm he is one of the taller mids in the comp.
9.Carlton- Matt Crouch 181cm, 77kg – North Ballarat Rebels
Crouch is a contested ball winning machine in the Selwood mould (minus the ducking). If you look at the bottom of the pack it is almost always Crouch getting the ball out or diving on it to cause a stoppage. He has a very ungainly style and isn’t a pretty footballer but he is very effective and will make an immediate impact, much like Ollie Wines. He is slow and his disposal, particularly kicking, is poor but his extraction work is top class which makes up for that. His decision making can be poor too and he often throws the ball on the boot instead of feeding it out or taking a bit more time to hit a target (part of this may be due to a lack of speed).
10.GWS- Lewis Taylor 173cm, 74kg – Geelong Falcons
Taylor has been the form player of the TAC Cup this year and its mainly because he is elite in many areas of his game. He has breakneck speed and uses it to burst through packs and take people on. He has an uncanny ability to make everything around him look like its going in slow motion and he is able to create time and space for himself with his agility and speed. One knock on this is he often tries to do too much and take on one person too many but that can be fixed easily. He is an elite ball winner and his disposal is quality most of the time although he does need to hit the first option a but more rather than trying to dance around people and get into trouble leading to a long bomb which he is prone to doing. The only thing stopping him from being a top 5 pick is his size as I believe he is as talented as Kelly and Billings but just lacks height.
11.Port Adelaide- Christian Salem 182cm, 83kg – Sandringham Dragons
Salem is one of the best kicks in the draft this year. He has the ability to hit up forward lace out over 50m with his penetrating, yet accuarate kicking. Doesn’t have a problem finding the ball either and has the ability to go forward and chip in with a couple of goals a game. His inside game is accomplished, especially his tackling which is the highlight of his game. He is a tough tackler and makes his opponents feel every tackle. Is a really willing competitor and his game will translate well to AFL level because of his willingness to do the little things like blocks and sheperds.
12.Essendon Dom Sheed 183cm, 82kg - Subiaco
Sheed is one of the most complete midfielders in the draft this year. He possesses a very good inside game and is more than capable on the outside as well. A lot of people are talking up down due to a lack of speed but in this draft there are few players who don’t have deficiencies in their game. His speed is not as poor as made out and his elite endurance more than makes up for it in my opinion. His endurance and work rate allow him to accumulate possessions out on the wings, while he can also win his own ball. His decision making is very good and he rarely misses targets, although part of this can be attributed to his tendency to take the safe option rather than pulling the trigger to a more high risk/high reward option.
13.Collingwood- Luke Dunstan 184cm, 84kg - WWT
Dunstan is a strong bodied inside midfielder who really stood up in the Champs and stamped himself as a high draft chance. His stock has been slipping lately but as I said about Sheed, everybody has their deficiencies. He has really stepped up lately and has been playing some good footy in the seniors at Woodville-West Torrens. He is a strong bodied inside ball winner and his ability to win a lot of the ball against bigger bodies in the SANFL rather than bullying smaller kids will certainly stick in recruiters minds. Dunstan possesses very good leadership and he captained the SA team for the Champs which shows that he is held in high regard by the coaches and players at SA. The biggest knock on Dunstan is his disposal, particularly on his opposite foot. On his right side he can be described as “safe” but on his left I would describe him as “erratic”. This kind of weakness is likely to get shown up at AFL level so it’s definitely something he needs to work on.
14.Richmond- Kade Kolodjashnij 188cm, 77kg - Launceston
There are questions over where Kolodjashnij will play at the next level, as he is a terrific running defender and also a very good outside midfielder (albeit lightly framed). As a defender he rebounds extremely well and makes excellent decisions with ball in hand. His kicking is another strength although he is unlikely to launch 50m passes off the back flank, instead choosing to hit up the shorter targets which means he hardly ever turns over the ball. As a midfielder he has a ton of potential. Teams love tall midfielders and he stands taller than most midfielders at 188cm. The downside to playing him in the midfield is his weight, as he gets pushed around very easily and he could get tagged out of games due to his reliance on others feeding the ball out to him. If he can put on some weight he could become something special.
