WA Draft Standing

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This is not a phantom draft because quite simply, I do not have the knowledge of eastern states draft hopefuls to accurately assess where the cards will fall.

I do however have some knowledge on the local market, I will order the WA hopefuls according to merit combined with upside potential. Those at the top will obviously be the highest rated and you can work out the rest.

Will provide a detailed draft profile on each hopeful per post.

 

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1. Blake Acres

Height : 190cm Weight : 84kg

Blake Acres managed 9 matches for West Perth this season, averaging 25 possessions, and a little over a goal a game. What's all the fuss about? It's the quality of the touches. I'd be struggling to recall more than 10 poor disposal from the tally of 222 at colts level.

Acres is clean, crisp and any other adjective you want to use to describe an elite ball user and here's the big one, an elite decision maker, there are no hail marys, no long bombs, no kicking for touch. Acres hates to waste the ball, think of a Pendlebury or a Mundy, these players wait that extra half second to identify a more advantageous target and have the required skill, by both hand and foot to hit these targets 9 times out of 10. It opens up the play, it's an intangible that will never show up on any stat metric, the ability to weight a foot bass, or a handball so a teammate doesn't have to break stride is gold, absolute gold.

Acres also jumps to the top of the pile on the back of his ability to play just about anywhere and impact the contest. Acres was pulling in 20+ possessions each week, despite averaging less than 70% game time. Toward the end of his 9 matches Acres pushed forward and provided West Perth with a marking target through half forward, I cannot describe how poor this side was in 2013, his last 4 games netted 9 goals. Acres also played a sweeping role across half back and simply read the play better than any who went to him to quell his influence.

The fact that he has grown a further 2 cms since testing at Arena earlier this year only heightens his standing, he is now a genuine tall midfielder, the type that clubs are happy to push forward rather than rolling off the bench, this allows the other less flexible players to rest on the bench, an important factor to consider when thinking of the upcoming cap. His aerial capabilities make him a genuine threat forward of the play, whilst definitely not in the Fyfe bracker, he is more than capable of dragging in genuine contested marks and his set shot is smooth, with an uncomplicated kicking action to match.

Now we turn to his frame, his scope for growth and the stock he has come from. There are no holes. Both parents were both very athletic, home life has been stable and he has had a sibling of a similar age to build a competitive edge. If any had noticed his brother Dan Acres and his ferocity at the man, it's fair to say Blake knows how to compete, how to take a tackle and how to shake a tag. This is crucial for me, it develops and competitive drive which holds players in great stead down the track. Look at the Selwood brothers, now look at Jack Watts, it can't be taught, the willingness and want to compete, regardless of whether there is impact.

Acres for me, is the complete package from WA, he's won the gene lottery, he has had a brother to torment and compete against, honing his skills from an early age on the field and at home, his ball winning ability is unquestionable. Decision making is elite, a capable overhead mark with an instinct for goal.

He has scope to grow into his size, is fit as a fiddle and comes from a very stable environment, the only downside to Acres is an inability to grow facial hair, he really needs to get rid of the mo.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

So Blake Acres as number 1 pick from WA, who else?

 

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2 Dom Sheed:

Sheed is a safe pick, with good reason. He is sure to be one of those who divide the knights around the drafting table, he has done everything right, everything. Dominated colts football as an underage player, check. Performed relatively well in the seniors, check. Won a Larke Medal, check. Why isn't this kid going number one?

I think it's a combination of a number of factors, the most pertinent being that I think he just peaked too early in the piece. He's got a case of the Daniel Rich syndrome. He's a natural footballer, a ball magnet and very good user on his left side. he prefers to kick the ball over distance, as do most left footers, his hands in close are clean and his ability to extract the ball from tight confines is very well honed.

His burst speed from congestion and ability to survey his options is good, it's not excellent, but it's good. His sidestep and lateral movement is fairly mechanical, but for whatever reason, left footers always seem to get the drop on your average midfielder. I have question marks over his top end speed, that is not his acceleration, that's ok, it's his ability to hold his pace over distance that worries me, I genuinely believe players will motor away from him over distance, my biggest draw back.

