It’s a real pity about ferres ball use (in terms of being able to make decisions and execute quickly and neatly) cause I think clubs would love to develop him into a Tom stewert type defender.
Draft Watcher ModernArtillery 2021 Draft Thread
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chopflop
Premiership Player
- Nov 15, 2020
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Great stuff MA. Loved your write ups. My first time watching the lad the other day and immediately I thought his style of play was very j Cameron so I'm happy to see reputable draft watchers see the same things. I also said on bangers board there was a bit of Chris Tarrant about him on the lead. I.e., the ability to create separation and take the ball at it's highest point. I also agree on the gunston call, amiss seems like the player you start every quarter in the goal square and he effectively plays as your deepest forward and First line of your press. Cheers chop
- Sep 19, 2018
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- #78
Yeah the speed of ball use really limits his scope as a defender unfortunately.
September 6 Draft Board
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #79
Over the last month I've managed to see a lot of SA and WA vision so to try and minimise the recency bias I've gone back and reviewed a fair bit of the Vic and Allies vision I've had available. I've had a fair bit of movement with some exposed form causing the likes of Roberts and Jackson to slide with Amiss, Bazzo and Wanganeen-Milera big risers. I've also expanded my board to 50 now so I've tried to keep the commentary brief.
1. Jason Horne-Francis
2. Nick Daicos
3. Neil Erasmus
4. Tyler Sonsie
5. Ben Hobbs
6. Josh Ward
7. Matthew Johnson
8. Sam Darcy
9. Zac Taylor
10. Josh Rachele
11. Connor MacDonald
12. Finn Callaghan
13. Josh Goater
14. Mitch Owens
15. Tom Brown
16. Kai Lohmann
17. Darcy Wilmot
18. Jye Amiss
19. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Wanganeen-Milera has had a big month or two and has risen to every challenge put in front of him. He's arguably the classiest user of the footy in the draft and although he heavily favours kicking on his right leg, he's quick and evasive enough that he's rarely denied it at this level. He's exclusively an outside winger at this stage and his growth will come as he becomes more comfortable in contested situations and as he becomes more proactive in his accumulation of the footy.
20. Arlo Draper
21. Paul Curtis
22. Matthew Roberts
23. Josh Gibcus
24. Rhett Bazzo
Despite the SA forward line being below standard, Bazzo demonstrated some AFL standard traits that will give him the best chance of transitioning to the level. He reads the flight of the ball really well which allows him to be a real threat as an interceptor. He's a good size at 195cm+ and has an athletic base that compliments his size nicely. The thing that separates Bazzo from others for me is his ball use which is a real strength for him. He gets penetration on his kicks and can be a really effective rebounder from defence to attack. I'd love to see the type of performance we saw against SA more consistently from him which would give me a greater level of confidence in him as a prospect.
25. Ethan Regan
26. Josh Sinn
27. Brady Hough
Hough is a really complete prospect and one that I need to commit more time to over the coming weeks. As a midfielder he's got a nice inside/outside balance. He's willing to put his head over the footy and has pretty clean hands at the contest. What has been most impressive is his adaptability to play different positions, specifically in the forward line at state level where he was one of WA's better players against SA. He looks really comfortable on the lead, he's good at ground level and applies pressure when he doesn't have the footy. I think I've gone pretty conservative at 27 here because there's real scope for him to rise.
28. Jacob Van Rooyen
29. Hugh Jackson
30. James Willis
31. Charlie Molan
32. Jamieson Ballantyne
33. Mitch Knevitt
34. Judson Clarke
Clarke has high end speed and class as a small forward where he breaks lines and finishes consistently inside forward 50. His speed allows him to apply pressure, particularly inside forward 50, where he closes in on defenders and either tackles or impacts their disposal. There's a bit of x-factor about him and he doesn't need much of a look to really impact the game. I think he's a prospect who will enter the AFL system with a clearly defined role and enough skill and talent to be successful in that role.
