Preview 2024 National Draft Preview Thread

[roos_fanatic08]

Pretty sure Twomey had James Barrat in the next 10 group, so 30-40 range.
Thought he was more of a 3rd tall defender interceptor at 194cm?

I really like Barrat, not only as a defender but as a forward as well. After his testing at the state combine, I'm surprised he has zipped up draft boards a little bit more. (20m sprint - 3.01s, agility 8.29s)

He didn't perform in the championships as a forward, but he was arguably the best goalkicker in the first half of the year in the Coates League for Bendigo. Then got thrown back to highlight his versatility and he took the chance with both hands, intercepting marks and providing drive.

He is a more natural reader of the play than someone like Tauru and I'd argue his marking particularly in the back half is just as good.

 

[ansonholt]

Full season highlights for Jagga Smith, the most consistent performer in this years draft pool. He was a relentless accumulator of the footy no matter the opponent or the level he played at, and displayed some elite AFL level attributes along the way. He may not ultimately end up being taken at pick 1, but he's the most risk free of the elite prospects at the pointy end of the pool.

In the first 2 minutes or so, watch Jagga win the ball easily while fellow top ten prospect Josh Smillie stands back and watches him do it and basically does nothing. Multiple times. Jagga is the man. His ball winning ability is unlike any I have seen.

 

[noobermensch]

In the first 2 minutes or so, watch Jagga win the ball easily while fellow top ten prospect Josh Smillie stands back and watches him do it and basically does nothing. Multiple times. Jagga is the man. His ball winning ability is unlike any I have seen.

If you're suggesting that Smillie isn't an elite stoppage player then I very much disagree with you. Smillie is second only to Jagga in this draft pool.

 

[LB2Snake]

He's played at both ends and plays with aggression.

Nice looking player. Hadn't heard much of him

 

[Newbie Real Talk]

I really like Barrat, not only as a defender but as a forward as well. After his testing at the state combine, I'm surprised he has zipped up draft boards a little bit more. (20m sprint - 3.01s, agility 8.29s)

He didn't perform in the championships as a forward, but he was arguably the best goalkicker in the first half of the year in the Coates League for Bendigo. Then got thrown back to highlight his versatility and he took the chance with both hands, intercepting marks and providing drive.

He is a more natural reader of the play than someone like Tauru and I'd argue his marking particularly in the back half is just as good.

The pattern of your posts suggests you are not overly keen on Alix Tauru?

 

[Chip Scab1]

He's played at both ends and plays with aggression.

I thought you were talking about Benny.

https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/benny-barrett/

My bad.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

The pattern of your posts suggests you are not overly keen on Alix Tauru?

I don't mind him, but I don't believe he is a top 10 pick, especially when you look at his output from this year. I think Jack Whitlock, Harry Armstrong, Luke Trainor and Jobe Shanahan have a more impressive body of work this season.

If we split 2 and take him in that 10-15 range then I think that represents decent value and I can live with that, however, if we cough up pick 2 for him like it's being suggested in the media, I think it will be a huge mistake.

Personally, I think the negatives in his game sometimes outweigh the positives. I love his competitiveness, his physicality, his athleticism and his marking ability but I also think he is undersized as a key position player, his kicking is sloppy and his decision making can be suspect. His form this year hasn't justified that of a top 10 player. I also have concerns about his injury history/durability with a case of hip tendonitis earlier this year along with back stress fractures later this year.

I'm not sure we are in a position to be taking a risk like that especially with pick 2.

 

[Reagan Smash]

AFL Draft Analysis: North Melbourne Kangaroos — Zero Hanger

The Roos have a big decision to make for this year's draft.

apple.news

 

[Better Loosen Up]

So it's a good point you raise, because we haven't really had a conversation about athletic data testing in the debate over the quality/depth of this year's draft.

But the stats below might be wrong because I'm just relying on what I can get off the net, which is https://www.topendsports.com/sport/afl/combine/results-best.htm

So no idea about whether their data is accurate, but the running results are uneven? better endurance in 2023 but quicker this year?

View attachment 2158509

What I find interesting with the 2023 results and I'm pretty sure I've noticed the same thing in previous years, is that the absolute best players in the draft don't feature much in the top 10's. I guess this leads to the whole Footballer vs Athlete argument. That said, Colby and Reid didn't test from memory. I think it's a bit of a trap to get too drawn in by testing numbers.

 

[Merlin007]

What I find interesting with the 2023 results and I'm pretty sure I've noticed the same thing in previous years, is that the absolute best players in the draft don't feature much in the top 10's. I guess this leads to the whole Footballer vs Athlete argument. That said, Colby and Reid didn't test from memory. I think it's a bit of a trap to get too drawn in by testing numbers.

