Preview 2024 National Draft Preview Thread

[Souup]

Could Trainor pinch hit as a taller midfielder? Looks like he'd be comfortable almost anywhere on the ground.

Yeah I actually think he could. For example, 3:25 from this clip stood out to me from the final champs game:

The clean pick-up, composure, lateral step, and finally decision making and skill to execute is impressive in congestion. It is only one moment, but shows what could be possible.

Having said that, I wouldn't want him anywhere but defence personally. His best trait is his ability to read the play and intercept. If you play him in the midfield you basically get rid of his best trait.

 

[My Left Foote]

Josh Wooden = The Leg

Josh Wooden = The You Are Tree

 

[Heaps of fun]

A mate of mine in the AFL coaching system told me that Smilie has a bit of an ego and got a huge eye opener when he didn’t get named in the AA team - rocked up to school the next day with a hair cut and full school uniform for the first time this year.

Anyone else across this little bit of info?

Said he also only played maybe one school game this year and got sent off? Is that right?

I live for stuff like this.

 

[shinboner magic]

Mental with being only a few picks from Draper possibly.

Crows n weagles haven’t really got patient fan bases - they want it now.

 

[the big lebowski]

Great question the big lebowski, let me start off by saying these two boys are going to be really good players for their club, Caddy to Essendon and whoever lands Harry. Right, lets get down to business, first of all different styles and the way they play, Nate is more the proto-type forward, using his strength and body positioning to get leverage and take control. Like Max King, Aaron Naughton from a short distance out, Harry Mckay and a few others, his problem has been his kicking for goal.

Every time a key forward gets picked up in the draft and have a problem with their kicking most {not all} supporters say the same thing, it will be okay, with our coaches we will fix that up, will be the least of our worries! Really? How's that working out for those players and yes they will have some good days but overall it is so frustrating for supporters for these young men to constantly miss easy shots and the more they do it the more pressure builds up so that they then revert to kicking around the corner from 40 to 50 metres out in which I've seen players do this which is so ridiculous and leads me to the opinion that they have lost all their confidence.

Enter the cauldron, Harry Armstrong, My nickname for him is DED, {dead eye dick}, when you watch him, you can tell that it certainly helped having a champion goalkicker in Mathew Lloyed in his ear. Yes he does miss, but so what, Phar Lap got beaten in a race, it happens, I'll tell you something else, it won't happen very often. His kicking for goal is elite, his marking is elite, what a refreshing change for a forward to possess these qualities.

If you watch his games, to me, his body movements and marking and even kicking for goal remind me a little bit of Jason Dunstall. Now I'm not saying he's the next Dunstall, but while he could play centre half forward, he's another player that could be dynamic as a full forward. Who is better? The answer is Harry but in truth its win for both players in this case, Essendon finally get their key forward {I know they got Harrison Jones and that he's only 23, he's been injured so many times} I think he will kick plenty of goals for them in his stay.

Harry, Harry, Harry, where do I start and where do I end, put simply he could well be the next superstar of the competition along with another key forward/ruck that hails from Western Australia, if some recruiters can see what I see in these two players, their excitement has to be flowing out the door, unless of course they get earmarked for a different position!

A great question deserves a great response. Thank you

 

[The Dingrel]

A mate of mine in the AFL coaching system told me that Smilie has a bit of an ego and got a huge eye opener when he didn’t get named in the AA team - rocked up to school the next day with a hair cut and full school uniform for the first time this year.

Anyone else across this little bit of info?

Said he also only played maybe one school game this year and got sent off? Is that right?

Well at least he's still going to school and didn't quit to go stack milk crates!

 

[Souup]

For those that care about and enjoy things like this, I thought I'd throw together testing data for this year's top 30 talls (as listed by Twomey) and compare their data with talls who were drafted in the top 20 since 2021. I think this year's crop of capable talls is much larger than previous years, and the potential scope for improvement is very exciting. There will be a team or three who manage to pick the right one in the second round and will be laughing in 3 years from now.

