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Norm Smith Medallist
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The NFI Phantom for 2018
I have only seen a few of these boys play live, & even then, I haven’t seen much, so I’ll use the work of others to make my decisions.
A couple of years ago I did one of these and went against the popular opinion, by choosing McCartin over Petracca. I was the first to do that I reckon, but it wasn’t because of any great foresight, it was to try something different.
This year, I’m also going to try a different tack, so take my phantom with a grain of salt, but if you are like me, you are eager to read any phantom that pops up.
1. Pick swap Port Adelaide swap picks 5 and 15 for pick 1. Then Port Adelaide choose Jack Lucosius. Why? They wanted the best player in the draft who is also an SA boy, & the Blues will see value at getting 2 first rounders for pick 1.
2. Gold Coast choose Sam Walsh. GC look to draft in the running machine, Walsh.
3. Pick swap again. Adeliade swap picks 8 and 16 for pick 3. Adelaide choose Izak Rankine. The most WOW! Player in the draft. I fell in love with him as a player at what was Etihad Stadium after 1 quarter of footy. SA boy who gets to stay at home. This leave GC with 4 picks in the first round as a strategy to re-build in earnest.
4. St Kilda bid on Nick Blakey. Sydney match the bid.
5. St Kilda choose Bailey Smith to throw the cat amongst the pigeons by not choosing Max King. Saints decide to bolster the midfield with some confidence that both their existing tall forwards & one available later to be worth the risk.
6. Carlton choose Jye Caldwell getting that highly ranked mid, who should add class to the Blues’ midfield. (previously pick 5 received from PA)
7. Gold Coast choose Ben King. Suns gamble that the 200+cm swingman is wanted more than his brother by the Dogs, so they pull the pin here.
8. Western Bulldogs choose Conner Rozee, a kid that, after watching the SA vs Vic metro game, I predicted could one day become the best of the whole draft bunch. Since then his draft ranking has climbed.
9. Gold Coast choose Max King. Dream result for the Suns to get the King twins, without giving up both picks 2 and 3. (previously pick 8 from Adelaide)
10. GWS bid on Tarryn Thomas. North Melbourne match the bid.
11. GWS choose Jackson Hately. Big-bodied tall mid to add to the stable that has lost Dylan Shiel.
12. Port Adelaide choose Zak Butters. Will add run to the Power.
13. GWS bid on Isaac Quaynor. Collingwood match the bid.
14. GWS choose Jordan Clark. They will look for him to replace Heath Shaw.
15. Geelong choose Curtis Taylor. A smart footballer, in the mould of Daniel Menzel if I remember rightly. He is a forward, who does possess X-factor & the Cats have shown they are prepared to go for it with early draft picks.
16. Adelaide choose Riley Collier-Dawkins. Rangy, tall mid who will complement their midfield.
17. Fremantle choose Ian Hill. Speed, skill and family connection will add to the new-look forward-line, suddenly blessed with tall timber.
18. Carlton (pick received from PA) bid on Rhylee West. Western Bulldogs match the bid. I’ve seen a bit of Rhylee & I reckon he is a Paul Puopolo clone, albeit a bit taller, and also able to go for speckies. Super hard at it, Dogs will love him.
19. Carlton choose Liam Stocker. The trade down from pick 1 gives the Blues 2 best 22 mids, as opposed to one.
20. Gold Coast choose Luke Valente. Quality player with leadership qualities, adds to the good gets for the Suns.
21. Richmond choose Xavier O’Halloran. Vic Metro captain who will fit into the Tigers’ midfield and perhaps become a future captain.
22. Brisbane choose Sam Sturt. A neat and smart half forward will form lethal left-footed duo with Eric Hipwood for the Lions.
23. GWS choose Chayce Jones. Giants will be wrapped to get the quality Tasmanian at this stage.
24. WCE choose Xavier Duursma.
First round is all I’m prepared to have a go at.
Now I’m ready for the barbs & insults.
What I will finish with is a challenge for others to have a go, as many of us want to read as many phantoms as we can, even if the poster has NFI.
