BigFooty Official 2024 Bigfooty Phantom Draft - Early Edition

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  1. Richmond - Sid Draper (South Adelaide, Midfielder)
  2. North - Finn O'Sullivan 9 Oakleigh Chargers, Midfielder)
  3. Brisbane Lions - Levi Ashcroft *F/S match (Used Pick 15 and 53) (Sandringham Dragons, Midfielder/ Small Forward)
  4. Gold Coast Suns - Leonardo Lombard *Academy match (used Pick 9) (Midfielder/ Small Forward)
  5. West Coast - Tobie Travaglia (Bendigo Pioneers, General Defender/ Midfielder)
  6. Saints - Jagga Smith (Oakleigh Chargers, Midfielder)
  7. Adelaide - Sam Lalor (GWV Rebels, Midfielder/ General Forward)
  8. Hawthorn - Josh Smillie (Eastern Ranges, Midfielder)
  9. Fremantle - Luke Trainor (Sandringham Dragons, Tall Defender)
  10. Gold Coast - Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power, Midfielder/ General Defender)
  11. Fremantle - Murphy Reid (Sandringham Dragons, Midfielder/ Small Forward)
  12. Melbourne - Christian Moraes (Eastern Ranges, Midfielder)
  13. GWS - Matt Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers, Tall Utility)
  14. Essendon - Bo Allan (Peel Thunder, Midfielder/ General Defender)
  15. Fremantle - Joe Berry (Murray Bushrangers, Small Forward)
  16. Geelong - Harvey Langford (Dandenong Stingrays, Midfielder)
  17. Carlton - Hamish Davis (Claremont, General Forward/ Midfielder)
  18. Sydney - Taj Hotton (Sandringham Dragons, Midfielder/ Small Forward)
  19. Sydney - Alex Dodson (Sturt, Ruck)
  20. Gold Coast - Alixzander Tauru (Gippsland Power, Tall Defender)
  21. Richmond - Harry Armstrong (Sandringham Dragons, Tall Forward)
  22. North - Isaac Kako (Calder Cannons, Small Forward/ Midfielder)
  23. West Coast - Cooper Hynes (Dandenong Stingrays, Midfielder/ General Forward)
  24. Fremantle - Tom Gross (Oakleigh Chargers, Midfielder/ General Forward)
  25. GWS - Jack Whitlock (Murray Bushrangers, Tall Forward)
  26. Collingwood - Jobe Shanahan (Bendigo Pioneers, Tall Utility)
  27. Hawthorn - Harry O'Farrell (Calder Cannons, Tall Defender)
  28. Brisbane - Sam Marshall *Academy match (used whatever picks they had left) (Sandringham Dragons, Midfielder)
  29. Carlton - Ben Camporeale *F/S match (used Pick 37) (Glenelg, Midfielder)
  30. Gold Coast - Harrison Oliver (Sandringham Dragons, General Defender)
  31. Western Bulldogs - Angus Clarke (Glenelg, General Defender)
  32. Adelaide - Tyler Welsh *F/S Match (Used Pick 33) (WWT Eagles, Tall Forward)
  33. Port Adelaide - Jesse Dattoli (Northern Knights, Small Forward/ Midfielder)
  34. Saints - Noah Mraz (Dandenong Stingrays, Tall Defender)
  35. Essendon - Jasper Alger (Oakleigh Chargers, Small Forward)
  36. Richmond - Harry Charlson (GWV Rebels, General Defender)
  37. Gold Coast - Kayle Gerryn (West Perth, Tall Forward/ Ruck)
  38. Geelong - Kade Herbert (WWT Eagles, Midfielder)
  39. Melbourne - Archer Day-Wicks (Bendigo Pioneers, General Forward/ Midfielder)
  40. Richmond - Thomas Sims (Northern Knights, Tall Forward/ Ruck)
  41. North Melbourne - Jonty Faull (GWV Rebels, Tall Forward)
  42. West Coast Eagles - Malakai Champion *NGA Match (Subiaco, Small Forward)
  43. Richmond - Benny Barrett (South Adelaide, Small Forward/ Midfielder)
  44. Sydney - Joel Cochran *Academy Match (Used Pick 56) (Tall Defender)
  45. Melbourne - Lachie Jacques (Geelong Falcons, General Defender)
  46. Adelaide - Zak Johnson (Northern Knights, Midfielder)
  47. GWS - Logan Smith *Academy Match (Used Pick 53) (Ruck)
  48. St Kilda - Adrian Cole *NGA Match (Used Pick 54) (Sandringham Dragons, Tall Defender)
  49. Collingwood - Lennox Hofman (Sandringham Dragons, General Defender)
  50. Collingwood - Luke Urquhart (East Fremantle, Midfielder)
  51. Carlton - Lucas Camporaele *F/S Match (Used an assortment of late picks) (Glenelg, Midfielder)
  52. Western Bulldogs - Patrick Retschko (Oakleigh Chargers, General Defender/ Midfielder)
  53. Melbourne - Charlie Nicholls (Central Districts, Tall Utility)
  54. Port Adelaide - Will Hayes (Claremont, Small Forward/ Midfielder)
  55. Gold Coast - Josh Dolan (Sandringham Dragons, Small Forward/ Midfielder)
  56. Richmond - Zane Cochrane (Oakleigh Chargers, Midfielder)
  57. Geelong - Charlie West (WWT Eagles, Tall Forward)
  58. Saints - Hugh Boxshall (Claremont, Midfielder)

