1. Josh Kennedy – Carlton
Can play CHF or CHB and will be ready to play quite quickly. Good leap and covers a lot of ground, and can take a contested mark. Being able to apprentice in the backline for 2-3 years is an asset. As much as the Blues might want Murphy their bigman stakes need surgery. If they take the best KP player first they are guaranteed one of Murphy, Ellis or Hurn at 4. If they take Murphy first they may leave the draft with two midfielders or have to take Clarke at 4. Kennedy first is good strategy in my book (can’t see Kennedy slipping past the Hawks at 3 who will want to replace Hay).
2. Marc Murphy - Collingwood
Genuine football-smart ball winning rover who makes good decisions and runs to dangerous positions on the ground. Good clean hands and handy around the stoppages. Can kick a goal and is a solid kick. Has maturity and some leadership skills. Will play fairly early and looks a good option to replace Burns. Has a little hint of Cousins in the way he plays, nice upright running style with his eyes always looking down field. Hurn may appeal to them as a typical Collingwood midfielder but Murphy is a better player and more versatile. Hurn isn’t going to break a game open, Murphy might.
3. Xavier Ellis – Hawthorn
Will the Hawks be patient enough to take a long-term prospect (particularly with Tuck f/s already)? Ellis reads the play superbly and is a tidy kick. Would add a genuine wingman to a side which lacks speed and ball carriers. Perfect complement to their inside midfielders and a supplier of goals to their young forwards. Body is a concern, could be Nick Dal Santo, could be Aaron Fiora. Hawks fans will say “Hurn, Hurn, Hurn” but in Mitchell and Lewis they have their extractors, they need a runner. Hawks tend not to like the stickmen though. With extra early picks they may go for a KP player here and look at a receiver later. Hurn they don’t need, Ellis isn’t their type, they’d want Kennedy to slip.
4. Shannon Hurn – Carlton
Blues can accommodate a big-bodied, one-paced centreman. Shapes as a playmaker whose superb kicking will be a lethal weapon if the play can be directed through him. Blues have to build a whole new midfield and he would complement speedsters Walker and Russell well. Tough to judge him because he needs to slim down and get fit and if he does could be a Cameron Ling type ruck-rover. Carlton will be happy to get a guy who can play straight away. Probably going to be a Luke Hodge type cruising around half-back getting kicks behind play. The quality of his kicking would make that worthwhile. If Lappin walks then Hurn would take his job immediately.
5. Mitchell Clarke – Collingwood
Was a preseason number 1 until he was found out as a reluctant contester at the Championships. At 197cm he can pinch-hit in the ruck which will appeal to the Pies who still can’t solve that position. They can put him in the reserves for a year or two to work on the weights and have a replacement for Rocca at CHF. Clarke is quicker, more mobile and has a better leap than T.Cloke so they should combine well. Needs to learn to play body-on-body and to play from in front. At the very least he will have high trade currency in four years time. The leap, and athleticism are too much to ignore and he won’t fall too far.
6. Cleve Hughes – Hawthorn
Franklin shapes as more a mobile flanker, and Roughead probably a CHB. Hughes is more a genuine contester and corridor player who works hard to secure front position and mark in his hands. He and Tom Murphy in the key spots with Franklin playing off them looks a good future forward line. Hughes is not an eye-catcher, more a John Barker type who can create crumbs and do OK when the ball hits the deck. Good long kick. Brings running players into the game with handball – that ability probably suits him to CHF more than FF. What they do here would depend on whether they go or short at 3. If Kennedy falls to 3 they could take Swallow here. Hughes and Dowler are similar and both need gym work.
7. Andrew Swallow - Essendon
Hard to see what direction the Bombers could go in. Pressing need is probably a centre-square midfielder to help Jason Johnson. May feel that they can wait until a later pick or that Cole will do the job. If not perhaps Swallow fits the bill. Can win the ball, run with it and gets goals. Kicking much improved over last year and is clean around the stoppages. Most of their midfield picks over the past couple of years have been outside players, they need a ball-winner to feed them. May like a bigman here but Swallow is best available. Perhaps Austin Lucy to apprentice to Fletcher and Lucas.
8. Beau Dowler – Richmond
Shapes as a mobile CHF in the Ash Hansen style. One who can push up to the wings and mark. Probably best set-shot in the draft so doesn’t need a heap of chances to kick goals. Lacks a little fire in the belly at times and can be hesitant to work the corridor and play in front. Ryder is the other contender but they took a ruckman / forward in Pattison last year and would like someone who covers more ground this year. Needs more gym time than most of the other top-tier bigmen but Richmond are in a re-tooling phase so won’t mind. Can also play CHB which will appeal to the Tigers who have veterans Kellaway and Gaspar to plan for.