15.Sydney- Trent Dumont 184cm, 84kg - Norwood
A strong bodied inside mid who has been playing consistent footy in the SANFL seniors this year. He doesn’t have a ceiling as high as others in the draft but he is very consistent and can win his own ball. He is ready to go from round one next year and is my smokey for the rising star award next year. He lacks an outside game and his disposal doesn’t really hurt the opposition, although most pure inside mids have average disposal. His athleticism is another thing that is lacking and whilst he has good endurance he lacks speed so he can’t burst through packs and is usually forced to handball immediately.
16.Fremantle- Darcy Gardiner 192cm, 84kg – Geelong Falcons
Guys who can play at both ends of the ground are certainly valuable assets. Gardiner has shown an ability to play as a key defender, third tall, running wingman and as a key forward and has had success in all of them. He is likely to settle as a third tall defender since he doesn’t have the height to tackle most of the dominant key forwards. Gardiner is the best one on one defender in the draft and his spoiling is a standout quality along with his closing speed. He never gives his opponent an easy kick and he times his jump superbly. The only downside on Gardiner is his size but he can make his mark as a third tall and has the versatility to be a swingman in the Jake Carlisle mould.
17.Geelong- Blake Acres 188cm, 84kg -West Perth
Acres is an outside running machine who finds a lot of the ball and uses it efficiently. He seems to effortlessly find himself in space and is clean by foot. He is not overly quick but backs himself to beat defenders and effectively runs with the ball, often linking up for one-twos with other players. He has good vision on the field and makes the right decision most of the time. Acres provides another midfield option for the Cats and will go into the midfield/forward rotation with the likes of Johnson, Chapman, Stokes, Duncan etc.
18.Hawthorn- Nathan Freeman 181cm, 85kg – Sandringham Dragons
Freeman is the definition of a Bigfooty hype player. He has some standout attributes such as his pace and inside ball winning ability but he also has his downsides and is not going to be the superstar many people believe he will. In a Dragons midfield with Christian Salem and Josh Kelly he was outshone although he still put in some very good performances, whilst in the Champs he was outperformed by other inside players. He has a turn of speed that few other inside mids have and he loves to pick up the ball and barge through a pack of players before hitting up a target with his very accurate disposal. His disposal is a strength but is also a weakness. He can hit targets with ease but can also miss horribly, particularly on opposite foot or when trying to kick it out of a pack.
19.Gold Coast- Cameron McCarthy 195cm, 89kg - South Fremantle
A high flying, strong marking key forward with plenty of x-factor. He probably has the most potential out of all of the key forwards in the draft this year. Boyd will be ready to go straight away and will do well but McCarthy will take a few years before making his mark in a big way, much like Jack Riewoldt. He loves to fly for marks and takes them at their highest point with his long arms. He won’t win too many one on ones as he will lose in a wrestling match but if he can get a jump at the ball he will win most times. His kicking action looks a little dodgy but it seems to work for him although I have my concerns on that at the next level.
20.GWS- Isaiah Miller 187cm, 82kg – Bendigo Pioneers
Miller is a running machine on the half back flank and he loves to take the game on. He is a line breaker and you will often see him running down the wing and taking people on. His decision making can be poor as he can try to do too much with ball but if he can learn to take less risks then he will be a very good AFL footballer. He has precise kicking and reads the play extremely well but he is not the best one on one defender. A concern I have with Miller is whether he can handle a tag because he is prone to making mistakes under pressure. He is the type of player who could easily go around pick 40 due to the quality of midfielders and the presence of rebounding defenders in Scharenberg and Kolodjashnij being in front of him although he goes at 20 here on talent.