Rookie Draft
1. Richmond - Cody Angove (Claremont, Small Forward)
2. North Melbourne - Evan Bradley (North Adelaide, Small Forward)
3. West Coast Eagles - Evan Smith (Swan Districts, Ruck)
4. St Kilda - Luca Grego (Western Jets, General Defender/ Midfielder)
5. Adelaide - Rhys Unwin (Greater Western Victoria Rebels, Small Forward/ Midfielder)[Pick courtesy of Mutineer]
6. Gold Coast Suns - Jack Ough (Greater Western Victoria Rebels, Midfielder/ Tall Defender)
7. Melbourne - Damon Hollow (Calder Cannons, Midfielder/ Small Forward)
8. Collingwood - Josh Murphy (Murray Bushrangers, General Forward)
9. Hawthorn - Cooper Bell (GWS Academy, Tall Defender)
10. Essendon - Ned Bowman (Norwood, General Forward)
11. Carlton - Xavier Ivisic (Geelong Falcons, Midfielder)
12. Western Bulldogs - Jaxon Artemis (South Fremantle, General Defender/ Midfielder)
 
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LemmingMaster

LemmingMaster

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts Draft Watcher
Mar 13, 2008
11,398
7,772
Perth, Australia
AFL Club
Carlton
Welcome to the 2024 edition of the annual bigfooty phantom draft, where some of the best draft minds on the site come together for a collaborative effort with their own spin on it. This is the first edition for the year before the main draft once the season is over. As always we want to say a big thanks to our drafters for putting their time into this, and being a part of what is undoubtedly the biggest and most anticipated event on the DTFA board, possibly even the entire site!

List Managers;
Adelaide + Geelong; Thunderstruck
Carlton + Saints; LemmingMaster
Essendon; eDPS
Gold Coast + Port Adelaide; PMBangers
Melbourne + Lions; ModernArtillery
North Melbourne; roos_fanatic08
Richmond + Bulldogs; Smythe
West Coast Eagles + Sydney; Monocle
Hawthorn + GWS; TDS7
Collingwood + Fremantle; Pie 4 Life (Kind of fitting considering the Dockers are death riding the Pies)

Rules;
Draft Order as of Sunday 14th of July, 7 PM AWST will be used for the purposes of this phantom, with no live trading taking place

Father-son and Northern Academy players can be matched at any point in the draft, with bids inside the first 18 picks receiving a 20% discount to match, picks between 19-40 receiving a flat 197 point discount, and bids after pick 40 able to be matched with a clubs next selection. NGA players can be matched after pick 40 with the same discount rate occurring. Picks within the pinned post will be adjusted accordingly in due time. We ask bidders to tag the person involved in matching the bid to ensure a quick response, if a poster does not respond within 24 hours the assumption will be that the bid is not matched!

A MINIMUM of 2 picks applies, and whilst we do try to keep the phantom somewhat realistic, we're not going to enforce clubs only selecting the amount of players that they have list spots for

Please RESPECT SELECTORS. We understand the world of hypothetical drafting is super serious business, and directly impacts what happens on draft night, but we must remember that draft rankings, particularly this year, are a matter of opinion, and if you disagree with a selection you must express this in a respectful manner or risk being booted from the thread.

Further to this, avoid cluttering the thread, if you feel you have an opinion on every second selection, perhaps you could make your own thread with a phantom draft of your own, with people giving you the attention it deserves =)

Draft will start sometime on the 15th of July
 
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IMG_0671.png
Pick 1 - Richmond - Sid Draper 182cm MID/FWD

Sid is an absolute jet.

