not claiming to be a draft expert but I do take a keen interest in the under 18s throughout the year in the tac cup and the championships so I thought I'd put my neck on the line and do a phantom draft a week out from the draft. I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions. Cheers
Pick 1- carlton: JACOB WEITERING
At the start of their rebuild the blues will take the best player available and they will get their hands on the ever realiable WEITERING here.
Pick 2-Brisbane: JOSH SHACHE
The lions will take the key forward they have been screaming out for in SHACHE here. Loves the club so no fear of go home factor here.
Pick 3-Melbourne: DARCY PARISH
The demons jumped ahead of the bombers in the draft order with someone obviously in mind. Curnow or weideman might be there man but for me parish would add an extra layer of polish to what is shaping as a strong Melbourne midfield.
Pick 4- GWS: JACOB HOPPER (bid)
The Giants will secure the raging bull hopper here after matching the bombers bid in hope of securing the boy from the Riverina. Goal kicking midfielder with a body ready to stand up to the rigours of afl.
Pick 5- Sydney: CALLUM MILLS (bid)
Bombers will once again bid on the next best available midfielder in mills with the swans making sure he ends up in Sydney. Injury concerns but could end up the best player from the draft.
Pick 6- Essendon: SAM WEIDEMAN
The bombers will secure the strong marking, straight kicking key forward they need to partner joe Daniher here in weideman. Toss up between himself and curnow.
Pick 7- Essendon: CLAYTON OLIVER
Arguably the biggest draft bolter, Oliver will add a big strong bodied presence to the bombers midfield to help out Dyson Heppell. Clearance beast with good breakaway speed.
Pick 8- Gold Coast: AARON FRANCIS
Suns simply take best available here and Francis is there man. Will add versatility to play forward or back or even into the midfield.
Pick 9- Melbourne: CHARLIE CURNOW
Melbourne manage to get a dream combo here of parish/curnow. Plays his best footy in front of the ball at this stage but could also develop into a big bodied midfielder.
Pick 10- Brisbane: ERIC HIPWOOD (bid)
The blues will be after another key position prospect here so will make the lions pay top dollar for local boy Eric HIPWOOD. Raw and athletic, HIPWOOD will add another promising prospect at either end of the ground for the lions.
Pick 11-carlton: HARRY MCKAY
S.o.s would like to add another tall here and mckay could be the best available. McKay will develop into a promising forward for the blues but will take time. December birthday so still has plenty of growth and improvement left.
Pick 12- GWS: MATTHEW KENNEDY
(Bid)
Trying to cover the loss for Dangerfield the crows will see if they can pry the athletic midfielder Kennedy away from the Giants, but once again, Giants will match.
Pick 13- Adelaide: WAYNE MILERA
The crows will be delighted to land local talent Milera here. Oozes class and shown he can play at sanfl level. Will add polish to the crows front half.
Pick 14- Brisbane: BEN KEAYES (bid)
The blues will look to add the best available midfielder here in Ben KEAYES. But the lions will not hesitate to match the offer. Inside midfielder who knows how to find the footy, will be the third lion selected inside the first 15 selctions.
Pick 15- carlton: RHYS MATHIESON
The blues will snare 2x junior all Australian and clearance king here in mathieson. Hard nut who has no fear, Mathieson has slid in the order due to his knock on his endurance but I don't see that as a major issue here for the blues. Could end up being the bargain of the draft.
Pick 16- Richmond: CALLUM AHCHEE
In my opinion the Tigers would be silly to pass up on the exciting w.a boy AHCHEE here. He is the small forward they desperately crave with the ability to roll up the ground. X factor and goal sense make it a no brainer here.
Pick 17- crows: RYAN BURTON
Arguably the biggest unknown in this draft due to his lack of getting on the park due to injuries. Best available here in my opinion and I can see the crows wiling to take the risk on the local boy. Rumours they do like Balic and tucker here also.
Pick 18- st.kilda: HARLEY BALIC
The saints are crying out for midfielders, and I can see Balic developing into a smooth moving classy midfielder. Will start his career as a high half forward and build up his tank. Strong overhead.
Pick 19- hawthorn: KIERAN COLLINS
After losing lake the Hawks will snare up the ever realiable Collins here. The big framed defender is right to play immediately and would add depth to the Hawks backline.
