BigFooty Official Big Footy 2016 Phantom Draft - Trial Run

[Snoop Dog]

All that time of year again for Big Footy's best draft minds to give some thought to the likely selections for this years AFL National Draft. History suggests our drafters do a very good job of identifying the players likely to be picked and more over identifying some of the left fielders that ultimately get picked.

As always have a view, share it with us but please be constructive as we do appreciate them giving of their time and clearly it aint a 'perfect science'.....

The teams are;

Adelaide - Thunderstruck
Brisbane - Quigley
Carlton - LemmingMaster
Collingwood - Knightmare
Essendon - foj1
Fremantle - Chris25
Geelong - Skippos
Gold Coast - Offsider
GWS - Snoop Dog
Hawthorn - POULTERBEAR
Melbourne - DraftMe
North Melbourne - Jack Package (TBC)
Port Adelaide - Gee Dub
Richmond - Bishop
Swans - grundog49
St Kilda - AFLprospectss
Western Bulldogs - Wizard17
WCE - Monocle

As always we allocate 2-3 hours for each selection and if it is not taken we will go to Knightmare list and take the next available player. If you dont think you will be around please let LemmingMaster Chris25 or myself know as we are usually fairly close. Also please ensure that you give some rationale behind your choice.

Important to note that all players are available to be selected (ie there is no F/S, Academy selections etc) as we are keener in the Trial Run to make it uncompromised and to get a sense of where players would go. In the real deal we do later in the year I will work out the points etc and we will do as per the AFL process.

The Draft Order (as best can figure out) is as follows;

1 Essendon - Will Brodie
2 Brisbane Lions - Sam Petrevski-Seton
3 Fremantle - Todd Marshall
4 Gold Coast - Hugh McGluggage
5 Carlton - Ben Ainsworth
6 Richmond - Andrew McGrath
7 Greater Western Sydney - Daniel Venables
8 Gold Coast - Jack Bowes
9 Port Adelaide - Jordan Gallucci
10 St Kilda - Harrison Macreadie
11 North Melbourne - Will Setterfield
12 Western Bulldogs - Tim English
13 Adelaide - Jonty Scharenberg
14 West Coast - Joshua Rotham
15 Greater Western Sydney - Harry Perryman
16 Sydney - Jack Scrimshaw
17 Greater Western Sydney - Tim Toranto
18 Hawthorn - Luke Ryan

19 Essendon - Dylan Clarke
20 Brisbane Lions - Brandon Parfitt
21 Gold Coast - Brad Scheer
22 Gold Coast - Jy Simpkin
23 Carlton - Josh Battle
24 Gold Coast - Jordan Berry
25 Collingwood - Kobe Mutch
26 Melbourne - Jacob Allison
27 Gold Coast - Sam Powell-Pepper
28 Brisbane Lions - Jeremy Goddard
29 North Melbourne - Will Drew
30 Western Bulldogs - Patrick Kerr
31 Greater Western Sydney - Griffin Logue
32 West Coast - Joseph Atley
33 Geelong - Oliver Florent
34 Sydney - Shai Bolton
35 Greater Western Sydney - Callum Brown
36 Hawthorn - Jack Graham

37 Essendon - Jack Maibum
38 Geelong - Alex Villis
39 Fremantle - Ben Long
40 Gold Coast - Alex Witherden
41 Carlton - Myles Poholke
42 Richmond - Zac Sproule
43 Collingwood - Zac Fischer
44 Melbourne - Noah Hura
45 Port Adelaide - Quinton Narkle
46 St Kilda - Josh Williams
47 Brisbane Lions - Jamie Hampton
48 Carlton - Taylin Duman
49 Adelaide - Peter Ladhams
50 West Coast - Matt Guelfi
51 Geelong - Reece Piper
52 Sydney - Josh Begeley
53 Greater Western Sydney - Jake Waterman
54 Hawthorn - Patrick Lipinski

55 Essendon - Brennan Cox
56 Brisbane Lions - Ben Jarman
57 Fremantle - Willie Rioli Jnr
58 Gold Coast - Elliott Himmelberg
59 Western Bulldogs - Brodie Romensky
60 Richmond - Luke Bunker
61 Collingwood - Sean Darcy
62 Melbourne - Oscar Junker
63 Port Adelaide - Esava Ratugolea
64 St Kilda - Kym LeBois
65 North Melbourne - Declan Watson
66 Western Bulldogs - Tyson Stengle
67 Adelaide - Jake Pitman
68 West Coast - Luke Strnadica
69 Geelong - Sam Walker
70 Western Bulldogs - Jordan Ridley
71 Greater Western Sydney - Sam Fowler
72 Hawthorn - Cedric Cox

73 Essendon - Kayle Kirby
74 Brisbane Lions - Tom Stewart
75 Fremantle - Max Lynch
76 Gold Coast - Josh Daicos
77 Carlton - Cameron Zurhaar
78 Richmond - Lachie Murphy
79 Collingwood - Tyler Kietel
80 Melbourne - Mitch McCarthy
81 Port Adelaide - Judah Dundon
82 St Kilda - Jackson Lee
83 North Melbourne - Daniel Allsop
84 Western Bulldogs - Ben Ronke
85 Adelaide - Chris Jansen
86 West Coast - Jye Bolton
87 Geelong - PASS
88 Sydney - Nick Larkey
89 Geelong - PASS
90 Hawthorn - Michael Gibbons

 

[LemmingMaster]

I honestly cannot even predict who will be first pick with any certainty, really open draft at the top for mine.