35. Cooper Murley
36. Sam Butler
Butler is a half forward who does a really good job at pushing up the ground and finding the footy. He's particularly good at winning the ground ball at pace and firing handballs out to teammates on the outside. His work-rate up the ground to get involved in the contest and then speed back the other way to get goal side of his defender is high quality and that would see him get real reward at AFL level. Despite doing his best work up the ground he's still capable inside forward 50 where he's a marking threat overhead, willing tackler and capable ball winner at ground level. Butler is another of those prospects who will walk into an AFL club next year knowing who he is and having a clearly defined role which sets him up for success.
37. Mac Andrew
Andrew is a freakishly skilled footballer for his size and just flashes a scary level of potential. He moves really well for his size and his ball drop and use by foot looks more comfortable than a lot of the midfielders in this draft. My concerns with Andrew is how this all translates to the next level given the enormous amount of work that needs to go into his body to allow him to compete at AFL level. His role at the next level is somewhat unclear too, where he could find himself forward, through the ruck or in defence. The skill level is intriguing but I find the required physical development a bit overwhelming.
38. Leek Alleer
Alleer has developed into a quality intercept marking defender who possesses the size, athleticism and ability to forge a career at AFL level. He's still pretty raw and though a touch inconsistent this year, he's shown enough to suggest that the traits are there. He's showed glimpses of being really aggressive at flying for intercept marks, backing himself in and beating his man one on one. He's a willing spoiler too and will opt for that if he finds himself out-positioned for the intercept. His ball use can be a bit nerve-racking at times but it's serviceable and will improve as he gains more experience. He's probably slightly ahead of other KPP's in this draft in terms of physical development, though his football is probably at a relatively similar level.
39. Marcus Windhager
Windhager has demonstrated his versatility fulfilling multiple roles across half forward, the wing and half back. I think his position at the next level is likely to be across half forward where he can effectively push up the ground and be a conduit between the midfielders and forwards but also play a role defensively as a pressure forward and tackler inside 50. I really like Windhager as a prospect and if he can improve his finishing and use by foot then he can absolutely find a role at AFL level.
40. Campbell Chesser
I couldn't have Chesser higher on my board because I've had pretty limited exposure to him and the games that I have seen him play he's been low production and low impact. He can use the footy, he's a good size and he moves across the ground really well so there's nothing overly surprising about him being a highly rated prospect, I'd just need to see more before I committed an early selection to him.
41. Josh Fahey
Fahey similarly finds himself this low in part because of my limited exposure to him. He's got a nice penetrating kick which he uses consistently to good effect. He's a solid athlete too and so physically I think he'll be able to stand up to the level. I think he projects as a handy accumulator and distributor off half back with the key for him being whether his defensive work stands up at AFL level. Fahey's another that I wish I'd had more exposure to so that I could feel more comfortable with where he fits on my board.
42. Lachlan Rankin
Rankin is a real classy operator and gets real value for his possessions. He fits best between both 50m arcs as either a high half forward, wing or half back, where his ball use translates well into score involvements. The highlight of his game is his willingness to bite of kicks into the corridor which he consistently executes with success. He's not a particularly special athlete and probably doesn't have an enormous amount of physical development to come which is a shame because his skill set in a taller, more athletic body could be pretty special. I think he's a value pick in the second half of the draft.
43. Sam Banks
Banks is another classy accumulator off half back who does his damage with his run, carry and kicking penetration. He's got the size and athleticism to hold up in one on one's with the skill and footy IQ to develop as an interceptor. Banks does have the scope to push higher up the ground, whether it be as a winger or a centre square midfielder though some improvement in his contested footy and two-way running would be necessary. I think it's probably more likely that he fights for a position across half back at AFL level.
44. Miller Bergman
Bergman is a mobile, athletic type who covers the ground really easily and can impact the game aerially. He willingly and quite courageously flies for marks and competes to either take the grab himself or bring it to ground. He's a classy user by foot and a good finisher in front of goal so there are weapons there that make him desirable. He's got the versatility to find a role at half forward, on a wing or as an interceptor and user across half back and that flexibility will give him plenty of opportunities to find a role at AFL level.
