- Joined
- Oct 19, 2010
- Posts
- 7,864
- Reaction score
- 4,428
- Location
- Albury
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Ravens, Rabbitohs, Rockets, Everton
I've been hoping to get this done for the last month but placement has knocked me around and as a result its late. Really only posting now to see how I go but I have some insights on 50 players plus 5 I think have potential as rookies, and a phantom draft.
My rankings are a bit different and there's a couple of guys I don't rate at all, and a couple at the top that are way higher than I've seen elsewhere. I just really like them and think that long term they will end up as the best AFL players. That's how I've based my rankings, and I don't really care if they are predicted to go high in the draft if I think they won't make it as an AFL player.
Here goes......
PLAYER RANKINGS
1. Andrew McGrath- A perfect mix of athlete and footballer. He is fast, has great endurance, very good skills and is courageous. He has played off half back and then through the midfield and been very good at both, but I feel like his best position is at half back. He reads the play really well and is good at cutting off the ball. From there, he can use his speed and agility to run off to create and he is a really good linebreaker. He is a good decision maker and a nice kick. He won’t lace you out with a 50m spearing pass but he can break away with the ball, steady and then pick the right option and hit a flat pass that will find a teammate. He has shown that he has the ability to shut down players, as his role on Ainsworth in the champs showed, and this highlighted his leadership and maturity in sacrificing his own game for the sake of the team, despite being predominantly an attacking player. In saying this, he still showed an ability to run off while beating his man. I’m not as sold on his midfield ability despite his high production there in the TAC Cup. He is a limited contested possession winner and I’m not sure he is entirely comfortable in close when the heat is on. He often flips out a ball under pressure and puts his teammate under pressure, but at TAC Cup level he is good enough to get it back straight away. Overall I think he will be a very good flanker who will be a consistent cog in the team and could make an immediate impact.
2. Hugh McCluggage- McCluggage is a silky midfielder with excellent skills and an ability to kick multiple goals. He reads the play really well and knows where the ball is going to go, both from the taps and around the ground. He positions himself really well around the ground and puts himself in the best spot to get the ball. His kicking is great and he hits targets with ease. He is really composed with the ball and never seems to panic. He kicked a lot of goals this year out of the midfield, not as a resting forward, and this is how he hurts teams. You might keep him quiet in the middle but he will sneak forward and snag a couple of quick ones on you. He is just so poised and clean that it is hard to see him failing, but he is limited to an outside role I think. I don’t think he will become a massive inside ball winner but he will be very valuable as a receiver who can deliver with class and kick goals.
3. Jordan Gallucci- This kid is quick- quick from hand to foot, quick on his feet and a quick decision maker. His physical attributes are insane- he has a great vertical leap, very agile and is fast. It’s a big call but he reminds me of Gary Ablett when he reads the tap and bursts through the middle, dancing through traffic and kicking inside 50. In fact, I think his kicking is the only thing that lets him down. He has an awkward ball drop, where he holds it quite high, and also tries to kick everything at top speed. This results in a fair percentage of his kicks going in the air or not hitting a target but I think it could be fixed by slowing himself down a fraction. He is a great linebreaker and I think he has the potential to be a star.
4. Jy Simpkin- Simpkin is a small forward with midfield potential that has been left unseen after a season ending broken leg. I think his biggest strength is his smoothness in traffic. He is just a really smart player who never seems to panic and oozes class. He has great goal sense and knows how to position himself to get the ball and then kick the goal. His field kicking is also very good and generally well weighted which is among the reasons I think he will be a good midfielder in the future. I think his ability to put in multiple efforts and tackle is definitely a quality that good small forwards have too. I think he starts off down forward but could certainly play in the middle. I see him being a Robbie Gray type as a best case scenario, but with a lack of a top age year, he could also not make it as it is difficult to judge based off a year and one game. However I’m more inclined to believe he will be very good rather than bad.
5. Ben Ainsworth- Ainsworth is a crafty small forward with a solid body and good goal sense. He can kick goals at ground level, or from taking marks which is something that few small forwards can do. His marking is a real strength, and he uses his excellent vertical jump to win aerial contests. He hits the ball hard and creates chances for himself, but at times can be a bit fumbly. He is a really good finisher for goal and a really confident kid who would back himself in at all times. His tackling is hard and the endeavour to chase and pressure is there which is good for a small forward. I don’t think he has the ability to be anything special in the midfield and would keep him up forward as he would be much more valuable to his team there, where he can his leap and speed to create mismatched and create chances to kick goals.
