Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2018 AFL Draft Almanac

[Knightmare]

I hope they copy SANFL and stream it.

If they want to generate awareness/hype around their prospects. Streaming the games online is what they should be doing.

 

[Knightmare]

June Power Rankings: http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...jack-lukosius-reigns-supreme-new-faces-emerge

One 'name' player completely drops out and a few new names work their way onto my draft board.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

June Power Rankings: http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...jack-lukosius-reigns-supreme-new-faces-emerge

One 'name' player completely drops out and a few new names work their way onto my draft board.

So what's the reason behind Hill dropping so far?

 

[Knightmare]

So what's the reason behind Hill dropping so far?

Short, waits on the outside to receive rather than going in and winning it himself and not looking any better than he did this time last year.

Not a formula for success.

He has attributes and can do great damage - having the speed and ball use.

Ultimately, I'm looking at him as something like a shorter Jason Johannisen.

He's worth taking a chance on second round onwards, but I wouldn't be taking him inside the first round.

 

[db26]

Gday Knightmare.Zac Knights father and son for tigers playing for falcons good to see how he develops this year.

The boys eligible from our zone Kobe Brown and Kyle Clark look interesting prospects.Moi Moi has playing well to.

 

[Chris25]

So it’s a pretty weak draft?

Must be if Tom Sparrow has entered your top 20 after seeing just one game. A game in which he only played well for a half.

 

[Bicks]

So it’s a pretty weak draft?

Must be if Tom Sparrow has entered your top 20 after seeing just one game. A game in which he only played well for a half.

Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Knightmare but that really blew me away. I've got a couple of my oldest mates that follow the Panthers over there and they don't even think Tom Sparrow's the best prospect from the Panthers this year, they rate Hayden Sampson their best prospect?

 

[Knightmare]

Gday Knightmare.Zac Knights father and son for tigers playing for falcons good to see how he develops this year.

The boys eligible from our zone Kobe Brown and Kyle Clark look interesting prospects.Moi Moi has playing well to.

Knights - overager for Geelong Falcons. Only the one game with 11 disposals. Is believed to have improved a lot over the past year, but he needs to start putting the performances on the field in the TAC Cup before he's even talked up as a VFL prospect.

Of those others. Clarke has shown glimpses. Moi Moi is a bit further off, and Brown is another year away from being eligible.

So it’s a pretty weak draft?

Must be if Tom Sparrow has entered your top 20 after seeing just one game. A game in which he only played well for a half.

I'm very comfortable with the strength certainly in the top half of the draft. After that, I'm still seeing a number of others I'm really liking a lot that others may not rate as highly. There were another five I desperately wanted to include.

As for Sparrow, he looked flat out special in the first half last week. He looks like a better Brandon Starcevich to compare him to a first rounder from last years draft. That acceleration, sidestep, serious ball winning power and ability to break through tackles. High % contested ball winning. Winning clearances. Tackling. The attributes are there.

Maybe my mind changes with more games, but that first half blew me away.

He was best on ground to half time, in a game that featured Lukosius doing his thing. Sparrow's impact per possession was on that level. The young man has my full and undivided attention.

 

[Knightmare]

Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Knightmare but that really blew me away. I've got a couple of my oldest mates that follow the Panthers over there and they don't even think Tom Sparrow's the best prospect from the Panthers this year, they rate Hayden Sampson their best prospect?

Sparrow is one worth asking me about in another months time. Seeing more games, I'll have a much stronger opinion of him then.

Maybe as with Crossley last year and Ronke in 2016, he might be a Knightmare special. Or he may be one who drops to more like 40/50 if it turns out that play v WA was not what he normally shows.

 

[gillo94]

Pick 1 this year is more valuable than in years past.

It's also a year you're be crazy to trade the top pick (and not take Lukosius) and likely in the future get denigrated for the move of. If you have two key forwards already, use him as Adelaide use Tom Lynch.