21.Melbourne- Billy Hartung 176cm, 71kg – Dandenong Stingrays
Another of the small midfielder brigade that we have this year. Has had an injury interrupted start to the year but has come back with a bang. Just does everything well. He links up well through the middle of the park, is a very good runner and a great kick of the footy. Racks up high numbers and gets forward to impact the scoreboard, as well as working back the other way using his elite endurance. Hartung would have to be one of the best runners in the draft which allows him to run and spread all day. His height may see him slide down the order but the kid can play and is one of the better mids coming out of Victoria this year.
22.St Kilda- Daniel McStay 193cm, 83kg – Eastern Ranges
McStay is a tall defender who is agile enough to play on the wing and versatile enough to play at centre half forward. He is tall and lanky but a more than capable defender but his real strength is his rebounding work. He takes the game on and is a neat kick, one of the best kicks at his height. He can take a good grab and would rather take a big mark than spoil which has its positives and its negatives. He is certainly confident in his abilities and has the potential to be the best defender in the draft but could also develop into a very good forward.
23.Brisbane - Darcy Hourigan 190cm, 82kg – South Adelaide
A big framed key forward who has been kicking goals this year for his club and his state. Hourigan doesn’t possess elite athleticism but he is smart and knows how to use his body to his advantage and when to fly. He is good below his knees and is a good shot at goal. His verhead marking is good without being great but he is also very good on the lead. He can also play back but is better suited to the forward line.
24.Western Bulldogs Mitch Harvey 195cm, 97kg – North Adelaide
Harvey is a big bodied key forward who is probably more suited to playing out of the goal square than up the ground. He uses his size and strength to win a lot of marking contests but he has surprising agility for his size and wins his fair share of the footy when it goes to ground. He has bullied opponents in the U18s but when he stepped up to the Reserves he has been relatively unsighted which is a concern although he has all of the tools to make it at the next level. One thing that could stand against him is his lack of potential in comparison to others given that he is bigger than most others and can often rely on his size to win contests.
25.Gold Coast James Battersby 177cm, 78kg - Sturt
Battersby has starred in the seniors for Sturt this year and is regularly amongst the highest possession getters on the ground which is an amazing achievement for an 18 year old. He is a very good inside midfielder, reading the ball well off the ruckman’s fingers and his kicking is very neat and tidy, especially for an inside mid. He also has the versatility to play off a back flank where he was named All Australian this year after a blistering champs in the backline. His kicking is good and he hits his targets but he could try to hit them with a bit more penetration. He has great composure for a kid and is never hurried or scared, even with bigger bodies closing in on him. He is another who could be ready to go in round one.
26.North Melbourne- Jay Kennedy-Harris 173cm, 68kg – Oakleigh Chargers
Kennedy-Harris is a lightning fast small forward who can play in the midfield too. He probably settles as a small forward but he wouldn’t look out of place in the midfield rotations. He is very quick and his chasing and pressure is immense. His chase down and tackle in the Champs game against Vic Country at Etihad sticks in my mind whenever I hear his name and its those kinds of pressure acts that will see him love by fans. He is relatively new to the game so he has a lot of room for improvement, clubs will be picking a raw player but one who has built an extensive resume including Oakleigh captain and Vic Metro selection. His sidestep and pace allow him to break the lines and he needs no encouragement to run and carry. As a forward he is possibly the best crumber in the TAC Cup. He is always in the right position and knows exactly where the goals are.
27.West Coast- James Tsitas 180cm, 76kg – Geelong Falcons
Tsitas is a big time accumulator of the ball and regularly hits the 30 disposal mark. He has very good endurance which helps him spread and get to a lot of contests, although when he does get the footy he lacks the explosiveness and hurt factor to be really damaging to opposition. Defensively he is good and his tackling and pressure are two of his biggest strengths along with his ball winning ability. Unfortunately for Tsitas he is unlikely to rack up possessions at AFL level like he does in the TAC Cup so he needs to continue focusing on his defensive game. He is very good inside and has a reasonable outside game but I see little room for improvement in either. His kicking can use some cleaning up but its not poor by any means.
