Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2016 Draft Almanac

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king rising

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Jul 20, 2016
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KM, what are your early impressions of Tarryn Thomas (2018 North Melb academy prospect) from Tasmania?
At this early stage, where does he fit in in terms of draft range, what position, strengths etc.
Cheers.
 
Sep 22, 2010
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Rolls seems to have fallen off the radar. No combine invite and I noticed not taken in the BF phantom. Still a rookie chance?

State screening invite only for Rolls.

Looks most likely a rookie if picked.

Hi Knightmare - can you rank your top 20 prospects this year against the top 20 from the two prior years (ie. 60 total)? Apologies if you have already done this, and nevermind if the task is too onerous.

Cheers

Short on time at the moment. At the end of the AFL season ask me again and I'll give it a crack and find the time.

Knightmare - Who are some players who have taken off since the champs ?

Cedric cox .... ? Any other late moves ?

Luke Ryan from the VFL has been the big mover.

Berry and Cox are two who are making a late push.

Griffin Logue and Shai Bolton also continue to improve their draft prospects.
 
Sep 22, 2010
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KM, what are your early impressions of Tarryn Thomas (2018 North Melb academy prospect) from Tasmania?
At this early stage, where does he fit in in terms of draft range, what position, strengths etc.
Cheers.

Excellent runner who looks good half back/wing. Very explosive but light bodied.

Not over the 2018 talent yet but Thomas based on the signs shown during the Under-18 Championships has the scope to push for a top 10 position in 2018.
 

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King Kunta

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Jun 30, 2015
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Hi KM,
Do GWS need all 3 first round picks to secure their academy kids? I wouldn't be surprised to see Melbourne try to trade back into the first round this year. I wonder if the Giants would consider trading one of their late first round picks for our 2017 first.
More to the point, if we were to find ourselves in the first round this year (roughly around that pick 14-15 mark) who do you think we would target?
Thanks in advance.
 
Jun 13, 2016
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Knightmare, at this stage it looks like the bombers will want to use a late pick to re-take top-up player Matt Dea.
If he states that he wants to play for the bombers, is there a strong etiquette that other clubs leave him to go through? Are there precedences to suggest otherwise?
 
Aug 16, 2010
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Knightmare, at this stage it looks like the bombers will want to use a late pick to re-take top-up player Matt Dea.
If he states that he wants to play for the bombers, is there a strong etiquette that other clubs leave him to go through? Are there precedences to suggest otherwise?
He can not nominate for the Draft and Essendon can take him as a free agent I'm pretty sure
 
Sep 22, 2010
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How would the likes of McCluggage, Ainsworth, Perryman, Brodie etc stack up agains the past 2 or 3 years accounting only for draft year performances? Is there a power rankings for such a thing somewhere? Thanks.

I'm not sure I have made anything along those lines. If I did it would have been some time ago on here.

McCluggage is this years best performed for mine and would of the recent mids probably be the best performed when considering not only disposals per game but also constructiveness of disposal and scoreboard impact.

With Brodie it is more difficult to assess his performance from the standpoint that he has been only good in the TAC Cup, but then terrific v VFL competition and almost as good during the U18 champs. He'd be in the same conversation with Mills, Hopper, Oliver, Petracca and Parish as midfielders and you could list that group in any order depending on what you value.

Hi KM,
Do GWS need all 3 first round picks to secure their academy kids? I wouldn't be surprised to see Melbourne try to trade back into the first round this year. I wonder if the Giants would consider trading one of their late first round picks for our 2017 first.
More to the point, if we were to find ourselves in the first round this year (roughly around that pick 14-15 mark) who do you think we would target?
Thanks in advance.

GWS could move one of those picks pretty easily for a 2017 pick if it's the right deal. They'll top up on late picks to make up some of those points. Two first round picks will be plenty it appears.

Around 14-15 Daniel Venables if there, Tim Taranto and Jordan Gallucci could be among those names in the discussion.

Knightmare, at this stage it looks like the bombers will want to use a late pick to re-take top-up player Matt Dea.
If he states that he wants to play for the bombers, is there a strong etiquette that other clubs leave him to go through? Are there precedences to suggest otherwise?

He'll enter the draft and be anyone's for the taking.

As a top up player Essendon don't have the rights to Dea.
 

bmaurizio

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Hi KM, firstly thank you for the great passion and effort you out into your responses, much appreciated.
The 2016 draft quasi here so whom will the Baggers choose at pick 4 ?
I'd be estatic if SPS was called out on the night do you reckon he'll last untill then? One can always dream. Thanks
 
Apr 10, 2015
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Hey KM if you had to compare Brodie and McCluggage game styles to the Parish/Hopper/Mills/Petracca (big named mids of previous drafts) who would compare each to?

