Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2014 Phantom Draft

[RGpies]

McLaren is more an undersized ruckman who can as required play back but he at this stage isn't an established key defender and has had little exposure at the position. He is a nice height, size, good mark and mobile enough so the hope would be that he makes the transition into the back half over time.

Ramsay can play some key defence. He is a versatile, skilled type and a competitor. Not tall and not a freak athlete.

Beasley is a short key defender at only 190cm and is an overager but he is a very well performed key defender. Excellent stopper and capable rebounder.



It's a question I have been pondering for a good week now and I don't have an answer for you as to who the Pies take at 5. I don't even know who I would pick at that stage. It's just a really unappealing selection to and one I'd rather not have in an awkward position in the draft, particularly for a team not needing further key defenders.

Petracca, Brayshaw and McCartin will be gone by pick five and then one other to be determined. Wright if there while I'd pick him I don't see him as a certainty as the Pies have Grundy and Witts as the long term ruck combination and Moore, Cloke and Reid as key forwards who they're happy with. The key defenders I generally rate among those next few in Durdin, Goddard and Lever but the Pies have more than enough key defenders with Frost, Keeffe and Brown all AFL quality and Reid and Moore both able to shift back. Perhaps they look at a Pickett, Weller or Laverde who logical fits for the team given the clubs relative lack of outside types but the value is iffy with those more guys it would really be at the very top end of where they could land.

In any scenario the Pies get that pick 5 from Brisbane I would be looking to trade down the draft a few spots and get a useful player in addition to a lower first round pick. I'd move pick 5 to Carlton for pick 7 and Jeff Garlett if they wanted to move up a few spots. Or perhaps Geelong would move pick 14, Varcoe and upgrade one of Collingwood's later picks for pick 5. Or North Melbourne with pick 16 and Greenwood for pick 5. Something along those lines would be what I would be exploring as other clubs could benefit more from having pick 5 than Collingwood. Just depends entirely on whether there are any takers.

So your a fan of varcoe knightmare? Im seeing a lot of uncalled for hate on him, but a good list fit for the pies I would think?

 

[Knightmare]

So your a fan of varcoe knightmare? Im seeing a lot of uncalled for hate on him, but a good list fit for the pies I would think?

I'm fine with Varcoe. I wouldn't overspend to get him but with Lumumba going another linebreaker is a need and Varcoe while not terrific is good enough and a sure best 22 player if healthy.

 

[DarlinCatchemnt]

McLaren is more an undersized ruckman who can as required play back but he at this stage isn't an established key defender and has had little exposure at the position. He is a nice height, size, good mark and mobile enough so the hope would be that he makes the transition into the back half over time.

Ramsay can play some key defence. He is a versatile, skilled type and a competitor. Not tall and not a freak athlete.

Beasley is a short key defender at only 190cm and is an overager but he is a very well performed key defender. Excellent stopper and capable rebounder.



It's a question I have been pondering for a good week now and I don't have an answer for you as to who the Pies take at 5. I don't even know who I would pick at that stage. It's just a really unappealing selection to and one I'd rather not have in an awkward position in the draft, particularly for a team not needing further key defenders.

Petracca, Brayshaw and McCartin will be gone by pick five and then one other to be determined. Wright if there while I'd pick him I don't see him as a certainty as the Pies have Grundy and Witts as the long term ruck combination and Moore, Cloke and Reid as key forwards who they're happy with. The key defenders I generally rate among those next few in Durdin, Goddard and Lever but the Pies have more than enough key defenders with Frost, Keeffe and Brown all AFL quality and Reid and Moore both able to shift back. Perhaps they look at a Pickett, Weller or Laverde who logical fits for the team given the clubs relative lack of outside types but the value is iffy with those more guys it would really be at the very top end of where they could land.

