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Draft Expert PMBangers 2023 Draft Thread
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PMBangers
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A rankings update? In this economy!
Top 15 is all pretty self explanatory for the names in there, amongst (respectable) amatuer watchers at the very least I don't think there's much variance in those names inside the top 15 at the moment. For mine, the top 4 have separated themselves from the following 10 or so, and at this stage I don't think there's much that could dislodge any of them, but of course others could push up in to make it a top 5/6/7/8/whatever. Harley is still number 1 for me as it stands, although I think it's valid for any of Walter, McKercher or Read to be there for people as well. The next lot is really tight, over the last two weeks I've probably had all possible combinations of the 5-11 group as my 'settled' rankings, all of them have some ridiculous positives and if you take an optimistic eye to the prospects, their best is worthy of being in the top 3. Wilson, Edwards, Croft and Freijah round out that settled top 15, none of them have really had anymore 'breakout' performances but have performed fairly consistently across state league/ champs games, with Friejah worthy of the special note that his repeated running efforts impressed me yesterday.
16-20 is more realistically a 16-30 at this stage, but I'm too stubborn to change from 20 to 30 so had to settle on 4. It's a group that isn't AS close as 5-11 in my eyes, but again that tier of prospects I can see the reasons for having in any order, with Luamon Lual, James Leake and Harry Demattia the 3 main guys that rotated in and out prior to settling on others.
Overall, as so often happens around the Champs, I'm more optimistic on the depth of this draft than I was a month ago and see some potential value pick ups into the third round, guys like Kade De La Rue, Lachie Charlson, Billy Wilson, Reece Torrent are a few I think are likely to last into the 40's that I'd be comfortable taking, but don't think the top end is as 'certain' as previous years. Anyway ask questions if you please xx
PMBangers
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I put this together a week or two ago and forgot to post it, but updated rankings heading into the finals series for most comps, additional notes below;
- From what I was seeing as a top 4 in my eyes in early to July to what is now a top 8, although I understand I'm a lot higher on Ethan Read than most others in the public domain, I do still remain firmly of the opinion that Harley is the clear #1, but any of the next 7 could go in any order and it wouldn't be a surprise. Sanders and Caddy are the two outside of that I think may go before some of my Top 8, but I can't really see anyone else threatening that as it stands.
- Speed and Endurance is a pretty common theme here, it's the way I think the game is trending more and more towards so I've put some bias towards that here, although I don't think anyone in this group is an eyebrow raiser regardless.
- I am once again stressing how good the ruck stocks in this draft are, naturally I don't think any are going to be playing significant ruck time early on in their careers, but I do see #1 ruck mantles for all 4 in my top 30 within 4-5 years.
- I'm pretty confident with this as a 30, naturally there were a couple I was umm'ing and ahhh'ing about, but I think Arie Schoenmaker was really the only other name that I'd chuck in here and be happy with. Could've done a top 31 but that's just not as pleasing
PMBangers
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40 WHOLE players for what will likely be the last rankings update of the year, wowee!
I've gone back and watched a **** tonne of footy the last 4 weeks for the RMC draft profiles, that are currently being uploaded to RMC daily so do make sure to check in (all the good ones are the ones I've done) for an in depth analysis of some of your favourite prospects! I'm pretty happy with where most of the players sit, the tiers have made themselves pretty obvious through the rewatchings, most of the difficulty came from actually ordering within them, so I'll go into depth here about the posts. Of course feel free to ask questions, make comments, leave admirations, etc. in response to this
Tier 1; Harley Reid, Jed Walter (Gold Coast)
Not much needs to be said, Reid is arguably the best junior prospect we've seen in a long time with a very well rounded game, if he can get his endurance to the standard of a full time AFL midfielder it'll be ****ing scary regardless of where he ends up. Walter follows that high bar up by being one of the best and well rounded KPF prospects we've seen in a long time, there's not much he doesn't do offensively that guys like JUH, Kingx2, etc. did do, but Walter wipes the floor with them in regards to his defensive game. For a Ceiling description, I could see these two being the best player in the competition at some stage in their careers if all goes well
Tier 2; Colby McKercher, Ethan Read (Gold Coast), Zane Duursma, Daniel Curtin, Ryley Sanders (North Melbourne after 40), Connor O'Sullivan, Nick Watson, Nate Caddy
Pretty even group with a bunch of different strengths associated with all these guys and, in my view, very little bust potential, and the fact that a guy like Sanders is in discussion for Pick 5 and also the back end of this group pretty well highlights the evenness of it, although I did consider doing a Tier 2 (A) with the first 4 and a Tier 2 (B) with the latter 4, just because I see them all as having similar ceilings but do feel there's a slightly higher bust risk with Sanders, O'Sullivan, Watson and Caddy.
Ceiling Description; Multiple AA's/ Top 5 players on a list if all goes well
Tier 3; Darcy Wilson, James Leake, Caleb Windsor, Jake Rogers (Gold Coast), Ollie Murphy, Jordan Croft (Western Bulldogs), Mitchell Edwards (Fremantle after 40), Riley Hardeman, Harry DeMattia, Koltyn Tholstrup, Archie Roberts, Will Graham (Gold Coast), Luamon Lual (Western Bulldogs after 40), Will McCabe (Hawthorn), Lance Collard (West Coast after 40), Tew Jiath (Hawthorn after 40)
A lot of names in this tier and similar to Tier 2 I could've split it into Tier 3 A) with the guys placed 11-18 and Tier 3 (B) with the rest for the same reason.
Ceiling Description; AA selection/ Multiple AA Squad of 40's/ Top 10 players on a list
Tier 4; Will Green, Charlie Edwards, Angus Hastie, Taylor Goad, Harvey Johnston, Joel Freijah, Phoenix Gothard, Archer Reid, Zane Zakotelsky, Wil Dawson
Smaller tier than previous, but this is essentially the last of the group of players in this years crop that I think would be genuine National Draft contenders in most draft years, which pretty much sums up how I view the draft and why I think there's so many teams avoiding completely trading out of the top 35, and actively looking to get into the top 15, Green and Goad I still think end up pretty good Number 1 Rucks at AFL level though, which will present some value if they slip into the mid to late 30's/ rookie.
