Tazwegian
Cancelled
Well, the draft period is over and it proved to be a fantastic draft for Tasmania. Two first rounders is an incredible result. As predicted it was high quality rather than high quantity for Tasmanian juniors being drafted into the AFL system this year. We also had two Level Two Tasmanian rookies taken in the rookie draft, bringing a total of five new Tasmanian players into the AFL.
I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread and look forward to creating the 2013 Tassie prospects thread in the not too distant future
The 2012 Draftees
National Draft:
Pick #13 (Gold Coast) - Jesse Lonergan: An inside midfielder who has been training with the AIS squad. Plays for Launceston in the TSL. Was named in the top 30 for the 2011 Tassie medal which is awarded to the best and fairest in the league. In an outstanding year, he also won the Corporate Express rising star award, joining fellow past winners such as Grant Birchall, Mitch Robinson, and Ryan Harwood.
Jesse recovered from an early season injury to take part in the NAB under 18s carnival. He played two games, averaging 16 disposals and five tackles per game to be among our best players in both games. He was also one of the standouts of the 2012 AFL combine, scoring elite results in goal kicking (equal first), agility (2nd), vertical leap (2nd), running leap (3rd), and repeat sprints (7th), and showing great burst speed with a 3.01 in the 20m sprint, which puts him just outside the top 10.
Player comparison: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
Predicted draft range: 14-26
Pick #16 (Geelong) - Jackson Thurlow: Can play forward or back and looks to be very quick, good decision maker, can take a strong mark and boasts an elite kick. Has featured amongst the best for Launceston so far this year where he has already played over twenty games for in the TSL. Thurlow had a blistering under 18s carnival, averaging over 24 possessions per game, including one 45 possession game against Vic Metro in a heavy defeat. Was Tasmania's best player at the carnival, and arguably the best division two player, which was recognised by his All Australian selection . Thurlow was also awarded the Davidson medal as the most valuable player in the under 18 team, joining fellow winners and AFL players Josh Green, Grant Birchall, and Ryan Harwood.
Unfortunately, a sling tackle that resulted in a serious facial injury and a broken thumb at the end of the year may impede his chances of AFL selection. However, Thurlow did attend the AFL combine and is still a strong chance to be drafted based on his good form throughout the year.
Player Comparison: Corey Enright (Geelong)
Predicted draft range: 24-48
Pick #62 (Adelaide) - Sam Siggins: Siggins is a tall defender with good skills by hand and foot and elite endurance. At just 18 years of age, he already has a solid frame. He stands at 196cm and weighs 88 kilos, giving him a 2cm height and an 8 kilo weight advantage over fellow Tasmanian, and first round draftee from 2011, Henry Schade at the same age. He reads the play well and is excellent overhead and in one on one situations. Can play forward or back, but looks more likely as a spoiling and contested marking KPD. He is one of the better pure KPDs from this year's crop, and should be drafted within the first two rounds on talent. Siggins had a very strong year in the TSL, playing on more experienced and mature bodies and more than matching them for strength and ability.
Player Comparison: Ben Reid (Collingwood)
Predicted Draft range: 40-80
Level 2 Rookies:
Jack Osborn: A massive unit at 205cm, Osborn reportedly has excellent agility and vertical leap. Cites his strengths as his ability to run well for a big man, and at 22 years old, Osborn already has the physique to be physically competitive at the AFL level. Adelaide are said to be keen to develop him into either a ruckmen or key position defender, which demonstrates his athleticism as there are very few defenders capable of competing endurance wise at his height. Could potentially be a very interesting prospect going forward.
Ben Richmond: Another promising Tasmanian basketballer who was recruited this time by Collingwood from the AIS basketball academy as a class 2 rookie, Richmond is a wiry 195cm athlete with a large vertical leap, good top speed, excellent awareness, and elite endurance.
Richmond's basketballing background means that he has not played aussie rules since he was a schoolboy, therefore his future role is still unknown. However, his combination of speed, endurance, leap, and awareness means he could play anywhere from a midfield role to a key position forward or defender.