All the following numbers were true as of pre-season testing earlier this year before round 1. Someone like Tauru for instance, is listed by Twomey at 193cm now, but 191cm in pre-season testing.

The other thing is if I've put question marks with a number afterward in brackets, it's because they didn't test in pre-season this year, and so the score in the brackets is their pre-season testing from 2023.

Spoiler: 2024 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Luke Trainor 194cm 90kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.184
Agility 8.832
Yo-yo 760

Harry Armstrong 195cm 84kg
Vertical 87cm
20m 3.123
Agility 8.774
Yo-yo 960

Jack Whitlock 200cm 87kg
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.064
Agility 8.718
Yo-yo 840

Alixzander Tauru 191cm 84kg
Vertical 89cm
20m 3.137
Agility 8.527
Yo-yo 840

Matt Whitlock197cm 83kg
Vertical 96cm
20m 3.103
Agility 8.714
Yo-yo ????? (720)

Jobe Shanahan 194cm 87kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.117
Agility 8.751
Yo-yo 720

Jonty Faull 195cm 89kg
Vertical ????? (80cm)
20m ????? (3.107)
Agility ????? (8.281)
Yo-yo ????? (520)

Thomas Sims 199cm ??(90kg)
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.036
Agility 7.909
Yo-yo 560

Noah Mraz 198cm 86kg
Vertical ????? (83cm)
20m ????? (3.216)
Agility ????? 8.464)
Yo-yo ????? (760)

___________________________________________________

Spoiler: 2021-2023 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Sam Darcy 203cm 85kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.170
Agility 8.260
Yo-yo 240

Mac Andrew 200cm 71kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.160
Agility 8.550
Yo-yo 320

Josh Gibcus 195cm 84kg
Vertical 95cm
20m 3.070
Agility 8.310
Yo-yo 600

Aaron Cadman 194cm 88kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.081
Agility 8.163
Yo-yo 720

Matthew Jefferson 194cm 76kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.009
Agility 8.712
Yo-yo 440

Nate Caddy 192cm 91kg
NOTE: Caddy never did pre-season testing in 2022 or 2023. The data here is from the National Combine last year
Vertical 83cm
20m 3.018
Agility 8.331
2km time: 6:35

Connor O'Sullivan 198cm 92kg
Vertical 77cm
20m 3.087
Agility 9.013
Yo-yo 720

 

[Souup]

Also I'll mention this here: I think Taj Hotton is probably my favourite player in this draft class. Reminds me a lot of Shai Bolton

29

Shai Bolton

Age

25

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

and even with his ACL, I'd have him as a top 3 selection, and honestly, probably my 2nd overall player in this draft class.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure he'll ever be in contention for our picks as we won't consider him with our 1st and, unless we get another 2nd rounder and he slides (which I don't think will happen, I think he goes top 10), it makes too much sense that we'll take a punt on our favourite remaining tall with our only 2nd rounder.

 

[the big lebowski]

For those that care about and enjoy things like this, I thought I'd throw together testing data for this year's top 30 talls (as listed by Twomey) and compare their data with talls who were drafted in the top 20 since 2021. I think this year's crop of capable talls is much larger than previous years, and the potential scope for improvement is very exciting. There will be a team or three who manage to pick the right one in the second round and will be laughing in 3 years from now.

All the following numbers were true as of pre-season testing earlier this year before round 1. Someone like Tauru for instance, is listed by Twomey at 193cm now, but 191cm in pre-season testing.

The other thing is if I've put question marks with a number afterward in brackets, it's because they didn't test in pre-season this year, and so the score in the brackets is their pre-season testing from 2023.

Spoiler: 2024 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Luke Trainor 194cm 90kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.184
Agility 8.832
Yo-yo 760

Harry Armstrong 195cm 84kg
Vertical 87cm
20m 3.123
Agility 8.774
Yo-yo 960

Jack Whitlock 200cm 87kg
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.023
Agility 8.718
Yo-yo 840

Alixzander Tauru 191cm 84kg
Vertical 89cm
20m 3.137
Agility 8.527
Yo-yo 840

Matt Whitlock197cm 83kg
Vertical 96cm
20m 3.103
Agility 8.714
Yo-yo ?????

