Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2013 phantom draft

[paul scholes]

Also a willingness to take advantage of GWS' situations with the minidraft picks needing to be traded and now this year a key forward they probably don't have room for.

The other option for GWS could be to trade Patton on if Boyd is evaluated as the more likely to have a stronger career (this is my view - and with Patton having his knee troubles which I think will put him slightly behind all things said and done). And Patton will surely attract major currency being a recent former no.1 draft pick who still looks like he will become a monster so I can see as with Boyd he'd attract largely that same level of interest.

Food for thought anyway.

Wonder if they'd take a pick 3 ,4 or 5 for Patton?

 

[Knightmare]

Wonder if they'd take a pick 3 ,4 or 5 for Patton?

They'd probably want another asset in addition to a top 5 selection but I think they'd be open to offers with the talk about Franklin taking off as well as Boyd as the first overall selection.

 

[Yoda_]

Update: Knightmare

Liking the sound of Bontempelli with our first pick. More outside than inside? we could use a tall utility outside type and he seems to fit the bill.

Also updating out other needs bud

1 x ruckmen
1 x small forward
2 x inside/outside midfielders ((Jedd Clothier)
1 x medium forward (Jydon Neagle)
1 x small defender

And just a couple of other notes;

Keep an eye out for Jarred Moore (Werribee) to be given another chance at the top level. The guy is averaging close to 30 possessions for the Tigers and has been in the bests all but 9 times, his brother seems to think that 3 clubs have already spoken to him (Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles).
Mitch Woofindin despite his lean 178cm has been a standout for the 'Borough' this season. Ave. 27+ possessions per game and half a dozen handball receives. Does a bit without the ball (4 tackles a game) and the little things (blocks and sheppards) for his fellow onballers. At 178cm, i'm not so sure that could translate to AFL level though, he would need to clean up his kicking immensely IMO to be considered a rookie prospect.
Kane Lambert from the Northern Blues is one that Essendon are being linked to, another sub - 180cm VFL player who im not sure would translate to the top level. Pace is fairly good and has an impact on the scoreboard.

 

[Knightmare]

Update: Knightmare

Liking the sound of Bontempelli with our first pick. More outside than inside? we could use a tall utility outside type and he seems to fit the bill.

Also updating out other needs bud

1 x ruckmen
1 x small forward
2 x inside/outside midfielders ((Jedd Clothier)
1 x medium forward (Jydon Neagle)
1 x small defender

And just a couple of other notes;

Keep an eye out for Jarred Moore (Werribee) to be given another chance at the top level. The guy is averaging close to 30 possessions for the Tigers and has been in the bests all but 9 times, his brother seems to think that 3 clubs have already spoken to him (Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, West Coast Eagles).
Mitch Woofindin despite his lean 178cm has been a standout for the 'Borough' this season. Ave. 27+ possessions per game and half a dozen handball receives. Does a bit without the ball (4 tackles a game) and the little things (blocks and sheppards) for his fellow onballers. At 178cm, i'm not so sure that could translate to AFL level though, he would need to clean up his kicking immensely IMO to be considered a rookie prospect.
Kane Lambert from the Northern Blues is one that Essendon are being linked to, another sub - 180cm VFL player who im not sure would translate to the top level. Pace is fairly good and has an impact on the scoreboard.

Bontempelli is certainly more outside. More your tall outside runner. Probably not elite at any one thing but at his height and with his athleticism is one who intrigues if he continues developing.

Thanks for the notes on Moore.

Woofindin is a good one. Have been watching him for some time and has some serious hardness to him just putting his head over the footy and seems to be willing to do anything to win the footy. Just a shame his footskills aren't quite up to the required level but if he gets that right he's one any number of clubs should look at.

Lambert has a good shutdown game. Still young enough and with further improved form could also be an interesting one for a team looking for more a shutdown guy who accumulates at will.

 

[Chris25]

Update: Knightmare

Liking the sound of Bontempelli with our first pick. More outside than inside? we could use a tall utility outside type and he seems to fit the bill.

Bontempelli is certainly more outside. More your tall outside runner. Probably not elite at any one thing but at his height and with his athleticism is one who intrigues if he continues developing.

Bontempelli will play inside. Whether its next year or a couple of years down the track, he'll play inside. He is outside in the same sense that Watson and Pendlebury are outside. He can play that role, but it's not where his strength lies. At least, in my opinion.

 

[Yoda_]

Bontempelli is certainly more outside. More your tall outside runner. Probably not elite at any one thing but at his height and with his athleticism is one who intrigues if he continues developing.

Thanks for the notes on Moore.