Is McCluggage a Petracca type who loves to boot the goals?

Is Brodie a Hopper x Parish?

Obviously there stature and body shapes are different as neither McCluggage or Brodie built like a Hopper or Petracca
 
Sep 22, 2010
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Any TAC Cup Updates Knightmare?

Weekly wrap is up now (link in next post).

Hi KM, firstly thank you for the great passion and effort you out into your responses, much appreciated.
The 2016 draft quasi here so whom will the Baggers choose at pick 4 ?
I'd be estatic if SPS was called out on the night do you reckon he'll last untill then? One can always dream. Thanks

If Carlton have pick four probably the leftover of: Brodie, McCluggage, SPS and Ben Ainsworth.

If picks remain as they are likely that would be Ainsworth.

In talking to other junior talent watchers however there is expected to be movement inside the top 10 and potentially inside that top 4. So things remain very open.

SPS if Freo are picking early may take him, if they trade that pick eg. in a move for Rory Lobb and Cam McCarthy as an example, then there is a greater likelihood that SPS is there at 4.

Still early days.

Hey KM if you had to compare Brodie and McCluggage game styles to the Parish/Hopper/Mills/Petracca (big named mids of previous drafts) who would compare each to?

Is McCluggage a Petracca type who loves to boot the goals?

Is Brodie a Hopper x Parish?

Obviously there stature and body shapes are different as neither McCluggage or Brodie built like a Hopper or Petracca

If talking last 2-3 years early draft, Brodie to Bontempelli (although not as good as Bontempelli with his skills and impact not as high) and McCluggage to Parish (with McCluggage the better of the two as the better accumulator and higher impact player).

Petracca compared to McCluggage is physically the much more powerful player whereas McCluggage is very light bodied. Positionally though McCluggage is more Petracca as someone who will play both forward and midfield, rather than just midfield.
 
Sep 22, 2010
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Lana

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Any there any decent athletic undersized ruckmen that a brave club might be able to turn into a KPF available later in the draft?
 
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adsla69k

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Any there any decent athletic undersized ruckmen that a brave club might be able to turn into a KPF available in the later in the draft?
Big Sean Darcy might be the next Scott Cummings lol.

Hey KM,

2 quick questions -
Do you think the Draft Combine will affect the top 10 this year? Another Stephen Hill type jump up into contention?

2nd - I can see Brodie being useful straight away but McCluggage and Marshall look to me they may struggle to see game time because they need to fill out. Maybe McCluggage sees some half forward action but his frame looks not far off Elliott Kavanagh's lol. How do you think the 3 lads will fare in their 1st season in the AFL.

Cheers and thanks for your time and effort!
 

Bicks

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Excellence

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Sep 22, 2010
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G'day Knightmare
Who do you reckon are the best kicks in this draft?

Hugh McCluggage - finding i50 targets and finishing both from set shots and from general play from the boundary or anywhere inside 50, he is a genuine sharp shooter.
Jy Simpkin - like McCluggage terrific at hitting those inside 50m targets and can also finish.
Will Setterfield, Jordan Gallucci and Tim Taranto as those kicks i50 are all terrific.
Setting up off half back Jack Scrimshaw, Alex Witherden, Luke Ryan and Jacob Allison wherever he sets up are good finding long targets up the field.

Any there any decent athletic undersized ruckmen that a brave club might be able to turn into a KPF available later in the draft?

Esava Ratugolea. With a glut of talented key forwards on that Murray team, Ratugolea while he still gets his forward minutes has played a lot of ruck of late.

He is not tall enough to play ruck, but as a forward having had his 8 goal game earlier this season up forward. He has the talent and is one of those guys with the physical attributes but also the real hunger for the footy and from what I have been told from my contact from Murray he also has the work ethic to go with it.

Big Sean Darcy might be the next Scott Cummings lol.

Hey KM,

2 quick questions -
Do you think the Draft Combine will affect the top 10 this year? Another Stephen Hill type jump up into contention?

2nd - I can see Brodie being useful straight away but McCluggage and Marshall look to me they may struggle to see game time because they need to fill out. Maybe McCluggage sees some half forward action but his frame looks not far off Elliott Kavanagh's lol. How do you think the 3 lads will fare in their 1st season in the AFL.

Cheers and thanks for your time and effort!

There always seems to be some riser during the draft combine. I don't see any Stephen Hill level extreme jumps, but it might push someone who otherwise wouldn't get drafted into the draft somewhere, or push someone up from the second round or the first round, or up from one of the later rounds in the draft.
It might not be all down to testing, with the interview process, while clubs have spoken to them, their families, teachers, coaches etc during the year, those elements watching them mix with others etc may also play a role in the rise/fall of some - though likely again more so the more marginal prospects.