I agree on both counts, ie athletes don’t always equal footballers and lots of the best in each year don’t test. But I guess it’s open to interpretation as to whether there’s a ‘meta’ analysis available - ie do the results of the group as a whole suggest anything about the quality of each year’s draft (at least athletically). Don’t claim to know, but this material seems to be one of the few ways to shed any data-based light on the debate about whether ‘this year is better/worse than any other’

 

[jay317]

This Tauru thing is weird. I can understand us being keen if he was a can't miss prospect. But he's a project player who can't kick. In a top 25 with many other talls. He's the exact player we continually target and wonder why our skills are so deplorable.

 

[King Hansen]

I don't mind him, but I don't believe he is a top 10 pick, especially when you look at his output from this year. I think Jack Whitlock, Harry Armstrong, Luke Trainor and Jobe Shanahan have a more impressive body of work this season.

If we split 2 and take him in that 10-15 range then I think that represents decent value and I can live with that, however, if we cough up pick 2 for him like it's being suggested in the media, I think it will be a huge mistake.

Personally, I think the negatives in his game sometimes outweigh the positives. I love his competitiveness, his physicality, his athleticism and his marking ability but I also think he is undersized as a key position player, his kicking is sloppy and his decision making can be suspect. His form this year hasn't justified that of a top 10 player. I also have concerns about his injury history/durability with a case of hip tendonitis earlier this year along with back stress fractures later this year.

I'm not sure we are in a position to be taking a risk like that especially with pick 2.

Drafting isn't all about the body of work from one or 2 seasons. It's also about projection, potential and ceiling.

Luke Jackson went from outside the top 20 to pick 3 in his draft year and tore us a new one in round 2 this year.

 

[The Nostradamus]

2 weeks left til draft night

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Drafting isn't all about the body of work from one or 2 seasons. It's also about projection, potential and ceiling.

Luke Jackson went from outside the top 20 to pick 3 in his draft year and tore us a new one in round 2 this year.

Well aware mate. But often projections of upside potential based on athleticism are wrong and form in junior years is a far better pre-cursor for success at AFL level. Jacob Edwards is a perfect example of that.

There are some exceptions to that with the likes of Luke Jackson or Mac Andrew. But for every Luke Jackson there is a Nik Cox athletic type that completely bombs.

 

[remfan101]

Well aware mate. But often projections of upside potential based on athleticism are wrong and form in junior years is a far better pre-cursor for success at AFL level. Jacob Edwards is a perfect example of that.

There are some exceptions to that with the likes of Luke Jackson or Mac Andrew. But for every Luke Jackson there is a Nik Cox athletic type that completely bombs.

The ones who bomb are mostly the ones who lack competitiveness and aggression, i.e. Schache, Cox, Reid, Wiedeman. Noone can accuse Tauru of that, which makes me confident he'll be at the very least a useful asset at AFL level.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Merlin007]

Gettable on Pick Swaps

Twomey - Pick 2 from North in play. Tigers don't want to deal, the one I'm watching is Adelaide at 4, could crows move up to get the mid they want and North move back to get Tauru

Beveridge - what's the piece to make it work?

Twomey - well Adelaide don't have anything

Both: silence

The futility of human existence, right there.

 

[DANMAN]

The ones who bomb are mostly the ones who lack competitiveness and aggression, i.e. Schache, Cox, Reid, Wiedeman. Noone can accuse Tauru of that, which makes me confident he'll be at the very least a useful asset at AFL level.

at Pick 2, a useful player is not enough . Pick 2 should be elite. get your "useful" players in the late teens.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

The ones who bomb are mostly the ones who lack competitiveness and aggression, i.e. Schache, Cox, Reid, Wiedeman. Noone can accuse Tauru of that, which makes me confident he'll be at the very least a useful asset at AFL level.

I think that's a very fair point, but I personally still think his potential upside is being vastly overrated when compared to Armstong/J.Whitlock/Shanahan or even Gerreyn, all of whom have equally as much upside and are genuine KP height.

 

[speedy]

Just keep 2. The more these guys trade, the more we get reamed.

 

[GoRoos2023]

at Pick 2, a useful player is not enough . Pick 2 should be elite. get your "useful" players in the late teens.

What if the talent available isn't elite?

 

[giantroo]

View attachment Messenger_creation_613379677681701.mp4

 

[Sphynx]

Gettable on Pick Swaps

Twomey - Pick 2 from North in play. Tigers don't want to deal, the one I'm watching is Adelaide at 4, could crows move up to get the mid they want and North move back to get Tauru

Beveridge - what's the piece to make it work?

Twomey - well Adelaide don't have anything

Both: silence

The futility of human existence, right there.

2 & F2 for 4 & F1 works.

Adelaide still have their F1 also.

 

[The Filth Wizard]

2 & F2 for 4 & F1 works.

Adelaide still have their F1 also.

Yep, they'd be feeling positive of a jump and we can either shop it or have a real go at a relatively risk free death ride.

 

[Boro]

2 & F2 for 4 & F1 works.

Adelaide still have their F1 also.

Then trade 4 for Saints F1 and 7 or 8 and we're away