BigFooty Official Big Footy Phantom Draft

[Snoop Dog]

That time of year again for the Big Footy Phantom Draft where we get the best junior footy watchers on the Board to give us a sense of who they think will go and where. We will kick off Monday morning at 9am (happy to start earlier if posters ready)

The Phantom Draft will be as realistic as possible insomuch as we will be using the points system for Father / Son and Academy Selections. There wont be any pick swapping though. @Lemingmaster, Chris25 and myself will update the order once bids are matched.

We have also decided to take all team lists up to 40 as we wont be doing a rookie draft (if enough people want to post the conclusion of this we may sneak one in)

As always please remember the phantom drafters are good enough to put themselves out there so lets leave the negativity aside. Be constructive by all means as the drafters are always happy to answer questions etc.

For the posters lets keep it rolling. If selections havent been taken inside 3 hours we will automatically take a pick from Knightmare, Pie 4 Life or eDPS board. Please also remember to do your write ups and please tag me so I know where to find them.

This year's Phantom drafters are below;

Adelaide - Thunderstruck
Brisbane - cotter101
Carlton - LemmingMaster
Collingwood - Knightmare
Essendon - foj1
Fremantle - Chris25
Geelong - Snoop Dog
Gold Coast - briztoon
GWS - PMBangers
Hawthorn - Davo-27
Melbourne - Monocle / Wizard17
North - eDPS
Port - Macca19
Richmond - Pie 4 Life
Swans - AsterixTheGaul
St Kilda - Ysaye
Western Bulldogs - Wizard17
WCE - Monocle

 

[Snoop Dog]

1 - Gold Coast - Matt Rowell


2 - Gold Coast -Noah Anderson


3 - Melbourne - Hayden Young

Pick 3 - Melbourne - Hayden Young (188cm, 82kg Defender via the Dandenong Stingrays)

Rationale - With the strength in Melbourne's inside midfield we where looking to add some class to complement that on the outside and we felt that Hayden Young was that player. With his kicking being the best in the draft pool, his natural ability to set up plays off half back and intercept marking becoming more and more important in the modern game he would fit perfectly into Melbourne's round 1 line up.

Strengths: Kicking
Intercept Marking
Athleticism
Decision Making

Improvements: Midfield Game

4 - GWS - Tom Green (matched bid)

Pick 4 - Thomas Green (NSW/ACT) - GWS Giants
188 cm 85 kg
Midfielder

The comparisons Green has earned himself throughout the year are accurate, Patrick Cripps and Clayton Oliver. Like the two mentioned Green is an imposing size for a midfielder, using his smarts and size to dominate around stoppages and win contested ball. Not really a need or even best available imo but with a good fitness program Green makes for a scary prospect to come against.

Strengths: Ball reading, stoppage play, accumulation, inside game, disposal by hand, strength
Room for Improvement: Kicking, Versatility

5 - Adelaide - Sam Flanders

Pick #5 Adelaide Sam Flanders Gippsland Power 182cm 81kg

Flanders will be a perfect fit for the crows here who desperately need some mongrel in their side and to top it off Flanders also kicks goals from the middle or from up forward. There is not much he can't do as a footballer which will be very attractive to any club after him. As a a comparison I liken his game to a blend between Joel Selwood and Kane Lambert but being superior overhead to both but obviously without the leadership prowess of Selwood.

Flanders is as hard as a cats head, strong inside, loves body contact, loves the contest and hates being beaten, he always wants to beat his man and let them know about it as well, he's got a bit of cheek to go with it and that's what I love about him. But aside from that he knows how to win his own ball, has strength standing up in tackles but can explode from stoppages and congestion with quick evasive moves, has quick hands and sums up the play quicker than most allowing him to do this. Overhead for his size he is excellent and strong, but has the added bonus few inside mids can do and that is hit the scoreboard and regularly at that. He can do it from the middle or he can do it resting forward and would be a painful matchup 1 on 1 for anyone trying to keep him quiet. And finally he's very strong defensively, loves to hurt with his tackles and make himself known, he's going to be ready from round 1 and make an impact be it as a half forward with stints in the middle or otherwise.

The only main question marks I have of him at this stage is that he can have periods where he goes quiet....although 4 quarter performances from players like him are super rare, he can turn a game quicker than most and be a matchwinner when the pressure is on so that area is not a huge concern.

His kicking whilst sound is not excellent by any stretch and mechanically needs a little work for mine but most of the best players in the comp are superior in other areas and weaker in kicking also so it wouldn't be a great deal. He does finish in front of goal when he's on fire but this can be hit and miss also. But overall he's one exciting hard-nosed package and perfect for Adelaide who are screaming out for a grunty mongrel to fly the flag and lead by example.

6 - Sydney - Luke Jackson

Luke Jackson
East Fremantle FC
KPF/Ruck
199cm/94kg

Jackson has been steadily climbing the boards in 2019 and for me, he is the stand out tall in this draft. There is a lot to like about this guy and I was prepared to jump up and take him. I expect to hear the shouts of “we don’t want a ruckman this early” but I saw him play live on several occasions and if you had of been there, you could also justify my valuation. He is no ordinary ruckman and later in 2019, he showed that he would make it as a KPF.

He has the basketball background and in 2019, finally chose football over representing Australia in the green and gold for hoops. During the year, I witnessed a marked improvement in his positional play and his reading of the ball. The longer the season went, the more natural a football brain he showed. Will he be a power forward who rucks or a ruck who plays more the Grundy ruck and ruck-rover away from stoppages? I am not sure but that does not change my valuation.

There is a reason that the East Fremantle midfield of Trent Rivers, Jeremy Sharp, Chad Warner and Trey Ruscoe were all invited to the combine after they seemed to step up in 2019. They had Jackson feeding them. And when I say feeding them, it is not just his hit outs (and yes in typical basketball style they hit the mark) but Jackson has a wonderful follow-up, is clean below his knees and was frequently feeding the mids by handpass post stoppage. Sydney mids will be salivating to think they would have Luke joining their team.

While there are a load of midfielders in this draft, I expect to be able to address those needs with picks 25, 32 and 44. Jackson offers a significant point of difference and hence the selection.

7 - Fremantle - Dylan Stephens

Dylan Stephens - 183cm, 69kg midfielder from Norwood, SA

I've had Dylan Stephens as my #3 for the entire year, I personally have no doubt he's the next best midfielder in the draft after the consensus top two in Rowell and Anderson. I think he's a very good chance to go at Adelaide's first round pick come the real thing, and I would certainly hope he doesn't make it past both of Fremantle's first round picks.

I know some people were left disappointed after his U18 Championships, which still baffles me to be honest. He was consistently one of SA's best, and was a deserving All Australian selection. His final game against the Allies was tremendous, and I think if he played a more inside role across all four games then he'd have been in the MVP mix. One of the knocks I hear people say is that he's too outside to be such an early pick, but it's just the role he's been forced to play this year. SA had a heap of decent inside midfielders, but nobody good enough to play on the outside - so team balance forces Stephens to the outside. And playing in the seniors all season for Norwood means he isn't going to consistently be in at the centre bounces. But he had 9 clearances against the Allies, and in his two reserves games for Norwood this year he had 17 clearances. He can play inside.

As an outside midfielder, he's the best in the draft and a complete prospect in my opinion. He tested near on elite for his endurance, and paired that with a 2.97 in the 20m sprint and an 8.24 agility - both top 10 results. And perhaps unlike some other draft prospects, he uses that athletic ability in his defensive game as well as on the attack. And with his footskills, his forwards will be more than happy with him delivering it to them on the lead.

If my write up is too positive it's because I genuinely think he is an elite prospect. The usual comparisons are Andrew Gaff, Lachie Whitfield and Josh Kelly. And even though the first one is a dirty sniper, it's pretty good company to be in. Body side and strength is the only real area that would hold Stephens back at the moment, but that's similar to how Kelly started. And within a couple of seasons, he'd made the transition into a complete balanced midfielder.

For Fremantle, there's no real question about the list fit. With Brad Hil gone, Stephens comes straight in and would be as good a replacement as possible. And I personally think is an upgrade on Ed Langdon.

8 - Melbourne - Caleb Serong

Pick : 8 Melbourne Select.

Caleb Serong. 179cm. 82 kg. Gippsland Power. Vic Country. Midfield / Forward.

Serong was not the player that Wiz and I had originally pegged, for this pick as we didn't think he would still be around.

Wanted someone who could play as a small damaging forward , its a real need for Melbourne.
Its no secret that they went hard trying to acquire Jamie Elliot in the last month, history now shows that they were unsuccessful, so they still need to fill this positional need.

By joining Melbourne Serong will get the chance to play early, primarily as a small forward, without having to be launched into a frontline midfield position.
Over time there is no doubt that Serong will play more midfield minutes but for now he learns to improve his craft as a small forward.
He has some tricks but most importantly he has real class and skill that will be contribute immediately to the Melbourne best 22.

He was simply too good to pass on.

Had Young not been taken at 3 then Ash would have been in strong consideration with this pick.
Weightman could also fit this positional need, but I rated him a few picks behind Serong.

Its one of those times when best available and a positional need marry up well together.

Melbourne should be very happy to secure the services of Young and Serong, both will play next year.

9 - Carlton - Lachlan Ash

Pick 9 - Carlton - Lachlan Ash

This is a moment when live trading comes into action, not sure I can pass up on Ash in the real thing. I was super keen on this kid last year and he has taken his game to another level for me. Line breaking speed across the backline is certainly a helpful tool, not to mention his kicking skills are above average. He also has a very solid defensive side to his game and reads the play well. His ability to win his own ball will certainly allow him to move into the midfield if required.
Simpson is on his way out and Docherty has obviously had a few knee issues, so there is a need in our backline. The real difference for me is the line breaking ability and his desire to take the game on.