9. Austin Lucy – Brisbane
Homegrown FB / CHB with genuine size and quite a bit of mobility. Has a good attack on the ball and is prepared to run the ball out of defence. Thumping kick, needs to hit a few more targets. Bit of a question mark over whether he might end up a bit too bulky and lose some mobility, already a big unit. Have been recruiting midfielders in the main and need to plan for Leppitsch, Michael and Bradshaw retiring. Like his loud voice and organising ability in the backline. Being local won’t hurt. Perhaps a little behind Spangher and Bower at the moment, but has more upside going forward.
10. Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls – Fremantle
A genuine wingman with real flair. Kicks the ball well, has some tricks and pace, and at 186cm has enough height that you can kick to him on the switch of play. Wide open spaces of Subi should suit. Freo need some extra dash through the middle and someone to kick to leading forwards. Again being a local boy won’t hurt. Ryder might be the other option for them to add depth to the forward line. Oakley-Nicholls’ flair will appeal to a rather pedestrian, workmanlike outfit.
11. Patrick Ryder – Bulldogs
Have taken Griffen, Cooney and Ray early these last two years. Took a big gamble with Williams last year so might play safer this time. They continue to look for replacements for Darcy and Grant, and Ryder is an athletic bigman not dissimilar to Darcy. Too short to be a number 1 ruckman and has no real track record as a key position player which is a concern. Athletic and good handballer in crowds makes him a handy stoppages player. Prefers to bring others into the game as opposed to taking control himself. CHF is the big hole, they might be hoping for Dowler or Hughes.
12. Richard Douglas – Melbourne
Sylvia, McLean and Moloney are the beginnings of a good core and Douglas has the elite footy smarts and clever skills to set that group off perfectly. Can also play pockets and is a great kick. Ranks alongside Murphy as the most genuinely footy smart player on offer. Dees love a guy who can run off half-back and hit targets and he could replace Brown in time. Deceptively quick although he always looks like he is Sunday strolling. Having time is normally the mark of the true footballer, and he could make coffee while he decides what to do. Makes great decisions and lifts to a new level when performing under pressure.
13. Scott Pendlebury – West Coast
Pendlebury shapes as the best athlete in the draft with an enormous leap, quick hands and improved disposal. At 188cm he is a tall wingman or flanker who has enough versatility to play all over the ground. May take a while to find a position. Has a bizarre knack of being able to fumble and recover in the same action but has superb balance. Needs to win more of the ball and become more consistent. Difficult to guess quite when he is taken. The versatility and the X-factor he could bring to a team appeal here. His improvement between the Championships and the TAC finals is encouraging.
14. Nathan Jones - Hawthorn
Adds some support to the midfield group and is a tough, nuggety type who will put his head over the footy. Can also play back-pocket and link up play. Tends to bomb the ball more than pass it but is OK by foot. Has superb under-18 Championship form and a bit more dash than other inside midfielders on offer. Will be ready almost straight away which would appeal to a team stacked with kids. Not really a player they need, but they won’t be able to resist. Concern that he was a man playing against boys (bodywise) and may not have heaps of improvement left. Will play in 2006 which will suit the Hawks who can’t have 25 kids in the reserves developing, someone has to play seniors.
15. Shaun Higgins – Geelong
Never frightened of taking locals and have had a lot of success with them. Higgins has some dash and footy smarts and becomes another running option. A good kick and gives them some insurance against injuries. Likes a goal and will probably understudy Chapman and G. Ablett on the forward flank. May feel that they need a tall forward and that good midfielders will be available at their next pick. Probably hoping that Ryder tumbles. May have to reach for Grima.
16. Darren Pfeiffer – Adelaide
Crows game is based on a large group of wingmen-type players getting from one end of the ground to the other. Pfeiffer can play flanks or wings and joins that Torney, Reilly crowd of utilities that the Crows seem to like. A good leap means he is a marking threat when he can get a run at the contest. Looks polished and well balanced but has to use the footy better and blast away less. May prefer the similar Nick Lower but for mine Pfeiffer seems to have more buzz.
17. Marcus Drum - Adelaide
Best available really. Similar player to Mundy in that he is a stylish backman with a superb right-foot kick (no left at all) and willingness to run the ball. For mine rates as a better prospect than any of the key forwards that are left. Shapes as value this late. Probably not a genuine KP player, more a 3rd tall, but if the game keeps getting quicker he may find it suits him more and more. Loves to zone-off more than play man-on-man. Sets up the counter-attack well with good decision-making. Good option to replace Ben Hart in time. Could even become a wingman in the Brett Burton style with a few years development. Needs to learn to play at a quicker tempo.
