Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2010 Mock Draft

[Knightmare]

Love your work Knightmare, your analysis has been fantastic for those of us who know little about the youngsters.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the Swan's picks

Thanks Caj.

Really good draft for Sydney and I think they were one of the real "winners" of this draft.

Lamb at 21 is considered to be a fairly good pick by most. I think this is around his value. I'm not a huge fan of taking forwards with early selections, but I think Sydney think in the future he could become a rotation mid/forward. Should have a fairly immediate impact being a forward and could pretty easily play 10 games which would be a great return from a pick in the 20s. His real strengths are his kicking for goal and field kicking.

Parker at 40 is a fantastic selection and I think again another player who is good enough to play from season 1 because he is ready to play, could just as easily have gone top 20. Maybe slightly questionable upside but was clearly inside the top 30-35 bracket in this draft and at 40 is an out and out bargain. If injury hits the Swans midfield this kid is likely to be one of the first guys to come up as a potential replacement. While Parker is ready now, probably season 2 we will start to see him player fairly regularly with likely a couple of games in season 1. I think he will develop into a very productive midfielder and have a very long career, which from pick 40 is what you want in any draft.

Alex Johnson at 57 is another nice selection. Probably around his value and I know a couple of clubs in that range had interest. Johnson feels a little between positions because while he can play KPP, he can just as comfortably play as a mid. Feels a little undersized for a KPP. Will take time and don't expect him to play before season 3, but if he puts on size well and works hard which I think there is a chance he can break into this team but at this stage it's really unclear and probably by the end of season 2 it should become more clear.

Matthew Spangher is a really interesting selection and I don't mind it for Sydney. If it was any other club I would probably say "if keen get him as a rookie" which might have been a possibility, but the thing with Sydney is that Sydney have the ability to get the best out of players and really build up a players durability for really long careers. I think there is a chance that Spangher might work out.

All in all pretty much all the picks were around the right value, Spangher possibly could have been taken as a rookie. Parker at 40 is an out and out bargain and the reason I really like this draft for Sydney. Should develop into a more than handy midfielder who I think will have a very long career.

 

[db26]

Hi there have you got any info on Ben Jakobi.Thanks

 

[Knightmare]

Hi there have you got any info on Ben Jakobi.Thanks

Overage medium forward. Likely missed out last year. Haven't seen him play, but my observation of Richmond is that they had little confidence in the strength of the rookie draft given the pretty heavy recycling, amongst the more interesting choices were Miller and Hislop who I feel are depth players more than anything. Given Richmond is a young team trying to form a strong young neucleus (or should be) I found this rather puzzling.

But taking Jakobi at 11, pretty early in the rookie draft, it feels like Richmond might have committed to him pretty early along with the recycled players.

Good value? Probably not and I would have though he might have been available at a later selection.

We'll have to wait and see what Jakobi develops into.

 

[db26]

Overage medium forward. Likely missed out last year. Haven't seen him play, but my observation of Richmond is that they had little confidence in the strength of the rookie draft given the pretty heavy recycling, amongst the more interesting choices were Miller and Hislop who I feel are depth players more than anything. Given Richmond is a young team trying to form a strong young neucleus (or should be) I found this rather puzzling.

But taking Jakobi at 11, pretty early in the rookie draft, it feels like Richmond might have committed to him pretty early along with the recycled players.

Good value? Probably not and I would have though he might have been available at a later selection.

We'll have to wait and see what Jakobi develops into.

It seems like we have been tracking him for a while this kid,but has had injury issues.With Miller his role is more of a mentor role and backup and help the yound guys at Coburg , as our list is so young and we lack big bodys as Post,Vickery and Griffths are developing and in case Riewolt goes down.هIn that perspective I'm ok with that as long as he doesnt take games away from them.Hislop dont agree with should be gone.Feel sorry for Darcy Barden.

 

[db26]

Found this on Jakobi sounds interesting.

Tigers have kept eyes on Jakobi
By Mic Cullen
Tue 07 Dec, 2010

BEN JAKOBI might be an unknown to most of the football world, but Richmond has been monitoring his progress for years.

The Tigers took Jakobi with their first pick in the 2011 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (pick 11 overall), and even the AFL web site was caught out, with no photo and few statistics on the 186cm rebounding defender.

But Tigers recruiting manager Francis Jackson said that the 19-year-old had been on his radar for years.
.....

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/105994/default.aspx

 

[Knightmare]

It seems like we have been tracking him for a while this kid,but has had injury issues.With Miller his role is more of a mentor role and backup and help the yound guys at Coburg , as our list is so young and we lack big bodys as Post,Vickery and Griffths are developing and in case Riewolt goes down.هIn that perspective I'm ok with that as long as he doesnt take games away from them.Hislop dont agree with should be gone.Feel sorry for Darcy Barden.