28. Carlton- Luke Reynolds 186cm, 85kg – Port Adelaide
Reynolds is a medium sized forward who has put together quite a good season for Port Adelaide in the SANFL and for SA in the Champs. He could have tore the Champs match against Vic Metro to shreds had he kicked straight and that is the type of game that he needs to have more consistently. One of his main problems is his inconsistency. He has good games but then not get a kick the next week. He is a very good user of the footy and hits targets with ease. He would be the perfect high half forward, linking the midfield with the forwards and hitting up forwards with his low bullet –like passes.
29.Port Adelaide- Fraser Fort 196cm, 84kg – Geelong Falcons
Fort is a tall, lanky defender who has a lot of potential at either end of the ground. He has excellent athleticism for his size and is quicker than you would think. This helps him on the lead (when he plays forward) and to close down a man when in defence. He has long arms and uses them to advantage, getting them in to spoil or putting them up to take marks where he can outreach most others. He is a very good forward and played out much of the year there for the Falcons, kicking multiple goals most weeks but he is very erratic in front of goals and needs to iron that out. Whatever team picks him is getting a project player who they can mould into whatever they want- a forward, defender and pinch hitting ruckman.
30.Essendon- Mitch Honeychurch 175cm, 65kg – Eastern Ranges
Honeychurch has been this years draft bolter. Before the Champs he was hardly spoken about but after an MVP winning performance for Vic Metro he has rocketed into contention for first round honours. I wouldn’t take him that high due to some concerns on his size, attitude and consistency but he is still a very good player. He finds a lot of the footy and has a strong core which makes him very hard to tackle. He is very confident and will back himself to win most contests and he is a very good clearance player for that reason. His attitude can get him into trouble and he has a bit FIGJAM about him which could be problematic. His size is another thing that could count against him with many of the top players this year being small midfielders and sub 180cm however a good combine and a big finals series for Eastern Ranges should cement him in the top 30.
31.Collingwood- Patrick Cripps 188cm, 88kg – East Fremantle
Cripps is a big bodied, bullocking inside midfielder who is a real competitor and loves the hard ball. He can be relied upon to win clearances although part of this could be attributed to his size in comparison to other 18 year olds. When another big bodied player sits on him and puts body on him he tends to crumble which could see him slide, or be rather uncompetitive at AFL level. He is an above average user of the ball for an inside player and his outside game is fairly solid. He spreads well but he is much more suited when it’s in close rather than open and fast moving out on the wings.
32.Richmond- Dwayne Wilson 178cm, 75kg - Sturt
Wilson is a flashy outside player who has an extremely high hurt factor. Whilst Wilson doesn’t get a lot of the ball, he can influence the game with 15 possessions, using his elite pace and foot skills to his advantage. He is very consistent and can go for a long time without finding the ball but when he does he seems to have it on a string and get 2-3 touches quickly. He seems to be the kind of player who can be easily tagged out of the game like a Stephen Hill or Danyle Pearce.
33.Sydney- Lloyd Perris 179cm, 74kg – St George
Perris is a typical Sydney footballer who will fit into their system seamlessly. He is capable on the inside and outside and wins a lot of the ball. He is a good user of the footy without being elite, and makes good decisions with the ball. He is a natural leader which is why he was awarded the Ben Mitchell medal after his work in the AIS/AFL Academy. He is lightly framed but he won’t be pushed around by bigger bodies as he holds his own against stronger guys and has played a bit of senior footy. I wouldn’t be expecting an immediate impact from Perris but if Longmire’s handling of Mitchell is anything to do by he could explode onto the scene after a couple of preseasons.