Jobe Shanahan 194cm 87kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.117
Agility 8.751
Yo-yo 720

Jonty Faull 195cm 89kg
Vertical ????? (80cm)
20m ????? (3.107)
Agility ????? (8.281)
Yo-yo ????? (52)

Thomas Sims 199cm ??(90kg)
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.036
Agility 7.909
Yo-yo 560

Noah Mraz 198cm 86kg
Vertical ????? (83cm)
20m ????? (3.216)
Agility ????? 8.464)
Yo-yo ????? (760)

___________________________________________________

Spoiler: 2021-2023 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Sam Darcy 203cm 85kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.170
Agility 8.260
Yo-yo 240

Mac Andrew 200cm 71kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.160
Agility 8.550
Yo-yo 320

Josh Gibcus 195cm 84kg|
Vertical 95cm
20m 3.070
Agility 8.310
Yo-yo 600

Aaron Cadman 194cm 88kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.081
Agility 8.163
Yo-yo 720

Matthew Jefferson 194cm 76kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.009
Agility 8.712
Yo-yo 440

Nate Caddy 192cm 91kga
NOTE: Caddy never did pre-season testing in 2022 or 2023. The data here is from the National Combine last year
Vertical 83cm
20m 3.018
Agility 8.331
2km time: 6:35

Connor O'Sullivan 198cm 92kg
Vertical 77cm
20m 3.087
Agility 9.013
Yo-yo 720

That’s some outstanding information.

Much appreciated.

Anything that stands out to you?

Armstrongs YoYo looks at a Mckercher level.

And that is some real impressive stuff from the whitlocks. I have obviously been sleeping on their athletic traits, but they look like King levels of athleticism. Especially the vertical leaps with their height. And they are no slouches over 20m either.

 

[the big lebowski]

Simms as well.

Other than his yoyo everything else is off the charts

 

[Liam Boy]

All the following numbers were true as of pre-season testing earlier this year before round 1. Someone like Tauru for instance, is listed by Twomey at 193cm now, but 191cm in pre-season testing.

 

[Souup]

That’s some outstanding information.

Much appreciated.

Anything that stands out to you?

Armstrongs YoYo looks at a Mckercher level.

And that is some real impressive stuff from the whitlocks. I have obviously been sleeping on their athletic traits, but they look like King levels of athleticism. Especially the vertical leaps with their height. And they are no slouches over 20m either.

Thomas Sims' freak agility score was the biggest surprise. Key forwards that tend to score highly in agility have a bit of Jeremy Cameron in the way they move: see Cadman.

Other than that, the main takeaway is that this crop of talls have athletic scores that are well above the usual for talls. To quantify this I'd say the following results are about average for talls:

Vertical Low 80cm
20m 3.15
Agility 8.8
Yo-yo 600-680

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

Also I'll mention this here: I think Taj Hotton is probably my favourite player in this draft class. Reminds me a lot of Shai Bolton

29

Shai Bolton

Age

25

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

12.7

3star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

and even with his ACL, I'd have him as a top 3 selection, and honestly, probably my 2nd overall player in this draft class.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure he'll ever be in contention for our picks as we won't consider him with our 1st and, unless we get another 2nd rounder and he slides (which I don't think will happen, I think he goes top 10), it makes too much sense that we'll take a punt on our favourite remaining tall with our only 2nd rounder.

Agreed mate his lateral movement is freakish.

 

[ferball]

Also I'll mention this here: I think Taj Hotton is probably my favourite player in this draft class. Reminds me a lot of Shai Bolton and even with his ACL, I'd have him as a top 3 selection, and honestly, probably my 2nd overall player in this draft class.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure he'll ever be in contention for our picks as we won't consider him with our 1st and, unless we get another 2nd rounder and he slides (which I don't think will happen, I think he goes top 10), it makes too much sense that we'll take a punt on our favourite remaining tall with our only 2nd rounder.

2016 was the first year I followed the draft at all (cos of joining this board) and Bolton was the only player I really liked. He definitely had "it".