18. Beau Muston - Hawthorn
Barely played in two seasons due to injury and illness but is a tall outside midfielder with long kicking, some pace, good marking skills and the ability to kick goals. It will probably be a good team that feels they can gamble on him more than one of the strugglers who will have to play safer. Saying that the Hawks may take a flyer because they have so many early picks and feel they can gamble. Someone will snare him it is just a question of how early. Probably Ellis early or Muston late, unlikely they’d go for both. Hawks need some class to go with their grunt and while Muston is not really one for the hard ball he has some quality.
19. Matt Laidlaw – Essendon
Laidlaw has good kicking and vision and is prepared to get stuck in, chase and tackle. He is deceptively quick and is prepared to use his pace defensively not just with ball in had. Shapes as a good late-round bargain, dropped down the order because of a concentration on school footy and skipping the Carnival. Superb draft camp should see him climb this high. Very top-age though and a lack of stamina hurts his chances to be a 100-minute midfielder and he doesn’t quite have enough tricks to survive away from the contest. Bombers have never been frightened of taking kids on schoolboy form.
20. Matt Spangher - Carlton
Another option for their shaky tall defence. Spangher has the willingness to run and take people on. Is a good contester with the knack of getting his fist in late. Slightly suspect kicking action sees him helicopter a few. Unlike some of the other KP options can really only play at one end of the ground. Has had a stop-start junior career with school commitments and injuries and might take-off if he can string some games together. For mine he is not so good at ground level and when he is in traffic and forced to handball he can cough the ball up. History of injury may make some clubs nervous.
21. Travis Varcoe – Collingwood
An injection of much needed pace, flair and goalkicking that puts some pressure on Davis and Didak to produce more consistently. Missed the season with a foot injury which makes him tough to predict and a bit of a gamble. With a lack of pacy midfielders on offer and the Pies needing to get quicker they may feel they have to take the gamble.
22. Dale Thomas – Hawthorn
Outside player with flair, good kicking skills and the great vision to spot-up passes even under pressure. Has shown an ability to kick special goals on the run and gets a little more stuck in than some wingmen. Mostly a forward of the ball type but Hawks can carry that with their big midfielders. They don’t get too many goals from midfield so he would add something to the team.
23. Paul Bower – Collingwood
A bit loose and really prefers to attack and run with the ball than stick to his man. Could almost be a tall wingman or play through the middle like McPhee, may actually be better suited to that role. Likes to kick long and would inject some youth and athleticism into the Pies backline. Has a good leap. Really need a CHB/FB contender with Presti 28 for the new season and Clement and Wakelin older.
24. Tom Rischbeith - Richmond
A clever KF or KD with leadership ability but at 190cm perhaps not quite tall enough to hold down a key role in the AFL. Has strong athletics background and has that prized quality of possessing both speed and stamina. Richmond are building a run-run-run gameplan and so will like the idea of a big bloke who can cover the turf. Might even develop as a Stenglein type midfielder. Needs to polish his skills. Known as a leader that also helps. Good courage, attacks the contest and has a good one-grab mark.
25. Todd Grima - Brisbane
Grima has a lot of similar qualities to Barry Hall, quick on the lead, needs to learn to mark more in his hands because chest marking will take him only so far in the AFL. Tends to struggle to be involved when he is not the go-to guy. Needs to find a way to stay involved. Would be a good complement to Brown playing closer to goals. May prefer the local Michael West if they have good medical reports on him. Concern is that most of his good games were on C-grade opponents.
26. Michael West - Fremantle
Freo don’t have a genuine FF in their system. Murphy and Pavlich will play down the ground and Longmuir is 25, and often rucking so an understudy could be timely. They may prefer Ryder with an early pick if he is available. West played key defence last year and FF this but both seasons ended in knee injuries (same knee). He will need some time but could prove to be the best forward in the draft, if his knees hold up. 26 isn’t too much to gamble. Tends to stick within 30 metres of goal and rarely leaves the corridor.
27. Grant Brichall – Bulldogs
The Dogs are a running team and Clayton tends to like light-bodied wingman with a lot of development left in them. Birchall is happiest zoning off and playing wide, but can take a mark, is a good kick and a confident player. So confidant that he can look very casual at time. Quick with a big leap. Fits the Dogs template pretty well and has plenty of upside. Has to get more aggressive around the contested ball. Has talent aplenty but needs it to be harnessed.
28. Tim Looby – Kangaroos
A thumping 60+ metre kick who struggles to control his temper and is a real niggler and fight-picker. Not really a genuine KD size at 186cm but hard at it and combative and could certainly slot onto a HBF to give a bit of edge to a side. Kicking in from points with a 65m punt and the 10m square can see the ball out of defence very quickly. The Roos might like his mean-streak and have Archer and Colbert to replace and so could go a mid-size defender.