In any scenario the Pies get that pick 5 from Brisbane I would be looking to trade down the draft a few spots and get a useful player in addition to a lower first round pick. I'd move pick 5 to Carlton for pick 7 and Jeff Garlett if they wanted to move up a few spots. Or perhaps Geelong would move pick 14, Varcoe and upgrade one of Collingwood's later picks for pick 5. Or North Melbourne with pick 16 and Greenwood for pick 5. Something along those lines would be what I would be exploring as other clubs could benefit more from having pick 5 than Collingwood. Just depends entirely on whether there are any takers.

Very true. #5 isn't particularly desirable to anyone (relatively), but yes if you don't want a tall, it's even less so. You make a compelling argument for not needing a KD too, which puts me off the Lever idea.

 

[Bicks]

KM the new Adelaide coach Phil Walsh said The Crows need more good left footers, quoting the Hawks as an example, who in your opinion are the "better" left footers in this years draft?? Liam Duggan looks very good on his highlights reel??

 

[Knightmare]

KM the new Adelaide coach Phil Walsh said The Crows need more good left footers, quoting the Hawks as an example, who in your opinion are the "better" left footers in this years draft?? Liam Duggan looks very good on his highlights reel??

Left footers eh?

Goddard is a lefty. Duggan is good. Corey Ellis is a lefty. There are others.

If looking for a left foot kicking specialist Lukas Webb and Garrett McDonagh as rookies are some guys to look at. Both are long kickers who can really roost it but also hit their targets over distance.

 

[sonnyboy123]

Hey knighta, just with the hawks looking at o'rouke to trade in this year, where would you see him going in this draft ? Is he worth giving up pick 19 for or are there better options in this coming crop? Thanks in advance

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Left footers eh?

Goddard is a lefty. Duggan is good. Corey Ellis is a lefty. There are others.

If looking for a left foot kicking specialist Lukas Webb and Garrett McDonagh as rookies are some guys to look at. Both are long kickers who can really roost it but also hit their targets over distance.

No love for Harrison Wigg? His stocks rose quite significantly after the Champs, but he seems to have been drifting recently.

 

[Knightmare]

Hey knighta, just with the hawks looking at o'rouke to trade in this year, where would you see him going in this draft ? Is he worth giving up pick 19 for or are there better options in this coming crop? Thanks in advance

O'Rourke is worth significantly more than pick 19. If Hawthorn get that deal done, that's yet another winning trade by Hawthorn in as many years.

O'Rourke is worth and would go somewhere around pick 10 if in this draft as he was in his draft year.

No love for Harrison Wigg? His stocks rose quite significantly after the Champs, but he seems to have been drifting recently.

Wigg is productive and efficient but low impact. There are others I favour. Daniel McKenzie as an example off a back flank is a much better rounded footballer as a more damaging kick with better athleticism and ability to take on the game and beat his man.

 

[roo9699]

Hey Knighta,
Love this thread best of all phantom draft threads on BF.
2 part Question ....
Do you think North with 16 go for a quick mid ie:Connar Menedue (or is he too low at 16?)
Or KPP ? They do need one particularly at defender but at 16 I feel Marchbank & Goddard will be gone.

And my 2nd question ....
Of the 100 odd that attended last weeks combine how many or what % usually get drafted from that ?

 

[Knightmare]

Hey Knighta,
Love this thread best of all phantom draft threads on BF.
2 part Question ....
Do you think North with 16 go for a quick mid ie:Connar Menedue (or is he too low at 16?)
Or KPP ? They do need one particularly at defender but at 16 I feel Marchbank & Goddard will be gone.

And my 2nd question ....
Of the 100 odd that attended last weeks combine how many or what % usually get drafted from that ?

Q1. I imagine the better KPPs are gone by North Melbourne's selection and certainly the better key forwards so there might not be a choice there. De Goey, Ahern, Cockatoo, Lamb, Landford, Duggan, Vickers-Willis and Menadue are the types I imagine would be on North Melbourne's shortlist and make the most sense. A key defender such as Marchbank or Goddard is plausible and it depends on whether North want a long term player but North seem to be in win now mode given the list additions of Higgins and Waite so I'd expect North stay away from the talls in the first round.