He can win his own ball (and generally does for most of his possessions) but also has this uncanny knack of just teleporting to the outside of the pack ball in hand or after already distributing it to a team mate ready to be part of the link up play.
He is so agile, athletic and fast with a huge upside. He arguably had the best underage campaign, won the most accolades, and tasted senior footy last year.
After coming back from injury this year he has literally got better and better every game and his last two weeks in the sanfl seniors against good opposition proved how good this kid can really be.
He is a leader and has very high football IQ, excellent ball use, takes the right option and tackles hard.
For me it was a choice between Sid Draper and Finn O’Sullivan, and Sid IMO was a better junior. Although they both have high ceilings, I think Finn has a lower floor and Sid is faster and more contested, making my choice here clearer.
roos_fanatic08 you are up next picking for North
 
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Pick 2 - North Melbourne - Finn O’Sullivan - Oakleigh Chargers - 182cm.

North continue to have a simple strategy of taking the best available talent at the top end of the draft. While there was a temptation to take a bigger bodied mid in either Josh Smillie or Harvey Langford, the athletic profile and running capacity of FOS was too good too pass up. FOS offers up a point of difference in our midfield with his ability to play on a wing or roll through the half forward or back line.

FOS has so many attributes that make him perfect for modern day footy: dynamic movement, agility, endurance, strength, courage, stacks of footy IQ and sound decision making. While he hasn't been able to display all these characteristics this year due to injuries, clubs are well aware of his high end potential and he has plenty of runs on the board as an underage player and through the under 16's championships. He'll have a good opportunity in the Coates League in the coming weeks to remind everyone of his talent.

As a midfielder, he finds the ball in and around the stoppages as both a primary ball winner and first receiver. He then uses his agility and movement to break clear from the stoppages. Once clear, he uses his elite decision making and skills to hit targets. Around the ground he is an aerial threat with elite overhead marking.

As an AFL footballer, I think he’ll start off as a hard running winger or as a half back and transition to becoming a genuine mid across the space of a few seasons. Considering his injuries this year and his slighter body type, he’ll be a slower burn, as he has to add some size to his frame so that he can withstand rigours of AFL footy.

An exciting pick who has leadership aspirations. I have no doubt he will develop into a top tier 200+ game player


Monocle West Coast’s pick!
 
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Pick # 4 West Coast - Leo Lombard

Does GC match ? PMBangers

I am not trying to be cute here taking a FS and an Academy kid, its where I have then rated on my board for WC.
 
Monocle said:
Pick # 4 West Coast - Leo Lombard

Does GC match ? PMBangers

I am not trying to be cute here taking a FS and an Academy kid, its where I have then rated on my board for WC.
Click to expand...
Begrudgingly yes

--------------

Dudes very good at footy, doing most of his damage through the midfield with his hard running, stoppage work and high hurt factor per disposal, especially heading inside 50 some of the best of the draft class, I imagine he at least starts off as a half forward with the freedom to roam further afield to maximise his class, before finding himself with more midfield minutes
 
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Pick # 5 West Coast - Tobie Travaglia - Bendigo - 187cm


images-1.jpg


Before I explain why I have selected Travaglia I would like to talk to the unique nature of the 2024 draft cohort.

For me there isn't a dead set standout number 1 and there is rare evenness in the first 30 or so in this cohort, the like of which I cant ever remember.
Consequently I think that there is going to be a wildly differing set of stacked white boards come draft night, because the evenness of the talent pool, might very well see, the combination of list needs slightly override straight talent ratings.

Now why Travaglia for West Coast, with what has now bobbed out tp pick 5, with matched bids.

I started the year with him sitting in the early 20's, then as the season progressed he rose into the teens and then his production by the end of the Championships, has him risen further into a single digit number.
There are other player that I have considered around this mark and each player has a question mark of some sort, on how I think their game will transition at the next level, for one its speed, the other size and foot skills and another its some minor flags, not extreme red flags, rather let me call them minor puce coloured flags.

Therefore I started matching what skill set / footballing traits, are WC short on and matching them with what the cohort is like for depth, in those particular traits.

Jumbling all that together, is how I arrived at the Travaglia selection.
You don't have to agree with my assessment, rather I am explaining my rational, as to why I made the choice.

Travaglia epitomises the highly sought after traits to facilitate - the fast moving, run and carry, game day style that enable games to be opened up with burst speed, run and spread, assisted with two way running and multiple over lap, because thats where the modern game is trending.

