Preview 2024 National Draft Preview Thread

[roos_fanatic08]

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

Thats quality! Thanks Souup. How’d Harry O’Farrell stack up? As a lockdown defender I still think he is flying under the radar a bit!

Also wonder how Gerreyn stacks up with that pre-season testing. His athleticism definitely passes the eye test, particularly his agility and leap.

From a list perspective you’d think Armstrong & Gerreyn would suit best but I’m still big on Matt Whitlock as his versatility is a big appeal for our list going forward.

Sims and Jack Whitlock would still make a lot of sense though, especially when you consider their upside with that athletic base.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Trainor actually reminds me a lot of Griffin Logue

19

Griffin Logue

Age

26

Ht

193cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.0

3star

MG

115.4

2star

D

9.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.0

2star

MG

115.4

2star

D

9.8

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.0

3star

MG

115.4

2star

as draft prospect. Griff had a real elite tank though.

 

[Souup]

Thats quality! Thanks Souup. How’d Harry O’Farrell stack up? As a lockdown defender I still think he is flying under the radar a bit!

Also wonder how Gerreyn stacks up with that pre-season testing. His athleticism definitely passes the eye test, particularly his agility and leap.

From a list perspective you’d think Armstrong & Gerreyn would suit best but I’m still big on Matt Whitlock as his versatility is a big appeal for our list going forward.

Sims and Jack Whitlock would still make a lot of sense though, especially when you consider their upside with that athletic base.

Harry O'Farrell 196cm 77kg
Vertical: 86cm
20m: 3.044
Agility: 8.923
Yo-yo: 720

Unfortunately I've only got pre-season testing data for the Victorian lads so I've got nothing on Gerreyn or any other player outside of Victoria.

 

[justroyal]

Trainor is giving me Ed-Vickers vibes

 

[buttox]

Trainor is giving me Ed-Vickers vibes

I don't know why but I get dgb vibes

 

[justroyal]

I don't know why but I get dgb vibes

Yep. Holy shit I see it. I retract my statement and seconding this.

 

[JGreezy]

Who is the shinboner of the top 10? Who plays with Wardlaw, Comben, Xerri intensity? FOS? Take him.

 

[4cunningTonneTruck]

Calling it now the top 3 on draft night will be Sid Draper, Finn O'Sullivan and Jagga Smith. One will be holding up a North jumper.

 

[the big lebowski]

Who is the shinboner of the top 10? Who plays with Wardlaw, Comben, Xerri intensity? FOS? Take him.

Yes. Intensity. The most important attribute for afl footy.

Skills and fitness tie for close second.

 

[Shinboner1]

Do we keep Goad as key def and Dawson as key forward?
Another preseason in the positions for both could mean that we don't have an immediate need for either in this draft?
I'd prefer to throw an early pick at a small forward, feels like an immediate need

 

[the big lebowski]

Do we keep Goad as key def and Dawson as key forward?
Another preseason in the positions for both could mean that we don't have an immediate need for either in this draft?
I'd prefer to throw an early pick at a small forward, feels like an immediate need

Goad’s learning what vfl football is.

Let alone what afl football is. Other than not taking another project ruck, goad won t be factoring into any decision we make.

 

[the big lebowski]

Travaglia is basically what we pray Goater will turn into. Maybe a step down pace wise but everything else is what we pray Goater would be.

Not sure on his tank but he would be well suited to a wing eventually.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Do we keep Goad as key def and Dawson as key forward?
Another preseason in the positions for both could mean that we don't have an immediate need for either in this draft?
I'd prefer to throw an early pick at a small forward, feels like an immediate need

I think they'll both spend time learning both ends of the ground as part of their development.
You can never have enough key position players on the list developing away and I think better to get them in now so they can start their development at VFL level.

I can only see us taking a small forward in the 1st round if we slide back in the order like Kako/Berry.
I think the 2nd rounder would likely be used on a key forward, especially if we don't slide back in the 1st round.

And we don't necessarily need to throw an early pick at a small forward as there's going to be some draft options in the 3rd round and we'll probably add River Stevens in one of the drafts as well. And if we're talking to some VFL small forwards then it may be more a late national draft pick or rookie pick.

 

[New_Roo]

Mental with being only a few picks from Draper possibly.

Some clubs don't think draft is the sole way to fix list needs!


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[New_Roo]

Who would've guessed Collingwood's pick is currently pick 6 after winning the flag?

It's not that big a shock. They have an ageing list, have a lot of average players in that team, rely a lot on 5-6 players in particular Daicos and won what 5-10 games by less than a goal. There is a reason why they were down in a majority of their games


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[Merlin007]

It's not that big a shock. They have an ageing list, have a lot of average players in that team, rely a lot on 5-6 players in particular Daicos and won what 5-10 games by less than a goal. There is a reason why they were down in a majority of their games


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True for us, but I think it's a shock to the Collingwood list managers. No sane person would give up pick 6 for Lachie Schultz

 

[shinboner magic]

Who is the shinboner of the top 10? Who plays with Wardlaw, Comben, Xerri intensity? FOS? Take him.

Lalor would be the second guy I’d take after fos

 

[kool kangas]

Goad’s learning what vfl football is.

Let alone what afl football is. Other than not taking another project ruck, goad won t be factoring into any decision we make.

After talking to some of mens players last night at the womens sponsors night the premise is Goad is being trained to play down back and not forward. Down back and rucking are what Clarko sees are the 2 areas that he is playing. Things may change but not at the moment.

 

[New_Roo]

After talking to some of mens players last night at the womens sponsors night the premise is Goad is being trained to play down back and not forward. Down back and rucking are what Clarko sees are the 2 areas that he is playing. Things may change but not at the moment.