29. Ryan Gamble – West Coast
Another player to miss the Championships, in his case with a broken jaw. Is a pacy forward or winger who debuted in the SANFL at the tail end of the season but didn’t impress. I confess I haven’t seen him play, so he might not go anywhere near this pick, but there is a bit of buzz about him and he got his five invites to draft camp. Pace is prized so he will probably get his name called. Nick Lower might be the safer call here.
30. Nick Lower - Port Adelaide
There might be reasons behind each departure but James, Carr, Schofield, Hardwick, Guerra and Pickett is a lot of midfield to replace in just a couple of seasons. Ideally they’d find an inside ball winner but there aren’t many around. Lower has poise and polish, uses the ball well and is deceptively good in the marking contests. Going for a utility in the middle rounds is often a way to get value and Lower can be plugged in all over the field.
31. Rhan Hooper – Geelong
Probably hoping to find a bigman who can play forward. Might look at West if he drops this far. No clear candidates at this point though and they may go for a midfielder instead. Hooper is a good midfielder of flanker with some pace and good foot skills. Probably could do with winning more footy, and at 176cm might not be considered this early. Unlike many junior players shows some willingness to play accountable football and looks to have good instincts about knowing when to stay-with and when to run-off his man.
32. Luke McEntee - Adelaide
No real home-run ruck selections in this draft but McEntee has his supporters and the Crows could do with some insurance against Meesan not working out as Matt Clarke’s replacement. McEntee is still raw and remains more athlete than footballer at present. Made a few bizarre decisions and errors playing at the carnival but has apparently finished his season strongly. Poor kicking action but it gets the job done. Needs a lot of gym time and footy education.
33. Angus Graham - St Kilda
Will the Saints take some ruck insurance? Probably don’t have to use this early a pick but may go for Graham. Played mostly schoolboys so is a bit underdeveloped and needs a fair bit of schooling. At 198 he has enough height and can pinch hit up forward too. A little inconsistent. Having tried to combine school in the county, rep footy with Tassie and club footy in Melbourne he is someone who could blossom in a more settled environment. Trent West would be the other contender but he tended to go missing in big games.
34. Travis Casserley - West Coast
Shapes as a Subi special. Long striding, running wingman who likes to carry the ball and kick long. Needs to improve man on man work but looks the kind who would thrive in space and the Eagles have taken his type quite a lot in the past, store them away and bring them out in three years. Still very light and very much a receiver. Not too many pacy options left though. Kristian Thornton is another similar player, could look at either. Hard to call what the Eagles need so they will probably go best available all the way.
35. Jon Simpkin– Geelong
Clever around the contests with tricky hands and good decision making. Genuinely two-footed which is a big plus, deceptively quick and loves a goal which is important in a midfielder. Has enough pace and stoppage work to appeal. Moves well in traffic and normally finds the thread-the-needle handball to get a team going. Ended season poorly and his goalkicking, which had been solid, seemed to abandon him a little.
36. Ed Lower – Carlton
A wingman with good skills, long-kicking, the ability to take a mark and can drop onto the HBF and read the play well. Moves elegantly and is more a defensive option than his twin brother who edges him for pace and leap. Carlton have so many holes to fill and Lower would contend for the Lappin and Houlihan type roles straight away and get time on the wing in season one.
37. Ryan Jackson – Collingwood
Utility player who competes well, is a good kick and can accumulate touches. Has a good change of direction to compensate for a lack of genuine leg-speed. Some concern about what position he could play in the AFL. He doesn’t have the jets to play wing, and not quite the size for a KP. Plenty of talent but maybe the kind of guy you have to tweak your gameplan to accommodate and he might not be quite good enough to warrant that.
38. Travis Tuck (f/s) – Hawthorn
Was quite poor last season but improved greatly this year. Still very very lightly built and tends not to be a natural inside player at this stage. More often than not forced to kick quickly because a lack of pace. Is a long term prospect. Well he is a Tuck so of course he is going to be a late developer.
39. Jay Neagle (f/s) – Essendon
Strange choice in truth. Seems a specialist full forward and they hardly need one with Lloyd in the team. Neagle looks more a Sav Rocca type big-bodied bloke who stays close to goals. At 187cm he is on the short sized, and at 97kg he needs to get fit. In his defence he can be surprisingly tricky at ground level and with snap-shots, but some of that is his big bulk letting him stand in tackles laid by kids 20kg lighter than him. OK set-shot but that is partly because he is never more than 20m out, quite often only 10.
40. Matt Seal – Richmond
Probably looking to take KP players early and could therefore look for a midfielder late. Seal is a good solid performer who can play midfield or HFF and has a knack for kicking goals. Not the big-possesion standout that other midfielders might be but looks to have some potential and has held his own in senior WAFL company.