10 Fremantle - Deven Robertson

Deven Robertson - 184cm, 81kg midfielder from Perth, WA

I considered a few others here - Finn Maginness, Will Gould, Brodie Kemp. But I thought I would go local, keep it fairly realistic and do what Fremantle should do. And that's draft smart. Like Andrew Brayshaw was a couple of years ago, Deven Robertson looks to be about as safe a prospect as you can get. Maybe he's not as flashy as others, maybe he won't win the awards that others will. But he'll be a 200 game player. He brings toughness and leadership, and that's something the good teams have lots of.

His form at the Championships really put his name on the map, winning the Larke Medal and being named the All Australian captain. But he's not really a bolter as such. He was All Australian and the WA MVP at the U16 Champs in 2017, and showed off his contested game as an underager last year too. He definitely took it to a new level this year though, averaging 30 touches and 7 tackles a game.

Robertson certainly isn't a complete prospect, he's been largely one dimensional as a player so far as a junior. That's often the case when you're so good in one role, but his versatility is lacking and he barely took a shot on goal all year. Even becoming a small scoreboard threat will take his game to a new level. And in terms of his kicking, I'd say it's fine for his position. Being that truly damaging midfielder is something he'll no doubt be working on though. But inside midfielders need that point of difference to be successful, and Robertson has that in his athleticism. His previous testing results would have been top 10 in the agility, 20m sprint and vertical jump at the Combine. His work by hand, and just his general courage and leadership are the other areas which set him apart.

A few Fremantle posters have questioned how the likes of Brayshaw, Robertson and Luke Valente from last year can all fit in the one midfield. But if they're all good enough, you make room and it should be all about competition for spots. I was a bit worried a bid might come before this pick, but it's a dream scenario in the end and a first round of Dylan Stephens, Deven Robertson and Liam Henry is as good as you could hope for.

11 Hawthorn - Brodie Kmp

192cm 82kg Bendigo Pioneers

a versatile player who was one of the best performers at the Championships, as well as being a big reason Bendigo was strong early in the season in the nableague, can play in most roles, his midfield role has been quite good and has a knack for kicking goals as he was a forw as a youngster, good competitor who is the proto-type tall midfielder that clubs are keen to get their hands on like Cripps/Fyfe/Bontempelli and showed he could also perform when given a role as a half back early on at the champs, on the field looks to have good athleticism, not sure on his combine results, but im guessing they were good and has a good head on his shoulders, seems thoughtful, calm and determined to make his mark.

will miss a large part of his first season because of his knee injury, but is a talent that the Hawks will be pleased to get at this pick.

he has good hands at ground level as well as being good in the air (good contested mark), fairly accurate goal kicker and can also play 1v1 defence and intercept + run from defence, clutch player who stood up in the big moments for Vic Country and if he was accurate in the final game couldve won it for Vic Country even after their poor start to the game.

at Hawthorn he would get one of the best medico teams in the business and when ready can play as either a tall mid, forw flanker or even def flanker until he finds his place in the AFL, which fits the Hawthorn motto of being able to play in different positions.

12 Port Adelaide - Fischer McAsey

Fischer McAsey - 197cm/91kg KPP

Was hoping for one of Ash or Kemp to fall here.

Fischer is the safest key position prospect of this years draft. Capable of playing at either end of the ground, he made a name for himself with an impressive, consistent display playing as a key defender at the Under 18 Championships, which saw him named Vic Metro's MVP as well as winning All Australian honours.

There are a number of key attributes to his game which are impressive. His ability to read the play is second to none and he likes to go for his marks. His intercept work is as good as any in this years draft crop and he shows some good natural aggression. He is a good contested mark and doesn't mind crashing packs when playing up forward. He shows good leadership and is a genuine two position prospect, capable of also playing as a key forward.

This is really a pick of necessity for Port Adelaide. After losing a number of talls and leaving their KPD stocks in particular in a dire state, it is a no brainer for Port to pick McAsey at this pick, despite the fact he is not best available on my list. My expectations are that he will play some AFL football in year 1, before becoming a main stay across CHB in year 2.

13 Western Bulldogs - Cody Weightman


14 Fremantle - Liam Henry (Matched Bid)

Liam Henry - 179cm, 67kg mid/forward from Claremont, WA

If Fremantle didn't have access to Henry already, I'd have genuinely considered him for my pick at #10. There's been a lot of discussion on the Fremantle board about where a bid will come, and I think there's a real chance it comes earlier than expected. And that's because Henry is in a class of his own in terms of what he offers as a prospect.

His combination of speed and skill is elite as a draft prospect. You don't want to generalise, but it's inevitable that Henry is compared to other indigenous players like Michael Walters and Cyril Rioli. And he can do everthing that they make look so easy. And it's almost a shame that we take these things for granted now, because the poise and smarts that a prospect like Henry shows are truly AFL quality.

The key for Henry going forward will just be body strength. I really rate his potential as a midfielder, but it will likely take a few seasons before he becomes more consistent and able in that role. Worst case, I think Henry will be a very good small forward for a long time to come. Best case, he could be one of the more damaging midfielders in the league.

15 Hawthorn - Finn Maginness (Matched Bid)

Pick 15 Hawthorn - Finn Maginness
187cm 80kg Sandringham

has improved from last season where he played mostly outside mid and was struggling to get disposals for Sandringham, has always been a good user of the ball and a good kick for goal, so those skills have always been there, but his big weakness is his accumulation and this year he has improved that to 20 disposals playing inside mid, can also play as a half forw with his goal kicking skills.

i wouldnt match if this was before our first pick as i think theres around 15 players better, but seeing as pick 30 wont get access to Gould we dont lose anything matching a bid on Maginness here.

on field he doesnt look very athletic as he gets caught a lot breaking away from packs and handballing as soon as he is tackled most of the time, but at the combine it shows he has good speed and endurance, his endurance seemed good in game but he tends to run through the centre rather than into space demanding the footy, his use of the ball under pressure is something he can work on, but overall he has many strengths that i like in an inside mid, strength, breaking tackles, effective handball under pressure, when in space good kick, good kick at goal, burst of speed out of a pack when he isnt being tackled, clean hands, feeding outside mids.

he performed well for Vic Metro being one of the best 5-6 players from a bottom of the table VM squad.

16 Geelong - Miles Bergman

# 16 Geelong - Miles Bergman / Sandy Dragons / 188cm / 77kg

I reckon he is chance of going a bit higher come draft note as is a high end talent. He can do some things in the pool other kids cannot and for a club like Geelong with a few selections around here I wanted to take him off the board. Capable of playing midfield but I probably see him more as a really dangerous HF / wing type who doesn't need to touch it many times to make a real difference. Vision, decision making, ability to create separation and space and ball use are all first class. His kicking is particularly good and I'd hasten to add one of the best in the pool for mine. Athletically blessed and has a great leap on him and great hands so if he can improve his consistency i think he is a first class talent.

17 Gold Coast Suns - Will Gould

Gold Coast Suns:
Will Gould. (Third Tall or General Defender)
14/1/01
192cm
106kg
South Australia & Glenelg
It's fair to say Will Gould divides opinions.

There are those who see a man child playing against underdeveloped kid his own age. There are those who question what position Gould will play at AFL level, to short to be a tall defender, and lacks the agility to play on small forwards. And there are those that question his professionalism after showing up at the National Draft Combine out of shape.

What Will Gould possesses is an elite long kick, a big frame with the power to drive through players, and he's what those who follow the game call a "natural footballer". Gould is elite in reading the ball in defence, taking intercept marks, and rebounding the ball with powerful, straight line runs.

In a professional AFL environment, with full-time strength and conditioning coaches, and dieticians, Gould should lean down, while increasing his power.

Gould is tall enough to play on recently drafted third tall forwards such as Darcy Fogarty and Oscar Allen, and also should be able to defend some of todays powerful medium forwards such as Charlie Curnow and Dustin Martin.


Gould should slot in to Gold Coasts best 22 from round one, and help improve not only the defence, but ability to move the ball down field accurately. Gould will add to Gold Coasts growing number of South Australian draftees, and hopeful help influence Jack Lukosius to sign a contract extension.

18 Brisbane - Trent Rivers

#16 - Brisbane Lions: Trent Rivers

188cm/85kg

I’m glad that Gould was taken before my pick as it made the decision pretty easy for me after that.

Rivers is a big bodied, versatile type who has shown he can create play and drive off the back flank or play through the middle and win his own ball. He’s a nice size, runs both ways and is a very good user of the ball by foot. His ability to position himself well around the ball really stands out. It’s been somewhat of a challenging year for him in certain aspects, but it’s also set him up well for what will come soon.

19 Geelong - Cooper Stephens

Cooper Stephens / Geelong Falcons / 188cm

Powerful inside midfielder who we didn't get to see a lot of this year but who impressed us last year as a bottom ager. Great size and frame on him, moves well as his testing confirmed and is really neat with his ball use when exiting stoppages. I think this is probably around the right spot for him but wouldn't surprise me to see a club trade up to get to him. Has some serious talent.

20 Port Adelaide - Josh Worrell

#16 - Brisbane Lions: Trent Rivers

188cm/85kg

I’m glad that Gould was taken before my pick as it made the decision pretty easy for me after that.

Rivers is a big bodied, versatile type who has shown he can create play and drive off the back flank or play through the middle and win his own ball. He’s a nice size, runs both ways and is a very good user of the ball by foot. His ability to position himself well around the ball really stands out. It’s been somewhat of a challenging year for him in certain aspects, but it’s also set him up well for what will come soon.