Woofindin is a good one. Have been watching him for some time and has some serious hardness to him just putting his head over the footy and seems to be willing to do anything to win the footy. Just a shame his footskills aren't quite up to the required level but if he gets that right he's one any number of clubs should look at.

Lambert has a good shutdown game. Still young enough and with further improved form could also be an interesting one for a team looking for more a shutdown guy who accumulates at will.

Bontempelli must be doing something right for people to be mentioning him in the top - 20 bracket?

Does Woofindin remind you of a young Sam Mitchell? or was Mitchell more developed at the same age? (I know Mitchell won the Liston as a 21 y.o. Both inside, both with question marks over foot skills).

Lambert is 22, so not sure how high his ceiling of development is. As good as he has been, Essendon, I feel aren't in a position to be 'topping up' their list with mature aged guys but instead getting games into our nextgen of mids like Alex Browne, Mitch Gleeson, Jackson Merret etc.

Any ruckmen caught your eye of the u18's this year? notice the Tasweigan kid Nankervis dominated yesterday, would he be the no.1 ruckmen looked at this year? any other possibilities? Essendon I feel may head into the draft and look at one junior ruckmen despite the general consensus we will look at a mature aged backup to fill the void Hille will leave should he retire at years end.

 

[Yoda_]

Bontempelli will play inside. Whether its next year or a couple of years down the track, he'll play inside. He is outside in the same sense that Watson and Pendlebury are outside. He can play that role, but it's not where his strength lies. At least, in my opinion.

Kicking seems like a real strength of his though. Would that be a fair assessment? Does he play any inside at the moment?

 

[Rancid Trogs]

I agree with Yoda on Essendon's needs:

1 x ruckmen
1 x small forward
2 x inside/outside midfielders ((Jedd Clothier)
1 x medium forward (Jydon Neagle)
1 x small defender

What do people reckon the chances are of D.Garlett being the small forward, A.Heppell the small defender and the 2nd inside/outside midfielder being a player we take with our first pick (potentially Bontempelli, Salem or the best talented mid available - whoever that may be)?

I feel the ruckman should be a project player - young and raw (so a later pick) but with upside.

Also, what are the chances of Billings or Lennon being available at pick 11 - 14 (where I believe we will end up come seasons end)?

 

[Yoda_]

I agree with Yoda on Essendon's needs:

1 x ruckmen
1 x small forward
2 x inside/outside midfielders ((Jedd Clothier)
1 x medium forward (Jydon Neagle)
1 x small defender

What do people reckon the chances are of D.Garlett being the small forward, A.Heppell the small defender and the 2nd inside/outside midfielder being a player we take with our first pick (potentially Bontempelli, Salem or the best talented mid available - whoever that may be)?

I feel the ruckman should be a project player - young and raw (so a later pick) but with upside.

Also, what are the chances of Billings or Lennon being available at pick 11 - 14 (where I believe we will end up come seasons end)?

With so many top end smalls available, would not surprise me to see us pick a small with our first round pick. Imagine a Billy Hartung, James Tsitas, Jack Billings at the feet of Joe Daniher and Michael Hurley? Would be immense and could give us that versatility to run through the midfield.


Knightmare Chris25 is there many utility types Essendon could look at later in the draft? Maybe that outside goal kicking tall midfielder mould?

 

[Yoda_]

Also interested to see where Josh Scott goes in this years draft after significantly improving this year and cominating the goal kicking thus far

 

[Knightmare]

With so many top end smalls available, would not surprise me to see us pick a small with our first round pick. Imagine a Billy Hartung, James Tsitas, Jack Billings at the feet of Joe Daniher and Michael Hurley? Would be immense and could give us that versatility to run through the midfield.


Knightmare Chris25 is there many utility types Essendon could look at later in the draft? Maybe that outside goal kicking tall midfielder mould?

Louis Herbert is one you should be looking at. Versatile tall who has elevated his game this year. High production, strong mark and can play wing/forward/back and do so to a high standard. One to watch for 2nd/3rd round.

Billings when played forward is more a Jimmy Bartel who is more your marking target than a crumber with his skills absolutely elite.
Tsitas is more a midfielder - probably something close to a Mitch Wallis where he's a high production guy with inside and outside ability.
Hartung is more your Brent Harvey who can play forward or midfield. He's one where if you can get over his lack of height is a ripper who finds it so easily but then does damage as an outside runner who goes all day, has pace and does damage.

Bontempelli must be doing something right for people to be mentioning him in the top - 20 bracket?

Does Woofindin remind you of a young Sam Mitchell? or was Mitchell more developed at the same age? (I know Mitchell won the Liston as a 21 y.o. Both inside, both with question marks over foot skills).