34.Fremantle- Nick Robertson 188cm, 83kg - Perth
We haven’t seen a lot of Robertson this year due to a nasty shoulder injury but he was one of the most talked about WA prospects coming into this season. He is a big bodied midfielder/defender with a bit of mongrel about him. He is an outside player but he isn’t soft and can get his own footy but he is just better when others give him the ball since he is a fairly good user of the footy. He accumulates well off the back flank and midfield but he also has a strong defensive game and beats his opponent in one on one contests. I’ve heard whispers that he has an attitude problem and is quite arrogant and likely to interview poorly with AFL clubs at the combine which could see him slide along with his injury but on exposed talent and potential as a tall midfielder he should go in the second round.
35.Geelong- Cameron Giles 195cm, 93kg - WWT
Giles is a big, tall key defender who is an excellent attacking defender as well as being a good man on man defender. Giles is a neat kick for a big guy and provides another option coming out of defence. He is always running off his man when his team has the ball and spreads very well. He plays more like a back flanker or third tall but at his height he will probably end up playing on gorilla forwards so he will need to tone down his offensive game a little. He is versatile enough to pinch hit in the ruck and has the athleticism to play on a wing. Giles will be a good option as a third tall or could take the second best forward allowing Harry Taylor to run off or play forward.
36.Hawthorn- Eli Templeton 182cm, 67kg - Burnie
Templeton is a skinny midfielder but his build certainly hasn’t stopped him from winning a lot of the footy this year. He has very good endurance and is very outside so don’t expect to see him diving into many packs but his outside work is very solid. He was arguably Tasmania’s best player in the Champs which is no mean feat considering the team contained Toby Nankervis and Kade Kolodjashnij, but it highlights how good the kid is. If he can put on some weight he will become a very good footballer but his build will limit him in the mean time. He is quite evasive and likes to take the game on although he doesn’t possess great pace but it is a sign that he is confident in his own abilities. His kicking is also quite good and is one of his standout attributes along with his endurance, x-factor and ball winning ability.
37.GWS- Toby Nankervis
38.Melbourne- Nick Bourke
39.St Kilda- Cameron Conlon
40.Brisbane- Riley Knight
41.Western Bulldogs- Zac Jones
42.Gold Coast- Alex Spina
43.Adelaide- Nick Favretto
44.North Melb- Louis Herbert
45.West Coast- Tom Barrass
46.Carlton- Jonathon Marsh
47.Port Adelaide- Jarman Impey
48.Essendon-Dallas Willsmore
49.Collingwood-Alex Spencer
50.Richmond-James Sicily
51.Sydney- Darcy Byrne-Jones
52.Fremantle-Ben Sokol
53.Geelong-Zac Merrett
54.Hawthorn-Jared Jansen
55.GWS- Michael Gibbons
56.Melbourne- Tom Langdon
57.St Kilda- Darcy Lang
58.Brisbane-Isaac Conway
59.Western Bulldogs- Josh Scott
60.Gold Coast- Errin Wasley-Black
61.Adelaide- Jake Kolodjashnij
62.North Melbourne-Will Maginness
63.West Coast-Blaine Johnson
64.Carlton-Guy Dickson
65.Port Adelaide-George Hewett
66.Essendon- Darcy Cameron
67.Collingwood- Nick Holman
68.Richmond-Willy Rioli
69.Sydney-Orazio Fantasia
70.Fremantle- Sean Lemmens
71.Geelong- Richard Bourne
72.Hawthorn-Nathan Drummond
Unlucky to miss/Rookie chances:
Campbell Combe
Sam Heavyside
Ben Cavarra
Jake Greiser
David Iaccarino
Jacob Chisari
Jack Leslie
Max King
Karl Amon
Matt Merlo
Michael Apeness
Hugh Curnow
Sam Bennett
Tom Cutler
Jarrod Stokes
Jed Redden
Dayle Garlett
Peter Steffe
Bryden Squire
Max Hayes