Can play CHF or CHB and will be ready to play quite quickly. Good leap and covers a lot of ground, and can take a contested mark. Being able to apprentice in the backline for 2-3 years is an asset. As much as the Blues might want Murphy their bigman stakes need surgery. If they take the best KP player first they are guaranteed one of Murphy, Ellis or Hurn at 4. If they take Murphy first they may leave the draft with two midfielders or have to take Clarke at 4. Kennedy first is good strategy in my book (can’t see Kennedy slipping past the Hawks at 3 who will want to replace Hay).
2. Marc Murphy - Collingwood
Genuine football-smart ball winning rover who makes good decisions and runs to dangerous positions on the ground. Good clean hands and handy around the stoppages. Can kick a goal and is a solid kick. Has maturity and some leadership skills. Will play fairly early and looks a good option to replace Burns. Has a little hint of Cousins in the way he plays, nice upright running style with his eyes always looking down field. Hurn may appeal to them as a typical Collingwood midfielder but Murphy is a better player and more versatile. Hurn isn’t going to break a game open, Murphy might.
3. Xavier Ellis – Hawthorn
Will the Hawks be patient enough to take a long-term prospect (particularly with Tuck f/s already)? Ellis reads the play superbly and is a tidy kick. Would add a genuine wingman to a side which lacks speed and ball carriers. Perfect complement to their inside midfielders and a supplier of goals to their young forwards. Body is a concern, could be Nick Dal Santo, could be Aaron Fiora. Hawks fans will say “Hurn, Hurn, Hurn” but in Mitchell and Lewis they have their extractors, they need a runner. Hawks tend not to like the stickmen though. With extra early picks they may go for a KP player here and look at a receiver later. Hurn they don’t need, Ellis isn’t their type, they’d want Kennedy to slip.
4. Shannon Hurn – Carlton
Blues can accommodate a big-bodied, one-paced centreman. Shapes as a playmaker whose superb kicking will be a lethal weapon if the play can be directed through him. Blues have to build a whole new midfield and he would complement speedsters Walker and Russell well. Tough to judge him because he needs to slim down and get fit and if he does could be a Cameron Ling type ruck-rover. Carlton will be happy to get a guy who can play straight away. Probably going to be a Luke Hodge type cruising around half-back getting kicks behind play. The quality of his kicking would make that worthwhile. If Lappin walks then Hurn would take his job immediately.
5. Mitchell Clarke – Collingwood
Was a preseason number 1 until he was found out as a reluctant contester at the Championships. At 197cm he can pinch-hit in the ruck which will appeal to the Pies who still can’t solve that position. They can put him in the reserves for a year or two to work on the weights and have a replacement for Rocca at CHF. Clarke is quicker, more mobile and has a better leap than T.Cloke so they should combine well. Needs to learn to play body-on-body and to play from in front. At the very least he will have high trade currency in four years time. The leap, and athleticism are too much to ignore and he won’t fall too far.
6. Cleve Hughes – Hawthorn
Franklin shapes as more a mobile flanker, and Roughead probably a CHB. Hughes is more a genuine contester and corridor player who works hard to secure front position and mark in his hands. He and Tom Murphy in the key spots with Franklin playing off them looks a good future forward line. Hughes is not an eye-catcher, more a John Barker type who can create crumbs and do OK when the ball hits the deck. Good long kick. Brings running players into the game with handball – that ability probably suits him to CHF more than FF. What they do here would depend on whether they go or short at 3. If Kennedy falls to 3 they could take Swallow here. Hughes and Dowler are similar and both need gym work.
7. Andrew Swallow - Essendon
Hard to see what direction the Bombers could go in. Pressing need is probably a centre-square midfielder to help Jason Johnson. May feel that they can wait until a later pick or that Cole will do the job. If not perhaps Swallow fits the bill. Can win the ball, run with it and gets goals. Kicking much improved over last year and is clean around the stoppages. Most of their midfield picks over the past couple of years have been outside players, they need a ball-winner to feed them. May like a bigman here but Swallow is best available. Perhaps Austin Lucy to apprentice to Fletcher and Lucas.
8. Beau Dowler – Richmond
Shapes as a mobile CHF in the Ash Hansen style. One who can push up to the wings and mark. Probably best set-shot in the draft so doesn’t need a heap of chances to kick goals. Lacks a little fire in the belly at times and can be hesitant to work the corridor and play in front. Ryder is the other contender but they took a ruckman / forward in Pattison last year and would like someone who covers more ground this year. Needs more gym time than most of the other top-tier bigmen but Richmond are in a re-tooling phase so won’t mind. Can also play CHB which will appeal to the Tigers who have veterans Kellaway and Gaspar to plan for.