Ceiling Description; Top 15 players on a list
Tier 5; Koen Sanchez, Arie Schoenmaker, Billy Wilson, Lachlan Charleson, Oscar Ryan, Caiden Cleary (Sydney), Clay Hall, Jack Delean, Will Patton, Ashton Moir, Logan Morris, Kynan Brown (Melbourne), Vigo Visentini, Tarkyn O'Leary, Kade De La Rue, Geordie Payne, Jack Callinan, Ry Cantwell, Cooper Simpson
Weird tier to explain but I'll try so bear with me. There are some players in this tier like Moir, Sanchez, Wilson and Schoenmaker that I think have a ceiling that warrants being in tier 3, but have a lot more work to do to get there than the others in higher tiers so the risk wouldn't be worth it to me, and the rest are similar in the sense that I think they're all capable of becoming best 22 regulars or role players, but the potential to be in AA conversations or real difference makers each week just isn't there in my eyes, and if I'm being harsh a good chunk of this tier would be rookie's at best in stronger drafts.
Ceiling Description; Best 23 Player
PMBangers
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Woah that year went quick, and what a year it was.
Anyway I'll be releasing the Phantom Draft, which is what I think WILL/COULD happen as opposed to how I think the players rank, over this week. Round 1 up now, Round 2 will be up after that, then rounds 3, 4 and 5 will be one post as well. Anyway, enjoy, feedback appreciated but please note I'm prone to cry when things are too critical!
For the first round, given it has about 49 picks I'll update the write up over a few days, but will endeavour to get the others done in one hit
I'm not putting myself through the pain of predicting live trades, but will make mention of the possibilities I see around them
Pick 1 - West Coast Eagles - Harley Reid
187 cm 85 kg
Bendigo Pioneers
General Utility
What is there to be said about Harley that hasn't already been well covered in the media/ various different club board draft threads. It's amazing that we had Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos in 2021 do as well as they did, and then get Harley come in and become the most hyped and most spoken about draft prospect ever (so far!). Not to discredit Harley of course, but just a nice moment to show how far interest in the draft has come in such a short period.
There's not much Harley does that isn't very good to elite in comparison to the rest of the crop, with his versatility, power, strength, marking and contested game all standout features of his game. Most contested beasts in years gone by have struggled with their ball use either through congestion or on the rare occasion they win it out in space, but this is no issue for Harley who regularly hits targets via hand or foot with ease with well weighted disposal.
I guess the question is what does he actually end up being at AFL level? Given his genuine elite status in every third of the ground it's not out of the question that he has a Pavlich/ Goodes style career where he spends significant amounts of time in various different roles, and for the Eagles in the spot they're in it gives them great flexibility in their list build knowing Harley can plug gaps until eventually, hopefully, probably, ending up a mid/ fwd.
I think the only real Improvement Area in his game is the Endurance side of things, which will naturally improve in an AFL environment, but what his capacity for that is in terms of ceiling and time will ultimately decide whether he's a a majority mid or majority forward player
Considerations; No one else is going Pick 1, and it's been that way for around 5 months now. There's still the possibility of a trade I guess, but given the level of the offers that have been put forward, and rejected, already, it's hard to see clubs improving those offers and even harder to see West Coast lowering their demands
Pick 2 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Jed Walter (Use Picks 24,26,27 - carry a 203 point surplus to match their next bid)
194 cm 97 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Tall Forward
Arguably the most complete Key Forward prospect we've seen come through the junior ranks in some time, there's not many players that have kicked 20 goals in the U18 Championships (across two years), there could even be only Jed!
Walter truly is the complete package as a KPF prospect; physical, athletic, aerially dominant, accurate in front of goal, natural smarts are all traits we know make up elite key forwards, hell some of the best aren't even accurate in front of goal! but what truly sets Walter apart from anyone else we've seen come through is his defensive work, manically pressuring or chasing down opponents to tackle them and force a turnover. There were a few times this season in the Champs where he laid tackles on the wing, disposed of the footy, and then busted his gut to get down to the forward line and be an option for the inside 50. To put it simply, this is a level of workrate we just haven't seen before in a KPF. Cadman to a degree had it, but wasn't nearly as physical or accurate as Walter is
The cliche of 'Tall's take time' isn't relevant either in regards to Walter, who will be playing Round 1 next year and likely have an immediate impact to the Suns as a genuine contested marking beast, with the athleticism to do it packs, to compliment the more lead up style of Ben King. It won't immediately fix their inside 50 issues, and I (on the suggestion of my dear friend Supersuns) do realise they probably need some better quality crumbers to fully take advantage of this, but it's a good shot in the arm.
Considerations; Gold Coast will match any bid for Walter, no shock there, but I do wonder whether they'll look to trade their picks in the 20's to maximise the points value they can get out of them? Clubs like Sydney, GWS, Richmond and Brisbane who are only going to take 2-3 picks and have a couple of later ones with points value may pounce at the opportunity to get better access to their preferred options after the first round, with the Eagles and Fremantle's other possibilities to want to upgrade their later picks
Pick 3 - North Melbourne - Zane Duursma
189 cm 79 kg
Gippsland Power
General Forward/ Midfielder
A season of two halfs is probably the best way to describe Zane's 2023, with a focus on developing his midfield game coming into the year Duursma was given every opportunity at Gippsland to show what he had to offer as more of a mid/fwd rather than a fwd/mid, and whilst there were some impressive displays and good development in his stoppage game and ball use under pressure, it's hard to deny that as a midfielder, we were getting mere glimpses as opposed to the consistent highlights package he offered as a forward
For more of a medium player Duursma is exceptional in the air, with his cleanliness at ground level translating well as he regularly takes one clunk grabs over head at full stretch, holding position surprisingly well against taller and stronger opposition. Whilst his disposal around the ground can be touch and go, but mostly very good, he's a consistent finisher in front of the sticks and often makes the most of his opportunities in front of goal, especially from set shots. I also really like the versaitlity Zane offers in a forward post, given his cleanliness and athletic traits he's shown he can act as an undersized marking target or more of a ground level player depending on the situation, with smarts to switch his approach as is necessary without prompting
Long term, North will be hoping Zane develops his endurance enough to play some consistent midfield minutes, even just a rotation option, given the class he can bring to the role, but even without that he'll add to what is quickly becoming an exciting and dynamic North forward line
Pick 4 - North Melbourne - Colby McKercher
180 cm 76 kg
Launceston
Midfielder
It's fair to say Colby has claims as the best pure midfielder in this years pool, and not just because of the lack of midfielders, with his line breaking ability, consistency, accumulation and work rate, McKercher has the traits to suggest he'll translate well to the elite level as either a centre square midfielder, or a winger given his elite endurance.