Pick 20-suns: MITCH HIBBERD
The Suns seems to love recruiting 2 things. Running half backs and Tasmanians, and HIBBERD ticks both boxes. Has cope to develop into a big bodied midfielder.
Pick 21- North Melbourne: DARCY TUCKER
Simply best available here for the Roos but he Tucker does add some dash and kicking skills the kangas desperately need.
Pick 22- hawthorn: RILEY BONNER
Toss up here between bonner and Gresham but bonner fits the Hawks mould of penetrating kicks off half back here. Scope to become tall dashing wingman.
Pick 23- Carlton: BEN MCKAY
Could the blues land the other McKay twin here? Brother Ben is a project player who plays his best footy down back and would have the potential to shore up carltons defence for the next decade alongside.
Pick 24- Western Bulldogs: JADE GRESHAM
The dogs are in a good spot to grab what slides out here and Gresham may be there man. Would add another smaller type to the dogs midfield but can't see that worrying them with the amount of his own ball he can win.
Pick 25- western Bulldogs: DAVID CUNNINGHAM
The pacy Cunningham would add another layer of depth to the already scary dogs midfield. One to keep an eye on in an afl environment.
Pick 26- Fremantle: RYAN CLARKE
In dire need of key position players here and may well reach for local key defender Jesse glass-McAsker here but Clarkes numbers and skill set would be to good to ignore.
Pick 27- west coast: DANIEL RIOlI
The name is just enough to excite eagles fans here. Rioli could be drafted in the hope of developing into a damaging small forward to sit under the feet of Kennedy and darling.
Pick 28- Essendon: LUKE PARTINGTON
I personally rate PARTINGTON a lot higher than this as a midfielder who can win his own ball on the inside and out. Could be a steal for the Dons here.
Pick 29- Essendon: JOSH DUNKLEY
Dunkley will snob the swans and elect to stay in Victoria where he will end up at the bombers in the hope they can develop him into a strong contested ball winning midfielder.
Pick 30- North Melbourne: BRAYDEN FIORINI
Fironi is a classy user of the ball who will add some much needed class to the Roos side. A number of options will be considered here.
Pick 1- carlton: JACOB WEITERING
At the start of their rebuild the blues will take the best player available and they will get their hands on the ever realiable WEITERING here.
Pick 2-Brisbane: JOSH SHACHE
The lions will take the key forward they have been screaming out for in SHACHE here. Loves the club so no fear of go home factor here.
Pick 3-Melbourne: DARCY PARISH
The demons jumped ahead of the bombers in the draft order with someone obviously in mind. Curnow or weideman might be there man but for me parish would add an extra layer of polish to what is shaping as a strong Melbourne midfield.
Pick 4- GWS: JACOB HOPPER (bid)
The Giants will secure the raging bull hopper here after matching the bombers bid in hope of securing the boy from the Riverina. Goal kicking midfielder with a body ready to stand up to the rigours of afl.
Pick 5- Sydney: CALLUM MILLS (bid)
Bombers will once again bid on the next best available midfielder in mills with the swans making sure he ends up in Sydney. Injury concerns but could end up the best player from the draft.
Pick 6- Essendon: SAM WEIDEMAN
The bombers will secure the strong marking, straight kicking key forward they need to partner joe Daniher here in weideman. Toss up between himself and curnow.
Pick 7- Essendon: CLAYTON OLIVER
Arguably the biggest draft bolter, Oliver will add a big strong bodied presence to the bombers midfield to help out Dyson Heppell. Clearance beast with good breakaway speed.
Pick 8- Gold Coast: AARON FRANCIS
Suns simply take best available here and Francis is there man. Will add versatility to play forward or back or even into the midfield.
Pick 9- Melbourne: CHARLIE CURNOW
Melbourne manage to get a dream combo here of parish/curnow. Plays his best footy in front of the ball at this stage but could also develop into a big bodied midfielder.
Pick 10- Brisbane: ERIC HIPWOOD (bid)
The blues will be after another key position prospect here so will make the lions pay top dollar for local boy Eric HIPWOOD. Raw and athletic, HIPWOOD will add another promising prospect at either end of the ground for the lions.