9. Austin Lucy – Brisbane
Homegrown FB / CHB with genuine size and quite a bit of mobility. Has a good attack on the ball and is prepared to run the ball out of defence. Thumping kick, needs to hit a few more targets. Bit of a question mark over whether he might end up a bit too bulky and lose some mobility, already a big unit. Have been recruiting midfielders in the main and need to plan for Leppitsch, Michael and Bradshaw retiring. Like his loud voice and organising ability in the backline. Being local won’t hurt. Perhaps a little behind Spangher and Bower at the moment, but has more upside going forward.
10. Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls – Fremantle
A genuine wingman with real flair. Kicks the ball well, has some tricks and pace, and at 186cm has enough height that you can kick to him on the switch of play. Wide open spaces of Subi should suit. Freo need some extra dash through the middle and someone to kick to leading forwards. Again being a local boy won’t hurt. Ryder might be the other option for them to add depth to the forward line. Oakley-Nicholls’ flair will appeal to a rather pedestrian, workmanlike outfit.
11. Patrick Ryder – Bulldogs
Have taken Griffen, Cooney and Ray early these last two years. Took a big gamble with Williams last year so might play safer this time. They continue to look for replacements for Darcy and Grant, and Ryder is an athletic bigman not dissimilar to Darcy. Too short to be a number 1 ruckman and has no real track record as a key position player which is a concern. Athletic and good handballer in crowds makes him a handy stoppages player. Prefers to bring others into the game as opposed to taking control himself. CHF is the big hole, they might be hoping for Dowler or Hughes.
12. Richard Douglas – Melbourne
Sylvia, McLean and Moloney are the beginnings of a good core and Douglas has the elite footy smarts and clever skills to set that group off perfectly. Can also play pockets and is a great kick. Ranks alongside Murphy as the most genuinely footy smart player on offer. Dees love a guy who can run off half-back and hit targets and he could replace Brown in time. Deceptively quick although he always looks like he is Sunday strolling. Having time is normally the mark of the true footballer, and he could make coffee while he decides what to do. Makes great decisions and lifts to a new level when performing under pressure.
13. Scott Pendlebury – West Coast
Pendlebury shapes as the best athlete in the draft with an enormous leap, quick hands and improved disposal. At 188cm he is a tall wingman or flanker who has enough versatility to play all over the ground. May take a while to find a position. Has a bizarre knack of being able to fumble and recover in the same action but has superb balance. Needs to win more of the ball and become more consistent. Difficult to guess quite when he is taken. The versatility and the X-factor he could bring to a team appeal here. His improvement between the Championships and the TAC finals is encouraging.
14. Nathan Jones - Hawthorn
Adds some support to the midfield group and is a tough, nuggety type who will put his head over the footy. Can also play back-pocket and link up play. Tends to bomb the ball more than pass it but is OK by foot. Has superb under-18 Championship form and a bit more dash than other inside midfielders on offer. Will be ready almost straight away which would appeal to a team stacked with kids. Not really a player they need, but they won’t be able to resist. Concern that he was a man playing against boys (bodywise) and may not have heaps of improvement left. Will play in 2006 which will suit the Hawks who can’t have 25 kids in the reserves developing, someone has to play seniors.
15. Shaun Higgins – Geelong
Never frightened of taking locals and have had a lot of success with them. Higgins has some dash and footy smarts and becomes another running option. A good kick and gives them some insurance against injuries. Likes a goal and will probably understudy Chapman and G. Ablett on the forward flank. May feel that they need a tall forward and that good midfielders will be available at their next pick. Probably hoping that Ryder tumbles. May have to reach for Grima.
16. Darren Pfeiffer – Adelaide
Crows game is based on a large group of wingmen-type players getting from one end of the ground to the other. Pfeiffer can play flanks or wings and joins that Torney, Reilly crowd of utilities that the Crows seem to like. A good leap means he is a marking threat when he can get a run at the contest. Looks polished and well balanced but has to use the footy better and blast away less. May prefer the similar Nick Lower but for mine Pfeiffer seems to have more buzz.
17. Marcus Drum - Adelaide
Best available really. Similar player to Mundy in that he is a stylish backman with a superb right-foot kick (no left at all) and willingness to run the ball. For mine rates as a better prospect than any of the key forwards that are left. Shapes as value this late. Probably not a genuine KP player, more a 3rd tall, but if the game keeps getting quicker he may find it suits him more and more. Loves to zone-off more than play man-on-man. Sets up the counter-attack well with good decision-making. Good option to replace Ben Hart in time. Could even become a wingman in the Brett Burton style with a few years development. Needs to learn to play at a quicker tempo.
