Very brief mind you. An over view of the 2004 draft:
This was a flaky draft, not unlike 2000 but with a greater number of identified quality players at the top end. I think there were a number of serious bargains and wouldn't be surprised if more good AFL players emerge
Will be TOP SHELF i.e. household names
DELEDIO, Brett (1) [Ric] Dynamic 6/2" onballer / utility. Great range of attributes. Exciting, versatile.
TAMBLING, Richard (4) [Ric] Vanilla-size excitement machine. !
I rate Griffen and Junior Smith as complete packages, although Deledio and Tambling are almost complete. There was no “complete package” gimme last year. At this stage at least, Griffen's kicking is more reliable than Deledio or Tambling but I rate my top 4 in virtually the same bracket. I believe all are capable of reaching genuinely top-bracket status in the AFL.
(Order: Griffen, Deledio, Smith, Tambling, Thomson, Roughead, Franklin, Wood)
VERY SKINNY BUT genuine AFL potential .... if (!) they can bulk up sufficiently
LIMBACH, Dean (52) [Ric] Versatile marking tall. Shown great promise but only in cameo. Officially has a 6cm reach disadvantage but, if he wasn't so damn skinny or I could be sure he could bulk up enough, he'd definitely be in the group above.
EARLY PICK QUERIES – I wouldn’t be that surprised if they make it but I have concerns whereas many people would label them "definite" or nearly so:
POLO, Dean (20) [Ric] Fearless, 187cm determined goer who plays tallish. Skinny but he's someone who can probably get away with not being as bulky as other players. I greatly admire his style of play (aggressive at both man and ball) and he is clean but, although he is genuinely dual-sided, his kicking action and flailing running style really need a lot of work.
These caused me MUCH ANGST IN ASSESSING
PATTISON, Adam (16) [Ric] Rapidly-improving 198cm utility. At U18 level, I really admire Adam. My problem in assessing his AFL potential lies in determining a specific AFL role for him and I kept dropping him down in my rankings accordingly, settling at 42. Is he a jack of all trades etc? I'm not sure he has the class for CHF and he was starved of sufficient opportunities in the ruck at U18 level to get a confident handle on his AFL rucking potential. I suspect he will make AFL, I find heaps of attributes to like in him, but I wouldn't be altogether surprised one way or the other.
BARGAINS (Late picks i.e. >40, excluding F/S, who could belie their draft position)
LIMBACH, Dean
http://www.voy.com/51976/2983.html
This was a flaky draft, not unlike 2000 but with a greater number of identified quality players at the top end. I think there were a number of serious bargains and wouldn't be surprised if more good AFL players emerge
Will be TOP SHELF i.e. household names
DELEDIO, Brett (1) [Ric] Dynamic 6/2" onballer / utility. Great range of attributes. Exciting, versatile.
TAMBLING, Richard (4) [Ric] Vanilla-size excitement machine. !
I rate Griffen and Junior Smith as complete packages, although Deledio and Tambling are almost complete. There was no “complete package” gimme last year. At this stage at least, Griffen's kicking is more reliable than Deledio or Tambling but I rate my top 4 in virtually the same bracket. I believe all are capable of reaching genuinely top-bracket status in the AFL.
(Order: Griffen, Deledio, Smith, Tambling, Thomson, Roughead, Franklin, Wood)
VERY SKINNY BUT genuine AFL potential .... if (!) they can bulk up sufficiently
LIMBACH, Dean (52) [Ric] Versatile marking tall. Shown great promise but only in cameo. Officially has a 6cm reach disadvantage but, if he wasn't so damn skinny or I could be sure he could bulk up enough, he'd definitely be in the group above.
EARLY PICK QUERIES – I wouldn’t be that surprised if they make it but I have concerns whereas many people would label them "definite" or nearly so:
POLO, Dean (20) [Ric] Fearless, 187cm determined goer who plays tallish. Skinny but he's someone who can probably get away with not being as bulky as other players. I greatly admire his style of play (aggressive at both man and ball) and he is clean but, although he is genuinely dual-sided, his kicking action and flailing running style really need a lot of work.
These caused me MUCH ANGST IN ASSESSING
PATTISON, Adam (16) [Ric] Rapidly-improving 198cm utility. At U18 level, I really admire Adam. My problem in assessing his AFL potential lies in determining a specific AFL role for him and I kept dropping him down in my rankings accordingly, settling at 42. Is he a jack of all trades etc? I'm not sure he has the class for CHF and he was starved of sufficient opportunities in the ruck at U18 level to get a confident handle on his AFL rucking potential. I suspect he will make AFL, I find heaps of attributes to like in him, but I wouldn't be altogether surprised one way or the other.
BARGAINS (Late picks i.e. >40, excluding F/S, who could belie their draft position)
LIMBACH, Dean
http://www.voy.com/51976/2983.html