Lambert is 22, so not sure how high his ceiling of development is. As good as he has been, Essendon, I feel aren't in a position to be 'topping up' their list with mature aged guys but instead getting games into our nextgen of mids like Alex Browne, Mitch Gleeson, Jackson Merret etc.

Any ruckmen caught your eye of the u18's this year? notice the Tasweigan kid Nankervis dominated yesterday, would he be the no.1 ruckmen looked at this year? any other possibilities? Essendon I feel may head into the draft and look at one junior ruckmen despite the general consensus we will look at a mature aged backup to fill the void Hille will leave should he retire at years end.

Bontempelli does some freakish things with his athleticism and has grown some. I'd like to see more first though. In my top 20 but I just haven't seen him beyond his athleticism show any really elite traits to this point. He reminds me more than anything of Goldsack as that tall athletic type but probably more a midfield version.

Mitchell is more skilled than Woofindin and always was which is the difference, even then when it wasn't recognised.

Nankervis is a good one, has some Levi Casboult to him as an athletic forward who can play some ruck. For young ruckmen Darcy Cameron is the better one and someone who could be had mid-late draft.

 

[Knightmare]

Also interested to see where Josh Scott goes in this years draft after significantly improving this year and cominating the goal kicking thus far

Josh Scott is going well. As a late draft selection is well worth a shot. A team like the Dogs could do worse.

He's a short key forward but when you're that dominant there's always a position for them.
Better than taking a shot at a tall key forward who hasn't done anything.

I'm encouraged by his improvement as with Herbert who in the TAC is probably that other big impover of those who were on the radar last year.

 

[Yoda_]

Louis Herbert is one you should be looking at. Versatile tall who has elevated his game this year. High production, strong mark and can play wing/forward/back and do so to a high standard. One to watch for 2nd/3rd round.

Billings when played forward is more a Jimmy Bartel who is more your marking target than a crumber with his skills absolutely elite.
Tsitas is more a midfielder - probably something close to a Mitch Wallis where he's a high production guy with inside and outside ability.
Hartung is more your Brent Harvey who can play forward or midfield. He's one where if you can get over his lack of height is a ripper who finds it so easily but then does damage as an outside runner who goes all day, has pace and does damage.[quote/]

Can the guys mentioned crumb off the packs? ultimately that is what everyone would love from their small forwards, the guys who can hit the packs at pace and impact the scoreboard each week, apply 3 - 5 tackles I50 and hand off a couple as well. #amiaskingtomuch

Nankervis is a good one, has some Levi Casboult to him as an athletic forward who can play some ruck. For young ruckmen Darcy Cameron is the better one and someone who could be had mid-late draft.

I'd seriously look at those two, projected range?

 

[Chris25]

Any ruckmen caught your eye of the u18's this year? notice the Tasweigan kid Nankervis dominated yesterday, would he be the no.1 ruckmen looked at this year? any other possibilities? Essendon I feel may head into the draft and look at one junior ruckmen despite the general consensus we will look at a mature aged backup to fill the void Hille will leave should he retire at years end.

I still don't see Nankervis as being the top guy, useful backup as a #2 ruckman though. Will need to have an impact up forward to make it at the next level. As Knightmare said, Darcy Cameron is the top ruck prospect in this draft. I'd probably have Scott Jones from WA next, unfortunately he has had injury problems this year. And even he isn't a certainty to be drafted, let alone have a decent AFL career. Otherwise, I like Peter Steffe as a rookie choice and Peter Nelson as a mature aged recruit.

Kicking seems like a real strength of his though. Would that be a fair assessment? Does he play any inside at the moment?

Kicking, strength, endurance and general smarts would be his best attributes. He hasn't played consistently inside yet, but when he has he has shown what he can do. Someone like Fyfe never really played inside all that much in the U18s, but his contested game is amazing now.

 

[Knightmare]

As a crumber Jay Kennedy-Harris is the one you want. Has played midfield this year but he's your natural crumber.

Of those you spoke about Hartung could crumb.

Billings as a forward I've only seen as a primary target. For school (Scotch) in the games I've seen has played as a genuine full forward who just beats everyone in 1v1 contests marking everything and converting from every set shot he goes for. But he's just as good through the midfield as a Dal Santo type who just uses it so well.

Tsitas is just a midfielder. If you draft him you don't play him forward. He's only played through the midfield. Last year he was more outside. This year he's more complete with the inside game also there now.

Nankervis and D.Cameron are more late selections. If you want them you should be able to get them in the 3rd round.

 

[Yoda_]

I still don't see Nankervis as being the top guy, useful backup as a #2 ruckman though. Will need to have an impact up forward to make it at the next level. As Knightmare said, Darcy Cameron is the top ruck prospect in this draft. I'd probably have Scott Jones from WA next, unfortunately he has had injury problems this year. And even he isn't a certainty to be drafted, let alone have a decent AFL career. Otherwise, I like Peter Steffe as a rookie choice and Peter Nelson as a mature aged recruit.