The guys who missed out:
Jaye Bowden: At 23, Bowden is a mature age player who confirmed his status as the premier player in the TSL this year by blitzing the Tassie Medal. In an outstanding season, Bowden kicked 48 goals, including a haul of 8 in one game, and was named in Glenorchy's best in every single game he played. A classy onballer who can go forward and kick goals, Bowden has attracted interest from a number of clubs and subsequently attended the Victorian state screening. Bowden is widely tipped to find himself on an AFL list for the 2013 season.
Player Comparison: Dane Swan (Collingwood)
Draft range: Rookie
Mitch Van den Berg: A crafty forward with excellent endurance, solid overhead, and a keen sense for goal. Mitch's effort at the under 18s carnival for Tasmania, where he was one of Tasmania's better players, and his outstanding effort in the 2012 TSL season saw him earn an invite to the national combine. Mitch has slipped under the radar of most draft watchers, but his top ten finishes in the beep test (2nd overall) and the 3km time trial at the combine has turned a few heads. But what has recruiters very interested is Mitch's form in the TSL, where he kicked 17 goals from 11 games, earned two best on ground performances, and was named on the interchange in the team of the year. Question marks over his speed, agility and foot skills may be the only thing that stop Mitch from being recruited in 2012.
Player Comparison:
Draft Range: 60 - rookie
Toby Nankervis: A ruckmen with a massive frame at 199cm and 100kgs at only 18, Toby Nankervis was invited to the draft on the back of a solid champs and good TSL form, having consistently featured in North Launceston's best throughout the year. Still very raw, but has excellent hands both in the air and on the ground, kicks well for a big man, and competes nicely around the ground. Can go forward and kick a goal on occasion, but there will be some question marks over his endurance and agility.
Player Comparison: Tom Bellchambers (Essendon)
Draft Range: 50 - Rookie
Brady Jones: One of the stories of this year's draft, Brady Jones could be the first person this millennium to play both aussie rules and cricket at the highest level possible in the nation. A very handy wicketkeeper, Jones lost his cricket Tasmania contract at a time when Tasmania were brimming with wicketkeepers. This allowed Jones to concentrate on his football, and he rapidly got his body to a standard where he could not only compete at state level, but be one of the better performers in the league. Jones plays as an inside midfielder who competes hard for the contested ball. He was judged best on ground for the map in the TSL vs VFL game, and finished inside the top ten for the TSL's best and fairest, the Tassie Medal.
Player Comparison: James Kelly (Geelong)
I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread and look forward to creating the 2013 Tassie prospects thread in the not too distant future
The 2012 Draftees
National Draft:
Pick #13 (Gold Coast) - Jesse Lonergan: An inside midfielder who has been training with the AIS squad. Plays for Launceston in the TSL. Was named in the top 30 for the 2011 Tassie medal which is awarded to the best and fairest in the league. In an outstanding year, he also won the Corporate Express rising star award, joining fellow past winners such as Grant Birchall, Mitch Robinson, and Ryan Harwood.
Jesse recovered from an early season injury to take part in the NAB under 18s carnival. He played two games, averaging 16 disposals and five tackles per game to be among our best players in both games. He was also one of the standouts of the 2012 AFL combine, scoring elite results in goal kicking (equal first), agility (2nd), vertical leap (2nd), running leap (3rd), and repeat sprints (7th), and showing great burst speed with a 3.01 in the 20m sprint, which puts him just outside the top 10.
Player comparison: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
Predicted draft range: 14-26
Pick #16 (Geelong) - Jackson Thurlow: Can play forward or back and looks to be very quick, good decision maker, can take a strong mark and boasts an elite kick. Has featured amongst the best for Launceston so far this year where he has already played over twenty games for in the TSL. Thurlow had a blistering under 18s carnival, averaging over 24 possessions per game, including one 45 possession game against Vic Metro in a heavy defeat. Was Tasmania's best player at the carnival, and arguably the best division two player, which was recognised by his All Australian selection . Thurlow was also awarded the Davidson medal as the most valuable player in the under 18 team, joining fellow winners and AFL players Josh Green, Grant Birchall, and Ryan Harwood.
Unfortunately, a sling tackle that resulted in a serious facial injury and a broken thumb at the end of the year may impede his chances of AFL selection. However, Thurlow did attend the AFL combine and is still a strong chance to be drafted based on his good form throughout the year.