If that club with the top pick does move it, you have to look at which club needs it most and has the most to offer.

For a Lukosius he probably develops more rapidly and becomes a better player long term if he joins a club with more veterans and more experience, because he'll have guys to learn off v a young team where he doesn't - as per past early picks.

Who needs that key forward? Collingwood and Geelong more than most but cases could be made for any club.

What should they give up? What is roughly the value?

Collingwood should be willing to offer one of Moore/De Goey, a first round choice and a second round choice.

Geelong don't really have enough good players in the right age group, but they should be willing to give up a first round pick, Duncan and Cockatoo.

Even with those offers I wouldn't be accepting if I can get Lukosius, but that is around what the expected worth would be.

Knightmare how would Lukosius fit in at Blues in your opinion, do you think we should trade pick 1 and get a package deal or keep Pick 1 if we get it.

I was reading Ben Silvagni will be playing for Metro as starting fullback, you think will be good bargain as down back we are lacking real presence and could use talls.

 

[Turbocat]

Knightmare how would Lukosius fit in at Blues in your opinion, do you think we should trade pick 1 and get a package deal or keep Pick 1 if we get it.

I was reading Ben Silvagni will be playing for Metro as starting fullback, you think will be good bargain as down back we are lacking real presence and could use talls.

I think you guys are in a good space to judge that ... have you been happy having Gibbs for all those years ... or what about of he was Riewoldt.. of course he may be Jack Watts.. I reckon his kicking reminds me of him.

 

[gillo94]

I think you guys are in a good space to judge that ... have you been happy having Gibbs for all those years ... or what about of he was Riewoldt.. of course he may be Jack Watts.. I reckon his kicking reminds me of him.

Gibbs was good for Blues, look at the impact him leaving us.

Haven’t seen much of Lukosius or Ben Silvagni to make a judgement. Lukosius might not even in the top 10 talk in few months, who knows.

 

[Turbocat]

Gibbs was good for Blues, look at the impact him leaving us.

Haven’t seen much of Lukosius or Ben Silvagni to make a judgement. Lukosius might not even in the top 10 talk in few months, who knows.

Id take that bet. Something would have to go terribly wrong for him not to go top10. Scandal of some sort. The only thing id think you would have to worry about is it a far more fluid market these days... and from day one..both SA sides will be into him.

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare how would Lukosius fit in at Blues in your opinion, do you think we should trade pick 1 and get a package deal or keep Pick 1 if we get it.

I was reading Ben Silvagni will be playing for Metro as starting fullback, you think will be good bargain as down back we are lacking real presence and could use talls.

Lukosius can do anything and is very easy to accommodate. With his endurance and skills, he's not someone who makes you too tall, in the same way Adelaide have no issue playing Tom Lynch alongside Walker/Jenkins/Fogarty. Carlton can still play however many key forwards they want alongside Lukosius and it doesn't matter.

Given this and the incredible footballer he projects to become, he's a keeper.

Silvagni as a key defender may be a good move. As a forward while he presents up strongly at the footy and can take a grab, he doesn't have that something special/point of difference or provide that scoreboard impact to inspire confidence in me that he makes it as a key forward. Being that strong mark with good size (and still being sufficiently mobile), key defence I think should be a natural fit. Whether that's something Carlton need more of, that's a judgement call.

 

[Bicks]

Knightmare how would Lukosius fit in at Blues in your opinion, do you think we should trade pick 1 and get a package deal or keep Pick 1 if we get it.

I was reading Ben Silvagni will be playing for Metro as starting fullback, you think will be good bargain as down back we are lacking real presence and could use talls.

We'll take Weitering and Marchbank off your hands if you reckon they lack "presence" ?

 

[Cleric]

We'll take Weitering and Marchbank off your hands if you reckon they lack "presence" ?

The regression of Weitering since his first season has been telling. He needs to get out of Carlton and get a fresh start somewhere else.

 

[gillo94]

We'll take Weitering and Marchbank off your hands if you reckon they lack "presence" ?