45. James Tunstill
Tunstill has proven to be a really effective player at stoppage, consistently demonstrating his ability to read the drop of the ball, get on the move and win it with clean hands. He's pretty fearless in there, never shirking the contest and always willing to put his head over the footy. He's also shown some growth in the way that he exits stoppage and distributes to those on the outside, often freeing his arms, moving through the contest and firing a sharp handball under pressure to a teammate. He's a good enough user on the outside too and he can go forward and hit the scoreboard, so he's more than just an inside midfielder. He's got some physical development to come as he fills out a bit more too so there's still some growth left in him.
46. Lewis Rayson
Rayson's had a pretty solid year at all levels though I haven't really seen that break out performance that makes him a must have for me. He just seems to hold up at every level where he's pretty consistent across half back as an accumulator and distributor. He's a good overlap runner and can break the lines and navigate running angles to create space for himself to execute his kicks. At times he doesn't get true value for his possessions though some consideration has to be given to the context of those possessions which in many cases have been under supreme pressure or with little movement and structure ahead of him. He reads the play well enough to intercept at a reasonable rate, particularly for his size, and has a few little tricks in and around the contest that demonstrate some footy IQ. He is purely outside at this stage and some of those tricks in the contest help him avoid contact which can be a problem if teammates aren't on the same page. Adding some size to allow him to compete in the contest more will be really important for his development. I have some concerns about his ceiling and where that extra growth will come from that will allow him to establish himself as an AFL player. I think he's done enough to find himself on an AFL list but I feel he still has a lot of work to do to establish himself at the level.
47. Blake Howes
Howes is an athletic half forward/winger that covers the ground well and is really strong on the lead. He's a good decision maker with the ball in hand and can navigate his way through traffic with composure to find the best target. Whilst he does a really good job leading beyond forward 50, he still offers plenty inside 50 where he can mark the footy, hit the scoreboard and apply pressure at ground level as a willing tackler. He was starting to elevate his production before the NAB League shut down but accumulating more consistently would allow him have more of an influence on the contest.
48. Taj Woewodin
49. Cooper Beecken
Beecken has spent a fair bit of time on the wing this year but he looks most comfortable across half back where he's pretty solid at everything he does. He's a solid athlete that can play on a mix of smalls and talls, he's a consistent user by foot who makes smart decisions and doesn't bite off low percentage kicks. Beecken has a good balance of intercepting and negating, though he is one that does rely on pressure up the ground more than others. He's a good tackler despite not being a physically imposing build, though the contested side of his game is probably the area that needs the most growth at this stage.
50. Toby Murray
Murray is a slight key forward/ruck with a bit of bounce and zip on the lead for his size. He's pretty raw still but he's competitive in the air, showing a willingness to fly for a mark, crash a pack and bring the ball to ground. He's got good mobility for his size which allows him to follow up and stay in the contest when the ball does go to ground. He's got a fair bit of physical development to come but the combination of size and athletic attributes make him an intriguing prospect later in the draft.
1. Jason Horne-Francis
2. Nick Daicos
3. Neil Erasmus
4. Tyler Sonsie
5. Ben Hobbs
6. Josh Ward
7. Matthew Johnson
8. Sam Darcy
9. Zac Taylor
10. Josh Rachele
11. Connor MacDonald
12. Finn Callaghan
13. Josh Goater
14. Mitch Owens
15. Tom Brown
16. Kai Lohmann
17. Darcy Wilmot
18. Jye Amiss
19. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Wanganeen-Milera has had a big month or two and has risen to every challenge put in front of him. He's arguably the classiest user of the footy in the draft and although he heavily favours kicking on his right leg, he's quick and evasive enough that he's rarely denied it at this level. He's exclusively an outside winger at this stage and his growth will come as he becomes more comfortable in contested situations and as he becomes more proactive in his accumulation of the footy.
20. Arlo Draper
21. Paul Curtis
22. Matthew Roberts
23. Josh Gibcus
24. Rhett Bazzo
Despite the SA forward line being below standard, Bazzo demonstrated some AFL standard traits that will give him the best chance of transitioning to the level. He reads the flight of the ball really well which allows him to be a real threat as an interceptor. He's a good size at 195cm+ and has an athletic base that compliments his size nicely. The thing that separates Bazzo from others for me is his ball use which is a real strength for him. He gets penetration on his kicks and can be a really effective rebounder from defence to attack. I'd love to see the type of performance we saw against SA more consistently from him which would give me a greater level of confidence in him as a prospect.
