Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2014 Phantom Draft

[Knightmare]

Knightmare

I think you should seriously consider putting a section in that first post about Jake Long and update it throughout the year. Your going to get very sick of being asked about him several hundred times before the draft.

He's not draft relevant at this point but you are right. It will save time answering comments.

Also do you mind adding x10 new posts under my name directly after the op so that I can over the coming months expand my draft?

I've mostly held off completing a full update to this point understanding that I only having the first post on page one to work with which will be too limiting to create an even mildly informative draft for the good folks of bigfooty.

As always it's going to be bigger and better every year so the more posts I have to work with the better the eventual product may be.

 

[Yoda_]

(im not a mod anymore - time restraints didnt allow)

Might be a better idea to just kick off a new thread when the time is right later in the year?

 

[coniglio_number1]

Hey KM who are some of the better nsw/act prospects this year?

 

[Hot Pocket]

So the Dees can draft Billy Stretch this year?

Weird I thought he was still a year away, I'm perplexed why we haven't tried to get a similar 'training' contract set up like we did for Jack Viney. I know he isn't rated as highly as Viney (or anywhere near as physically developed) but he'll be a second or first rounder already and if he grows a bit could move up pretty quickly.

 

[Hot Pocket]

Also KM there is no way in hell Melbourne will draft another key forward at this point unless we're looking to offload Clark or Dawes, and even then it would be doubtful.

Clem Smith on the other hand sounds like a great addition to Trengove/Viney/Toumpas.

 

[coniglio_number1]

I thought melb would be chasing a key back this draft given the additions of Michie, Vince, Tyson.

 

[Hot Pocket]

I thought melb would be chasing a key back this draft given the additions of Michie, Vince, Tyson.

Will depend if Frawley walks or not I suppose, but we really are flush with tall defenders and tall forwards right now. And rucks.

 

[Theo X]

Will depend if Frawley walks or not I suppose, but we really are flush with tall defenders and tall forwards right now. And rucks.

I think we'll draft a key back even if Frawley stays. After him, McDonald and Garland there's not much. I wouldn't want to rely on duds like Pedersen.

 

[coniglio_number1]

This is pretty much the draft that is going to fix every clubs tall department it seems. So the teams that are flush with talls such as gws will be able to pick up some decent smalls. A lockdown small defender and a small forward would be on gws shopping list. The additions of Mumford and lobb has finally sorted out our ruck depth issues with a list of Mumford, Giles, Phillips, downie and lobb

 

[manny100]

I think the Dees will draft best available even if its a tall unless of course we trade that early pick. If we get Stretch as a bargain 2nd rounder a tall developing KPP defender would be useful for our first pick (if available).

 

[Hot Pocket]

I think its more likely if we finish low down the ladder we might offload our pick for a later one and a player if possible. Like we did this year. A lot of those GC and GWS mids will be coming out of contract and the MFC needs to rebuild its midfield on the fly before our talls start getting sick of the joint.

 

[Knightmare]

Hey KM - do you know much about Jake Long - could he end up a 1st or 2nd round selction.

Yet to play at Tac Cup just yet so he's not draft relevant at this point until we see more.

 

[Knightmare]

Hey KM who are some of the better nsw/act prospects this year?

Isaac Heeney and Liam Griffiths are both strong chances to make it onto AFL lists next season.

Heeney as a midfielder I particularly like. Very well performed, excellent endurance and a big time accumulator with a nice balanced mix of inside/outside game.

So the Dees can draft Billy Stretch this year?

Weird I thought he was still a year away, I'm perplexed why we haven't tried to get a similar 'training' contract set up like we did for Jack Viney. I know he isn't rated as highly as Viney (or anywhere near as physically developed) but he'll be a second or first rounder already and if he grows a bit could move up pretty quickly.

With Viney it was a case of he was always going to be considered a top 10 prospect. Stretch is still a touch more speculative as someone who is mostly considered a first round chance who could still go later in the draft.

The risk in going down the Viney past is that if nominated the club is then expected to pick Stretch. As an example if a club nominates Stretch late in the first round and Melbourne don't want to use their second round pick on him, bad luck.
And this far out from the draft it's not so clear that the reward outweighs the risk.

Same story with Collingwood and Darcy Moore. It's too speculative at this point to committ to him.