It's hard to narrow down what I really love about McKercher as a prospect given he's got so many strings to his bow, but I'd say that lack of clear weakness is ultimately what has drawn so many to him as a potential top 3 pick. Outside of his strength and arguably his contested game there's really no concerns about McKercher's game. He's got an elite athletic base, uses it well, has footy smarts, elite endurance, really good ball use and consistently gets high 20's to low 30's each game, and has improved in a couple of areas through the year with his scoreboard impact and one sidedness seeing increasing improvement.
Do North need more midfielders? Well yes and no, they don't need anymore inside leaning midfielders but definitely need a player of McKercher's calibre with speed and clean ball use, to fully rewarded the clearance winning efforts of LDU, Wardlaw and co. into the future. Whether or not you agree with this as a list fit, it's undeniable that McKercher is one of the 3 best available players here, and that in and of itself makes it a good list fit
Considerations; Dan Curtin and Nick Watson are the only two other players I see in contention here, with both arguably filling bigger gaps in the North Melbourne list, but everything has pointed to a Duurs and McKerch combo for a month or so now, so it'd be surprising if that changed at this point, especially with some other quality small forwards available later. Do North trade one of these picks is the other question, which moreso hinges on West Coast's demands than anything else, but I'm confident they take at least one of these picks
Pick 5 - Hawthorn - Nick Watson
170 cm 68 kg
Eastern Ranges
Small Forward
If Harley Reid is the most talked about prospect ever, then Watson is a close second. A lot of debate about Watson is focused around his height, which really just is what it is. When talking about the package of traits a player brings to their role, outside of an improvement in his defensive application, there's nothing Watson needs to add to his arsenal.
For a 170cm player, Watson can and has truly made taller opposition look silly in the air, with an elite leap and speed that allows him to gain separation easily and take the ball at a high point before opponents can fully register what happened. Watson's cleanliness in the air translates to his ground level game as well, truly an elite one touch player in all areas, Watson can crumb at full speed with no issue and is adept at the classic one hand pick up. And that's only his forward craft really, with his kicking and clear footy IQ transferrable across any area of the ground, Watson does have some potential to impact through the centre square like a Pickitt/ Brent Daniesl should a team want to explore that
For the Hawks, I guess the question is do they need Watson with Ginnivan coming in? The answer is, of course, yes! With Wingard getting older, and missing half of next season, Hawthorn have very little in the way of X-Factor and genuine athletic smalls in their ranks, with Watson projecting as a player that can turn those inside 50's that dont end up in Mitch Lewis's hands, still good opportunities to score.
Considerations; Dan Curtin continues to be linked and I do think he remains an option, but with Will McCabe coming in I think Hawthorn will be looking to address another need with a couple of players ranked evenly for this pick, as well as McKercher or Duursma if North go a different route with 2/3. I don't see a trade eventuating involving this pick unless it was a ridiculous offer from the Dees if they had a real eagerness to take the pick of bunch in this next trio of picks, or perhaps if McKercher slid and the Hawks were more fans of players in other roles
Pick 6 - Western Bulldogs - Ryley Sanders
185 cm 86 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Midfielder
One of the most consistent performers from this crop over the course of 3 years, Sanders just rocks up and gets the job done every week, regardless of specific role or any attention from opposition midfielders, his no fuss style of inside ball winning just translates well to any situation, and he's managed to add to his game throughout the year in positive ways, demonstrating an improved outside game and showing some small glimpses of how he may impact when resting forward at the next level.
When looking at most of the top midfielders at AFL level currently, Sanders has traits to match, as a clean one touch player at ground level with excellent stoppage nous, high level endurance and piercing handballs through congestion. I think Sanders kicking and speed has been somewhat underrated this year in all honesty, whilst he doesn't have the ye catching dash of a McKercher, he more often than not beats opponents in foot races on the outside and has a 20m sprint time that suggests he could become more of a burst player from congestion than we've seen this year, with the right coaching. I also think his marking is an area of his game that isn't appreciated enough, and was on display the few times he rotated through the forward line, along with his footy smarts allowing him to impact seamlessly.
I guess the main concerns around Sanders have been his ability to drive his legs out of the contest, and whether there's much development left in him physically given he's already at his AFL playing weight/ size, they're fair concerns, but I think the worst case scenario for Sanders at the next level is still a 200 game midfielder.
Considerations; This pick clearly isn't getting traded given what the Dogs gave up to get it, an offer that'd tempt the dogs would have to be 3 first rounders at a minimum you'd expect. I still think it's one of Watson or Sanders given what's likely to play out beforehand, but the dream is probably McKercher sliding down.
Pick 7 - Melbourne - Daniel Curtin
197 cm 95 kg
Claremont
Tall Defender/ Midfielder
Is he a genuine KPD, tall flanker or midfielder seems to be the reason so many are cautious on Curtin (on bigfooty at least), but the versatility he's shown this season has been truly exceptional regardless. Curtin is the only Key Defender from this years class to have effectively held Jed Walter in one-on-one battles, whilst being WA's best midfielder, simply crazy!
In my opinion, I don't see Curtin being anything other than a defender at the next level given how impactful he is down there as either a stopper or genuine interceptor, with his combination of aerial strength, one-on-one work, positioning and use by foot, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the next big thing in terms of defenders at the next level.
The 'midfielder' part of his game has been nice to see at the very least, but I'm not sure it's been convincing enough to deploy at AFL level, particularly as I feel most of his improvement areas, mostly his work below his knees, are more detrimental in the guts than down back. Perhaps he gets swung forward through his career as a point of difference, but nothing from his forward work this year was all that inspiring
Considerations; Could this be the first pick we see live traded on draft night? The Eagles future first would have to be tempting for the Dees, with it projecting as a top 3 pick in a midfielder heavy draft, arguably the most important area for them to stock up on, or could an Adelaide look to move up here to lock in a set and forget KPD? This is also the first pick where there's a bunch of links to every player. The Dees would have real interest in all of the players that have gone beforehand, as well as James Leake, Connor O'Sullivan and Nate Caddy, but I'm leaning with them going a tall either way overall.