18. Beau Muston - Hawthorn
Barely played in two seasons due to injury and illness but is a tall outside midfielder with long kicking, some pace, good marking skills and the ability to kick goals. It will probably be a good team that feels they can gamble on him more than one of the strugglers who will have to play safer. Saying that the Hawks may take a flyer because they have so many early picks and feel they can gamble. Someone will snare him it is just a question of how early. Probably Ellis early or Muston late, unlikely they’d go for both. Hawks need some class to go with their grunt and while Muston is not really one for the hard ball he has some quality.
19. Matt Laidlaw – Essendon
Laidlaw has good kicking and vision and is prepared to get stuck in, chase and tackle. He is deceptively quick and is prepared to use his pace defensively not just with ball in had. Shapes as a good late-round bargain, dropped down the order because of a concentration on school footy and skipping the Carnival. Superb draft camp should see him climb this high. Very top-age though and a lack of stamina hurts his chances to be a 100-minute midfielder and he doesn’t quite have enough tricks to survive away from the contest. Bombers have never been frightened of taking kids on schoolboy form.
20. Matt Spangher - Carlton
Another option for their shaky tall defence. Spangher has the willingness to run and take people on. Is a good contester with the knack of getting his fist in late. Slightly suspect kicking action sees him helicopter a few. Unlike some of the other KP options can really only play at one end of the ground. Has had a stop-start junior career with school commitments and injuries and might take-off if he can string some games together. For mine he is not so good at ground level and when he is in traffic and forced to handball he can cough the ball up. History of injury may make some clubs nervous.
21. Travis Varcoe – Collingwood
An injection of much needed pace, flair and goalkicking that puts some pressure on Davis and Didak to produce more consistently. Missed the season with a foot injury which makes him tough to predict and a bit of a gamble. With a lack of pacy midfielders on offer and the Pies needing to get quicker they may feel they have to take the gamble.
22. Dale Thomas – Hawthorn
Outside player with flair, good kicking skills and the great vision to spot-up passes even under pressure. Has shown an ability to kick special goals on the run and gets a little more stuck in than some wingmen. Mostly a forward of the ball type but Hawks can carry that with their big midfielders. They don’t get too many goals from midfield so he would add something to the team.
23. Paul Bower – Collingwood
A bit loose and really prefers to attack and run with the ball than stick to his man. Could almost be a tall wingman or play through the middle like McPhee, may actually be better suited to that role. Likes to kick long and would inject some youth and athleticism into the Pies backline. Has a good leap. Really need a CHB/FB contender with Presti 28 for the new season and Clement and Wakelin older.
24. Tom Rischbeith - Richmond
A clever KF or KD with leadership ability but at 190cm perhaps not quite tall enough to hold down a key role in the AFL. Has strong athletics background and has that prized quality of possessing both speed and stamina. Richmond are building a run-run-run gameplan and so will like the idea of a big bloke who can cover the turf. Might even develop as a Stenglein type midfielder. Needs to polish his skills. Known as a leader that also helps. Good courage, attacks the contest and has a good one-grab mark.
25. Todd Grima - Brisbane
Grima has a lot of similar qualities to Barry Hall, quick on the lead, needs to learn to mark more in his hands because chest marking will take him only so far in the AFL. Tends to struggle to be involved when he is not the go-to guy. Needs to find a way to stay involved. Would be a good complement to Brown playing closer to goals. May prefer the local Michael West if they have good medical reports on him. Concern is that most of his good games were on C-grade opponents.
26. Michael West - Fremantle
Freo don’t have a genuine FF in their system. Murphy and Pavlich will play down the ground and Longmuir is 25, and often rucking so an understudy could be timely. They may prefer Ryder with an early pick if he is available. West played key defence last year and FF this but both seasons ended in knee injuries (same knee). He will need some time but could prove to be the best forward in the draft, if his knees hold up. 26 isn’t too much to gamble. Tends to stick within 30 metres of goal and rarely leaves the corridor.
27. Grant Brichall – Bulldogs
The Dogs are a running team and Clayton tends to like light-bodied wingman with a lot of development left in them. Birchall is happiest zoning off and playing wide, but can take a mark, is a good kick and a confident player. So confidant that he can look very casual at time. Quick with a big leap. Fits the Dogs template pretty well and has plenty of upside. Has to get more aggressive around the contested ball. Has talent aplenty but needs it to be harnessed.
28. Tim Looby – Kangaroos
A thumping 60+ metre kick who struggles to control his temper and is a real niggler and fight-picker. Not really a genuine KD size at 186cm but hard at it and combative and could certainly slot onto a HBF to give a bit of edge to a side. Kicking in from points with a 65m punt and the 10m square can see the ball out of defence very quickly. The Roos might like his mean-streak and have Archer and Colbert to replace and so could go a mid-size defender.