25. Ethan Regan
26. Josh Sinn
27. Brady Hough
Hough is a really complete prospect and one that I need to commit more time to over the coming weeks. As a midfielder he's got a nice inside/outside balance. He's willing to put his head over the footy and has pretty clean hands at the contest. What has been most impressive is his adaptability to play different positions, specifically in the forward line at state level where he was one of WA's better players against SA. He looks really comfortable on the lead, he's good at ground level and applies pressure when he doesn't have the footy. I think I've gone pretty conservative at 27 here because there's real scope for him to rise.
28. Jacob Van Rooyen
29. Hugh Jackson
30. James Willis
31. Charlie Molan
32. Jamieson Ballantyne
33. Mitch Knevitt
34. Judson Clarke
Clarke has high end speed and class as a small forward where he breaks lines and finishes consistently inside forward 50. His speed allows him to apply pressure, particularly inside forward 50, where he closes in on defenders and either tackles or impacts their disposal. There's a bit of x-factor about him and he doesn't need much of a look to really impact the game. I think he's a prospect who will enter the AFL system with a clearly defined role and enough skill and talent to be successful in that role.
35. Cooper Murley
36. Sam Butler
Butler is a half forward who does a really good job at pushing up the ground and finding the footy. He's particularly good at winning the ground ball at pace and firing handballs out to teammates on the outside. His work-rate up the ground to get involved in the contest and then speed back the other way to get goal side of his defender is high quality and that would see him get real reward at AFL level. Despite doing his best work up the ground he's still capable inside forward 50 where he's a marking threat overhead, willing tackler and capable ball winner at ground level. Butler is another of those prospects who will walk into an AFL club next year knowing who he is and having a clearly defined role which sets him up for success.
37. Mac Andrew
Andrew is a freakishly skilled footballer for his size and just flashes a scary level of potential. He moves really well for his size and his ball drop and use by foot looks more comfortable than a lot of the midfielders in this draft. My concerns with Andrew is how this all translates to the next level given the enormous amount of work that needs to go into his body to allow him to compete at AFL level. His role at the next level is somewhat unclear too, where he could find himself forward, through the ruck or in defence. The skill level is intriguing but I find the required physical development a bit overwhelming.
38. Leek Alleer
Alleer has developed into a quality intercept marking defender who possesses the size, athleticism and ability to forge a career at AFL level. He's still pretty raw and though a touch inconsistent this year, he's shown enough to suggest that the traits are there. He's showed glimpses of being really aggressive at flying for intercept marks, backing himself in and beating his man one on one. He's a willing spoiler too and will opt for that if he finds himself out-positioned for the intercept. His ball use can be a bit nerve-racking at times but it's serviceable and will improve as he gains more experience. He's probably slightly ahead of other KPP's in this draft in terms of physical development, though his football is probably at a relatively similar level.
39. Marcus Windhager
Windhager has demonstrated his versatility fulfilling multiple roles across half forward, the wing and half back. I think his position at the next level is likely to be across half forward where he can effectively push up the ground and be a conduit between the midfielders and forwards but also play a role defensively as a pressure forward and tackler inside 50. I really like Windhager as a prospect and if he can improve his finishing and use by foot then he can absolutely find a role at AFL level.
40. Campbell Chesser
I couldn't have Chesser higher on my board because I've had pretty limited exposure to him and the games that I have seen him play he's been low production and low impact. He can use the footy, he's a good size and he moves across the ground really well so there's nothing overly surprising about him being a highly rated prospect, I'd just need to see more before I committed an early selection to him.
41. Josh Fahey
Fahey similarly finds himself this low in part because of my limited exposure to him. He's got a nice penetrating kick which he uses consistently to good effect. He's a solid athlete too and so physically I think he'll be able to stand up to the level. I think he projects as a handy accumulator and distributor off half back with the key for him being whether his defensive work stands up at AFL level. Fahey's another that I wish I'd had more exposure to so that I could feel more comfortable with where he fits on my board.