I love what Sheed can do onball, as I said, a natural footballer who is a very good clearance player as well as a spot up kicker. Sheed pushed forward and showed off some ability as a forward in a few State matches, but I just don't see Sheed being anything other than a midfielder and perhaps a half back sweeper at the top level. There is a definite limit on the number of roles he will be capable of having an impact at the top level.

A country boy his level of fitness is pretty handy, again from good stock and a stable home life, he had genuine injury concerns last season and early this year, groin related issues and whispers of OP, these were overcome only to fall to a collar bone injury which was a clean break.

Sheed is a safe pick, a solid midfielder with exceptional left boot and the ability to impact at stoppages. The limited number of role I see him playing at the top level is a draw back but he's more than capable of being a 200 game midfielder if his body holds up.

 

[TJ1996]

I agree with the first two. Difficult to see where everyone else is going to fall, I'll compare once you're finished.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

I agree with the first two. Difficult to see where everyone else is going to fall, I'll compare once you're finished.

Get your list going TJ !!

 

[TJ1996]

Get your list going TJ !!

Once he's done. Don't want to steal his thunder. I have a feeling the top few will be similar and the bottom more spread out.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Once he's done. Don't want to steal his thunder. I have a feeling the top few will be similar and the bottom more spread out.

Cool mate

 

[AimHigh70]

Once he's done. Don't want to steal his thunder. I have a feeling the top few will be similar and the bottom more spread out.

TJ start your list at the back end and work your way to Number 1, that would be different

 

[TJ1996]

TJ start your list at the back end and work your way to Number 1, that would be different

That would be good, but I wouldn't know how far down to start.

 

[clipboardbinocs]

3. Jonathon Marsh:

Electrifying pace, size and intensity. The ingredients of a top 20 pick. But there are gaps, how heavily these will impact his standing remains to be seen. The younger brother of Harry Marsh, Jonathon is a midfielder living in an undersized key position players body. You can see it in the way he approached his role as a lead up CHF for Easts and again with WA during the carnival.

Key forwards stand out because of their ability to dominate in the air, Boyd's first 5 minutes against WA showed the value of the ability to clunk grabs in the forward 50, I felt sorry for Allir Allir, he looked utterly out of his depth. But I diverge, at no stage over the course of this year and last have I ever viewed Marsh as a genuine aerial threat forward of centre.

The vast majority of his marks have come against small, under sized, slower opponents on the lead. When Marsh has pressure, or a shadow, he seeks to bring the ball to ground and beat his man on the deck to the ball, or by turning his opponent around. Once he is goal side of his opponent, the contest is over, he is simply devastating in open space.

So I would look at Marsh to initially start as a half forward flanker at the top level, he simply doesn't have the strength overhead to give his teammates confidence that he will hold his marks, it's not his game and he shouldn't be used as a KP. He will be a devastating 3rd tall forward, a very good half forward, but where I think his future lies is as a midfielder who can push forward.

Jonathon played his football in Margaret river as a midfielder, he played league football as a 16 year old, for those who have seen the SWFL, it's no picnic, it's probably the strongest league outside of the WAFL in WA, he held his own and then some. His ability to run and carry should not be over looked, imagine trying to stop a 191cm midfielder at pace once his body fills out, a scary prospect.

Outside of his inability to hold onto contested overhead grabs is his kicking, it's a work in progress, the depth of his kicking is very good, the accuracy is akin to a spray can. Marsh is much like a very green tall fast bowler, it's all there, you know he has something special bubbling away. Put Marsh into an elite program and I have no doubt the rawness we see in his kicking will diminish over time. His set shot, in particular needs a lot of work, too disjointed.

What I love about Marsh is his intensity, sometimes he goes too hard, but I'd rather see that than a meek player. He commands attention at the stoppage, I noticed his teammates jump to attention when he pipes up. He commands attention. On the flip side, a bit aloof of field, but he's just a kid trying to step out of the older brothers shadow, that's my read on it anyway.