Additionally worth noting Stretch is a South Australian. I assume he's still in school and relocation for year 12 isn't always the best move and may not be for Stretch.

It's more when they're clear top 10 picks going into their draft year as Luke McDonald, Joe Daniher and Jack Viney have been in recent years that make it worthwhile.

Also KM there is no way in hell Melbourne will draft another key forward at this point unless we're looking to offload Clark or Dawes, and even then it would be doubtful.

Clem Smith on the other hand sounds like a great addition to Trengove/Viney/Toumpas.

Some are overrated Clem Smith at this point. He's not even a top 10 lock let alone worth anything around pick 2.
It may be more a scenario where Melbourne as we saw this year trade down from the high draft position and pick up some other assets whether that be a player or a spread of picks.
Still so early that needs should be of little concern.
It's just a case of the four best in the u18s in the country at this point are KPPs and if you have a pick in that range regardless of need you'll be picking a tall just as in hindsight you'd take Franklin over Tambling or Pavlich over Aaron Fiora for those who can remember back a little further.

This is pretty much the draft that is going to fix every clubs tall department it seems. So the teams that are flush with talls such as gws will be able to pick up some decent smalls. A lockdown small defender and a small forward would be on gws shopping list. The additions of Mumford and lobb has finally sorted out our ruck depth issues with a list of Mumford, Giles, Phillips, downie and lobb

If things stay as they are with in no particular order: Goddard, McCartin, Durdin and Wright the top four prospects then it will be handy for those needing talls inside the top 5. After that there may be some more talls but not on the level we saw in 2006 with guys like Reid/Brown/Riewoldt/Frawley coming from picks 8 and onward.

With your mention of GWS' ruck stocks it will be interesting to watch how that goes.

Mumford and Giles are the obvious combination with the others development projects who are still some way away.

With Mumford worth considering for when the GWS premiership window eventually opens. His durability is very poor.

There will quite likely two years from now be a need for the next no.1 ruckman. Mumford quite probably will fall apart over coming seasons and with Giles more a no.2 ruckman another quality no.1 ruckman will be needed. And with no clarity as to whether any of Phillips/Downie/Lobb develop it may take another trade for someone/a free agent get/high end ruckman through the draft/American project or find some other way to fill the need.

 

[Chris25]

Some are overrated Clem Smith at this point. He's not even a top 10 lock let alone worth anything around pick 2.

It's January. Everyone is overrated at this point.

 

[TradeDraft]

Darcy Moore at the Moment at #42 has Potential of Really Jumping up your Ratings if he Can have a Full Injury Free Season

 

[Wild Bill]

Corey Ellis? Any word on this kid?

 

[tombomb]

KM ... I think I speak for everyone on here when I say that you gotta do something about your profile pic.

I dont think anyone wants to have another year of having to see that ...

 

[Scodog10]

KM ... I think I speak for everyone on here when I say that you gotta do something about your profile pic.

I dont think anyone wants to have another year of having to see that ...

I'm glad someone said it

 

[ilikepotatoes]

No love for Cody Grace?

 

[Knightmare]

No love for Cody Grace?

I haven't seen him play live but I'm aware of his game as a big bodied medium forward. Seems like the West Australian equivalent of Petracca albeit a poor mans version. But I'm interested to see more.

Corey Ellis? Any word on this kid?

Played some strong footy at times last season through the midfield for Western Jets and with further improvement can enter the conversion.

 

[BlueMaster1]

KM Who is the best Tasmania going around that could get drafted this year

 

[Knightmare]

KM Who is the best Tasmania going around that could get drafted this year

Mitch Thorp. Or if the Tasmanians are still claiming Lachie Weller as a home grown product he'd be the clear pick.

Otherwise no standout at this point of the u18s. It doesn't mean there isn't another Kolodjashnij coming through but if there is it's not obvious with no top end group as we saw last year or any who really suggest they'll be in the mix in the early rounds. Doesn't mean that won't change though.

 

[imabowss]

Thoughts on ah siu from south fremantle?

 

[Chris25]

Mitch Thorp.

He's a South Australian now.

 

[Knightmare]

He's a South Australian now.

I am aware Thorp is now in the SANFL. Doesn't mean the Tasmanians won't claim him as a home grown talent.

Thoughts on ah siu from south fremantle?

He's an intriguing forward/outside type. Light bodied and inconsistent but has shown some positive glimpses and has some talent. Draftable.