42. Lachlan Rankin
Rankin is a real classy operator and gets real value for his possessions. He fits best between both 50m arcs as either a high half forward, wing or half back, where his ball use translates well into score involvements. The highlight of his game is his willingness to bite of kicks into the corridor which he consistently executes with success. He's not a particularly special athlete and probably doesn't have an enormous amount of physical development to come which is a shame because his skill set in a taller, more athletic body could be pretty special. I think he's a value pick in the second half of the draft.
43. Sam Banks
Banks is another classy accumulator off half back who does his damage with his run, carry and kicking penetration. He's got the size and athleticism to hold up in one on one's with the skill and footy IQ to develop as an interceptor. Banks does have the scope to push higher up the ground, whether it be as a winger or a centre square midfielder though some improvement in his contested footy and two-way running would be necessary. I think it's probably more likely that he fights for a position across half back at AFL level.
44. Miller Bergman
Bergman is a mobile, athletic type who covers the ground really easily and can impact the game aerially. He willingly and quite courageously flies for marks and competes to either take the grab himself or bring it to ground. He's a classy user by foot and a good finisher in front of goal so there are weapons there that make him desirable. He's got the versatility to find a role at half forward, on a wing or as an interceptor and user across half back and that flexibility will give him plenty of opportunities to find a role at AFL level.
45. James Tunstill
Tunstill has proven to be a really effective player at stoppage, consistently demonstrating his ability to read the drop of the ball, get on the move and win it with clean hands. He's pretty fearless in there, never shirking the contest and always willing to put his head over the footy. He's also shown some growth in the way that he exits stoppage and distributes to those on the outside, often freeing his arms, moving through the contest and firing a sharp handball under pressure to a teammate. He's a good enough user on the outside too and he can go forward and hit the scoreboard, so he's more than just an inside midfielder. He's got some physical development to come as he fills out a bit more too so there's still some growth left in him.
46. Lewis Rayson
Rayson's had a pretty solid year at all levels though I haven't really seen that break out performance that makes him a must have for me. He just seems to hold up at every level where he's pretty consistent across half back as an accumulator and distributor. He's a good overlap runner and can break the lines and navigate running angles to create space for himself to execute his kicks. At times he doesn't get true value for his possessions though some consideration has to be given to the context of those possessions which in many cases have been under supreme pressure or with little movement and structure ahead of him. He reads the play well enough to intercept at a reasonable rate, particularly for his size, and has a few little tricks in and around the contest that demonstrate some footy IQ. He is purely outside at this stage and some of those tricks in the contest help him avoid contact which can be a problem if teammates aren't on the same page. Adding some size to allow him to compete in the contest more will be really important for his development. I have some concerns about his ceiling and where that extra growth will come from that will allow him to establish himself as an AFL player. I think he's done enough to find himself on an AFL list but I feel he still has a lot of work to do to establish himself at the level.
47. Blake Howes
Howes is an athletic half forward/winger that covers the ground well and is really strong on the lead. He's a good decision maker with the ball in hand and can navigate his way through traffic with composure to find the best target. Whilst he does a really good job leading beyond forward 50, he still offers plenty inside 50 where he can mark the footy, hit the scoreboard and apply pressure at ground level as a willing tackler. He was starting to elevate his production before the NAB League shut down but accumulating more consistently would allow him have more of an influence on the contest.
48. Taj Woewodin
49. Cooper Beecken
Beecken has spent a fair bit of time on the wing this year but he looks most comfortable across half back where he's pretty solid at everything he does. He's a solid athlete that can play on a mix of smalls and talls, he's a consistent user by foot who makes smart decisions and doesn't bite off low percentage kicks. Beecken has a good balance of intercepting and negating, though he is one that does rely on pressure up the ground more than others. He's a good tackler despite not being a physically imposing build, though the contested side of his game is probably the area that needs the most growth at this stage.
50. Toby Murray
Murray is a slight key forward/ruck with a bit of bounce and zip on the lead for his size. He's pretty raw still but he's competitive in the air, showing a willingness to fly for a mark, crash a pack and bring the ball to ground. He's got good mobility for his size which allows him to follow up and stay in the contest when the ball does go to ground. He's got a fair bit of physical development to come but the combination of size and athletic attributes make him an intriguing prospect later in the draft.
