Check out one of Big Footy’s resident draft-watchers Eth-Dog’s phantom draft.

“This will be completed over the next few days or weeks when I have the time to do so, life is pretty busy right now. This is not a “where I think players should go” phantom, it’s where I think they will go. The first round will have draft choice explanations in there, the second through fourth will just be straight up and down. Also please remember that my area of expertise is the VFL side of things rather than under 18’s, and whilst I have watched a few of the prospects live and on TV, most of that will be from the real experts of this board, in particular Pie 4 Life and D_P_S.”

Round 1

Pick 1, Carlton: Sam Walsh, (Victoria Country, 183 cm/74 kg, Balanced Midfielder). Walsh is an absolute jet and a clear cut choice for Carlton at pick 1. The reasoning behind Walsh over Lukosius is that despite how highly rated the latter is, Carlton have oodles of talented key forwards, especially with the acquisition of Mitch McGovern during trade period.

Pick 2, Gold Coast: Jack Lukosius (South Australia, 194/82, Key Forward). Lukosius is one of the best talents you will see in the draft. Despite the rumours surrounding his homesickness, a talent like this with Gold Coast’s need of it all over the ground, this man will have to get drafted by the Suns.

Pick 3, Gold Coast: Connor Rozee (SA, 185/72, Outside Midfielder): Rozee is a draft bolter for many, he seemed to be rated around the fringes of the top 10 for most of the season before shooting right up the rankings in August and September with impressive performances for North Adelaide

Pick 4, Sydney: Nick Blakey (Allies, 194/75, KF. Bid by St. Kilda, matched by Sydney with picks 26, 33 and 38, which moves back to pick 62). Sydney are no chance of not matching a bid on Blakey, and I believe the bid will be early. St. Kilda have shown their interest in key forwards so that’s why I have them bidding here.

Pick 5, St. Kilda: Max King (Victoria Metro, 201/86, KF/Ruck). St. Kilda obviously bid on Blakey before and despite my thinking that getting King would be a waste given their already strong KPP stocks at both ends it seems as though they really want Max there for a long time.

Pick 6, Port Adelaide: Izak Rankine (SA, 180/76, Midfielder/Forward). There is one reason and one reason alone Port wanted pick 5, and that was because they wanted the nephew of club great Gavin Wanganeen. Rankine will slot straight into Chad Wingard’s spot across Half Forward and excel.

Pick 7, Gold Coast: Bailey Smith (VM, 184/79, BM). Smith is a guy that does everything well without being particularly outstanding at any particular trait, apart from finding the ball. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and I feel he’ll be the right man for Gold Coast to grab here.

Pick 8, Western Bulldogs: Jye Caldwell (VC, 184/78, M/F). Caldwell is a player that will appeal to the Dogs because he can play a variety of positions, something that Luke Beveridge loves. He’s a good ball winner and more than good enough forward of centre, so expect him to do well here.

Pick 9, Adelaide: Jackson Hately (SA, 192/80, Inside Midfielder). The best of the big bodied inside midfielders of the draft, Hately will likely stay in Adelaide as he fits the bill perfectly for the Crows here, who were keen to get one or two of the highly rated South Australian boys in the draft.

Pick 10, North Melbourne: Tarryn Thomas (Allies, 187/68, M/F. Bid by GWS, matched by North with picks 42, 47, 48 and 49 which gets moved back to pick 57). I think that Thomas will be bid on by GWS because they have a few first round picks to play with and a talent like Thomas can fit the bill around this mark to also make sure that North pay full toll for picking him up.

Pick 11, Greater Western Sydney: Ben King (VM, 201/85, KF/Ruck). I honestly can’t believe I still had him on the board here, King is a dead set gun and GWS would jump all over the chance to lock away this forward ruck to replace Rory Lobb straight away. King is a perfect fit for the Giants here.

Pick 12, Port Adelaide: Luke Valente (SA, 186/80, BM). Valente is a guy that just does everything well, much like Smith ealier, and has leadership in spades to boot. Being a South Australian boy here again, I feel like Port will take him due to his strength and size.

Pick 13, Greater Western Sydney: Ian Hill (Western Australia, 176/66, OM). After missing on Thomas earlier, I feel like the Giants will get their hands around the highly rated Western Australian as a nippy outside midfielder with good kicking skills, much like his cousins with the potential to go forward.

Pick 14, Western Bulldogs: Rhylee West (VM, 180/81, IM. Bid by Geelong, Western Bulldogs match with picks 32 and 38, which moves back to pick 63). Rhylee is a carbon copy of his father, tough, strong at the contest and wins clearances aplenty. There is no way the Dogs don’t match the bid here.

Pick 15, Geelong: Xavier Duursma (VC, 185/71, BM). Not entirely sure what the Cats need so I decided to go with the safe option here in Duursma, who can pretty much play anywhere. His movement in traffic is impressive and I like him for the Cats here because of that.