 

[Snoop Dog]

foj1

Pick 1 Essendon

Will Brodie 189cm 82kg Murray Bushrangers

Brodie has many things the bombers need.
Ball winning, inside/ outside midfielder who will provide lots of drive and grunt.
Natural leader and very solid citizen who is a country boy who is acclimatised to the city by boarding at Scotch.
His kicking is solid without being spectacular. His speed average, endurance above average. He has a nice change of direction. He is a tall midfielder who is a marking threat.
Would play round one and be hard to dislodge from the side.

Rationale
Brodie in front of sps and mccluggage. The other two blokes are more talented but Brodie is very good and safer than a Swiss bank. We were smashed by Brisbane in the middle and need more good soldiers. Of the returning players Heppell helps a lot, Myers is injury prone but useful, Watson was declining and may not return, Hocking injury prone and seen best days and howlett is average at best.

However a core of a midfield is developing. Heppell, Merrett, parish, zaharakis and Brodie should be around in three years time when we are challenging to be a top six side. Second pick is likely to be a midfielder again as I don't rate a lot of this years prospects. I am also comfortable that if Hurley stays we can play hooker as a swingman and play tall utilities such as Langford, laverde, Francis and redman forward with Joe Daniher. There are some exciting talls in next years draft.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Quigley you are up

Note we were not due to kick off until tomorrow morning so no issues if he needs a while

 

[foj1]

I should clarify that I do not rate this years talls not the top 40 or so kids.

foj1

Pick 1 Essendon

Will Brodie 189cm 82kg Murray Bushrangers

Brodie has many things the bombers need.
Ball winning, inside/ outside midfielder who will provide lots of drive and grunt.
Natural leader and very solid citizen who is a country boy who is acclimatised to the city by boarding at Scotch.
His kicking is solid without being spectacular. His speed average, endurance above average. He has a nice change of direction. He is a tall midfielder who is a marking threat.
Would play round one and be hard to dislodge from the side.

Rationale
Brodie in front of sps and mccluggage. The other two blokes are more talented but Brodie is very good and safer than a Swiss bank. We were smashed by Brisbane in the middle and need more good soldiers. Of the returning players Heppell helps a lot, Myers is injury prone but useful, Watson was declining and may not return, Hocking injury prone and seen best days and howlett is average at best.

However a core of a midfield is developing. Heppell, Merrett, parish, zaharakis and Brodie should be around in three years time when we are challenging to be a top six side. Second pick is likely to be a midfielder again as I don't rate a lot of this years prospects. I am also comfortable that if Hurley stays we can play hooker as a swingman and play tall utilities such as Langford, laverde, Francis and redman forward with Joe Daniher. There are some exciting talls in next years draft.

 

[Quigley]

Pick 2 - Brisbane

Sam Petrevski-Seton

SPS is the clear number 1 prospect for me and he suits the Lions needs very nicely. I expect him to start his career up forward and play some midfield before graduating to be a full time mid in a couple of years. He has pace and skill and a nicely balanced inside and outside game. Unlike many of the better junior mids he also works pretty well defensively.

He is a good mover through traffic and reminds me a bit of Jack Steven the way he plays. At this stage he is not the runner that Steven is but neither was Steven at this age. SPS is willing to gut run though and give him a few years and his ability to cover the ground will be up there with the best. Where he has the edge over Steven is in hurt factor and generally just in class. With the ball in hand he is like the second coming of Shaun Burgoyne. He has time that others don't and his option taking is top shelf. He is the kind of player who can win games off his own bat. I hope we get him in the real thing.

 

[Offsider]

Like the pick Quigley. SPS is the best prospect in the draft. I was hoping he would last to pick 4. He has a bit of Daniel Kerr in the way he moves through contests.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Chris25

 

[Quigley]

Like the pick Quigley. SPS is the best prospect in the draft. I was hoping he would last to pick 4. He has a bit of Daniel Kerr in the way he moves through contests.

Kerr is a really good comparison. I might steal that one.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Like the pick Quigley. SPS is the best prospect in the draft. I was hoping he would last to pick 4. He has a bit of Daniel Kerr in the way he moves through contests.