Im not sure if Essendon will go after a true ruckmen or that 2nd ruck men cum forward despite us picking up Joe.

 

[Chris25]

Nankervis and D.Cameron are more late selections. If you want them you should be able to get them in the 3rd round.

I'm not so sure Cameron is a late selection...

Knightmare Chris25 is there many utility types Essendon could look at later in the draft? Maybe that outside goal kicking tall midfielder mould?

Lewis Fitzgerald from Oakleigh is one I'd look at. James Sicily is more of a half forward, but is another name for you. Even Nick Favretto later in the draft.

Otherwise, James Battersby as a small defender/inside midfielder would be worth a look for Essendon. Sean Lemmens is proving he can shut his opponent out, as well as provide drive off of half back. And in terms of a smaller, crumbing forward there are plenty of them in SA - Bates, Karpany, Fantasia. Knight, Wilson and Spina as your midfielders/small forwards too. Why would you even bother looking at any other state?

 

[Gorms33]

G'Day Knightmare,

Great job with doing a phantom draft this early.
Just wondering what do you think of Darcy Hourgian and Johnathon Marsh? Who do you think will be a better forward and kick more goals?

 

[raro]

Kicking seems like a real strength of his though. Would that be a fair assessment? Does he play any inside at the moment?

Can also gut run like Issac Smith from the Hawks, he has a massive tank and he does have extremely good foot skills, has one of the better left foots.
Plays anywhere between the flanks for Marcellin, whether its back forward or in the middle. He had around 50 disposals and kicked 10 goals for them against a side a few weeks ago. Would love to see him at Essendon with our first pick, would really give us some linebreaking pace and with the skills he has he could really set us up as the linkman.

 

[Knightmare]

G'Day Knightmare,

Great job with doing a phantom draft this early.
Just wondering what do you think of Darcy Hourgian and Johnathon Marsh? Who do you think will be a better forward and kick more goals?

Marsh I feel is largely overrated by the media at the moment. Recent talk has been of him going not only first round but top 10 which is incredible for a short key forward. My expectation is that he slips into the second round somewhere. He's pretty similar as an undersized athletic forward to Mason Wood last year with similar athleticism, marking ability and versatility at that height. He looks best suited up the ground perhaps as an athletic half forward so I wouldn't say he's going to kick bags for you.

Hourigan is another who could land in the second round and is a more powerful, deeper marking forward who more likely will hit the scoreboard as this years Tim Membrey.

Hourigan is the better forward with Marsh more a versatile tall who is better suited up the field.

 

[themightydoggies]

What's your top 5 right now anyone?

 

[Spitter9]

Where would you have like McDonald in last years draft? Would he have cracked that top 5 if he was drafted last year?

 

[Punchy Demons]

KM, in your opinion, with the recent talk that Melb may receive a priority pick (HS article today suggesting #1 pick), do Melb take best available players with possible #1 & #3 (as per current ladder position) or just two best mids which is clearly the area we lack most in.

If it is the two mids, what is the gap ability/potential wise between Boyd (widely regarded #1) & that said second midfielder?

Thanks in advance.

 

[raro]

KM, how has Sam Heavyside been going so far this year?
Is he a chance for a late pick or even a rookie pick?

 

[Knightmare]

Where would you have like McDonald in last years draft? Would he have cracked that top 5 if he was drafted last year?

McDonald would have gone top 5-8 last year which is probably largely what he is viewed as again this year.

KM, in your opinion, with the recent talk that Melb may receive a priority pick (HS article today suggesting #1 pick), do Melb take best available players with possible #1 & #3 (as per current ladder position) or just two best mids which is clearly the area we lack most in.

If it is the two mids, what is the gap ability/potential wise between Boyd (widely regarded #1) & that said second midfielder?

Thanks in advance.

If that was to be the case and Melbourne received pick 1 + 3 I'd go Boyd and take the best available mids from there.

The is no quick fix for Melbourne so it's all about drafting best available and getting the best talents available and Boyd fits in that category.

After Boyd it's really seen as there being no clear no.2 selection. Is it Aish? Is it Scharenberg? I wouldn't class either as being Boyd dominant and Scharenberg is more of a flanker so I'd go the dominant big regardless of need because he is the better footballer.

The other option of course is putting that pick 1 up for trade and seeing who bites. I suggest Gold Coast with their young assets would have the ability to put forward a pretty handy deal. I know I'd be looking at a deal for David Swallow and another piece if that option came up.