 

[Snoop Dog]

21 Richmond - Will Day

Pick 21 - Richmond - Will Day
West Adelaide/South Australia | Defender
06/05/2001 | 189cm | 76kg

Day is one of those half-backs with a good size in terms of height, but has to add bulk to his frame. Really rate the kid and think he has a high upside. The reason behind the selection for the Tigers is two-fold. First-off, Day is best available in my eyes, and secondly, Day can fit that Brandon Ellis departure, with a few more tricks. He is not a day one player, but in saying that, I think he is a player who will put his best foot forward and develop quickly in the Tigers' camp. He will fill the void of a lovely kick on either side, and his athleticism is superb for a player at the end of the first round. His footy IQ is also quite high, with his strength and developing more of an inside game - he averages in the 20s for contested possession rate with his 80%-plus efficiency - as areas of improvement. Overall he's a nice packaged player and I think Richmond fans could be excited when he wins the ball.

22 Gold Coast - Trent Bianco


23 Brisbane - Jay Rantall


24 Adelaide - Jeremy Sharp

Pick #24 Adelaide Jeremy Sharp East Fremantle 187cm 79kg

A case of best available here and happens to be what we need after taking a hard inside nut with the first pick, this time a tall and fast outside wing/half back with a good frame.

Sharp caught my eye when I watched him live in the SA V WA Under 18 game at Alberton in 2018, he was more developed than a lot of his peers and showed good dash and football smarts let alone the blonde flowing hair. The game came naturally to him and could see the potential back then. As a player comarison a blend between a quicker Hibberd from Ess with Grant Birchall thrown in.

Fast forward one year and he's more physically developed and has played league footy in the WAFL and played well. He's also earnt dual AA Under 18 honours which is no mean feat.

As a footballer, Sharp is a strong running outside midfielder/half-back with good speed and endurance and very suited to the modern game. He's got a good mark and run type of play he does well, likes to keep things moving and is not afraid to back himself. Takes big strides, and is a good metres gained type of footballer, but even though he is outside he commands a presence about him and has a big frame to develop a powerful AFL body over time, he certainly is blessed with top end genes for muscle development and condition/tone so he'll end up a nice size indeed.

Aside from his run, he's got a decent leg on him, can hoof a footy when required although I would like to see him lower his eyes a bit more and nail those shorter kicks a bit better. Whilst he is sound overhead I wouldn't say he's strong and despite his good frame, he's not one for smashing into the contest, prefers to stay on the outside but I think there is room for improvement there. Also defensively he may get found out a bit as well but again something coaching can breed into him, his tackle numbers are below par atm.

Despite all this I think he could play AFL footy next year and to a good level as his development is fairly rapid and would become a classic half-back flanker to wing for many years with good speed and a good long kick, something the crows still need to bolster with quality.

25 Geelong - Cameron Taheny

26 Port Adelaide - Jackson Mead (matched bid)

Jackson Mead is Port Adelaide's first all AFL father son selection. Meady was a Port Adelaide cult hero through the 90's, playing in 3 SANFL premierships as a Ruck/KPP Utility before becoming Port Adelaides first AFL best and fairest as a centre half back.

His son Jackson is a different beast to his old man. A midfielder/forward with exceptional skills and defensive nous, he has played strong football at each level he has played over the past 2 years. He won the medal for BOG in the under 18 Grand Final for WWT last year, before showing good form for WWT at reserves level and winning All Australian selection at the U18 Championships.

His skills are what make him. He is arguably the best kick in the draft, knowing how to perfectly hit a leading target in the forward line with consistency and accuracy. He has that Darren Jarman esque kicking action where he can deliver a pass barely going over head height. His vision is elite and he can spot up targets in traffic by both hand and foot. You want the ball in his hands, because he makes things happen. At stoppages he is effective as a two way player. He can win clearances, but he is also good defensively, knowing how to position himself to block well, is a strong tackler and would make a decent tagger. Whilst he is slow and lacks agility - and that may hold him back a bit - he is an old school footballer and will no doubt become a cult hero like his old man.

27 Sydney - Harry Schoenberg

Harry Shoenberg
West Torrens, SA
Midfileder
180cm, 78 kg

The Marrabel product was a late inclusion in the SA team and in his true gritty approach, he took full advantage and just kept getting better as the championships went on. This consistency and dire approach saw him selected in the U18 All Australian team. Not bad for a boy that was not in the initial squad. It is an approach by SA that I appreciate – they tend to pick based on form and not by reputation.

I was particularly impressed with the way he led the SA midfield against the highly rated Vic Metro midfield. He did not look out of place lined up against Rowell and Anderson and he has a way of just getting the job done and rising to the next level. He does not possess any absolute stand out characteristics which is why I sense he does not get the trumpet blast and fan fare, but what he does he does very well each and every game.

Harry is a blue-collar midfielder that will be groomed to take over from Josh Kennedy. A true in and under midfielder, every team needs one of these at stoppages. Having already taken Jackson, I wanted the best available midfielder. Harry to me offers that and will be a low risk pick. Having grown up on a farm, he should be able to relocate to Sydney without a fuss.

Did not go best available as I have concerns on Elijah Taylor and ability to settle interstate.


28 North Melbourne - Dylan Williams

Pick 28 - North Melbourne - Dylan Williams
186cm 81kg Medium Utility

Williams has been on clubs radars for awhile now and he certainly caught the eye with a 4 goal game at the championships last year and dominating the TAC Cup finals series last year and unfortunately copped a bad injury this year which kept him from taking part in Oakleigh’s finals series and missing out on winning a grand final after narrowly missing a chance last year.

Williams has huge X-factor with his elite leap and agility, clean hands and an incredible knack around goals able to kick them from the boundary with ease or swing around picking up a loose ball. Williams can also go into defence where he has shown a good ability to intercept mark and rebound well and run smoothly in transition and he made an impact this year when given time in the midfield showing poor power and an ability to win clearances. The questions have been his injury worries and his endurance/work rate but his best is electric and he still has a lot of potential and at the end of the day he is a hard player to pass up.

Why North?
Best player available and he has the versatility and excitement that makes him a good investment, I’d play him as a small forward early but will need to improve his endurance to have an impact right away.

Considered: Elijah Taylor, Kysaiah Pickett, Thomson Dow, Hugo Ralphsmith

29 North Melbourne - Sam DeKoning

Pick 29 - North Melbourne - Sam De Koning
201cm 86kg Tall Utility

De Koning has loads of potential and shapes as the Percy modern day swing man with his height and athletic traits but he doesn’t just look the part he also plays the part with his ability to read the play and intercept aswell as rebound effectively and use the ball smartly around the ground. De Koning has battled with consistency but he really impressed at the right time playing well at the championships earning AA honours.

De Koning is 201cm and still growing, playing as a rebound defender at 186cm at the under 16 championships he has now grown to proper key position size and hasn’t lost his movement in traffic and clean ball handling as his gotten taller and its only made him look more impressive for such a tall player. He is preferred down back but has shown to be dangerous up forward although his set shot routine is a work in progress, with his height he could be used in the ruck and the main thing I could see him offering is in the work around the ground as he isnt flustered with ball in hand and makes the right options. De Koning issues have been his consistency, strength and kicking but you find many key defenders at his age struggle with their kicking even AFL key defenders now aren’t as known for their kicking but for their intercepting which is where De Koning shines.

Why North?
In my opinion he rivals McAsey as the best key position player in this draft and his upside is huge. North went hard for Howard and i can see De Koning being just as good as Howard as a key defender.

30 Adelaide - Harrison Jones

Pick #30 Adelaide Harrison Jones Calder Cannons 194cm 75kg

Now here is a genuinely raw player but yet one so fluid and graceful at the same time. His upside is as good as anyone in this draft he really could be anything....or perhaps nothing but that's the excitement with a player like Jones.

Jones is a lovely tall and highly mobile/athletic key forward who could almost be classified as a utility or even wingman such is his upside. He can almost play anywhere despite his slender frame. His best work remains as a CHF, pushing up the ground taking marks and gathering the ball off the deck with oh so clean hands. For a bloke that stands 194cm he is super mobile and athletic, recording impressive sprints, vertical leap and yoyo test results at the combine, you could say the package athletically. But he also can play football.

Jones leads very well, and marks the ball out in front of his eyes very cleanly and at speed. He's also a lovely kick of the football and can hit the scoreboard as you'd expect a key tall to do. He's skinny and thin, but has a frame that will pack on some muscle but will always be of a leanish build but that is not going to be a hinderance as he roams up the ground very well, tackles extremely well for a key tall and gets the job done most weeks. He can eve play ruck although that will be a stretch at AFL level.

I see a raw talent that could explode in the AFL system, one look at the kid and you know there is something a little special there, a talent to be nurtured and developed into a fantastic, mobile tall, maybe even a wingman or a swingman like Westhoff who would be my main comparison atm.

At the crows we have Fogarty and Tex as well as the fringe forward in Himmelberg but we need more and certainly an athletic tall like Jones should be on our shopping list come draft day.

31 Essendon - Elijah Taylor

Pick 31 Elijah Taylor 188cm 75kg Forward Perth FC

A real talent who is simply too good not to take here.
Taylor is a general forward who can get you a few ways. He is good in the air, identifies space in the forward 50, is dangerous one on one and can kick goals.
The daily grind of AFL FOOTY will be a test for him but the performances of Kelly, Stack and Pickett means that good support structures means talent can shine.

Rationale
The bombers are most likely going to lose Daniher. I think they need to move to a forward line where they have 6 dangerous pieces who can kick goals and apply forward pressure. The bombers would be exciting with Fantasia, stringer, tippa and in the future mosquito and a Taylor type. A big body like Mckernan would add some strength.

Essendon have two pretty good nga players in Cody Brand and Josh Eyre next year.
Cody is a very athletic 195cm defender while Eyre is a 194cm forward with a big tank and a Scotty lucas like kick.
That is certainly coming into my considerations when drafting.