I'm with Quigs, nice call on the Kerr comparison.

 

[Chris25]

#3 Fremantle - Todd Marshall (198cm, 87kg forward from Murray Bushrangers)

If the draft were held today, I wouldn't expect Marshall to be the #3 pick but it's a genuine possibility with a strong finish to the season and if he performs well at the Combine - which I expect he will. He might never climb to be the third best player in the draft, but he is the number one tall and that shouldn't change. And for Fremantle, that's as good as being the best player overall.

I won't bother with his backstory too much, people should know it - played cricket last year, came to football late, ruled ineligible for the GWS Academy. That should cover it. The key point to take out is that he is still 'raw' in terms of his footballing. And considering that, he really does display a lot of natural ability. It's that natural feel for the game which is a big strength, and suggests plenty of improvement to come. When he goes for a mark, he leads straight at the ball and leaps high and out in front of himself - which means he either takes the ball at it's peak or comfortably on his chest. He just positions his body well, which makes it hard for defenders to spoil without giving away a free. And if there's one thing I like, it's a skinny tall being able to take a contested mark.

Otherwise, he's a good kick on goal. His technique is relaxed and simple, not a whole lot that can go wrong. He's kicked 12.3 in the TAC Cup. Not only that, but he can also comfortably kick over 50m. And another strength is his ability below his knees, something he showed off at the Championships. He has good pace for someone his height, and looked a one touch player on the ground. Gave the ball of well too.

In terms of weaknesses, I'm pretty happy with Marshall's game overall. How easily he puts on weight and muscle will be a massive factor in his success though. He doesn't look to have the broadest shoulders for a big man, which could limit his size a bit. That's really the only concern I have. Otherwise, he could perhaps play with a bit more urgency at times. But that will come when the speed of the game increases at the next level up.

I do think he compares well to some of the KPPs from previous years. Last year for example, Schache was more dominating which would give him a slight edge. But I'd slot Marshall in ahead of Weideman and McKay, which puts him firmly in top 10 calculations. For a player comparison, I'll be keeping a close eye on Eric Hipwood over the next few years. He's been super impressive the past month, and he does have similar strengths. I'll be first to admit, it looks like I was wrong about him. I didn't think he had true KPP ability, but he's proven me wrong already. And I think Marshall could have a similar impact early on his career.

 

[foj1]

Interesting pick.
High risk. High reward.
I personally think this is too high but if his natural ability and athleticism come together then he is the number one player from this draft.
Would Freo pass on Mccluggage or SPS for him in the real draft?
Fascinating conundrum

 

[Offsider]

Pick 4 - Gold Coast - Hugh McCluggage

Gold Coast select the player that I rate number 2 in this years draft although I will acknowledge that the top 8 almost are very close. Not much splits a player like McCluggage and say for example McGrath. I have tried to rack my brain to find a player who McCluggage resembles but I have really struggled.

Hugh is at this stage a player who spends his time floating between the midfield and half-forward, he wins a lot of the ball and hits the scoreboard well. I see him becoming a midfielder at the next level who also has that versatilty to push forward. A number of things stand out about Hugh, firstly he is very clean and a one-touch player, secondly he is smart in how he uses the ball, positions himself and attacks contests, and thirdly he hits the scoreboard and creates a lot of scores for his team. He is damaging and creative and the only question marks I have on him are with his body needing to bulk up and whether he will be a dominant clearance player. That is not really his role though and he is more than good enough in the contest to play through the middle, he is at his best when he receives the ball and then takes his time delivering it.

All up Hugh McCluggage is an elite prospect in this years draft with his ability to find the ball and hit the scoreboard. He has really developed this year and his improvement is remarkable. There is definitely a lot of upside to his play and although he may not play immediately he projects as an excellent part of the Gold Coast midfield/half-forward line.

 

[eDPS]

Sorry, I'm still at work. So a proper write up once I wake up later...

#3 Fremantle - Todd Marshall

That pick makes a lot of sense considering the Dockers needs, I'll be interested to see if he doesn't go top 10 with his talents.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Sorry, I'm still at work. So a proper write up once I wake up later...

#3 Fremantle - Todd Marshall

Wow that is a big call. Good to have a left field one in there so early!

 

[Snoop Dog]

LemmingMaster

 

[LemmingMaster]

Carlton - Ben Ainsworth

Write up in 1 hour or so.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Bishop

 

[Bishop]

Pick 6 Richmond

Can't believe that Jack Bowes hasn't been picked, I'd snap him up here in a heartbeat. I took Matt Kennedy last year, but this year I'm going to stear clear of the academy kids as I know we won't be getting him!

So Richmond at Pick 6 will take Andrew McGrath.
179cm/75kg Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro

Andrew McGrath is a rebounding defender that has the ability to play through the middle. McGrath’s leadership skills are superb and someone that clubs will like when they come to interview him. McGrath was the co-captain of Vic Metro & is school captain at Brighton Grammar School.