Another from good stock, another who has had a chance to battle and build a competitive edge against a sibling of similar age, size and weight. Again, I think this is critical, these attitudes are developed so early in the piece.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Cool mate

TJ do you see your Jack Clarke Medallist getting drafted?

 

[Kawalsky]

1. Blake Acres

Height : 190cm Weight : 84kg

Blake Acres managed 9 matches for West Perth this season, averaging 25 possessions, and a little over a goal a game. What's all the fuss about? It's the quality of the touches. I'd be struggling to recall more than 10 poor disposal from the tally of 222 at colts level.

Acres is clean, crisp and any other adjective you want to use to describe an elite ball user and here's the big one, an elite decision maker, there are no hail marys, no long bombs, no kicking for touch. Acres hates to waste the ball, think of a Pendlebury or a Mundy, these players wait that extra half second to identify a more advantageous target and have the required skill, by both hand and foot to hit these targets 9 times out of 10. It opens up the play, it's an intangible that will never show up on any stat metric, the ability to weight a foot bass, or a handball so a teammate doesn't have to break stride is gold, absolute gold.

Acres also jumps to the top of the pile on the back of his ability to play just about anywhere and impact the contest. Acres was pulling in 20+ possessions each week, despite averaging less than 70% game time. Toward the end of his 9 matches Acres pushed forward and provided West Perth with a marking target through half forward, I cannot describe how poor this side was in 2013, his last 4 games netted 9 goals. Acres also played a sweeping role across half back and simply read the play better than any who went to him to quell his influence.

The fact that he has grown a further 2 cms since testing at Arena earlier this year only heightens his standing, he is now a genuine tall midfielder, the type that clubs are happy to push forward rather than rolling off the bench, this allows the other less flexible players to rest on the bench, an important factor to consider when thinking of the upcoming cap. His aerial capabilities make him a genuine threat forward of the play, whilst definitely not in the Fyfe bracker, he is more than capable of dragging in genuine contested marks and his set shot is smooth, with an uncomplicated kicking action to match.

Now we turn to his frame, his scope for growth and the stock he has come from. There are no holes. Both parents were both very athletic, home life has been stable and he has had a sibling of a similar age to build a competitive edge. If any had noticed his brother Dan Acres and his ferocity at the man, it's fair to say Blake knows how to compete, how to take a tackle and how to shake a tag. This is crucial for me, it develops and competitive drive which holds players in great stead down the track. Look at the Selwood brothers, now look at Jack Watts, it can't be taught, the willingness and want to compete, regardless of whether there is impact.

Acres for me, is the complete package from WA, he's won the gene lottery, he has had a brother to torment and compete against, honing his skills from an early age on the field and at home, his ball winning ability is unquestionable. Decision making is elite, a capable overhead mark with an instinct for goal.

He has scope to grow into his size, is fit as a fiddle and comes from a very stable environment, the only downside to Acres is an inability to grow facial hair, he really needs to get rid of the mo.

Totally agree about the cheesy mo.

 

[TJ1996]

TJ do you see your Jack Clarke Medallist getting drafted?

Unfortunately, no. No invite to either combine hurts him, and doesn't have the size of Cripps or Acres to be standouts from WA.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Unfortunately, no. No invite to either combine hurts him, and doesn't have the size of Cripps or Acres to be standouts from WA.

Okay that is interesting

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Okay that is interesting

Obviously proves that volume of disposals isn't enough

 

[clipboardbinocs]

4. Patrick Cripps

Another from the East Fremantle factory, another from good stock, they breed them well in Northampton, another who has had the ability to hone their craft against a brother, another who I would back to continue to compete longer than the next bloke.

Cripps, the younger cousin of Jamie at West Coast, is a very, very strong contested ball winner, his clearance work really grew on me over the course of the year. So much so I have rated Cripps as a better clearance operator than Sheed. Cripps is a very crisp operator in traffic by hand, both sides. Rarely gets caught holding the ball despite not being the most explosive mover from a stoppage. His vision from a stoppage sets him apart, routinely finds the release player when others panick and look for the easy option.