Pick 11-carlton: HARRY MCKAY
S.o.s would like to add another tall here and mckay could be the best available. McKay will develop into a promising forward for the blues but will take time. December birthday so still has plenty of growth and improvement left.
Pick 12- GWS: MATTHEW KENNEDY
(Bid)
Trying to cover the loss for Dangerfield the crows will see if they can pry the athletic midfielder Kennedy away from the Giants, but once again, Giants will match.
Pick 13- Adelaide: WAYNE MILERA
The crows will be delighted to land local talent Milera here. Oozes class and shown he can play at sanfl level. Will add polish to the crows front half.
Pick 14- Brisbane: BEN KEAYES (bid)
The blues will look to add the best available midfielder here in Ben KEAYES. But the lions will not hesitate to match the offer. Inside midfielder who knows how to find the footy, will be the third lion selected inside the first 15 selctions.
Pick 15- carlton: RHYS MATHIESON
The blues will snare 2x junior all Australian and clearance king here in mathieson. Hard nut who has no fear, Mathieson has slid in the order due to his knock on his endurance but I don't see that as a major issue here for the blues. Could end up being the bargain of the draft.
Pick 16- Richmond: CALLUM AHCHEE
In my opinion the Tigers would be silly to pass up on the exciting w.a boy AHCHEE here. He is the small forward they desperately crave with the ability to roll up the ground. X factor and goal sense make it a no brainer here.
Pick 17- crows: RYAN BURTON
Arguably the biggest unknown in this draft due to his lack of getting on the park due to injuries. Best available here in my opinion and I can see the crows wiling to take the risk on the local boy. Rumours they do like Balic and tucker here also.
Pick 18- st.kilda: HARLEY BALIC
The saints are crying out for midfielders, and I can see Balic developing into a smooth moving classy midfielder. Will start his career as a high half forward and build up his tank. Strong overhead.
Pick 19- hawthorn: KIERAN COLLINS
After losing lake the Hawks will snare up the ever realiable Collins here. The big framed defender is right to play immediately and would add depth to the Hawks backline.
Pick 20-suns: MITCH HIBBERD
The Suns seems to love recruiting 2 things. Running half backs and Tasmanians, and HIBBERD ticks both boxes. Has cope to develop into a big bodied midfielder.
Pick 21- North Melbourne: DARCY TUCKER
Simply best available here for the Roos but he Tucker does add some dash and kicking skills the kangas desperately need.
Pick 22- hawthorn: RILEY BONNER
Toss up here between bonner and Gresham but bonner fits the Hawks mould of penetrating kicks off half back here. Scope to become tall dashing wingman.
Pick 23- Carlton: BEN MCKAY
Could the blues land the other McKay twin here? Brother Ben is a project player who plays his best footy down back and would have the potential to shore up carltons defence for the next decade alongside.
Pick 24- Western Bulldogs: JADE GRESHAM
The dogs are in a good spot to grab what slides out here and Gresham may be there man. Would add another smaller type to the dogs midfield but can't see that worrying them with the amount of his own ball he can win.
Pick 25- western Bulldogs: DAVID CUNNINGHAM
The pacy Cunningham would add another layer of depth to the already scary dogs midfield. One to keep an eye on in an afl environment.
Pick 26- Fremantle: RYAN CLARKE
In dire need of key position players here and may well reach for local key defender Jesse glass-McAsker here but Clarkes numbers and skill set would be to good to ignore.
Pick 27- west coast: DANIEL RIOlI
The name is just enough to excite eagles fans here. Rioli could be drafted in the hope of developing into a damaging small forward to sit under the feet of Kennedy and darling.
Pick 28- Essendon: LUKE PARTINGTON
I personally rate PARTINGTON a lot higher than this as a midfielder who can win his own ball on the inside and out. Could be a steal for the Dons here.
Pick 29- Essendon: JOSH DUNKLEY
Dunkley will snob the swans and elect to stay in Victoria where he will end up at the bombers in the hope they can develop him into a strong contested ball winning midfielder.
Pick 30- North Melbourne: BRAYDEN FIORINI
Fironi is a classy user of the ball who will add some much needed class to the Roos side. A number of options will be considered here.