6. Sam Petrevski-Seton- My opinions of SPS have fluctuated over the season but I think I have finally settled on what he is. He is a classy player who looks relaxed in any situation, but won’t get a heap of the ball. That’s not to say he won’t have great games, or that he is in the Cox boat where he will struggle to get more than 10-15 touches a game, but he won’t have too many massive games with 30+ touches. What you will get from him though is 20 odd touches that will hit targets, mostly short or 45 degree kicks. He is so composed and a good decision maker and lowers his eyes to hit the short targets when coming out of traffic with the ball rather than blazing long. He is a touch player and his kicks are well weighted to the run of the forward. He has good agility and reasonable pace but I feel like his acceleration is lacking slightly. He is comfortable winning the ball both inside and outside. I don’t think he has a huge ceiling and I think there is a chance that he doesn’t have a massive impact but he is someone I would take the risk on with the expectation that he is one of those guys who will be silky and not waste a touch.
7. Tim Taranto- Taranto is a smooth moving midfielder who is equally at home across half forward. His biggest asset is his marking. He has an excellent leap and judges them really well. This gives him the ability to go forward and create a mismatch and kick goals. As a midfielder he finds a lot of the ball but to me he doesn’t seem to do much with it. He isn’t the sort of midfielder who will hurt you with the ball, but will accumulate touches and link up fairly well. He does a lot of stuff you won’t notice like tackles and shepherds and blocks so he is clearly a valuable teammate. He is fairly slow though, with reasonable acceleration but not a great top speed, and not the best decision maker with the ball in hand which will limit his ceiling. I think he can be a little fumbly as well which exaggerates his errors in decision making. I think he will turn into a good AFL player without being great, although he is the sort of guy who fans of his team will love for all of the things he does on the field. I don’t think he will become a midfielder at the next level though.
8. Griffin Logue- I think he is going to be a very good defender, although a little on the short side. He is very athletic for someone of his size and build. While he ran a fantastic beep and time trial at the combine, I don’t think those qualities are vitally important in his role. However he does have good closing speed and covers the ground well so he is always in the contest and usually gets there to spoil or put pressure on. He is also a good contested mark and is definitely not afraid of contact in the air. His rebound game is ok, and he seems to make good decisions with the ball rather than rushing himself. I think he has the most potential and has the right to be labelled amongst the top defenders in the draft.
9. Will Brodie- Really tough, bullocking player. Kicks are alright but often under pressure so can forgive for the odd missed target. When on the run with a bit of time he can hit his targets with some nice flat kicks. He always wants to go forward as his first option, whether that is by hand, foot or running and this is not always the best option. He can run into trouble at times and end up having to break tackles with his big frame or sidestep around an opponent then reassess his options. While this is a good trick to have, I’m not sure how often he gets away with this at the next level. He is not overly quick which also doesn’t help in this area. Despite not being especially quick off the mark, he does hit the ball very hard and use his body well in the contest, pushing guys out of the way and making an impact when he gets to the ball. He is really courageous and wills himself to get the footy and seems the type of guy to lift a team with his workrate. He is also very good overhead and is a good size so he can create a mismatch when he pushed forward. Doesn’t have a great tank or great speed but is very powerful at the contest and is able to win his own ball with ease. I think to become a better player he will need to improve his endurance to get more easy ball, as he has never been one to have massive possession counts. Not sure if he reminds me more of Ollie Wines or Luke Dunstan, but I’m leaning more towards a Wines type as that 2nd or 3rd best mid on a team.
10. Todd Marshall- Has an x factor that few big men have and is really good below his knees. Has great agility and his tank will get better with a pre season. Is quite weak so one on one he can have problems but is difficult to out mark on the lead and can do nice things once it hits the ground. Is willing to chase and tackle which is nice to see in a big man. Not the type of forward to take a game by the scruff of the neck but is a nice decoy type.
11. Cedric Cox- An excellent kick off both feet and a really smooth mover with good speed and agility. Doesn’t find much of the ball around the ground, and probably needs to build up his tank. Finds space really well and is a very outside receiver type, although he can win his own ball if he has to but is much more damaging and comfortable on the outside. Gets his fair share of tackles too which shows that his endeavour is there. Can play forward but I like him off half back or even off a wing if he can build up a big enough tank and stay in the game more.