The specific traits that appeal to me about Travaglia are:

  • He is both very smart and hardworking.
  • Consistency both in games and from, one game to the next.
  • The ability and determination to stay involved in the contest, with multiple efforts.
  • Ability to think through where his next game involvement will be and then, get to that position.
  • A balance of both inside and outside play.
  • A rare double of being good in the air, as well as below his knees, when balls on ground.
  • Combination of pretty good foot skills and elite handball skills.
  • Really good decision making.
  • Elite run and carry traits and really sound link up - to set up game moves.
  • Has a hunger for the contest and is rarely is beaten one on one.
  • The jewel in his skills set is ( and this is a biggie for me ), he has pace, he has endurance and he has agility.


These skills and playing traits are ones that West Coast are desperately short on, some of the other needs that I would like to address in the draft are more plentiful with latter picks, whereas, there are not many in this cohort that can consistently do what Travaglia does.

There will be those who shake their heads at the thought of drafting a HBF with pick 5 and to some extent I agree with that, BUT, whilst Travaglia may start his AFL career off a HBF, I am drafting him as a wingman, who wins his own ball and that links up and feeds the forwards, plus also have the capacity himself to also hit the score board.

I see in Travaglia, game day traits and skills similar to Issac Smith and Hayden Young, not necessarily saying as good as, but similar styles.



Saints up LemmingMaster
 
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Pick 6 - Saints - Jagga Smith - 181cm Midfielder

Well I wrote down another name and then chickened out and Smith is just a low floor selection and you're getting a great solid midfielder at this point. The kid knows how to find the ball and reads the ruck taps better than anyone in this draft class. Having shown plenty of leadership qualities, he is the perfect player to take over from Steele in the future.

  • Finds the footy
  • High football IQ
  • Never loses his feet
  • Endurance beast
  • Leadership
  • Upside in body development
  • Quick by hand or foot
 
Monocle said:
Pick # 5 West Coast - Tobie Travaglia - Bendigo - 187cm




I see in Travaglia, game day traits and skills similar to Issac Smith and Hayden Young, not necessarily saying as good as, but similar styles.
Click to expand...
Love this kid, he reminds me a little of Rivers. A kid that plays across the HBF because he has that ability, but would easily transition into the midfield and Rivers is showing this year that he is also a great midfielder.
 
Monocle said:
Pick # 5 West Coast - Tobie Travaglia - Bendigo - 187cm


View attachment 2049460


Before I explain why I have selected Travaglia I would like to talk to the unique nature of the 2024 draft cohort.

For me there isn't a dead set standout number 1 and there is rare evenness in the first 30 or so in this cohort, the like of which I cant ever remember.
Consequently I think that there is going to be a wildly differing set of stacked white boards come draft night, because the evenness of the talent pool, might very well see, the combination of list needs slightly override straight talent ratings.

Now why Travaglia for West Coast, with what has now bobbed out tp pick 5, with matched bids.

I started the year with him sitting in the early 20's, then as the season progressed he rose into the teens and then his production by the end of the Championships, has him risen further into a single digit number.
There are other player that I have considered around this mark and each player has a question mark of some sort, on how I think their game will transition at the next level, for one its speed, the other size and foot skills and another its some minor flags, not extreme red flags, rather let me call them minor puce coloured flags.

Therefore I started matching what skill set / footballing traits, are WC short on and matching them with what the cohort is like for depth, in those particular traits.

Jumbling all that together, is how I arrived at the Travaglia selection.
You don't have to agree with my assessment, rather I am explaining my rational, as to why I made the choice.

Travaglia epitomises the highly sought after traits to facilitate - the fast moving, run and carry, game day style that enable games to be opened up with burst speed, run and spread, assisted with two way running and multiple over lap, because thats where the modern game is trending.

The specific traits that appeal to me about Travaglia are:

  • He is both very smart and hardworking.
  • Consistency both in games and from, one game to the next.
  • The ability and determination to stay involved in the contest, with multiple efforts.
  • Ability to think through where his next game involvement will be and then, get to that position.
  • A balance of both inside and outside play.
  • A rare double of being good in the air, as well as below his knees, when balls on ground.
  • Combination of pretty good foot skills and elite handball skills.
  • Really good decision making.
  • Elite run and carry traits and really sound link up - to set up game moves.
  • Has a hunger for the contest and is rarely is beaten one on one.
  • The jewel in his skills set is ( and this is a biggie for me ), he has pace, he has endurance and he has agility.