Q2. Roughly 60% make it onto AFL senior lists. Another 20% onto rookie lists.

 

[Derrick45]

Knightmare,

There's a few rumours doing the rounds the Melbourne are into Jake Lever, with the hope of turning him into a midfielder down the track.

Do you see this as plausible?

 

[HawkintheTuarts]

Collywobble list question for you KM, will they try and fill their list this year with 3 live picks or happy with just 2 and get an extra rookie again?

 

[Prochard123]

I was talking to Hugh Goddard at school
Today and he told me that he's been contacted by the bulldogs very frequently, any chance he can be drafted at pick 6?

 

[Godogs247]

Knightmare now what goes down

1.Petracca-st kilda
2.Brayshaw-Melb
3.Lever-Melb
4.McCardin-Bulldogs
5.Laverdue-Bris
6.Wright-Bulldogs
7.Durdin-Bulldogs

Pick 26 Menadue-Bulldogs
pick 27 Lamb-Bulldogs

That would give the bulldogs a spine in one draft??

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Melbourne aren't taking a defender at #3. Would be madness.

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare,

There's a few rumours doing the rounds the Melbourne are into Jake Lever, with the hope of turning him into a midfielder down the track.

Do you see this as plausible?

Not out of the question with Lever as he is skilled and mobile enough but I'd be inclined to use him as a key defender.

Collywobble list question for you KM, will they try and fill their list this year with 3 live picks or happy with just 2 and get an extra rookie again?

How many picks Collingwood use will depend on what picks they end up with, which is far from confirmed. I'd say it's up in the air until the end of the trade period but I suspect Collingwood will be leaning towards limiting the number of picks used this year given it's not a super deep draft and they've got more than enough youth as is.

Collingwood may even just keep things flexible planning for 38 senior list positions to be used and then from the 3rd round on draft day determine from there whether keen on the guys available and choose either to pick someone or wait for the rookie draft.

I was talking to Hugh Goddard at school
Today and he told me that he's been contacted by the bulldogs very frequently, any chance he can be drafted at pick 6?

WBD will be doing their due diligence and no doubt talking to a number of players they expect to be available at their pick to help them in making a definite decision on who places where on their draft board.

Assuming Wright doesn't slide through to the Dogs it's entirely possible Goddard is a backup plan or along with Lever and Durdin in the mix.

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare now what goes down

1.Petracca-st kilda
2.Brayshaw-Melb
3.Lever-Melb
4.McCardin-Bulldogs
5.Laverdue-Bris
6.Wright-Bulldogs
7.Durdin-Bulldogs

Pick 26 Menadue-Bulldogs
pick 27 Lamb-Bulldogs

That would give the bulldogs a spine in one draft??

It's optimistic thinking that the Dogs even with that set of selections that WBD could get that set of players. McCartin still more likely than not goes at 3, Wright more likely than not also goes at 4/5. But it is still plausible.

Menadue and particularly Lamb would also be surprising to see slide into the 20s.

 

[kaistar]

Knight besides Petracca and Brayshaw:
Out of these mids what is your order of most highly rated?

Weller
Pickett
Ahern
De goey
Laverde
Lamb
Blakley
Duggan
Ellis

 

[V9x18]

Seeing as we're not allowed to trade players or sign free agents, are there any rookie KPDs that would be AFL ready?

 

[Knightmare]

Knight besides Petracca and Brayshaw:
Out of these mids what is your order of most highly rated?

Weller
Pickett
Ahern
De goey
Laverde
Lamb
Blakley
Duggan
Ellis

I'll even just go none key position players for you.

Pickett, Weller, Langford (more a flanker), Laverde (also more a flanker at this stage), Menadue, De Goey, Bampton, T.McLean (more a forward though capable mid), Garlett, Blakely, Neal-Bullen, Gore, C.Daniel, Cockatoo, Duggan, Ahern, Vickers-Willis, Lamb, C.Smith (doesn't have the tank to play midfield), D.McKenzie (more a back flanker), Cavka and so on. I will continue to make some changes to this order but that's roughly what I'll stick with.