12. Ryan Garthwaite- He is a kid I really like. He is a defender first and foremost and will halve every contest he gets to. He is really coachable, and had never played back in his life until he started at the Bushies, which speaks a lot about his character in learning a new position and excelling at it, improving each week. His marking is very good and he can intercept well and is then keen to run off, and despite looking extremely ugly, his kicks usually hit their targets. I think he does everything that a defender should do, and the only knocks I have are his size and his speed. However I think good defenders play taller than they are and Garthwaite certainly is good.
13. Josh Rotham- He is a tall rebounding defender who has a great kick. I’d rate him one of the best kicks in the draft and it is a real asset to have a big rebounding defender coming off half back who can kick like him. The other thing I like about Rotham is his composure. He never seems to panic and glides in and out of traffic before hitting a target. His one on one work and defensive positioning probably stop him from being a true tall defender but at 192cm he could easily play a predominantly rebounding role and then take a lesser forward.
14. Harry Perryman- Much like Scrimshaw, Perryman isn’t much of a defender but will be picked based on what he does with the ball, rather than without it. He is a very good kick and uses it to set up from half back. He doesn’t seem fazed by anything and hits targets with ease. Over longer distances he struggles a little but he makes good decisions with the ball and kicks within himself. His speed is something that lets him down but once he gets to the contest he is as tenacious as they come and is smart enough to get to where the ball will be, which helps to offset his lack of leg speed. Offensively, I think he is limited to being a receiver type which limits his potential, as does him not being a line breaker. However I do like what he brings to the table as a no frills guy who will set up well off half back and defend at all costs.
15. Jack Scrimshaw- I don’t think he will become the big midfielder, Bontempelli type that people hope he will be. I think his strengths lie in the back half, where he can use his size and athleticism to advantage. He marks the ball quite well and seems to read the flight of the ball and position himself really well. He isn’t a man on man defender but is pretty good at chopping off the ball as it comes inside 50. His kicking is a bit up and down, and I think part of this is due to his poor decision making. He is at his best when he runs straight through and plays on instinct but too often he gets the ball and goes sideways and doesn’t commit then has to try to make something out of nothing. Luckily for him, he is good enough to get out of those situations at TAC cup level but he probably won’t be at AFL level. I think he will become a decent defender but not a star. Best case scenario is a Grant Birchall type.
My rankings are a bit different and there's a couple of guys I don't rate at all, and a couple at the top that are way higher than I've seen elsewhere. I just really like them and think that long term they will end up as the best AFL players. That's how I've based my rankings, and I don't really care if they are predicted to go high in the draft if I think they won't make it as an AFL player.
Here goes......
PLAYER RANKINGS
1. Andrew McGrath- A perfect mix of athlete and footballer. He is fast, has great endurance, very good skills and is courageous. He has played off half back and then through the midfield and been very good at both, but I feel like his best position is at half back. He reads the play really well and is good at cutting off the ball. From there, he can use his speed and agility to run off to create and he is a really good linebreaker. He is a good decision maker and a nice kick. He won’t lace you out with a 50m spearing pass but he can break away with the ball, steady and then pick the right option and hit a flat pass that will find a teammate. He has shown that he has the ability to shut down players, as his role on Ainsworth in the champs showed, and this highlighted his leadership and maturity in sacrificing his own game for the sake of the team, despite being predominantly an attacking player. In saying this, he still showed an ability to run off while beating his man. I’m not as sold on his midfield ability despite his high production there in the TAC Cup. He is a limited contested possession winner and I’m not sure he is entirely comfortable in close when the heat is on. He often flips out a ball under pressure and puts his teammate under pressure, but at TAC Cup level he is good enough to get it back straight away. Overall I think he will be a very good flanker who will be a consistent cog in the team and could make an immediate impact.
2. Hugh McCluggage- McCluggage is a silky midfielder with excellent skills and an ability to kick multiple goals. He reads the play really well and knows where the ball is going to go, both from the taps and around the ground. He positions himself really well around the ground and puts himself in the best spot to get the ball. His kicking is great and he hits targets with ease. He is really composed with the ball and never seems to panic. He kicked a lot of goals this year out of the midfield, not as a resting forward, and this is how he hurts teams. You might keep him quiet in the middle but he will sneak forward and snag a couple of quick ones on you. He is just so poised and clean that it is hard to see him failing, but he is limited to an outside role I think. I don’t think he will become a massive inside ball winner but he will be very valuable as a receiver who can deliver with class and kick goals.