Player Comparison: Corey Enright (Geelong)
Predicted draft range: 24-48
Pick #62 (Adelaide) - Sam Siggins: Siggins is a tall defender with good skills by hand and foot and elite endurance. At just 18 years of age, he already has a solid frame. He stands at 196cm and weighs 88 kilos, giving him a 2cm height and an 8 kilo weight advantage over fellow Tasmanian, and first round draftee from 2011, Henry Schade at the same age. He reads the play well and is excellent overhead and in one on one situations. Can play forward or back, but looks more likely as a spoiling and contested marking KPD. He is one of the better pure KPDs from this year's crop, and should be drafted within the first two rounds on talent. Siggins had a very strong year in the TSL, playing on more experienced and mature bodies and more than matching them for strength and ability.
Player Comparison: Ben Reid (Collingwood)
Predicted Draft range: 40-80
Level 2 Rookies:
Jack Osborn: A massive unit at 205cm, Osborn reportedly has excellent agility and vertical leap. Cites his strengths as his ability to run well for a big man, and at 22 years old, Osborn already has the physique to be physically competitive at the AFL level. Adelaide are said to be keen to develop him into either a ruckmen or key position defender, which demonstrates his athleticism as there are very few defenders capable of competing endurance wise at his height. Could potentially be a very interesting prospect going forward.
Ben Richmond: Another promising Tasmanian basketballer who was recruited this time by Collingwood from the AIS basketball academy as a class 2 rookie, Richmond is a wiry 195cm athlete with a large vertical leap, good top speed, excellent awareness, and elite endurance.
Richmond's basketballing background means that he has not played aussie rules since he was a schoolboy, therefore his future role is still unknown. However, his combination of speed, endurance, leap, and awareness means he could play anywhere from a midfield role to a key position forward or defender.
The guys who missed out:
Jaye Bowden: At 23, Bowden is a mature age player who confirmed his status as the premier player in the TSL this year by blitzing the Tassie Medal. In an outstanding season, Bowden kicked 48 goals, including a haul of 8 in one game, and was named in Glenorchy's best in every single game he played. A classy onballer who can go forward and kick goals, Bowden has attracted interest from a number of clubs and subsequently attended the Victorian state screening. Bowden is widely tipped to find himself on an AFL list for the 2013 season.
Player Comparison: Dane Swan (Collingwood)
Draft range: Rookie
Mitch Van den Berg: A crafty forward with excellent endurance, solid overhead, and a keen sense for goal. Mitch's effort at the under 18s carnival for Tasmania, where he was one of Tasmania's better players, and his outstanding effort in the 2012 TSL season saw him earn an invite to the national combine. Mitch has slipped under the radar of most draft watchers, but his top ten finishes in the beep test (2nd overall) and the 3km time trial at the combine has turned a few heads. But what has recruiters very interested is Mitch's form in the TSL, where he kicked 17 goals from 11 games, earned two best on ground performances, and was named on the interchange in the team of the year. Question marks over his speed, agility and foot skills may be the only thing that stop Mitch from being recruited in 2012.
Player Comparison:
Draft Range: 60 - rookie
Toby Nankervis: A ruckmen with a massive frame at 199cm and 100kgs at only 18, Toby Nankervis was invited to the draft on the back of a solid champs and good TSL form, having consistently featured in North Launceston's best throughout the year. Still very raw, but has excellent hands both in the air and on the ground, kicks well for a big man, and competes nicely around the ground. Can go forward and kick a goal on occasion, but there will be some question marks over his endurance and agility.
Player Comparison: Tom Bellchambers (Essendon)
Draft Range: 50 - Rookie
Brady Jones: One of the stories of this year's draft, Brady Jones could be the first person this millennium to play both aussie rules and cricket at the highest level possible in the nation. A very handy wicketkeeper, Jones lost his cricket Tasmania contract at a time when Tasmania were brimming with wicketkeepers. This allowed Jones to concentrate on his football, and he rapidly got his body to a standard where he could not only compete at state level, but be one of the better performers in the league. Jones plays as an inside midfielder who competes hard for the contested ball. He was judged best on ground for the map in the TSL vs VFL game, and finished inside the top ten for the TSL's best and fairest, the Tassie Medal.
Player Comparison: James Kelly (Geelong)
