Resource 2024 AFL Draft discussion thread

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noobermensch said:
Three strong senior SANFL performances in a row now for my current choice for number 1 draft pick Sid Draper. He split his time pretty evenly between onball and half forward, and it was arguably at half forward where he did most of his damage in this game showing his potential versatility as a prospect. In a brilliant sequence late in the third quarter Draper was pivotal in a three goal burst for Souths, booting 1 goal himself and directly assisting two more, effectively sealing the game.

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Feels like these edits summarise him nicely as a player . Speed / endurance mix which gets him everywhere , clean ground balls , good hands to teammates in tight among traffic , misses some targets by foot

That’s pretty much him , the running part of his game is a big reason why he will be a good afl player . Those players make it these days . The kicking main issue holding him back from becoming elite
 
Jeffcrowe said:
Feels like these edits summarise him nicely as a player . Speed / endurance mix which gets him everywhere , clean ground balls , good hands to teammates in tight among traffic , misses some targets by foot

That’s pretty much him , the running part of his game is a big reason why he will be a good afl player . Those players make it these days . The kicking main issue holding him back from becoming elite
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so Sid Draper isn't elite.... should we take Lalor, Langford or Reid instead?

how about joe berry.... or is he too similar to rachele?
 
ClaudeCurlsCrow said:
so Sid Draper isn't elite.... should we take Lalor, Langford or Reid instead?

how about joe berry.... or is he too similar to rachele?
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Not saying he can’t get there with hard work but that’s the thing that will hold him back from being elite

All of the top 10 is very even and there are niggling doubts or knocks on all of them

Re the ones you mention Reid is a bit slow , not explosive and a little bit small considering

Langford has a little doubt on speed and kick as well although he has enough parts of his game to cover it

Joe Berry is one that interests me more and more for sure , in terms of a midfielder though he’s quite small and will start as a high forward
 

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The first in what will be a series of highlights videos for the top draft picks picking out the best moments from their 2024 Champs performances. First up is Sid Draper, who was still finding his fitness and form through the Champs after a long injury layoff but still managed to wow us with moments of brilliance.

 
noobermensch said:
The first in what will be a series of highlights videos for the top draft picks picking out the best moments from their 2024 Champs performances. First up is Sid Draper, who was still finding his fitness and form through the Champs after a long injury layoff but still managed to wow us with moments of brilliance.

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Great speed & spatial awareness. Will be surprised if he's still there at our pick, but there are other very good mid options - it's a smorgasbord, no less!!
 
Disco Fox said:
Great speed & spatial awareness. Will be surprised if he's still there at our pick, but there are other very good mid options - it's a smorgasbord, no less!!
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Correct there will be very decent midfield options outside of the 1st round i.e. Northern Knights Captain Zak Johnson, 24/12/2006 so close to the youngest player in this draft 185cm solid build already, top end disposal. Never really got a fair crack in the midfield at the Nationals but he's right up there with the better midfield prospects given his age and ability to get forward and rattle the scoreboard.

 

Andrew Capel | South Australia’s top AFL draft prospect Sid Draper should be on Crows’ recruiting radar​

Adelaide has a need for midfield speed and class – and the player it should target is sitting right under its nose, writes Andrew Capel.

Adelaide should think twice about trading its top pick in this year’s AFL draft.
While the club has publicly stated its prime draft selections, including its prized first-round pick (currently No. 5), are up for grabs as it explores the trade market following its successful raids on two of its best players, captain Jordan Dawson and star goalsneak Izak Rankine, a player it needs is sitting right under its nose.

And he just happens to be a homegrown difference maker who could be available when the Crows are on the draft clock in November.

South Adelaide teenage excitement machine Sid Draper, who is odds-on to be the first Croweater selected at this year’s national draft, would be a great fit in Adelaide’s largely one-paced, workmanlike midfield.

Panthers talent manager Mark Clayton hailed the just-turned 18-year-old, describing him as having Chris Judd-type qualities “with the way he goes about things and his work around the stoppages’’.

“Sid has great power and his speed from stoppage is elite,’’ Clayton gushed.

SANFL head of talent Brenton Phillips compared Draper to Port Adelaide captain and fellow Croweater Connor Rozee, saying “he’s got a little bit of Rozee about him, with his very quick feet and explosive speed out of stoppages’’.

“He has everything that the game demands of you these days,’’ Phillips added.

Draper – South Australia’s captain at this year’s AFL under-18 championships and a dual All-Australian – would add some much-needed pace and explosiveness to coach Matthew Nicks’ on-ball brigade without the Crows facing the prospect of losing him to the go-home factor, which has been a major issue that has long plagued the club.

The 182cm Draper is on track to be a gamebreaking playmaker, filling a glaring on-ball need.

A star at junior level – he was an All-Australian under-18 and SA’s MVP last year, best on ground in the Panthers’ under-18s grand final win and awarded the AFL life members’ scholarship – Draper has stepped up to the plate at senior level in recent weeks, adapting to league football with ease and illustrating his ability to make the jump to AFL level.

After an injury-plagued start to the year, which saw him miss the first half of the season with a shin stress fracture, Draper was promoted to the Panthers’ league side after the AFL under-18 championships and dominated against flag favourite Sturt at Unley Oval.

Lining up against established Double Blues midfield stars James Battersby and Tom Lewis, he had 23 disposals, 11 tackles, five clearances and six inside 50s in the Round 13 encounter to be voted second-best afield by The Advertiser football writers.