These skills and playing traits are ones that West Coast are desperately short on, some of the other needs that I would like to address in the draft are more plentiful with latter picks, whereas, there are not many in this cohort that can consistently do what Travaglia does.

There will be those who shake their heads at the thought of drafting a HBF with pick 5 and to some extent I agree with that, BUT, whilst Travaglia may start his AFL career off a HBF, I am drafting him as a wingman, who wins his own ball and that links up and feeds the forwards, plus also have the capacity himself to also hit the score board.

I see in Travaglia, game day traits and skills similar to Issac Smith and Hayden Young, not necessarily saying as good as, but similar styles.



Saints up LemmingMaster
Click to expand...
Great pick and I don’t think anyone would criticise Hayden Young at 5. Tobie is by hand is like Hayden by foot and I can see him playing hbf with time on the wing and potential for inside extraction.

His 2024 season has been very consistent. I also like the fact that he makes an impact at the contest
 
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Monocle said:
View attachment 2049460
Click to expand...
Yikes, my photo looks so bad with this crop from Instagram.
Here's some others that look much better:
full
full

full
full
 
Sorry lads, I've checked this once a day but we hadn't started and now we are here in a flurry.

Pick 7 Adelaide - Sam Lalor GWV Rebels 187cm 88kg

Absolutely stoked with this pick here - quite simply, if Lalor had a full and injury free year, he'd be top 3 no bones about it.

Lalor is quite simply the most powerful midfielder in this draft class with dominant abilities inside the centre square or charging out from the goalsquare. Very good hands, strcky and vice like overhead and a long, powerful boot. As a mid he is a bull, or a bully should I say with superb inside work and clearance ability, great hands in tight, good ability to fend off, and burst through congestion, get hands free, or weave through and kick it himself. Can also kick goals from the midfield. Far stronger than most of his peers right now. Will find it much harder to play that way initially at AFL level but I expect him to turn into a JDG type of player but with a higher top end. The most true and best mid/fwd in this draft class and something the crows haven't had since I cannot even remember when. Dangerfield at least. Lalor would compliment the lack of true versatile BIG bodied mids at the crows where apart from Dawson, they are pretty small. Size, power and goalkicking prowess is needed. Bargain at 7!
 
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PMBangers said:
Begrudgingly yes

--------------

Dudes very good at footy, doing most of his damage through the midfield with his hard running, stoppage work and high hurt factor per disposal, especially heading inside 50 some of the best of the draft class, I imagine he at least starts off as a half forward with the freedom to roam further afield to maximise his class, before finding himself with more midfield minutes
Click to expand...
Begrudgingly?
 
Pick 8 - Hawthorn - Josh Smillie - Eastern Ranges

194cm - Utility Midfielder

I was left with a choice I was dreading coming into this phantom draft, but I had to go with the guy with more runs on the board.

Josh Smillie is a player who exemplifies the modern midfield bull. Yes he's a giant, but his lateral quickness, composure, and running capacity make him a dream for a midfield who loves to run and gun. He's got every trait to make himself the top midfield extractor in the game, getting his hands on the footy first at contests, knowing when to unleash a handpass and when to take a few dodges to open up the space, and not willing to step on the gas to lay a tackle.

He has some areas of improvement that are very addressable. Smillies hands are clean in close, but he can be prone to the weak handpass or two. Similarly, his kicking can range from very good to very not. He isn't a bad kick per se, but he is inconsistent. This is something that can be refined though, and his disposal at its best can create goals from nowhere. More importantly it won't be his main job, and its certainly not enough to hold him back from a top spot in the draft. He isn't an out-and-out sprinter, but his agility allows him the space and time to find those open lanes and make a run out of packs.

Also considered:

Harvey Langford (this one was really tough)
Matt Whitlock
Luke Trainor
Jobe Shanahan

Pie 4 Life with the Dockers
 
Pick 9 - Fremantle - Luke Trainor (Sandringham Dragons)

Pretty simple one for me here, too good to let go, especially in a year where midfielders dominate. Almost thought I might jag Smillie somehow, but Trainor was the other dream scenario. Given Fremantle's brilliant first round picks, we can afford to go best available with this selection.

And yes, it is not lost on me that this is Collingwood's pick so we would have been able to pick up a key defender in this (very) hypothetical scenario lol.

PMBangers
 

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BigFooty Official 2024 Bigfooty Phantom Draft - Early Edition

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