Pick 8 - GWS - James Leake
187 cm 77 kg
Launceston
General Utility
The real draft bolter of the year, Leake shot into top 25 calculations through the Champs, and then furthered his draft credentials with some stunning performances as both a forward and midfielder in the last half of the Talent League season. Leake isn't a player that's been thrown about because 'he needs to find his best position', he's a player with genuine versatility due to his smarts and strong marking game.
As has been well advertised, Leake is a strong mark particularly for his size, both contested one-on-one and in packs, if allowed to leap for the footy there's a 99% chance he's holding onto it without much issue, but his ball use and decision making is equally as damaging after taking the mark, and, like with other prospects, has been an understated area of his game.
Sustained impact throughout games and general strength remain areas of growth, but both should be addressed quite quickly at AFL level with full time S&C programs, as well as a more consistent role throughout the year and individual games. Where he ends up playing will be an interesting watch, there was real promise in all his roles, but he does remain most impactful as a defender
Considerations; Again most of the earlier picked players would be heavily looked at, but of those available Caleb Windsor and Connor O'Sullivan are the main two that'd be considered. I wonder if this pick could be gettable in a trade should a Sydney, Adelaide or Essendon want to move up to lock in O'Sullivan
Pick 9 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Ethan Read (Picks 30, 34 used - carry 198 point surplus for next bid)
202 cm 92 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Ruck/ Tall Forward
The 'unicorn' of the draft, Read's impressed all year with his ridiculous mobility, ball use and ground level game for a player of his size, and recently took the eye of everyone as he powered home to a sub-6 minute 2km time trial at the AFL Draft Combine. It's no secret that you have to be something truly special as a ruck to go top 10, and Read has a combination of traits we haven't really seen before.
It's sort of funny that Read has taken the mantle of 'best ruck in the draft' when his strengths are arguably more suited to a key position role up either end, given his marking, positioning and previously mentioned qualities, and really his ruck craft isn't a highlight of his game. Long term I think Read's going to be a FWD/Ruck for the Suns to damaging effect, given his able to impact around the ground so effectively and Ned Moyle really is a ruck only option, it'd be the best ruck combination in the league should all go well
Shoutout to a real one when I say Read being deployed on a wing would be interesting as well, as a link up option there's no one that could match him across the board for endurance, marking proficiency and ball use heading forward
Pick 10 - Geelong - Nate Caddy
193 cm 88 kg
Northern Knights
Tall Forward
Like Nick Watson a lot of the questions around Caddy have been about his size, and whether he can translate the same play style to AFL level. It's a fair question for a key forward that's 193 cm, but as many have pointed out height isn't as limiting of a factor for KPF's as can be made out, and with Caddy's mix of athletic traits, reach and marking strength, I think he's got the tools to be a Curnow like forward target.
I'll admit Caddy is probably the only top 12 player I'm not totally enamoured with, while many have asked the question about his size I genuinely can't decide whether his kicking holds up at the next level, both around the ground and in front of the sticks, and think he remains a tad inconsistent for what you'd ideally want from a top 10 pick. He does, however, have claims for a top 3 ceiling in this draft given his x factor and how he can a turn a game on it's head with the flick of a switch.
I don't see him having that midfield potential like others do, but think if a club can nail his development they've got a top 5 FF at his peak
Considerations; Of those available it was really only O'Sullivan that was a chance outside of Caddy, and ultimately I think Geelong really need to look at some young KPF stocks with the retirement of Hawkins imminent, and Jeremey Cameron getting on as well. This is the first pick I think is more likely to switch hands than not; Essendon would love Caddy, Adelaide and Sydney would love O'Sullivan, would they be willing to trade multiple first rounders from this year or next year for the opportunity to draft those guys?
Pick 11 - Essendon - Connor O'Sullivan
198 cm 92 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Tall Utility
Considerations; Given they've just brought in McKay and invested heavily in key defenders with 2 top 10 picks in 2020, I could see the Bombers compromising on 'best available' to address their midfield, with the speed of Caleb Windsor sure to appeal to what remains a pretty one-paced midfield group. The supposed interest in Hardeman suggests a trade could be on the cards here, and like Geelongs pick Sydney and Adelaide might make an appealing offer to lock in O'Sullivan
Pick 12 - Adelaide - Darcy Wilson
186 cm 74 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Midfielder/ General Forward
Considerations; The link to Wilson is very strong if this pick is kept, but Caleb Windsor is also being linked strongly the closer we get to the draft. I think it's between them, but I also think there's an appetite to trade up so it'll be an interesting watch.
Pick 13 - Melbourne - Charlie Edwards
191 cm 85 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Midfielder
Considerations; Pretty confident this will be a midfielder, and ultimately the choice between Harry Demattia, who the Dees really like, Caleb Windsor, who the Dees really like, and Edwards came down to the fact Edwards has a better balance to his midfield game.
Pick 14 - Western Bulldogs (Matched Bid) - Jordan Croft (Picks 45, 47, 49 used - 21 point surplus)
200 cm 81 kg
Calder Cannons
Tall Forward
Pick 15 - Sydney - Will Green
204 cm 93 kg
Northern Knights
Ruck
Considerations; Sydney do well to keep their cards close to their chest and this year is no different, with Green the best link so far. Could they bid on McCabe given the need for key defensive options? Would they consider reaching for Zane Zakostelsky? Would they go against the grain of their drafting profile and take Ollie Murphy? No real link to Tew Jiath but I think he fits their drafting profile, but maybe a bit early for him.
Pick 16 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Jake Rogers (36, 61, 66 used - 61 point surplus)
170 cm 68 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Midfielder/ Small Forward
Pick 17 - St Kilda - Caleb Windsor
184 cm 76 kg
Eastern Ranges
Wing
Considerations; The Saints need runners and efficient ball users and Windsor suits well, and I don't see a world where the Saints pass on him here. Harry Demattia, Koltyn Tholstrup and Riley Hardeman may also be of interest should Windsor be off the table
Pick 18 - Hawthorn (Matched Bid) - Will McCabe (42, 45, 26 used - 285 point surplus)
197 cm 86 kg
Central Districts
Tall Defender
Pick 19 - Adelaide - Koltyn Tholstrup
186 cm 86 kg
Subiaco
Midfielder/ General Forward
Considerations; Taylor Goad and Ollie Murphy arguably fill bigger holes in the Crows list and would be around the mark here, and Harry Demattia presents as someone that could add a bit of speed to their midfield mix long term
Pick 20 - North Melbourne - Riley Hardeman
185 cm 75 kg
Swan Districts
General Defender
Considerations; With two of the next 3 picks, North likely look to take the player they have interest in that they're most worried about GWS taking. The Giants have interest in Hardeman and have expressed a desire to add to their defensive group. Other half backs in this region such as Archie Roberts may be of interest as well, or Demattia may tempt them as someone that has showed signs up either end and through the midfield
Pick 21 - GWS - Harry Demattia
185 cm 78 kg
Dandenong Stingrays
General Utility
Considerations; Really there aren't a lot of obvious holes in the GWS list, with a developing rotation FWD/RUCK and midfield depth the only two things that most agree on, perhaps a bid on Will Graham will be a consideration here as well, but there's not much else in the way of midfield options here. Taylor Goad would be in consideration as a high upside ruck prospect, whilst Tew Jiath, Luamon Lual, Lance Collard and Phoenix Gothard all fit the giants drafting profile.