32 Sydney - Thomson Dow

Thompson Dow

182cm/71kg
Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers
Midfielder

The younger brother of Paddy Dow has been rising up the boards on the back half of a really good 2019. He had a good carnival for Vic country

What do I like about him? Not sure how many mids would be too many for Sydney this year but this guy is a hard nut yet clean by foot and hand, has decent pace especially when leaving congestion and once clear, he looks calm in decision making. I also like the fact that he is a midfielder that impacts the scoreboard and is happy spending time on the HFF.

I think Thompson typifies the draft this year. I could see him going anywhere from 20 to 40 and there are loads of midfield options past the first round. Hence the decision I had to take Jackson first and then add in Dow with Schoenberg with my 2 picks in the second round.

33 Essendon - Sam Philp

Pick 33 Sam Philp 187cm 80kg Midfielder Northern Knights

Sam had a consistent year and just keeps winning the footy.
Sam is extremely proficient at winning clearances and applying strong defensive pressure.
Traits Essendon’s powderpuff midfield of Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, Parish and Zaharakis are not proficient at.
Sam is quite the athlete and tested number one in 20 metre sprint at combine. He does not use this as an offensive weapon in his game often enough but he uses it defensively.
Sam also tested top 10 for vertical jump and yoyo. Speed and endurance is a winning combination.

Rationale for pick
5th best midfielder for mine only Rowell, Anderson, Stephens and Kemp I rate higher.
I know that is a massive statement. McGuinness and Robertson fans would disagree.
Essendon need competitors as there are a group of downhill skiers who do not look great in the clinches or under physical duress. Philp, McGrath and Clarke are all young and made of the right stuff. No coincidence Smith won a best and fairest in his first year.
Philp is going to need to continue to work on his hurt factor with the footy but a lot of his footy is contested. He also needs to be cleaner with the footy. Neither of these flaws are deal breakers.

I again went for the highest on my board and the more I saw this kid the more I liked him. Fancy him not getting a vic metro opportunity. I would have loved to have nabbed Harrison Jones here as I have him 10th on my board. The tall players available are not quite there for this pick when Philp still available

34 Brisbane - Ryan Byrnes


35 St Kilda - Bigoa Nyuon (matched bid)

Pick 35 (Saint Kilda Matched Bid) - Bigoa Nyuon

The Saints were always going to have an interesting draft with lots of picks in the nethersphere; the % likelihood of Bigoa making it is not as good as one would like for a pick 35 but remembering this is a drawdown from Pick 50 something; comparison has to be done with what will likely be there at that stage. What he does have is fantastic athleticism and ball handling skills and that is something valuable at this range out. He is also very raw, so plenty of opportunity to iron out the inconsistencies in his game. Having the consistency of development with the Saints is also something I also see as an advantage, which was an influence in matching.

I think he could be a backman (maybe third tall) or a useful ruck / forward utility (at his current height I am not sure he could be a first choice ruck) but it's a bit too early to say.

36 Collingwood - Jack Mahony

#36 - Collingwood - Jack Mahony

Best position: General forward/inside midfield

Height, weight: 178cm, 72kg

Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons

Projected draft range: 25-50

Plays like: Jack Higgins

October Rankings: 26

Strengths: Crumbing, ground ball winning, forward pressure, tackling, precision kick placement out in front of targets to lead onto, decision making, vision, football IQ, creativity, agility, work rate, best suited as a forward but able to push up through the midfield

Weaknesses: Height, scoreboard impact, reliable but not dominant overhead mark, speed, athleticism

--
Rationale: Feeling Collingwood are a good crumbing forward short I like the fit the crafty Jack Mahony provides. He's ready made and can contend with the likes of Josh Thomas and Callum Brown if not displace them from the senior side next season as someone who compliments Collingwood's marking forwards. Mahony is ideally suited as a front and centre crumber, a missing link in Collingwood's best side, and arguably Mahony can this better than any existing player on the club's list.

I've made the comment before, but I slightly favour Mahony to the more highly touted and likely top-15 selection Cody Weightman with my view being that while he's not nearly as athletic, Mahony is the better footballer.

37 Geelong - Kysaiah Pickett

Powerful small forward with genuine footy IQ and tricks. I think he might surprise on draft night and go a touch higher than this. Has speed, game sense, smarts and knows his game. Suits what a lot of clubs lack and think he is one of the stand out small forward choices. ]

38 Adelaide - Mitch O'Neill


39 Richmond - Fraser Phillips

#38 Fraser Phillips
Gippsland Power/Vic Country
15/05/2001 | 187cm | 82kg

One of my personal favourites, Phillips is highly underrated in this year's AFL Draft crop, but think if he could live up to the hype and potential, he could become one of the best players from this year. He is quite raw still, has consistency issues and needs to build his endurance, but what he offers is something really unique compared to others. Playing high or deep forward, Phillips is a player that oozes X-factor and just knows where the goals are. His goal sense is something special and can create goals or set up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his ability to create something out of nothing. Phillips has a penetrating kick that when he is up and about, is one of the few who can wheel around and slot a goal from outside 50. In terms of upside, he's in my top five and Richmond seems like a perfect fit for him, and he can also develop into a running midfielder in time, with some nice athletic traits outside of his vertical leap which could improve. He is still building into his body, but he is one that I cannot ignore at this range given what he offers compared to others.

40 Richmond - Darcy Cassar

#39 Darcy Cassar
Western Jets/Vic Metro
31/07/2001 | 184cm | 82kg

There is no secret others on here rate Cassar more than I do, but similar to Phillips, I rate what he could become. He has shown an ability to play at either end or through the midfield, with more power to his game and an ability to read the ball and pick the right option with disposal more often than not. His versatility to play forward or back, or even along the wing would be a tick, and some rated him as a top 20 prospect coming into 2019. He had a mid-season purple patch in the NAB League where he racked up 30+ disposals on multiple occasions, but did not have the Under-18 Championships he would have liked which might have knocked him back a little in the order. It was hard for him having spent the season playing at defence and having to adapt back to the forward line for the championships, but similar to Phillips has good upside. He uses the ball well and can rack up the rebounds out of defence when playing there, which I can see Richmond utilising him in that role, eventually developing into a midfielder. He could take a similar path to a Brayden Maynard in starting at half-back and pinch-hitting through the midfield, offering a stronger body than Will Day who was offered earlier. More than anything, he is best available at this pick for me, outside one of my other favourites who unfortunately I don't think the Tigers need, so did not want to select him.

 

[Snoop Dog]

41 GWS - Noah Cumberland

Pick 40 - Noah Cumberland (QLD) - GWS Giants
183 cm 79 kg
General Utility

One I had pegged for this pick for a while, Noah is a great utility player who has shown potential in every third of the ground. His versatility is a real asset and has been shown with our use of players like Tomlinson Perryman, Reid, Kennedy, De Boer, etc. that Leon likes when a player can fill roles. Athletically gifted and determined I like his dash and long term see him playing as a Back Flanker or Winger, with his aggression and tackling he'll be good in either role. Surprised Brisbane didn't match as I think he's similar to Robinson in many ways, but more than happy with this result

Strengths: Aggression, tackling, speed, agility, contested ball, play reading
Room for improvement: Kicking, accumulation (if used as a rover)

Also considered: Joshua Shute, Flynn Perez

42 Richmond - Karl Finlay

#42 Karl Finlay
North Adelaide/South Australia | Tall Defender
14/07/2001 | 192cm | 88kg

I was tossing up between the South Australian defenders at this point between Finlay and Hilder, but thought Finlay would be the better fit due to being a more agile defender. He does give up a bit of height compared to Hilder at 192cm, but could provide equal offensive power as well as defensive stopping ability. His contested marking and one-on-ones is really strong, he reads the play well and positions himself strongly behind the ball. Anyone who saw him at GMHBA Stadium against Vic Country as an example saw what he could offer. He is also captain at his school for both football and as prefect, so he's got the leadership trait as well. He has a few areas to work on, such as his ground balls and decision making at times, but as a whole, for a player at this range, he fits the bill and can play tall or small given his strength in the air and intercept marking ability. I envisage that Finlay is capable of playing a couple of games if called upon in Year 1, but more likely a Year 2 prospect onwards. Having played at all three levels in the SANFL, he is capable of matching it against senior bodies, and is perfect for a Tigers team that might want reinforcements over the next couple of years who can come in and play a role rather than a speculative tall type.

43 Carlton - Mitchell Georgiades

Carlton - Pick 43 - Mitch Georgiades.

Watching him in his junior year, I was looking forward to him putting in a massive year and pushing for a top 20 draft selection on draft night. Then he had a rare injury to his quad that took him out for the year. In saying that, I heard Subi were close to selecting him in the seniors for the finals and he pulled himself out. To get into the Subi team is an effort in itself, they're super strong.

When you select Mitch, I doubt you will worry about his work ethic, maturity and intelligence. He has elite speed and athletic qualities and is a really high upside selection. Will start as a forward but I see some potential midfield ability long term. I would like him to play the mobile roaming forward, more so than the stay at home forward. He is probably not addressing a pressing need with regards to the Blues current list structure but he is a high upside selection. (I actually had a conversation on the Carlton board about Clubs often taking high risk players later in the draft when they should take the obvious)... Here I am taking a high risk option.

Obviously I am missing an important years worth of data and I am backing on upwards projections from his 2018 season, this does not always happen but the fact he was selected in the main combine list, says plenty of clubs are still keen. Knowing now that Ruscoe was selected really annoys me, because I was playing a game of waiting on Ruscoe assuming he would slide to my next selection.

44 Sydney - Trey Ruscoe

Trey Ruscoe
East Fremantle/WA
190cm, 90 kg
Position – utility and midfield

Exactly what position Trey will play in the future is still to be resolved. If that is the downside on him, so be it. What is clear to me is that he possesses many attributes that I think will equip him for a strong AFL career.