3. Jordan Gallucci- This kid is quick- quick from hand to foot, quick on his feet and a quick decision maker. His physical attributes are insane- he has a great vertical leap, very agile and is fast. It’s a big call but he reminds me of Gary Ablett when he reads the tap and bursts through the middle, dancing through traffic and kicking inside 50. In fact, I think his kicking is the only thing that lets him down. He has an awkward ball drop, where he holds it quite high, and also tries to kick everything at top speed. This results in a fair percentage of his kicks going in the air or not hitting a target but I think it could be fixed by slowing himself down a fraction. He is a great linebreaker and I think he has the potential to be a star.
4. Jy Simpkin- Simpkin is a small forward with midfield potential that has been left unseen after a season ending broken leg. I think his biggest strength is his smoothness in traffic. He is just a really smart player who never seems to panic and oozes class. He has great goal sense and knows how to position himself to get the ball and then kick the goal. His field kicking is also very good and generally well weighted which is among the reasons I think he will be a good midfielder in the future. I think his ability to put in multiple efforts and tackle is definitely a quality that good small forwards have too. I think he starts off down forward but could certainly play in the middle. I see him being a Robbie Gray type as a best case scenario, but with a lack of a top age year, he could also not make it as it is difficult to judge based off a year and one game. However I’m more inclined to believe he will be very good rather than bad.
5. Ben Ainsworth- Ainsworth is a crafty small forward with a solid body and good goal sense. He can kick goals at ground level, or from taking marks which is something that few small forwards can do. His marking is a real strength, and he uses his excellent vertical jump to win aerial contests. He hits the ball hard and creates chances for himself, but at times can be a bit fumbly. He is a really good finisher for goal and a really confident kid who would back himself in at all times. His tackling is hard and the endeavour to chase and pressure is there which is good for a small forward. I don’t think he has the ability to be anything special in the midfield and would keep him up forward as he would be much more valuable to his team there, where he can his leap and speed to create mismatched and create chances to kick goals.
6. Sam Petrevski-Seton- My opinions of SPS have fluctuated over the season but I think I have finally settled on what he is. He is a classy player who looks relaxed in any situation, but won’t get a heap of the ball. That’s not to say he won’t have great games, or that he is in the Cox boat where he will struggle to get more than 10-15 touches a game, but he won’t have too many massive games with 30+ touches. What you will get from him though is 20 odd touches that will hit targets, mostly short or 45 degree kicks. He is so composed and a good decision maker and lowers his eyes to hit the short targets when coming out of traffic with the ball rather than blazing long. He is a touch player and his kicks are well weighted to the run of the forward. He has good agility and reasonable pace but I feel like his acceleration is lacking slightly. He is comfortable winning the ball both inside and outside. I don’t think he has a huge ceiling and I think there is a chance that he doesn’t have a massive impact but he is someone I would take the risk on with the expectation that he is one of those guys who will be silky and not waste a touch.
7. Tim Taranto- Taranto is a smooth moving midfielder who is equally at home across half forward. His biggest asset is his marking. He has an excellent leap and judges them really well. This gives him the ability to go forward and create a mismatch and kick goals. As a midfielder he finds a lot of the ball but to me he doesn’t seem to do much with it. He isn’t the sort of midfielder who will hurt you with the ball, but will accumulate touches and link up fairly well. He does a lot of stuff you won’t notice like tackles and shepherds and blocks so he is clearly a valuable teammate. He is fairly slow though, with reasonable acceleration but not a great top speed, and not the best decision maker with the ball in hand which will limit his ceiling. I think he can be a little fumbly as well which exaggerates his errors in decision making. I think he will turn into a good AFL player without being great, although he is the sort of guy who fans of his team will love for all of the things he does on the field. I don’t think he will become a midfielder at the next level though.
8. Griffin Logue- I think he is going to be a very good defender, although a little on the short side. He is very athletic for someone of his size and build. While he ran a fantastic beep and time trial at the combine, I don’t think those qualities are vitally important in his role. However he does have good closing speed and covers the ground well so he is always in the contest and usually gets there to spoil or put pressure on. He is also a good contested mark and is definitely not afraid of contact in the air. His rebound game is ok, and he seems to make good decisions with the ball rather than rushing himself. I think he has the most potential and has the right to be labelled amongst the top defenders in the draft.