McGrath was Vic Metro’s U16 MVP after the championships in 2014, but was a shock omission from the AIS/AFL Academy. McGrath’s athletic traits comes from an elite athletics background, where he was a superb hurdler and competed in many jumping events (from hurdles to long jump). In a sense he is still pretty raw, only coming into full time AFL commitments this season with athletics out of the way.

McGrath lept to fame when he shut down Vic Country forward Ben Ainsworth, keeping him to two handballs after swapping onto him shortly before 3QT. McGrath ‘won’ them the game, with his drive from defence being pivotal.

McGrath catches the eye coming out of defensive 50, with a burst of speed and elite agility to get around opponents and take the ball out of defence.

On the inside, he also has ball winning abilities with a huge 44 disposals, 19 tackles and 14 clearances. He can find his own ball and despite his size has played inside midfielder at stages.

Across half back I feel is McGrath’s best position. McGrath’s kicking is above average, but does have the ability on occasions to be hot & cold from game to game. One game he won’t miss a target; before the next week he might have a couple of clangers in an attempt to break the game open.

His risky kicks aren’t to put clubs off, he’s a great field kick- But what lets him down is those occasional risks that look great when pulled off & average when not. Another weakness is his depth of kicking, he is one that doesn’t have a big boot on him and struggles to hit a kick 50m.

However, whilst McGrath isn’t one to kick 50m- He can run 10m and kick the ball 40m which is in a sense the same.

Recently has pushed forward for his school football team, kicking five goals in the last two weeks- Including a best on ground in the wet/mud on Saturday.

McGrath will be a top 10 selection, his x-factor from defence is something that not many players in the AFL have.

 

[Bishop]

Snoop Dog up next

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 7 GWS (.....thanks Collingwood)

Daniel Venables - Western Jets / 186cm / 81kg

Yep I had a good look at Bowes as well but a couple of things just had me slot Venables in ahead.

Really like the strength and explosiveness of Venables game, the ability to really impact a contest physically and to provide important contributions at important moments. His ball use adds to that and its crucial in the modern game. Venables also offers a lot of positional scope for a side across all lines. I could even see him having stints at FF like Darren Jarmen. I'm a big fan.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Offsider

 

[Offsider]

Pick 8 - Gold Coast - Jack Bowes

This would be the dream scenario for Gold Coast if Jack Bowes was still available here as they could then use 2 first round picks on other prospects and pick up Jack Bowes for some second round picks. I rate him as the third best player in the draft behind McLuggage and SPS and have watched him since his U16 years when he was a dominant CHF. He has not grown much but has matured into an excellent midfielder/utility type who can go forward and be a dangerous target. He is actually quite similar in his role to Jack Martin and has a similar type of talent. In regards to where he stands, I would say he is the best Queensland prospect since Nick Riewoldt.

As for some of the highlights, he is an excellent overhead mark for his size, he judges the ball well and appears to have a good vertical leap. He has a lot of time with the football and his decision making is a highlight. He works well in traffic and is very clean with his ball use. His kicking, whilst not elite is definitely very efficient and effective. He may not be that true big-bodied aggressive inside player but he is still very good in contests and is often the player that receives it from the first handball. He will need to improve his ball winning a little bit and he is not an elite athlete by any means. What you are getting with Jack Bowes is someone who has had an excellent junior career, he hits the scoreboard well and is super smooth. He can play almost immediately and has been dominating in the NEAFL against some good teams. He did not have a brilliant DIV 1 carnival, but was not poor either, and I attribute that to the Allies being thrown together with little practice and struggling.

All in all Jack Bowes is an elite talent in this draft, he is in the conversation for the number 1 pick and although the top of the draft is quite even he would be an excellent pick up at pick 8. He has that versatility teams look for and I expect him to end up as a midfielder who rotates forward and is a dangerous target up forward.

Gee Dub you are up

 

[Offsider]

Why didn't Fremantle bid for Bowes?

Marshall & Fremantle just seem to be the right fit.

There are no bids for academy players, it is an open draft so if Fremantle or any other team for that matter wanted Bowes they could select him.

If it were a bidding system and say he was bid on at pick 9, Gold Coast would give up pick 21 and there next pick would be pushed bakc by about 10 places I believe. This would be a steal for a player worthy of a top 3 pick imo.

 

[Quigley]

I am not as high on Bowes as some. 8 is about right from where I sit. He has been featured in virtually every junior game he has played this year and whilst he has been very good in some he has also been invisible in a lot of them. When the pressure has gone on he has also disappeared too often. He also seems like a lazy defensive runner and adds very little the other way. The ceiling is certainly very high with him but he is a long way from the certainty the other top 5 guys I have are.