Brodie I agree probably has the most immediate impact as he is a taller, more contested style of player.

In saying that McCluggage can play and play well from season one. He'll probably start on a forward flank at AFL level. Though I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing, because he'll still find a lot of the footy and use it well, set up players inside 50m and kick goals himself. Kavanagh doesn't have McCluggage's skills, and McCluggage didn't have a preseason. So I'm expecting unlike with Kavanagh, continued rapid improvement from McCluggage over the next few seasons until stardom.

Dandy Stingrays's Mitch McCarthy, great leap, athletic, good skills.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/...k=1a92bda980b1450011a27ba01e9a98a0-1471531085

McCarthy is a draft chance. Good athlete with height. Developable player in a draft lean on top quality talls. He reminds me somewhat of Corey Gault at that tall, athletic type who can take a grab.

He has played mostly ruck for Dandenong and isn't tall enough to play that at AFL level. Will he be a relieving ruck who mostly plays forward? A key defender? With an unclear best position he is probably someone I'd let another club draft. But that isn't to say that he isn't worth a club taking a shot on somewhere late/rookie.
 

CRIPPA9

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Hi KM, do you see Andrew McGrath being a good pickup for Carlton with our first pick? I LOVE his dash and run and carry, and I reckon he will eventually move into the midfield. He also possesses great leadership skills.

Do you agree?

Hopefully we can also trade for another pick inside the top 8, and pick a midfielder.

Cheers:)
 
Sep 22, 2010
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Where do you have Jack Maibaum?
Very underrated carnival, despite being AA.

On my personal draft board outside the top 50.

Clubs may well disagree with me here on Maibaum however.

A lot of people liked his work during the U18 Championships. I've just more generally felt underwhelmed by this years key position players and more specifically this years key defenders.

Maibaum isn't a dominant 1v1 mark or rebounder more generally. Not extremely tall at 193cm.

Harrison Macreadie and Brennan Cox I slightly favour, but even they don't have me convinced.

Hi KM, do you see Andrew McGrath being a good pickup for Carlton with our first pick? I LOVE his dash and run and carry, and I reckon he will eventually move into the midfield. He also possesses great leadership skills.

Do you agree?

Hopefully we can also trade for another pick inside the top 8, and pick a midfielder.

Cheers:)

McGrath is a worthwhile consideration for Carlton on quality of play, but from a list needs perspective I don't see him as being such a great fit compared to some others with other list needs needing filling before another probable backman (who may later on become more a midfield at AFL level) will be.

In saying that my view of the draft is go for the best guy there. So I'd have no issue with Carlton sharing that view if other list needs are filled during trade week and remaining list needs are planned to be filled during the rookie draft.
 
Dec 10, 2003
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On my personal draft board outside the top 50.

A lot of people liked his work during the U18 Championships. I've just more generally felt underwhelmed by this years key position players and more specifically this years key defenders.

Maibaum isn't a dominant 1v1 mark or rebounder more generally. Not extremely tall at 193cm.

Harrison Macreadie and Brennan Cox I slightly favour, but even they don't have me convinced.

Any comment on Ryan GARTHWAITE.
 
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On my personal draft board outside the top 50.

Clubs may well disagree with me here on Maibaum however.

A lot of people liked his work during the U18 Championships. I've just more generally felt underwhelmed by this years key position players and more specifically this years key defenders.

Maibaum isn't a dominant 1v1 mark or rebounder more generally. Not extremely tall at 193cm.

Harrison Macreadie and Brennan Cox I slightly favour, but even they don't have me convinced.
What's your thoughts on Griffin Logue, if that's the case?
 
Sep 22, 2010
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Any comment on Ryan GARTHWAITE.

Can intercept but for me more a medium tall than key defender at AFL level. Only 192cm and not a physical beast who dominates in the 1v1 contests, so I wouldn't consider him all that closely to fill a key defence post.

What's your thoughts on Griffin Logue, if that's the case?

Athletic and strong bodied. Showing promise at WAFL League level.

Logue I look at as a chance to develop as a key defender but not a sure thing.

Given the seeming interest in my view of the key defenders in this draft I'd rate a top five of (none of whom I view as certainties):
1. Macreadie
2. Logue
3. B.Cox
4. D.Watson (Bris Academy)
5. Sproule (while more a key forward currently given his endurance and height may be able to make the transition. Has in recent weeks for Murray played back)

Other names such as Rotham as one example I view more as a general backman.
 
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