- Aug 9, 2019
- 34,332
- 59,514
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Panthers, GWV Rebels, Central Augusta
Kai sneaking up your board...
Massively underrated talent IMO.
Surprised Ned Long not there somewhere.
Massively underrated talent IMO.
Surprised Ned Long not there somewhere.
Last edited:
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #81
Kai sneaking up your board...
Massively underrated talent IMO.
Surprised Ned Long not there somewhere.
Yeah I feel like Lohmann is really suited to AFL footy and I think the combination of his skill and athleticism is particularly desirable.
I'm not overly convinced by Long's ability to adapt to AFL footy given I think he'll be coming from a fair way back athletically. His size is a strength at NAB League level but I just don't know that the rest of his game is advanced enough for him to make it at AFL level. Perhaps if he'd played more footy and been able to work into the season I might've seen more scope but based on what I've seen to this point there are others I'd prefer.
Shannin
Shibbly Inu
Love Top 50 Drafts, good work!!!
Jack Williams?
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #84
I don't have Williams in my top 50, though I do think he'll find a home on draft night, albeit later in the draft than I think most of us have projected. I just haven't seen a lot of success for the unathletic, sub-200cm key position players, with more athletic, and in some cases, less developed, lower production prospects more favoured. I think Williams is skilled but I'm just concerned that his athletic limitations will complicate his ability to transition to AFL level.
- Aug 9, 2019
- 34,332
- 59,514
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Panthers, GWV Rebels, Central Augusta
Doubt it Miles played for the Sandy Dragons, Miller plays for the Dandenong Stingrays
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #87
Strahany
Premiership Player
Pls stop talking up Mitch Owens into the top 20
- sincerely, every St Kilda supporter who would finally like a talented NGA kid
- sincerely, every St Kilda supporter who would finally like a talented NGA kid
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #89
I don't think you have anything to worry about mate, I don't have that kind of influence
- Apr 24, 2021
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- 18,852
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
Cal Twomey's been talking up Windhager and Owens. I wonder where he got that fromI don't think you have anything to worry about mate, I don't have that kind of influence
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #91
Cal Twomey's been talking up Windhager and Owens. I wonder where he got that from
My apologies!
- Aug 9, 2019
- 34,332
- 59,514
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- Panthers, GWV Rebels, Central Augusta
ModernArtillery
I'm eagerly waiting your write up on the Roosters James Willis to see if you rate him in the same light I do, apart from lacking a few cm's I really think his physical and athletic traits could see him as a great value pick in this draft. I believe he even has the versatility to play the small forward role probably better than anyone on Adelaide's list currently if we chose to take that path with his development. I see him as very much an inside/outside midfielder/forward. Your thoughts?
I'm eagerly waiting your write up on the Roosters James Willis to see if you rate him in the same light I do, apart from lacking a few cm's I really think his physical and athletic traits could see him as a great value pick in this draft. I believe he even has the versatility to play the small forward role probably better than anyone on Adelaide's list currently if we chose to take that path with his development. I see him as very much an inside/outside midfielder/forward. Your thoughts?
You have Erasmus at 3, as far as I have seen nobody has him that high.
I haven’t seen much vision of him, but as I understand there are question marks over his kicking is that right.
I can see leadership and maturity on him but why so high.
Erasmus has had opportunities to show he can play around the ground at a high level. The question is really about the players who have lacked exposure and development. Last year we were able to find Treacy in the rookie draft as a result.
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
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- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #96
I think our assessment is pretty similar. I wrote this about Willis earlier in the year:
The thing I like most about Willis is that he's plug and play in a few different roles and his skill set and physical traits allow him to be successful in all of them. He's quite physically developed but unlike a lot of physically advanced juniors he's got speed and explosiveness which means that he can crack in and win the inside ball but then exit at high speed and get on the outside too. His stoppage wins are high value because of that ability to win the footy and then exit to the outside himself, opposed to those stoppage winners who have to rush the ball to boot. I think he's well suited to the flanks too, although probably more likely in the forward half. Again, he's got the speed to work both ways and the physical strength to lay tackles and hit the contest hard. He seems to be quite agile too so he's more than capable of applying pressure around the footy and won't allow the opposition to go around him. If he can improve his finishing inside forward 50 and use by foot at speed, which at times have both been a bit inconsistent, then that will really help him press his case for opportunities at the level.