The following week, opposed to a North Adelaide midfield that included 2020 Magarey Medallist Campbell Combe, Draper compiled 27 disposals, 10 tackles, nine clearances and two inside 50s to again be named among South’s best.

On Sunday, Draper again stood tall, having 23 disposals and five clearances and kicking a classy goal as South upset Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval.

In three league games this season, Draper has averaged an eye-popping 24.3 disposals, 7.7 tackles, 6.3 clearances and 128 Champion Data ranking points.

In his three league games last year as a 17-year-old, Draper averaged 14 disposals, highlighting his growth this campaign.

This year’s draft pool is considered strong and jam-packed with quality midfielders, which should make the Crows’ eyes light up.

They need an injection of on-ball class to complement a developing list, which includes Rankine, Dawson, Jake Soligo, Josh Rachele, Max Michalanney, Mitch Hinge and exciting key forwards Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty.

Adelaide, sitting 14th with seven wins, a draw and 10 losses but having won three of its past four games, currently owns selection five in what is considered a high quality but even top end of the draft.

Most draft experts rate Draper in the five-to-nine range with the potential to go higher.

No other Croweater is rated as a top-10 prospect.

Other gun teenage midfielders in the top-end mix include Victorians Levi Ashcroft, Josh Smillie, Finn O’Sullivan, Harvey Langford, Murphy Reid, Jagga Smith and Sam Lalor,

Western Australia’s Bo Allan and Gold Coast Academy prospect Leo Lombard.

But the Crows, provided they keep their pick and Draper is still on the board, should be wary of overlooking a gun player from their own backyard.

They could even consider trading up a spot or two to snare him.

Hometown rival Port will not be in contention for Draper after trading its first-round pick.

South league coach Jarrad Wright, who oversaw Port star Jason Horne-Francis’s development before he was drafted at pick one by North Melbourne in 2021, believes Draper is his club’s next big thing and would be an ideal selection for the Crows.

The only small knock on him has been his sometimes rushed field kicking but that is improving every week.

“Sid is one of the best kids I’ve seen come through our program,’’ Wright said.

“He’s the ultimate professional, a leader, super competitive and ticks all the boxes in all phases of preparation, athleticism, speed and power.

“He’s a very impressive young man whose contest to contest running power is something that I haven’t seen from a player his age for a long time.

“At South, Jase (Horne-Francis) was a genuine footballer and a real powerful beast within the contest but Sid’s workrate is next level.

“The Crows have some good inside midfielders who are good ball winners but Sid is a metres gained player who not only wins plenty of the footy but he takes the game forward really well with his speed and power, which has been a criticism of Adelaide’s midfield.

“Given Sid’s attributes, he would blend into Adelaide’s team really well.’’

Wright said that apart from being a playmaker and testing as the most agile under-18 player nationwide last year, Draper – the younger brother of South teammate and former Collingwood utility Arlo Draper – has improved his defensive transition significantly this season.

“Prior to this year he was very much a see-ball, get-ball player but his transition defence this year has been really strong and really impressive,’’ Wright said.

“The fact that he’s been coming up against the best of the best in the SANFL and either beating them or breaking even shows just what an impressive young player he is.’’
 
Murphy Reid again best on for Caulfield Grammar against Geelong College on the weekend. In other news Sam Lalor's Geelong Grammar had the bye and Calder Cannons underager Felix Kneipp continues to light the APS up for Wesley College, one to keep an eye on.

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Mutineer said:
Murphy Reid again best on for Caulfield Grammar against Geelong College on the weekend. In other news Sam Lalor's Geelong Grammar had the bye and Calder Cannons underager Felix Kneipp continues to light the APS up for Wesley College, one to keep an eye on.

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apparently there seems to be question mark on his size and frame at AFL level from some posters on here
 
ClaudeCurlsCrow said:
apparently there seems to be question mark on his size and frame at AFL level from some posters on here
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Well he is slightly built and certainly not quick but a very smart footballer with great skills.
 

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Mutineer said:
Correct there will be very decent midfield options outside of the 1st round i.e. Northern Knights Captain Zak Johnson, 24/12/2006 so close to the youngest player in this draft 185cm solid build already, top end disposal. Never really got a fair crack in the midfield at the Nationals but he's right up there with the better midfield prospects given his age and ability to get forward and rattle the scoreboard.

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Rate him !
 
Just looking at the draft , I reckon a pick in late 40s to 50s is about equal with a pick in the 20s last year

That’s how deep the draft goes , there’s prob 10-15 who won’t be 1st rounders that might have been last year
 
Danger in Texas said:
They will, reckon I heard Hawks are offering 900k or thereabouts

Still think there’s a good chance Saints take Trainor with their Battle pick though
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$900k shouldn't be enough for band one.

They need to be in the top 44 contracts in the league to qualify, and there should be 40+ $1m contracts next year.
 
Jeffcrowe said:
Rate him !
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You're not alone, I'm really surprised Zak's flown so low under the radar with his skillset and obvious upside age wise. Balanced mid, nice size with the ability play across half back but excels up forward what's not to like?
 
Mutineer said:
You're not alone, I'm really surprised Zak's flown so low under the radar with his skillset and obvious upside age wise. Balanced mid, nice size with the ability play across half back but excels up forward what's not to like?
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Just one of those drafts , there’s so many to talk about. There will be some very capable players taken from pick 30 onwards
 

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Resource 2024 AFL Draft discussion thread

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