Seeing as we're not allowed to trade players or sign free agents, are there any rookie KPDs that would be AFL ready?

He is a bit older but Michael Hartley as a stopper is an immediate guy. Matthew Sully also probably could as someone who also has had a few years in the VFL.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Seeing as we're not allowed to trade players or sign free agents, are there any rookie KPDs that would be AFL ready?

Seems a bit weird really. Does it include delisted free agents? James Gwilt is not quite a Key defender, but he could be handy.

 

[x_les_x]

hey KM how far do you think cavka can go as a tagger? Also could you give me more information on him in terms of how fast he is and what is his preferred foot?

 

[DarlinCatchemnt]

I'll even just go none key position players for you.

Pickett, Weller, Langford (more a flanker), Laverde (also more a flanker at this stage), Menadue, De Goey, Bampton, T.McLean (more a forward though capable mid), Garlett, Blakely, Neal-Bullen, Gore, C.Daniel, Cockatoo, Duggan, Ahern, Vickers-Willis, Lamb, C.Smith (doesn't have the tank to play midfield), D.McKenzie (more a back flanker), Cavka and so on. I will continue to make some changes to this order but that's roughly what I'll stick with.



He is a bit older but Michael Hartley as a stopper is an immediate guy. Matthew Sully also probably could as someone who also has had a few years in the VFL.

Gee the ranking of mids/smalls looks pretty out-there. Just your opinion I know, but Ahern is especially low for what I've seen of him, and of course what the media is saying. Could he really be behind Neal-Bullen, Daniel, McLean, Gore etc? I'd have put him right up the list. He reminds me of one of our boys, Luke Shuey, and I'd be pretty happy with him landing at the Eagles this year.

 

[Knightmare]

hey KM how far do you think cavka can go as a tagger? Also could you give me more information on him in terms of how fast he is and what is his preferred foot?

Cavka can run all day but I wouldn't be claiming he becomes a tagger. Not overly quick. A slightly below average kick as a low damage guy who could be more efficient for an outisde type - I'm assuming a right footer - to be honest I mostly only take note if guys are clearly showing they're two sided or can really do some damage by foot which isn't Cavka. Only an average contested ball winner and more outside. If I want a tagger I want someone who has elite endurance, a strength superiority and a contested ball winning superiority. Other than the endurance he doesn't tick the other boxes to the level he needs to.

Gee the ranking of mids/smalls looks pretty out-there. Just your opinion I know, but Ahern is especially low for what I've seen of him, and of course what the media is saying. Could he really be behind Neal-Bullen, Daniel, McLean, Gore etc? I'd have put him right up the list. He reminds me of one of our boys, Luke Shuey, and I'd be pretty happy with him landing at the Eagles this year.

Ahern and Duggan are two I'm considering moving up but not to the level the media have them. It's more just that group is fairly even and the others I'm more bullish about at this stage.

Neal-Bullen and Gore are better performed and have played and played well at SANFL League level. McLean B.O.G. in the grand final and terrifically strong production through the season. Daniel also again has played terrifically well through the SANFL at League level and his disposal efficiency through the u18 champs was over 90%. So while the media don't tend to rate these guys as highly as I have them, they're guys I feel strongly about based on performance and feel are being wrongly underrated.

Ahern in comparison while he particularly through the u18 champs in a few of those games looked terrific he is very much up and down and his impact isn't usually dominant on that level.

Seems a bit weird really. Does it include delisted free agents? James Gwilt is not quite a Key defender, but he could be handy.

Sydney can add delisted free agents under the rules outlined by the AFL. So Gwilt is an option but Sydney are looking more for longer term guys. Nonetheless Gwilt as depth at least would be handy. I just see it as minimal list changes and limited draft selections and nothing more than that with Sydney's list strong and deep as is.

 

[grundog49]

What sort of player comparison do you have for Damien Cavka