Lavan Ruban’s mid-season Phantom AFL Draft

[Eastern Rangers]

More chance of you being drafted than Waterman going 1st round.

Waterman is a first round selection and clearly one of the top 10 midfielders in the draft, but he won't cost the Eagles a first round pick and depending on how low they finish and how each clubs rank him he might slide through to the third. But at the moment my money is on the second round with a bid coming in around pick 22-23.

I'm not saying he can't play. I just think there were other midfielders with more talent that they could have got with pick 6 rather than moving down to pick 11.

Last years draft was a midfielders draft & I think they missed a great opportunity.

Hopefully they get it right this year.

Few of those other players bring Sheeds hard ball winning ability, while Sheed can learn a few other roles like playing a wing or half forward line. Few others apart from Freeman will have a contested game to match. Which is why i'd question the choice of Pickett right now, he'd bring pace up front but he didn't win enough of his own ball at the champs and isn't going to bring speed to transition phase of their ball movement which is what Freeman, Salem, and Billings all do. Pickett wants it on the outside.

Yeo adds pace and size to our midfield for one thing, and i'm not sure i agree with you re: Sheed. In terms of disposal he's a class above most of the Eagles midfielders and he's not as slow as guys like Priddis, Masten, Hutchings.

 

[Lavan Ruban]

Rethinking that, I think it is likely that Tyler Keitel or Connor Blakely would join Essendon, to provide depth up forward.

Quick correction: not Blakely, rather *Jayden Laverde.

 

[Peter Wallis]

Waterman is a first round selection and clearly one of the top 10 midfielders in the draft, but he won't cost the Eagles a first round pick and depending on how low they finish and how each clubs rank him he might slide through to the third. But at the moment my money is on the second round with a bid coming in around pick 22-23.



Few of those other players bring Sheeds hard ball winning ability, while Sheed can learn a few other roles like playing a wing or half forward line. Few others apart from Freeman will have a contested game to match. Which is why i'd question the choice of Pickett right now, he'd bring pace up front but he didn't win enough of his own ball at the champs and isn't going to bring speed to transition phase of their ball movement which is what Freeman, Salem, and Billings all do. Pickett wants it on the outside.

Yeo adds pace and size to our midfield for one thing, and i'm not sure i agree with you re: Sheed. In terms of disposal he's a class above most of the Eagles midfielders and he's not as slow as guys like Priddis, Masten, Hutchings.

Time will tell I guess, it was good to see him get an opportunity against Brisbane & hopefully he will stay in the side for the rest of the year.

I agree with you in regards to his kicking, it is better than the others you mentioned & I do think he will be a player that will end up playing 200 plus games for the club. I was disappointed that they gave up pick 6 last year however I feel they were intent on drafting him anyway be it pick 6 or 11 & I felt that perhaps they overrated him slightly.

In regards to Pickett, from what I saw in the Champs I agree with you. He seems more of a receiver at this stage & may not be the perfect fit for your midfield. Petracca would be fantastic, but unfortunately he will go top 3.

 

[eaglespremiers]

If West Coast finished bottom, they would use pick 1 to get Waterman.

Yep, because that's how the Father-Son selection works.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Waterman is a first round selection and clearly one of the top 10 midfielders in the draft, but he won't cost the Eagles a first round pick and depending on how low they finish and how each clubs rank him he might slide through to the third. But at the moment my money is on the second round with a bid coming in around pick 22-23.



Few of those other players bring Sheeds hard ball winning ability, while Sheed can learn a few other roles like playing a wing or half forward line. Few others apart from Freeman will have a contested game to match. Which is why i'd question the choice of Pickett right now, he'd bring pace up front but he didn't win enough of his own ball at the champs and isn't going to bring speed to transition phase of their ball movement which is what Freeman, Salem, and Billings all do. Pickett wants it on the outside.

Yeo adds pace and size to our midfield for one thing, and i'm not sure i agree with you re: Sheed. In terms of disposal he's a class above most of the Eagles midfielders and he's not as slow as guys like Priddis, Masten, Hutchings.

So if we don't have to use our first round pick on Waterman who would you like to see West Coast pick up?

 

[Peter Wallis]

So if we don't have to use our first round pick on Waterman who would you like to see West Coast pick up?

The best midfielder available at pick 7 or 8 that you are likely to have. Given that both Petracca & Brayshaw are likely to be gone by then, Pickett if available would be my choice, otherwise any of Laverde, Duggan, De Goey or Ahern.

Waterman would be an excellent pick for the second round, but I wouldn't be giving up a top 10 pick for him from what I have seen.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Waterman would be an excellent pick for the second round, but I wouldn't be giving up a top 10 pick for him from what I have seen.

If that is the general consensus then we won't have to.