Pick 22 - North Melbourne - Taylor Goad
206 cm 97 kg
South Adelaide
Ruck
Pick 23 - North Melbourne - Lance Collard
180 cm 65 kg
Subiaco
Small Forward
Considerations; Do the Roos go with two talls with these picks? There's been interest in Wil Dawson and Archer Reid, and if Ollie Murphy slid you'd assume they'd have a real think about him as well. I think the Roos are happy addressing a couple of different areas though, particularly with Chom being looked at as a future defender, so players in the late first round/early second round frame like Schoenmaker, Gothard could all come under consideration
Pick 24 - Collingwood - Archer Reid
203 cm 94 kg
Gippsland Power
Tall Forward/ Ruck
Considerations; Mostly just that the Pies don't traditionally use first rounders on talls, but the interest is there and for good reason given the age of Cox who has played a pretty underrate role in their front half this season, and whilst Reid isn't as big or as strong of a contested mark he'll certainly bring more natural talent. Pies areone of the clubs rumoured to be considering a bid on Will Graham, or could pull out a defender like Tew Jiath, Luamon Lual, Zane Zokstelsky or Wil Dawson given they seem to value defenders with strong work ethic
Pick 25 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Will Graham (Pick67 used - carry some sort of defecit)
186 cm 81 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Midfielder/ General Defender
Pick 26 - Adelaide - Phoenix Gothard
178 cm 72 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Small Forward
Considerations; Between Murphy and Gothard really for this run, with the need for Key Defenders seeming pretty evident, but ultimately I think Adelaide would realise that a) no one they pick here is going to fix that in the short term, and it is mostly a short term problem, and b) they're likely to be able to trade for some decent players in the near future given their promise, that'll turn into performance. I hesitate to make statements like I'm about, because I don't watch enough of other teams, but I could see him replacing Lachie Murphy at some point, or being able to release Rachele and Rankine into a role further up the field
Pick 27 - St Kilda - Archie Roberts
184 cm 79 kg
Sandringham Dragons
General Defender
Considerations; Essentially a copy and past of the Windsor one but I think the Saints target runners with their first round picks given the options thin out a bit around their third. Murphy would have to be considered but I think he's a bit 'samey' as their other KPD's currently
Pick 28 - Carlton - Ollie Murphy
200 cm 85 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Tall Defender
Considerations; Carlton don't really have many list holes at the moment that aren't likely to be filled with their off season recruiting and 2024 early look draft haul, although I do think they'd have liked to get a Gothard or Collard for a bit more X Factor to their forward mix, so on best available Murphy joins the blues. He'll tkae some time to fully develop but with the blues current trio of Weitering, Young and McGovern being pretty locked in, the Blues have the time to properly develop his game and body before Brackets moves on
Anyway I'll be releasing the Phantom Draft, which is what I think WILL/COULD happen as opposed to how I think the players rank, over this week. Round 1 up now, Round 2 will be up after that, then rounds 3, 4 and 5 will be one post as well. Anyway, enjoy, feedback appreciated but please note I'm prone to cry when things are too critical!
For the first round, given it has about 49 picks I'll update the write up over a few days, but will endeavour to get the others done in one hit
I'm not putting myself through the pain of predicting live trades, but will make mention of the possibilities I see around them
Pick 1 - West Coast Eagles - Harley Reid
187 cm 85 kg
Bendigo Pioneers
General Utility
What is there to be said about Harley that hasn't already been well covered in the media/ various different club board draft threads. It's amazing that we had Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos in 2021 do as well as they did, and then get Harley come in and become the most hyped and most spoken about draft prospect ever (so far!). Not to discredit Harley of course, but just a nice moment to show how far interest in the draft has come in such a short period.
There's not much Harley does that isn't very good to elite in comparison to the rest of the crop, with his versatility, power, strength, marking and contested game all standout features of his game. Most contested beasts in years gone by have struggled with their ball use either through congestion or on the rare occasion they win it out in space, but this is no issue for Harley who regularly hits targets via hand or foot with ease with well weighted disposal.
I guess the question is what does he actually end up being at AFL level? Given his genuine elite status in every third of the ground it's not out of the question that he has a Pavlich/ Goodes style career where he spends significant amounts of time in various different roles, and for the Eagles in the spot they're in it gives them great flexibility in their list build knowing Harley can plug gaps until eventually, hopefully, probably, ending up a mid/ fwd.
I think the only real Improvement Area in his game is the Endurance side of things, which will naturally improve in an AFL environment, but what his capacity for that is in terms of ceiling and time will ultimately decide whether he's a a majority mid or majority forward player
Considerations; No one else is going Pick 1, and it's been that way for around 5 months now. There's still the possibility of a trade I guess, but given the level of the offers that have been put forward, and rejected, already, it's hard to see clubs improving those offers and even harder to see West Coast lowering their demands
Pick 2 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Jed Walter (Use Picks 24,26,27 - carry a 203 point surplus to match their next bid)
194 cm 97 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Tall Forward
Arguably the most complete Key Forward prospect we've seen come through the junior ranks in some time, there's not many players that have kicked 20 goals in the U18 Championships (across two years), there could even be only Jed!