What I like is that he is a hard nut, tough in the battle, contested beast and competitive as all hell. From the games I saw in 2019, he makes it a habit of beating his direct opponent – something I rate very highly.

He can play the third tall either up front or down back. Reads the ball in the air and strong hands overhead. Despite coming out of contests, he is pretty decent in disposal efficiency and rarely wastes a possession. He is a thinking footballer at both ends of the ground and seems to know where to be to impact the contest. I have been impressed with what he did in 2019 since the first game against my Claremont colts team. He had a 20 disposal and 2 goal game wich was mainly spent in the forward line. During the year, he has een back, up front and through the midfield.

There is a lot about Ruscoe that reminds me of Patrick Cripps. Not saying he will be that good, but at pick 44, there is a lot to be happy with in selecting Trey Ruscoe.

45 Adelaide - Charlie Comben


46 West Coast Eagles - Riley Garcia

Pick : 46 West Coast.

Picking : Riley Garcia. 176 cm. 70 kg. Midfielder. Swan Districts.

Going to visit the Infirmary for this pick.

Injured yes I know, he will miss the better part of the 2020 season ..... but if he overcomes the knee I have no doubt that he can play at the next level.

This is where I found the choice of players gets a bit tricky, as I pondered do I take a less talent player with no injury cloud hanging over them, that may or may not have the talent to make it at the next level.

Or.

Do I go a player that has already played senior football for Swan Districts and had a great Under 18 Championship until he popped his knee.
And a player who has already shown me signs that I think will translate at the next level, the kid has undeniable talent.

I decided to go with talent first and foremost.

Garcia is a good balanced mid that is, however better on the inside than on the outside.
You cant help but notice that he attacks the ball with vigour and real grunt and also with some pace.
I just love players that put their head over the ball and are capable of winning their own football.
He does occasionally over run the ball with his ambitious attack, but I have never been too critical of the occasional mistake if the ball is attacked with dash.
His style very much reminds me of Daniel Kerr ( not saying he is as good as , merely commenting on style ).

He started the year in the League team with Swans before the Championships and impressed as a boy playing against men.
I similarly was impressed with his 2018 Colts Finals performances, always a box ticker for me when players stand up in finals and big games.
As a bottom ager in the Colts Finals in 2018, he announced himself as a player of note and one to watch going forward..

His injury wont go against him long term and, he will not be pressing for selection for a few years with West Coasts current midfield , so plenty of time to fully recover and rebuild his game ... time will be his friend.

He does need to work on his scoreboard impact as for someone who gets so much of the ball he hasn't troubled the scorer as much as I would have liked.

That said IMO he was tracking nicely for serious consideration for AA at the 2019 Championships before he popped his knee, so having seen him perform on the bigger stage over a two year period I am more than happy to take the chance on Garcia.

47 North Melbourne - Hugo Ralphsmith


48 Brisbane Lions - Flynn Perez


49 Adelaide - Dyson Hilder

Pick #49 Adelaide - Dyson Hilder North Adelaide 196cm 91kg

Needed a KPD with my final pick for this draft and who better to take here than the local lad Hilder who definitely could go higher on draft day. With Talia being the main man back there and Hartigan not being exactly blessed with ability, plus the loss of Keath, a tall back was a must.

Hilder is a great competitor and is your classic 1 on 1 key back who will take the big forward. He's got the frame (196cm 91kg) to do that and take on the biggest blokes and once he adds a few more kg, he'll prob end up in the high 90's range and be an impressive lump of a lad. Bodywork is where he excels, he knows when to put the little bump on and get the spoil or the mark, he reads the flight of the ball and the ball drop earlier than a lot of forwards, especially those that are bombed in, he's all over it then to nullify the contest. He's strong overhead and also a good kick. But he also has a really good tank for a key back which is fairly rare with a yoyo of 21.1 at the combine. He also can lay a strong tackle and has a good turning circle for a big bloke.

I see him turning into a Alex Pearce (Freo) type of key defender, very strong body who will be a reliable key back for many years to come. Anymore than this would be a bonus but wouldn't surprise me if he ends up being one of the best key defenders in the comp.

50 North Melbourne - Ned Cahill

Pick 50 - North Melbourne - Ned Cahill
179cm 78kg
Small Forward

Cahill is a little ripper and its hard not to like the way eh plays as he is crafty around the ball and is a hard worker. Cahill is extremely clean with his hands especially forward of centre with his crumbing amongst the best in this years draft with the way he swoops on the ball at speed and he usually finishes really well whether that’s kicking the goal or setting it up. Cahill has spent a bit of time through the midfield aswell and he hasn’t looked out of place being able to win his own ball and has the workrate to work defensively and offensively and I believe he could fit into an AFL team seamlessly with his workrate and running patterns and ability to handle the rough and tumble.

Cahill is like Gryan Miers as a crafty forward who relies more on his craft more so than his speed to be a sneaky forward and apart from his endurance he is pretty average athletically compared to say a Kozzie Pickett. I think Cahill is a natural footballer and doesn’t do a lot wrong and although he is small he isn’t too small for the roles he could play at AFL level and I could see him playing a similar role to what Devon Smith does for Essendon if he can add some manic pressure to his game.

51 Brisbane - PASS



52 Western Bulldogs - Josh Morris



53 Hawthorn - Jake Pasini

Pick 53 - Hawthorn - Jake Pasini

Swan Dist 192cm 81kg

we're in the market for a KPD and seeing McAsey, De Koning, Finlay and Hilder are gone, the last remaining good option was Pasini, he was a strong tall defender for WA in the champs this year and has good agility for a KPP, i think he and Kosi will develop into a good pairing in a few years and give us some stability in the tall defender position, i noticed he is very good at feeding a team mate and rarely wastes poss, plays taller than his 192cm but also has the versatility of being good with the ground ball which im a huge fan of in KPD's moreso than a couple of extra inches in height.

54 Brisbane - PASS



55 GWS - Liam Delahunty (matched bid)

Pick 55 - Liam Delahunty (NSW/ACT) - GWS Giants
192 cm 91 kg
Tall Forward

Delahunty is one that seems to have dropped off the radar for most after a fairly inconsistent year, but remains my favourite pure draft age Tall Forward in the pool. Delahunty uses his elite speed to push off opponents and take marks on the lead and set up team mates in better positions. Averaged 2.2 Goals and 5.6 marks in Nab League this season, which is a good base to work with for a selection this late.

Strengths: Versatility, Speed, Marking, Disposal, Endurance, Agility
Room for Improvement: Consistency, Accumulation

56 Richmond - Darcy Chirgwin

#56 Darcy Chirgwin
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro | Inside Midfielder
25/07/2001 | 191cm | 80kg

An inside midfielder yet to fulfil his full potential, Chirgwin is that prototype inside midfielder at 191cm and 80kg. We'll start with the areas he could improve - his athleticism, in particular his speed, as well as his kicking which can be a bit iffy, mostly due to the speed which saw him clock 3.18 seconds in the 20m sprint. However, what he lacks in athleticism - and let's face it at Pick 56 every prospect is going to have a knock - he makes up for in his contested work. He missed the first part of the year due to injury but came in and had a massive impact with a couple of back-to-back best on grounds to squeeze into Vic Country's side - before an injury in the first term struck him down again. His clearance and tackling numbers are elite with more than five clearances and basically eight tackles per game to accompany his 24.7 touches in the NAB League. He's a greater than 50 per cent contested ball winner, so he is built for the inside game, and if he can build his speed and perhaps add an extra element in terms of his scoreboard impact, he could be a more damaging outside force. But given the Tigers' strength through the midfield, Chirgwin is a player who could impact in Year 2-3 and eventually take over from the famed onball brigade.

57 Carlton - Chad Warner



58 GWS - Joshua Shute

Pick 58 - Joshua Shute (SA) - GWS Giants
187 cm 74 kg
Midfielder

Probably the most suited player to be a pure wing in the draft Shute really impressed me during the U18 carnival, winning high outside ball numbers and often setting up team mates inside 50 he's everything you want in a winger. Still lightly built he'll need a couple of years to develop but I truly believe he has Whitfield attributes with how he uses the ball, which our talls down forward will love.

Strengths: Disposal by foot, workrate, high production for outside player, football smarts
Room for improvement: Inside game, general athleticism

Also Considered: Angus Baker, Lochlan Dickson

59 Essendon - Jake Riccardi

Pick 59 Jake Riccardi 195cm 90kg Key Forward Werribee

The penny has dropped for the 20 year old from St Bernard’s.
Jake has gone from showing moments and 5 minute bursts at tac level to really impact games playing against men.
Riccardi kicked 38 goals this season and was also high on goal assists.
He can jump, play high and use his athleticism and kicks the footy well.
Jake has a strong build which will continue to develop.
Ground balls could be cleaner and perhaps greater physicality could be inserted in his game but pretty good value here I would have thought.

Rationale for Pick
I expect the bombers will lose Daniher.
Essendon hopefully will take this as an opportunity to move to a systems based forward 6 rather than relying on star power. Taylor and Riccardi would improve our forward 6 quite quickly.
I have 3 players in mind for my last pick. One i am staggered hasn’t gone yet and two are late picks/rookie chances.

60 GWS (RB) - Angus Baker

Pick 60 - Angus Baker (NSW/ACT) - GWS Giants
191 cm 86 kg
General Defender

My favourite mature aged player as it stands, Angus has been putting up impressive numbers for Canberra this year as an intercept defender so I think he deserves a chance on an AFL list. I have hope that he can learn to play more as a general defender than third tall to fit our structure more, and if he could with his rebounding he'd be a real force at AFL level.