There are some question marks over his kicking. I don't see him as a poor kick, rather I think he's just been inconsistent and untidy at times. He's had some games this year where he's used the ball really well and some of the kicks he's hit going inside 50 have been really impressive.
The reason I rate him so highly is because he does a lot of things at a really high level that I think translate to AFL footy. As a midfielder he's got good size at 188cm and he's a good athlete. He's not super quick but he's a pretty smooth mover and covers the ground really well which allows him to accumulate the footy on the outside. He's strong below his knees and does some really good work at stoppage where he's active and on the move, and his size makes him difficult to tackle at times. Despite the inconsistencies, he does have some really good moments by foot and he's relatively confident on either side. He reads the ball in flight and is really strong overhead which he regularly demonstrates as an interceptor. On top of all that he's got forward craft too. He finds space inside forward 50 where he's a threat to mark and he can create scoring opportunities once the ball hits the deck. What I also like is that he's by no way a finished product. I think as he gets more reps and more experience through the midfield that can see him go to another level at stoppage where he can be a really high level inside/outside midfielder. He's still got plenty of growth and development left in him so there's more upside that excites me.
Browne has production on his side which is something I typically like to see. None of his traits or weapons overly excite me though and he doesn't really have the flexibility to play any role other than as a midfielder. In the right system and with the right opportunity I'm sure he could be an AFL player but I project him as that fringe AFL/top level State League type of midfielder that seems to be too good for the State League but doesn't quite have the weapons to really have an impact at AFL level.
MAD4hawks73
Rookie
- Apr 26, 2021
- 23
- 16
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
I think you’ve missed the mark here MA. I’ve watched plenty of his games live this year and he has a huge work effort, consistently beating the best inside mids for first possession and has showed he can kick goals as the link up half forward. If he slides outside the top 50 it’d be a steel… 15-30 for me…
- Sep 19, 2018
- 401
- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #98
I assume this is in reference to Browne? I'm certainly not going to tell you that you're wrong. I agree that the production is there and I don't think we can rule anyone out of that 15-30 group. My concern is around clearly transferable AFL traits. What is it that he does that gives you a high level of confidence that he'll have success at AFL level?
- Sep 19, 2018
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- 1,162
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Thread starter
- #99
I went down to Adelaide Oval yesterday to see Norwood play South Adelaide in their do-or-die clash. As a Norwood fan I was there primarily as a supporter and it was a tough day for my mob but it was great to see two really special performances from Jason Horne-Francis and Sam Skinner.
Jason Horne-Francis
It was a pretty special performance from Horne-Francis. He seemed to unlock some of the really special work he can do at stoppage that he demonstrated in the games he played in the U18's last year. He's got a really enviable combination of strength and speed and when he gets on the move around the contest he's really difficult to slow down. His burst is impressive and the speed in which he moves from hands and knees to feet is near identical to Patrick Dangerfield. I'm sure many have seen the highlights by now but he just seemed to find so much more time and space on the bigger Adelaide Oval and when given that time he can be really damaging with the footy. His overlap run and carry was high quality and as always, his defensive work and repeat efforts were high class. The thing that I love about Horne-Francis as a prospect is that he's got so much scope to impact the game at AFL level almost immediately because of his forward craft and inside 50 pressure, and he'll get the opportunity to spend some time through the midfield because of his elite defensive work at the contest. As he settles in at AFL level, gets those first 50 games under his belt and starts to really hone his offensive midfield craft I think he develops into an elite offensive midfielder, not incapable of applying that defensive pressure, but playing a role that maximises the talent and influence he can have forward of centre.