 

[shinboner magic]

For those that care about and enjoy things like this, I thought I'd throw together testing data for this year's top 30 talls (as listed by Twomey) and compare their data with talls who were drafted in the top 20 since 2021. I think this year's crop of capable talls is much larger than previous years, and the potential scope for improvement is very exciting. There will be a team or three who manage to pick the right one in the second round and will be laughing in 3 years from now.

All the following numbers were true as of pre-season testing earlier this year before round 1. Someone like Tauru for instance, is listed by Twomey at 193cm now, but 191cm in pre-season testing.

The other thing is if I've put question marks with a number afterward in brackets, it's because they didn't test in pre-season this year, and so the score in the brackets is their pre-season testing from 2023.

Spoiler: 2024 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Luke Trainor 194cm 90kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.184
Agility 8.832
Yo-yo 760

Harry Armstrong 195cm 84kg
Vertical 87cm
20m 3.123
Agility 8.774
Yo-yo 960

Jack Whitlock 200cm 87kg
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.023
Agility 8.718
Yo-yo 840

Alixzander Tauru 191cm 84kg
Vertical 89cm
20m 3.137
Agility 8.527
Yo-yo 840

Matt Whitlock197cm 83kg
Vertical 96cm
20m 3.103
Agility 8.714
Yo-yo ????? (720)

Jobe Shanahan 194cm 87kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.117
Agility 8.751
Yo-yo 720

Jonty Faull 195cm 89kg
Vertical ????? (80cm)
20m ????? (3.107)
Agility ????? (8.281)
Yo-yo ????? (52)

Thomas Sims 199cm ??(90kg)
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.036
Agility 7.909
Yo-yo 560

Noah Mraz 198cm 86kg
Vertical ????? (83cm)
20m ????? (3.216)
Agility ????? 8.464)
Yo-yo ????? (760)

___________________________________________________

Spoiler: 2021-2023 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Sam Darcy 203cm 85kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.170
Agility 8.260
Yo-yo 240

Mac Andrew 200cm 71kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.160
Agility 8.550
Yo-yo 320

Josh Gibcus 195cm 84kg|
Vertical 95cm
20m 3.070
Agility 8.310
Yo-yo 600

Aaron Cadman 194cm 88kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.081
Agility 8.163
Yo-yo 720

Matthew Jefferson 194cm 76kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.009
Agility 8.712
Yo-yo 440

Nate Caddy 192cm 91kga
NOTE: Caddy never did pre-season testing in 2022 or 2023. The data here is from the National Combine last year
Vertical 83cm
20m 3.018
Agility 8.331
2km time: 6:35

Connor O'Sullivan 198cm 92kg
Vertical 77cm
20m 3.087
Agility 9.013
Yo-yo 720

Darcy n Andrew yo-yo test - did they crawl

 

[The Dingrel]

Also I'll mention this here: I think Taj Hotton is probably my favourite player in this draft class. Reminds me a lot of Shai Bolton and even with his ACL, I'd have him as a top 3 selection, and honestly, probably my 2nd overall player in this draft class.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure he'll ever be in contention for our picks as we won't consider him with our 1st and, unless we get another 2nd rounder and he slides (which I don't think will happen, I think he goes top 10), it makes too much sense that we'll take a punt on our favourite remaining tall with our only 2nd rounder.

Worth trying to trade our future 1st to try get another top 10 in this years draft you think?

 

[tales129]

Simms as well.

Other than his yoyo everything else is off the charts

Stood out to me too - big vert/agility

 

[The Dingrel]

Darcy n Andrew yo-yo test - did they crawl

Pair of em thought it was a wheelbarrow race.

 

[Shermanator]

Darcy n Andrew yo-yo test - did they crawl

Ran backwards the whole test?..

 

[The Dingrel]

Ran backwards the whole test?..

thought they were testing for the umpires academy?

 

[noobermensch]

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.

 

[Souup]

Worth trying to trade our future 1st to try get another top 10 in this years draft you think?