Pick 16, Adelaide: Riley Collier-Dawkins (VM, 193/88, IM). Well with going for Hately earlier, I think that Adelaide may go for the second best big bodied midfielder in this draft class to try to get that 1-2 punch going. RCD’s movement in traffic is very impressive and he has very good hands.

Pick 17, Fremantle: Liam Stocker (VM, 183/83, IM). Stocker is a good player here, just a good all rounder for the Dockers to attain, especially with the loss of Lachie Neale to Brisbane.

Pick 18, Port Adelaide: Curtis Taylor (VM, 186/79, M/F). Taylor is a player that I’ve seen rated as high as 9 earlier in the year and as low as 25. He’s a guy that doesn’t really have a lot of outstanding attributes but you know what you’ll get from him as well.

Pick 19, Adelaide: Chayce Jones (Allies, 180/74, BM). Jones is a guy that I don’t particularly rate from my two full games of watching him. In both games he never really gave it to the first option whether it be by handball or kick which resulted in pressure being applied. I’d have him much lower on my board but a lot of people disagree with me on this one.

Pick 20, Richmond: Xavier O’Hallaran (VM, 187/83, IM). O’Hallaran is simply the best available here in my opinion, the midfielder plays a strong contested game which Hardwick will love.

Pick 21, Brisbane: Zak Butters (VM, 178/70, M/F). Brisbane’s list is in pretty good shape right now but I feel like they need some more speed in the team and Butters can play well in that role either forward or on a wing.

Pick 22, Greater Western Sydney: Jordan Clark (182/78, Half Back). I heavily considered giving the Giants Williams at this pick but with having them take King earlier in the draft I can see them opting for the cleanly skilled Clark who could eventually replace Heath Shaw.

Pick 23, West Coast: Bailey Williams (VC, 198/95, KF/Ruck). I’m honestly as shocked that Williams lasted this long as you are. Williams is the perfect fit for West Coast who’s ruck troubles are well publicised, Williams is the man who can eventually replace Vardy as their forward/ruck.

Round 2

Pick 24, Adelaide: Jez McLennan (SA, 183/81 HB).

Pick 25, West Coast: Luke Foley (WA, 187/75, IM).

Pick 26, Collingwood: Isaac Quaynor (VC, 179/82, HB. Bid by Melbourne, Collingwood match with picks 44 and 51, which moves back to 66).

Pick 27, Melbourne: Will Hamill (VC, 185/70, OM).

Pick 28, Gold Coast: Sam Sturt (VC, 188/79, Medium Forward).

Pick 29, Greater Western Sydney: Ned McHenry (VC, 176/71, BM).

Pick 30, Collingwood: Will Kelly (VM, 193/83, Key Defender. Bid by Gold Coast, matched by Collingwood with 57 and 66. Collingwood go into 161 point deficit in the second round of 2019).

Pick 31, Melbourne: Toby Bedford (VC, 176/65, SF. Bid by Gold Coast, matched by Melbourne with pick 32 which moves back to pick 58).

Pick 32, Greater Western Sydney: Kieran Briggs (Allies, 200/98, Ruck. Bid By Gold Coast, GWS match with pick 52. GWS go into 120 point deficit in 2019).

Pick 33, Gold Coast: Ely Smith (Allies, 188/86, IM).

Pick 34, Brisbane: Jarrod Cameron (WA, 180/69, SF. West Coast fail to match).

Pick 35, Fremantle: Sydney Stack (WA, 179/72, M/F).

Pick 36, Brisbane: Connor McFayden (Allies, 190/81, 3rd Tall Forward. Bid by Essendon, matched by Brisbane with pick 40, which moves back to pick 61).

Pick 37, Essendon: Jack Bytel (VM, 188/79, IM).

Pick 38, North Melbourne: Bailey Scott (Allies, 186/74, BM. Bid by St. Kilda, matched by North Melbourne with picks 55 and 57, which gets moved back to pick 59).

Pick 39, St. Kilda: James Rowbottom (VM, 185/78, IM).

Pick 40, Richmond: Tom McKenzie (VM, 183/71, M/F).

Round 3

Pick 41, Brisbane: Tom Berry (VC, 185/76, IM).

Pick 42, Fremantle: Mitch Riordan (VC, 186/79, BM).

Pick 43, Western Bulldogs: Sam Fletcher (VM, 187/79, BM).

Pick 44, St. Kilda: Joseph Ayton-Delaney (VM, 179/68, SD).

Pick 45, Geelong: Zane Barzen (VC, 193/77, 3TF).

Pick 46, Hawthorn: Angus Hanrahan (VM, 182/68, M/F).

Pick 47, Western Bulldogs: Buku Khamis (VM, 189/81 Half Back/Midfielder. Bid by Melbourne, matched by the Bulldogs with pick 58, which gets moved back to pick 69).

Pick 48, Geelong: Oscar Brownless (VC, 186/76, SF. Bid by Melbourne, matched by Geelong with pick 52, which gets moved back to pick 58).

Pick 49, Melbourne: Fraser Turner (Allies, 186/75, OM).

Pick 50, Brisbane: Stefan Radovanovic (VM, 192/85, HB).