29. Ryan Gamble – West Coast
Another player to miss the Championships, in his case with a broken jaw. Is a pacy forward or winger who debuted in the SANFL at the tail end of the season but didn’t impress. I confess I haven’t seen him play, so he might not go anywhere near this pick, but there is a bit of buzz about him and he got his five invites to draft camp. Pace is prized so he will probably get his name called. Nick Lower might be the safer call here.
30. Nick Lower - Port Adelaide
There might be reasons behind each departure but James, Carr, Schofield, Hardwick, Guerra and Pickett is a lot of midfield to replace in just a couple of seasons. Ideally they’d find an inside ball winner but there aren’t many around. Lower has poise and polish, uses the ball well and is deceptively good in the marking contests. Going for a utility in the middle rounds is often a way to get value and Lower can be plugged in all over the field.
31. Rhan Hooper – Geelong
Probably hoping to find a bigman who can play forward. Might look at West if he drops this far. No clear candidates at this point though and they may go for a midfielder instead. Hooper is a good midfielder of flanker with some pace and good foot skills. Probably could do with winning more footy, and at 176cm might not be considered this early. Unlike many junior players shows some willingness to play accountable football and looks to have good instincts about knowing when to stay-with and when to run-off his man.
32. Luke McEntee - Adelaide
No real home-run ruck selections in this draft but McEntee has his supporters and the Crows could do with some insurance against Meesan not working out as Matt Clarke’s replacement. McEntee is still raw and remains more athlete than footballer at present. Made a few bizarre decisions and errors playing at the carnival but has apparently finished his season strongly. Poor kicking action but it gets the job done. Needs a lot of gym time and footy education.
33. Angus Graham - St Kilda
Will the Saints take some ruck insurance? Probably don’t have to use this early a pick but may go for Graham. Played mostly schoolboys so is a bit underdeveloped and needs a fair bit of schooling. At 198 he has enough height and can pinch hit up forward too. A little inconsistent. Having tried to combine school in the county, rep footy with Tassie and club footy in Melbourne he is someone who could blossom in a more settled environment. Trent West would be the other contender but he tended to go missing in big games.
34. Travis Casserley - West Coast
Shapes as a Subi special. Long striding, running wingman who likes to carry the ball and kick long. Needs to improve man on man work but looks the kind who would thrive in space and the Eagles have taken his type quite a lot in the past, store them away and bring them out in three years. Still very light and very much a receiver. Not too many pacy options left though. Kristian Thornton is another similar player, could look at either. Hard to call what the Eagles need so they will probably go best available all the way.
35. Jon Simpkin– Geelong
Clever around the contests with tricky hands and good decision making. Genuinely two-footed which is a big plus, deceptively quick and loves a goal which is important in a midfielder. Has enough pace and stoppage work to appeal. Moves well in traffic and normally finds the thread-the-needle handball to get a team going. Ended season poorly and his goalkicking, which had been solid, seemed to abandon him a little.
36. Ed Lower – Carlton
A wingman with good skills, long-kicking, the ability to take a mark and can drop onto the HBF and read the play well. Moves elegantly and is more a defensive option than his twin brother who edges him for pace and leap. Carlton have so many holes to fill and Lower would contend for the Lappin and Houlihan type roles straight away and get time on the wing in season one.
37. Ryan Jackson – Collingwood
Utility player who competes well, is a good kick and can accumulate touches. Has a good change of direction to compensate for a lack of genuine leg-speed. Some concern about what position he could play in the AFL. He doesn’t have the jets to play wing, and not quite the size for a KP. Plenty of talent but maybe the kind of guy you have to tweak your gameplan to accommodate and he might not be quite good enough to warrant that.
38. Travis Tuck (f/s) – Hawthorn
Was quite poor last season but improved greatly this year. Still very very lightly built and tends not to be a natural inside player at this stage. More often than not forced to kick quickly because a lack of pace. Is a long term prospect. Well he is a Tuck so of course he is going to be a late developer.
39. Jay Neagle (f/s) – Essendon
Strange choice in truth. Seems a specialist full forward and they hardly need one with Lloyd in the team. Neagle looks more a Sav Rocca type big-bodied bloke who stays close to goals. At 187cm he is on the short sized, and at 97kg he needs to get fit. In his defence he can be surprisingly tricky at ground level and with snap-shots, but some of that is his big bulk letting him stand in tackles laid by kids 20kg lighter than him. OK set-shot but that is partly because he is never more than 20m out, quite often only 10.
40. Matt Seal – Richmond
Probably looking to take KP players early and could therefore look for a midfielder late. Seal is a good solid performer who can play midfield or HFF and has a knack for kicking goals. Not the big-possesion standout that other midfielders might be but looks to have some potential and has held his own in senior WAFL company.
i have my footy fix 4 today now, and a great footy fix it is. 