From what I have seen of Goad he doesn't actually appear to get off the ground, which he may not actually need to given he is what 207?


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[perplexed]

Goad’s learning what vfl football is.

Let alone what afl football is. Other than not taking another project ruck, goad won t be factoring into any decision we make.

Goad should be learning ruck, but he can't do it in the VFL coz he would get bashed and broken. Will Green and Mitch Edwards from last year's draft are in the same boat. Ideally they would be rucking against each other in a development league somewhere, but they will just have to wait for their bodies to develop.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Travaglia is basically what we pray Goater will turn into. Maybe a step down pace wise but everything else is what we pray Goater would be.

Not sure on his tank but he would be well suited to a wing eventually.

Travaglia has spent a bit of time through the midfield for Bendigo this year. In his most recent game against Sandringham, he played on a wing, and as a center square midfielder. He stuffed the stat sheet with 28 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, kicked 3 goals, had 5 inside 50's and 3 rebound 50's.

His versatility in playing multiple roles is a big selling point for splitting our pick.

 

[Sphynx]

Travaglia has spent a bit of time through the midfield for Bendigo this year. In his most recent game against Sandringham, he played on a wing, and as a center square midfielder. He stuffed the stat sheet with 28 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, kicked 3 goals, had 5 inside 50's and 3 rebound 50's.

His versatility in playing multiple roles is a big selling point for splitting our pick.

I don't think we should split our pick.

Im of the opinion we should be shopping our F1 for 2 mid Rnd 1 picks, like the GC or Freo picks.

I doubt we get that offered for a F1 with no certainty around it, especially with our post bye form, but that's what I'd be trying.

FOS + Travaglia + Berry + Armstrong I think would be my dream needs based draft.

That above infill of list holes takes this list from an extremely promosing young one, to a superpower imo.

Obviously 3 of those 4 may go around that pick 7-14 range, so would take some serious maneuvering.

I'd be prepared to trade/lose some fairly good players to get that done as well (a combination of Powell, Zurhaar, Scott, Phillips etc). I'd also be prepared to let Zurhaar go for that same reason to make it happen.

If Zurharr somehow landed Band 1, that scenario becomes an actual achievable possibility.

I don't not rate Zuhaar, if some people perceive that, I'm also not just wanting to just cash in senior players for shiny draft picks.

We are so very close to putting the final pieces on a list that will be a premiership contending force, this draft is a unique opportunity to do it and we are in a unique ladder position, with a senior player that is kind of expendable, to do it.

It's an even bigger opportunity than the McKay situation imo and we are in a draft that may be even more fruitful if it occurs.


I really hope we don't look back in a few years on the next few months events like, "what could have been"

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I don't think we should split our pick.

Im of the opinion we should be shopping our F1 for 2 mid Rnd 1 picks, like the GC or Freo picks.

I doubt we get that offered for a F1 with no certainty around it, especially with our post bye form, but that's what I'd be trying.

FOS + Travaglia + Berry + Armstrong I think would be my dream needs based draft.

Obviously 3 of those 4 may go around that pick 7-14 range, so would take some serious maneuvering.

I'd be prepared to trade some fairly good players to get that done as well. I'd also be prepared to let Zurhaar go for that same reason to make it happen.

If Zurharr somehow landed Band 1, that scenario becomes an actual achievable possibility.

I don't not rate Zuhaar, if some people perceive that, I'm also not just wanting to just cash in senior players for shiny draft picks.

We are so very close to putting the final pieces on a list that will be a premiership contending force, this draft is a unique opportunity to do it and we are in a unique ladder position, with a senior player that is kind of expendable, to do it.


I really hope we don't look back in a few years on the next few months events like, "what could have been"

That's a fair assessment mate. I'd be cautious to trade an F1, but I'd back us in to make the necessary improvements next year that it's not as big of a hit (missing out on a top 3 player). We just need to make every post a winner on the draft front in the next 2 years before the Tassie drafts start impacting the available talent.

 

[Sphynx]

That's a fair assessment mate. I'd be cautious to trade an F1, but I'd back us in to make the necessary improvements next year that it's not as big of a hit (missing out on a top 3 player). We just need to make every post a winner on the draft front in the next 2 years before the Tassie drafts start impacting the available talent.

I have been the most anti F1 person on these boards the last few years and tried to talk down all the suggestions around Dan Curtin and Josh Gibcus etc when they arose.

But I believe now is the time, I can see the movement about to occur over the next 18 months, particularly if we can be absolutely certain of landing a combo of list needs/best available, if we could secure a package of Berry + Armstrong as an example, I'd be doing it.

It's also why I'd only do it for 2 picks and not 1.

Im not trading a F1 for Pick 6 or 7 as an example to go after Trainor or someone or just 1 of Berry or Armstrong or Travaglia.

It has to be 2 picks in the 7-14 range.

Our current Pick, Band 1 for Zurhaar and a F1 trade almost guarantee's that above list, you may even get 1 more top 25 prospect like Sims ontop of it if you split the Band 1 compensation pick.

It all hinges on the Zurhaar compo, as harsh as it is, I'd be doing absolutely everything necessary within the trading rules to ensure Zurhaar got it.

I'd go as far as saying it could almost land us a flag in the next 5 years if we can make it happen.

 

[Groucho]

Travaglia has spent a bit of time through the midfield for Bendigo this year. In his most recent game against Sandringham, he played on a wing, and as a center square midfielder. He stuffed the stat sheet with 28 disposals, 4 marks, 7 tackles, kicked 3 goals, had 5 inside 50's and 3 rebound 50's.

His versatility in playing multiple roles is a big selling point for splitting our pick.

He’s got something that boy. Had a terrific champs as a half back but you can tell he’s built for many roles, Heeney-like versatility