Walter truly is the complete package as a KPF prospect; physical, athletic, aerially dominant, accurate in front of goal, natural smarts are all traits we know make up elite key forwards, hell some of the best aren't even accurate in front of goal! but what truly sets Walter apart from anyone else we've seen come through is his defensive work, manically pressuring or chasing down opponents to tackle them and force a turnover. There were a few times this season in the Champs where he laid tackles on the wing, disposed of the footy, and then busted his gut to get down to the forward line and be an option for the inside 50. To put it simply, this is a level of workrate we just haven't seen before in a KPF. Cadman to a degree had it, but wasn't nearly as physical or accurate as Walter is
The cliche of 'Tall's take time' isn't relevant either in regards to Walter, who will be playing Round 1 next year and likely have an immediate impact to the Suns as a genuine contested marking beast, with the athleticism to do it packs, to compliment the more lead up style of Ben King. It won't immediately fix their inside 50 issues, and I (on the suggestion of my dear friend Supersuns) do realise they probably need some better quality crumbers to fully take advantage of this, but it's a good shot in the arm.
Considerations; Gold Coast will match any bid for Walter, no shock there, but I do wonder whether they'll look to trade their picks in the 20's to maximise the points value they can get out of them? Clubs like Sydney, GWS, Richmond and Brisbane who are only going to take 2-3 picks and have a couple of later ones with points value may pounce at the opportunity to get better access to their preferred options after the first round, with the Eagles and Fremantle's other possibilities to want to upgrade their later picks
Pick 3 - North Melbourne - Zane Duursma
189 cm 79 kg
Gippsland Power
General Forward/ Midfielder
A season of two halfs is probably the best way to describe Zane's 2023, with a focus on developing his midfield game coming into the year Duursma was given every opportunity at Gippsland to show what he had to offer as more of a mid/fwd rather than a fwd/mid, and whilst there were some impressive displays and good development in his stoppage game and ball use under pressure, it's hard to deny that as a midfielder, we were getting mere glimpses as opposed to the consistent highlights package he offered as a forward
For more of a medium player Duursma is exceptional in the air, with his cleanliness at ground level translating well as he regularly takes one clunk grabs over head at full stretch, holding position surprisingly well against taller and stronger opposition. Whilst his disposal around the ground can be touch and go, but mostly very good, he's a consistent finisher in front of the sticks and often makes the most of his opportunities in front of goal, especially from set shots. I also really like the versaitlity Zane offers in a forward post, given his cleanliness and athletic traits he's shown he can act as an undersized marking target or more of a ground level player depending on the situation, with smarts to switch his approach as is necessary without prompting
Long term, North will be hoping Zane develops his endurance enough to play some consistent midfield minutes, even just a rotation option, given the class he can bring to the role, but even without that he'll add to what is quickly becoming an exciting and dynamic North forward line
Pick 4 - North Melbourne - Colby McKercher
180 cm 76 kg
Launceston
Midfielder
It's fair to say Colby has claims as the best pure midfielder in this years pool, and not just because of the lack of midfielders, with his line breaking ability, consistency, accumulation and work rate, McKercher has the traits to suggest he'll translate well to the elite level as either a centre square midfielder, or a winger given his elite endurance.
It's hard to narrow down what I really love about McKercher as a prospect given he's got so many strings to his bow, but I'd say that lack of clear weakness is ultimately what has drawn so many to him as a potential top 3 pick. Outside of his strength and arguably his contested game there's really no concerns about McKercher's game. He's got an elite athletic base, uses it well, has footy smarts, elite endurance, really good ball use and consistently gets high 20's to low 30's each game, and has improved in a couple of areas through the year with his scoreboard impact and one sidedness seeing increasing improvement.
Do North need more midfielders? Well yes and no, they don't need anymore inside leaning midfielders but definitely need a player of McKercher's calibre with speed and clean ball use, to fully rewarded the clearance winning efforts of LDU, Wardlaw and co. into the future. Whether or not you agree with this as a list fit, it's undeniable that McKercher is one of the 3 best available players here, and that in and of itself makes it a good list fit
Considerations; Dan Curtin and Nick Watson are the only two other players I see in contention here, with both arguably filling bigger gaps in the North Melbourne list, but everything has pointed to a Duurs and McKerch combo for a month or so now, so it'd be surprising if that changed at this point, especially with some other quality small forwards available later. Do North trade one of these picks is the other question, which moreso hinges on West Coast's demands than anything else, but I'm confident they take at least one of these picks
Pick 5 - Hawthorn - Nick Watson
170 cm 68 kg
Eastern Ranges
Small Forward
If Harley Reid is the most talked about prospect ever, then Watson is a close second. A lot of debate about Watson is focused around his height, which really just is what it is. When talking about the package of traits a player brings to their role, outside of an improvement in his defensive application, there's nothing Watson needs to add to his arsenal.
For a 170cm player, Watson can and has truly made taller opposition look silly in the air, with an elite leap and speed that allows him to gain separation easily and take the ball at a high point before opponents can fully register what happened. Watson's cleanliness in the air translates to his ground level game as well, truly an elite one touch player in all areas, Watson can crumb at full speed with no issue and is adept at the classic one hand pick up. And that's only his forward craft really, with his kicking and clear footy IQ transferrable across any area of the ground, Watson does have some potential to impact through the centre square like a Pickitt/ Brent Daniesl should a team want to explore that
For the Hawks, I guess the question is do they need Watson with Ginnivan coming in? The answer is, of course, yes! With Wingard getting older, and missing half of next season, Hawthorn have very little in the way of X-Factor and genuine athletic smalls in their ranks, with Watson projecting as a player that can turn those inside 50's that dont end up in Mitch Lewis's hands, still good opportunities to score.
Considerations; Dan Curtin continues to be linked and I do think he remains an option, but with Will McCabe coming in I think Hawthorn will be looking to address another need with a couple of players ranked evenly for this pick, as well as McKercher or Duursma if North go a different route with 2/3. I don't see a trade eventuating involving this pick unless it was a ridiculous offer from the Dees if they had a real eagerness to take the pick of bunch in this next trio of picks, or perhaps if McKercher slid and the Hawks were more fans of players in other roles
Pick 6 - Western Bulldogs - Ryley Sanders
185 cm 86 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Midfielder
One of the most consistent performers from this crop over the course of 3 years, Sanders just rocks up and gets the job done every week, regardless of specific role or any attention from opposition midfielders, his no fuss style of inside ball winning just translates well to any situation, and he's managed to add to his game throughout the year in positive ways, demonstrating an improved outside game and showing some small glimpses of how he may impact when resting forward at the next level.