Where he falls down, kicking lacks penetration, but it shouldn't, Cripps should be able to roost the ball over 50 metres, seldom does it, seems to be a player who doesn't quite back his foot skills, when he does extend himself I think its ok, not sure if he has been a player who has developed as one of the slower kids, note the puppy fat, but he will find his feet and understand how far he can push his body as he grows into it.

I think there is a lot of upside in Cripps game, I still don't think he knows how quick he can be over his first 5 steps, the longer the year went on, the more confidence he showed to hold onto the ball after winning 1st possession, he can do this more and he will stand out more if he backs himself in.

But that's where he shines, reading the first knock from palms of the ruckmen, just knows how to put himself in the right position, and also how to ensure his arms stay free, and leave himself an exit. Uses the body exceptionally well to guard the ball drop. I have Cripps ahead of McCarthy because I think he can genuinely be a top line midfielder at the next level, he just hasn't realised how good he can be, once he starts kicking more, the confidence in that side of his game will grow and he will become a more complete player. East Fremantle's game at colts level was to run and carry, link up by handball, I think that did a disservice to Cripps who for me, has a massive upside leading into next year.

 

[clipboardbinocs]

Will post more tomorrow. Enjoy.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Okay TJ your turn he has left too early it is only 8-12 pm

 

[clipboardbinocs]

5. Nicholas Robertson

The forgotten man of WA football for mine. Here's a kid who has been preparing himself for the elite level for the better part of 2 years. Outstanding endurance, explosive power from the stoppages and appetite to run in straight lines and collect whoever gets in his way.

It was a great shame to see Robertson go down with a shoulder complaint and his body just doesn't want let him do what he is capable of, this may scare some of the more conservative clubs off, but after what he did in 2012 as an underage player on the national stage and the form he showed in a scratchy very early on in the piece this year he's too hard to leave be.

Robertson is another big bodied midfielder, but his endurance and ability to burst and spread, and continue to burst and spread from stoppages is what makes him so appealing. It's hard to gauge the improvement of his kicking but it has depth, accuracy his adequate and his hands and decision making in close are all very acceptable. Had a tendency to bomb the ball on the run, but that is something that will be ironed out pretty quickly, just think he got a little ahead of himself on the field and potentially off it, can ruffle a few feathers can Robertson.

The biggest query on Robertson, is not his ability to find the football, nor his fitness, nor his size, nor his ability to build a frame capable of impacting at AFL level, it's whether the manner in which he plays will allow him to see full seasons out at a time.

This isn't the first year cruelled by injury, he has had hamstring complaints, shoulder complaints and quad complaints. He puts so much pressure on his body, he may simply need a gentle whisper in the ear to slow it down, just a touch. I sincerely doubt clubs have forgotten how much impact Robertson can have as a line breaking midfielder, this boy has been watched for more than a few years, clubs no what they will be getting, they just have to ask themselves if they are game enough to roll the dice.

Has the potential to self combust, or become the steal of the draft.

 

[maverick001]

1. Blake Acres

Height : 190cm Weight : 84kg

Blake Acres managed 9 matches for West Perth this season, averaging 25 possessions, and a little over a goal a game. What's all the fuss about? It's the quality of the touches. I'd be struggling to recall more than 10 poor disposal from the tally of 222 at colts level.

Acres is clean, crisp and any other adjective you want to use to describe an elite ball user and here's the big one, an elite decision maker, there are no hail marys, no long bombs, no kicking for touch. Acres hates to waste the ball, think of a Pendlebury or a Mundy, these players wait that extra half second to identify a more advantageous target and have the required skill, by both hand and foot to hit these targets 9 times out of 10. It opens up the play, it's an intangible that will never show up on any stat metric, the ability to weight a foot bass, or a handball so a teammate doesn't have to break stride is gold, absolute gold.

Acres also jumps to the top of the pile on the back of his ability to play just about anywhere and impact the contest. Acres was pulling in 20+ possessions each week, despite averaging less than 70% game time. Toward the end of his 9 matches Acres pushed forward and provided West Perth with a marking target through half forward, I cannot describe how poor this side was in 2013, his last 4 games netted 9 goals. Acres also played a sweeping role across half back and simply read the play better than any who went to him to quell his influence.