Sam Skinner
Skinner was BOG for me and played probably the most influential game from a key defender that I've ever seen live at SANFL level. He just reads the flight of the ball so well and positioned himself time and time again to intercept. Every time he got his hands to the footy it stuck with one touch and he was pretty efficient by foot. Some context is necessary though, as he had a pretty significant size advantage spending the majority of his game time on Norwood's undersized key forwards who come in at the 190cm (and smaller) mark. That's a luxury he will not enjoy at AFL level. As a speed and vertical athlete he's a bit behind the really good key defenders at AFL level and his size and strength, which are second-to-none at SANFL level, will not be the same weapons for him against AFL forwards. Should he be selected as a delisted FA he could get an opportunity at AFL level pretty early next season but I'm not sure his SANFL form is directly translatable to the next level.
Matthew Roberts
I think Roberts has sacrificed his draft position for the opportunity to play SANFL league footy. If this was US sports, no player agent would've allowed him to continue to play League footy and would have him dominating at SANFL U18 level every week, putting up big numbers. He's looked slow and quite uncomfortable in these outside roles as a wing/half forward and he's really struggled to find the footy. It's exposed his lack of athleticism and speed from the contest which has really inhibited his ability to win the footy and find time and space to use it effectively. If you're drafting Roberts though, I suspect it's for his inside capabilities which, after going back and reviewing some of his U18's games this week, are well above his peers in that competition. The SANFL League exposure hasn't really done him any favours and I suspect the end result will see him slide on draft night.
Jason Horne-Francis
It was a pretty special performance from Horne-Francis. He seemed to unlock some of the really special work he can do at stoppage that he demonstrated in the games he played in the U18's last year. He's got a really enviable combination of strength and speed and when he gets on the move around the contest he's really difficult to slow down. His burst is impressive and the speed in which he moves from hands and knees to feet is near identical to Patrick Dangerfield. I'm sure many have seen the highlights by now but he just seemed to find so much more time and space on the bigger Adelaide Oval and when given that time he can be really damaging with the footy. His overlap run and carry was high quality and as always, his defensive work and repeat efforts were high class. The thing that I love about Horne-Francis as a prospect is that he's got so much scope to impact the game at AFL level almost immediately because of his forward craft and inside 50 pressure, and he'll get the opportunity to spend some time through the midfield because of his elite defensive work at the contest. As he settles in at AFL level, gets those first 50 games under his belt and starts to really hone his offensive midfield craft I think he develops into an elite offensive midfielder, not incapable of applying that defensive pressure, but playing a role that maximises the talent and influence he can have forward of centre.
Sam Skinner
Skinner was BOG for me and played probably the most influential game from a key defender that I've ever seen live at SANFL level. He just reads the flight of the ball so well and positioned himself time and time again to intercept. Every time he got his hands to the footy it stuck with one touch and he was pretty efficient by foot. Some context is necessary though, as he had a pretty significant size advantage spending the majority of his game time on Norwood's undersized key forwards who come in at the 190cm (and smaller) mark. That's a luxury he will not enjoy at AFL level. As a speed and vertical athlete he's a bit behind the really good key defenders at AFL level and his size and strength, which are second-to-none at SANFL level, will not be the same weapons for him against AFL forwards. Should he be selected as a delisted FA he could get an opportunity at AFL level pretty early next season but I'm not sure his SANFL form is directly translatable to the next level.
Matthew Roberts
I think Roberts has sacrificed his draft position for the opportunity to play SANFL league footy. If this was US sports, no player agent would've allowed him to continue to play League footy and would have him dominating at SANFL U18 level every week, putting up big numbers. He's looked slow and quite uncomfortable in these outside roles as a wing/half forward and he's really struggled to find the footy. It's exposed his lack of athleticism and speed from the contest which has really inhibited his ability to win the footy and find time and space to use it effectively. If you're drafting Roberts though, I suspect it's for his inside capabilities which, after going back and reviewing some of his U18's games this week, are well above his peers in that competition. The SANFL League exposure hasn't really done him any favours and I suspect the end result will see him slide on draft night.
- Aug 9, 2019
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- Panthers, GWV Rebels, Central Augusta
Do you think Mitch O'Neill gets another chance at AFL, an excellent junior career until his untimely serious ankle injury. Seems to have his ankle issues under control now and it's only been minor soft tissue niggles that have seen him miss this year. Quite impressive yesterday and seems to have improved his inside work markedly since his draft year.