When looking at most of the top midfielders at AFL level currently, Sanders has traits to match, as a clean one touch player at ground level with excellent stoppage nous, high level endurance and piercing handballs through congestion. I think Sanders kicking and speed has been somewhat underrated this year in all honesty, whilst he doesn't have the ye catching dash of a McKercher, he more often than not beats opponents in foot races on the outside and has a 20m sprint time that suggests he could become more of a burst player from congestion than we've seen this year, with the right coaching. I also think his marking is an area of his game that isn't appreciated enough, and was on display the few times he rotated through the forward line, along with his footy smarts allowing him to impact seamlessly.
I guess the main concerns around Sanders have been his ability to drive his legs out of the contest, and whether there's much development left in him physically given he's already at his AFL playing weight/ size, they're fair concerns, but I think the worst case scenario for Sanders at the next level is still a 200 game midfielder.
Considerations; This pick clearly isn't getting traded given what the Dogs gave up to get it, an offer that'd tempt the dogs would have to be 3 first rounders at a minimum you'd expect. I still think it's one of Watson or Sanders given what's likely to play out beforehand, but the dream is probably McKercher sliding down.
Pick 7 - Melbourne - Daniel Curtin
197 cm 95 kg
Claremont
Tall Defender/ Midfielder
Is he a genuine KPD, tall flanker or midfielder seems to be the reason so many are cautious on Curtin (on bigfooty at least), but the versatility he's shown this season has been truly exceptional regardless. Curtin is the only Key Defender from this years class to have effectively held Jed Walter in one-on-one battles, whilst being WA's best midfielder, simply crazy!
In my opinion, I don't see Curtin being anything other than a defender at the next level given how impactful he is down there as either a stopper or genuine interceptor, with his combination of aerial strength, one-on-one work, positioning and use by foot, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the next big thing in terms of defenders at the next level.
The 'midfielder' part of his game has been nice to see at the very least, but I'm not sure it's been convincing enough to deploy at AFL level, particularly as I feel most of his improvement areas, mostly his work below his knees, are more detrimental in the guts than down back. Perhaps he gets swung forward through his career as a point of difference, but nothing from his forward work this year was all that inspiring
Considerations; Could this be the first pick we see live traded on draft night? The Eagles future first would have to be tempting for the Dees, with it projecting as a top 3 pick in a midfielder heavy draft, arguably the most important area for them to stock up on, or could an Adelaide look to move up here to lock in a set and forget KPD? This is also the first pick where there's a bunch of links to every player. The Dees would have real interest in all of the players that have gone beforehand, as well as James Leake, Connor O'Sullivan and Nate Caddy, but I'm leaning with them going a tall either way overall.
Pick 8 - GWS - James Leake
187 cm 77 kg
Launceston
General Utility
The real draft bolter of the year, Leake shot into top 25 calculations through the Champs, and then furthered his draft credentials with some stunning performances as both a forward and midfielder in the last half of the Talent League season. Leake isn't a player that's been thrown about because 'he needs to find his best position', he's a player with genuine versatility due to his smarts and strong marking game.
As has been well advertised, Leake is a strong mark particularly for his size, both contested one-on-one and in packs, if allowed to leap for the footy there's a 99% chance he's holding onto it without much issue, but his ball use and decision making is equally as damaging after taking the mark, and, like with other prospects, has been an understated area of his game.
Sustained impact throughout games and general strength remain areas of growth, but both should be addressed quite quickly at AFL level with full time S&C programs, as well as a more consistent role throughout the year and individual games. Where he ends up playing will be an interesting watch, there was real promise in all his roles, but he does remain most impactful as a defender
Considerations; Again most of the earlier picked players would be heavily looked at, but of those available Caleb Windsor and Connor O'Sullivan are the main two that'd be considered. I wonder if this pick could be gettable in a trade should a Sydney, Adelaide or Essendon want to move up to lock in O'Sullivan
Pick 9 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Ethan Read (Picks 30, 34 used - carry 198 point surplus for next bid)
202 cm 92 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Ruck/ Tall Forward
The 'unicorn' of the draft, Read's impressed all year with his ridiculous mobility, ball use and ground level game for a player of his size, and recently took the eye of everyone as he powered home to a sub-6 minute 2km time trial at the AFL Draft Combine. It's no secret that you have to be something truly special as a ruck to go top 10, and Read has a combination of traits we haven't really seen before.
It's sort of funny that Read has taken the mantle of 'best ruck in the draft' when his strengths are arguably more suited to a key position role up either end, given his marking, positioning and previously mentioned qualities, and really his ruck craft isn't a highlight of his game. Long term I think Read's going to be a FWD/Ruck for the Suns to damaging effect, given his able to impact around the ground so effectively and Ned Moyle really is a ruck only option, it'd be the best ruck combination in the league should all go well
Shoutout to a real one when I say Read being deployed on a wing would be interesting as well, as a link up option there's no one that could match him across the board for endurance, marking proficiency and ball use heading forward
Pick 10 - Geelong - Nate Caddy
193 cm 88 kg
Northern Knights
Tall Forward
Like Nick Watson a lot of the questions around Caddy have been about his size, and whether he can translate the same play style to AFL level. It's a fair question for a key forward that's 193 cm, but as many have pointed out height isn't as limiting of a factor for KPF's as can be made out, and with Caddy's mix of athletic traits, reach and marking strength, I think he's got the tools to be a Curnow like forward target.
I'll admit Caddy is probably the only top 12 player I'm not totally enamoured with, while many have asked the question about his size I genuinely can't decide whether his kicking holds up at the next level, both around the ground and in front of the sticks, and think he remains a tad inconsistent for what you'd ideally want from a top 10 pick. He does, however, have claims for a top 3 ceiling in this draft given his x factor and how he can a turn a game on it's head with the flick of a switch.
I don't see him having that midfield potential like others do, but think if a club can nail his development they've got a top 5 FF at his peak
Considerations; Of those available it was really only O'Sullivan that was a chance outside of Caddy, and ultimately I think Geelong really need to look at some young KPF stocks with the retirement of Hawkins imminent, and Jeremey Cameron getting on as well. This is the first pick I think is more likely to switch hands than not; Essendon would love Caddy, Adelaide and Sydney would love O'Sullivan, would they be willing to trade multiple first rounders from this year or next year for the opportunity to draft those guys?