Strengths: Intercept marking, ability to read play, rebounding, accumulation for a pure defender, aerial presence
Room for Improvement: Agility, disposal by foot

Also considered: Lochlan Dickson

 

[Snoop Dog]

61 Collingwood - Ben Sokol

#61 Collingwood - Ben Sokol
A goalkicking medium forward, Ben Sokol won the Simpson Medal for best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final. Sokol was the WAFL’s leading goalkicker, kicking 60 goals from 20 games while also taking a competition high 166 marks. A hard-leading forward, Sokol demonstrates a high work rate, has a strong body and has developed a reputation for having the strongest hands overhead outside the AFL.

*35 on my draft board.
--
Rationale:
I can't say I had any intention of selecting Sokol here with my expectation being that I could snag him as a rookie, I'd prefer to take someone of AFL standard who is plug-and-play here rather than speculate on a kid who has a couple of traits with 'yeah buts' which is what's left to my eye.

Sokol is one I loved in his draft year from 2013, and still really like, stepping things up each year.

In Collingwood's front half I don't only rate Sokol ahead of Thomas/Varcoe/C.Brown/Daicos, but I also rate Sokol ahead of Will Hoskin-Elliott and feel that's the spot he ultimately takes as a more complete, consistent and influential player.

Sokol adds further flexibility and weaponry to Collingwood's front half as someone who opponents will find hard to match up against as such a powerful mark and body-on-body player who uses his body so well but then has the endurance to work opponents over. If required while he's only 186cm, he can be a fill-in key forward and provide a focal point as needed, and can play a similar role to De Goey which could allow De Goey (still should be used primarily forward) some more regular midfield stints in 2020.

While Sokol hasn't ever played through the midfield, he reminds me so much stylistically of Dane Swan (the forward from earlier in his career before he became a full-time mid) with his body strength and bodywork, overhead marking, work rate and has those same football smarts and instincts for when to hit the ball or contest on the move and the clean hands in close to take it. Then he's obviously adding to all that the scoreboard impact on a high level.

62 Hawthorn - Jaxon Prior

pick 62 Hawthorn - Jaxon Prior

West Perth 189cm 82kg

looking for a winger/hbf, missed out on Ruscoe, Perez and Shute, i also had to take Pasini or potentially miss out on a good KPD, so im picking Prior here to fill a need for the Hawks, i like that he has a ready made build physically and is tall for a wing/hbf, has good results at the combine, comes from a football family with his father playing for Ess and WCE, i would look to either turn him into a winger OR keep him as a half back and push Impey onto the wing, the Hawks are looking for some outside run as our 3 wings are veterans and in a couple of years we will need an up and comer with Prior being in a position to take advantage of that opportunity.

63 Essendon - Nick Bryan

Pick 63 Nick Bryan 202cm 87kg Ruck Oakleigh Chargers

Bryan’s last month of footy was too compelling not to be taken here. He is the 2nd best ruckman in the draft with athletic upside and a heap of footy development left in him. In the nabgrand final Bryan showed what he can become an athletic tap ruckman who can mark around the ground, win footy and be a factor.
Like all young ruckman Nick is going to have to find size as quickly as he can but I thought he showed a greater aptitude to compete when he came back from school footy which was my big worry on him.

Rationale for Pick
Bellchambers and Phillips if luck have 2 to 3 good years. Draper is the anointed one but hardly played footy and done a knee. Bryan has the athletic profile and enough footy pedigree to take here and invest time into. He has a high ceiling and frankly shares some athletic traits of Brodie Grundy. Not that I think he will be quite that level of player.

There are two players I think are intriguing and severely underrated here which I may get in rookie draft.

64 Essendon - PASS


65 Port Adelaide (RB) - Emerson Jeka

Emerson is a 197cm KPP who's year didn't go to plan. He started the season as a potential first round pick but some wavering form and a mid season knee injury has seen him fall down the draft order. Despite that, there is undeniable talent there. He is a contested marking machine, capable of clunking marks under pressure and in pack situations. He is a decent athlete, leads hard up the ground, has good agility and has impressive pace to create seperation on his opponent. At the moment he looks best as a CHF where he can lead up the ground more, but he can play closer to goal and even down back which he did for Western during the year.

Where he lets himself down is his kicking for goal can be troublesome, as well as not attacking the ball as well as he could on occasion. Even though he is a great contested mark, he doesn't fly for his marks as often as he could and sometimes waits for the ball to hit the ground in contests.

66 Hawthorn (RB) - Brock Smith

pick 66 Hawthorn - Brock Smith
189cm 82kg Gippsland

this is a best available pick, im a big fan of Brock Smith as a medium sized defender, i was first impressed with how he handled himself at nableague and then to see him also step up and play a strong champs was what won me over with this guy, good 1v1, decent athleticism, smart, can play a shutdown role or run off an opponent, good in the air as well, just a good all round defender who will add to our good young group of defenders and has Leadership qualities

67 Port Adelaide PASS


68 Port Adelaide PASS


69 Port Adelaide PASS


70 Fremantle

Callum Jamieson - 199cm, 84kg ruck from Claremont, WA

If WA didn't have Luke Jackson, then I think Jamieson would have put his name right up there as the best ruck in the draft. Unfortunately he just didn't get the chance to show what he could do at the Champs. But I do still have Jamieson as the #2 ruck prospect personally, just edging out Charlie Comben.

Jamieson is a project player, and will need a couple of seasons to really build his body and put on the strength necessary to compete in the ruck. But I just like the way he goes about his game, he's reasonably athletic and mobile for someone his height. He works hard all game, and it shows in his disposal and tackle numbers. That's one of the reasons I rate him over Comben and Nick Bryan, he just gets involved in the play more and I feel his ruck work will only improve as he gets stronger.

My sample size is smaller than with other players, but I do like what I've seen and he'd fit well for Fremantle. It makes more sense than paying a high price for Jackson given we have Darcy and Lobb already, plus Meek can be fast tracked in the WAFL as the lead ruck while Jamieson develops

71 Fremantle (RB) - Cooper Sharman

Cooper Sharman - 192cm, 79kg forward from Oakleigh Chargers

At this point, I'm all about potential and I'd be very happy to pick up Sharman this late. I suspect he could go somewhere closer to the 40 mark, so he's a good consolation prize after not being in a position to get Taylor or Georgiades.

There was a bit written about him earlier in the year, being the biggest bolter of the draft. He started the season playing suburban football having previously been playing in NSW, before getting a call up to the NAB League after a lot of recruiter interest. It doesn't look like he'll go as early as someone like Sam Sturt, but a national draft selection looks likely and that's impressive for the 19 year old who missed out on the GWS Academy.

His testing at the Combine was pretty average, but I don't think it matches the way he plays on the ground. And I suspect a few preseasons will see him quickly improve on his personal bests. But on the field, he's a dangerous forward - excellent overhead mark and goal sense, he can play the more traditional leading forward role but also has the x factor to just make things happen. He's just very raw, but with a very high ceiling.

72 Carlton - Callum Park

Pick 72 - Carlton - Callum Park

He has a lovely height about him and his frame is the main concern. He has the ability to find the ball which is handy and once again a lovely left footer. Adding some footskills to the mix is always handy. At this point in the draft youre looking for enough AFL qualities and Park has enough. Solid marking skills, great kicking and speed. Just needs to work on his tank and frame, so probably more a rookie option but Ive heard a few clubs are interested in him.

73 Port Adelaide - PASS


74 Brisbane - PASS


75 North Melbourne - Brady Rowles

Pick 75 - North Melbourne - Brady Rowles
186cm 75kg
Rebound Defender/Wingman

Rowles is a player with plenty of upside and some elite traits that make him the perfect type of player to take late or as a rookie, certainly some areas to clean up but if a club can bring out his elite traits. Rowles is a dasher in the same mould as Connor McKenna he can burn off oppents with ease and really gain some metres for his team, eh also has a good leap which he doesn’t use often enough and some confidence in the air could really make him a threat down back being able to play on talls and smalls with his height and speed covering a lot of types.

Rowles’s kicking is a concern and his contested side and endurance also need some work but some time in an elite environment would do him good. Rowles best is eye catching and he has plenty of scope and i could see him really floutshing in the right environment at a club like Richmond/Hawthorn.

Why North?
North could use some more pace and depth in this position and this late they can afford to take a punt on Rowles upside and he could turn into a player like McKenna and complete let changing how North move the ball from defensive 50.

Players Considered: Louis Butler, Lachlan Potter, Ben Johnson, Sam Ramsay, Ryan Sparkes, Leo Connolly, Kaden Schrieber

76 Collingwood - Sam Lowson

Collingwood #76 Sam Lowson

In the mix as a forward, Sam Lowson was one of the favourites to feature during the mid-season draft but unfortunately got hurt at the wrong time, hurting his ankle just days before the draft. Dangerous around goal, Lowson is a good finisher, damaging at ground level, a good athlete who possesses speed, a high leap and applies heavy forward pressure.

Position on draft board: 36
--
Rationale: Best available and while not a need after those first two is someone I can justify from the perspective that if he comes good it allows Collingwood to either move less talented forwards out or give the likes of De Goey and Stephenson more time up the field to expand their games and impact games in more ways.

Collingwood lack a good speedy crumber who can bring forward pressure and Lowson is the best and most ready outside the AFL to provide this.

77 Richmond - Daniel Mott

Pick #77 Richmond - Daniel Mott
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro | Balanced Midfielder
01/05/2001 | 183cm | 80kg

An interesting prospect who showed plenty as a bottom-ager and has improved in different ways in 2019. He is a touch slow and does lack that athleticism/endurance combo, but has natural footballing traits. If you can overlook areas which can be built up over time, then Mott offers plenty to a Richmond midfield that took that inside body of Darcy Chirgwin in the last pick. Mott is that smaller type with high footy IQ and neat skills, particularly when in time and space. He can hit-up that 45-degree kick to pinpoint an opponent between defenders. He was captain of Calder this season and was aided by the fact Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson were in the Metro midfield, having the burden of the inside load taken off him and he could go to work between inside and outside. At this pick he's good value for mine because of his kicking and decision making ability. The athleticism is a bit of a worry and he tends to play better with better players around him, but again, Richmond might be the perfect club for him to fill in and play a role. If they can develop him further, he could be a value get this late.