Barden is another case of Serhat Temel, it's pretty sad considering the fantastic year he had, but let's hope he has a strong year at VFL level to stay on the minds of recruiters. Never felt he would go in the national draft, but certainly deserving of a position on a rookie list.

Found this on Jakobi sounds interesting.



http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/105994/default.aspx

Interesting story to read.

Melbourne had their hearts set on Daniel Nicholson with their 1st selection so I'm not really sure if there was much danger, but with the rookie draft, if you like a player, you take him where you know they'll be available. Richmond clearly didn't think he would be available later, so they took him with their 1st selection which is understandable. Will be interesting to see whether he develops or not.

If I was drafting for Richmond I would have been tempted to wait till 28 if keen and move the recycled players back a pick, because again no real danger of them getting taken. Then maybe take a chance on Josh Jenkins or Brad Harvey, or someone else they liked.

Loved the Richmond drafting in 2009 and thought at the time they probably had one of the best drafts, but in 2010 haven't been super impressed with either draft overall. Melbourne same, great draft in 2009, but in 2010 not super impressed overall.

 

[db26]

Agree with you there 2009 was a super draft for us and for me it will build us a longway in the future and it's Dimma's corner stone.Martin we knew was a gun,Griffths super talent just has to get his body right,Astbury by far my favourite is a natural footballl with huge upside done know were he will settle tho back or forward?? and then there is Dea,Nason and Taylor.Taylor is a work in progress but if he is on the tigers list in 2 years time he will be a talent so much skill and silk.

Even young Grimes showed a bit in his games this year and I think will play alot more in 2011 along with Hicks.Young Westoff I like to do you know much about him.

 

[Knightmare]

Agree with you there 2009 was a super draft for us and for me it will build us a longway in the future and it's Dimma's corner stone.Martin we knew was a gun,Griffths super talent just has to get his body right,Astbury by far my favourite is a natural footballl with huge upside done know were he will settle tho back or forward?? and then there is Dea,Nason and Taylor.Taylor is a work in progress but if he is on the tigers list in 2 years time he will be a talent so much skill and silk.

Even young Grimes showed a bit in his games this year and I think will play alot more in 2011 along with Hicks.Young Westoff I like to do you know much about him.

I looked at the 09 draft a little differently for Richmond at the time.

Martin I felt probably would have the greatest impact in season 1 of last years draft given Richmond at the time were considered the lowest rated team coming into the season. Physically he had really developed allot and really looked pretty right to go. His output didn't surprise me in the slightest. Locked him along with Bastinac into my midfield in sc/dt from round 1.

Griffiths was probably the selection I wasn't super keen on at the time. It was the right value and he was taken around the right spot. Has talent no doubt, but really feared for him from a durability standpoint. I chronically under rated players who have had injury issues which had allot to do with me having Griffiths outside of my top 30, though I did expect him to go from 15+.

Astbury wasn't a bad one and again was probably around the right value. Really looks good and probably has surprised me a little in just how much potential he has shown. I projected him as more of a key position defender and I'm going to stick with that one. In forwards really look for a standout quality, and Astbury probably doesn't quite have that to even become a star forward. But I don't think he will have allot of trouble developing into a very good key position defender.

Matt Dea was a selection that while I didn't have him that high on my list, it impressed me. I really value players who come from other sporting backgrounds and given just how well he tested I thought there would be allot to work with. Basketball players often have the ability to read and see the play well before it happens. Exactly the type of player Richmond should be taking the chance on.

Troy Taylor was my draft favourite and felt pretty bummed he didn't slide to Collingwood. The kid has star potential and in the right environment with the right support he can be whatever he wants to be. He's made some mistakes as we all know but I rated him a top 15 talent from that draft and is exactly the type of guy again who you need to take the chance on, because if he does reach his potential, he could be a very, very good forward.

Webberley I knew allot more about than Nason and thought he would get some opportunities in season 1. Had heard some great things about him and no surprise he has looked solid so far.

Nason though was a really nice surprise. Didn't really have him on the radar given I don't follow the SANFL as much as I should, but well exceeded anyones expectations it's fair to see.


Overall a really fantastic draft and probably on reflection Griffiths is probably still the only player I would still class as questionable, even though there are very high hopes.

This year being the strong draft it is almost surprising I don't have the same optimism for Richmond. Really only see Conca and Batchelor developing of those taken in the national draft.
If any others develop into AFL quality players I would be pleasantly surprised. Helbig is probably the better of the rest and in fairness is probably not bad either.