9. Will Brodie- Really tough, bullocking player. Kicks are alright but often under pressure so can forgive for the odd missed target. When on the run with a bit of time he can hit his targets with some nice flat kicks. He always wants to go forward as his first option, whether that is by hand, foot or running and this is not always the best option. He can run into trouble at times and end up having to break tackles with his big frame or sidestep around an opponent then reassess his options. While this is a good trick to have, I’m not sure how often he gets away with this at the next level. He is not overly quick which also doesn’t help in this area. Despite not being especially quick off the mark, he does hit the ball very hard and use his body well in the contest, pushing guys out of the way and making an impact when he gets to the ball. He is really courageous and wills himself to get the footy and seems the type of guy to lift a team with his workrate. He is also very good overhead and is a good size so he can create a mismatch when he pushed forward. Doesn’t have a great tank or great speed but is very powerful at the contest and is able to win his own ball with ease. I think to become a better player he will need to improve his endurance to get more easy ball, as he has never been one to have massive possession counts. Not sure if he reminds me more of Ollie Wines or Luke Dunstan, but I’m leaning more towards a Wines type as that 2nd or 3rd best mid on a team.
10. Todd Marshall- Has an x factor that few big men have and is really good below his knees. Has great agility and his tank will get better with a pre season. Is quite weak so one on one he can have problems but is difficult to out mark on the lead and can do nice things once it hits the ground. Is willing to chase and tackle which is nice to see in a big man. Not the type of forward to take a game by the scruff of the neck but is a nice decoy type.
11. Cedric Cox- An excellent kick off both feet and a really smooth mover with good speed and agility. Doesn’t find much of the ball around the ground, and probably needs to build up his tank. Finds space really well and is a very outside receiver type, although he can win his own ball if he has to but is much more damaging and comfortable on the outside. Gets his fair share of tackles too which shows that his endeavour is there. Can play forward but I like him off half back or even off a wing if he can build up a big enough tank and stay in the game more.
12. Ryan Garthwaite- He is a kid I really like. He is a defender first and foremost and will halve every contest he gets to. He is really coachable, and had never played back in his life until he started at the Bushies, which speaks a lot about his character in learning a new position and excelling at it, improving each week. His marking is very good and he can intercept well and is then keen to run off, and despite looking extremely ugly, his kicks usually hit their targets. I think he does everything that a defender should do, and the only knocks I have are his size and his speed. However I think good defenders play taller than they are and Garthwaite certainly is good.
13. Josh Rotham- He is a tall rebounding defender who has a great kick. I’d rate him one of the best kicks in the draft and it is a real asset to have a big rebounding defender coming off half back who can kick like him. The other thing I like about Rotham is his composure. He never seems to panic and glides in and out of traffic before hitting a target. His one on one work and defensive positioning probably stop him from being a true tall defender but at 192cm he could easily play a predominantly rebounding role and then take a lesser forward.
14. Harry Perryman- Much like Scrimshaw, Perryman isn’t much of a defender but will be picked based on what he does with the ball, rather than without it. He is a very good kick and uses it to set up from half back. He doesn’t seem fazed by anything and hits targets with ease. Over longer distances he struggles a little but he makes good decisions with the ball and kicks within himself. His speed is something that lets him down but once he gets to the contest he is as tenacious as they come and is smart enough to get to where the ball will be, which helps to offset his lack of leg speed. Offensively, I think he is limited to being a receiver type which limits his potential, as does him not being a line breaker. However I do like what he brings to the table as a no frills guy who will set up well off half back and defend at all costs.
15. Jack Scrimshaw- I don’t think he will become the big midfielder, Bontempelli type that people hope he will be. I think his strengths lie in the back half, where he can use his size and athleticism to advantage. He marks the ball quite well and seems to read the flight of the ball and position himself really well. He isn’t a man on man defender but is pretty good at chopping off the ball as it comes inside 50. His kicking is a bit up and down, and I think part of this is due to his poor decision making. He is at his best when he runs straight through and plays on instinct but too often he gets the ball and goes sideways and doesn’t commit then has to try to make something out of nothing. Luckily for him, he is good enough to get out of those situations at TAC cup level but he probably won’t be at AFL level. I think he will become a decent defender but not a star. Best case scenario is a Grant Birchall type.