78 Sydney - Lachlan Potter

Sydney Pick 78

Lachlan Potter – rebounding defender, outside midfield

Vic Metro, Northern Knights

184cm, 70kg

For Sydney, I feel the need for speed. He is quick and is serious about breaks lines, often seen with ball in hand breaking away from the contest. Like Petruccelle, he is not afraid to back himself in and at times looks very daring and confident. Potter was used in the carnival as a rebounding defender and has also been used as an outside midfielder. Needs to work on hitting targets and decision making because speed alone will not make it. Some time in the Sydney system should be beneficial in gaining composure and making better decisions after breaking lines.

Rationale: Sydney have the inside grunt covered and this would complement the list. I am looking look for a player with differentiating traits that will stand out and have a good chance of transitioning as elite at the AFL level. There will likely be some deficiencies and Potter needs to find his best position and how best to use his attributes.

79 Richmond - Matt McGuinness

#79 Richmond - Matt McGuinness
Tasmania Devils/Allies | Tall Utility
13/07/2000 | 195cm | 77kg

It was tough to decide between a few players for this last pick for the Tigers, but ended up lobbying for McGuinness who provides great versatility compared to some others his size. He is a tall who can also do well at ground level, but it is his aerial ability that makes him stand out. An 89cm running vertical jump and 72cm standing vertical jump are testament to that. But McGuinness has a long, penetrating kick he uses to pierce through opposition zones, and is capable of dropping back into the hole in the defensive 50, or going forward and clunking a much needed mark inside 50. His endurance needs to improve given he had just 19.4 on the yo-yo test, but generally given his role it does not impact him greatly - think Will Gould in respect to this aspect, but taller and skinnier. He seems to have an impact more often than not and has been a consistent force, and being that year older has an extra year of development in him. He is the type of player I'd feel comfortable taking at this stage of the draft because he could play as that third tall or filling in as a key position player at either end. Once he can build his endurance, I can also picture him as a winger galloping down and putting the ball into the danger zone. His preferred role is that Matt Suckling defensive running game where he takes off from half back and hits a target in space down the wing. He can tend to get forward and launch the odd goal as well.

80 Gold Coast - PASS


81 Fremantle - Elliot Dunkin

Elliot Dunkin - 180cm, 77kg defender from West Adelaide, SA

Over the last few years Fremantle have tended to use later round picks on mature aged players, so I'll go with a 21 year old from the SANFL who has improved a lot in his first full season of league football. I've had him earmarked for the BigFooty draft for a few weeks, but my thunder was stolen a little bit as there has been some talk surrounding him as a draft prospect recently. The talk is deserving though.

Ineligible for the mid season draft, I think he'd have been an outside chance to get taken. And his second half to the season was even better than the first, so his chances will have grown significantly and I'm thinking he doesn't make it through to the rookie draft anymore. Having played mostly as a rebounding half back this year, I think that's where he projects at AFL level. His defensive work and one on one's will have to improve further to man up the opposition small forwards, but I think that will come with coaching and exposure. His kicking is elite though, and that's something that can't be taught. And he's also got AFL speed and athleticism, so he ticks a lot of boxes.

I've made the comparison to James Aish before, so perhaps it won't be Fremantle that drafts him after our trade period. But someone should and with the mature aged depth taking a hit after the mid season draft, Dunkin should be in the top handful considered.

82 GWS - Josh D'Intinosante

Pick 82 - Josh D'Intinosante (VIC M) - GWS Giants
177 cm 78 kg
Small Forward/ Midfielder

The Northern Knight is one that has flown under the radar while continuously putting in high performances for someone of his height/position. Finished 2nd overall in the NAB League goal kicking, as well as two top two finishes in the Northern Knights BnF in the past two years, it's obvious this boy has talent and goal sense. Pretty stoked to get him this late, and as much of a cliche as it is "He's much higher in my rankings"

Strengths: Natural footballer, goal sense, forward pressure, scorebaord impact
Room for Improvement: Speed, General Athleticism

Also considered: Josh Gore, James Rowe

83 Sydney - Tyrone Thorne

Sydney Pick 83

Tyrone Thorne – small forward
WA, Peel
169cm, 58 kg

Thorne is another of the strong Peel colts team. He averaged 2.5 goals a game and delivers each and every game. He usually gets his disposal count up to the mid to high teens but in the carnival, he played deeper than due to Henry and Taylor being in the WA forward line so he played closer to goals. That said, he managed 7 goals in the carnival and kicked one in each of the 4 games.

In the WA state combine, he broke the agility test previously held by Stephen Hill. He is lively and with the threat of Papley leaving Sydney, he fills a need to build the small forwards.

He is skinny as and that is the doubt over him but he is elusive and dangerous around the goals. Sydney do not have anyone like him and with the increase attractiveness for dangerous small forwards, Tyrone offers good value at this stage in the draft.

84 St Kilda - Jarvis Pina

Pick 84 (St Kilda) - Jarvis Pina

I like Pina for a few reasons at this pick; apart from height (176cm) he is blessed in a variety of ways - reasonably pacy and agile, good endurance, good skills/kicking with a bit of depth and good attitude. He generally plays HBF back but arguably can play a wing role as well.

Pina was the Captain for Peel Thunder's Colts team which just fell short in the grand final and he looked to be trying to do everything to drag his team back in it. Being a 19 year old he was apparently being looked at by Sydney and Freo at the mid-season draft, and I think he could definitely play a range of roles at the Saints.

85 Fremantle - Kieren Parnell

Kieren Parnell - 188cm, 84kg defender from NT Thunder

I took Ben Jungfer with a late pick in the trial draft and I still think he'd be a good rookie option for the Gold Coast, but this time I'll go with a different player from the NT. I've been a fan of Parnell for a couple of years now, think he's one of the more talented players to come out of the Thunder for a little while - but after two knee reconstructions, it's only now that the 20 year old has been able to get onto the park consistently.

As a junior he played mostly up forward and through the midfield, but he settled into a defensive role this year and was a deserving invite to the state combine. For his size, his intercept marking is as good as anyone in the draft - and his hands are equally as good on the ground. The way he has come back from two long term injuries has to appeal to recruiters, and he's clearly worked hard to improve his game. His kicking used to be a weakness, but is now above average. At his best, he's an exciting player who looks to take the game on.

Just a matter of getting him into an AFL system, and seeing how he goes. The natural ability is there.

86 North Melbourne - PASS


87 Carlton - Ben Johnson

Pick 87 Carlton - Ben Johnson

At this point in the draft, youre throwing darts and hoping in my eyes. Ben has a number of AFL traits that is enough to get him on a rookie list at worst in my eyes. He is quick and has close to the best kick in the draft. Can easily kick a goal from 60m out and provides great rebounding out of the defensive zone.
Has a solid defensive game as well, I would not mind seeing if he could play that small forward role in the future.

88 Port Adelaide - PASS


89 Hawthorn - Ben Kelly

Pick 89 Hawthorn - Ben Kelly
203cm 100kg Murray

Bryan got picked just before my pick was about to come up so then i delayed this pick as i thought he might be available late, his form in the nableague was impressive early, i also was interested in seeing him play at the champs and an injury to Gaden allowed him the opportunity to play and i thought he did really well with his opportunities for the Allies, actually i felt the turning point for the Allies being competitive was when Kelly started throwing his weight around in the middle.

for Hawthorn we are in need of a ruck and with Kelly we get a 19 year old who has improved significantly in 12 months to put his name out there for selection, he is strong, decently athletic and has good form, also competes strongly in the ruck and is handy around the ground with good marking, he is a ready made player and can slot in as a backup straight away, the ultimate plug and play player who can walk into an AFL side in an emergency, which makes him a tempting option for us as we are in need of a back up ruck and he fits the mould perfectly, turns 20 before the season starts.

90 Essendon - PASS


91 Western Bulldogs - Jack Bell


92 Gold Coast - PASS


93 West Coast Eagles - Jye Clark

Pick 89. West Coast.

Jye Clark 179 cm .72 kg. Midfielder. Claremont.

Younger brother of Geelong's Jordan. Skilled midfielder who had some injury niggles through out the season that have hampered his production.
Was a member of the Claremont Colts Premiership team.
Showed enough during the season to suggest he has a skill set to maybe make it at the next level.

Realistically pick 93 is going to be a rookie spot not a main draft pick and as such I would be happy to take a punt on him.

The cupboard is getting pretty bare at this point in the selection process.

Pretty unhappy with what I have been able to pick up in this mock, that said I didn't have much in the way of picks to work with.

Went tantalising close to having what I would have considered a good mock had either of Ruscoe fallen two spots and Georgiardies fallen one spot, similarly I would have been more than happy to have had Ben Johnson fall another two spots.

Incidentally I think that Ben Johnson has the best foot skills in this cohort.

Have several names still on my list but , in all honesty , they all are long shots to make a list because they are real project / developmental type players.
One of which I will probably take next.

@Davo-27 Hawks are up if they still have any picks left.

94 Hawthorn - PASS


95 Geelong - Luke Partington

# 95 Geelong - Luke Partington / Glenelg / 181cm / 80kg

High end talent at junior level who had a great Championships and top age year who was recruited by WC but just couldn't snag a spot in that formidable Eagles midfield line up. To be fair it was a pretty tough midfield to get into so no shame in that. Post being delisted went back to SA and has gone onto win a Margarey medal at 22. Inside midfielder who does everything pretty well. The knock is there isn't a standout trick or attribute that he has. Little bit ike Kane Lambert for mine and have no doubt he is way to good for state footy and in the right team would walk into the 22 as an inside mid or even defensive forward type.