It's always dangerous trying to project the strength of the draft the following year, but as of right now, I'm not big on next year's crop.

So provided you can ensure that pick lands us Hotton, then yes I definitely would.

 

[Sphynx]

For those that care about and enjoy things like this, I thought I'd throw together testing data for this year's top 30 talls (as listed by Twomey) and compare their data with talls who were drafted in the top 20 since 2021. I think this year's crop of capable talls is much larger than previous years, and the potential scope for improvement is very exciting. There will be a team or three who manage to pick the right one in the second round and will be laughing in 3 years from now.

All the following numbers were true as of pre-season testing earlier this year before round 1. Someone like Tauru for instance, is listed by Twomey at 193cm now, but 191cm in pre-season testing.

The other thing is if I've put question marks with a number afterward in brackets, it's because they didn't test in pre-season this year, and so the score in the brackets is their pre-season testing from 2023.

Spoiler: 2024 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Luke Trainor 194cm 90kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.184
Agility 8.832
Yo-yo 760

Harry Armstrong 195cm 84kg
Vertical 87cm
20m 3.123
Agility 8.774
Yo-yo 960

Jack Whitlock 200cm 87kg
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.023
Agility 8.718
Yo-yo 840

Alixzander Tauru 191cm 84kg
Vertical 89cm
20m 3.137
Agility 8.527
Yo-yo 840

Matt Whitlock197cm 83kg
Vertical 96cm
20m 3.103
Agility 8.714
Yo-yo ????? (720)

Jobe Shanahan 194cm 87kg
Vertical 88cm
20m 3.117
Agility 8.751
Yo-yo 720

Jonty Faull 195cm 89kg
Vertical ????? (80cm)
20m ????? (3.107)
Agility ????? (8.281)
Yo-yo ????? (52)

Thomas Sims 199cm ??(90kg)
Vertical 93cm
20m 3.036
Agility 7.909
Yo-yo 560

Noah Mraz 198cm 86kg
Vertical ????? (83cm)
20m ????? (3.216)
Agility ????? 8.464)
Yo-yo ????? (760)

___________________________________________________

Spoiler: 2021-2023 Talls Pre-Season Testing Data

Sam Darcy 203cm 85kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.170
Agility 8.260
Yo-yo 240

Mac Andrew 200cm 71kg
Vertical 84cm
20m 3.160
Agility 8.550
Yo-yo 320

Josh Gibcus 195cm 84kg|
Vertical 95cm
20m 3.070
Agility 8.310
Yo-yo 600

Aaron Cadman 194cm 88kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.081
Agility 8.163
Yo-yo 720

Matthew Jefferson 194cm 76kg
Vertical 82cm
20m 3.009
Agility 8.712
Yo-yo 440

Nate Caddy 192cm 91kga
NOTE: Caddy never did pre-season testing in 2022 or 2023. The data here is from the National Combine last year
Vertical 83cm
20m 3.018
Agility 8.331
2km time: 6:35

Connor O'Sullivan 198cm 92kg
Vertical 77cm
20m 3.087
Agility 9.013
Yo-yo 720

Sims will go top 20 if he replicates that at the combine.

Outstanding numbers and he passes the eye test, because he absolutely launches at the ball at full stretch.

Absolutely huge engine on Armstrong, that's better than McKercher's Yo-Yo pre-season last year.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Yeah I actually think he could. For example, 3:25 from this clip stood out to me from the final champs game:

The clean pick-up, composure, lateral step, and finally decision making and skill to execute is impressive in congestion. It is only one moment, but shows what could be possible.

Having said that, I wouldn't want him anywhere but defence personally. His best trait is his ability to read the play and intercept. If you play him in the midfield you basically get rid of his best trait.

Exact passage of play that got me thinking about it. Agree he's a defender first and foremost but utility potential.

 

[shinboner magic]

It's always dangerous trying to project the strength of the draft the following year, but as of right now, I'm not big on next year's crop.

So provided you can ensure that pick lands us Hotton, then yes I definitely would.

Cmon man- no more injured acl draftees.
That should be Rule for us