The fact that he has grown a further 2 cms since testing at Arena earlier this year only heightens his standing, he is now a genuine tall midfielder, the type that clubs are happy to push forward rather than rolling off the bench, this allows the other less flexible players to rest on the bench, an important factor to consider when thinking of the upcoming cap. His aerial capabilities make him a genuine threat forward of the play, whilst definitely not in the Fyfe bracker, he is more than capable of dragging in genuine contested marks and his set shot is smooth, with an uncomplicated kicking action to match.

Now we turn to his frame, his scope for growth and the stock he has come from. There are no holes. Both parents were both very athletic, home life has been stable and he has had a sibling of a similar age to build a competitive edge. If any had noticed his brother Dan Acres and his ferocity at the man, it's fair to say Blake knows how to compete, how to take a tackle and how to shake a tag. This is crucial for me, it develops and competitive drive which holds players in great stead down the track. Look at the Selwood brothers, now look at Jack Watts, it can't be taught, the willingness and want to compete, regardless of whether there is impact.

Acres for me, is the complete package from WA, he's won the gene lottery, he has had a brother to torment and compete against, honing his skills from an early age on the field and at home, his ball winning ability is unquestionable. Decision making is elite, a capable overhead mark with an instinct for goal.

He has scope to grow into his size, is fit as a fiddle and comes from a very stable environment, the only downside to Acres is an inability to grow facial hair, he really needs to get rid of the mo.

I like the sound of this. Do you think the Eagles may agree and take him before Sheed?
Is Acres any less (or more) of an inside player than those comparisons you used - Mundy and Pendles?

 

[clipboardbinocs]

I like the sound of this. Do you think the Eagles may agree and take him before Sheed?
Is Acres any less (or more) of an inside player than those comparisons you used - Mundy and Pendles?

That will depend on who is calling the shots in the recruiting department. If it's still steady as she goes, West Coast will go the safe route and take Sheed, fresh blood and Acres gets the nod.

 

[clipboardbinocs]

6. Cameron Mcarthy

The key position prospect of WA, had an outstanding carnival for WA and unlike Marsh is a real force in the air. On limited viewing, 3 colts games and the carnival, what impressed me most about Mcarthy was his attack on the aerial contest. He looks to mark the ball at its highest point, that's a really subtle art and extremely difficult to guard against in the modern game. You can't chop the arms, you can't stick a hand in the back, good luck stopping a key forward who launches to meet the ball at it's highest point.

His contested marking was a feature, we all saw the clutch grab and ice cold finish, that in itself is a statement. He wants attention, craves attention, from the hair to the head band this is a player looking for the lime light, and he can perform when the spotlight hits.

I was also pleasantly surprised by his ability to apply pressure on the way out, it's an important facet in today's game, there's not too much room for the slow moving Dinosaur in the forward line, the ball movement out is too sharp, sides are becoming very adept at pulling the ground apart to find space, if you can't chase you're a passenger. This is another downside to Marsh which I forgot to mention.

My concerns with Cameron stem from his body, I don't see a frame that will enjoy extra weight, I don't see a powerful core. The slight shoulders just don't scream to me, intimidating KP, but they can work wonders in these programs nowadays so my skepticism may prove to be unfounded.

I also found Mcarthy unsure of when and where to lead at times for South Fremantle, I think that is a product of being a fairly late starter to the game, but instinct, the intangible, is hard to teach so I am wary of how he will adapt at the next level where space is harder to find.

Strikes me as a kid who loves king of the pack and never really spent time leading to space to earn his kicks, that may not be a bad thing, as the cap comes in and players tire, I feel we will see more aerial contests with losts of numbers, Mcarthy, should his leg hold up, it's a bad break, has certainly displayed the ability to impact from a few deep.

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Why did McCarthy play such a small amount of games in 2013 ??

 

[clipboardbinocs]

Why did McCarthy play such a small amount of games in 2013 ??

Broke his legs at the champs, he played 8 wafl games pre champs, I watched 3.