Pick 11 - Essendon - Connor O'Sullivan
198 cm 92 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Tall Utility
Considerations; Given they've just brought in McKay and invested heavily in key defenders with 2 top 10 picks in 2020, I could see the Bombers compromising on 'best available' to address their midfield, with the speed of Caleb Windsor sure to appeal to what remains a pretty one-paced midfield group. The supposed interest in Hardeman suggests a trade could be on the cards here, and like Geelongs pick Sydney and Adelaide might make an appealing offer to lock in O'Sullivan
Pick 12 - Adelaide - Darcy Wilson
186 cm 74 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Midfielder/ General Forward
Considerations; The link to Wilson is very strong if this pick is kept, but Caleb Windsor is also being linked strongly the closer we get to the draft. I think it's between them, but I also think there's an appetite to trade up so it'll be an interesting watch.
Pick 13 - Melbourne - Charlie Edwards
191 cm 85 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Midfielder
Considerations; Pretty confident this will be a midfielder, and ultimately the choice between Harry Demattia, who the Dees really like, Caleb Windsor, who the Dees really like, and Edwards came down to the fact Edwards has a better balance to his midfield game.
Pick 14 - Western Bulldogs (Matched Bid) - Jordan Croft (Picks 45, 47, 49 used - 21 point surplus)
200 cm 81 kg
Calder Cannons
Tall Forward
Pick 15 - Sydney - Will Green
204 cm 93 kg
Northern Knights
Ruck
Considerations; Sydney do well to keep their cards close to their chest and this year is no different, with Green the best link so far. Could they bid on McCabe given the need for key defensive options? Would they consider reaching for Zane Zakostelsky? Would they go against the grain of their drafting profile and take Ollie Murphy? No real link to Tew Jiath but I think he fits their drafting profile, but maybe a bit early for him.
Pick 16 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Jake Rogers (36, 61, 66 used - 61 point surplus)
170 cm 68 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Midfielder/ Small Forward
Pick 17 - St Kilda - Caleb Windsor
184 cm 76 kg
Eastern Ranges
Wing
Considerations; The Saints need runners and efficient ball users and Windsor suits well, and I don't see a world where the Saints pass on him here. Harry Demattia, Koltyn Tholstrup and Riley Hardeman may also be of interest should Windsor be off the table
Pick 18 - Hawthorn (Matched Bid) - Will McCabe (42, 45, 26 used - 285 point surplus)
197 cm 86 kg
Central Districts
Tall Defender
Pick 19 - Adelaide - Koltyn Tholstrup
186 cm 86 kg
Subiaco
Midfielder/ General Forward
Considerations; Taylor Goad and Ollie Murphy arguably fill bigger holes in the Crows list and would be around the mark here, and Harry Demattia presents as someone that could add a bit of speed to their midfield mix long term
Pick 20 - North Melbourne - Riley Hardeman
185 cm 75 kg
Swan Districts
General Defender
Considerations; With two of the next 3 picks, North likely look to take the player they have interest in that they're most worried about GWS taking. The Giants have interest in Hardeman and have expressed a desire to add to their defensive group. Other half backs in this region such as Archie Roberts may be of interest as well, or Demattia may tempt them as someone that has showed signs up either end and through the midfield
Pick 21 - GWS - Harry Demattia
185 cm 78 kg
Dandenong Stingrays
General Utility
Considerations; Really there aren't a lot of obvious holes in the GWS list, with a developing rotation FWD/RUCK and midfield depth the only two things that most agree on, perhaps a bid on Will Graham will be a consideration here as well, but there's not much else in the way of midfield options here. Taylor Goad would be in consideration as a high upside ruck prospect, whilst Tew Jiath, Luamon Lual, Lance Collard and Phoenix Gothard all fit the giants drafting profile.
Pick 22 - North Melbourne - Taylor Goad
206 cm 97 kg
South Adelaide
Ruck
Pick 23 - North Melbourne - Lance Collard
180 cm 65 kg
Subiaco
Small Forward
Considerations; Do the Roos go with two talls with these picks? There's been interest in Wil Dawson and Archer Reid, and if Ollie Murphy slid you'd assume they'd have a real think about him as well. I think the Roos are happy addressing a couple of different areas though, particularly with Chom being looked at as a future defender, so players in the late first round/early second round frame like Schoenmaker, Gothard could all come under consideration
Pick 24 - Collingwood - Archer Reid
203 cm 94 kg
Gippsland Power
Tall Forward/ Ruck
Considerations; Mostly just that the Pies don't traditionally use first rounders on talls, but the interest is there and for good reason given the age of Cox who has played a pretty underrate role in their front half this season, and whilst Reid isn't as big or as strong of a contested mark he'll certainly bring more natural talent. Pies areone of the clubs rumoured to be considering a bid on Will Graham, or could pull out a defender like Tew Jiath, Luamon Lual, Zane Zokstelsky or Wil Dawson given they seem to value defenders with strong work ethic
Pick 25 - Gold Coast Suns (Matched Bid) - Will Graham (Pick67 used - carry some sort of defecit)
186 cm 81 kg
Palm Beach Currumbin
Midfielder/ General Defender
Pick 26 - Adelaide - Phoenix Gothard
178 cm 72 kg
Murray Bushrangers
Small Forward
Considerations; Between Murphy and Gothard really for this run, with the need for Key Defenders seeming pretty evident, but ultimately I think Adelaide would realise that a) no one they pick here is going to fix that in the short term, and it is mostly a short term problem, and b) they're likely to be able to trade for some decent players in the near future given their promise, that'll turn into performance. I hesitate to make statements like I'm about, because I don't watch enough of other teams, but I could see him replacing Lachie Murphy at some point, or being able to release Rachele and Rankine into a role further up the field
Pick 27 - St Kilda - Archie Roberts
184 cm 79 kg
Sandringham Dragons
General Defender
Considerations; Essentially a copy and past of the Windsor one but I think the Saints target runners with their first round picks given the options thin out a bit around their third. Murphy would have to be considered but I think he's a bit 'samey' as their other KPD's currently
Pick 28 - Carlton - Ollie Murphy
200 cm 85 kg
Sandringham Dragons
Tall Defender
Considerations; Carlton don't really have many list holes at the moment that aren't likely to be filled with their off season recruiting and 2024 early look draft haul, although I do think they'd have liked to get a Gothard or Collard for a bit more X Factor to their forward mix, so on best available Murphy joins the blues. He'll tkae some time to fully develop but with the blues current trio of Weitering, Young and McGovern being pretty locked in, the Blues have the time to properly develop his game and body before Brackets moves on
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