Hey troll.

When’s the last time Marchbank played? Weitering has missed quite abit of football to this season.

 

[Bicks]

Hey troll.

When’s the last time Marchbank played? Weitering has missed quite abit of football to this season.

Weitering missed quite a bit of football this season?
6 AFL games
4 VFL games

That's 1 week by my reckoning.

 

[gillo94]

Weitering missed quite a bit of football this season?
6 AFL games
4 VFL games

That's 1 week by my reckoning.

Well Blues still need talls down back. Missing our B&F Docherty hasn’t helped us either. Yes our defence would look nicer if Jacob, Caleb & Sam where in the team together but injuries haven’t helped.

 

[Chris25]

Yeah, I have a lot of respect for Knightmare but that really blew me away. I've got a couple of my oldest mates that follow the Panthers over there and they don't even think Tom Sparrow's the best prospect from the Panthers this year, they rate Hayden Sampson their best prospect?

I like Tom Sparrow as a player. Just a strange call to make, saying he’s the 19th best prospect in the draft on the back of having seen just one game. Especially given Luke Valente had the better match.

I know a few people are quite bullish about Hayden Sampson. I expect he’ll be higher on the professionals boards than what some may realise at the moment.

 

[Knightmare]

I like Tom Sparrow as a player. Just a strange call to make, saying he’s the 19th best prospect in the draft on the back of having seen just one game. Especially given Luke Valente had the better match.

I know a few people are quite bullish about Hayden Sampson. I expect he’ll be higher on the professionals boards than what some may realise at the moment.

Valente I've had 20-25 since the start of the year on my draft board. He's impressive. Big time ball winner, does all the contested stuff and has the skills to go with it. He's right there.

Sparrow based off that viewing was even more powerful in contested situations and had much greater explosiveness, agility and power. He's fascinating not because of who he is now, but based on who he can become in the future given those strengths that really popped out at me v WA.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Hey #knightmare what’s your thoughts on Sydney Stack?

 

[Knightmare]

Hey #knightmare what’s your thoughts on Sydney Stack?

Plays an instinctive game, good skills, quick, agile, brings great pressure around the ground. He has something.

Very draftable mid-draft.

 

[footylover18]

Lukosius can do anything and is very easy to accommodate. With his endurance and skills, he's not someone who makes you too tall, in the same way Adelaide have no issue playing Tom Lynch alongside Walker/Jenkins/Fogarty. Carlton can still play however many key forwards they want alongside Lukosius and it doesn't matter.

Given this and the incredible footballer he projects to become, he's a keeper.

.

I think it's pretty easy to see the special sort of player that Lukosius could become. I think with these kids we usually just look to their best case scenario, i think i have a pretty good comp for what Lukosius' floor could be.

I think at the very minimum Lukosius becomes a Justin Westhoff type player. ie, not a strong key position forward, never really fills out to be a strong body to be able to able to dominate a contest but is able to use his running ability and length to do very well around the ground. Can still be used up forward and also as a spare in defence if needed.

If i'm correct and that's his floor, then we have a very special player about to enter the AFL

 

[gillo94]

Lukosius can do anything and is very easy to accommodate. With his endurance and skills, he's not someone who makes you too tall, in the same way Adelaide have no issue playing Tom Lynch alongside Walker/Jenkins/Fogarty. Carlton can still play however many key forwards they want alongside Lukosius and it doesn't matter.

Given this and the incredible footballer he projects to become, he's a keeper.

Silvagni as a key defender may be a good move. As a forward while he presents up strongly at the footy and can take a grab, he doesn't have that something special/point of difference or provide that scoreboard impact to inspire confidence in me that he makes it as a key forward. Being that strong mark with good size (and still being sufficiently mobile), key defence I think should be a natural fit. Whether that's something Carlton need more of, that's a judgement call.

KM, at this point what would you say Ben Silvagni draft range is?