96 GWS - Pass


97 Richmond - PASS


98 Melbourne - Louis Butler

Louis Butler. 183 cm 74 kg. Small Defender. Sandringham Dragons.

Played in defence for Vic Metro and Sandy early in the year , in the latter stages of the season Sandy played him on the wing.
No standout feature but does most things well.
Pretty good decision maker and his disposal is good.
Has some AFL traits and could provide another better ball user option for the Dee defence.

99 Sydney - PASS


100 St Kilda - Leno Thomas

Thomas has not been a big stat winner throughout the colts season, but as a half back he is a disciplined player with good disposal and some leadership abilities. Highlight would undoubtedly be the spoil in the last quarter of the Colts finals to basically allow Claremont to hold on - just had that something said maybe he could work at the next level. Freo NGA developed.

101 Adelaide - Pass


102 Hawthorn - Pass


103 West Coast Eagles - Jack Buller

Come into the draft wanting to acquire a young developmental ruckman.
Buller fits that requirement.

He has in many ways been overshadowed by a few WA ruck draft prospects.
Obviously Luke Jackson has taken centre stage and his able sidekick Callum Jamieson has also garnered attention.

Buller played in the same WAFL Colts team and while Jamieson was the lead ruck , Buller was the more than capable back up.
The pair were able to share the 2019 WAFL Colts Premiership together as team mates.

Buller is held in high regard at Claremont and he does have a versatility that few emerging ruck / tall's have, in so much as he can and has already been played as a KPD , KPF and rucked.

It's his positional versatility that attracts and for his size he has good skills.
He has a good footy brain and brings teammates around him into the game.

With the likes of Jamieson, Comben and Bryan already off the board Buller was next on my list.
Considered Zac Patterson and I think at this stage of their football development Patterson is a better pure ruckman , but he doesn't do a lot after that by way of impacting general play.

Buller is a bit of a punt however from what I have watched and seen over the past two seasons , he has some traits that I can see being developed further and he might surprise.

104 Collingwood - Haidan Schloithe

Winning the 2017 Sandover Medal ahead of then teammate Tim Kelly, former Fremantle rookie Haiden Schloithe remains one of the best players outside the AFL. The classy 26-year-old midfielder/forward has averaged almost 26 disposals per game over the past three seasons while averaging more than one goal per game each year.

105 Geelong - Angus Hanrahan

Angus Hanrahan - Sandringham Dragons / 184cm / 76kg

Like this kid. Little surprised didn't go last year as has some real tricks but fair play there was a knock or two around elements of his game. Had a very good this year. Developed a bit more positional scope but has some real tricks at AFL level around his speed and skills. Best suited to HB and wing for mine. Get him hitting the ball at speed, he's clean and he makes good decisions and backs it up with his skill. There are areas to work on but nothing that cant be sorted in an AFL club environment. To good not to get a chance.

106 Melbourne - Jai Jackson


107 Sydney - PASS


108 St Kilda - Jed McEntee

Agile inside midfielder, he is a bit small (176cm) which will be held against him but can get a bit of the ball, moves okay and generally a good disposer. In the real thing more a rookie player, but the basis of an AFL midfielder is there, and you never know till they get in the system.

109 Adelaide - PASS


110 Collingwood - Jye Bolton

Winner of the 2016 and 2018 Sandover Medals for the WAFL’s fairest and best, Jye Bolton is a ready-to-go midfielder. The 27-year-old, former Collingwood rookie has averaged 29 disposals over the past four seasons. He can play inside or outside and remains one of the best midfielders outside the AFL.

111 St Kilda - Charlie Dean

Maybe he is more a key defender than a key forward, but he kicked a few goals this year and seems a good judge for a mark either end. I think he offers versatility within the frame of someone athletic enough to have some potential to be useful at AFL level.

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROUND 5

 

[Snoop Dog]

ROUND 6

 

[RUNVS]

Glad I am not the one deciding who the Swans will go with for pick 5 as I have narrowed it down to about 6 players.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Reserved for Rookie

 

[PMBangers]

If we could all agree not to bid on Tom Green it'd be much appreciated

 

[RUNVS]

I personally like the idea of a change in rules stating that instead of recruiting teams every poster over 500 posts on bigfooty in a single year gets put in a draw and if you are selected you get to be entirely in charge of the teams recruiting that year.

 

[briztoon]

If we could all agree not to bid on Tom Green it'd be much appreciated

I was genuinely considering it at pick 2. Seriously.

 

[RUNVS]

I was genuinely considering it at pick 2. Seriously.

No way would Gold Coast risk that.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

I personally like the idea of a change in rules stating that instead of recruiting teams every poster over 500 posts on bigfooty in a single year gets put in a draw and if you are selected you get to be entirely in charge of the teams recruiting that year.

Much rather have the serious draft watchers involved as is done currently, tbh. Club boards can run separate phantoms for broader involvement.

 

[Yojimbo]

If we could all agree not to bid on Tom Green it'd be much appreciated

Hypothetical question, who would you take at pick 6 if no bids before your first pick ?

 

[PMBangers]

Hypothetical question, who would you take at pick 6 if no bids before your first pick ?

No doubt, waste of a pick if I just take Green without matching a bid

 

[LemmingMaster]

It will be interesting to see how GWS trade up to get a pick before the Green bid.

 

[briztoon]

No way would Gold Coast risk that.

I know.

 

[HBF]

Will be watching this very closely as I do every year. Best of luck everyone

 

[Wearmouth65]

Will be watching this very closely as I do every year. Best of luck everyone

Would you believe GC has a salary cap squeeze they will not be able to afford 4 first round picks l. Comes from putting their first four draft picks on 500 k a year a couple of seasons ago

 

[Sleezy]

ROUND 4

59 - GWS
60 - GWS
61 - Essendon
62 - Collingwood
63 - Hawthorn
64 - Essendon
65 - Essendon - PASS
66 - Port Adelaide
67 - Port Adelaide
68 - Port Adelaide - PASS
69 - Fremantle
70 - Carlton
71 - Port Adelaide - PASS
72 - Brisbane - PASS
73 - North Melbourne
74 - Collingwood
75 - Richmond
76 - Sydney
77 - Richmond

Hi Snoop Dog . With the DFA pick-up of Buzza, I'm pretty sure Port has 36 on the main list (including rookie upgrades of Ladhams and Lienert), so 4 live picks. We'd be passing at 67 as well.

 

[briztoon]

I might be late on tomorrow.

I can make Gold Coasts first two picks tonight (no surprises who they are), and complete the write ups tomorrow.

Or I can pm Snoop Dog who the first two picks are.

 

[Jeremias]

Good luck to all involved. Will be watching with great interest, as per every year.

If you need help from any of the mods here just let us know.

Chris25 Lore Taylor Snuffaluphagus Mofra

 

[Monocle]

I might be late on tomorrow.

I can make Gold Coasts first two picks tonight (no surprises who they are), and complete the write ups tomorrow.

Or I can pm Snoop Dog who the first two picks are.

Just take them tonight, get the ball rolling.

Vested interest acknowledged...... as I have a pretty good idea ...... who the third player selected will be.

 

[briztoon]

Pick 1.
Gold Coast Suns select:
Matt Rowell (Inside Midfield)
1/7/01
180cm
78kg
Vic Metro & Oakleigh Chargers

Matt Rowell is the first player to achieve back to back best on ground performances in the NAB League Grand Final.

Rowell has the been the most consistent player across the U18 Australian Academy games, U18 Championships and NAB League this year.

Rowell wins the ball at the contest and then finds open teams mates to feed the ball out to by hand, or able to create time and separation to deliver pin pint kicks to team mates or advantage.

Rowell is also the best two running way midfielder in the draft class, and a strong tackler.

Rowell is as safe a pick as a team will find with the first pick in the draft. He will be ready to step in to the AFL environment from day one, and should be a best 22 from round 1 for Gold Coast.

The one concern that has been raised about Rowell is his height, or lack there of, where the current trend has been for teams looking for tall, big bodied mids able to bully their way inside the contest. But as Lachie Neale has shown during his career, their is still a place for small classy mids who are agile and able win their own ball under packs, and deliver to team mates on the outside.

Pick 2.
Gold Coast Suns select:
Noah Anderson (Inside/Outside Mid and Medium Forward)
17/2/01
191cm
87kg
Vic Metro & Oakleigh Chargers

Noah Anderson is that mid that all teams are looking for in the draft. The modern day 190cm+ tall mid, able to win the ball on the inside, spread from the contest and deliver the ball inside 50, and also has the ability to go forward and play as a strong marking medium forward.

While Matt Rowell will bring class and consistency to the Gold Coast midfield, Noah Anderson, in time, will bring match winning ability and excitement.

Anderson is a good endurance runner, and is perhaps best outside the contest where he can receive the ball and use his power running and long kick to best effect.

Anderson should benefit from beginning his career as a medium forward and outside mid at Gold Coast, before moving in to a more central role in a couple of seasons.

Long term, Anderson has the ability to become the more damaging player of Gold Coasts first two draftees from 2019.



There has been enough written by draft watchers in the media about Gold Coasts retention problems, and how pairing two best mates at the top of the draft should hopefully help in both forging long and successful careers in the Sunshine State.

If Gold Coasts draft classes of 2016, 2018 and 2019 reach their potential, the Suns will have a very formidable team in 3 to 4 years time. Add in another probable talented crop next year, and Gold Coast might supplant GWS as the most talented list in the AFL.


Snoop Dog writes up done.