I have only seen a few of these boys play live, & even then, I haven’t seen much, so I’ll use the work of others to make my decisions.
A couple of years ago I did one of these and went against the popular opinion, by choosing McCartin over Petracca. I was the first to do that I reckon, but it wasn’t because of any great foresight, it was to try something different.
This year, I’m also going to try a different tack, so take my phantom with a grain of salt, but if you are like me, you are eager to read any phantom that pops up.
1. Pick swap Port Adelaide swap picks 5 and 15 for pick 1. Then Port Adelaide choose Jack Lucosius. Why? They wanted the best player in the draft who is also an SA boy, & the Blues will see value at getting 2 first rounders for pick 1.
2. Gold Coast choose Sam Walsh. GC look to draft in the running machine, Walsh.
3. Pick swap again. Adeliade swap picks 8 and 16 for pick 3. Adelaide choose Izak Rankine. The most WOW! Player in the draft. I fell in love with him as a player at what was Etihad Stadium after 1 quarter of footy. SA boy who gets to stay at home. This leave GC with 4 picks in the first round as a strategy to re-build in earnest.
4. St Kilda bid on Nick Blakey. Sydney match the bid.
5. St Kilda choose Bailey Smith to throw the cat amongst the pigeons by not choosing Max King. Saints decide to bolster the midfield with some confidence that both their existing tall forwards & one available later to be worth the risk.
6. Carlton choose Jye Caldwell getting that highly ranked mid, who should add class to the Blues’ midfield. (previously pick 5 received from PA)
7. Gold Coast choose Ben King. Suns gamble that the 200+cm swingman is wanted more than his brother by the Dogs, so they pull the pin here.
8. Western Bulldogs choose Conner Rozee, a kid that, after watching the SA vs Vic metro game, I predicted could one day become the best of the whole draft bunch. Since then his draft ranking has climbed.
9. Gold Coast choose Max King. Dream result for the Suns to get the King twins, without giving up both picks 2 and 3. (previously pick 8 from Adelaide)
10. GWS bid on Tarryn Thomas. North Melbourne match the bid.
11. GWS choose Jackson Hately. Big-bodied tall mid to add to the stable that has lost Dylan Shiel.
12. Port Adelaide choose Zak Butters. Will add run to the Power.
13. GWS bid on Isaac Quaynor. Collingwood match the bid.
14. GWS choose Jordan Clark. They will look for him to replace Heath Shaw.
15. Geelong choose Curtis Taylor. A smart footballer, in the mould of Daniel Menzel if I remember rightly. He is a forward, who does possess X-factor & the Cats have shown they are prepared to go for it with early draft picks.
16. Adelaide choose Riley Collier-Dawkins. Rangy, tall mid who will complement their midfield.
17. Fremantle choose Ian Hill. Speed, skill and family connection will add to the new-look forward-line, suddenly blessed with tall timber.
18. Carlton (pick received from PA) bid on Rhylee West. Western Bulldogs match the bid. I’ve seen a bit of Rhylee & I reckon he is a Paul Puopolo clone, albeit a bit taller, and also able to go for speckies. Super hard at it, Dogs will love him.
19. Carlton choose Liam Stocker. The trade down from pick 1 gives the Blues 2 best 22 mids, as opposed to one.
20. Gold Coast choose Luke Valente. Quality player with leadership qualities, adds to the good gets for the Suns.
21. Richmond choose Xavier O’Halloran. Vic Metro captain who will fit into the Tigers’ midfield and perhaps become a future captain.
22. Brisbane choose Sam Sturt. A neat and smart half forward will form lethal left-footed duo with Eric Hipwood for the Lions.
23. GWS choose Chayce Jones. Giants will be wrapped to get the quality Tasmanian at this stage.
24. WCE choose Xavier Duursma.
First round is all I’m prepared to have a go at.
Now I’m ready for the barbs & insults.
What I will finish with is a challenge for others to have a go, as many of us want to read as many phantoms as we can, even if the poster has NFI.
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