Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2014 Phantom Draft

[Grockadoc]

If I could bother you, Knightmare, what are your thoughts on the Tigers draft? I was a little pissed we passed on Weller as I thought pace was something we needed, but the additions of Menadue, Drummond and Butler more than make up for it, and McKenzie at 77 has the potential to be the steal of the draft.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Wow ... Good call on Lonie

 

[x_les_x]

Hey KM I know your pretty busy with all the post draft discussion, just wanted to ask for current player comparisons to those port has just picked up?

Also well done on your phantom

 

[Magpiesweloveu]

Knightmare....stoked to get DeGoey and Maynard, addresses competitiveness and can hit the scoreboard. I don't know much about Goodyear.
I hope Pies rookie Peter Bampton or a Tyler Keitel or a Josh Glenn. Your thoughts on who we rookie? I have a feeling you will say Nic Newman
As we have adressed competiveness and tackling, I feel other weaknesses are small, smartgoal kickers aand efficient kickers. Which two or three would you suggest?

 

[chaelsonnen]

I really like Essendon, Saints, Freo and too a slightly lesser extent Richmond's draft hauls tonight. Well done guys

 

[Punchy Demons]

Essendon and Melbourne for me had the best draft. In picking Laverde and Langford Essendon scored two genuine top 10 quality selections. Melbourne with Petracca, Brayshaw, Neal-Bullen, Stretch, O.McDonald nailed every pick for me and did very well.

Very happy with our selections on paper. Petracca & Brayshaw always considered top 3 picks, Neal-Bullen & McDonald seemed to be sliders that represent great value at the pick they were taken along with addressing needs. Stretch as FS at 42 also seems great value too along with being an outside mid.

We just need to develop them which has been our Achilles heel for the last 8 years!

 

[Knightmare]

If I could bother you, Knightmare, what are your thoughts on the Tigers draft? I was a little pissed we passed on Weller as I thought pace was something we needed, but the additions of Menadue, Drummond and Butler more than make up for it, and McKenzie at 77 has the potential to be the steal of the draft.

The summary is Ellis adds some skill. Higher than I would have taken him myself but he can have a long term career with the class he adds which is still good enough.

Menadue is a strong get and a guy you'll love to watch. His sidestep, explosiveness but then footskills as well. He has as much wow factor as pretty much anyone in the draft. Skinny so he'll take time but had a BIG final to conclude the season and good value at 32. He isn't a sure thing but the kind of guy where if he puts on some more size and improves the contested side to his game could become an absolute monster.

Drummond went about where expected. Can win it inside. Overager. Exceptionally athletic and explosive and has an ideal pace/endurance combination. Decision making and ball use can lack some consistency. But in the 50s few are perfect. If he cleans things up he may develop.

Butler has exceptional pace and agility and can really take guys on but is another where he needs to clean up his footskills if he wants to make it with some inconsistencies there.

R.McKenzie for me is the bargain of the draft. I had him at 6 on my draft board to put it in perspective and only behind Moore and McCartin as key forwards (just). He has the scope to be the best in this draft class if things go right so I'm really excited to see long term how good he can become. Don't expect an impact early, as a big guy he will take time adjusting to bigger bodies, but give him his 4+ years and he could take the mantle from Jack Riewoldt as that go to forward in the front half.

It's a real x-factor theme overall with Ellis for his skills then Menadue, Drummond and Butler who are all terrific athletes and R.McKenzie as a potential monster up front. Overall a good draft, mostly due to the Reece McKenzie factor for me anyway with Menadue for where he was picked that other guy I relatively like considering where he was picked.

 

[Knightmare]

Wow ... Good call on Lonie

Lucky guesswork after a re-shuffle.

Hey KM I know your pretty busy with all the post draft discussion, just wanted to ask for current player comparisons to those port has just picked up?

Also well done on your phantom

Howard - Similar quality to Jack Redpath.
Austin - Similar quality Henry Schade.
Palmer - A poor man's Membrey.

I'm not going to get you over-excited by late draft KPPs. But Howard and Austin both still relatively have some scope to improve so while they're projects they are guys where they could plausibly surprise. Palmer I'm not as high on as an undersized key forward who is reasonable without being spectacular up front as an undersized forward who is probably more a 3rd tall at the next level.

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare....stoked to get DeGoey and Maynard, addresses competitiveness and can hit the scoreboard. I don't know much about Goodyear.
I hope Pies rookie Peter Bampton or a Tyler Keitel or a Josh Glenn. Your thoughts on who we rookie? I have a feeling you will say Nic Newman
As we have adressed competiveness and tackling, I feel other weaknesses are small, smartgoal kickers aand efficient kickers. Which two or three would you suggest?

I would love Bampton as a rookie. I would have taken R.McKenzie at 75 but Bampton is the one guy who went undrafted that I'm really bullish about.

If I could get Bampton, Glenn and Fordham they would probably be my three in the rookie draft I'd most want. Nic Newman unlucky number four on that list of leftovers based on my power rankings but he'd be firmly on my shortlist and if one of those others are gone then he would be straight in there as a very good immediate back flanker who improved out of his mind this year.

Very happy with our selections on paper. Petracca & Brayshaw always considered top 3 picks, Neal-Bullen & McDonald seemed to be sliders that represent great value at the pick they were taken along with addressing needs. Stretch as FS at 42 also seems great value too along with being an outside mid.

We just need to develop them which has been our Achilles heel for the last 8 years!

That's the key. You can identify terrific talent but if you can't develop them, not much will happen and that will be the challenge going forward for Melbourne.

 

[Turbocat]

KM , thoughts on the Wells call on Cockatoo ?

 

[strauchnyy]

KM, can you give your thoughts on Gregson and Cunico (I can't find a profile on them on your phantom draft). Gregson looks like a ripper from his highlights but is hardly mentioned on these boards. Reminds me of ben kennedy.

Also, do you think Gore has the tools to make it? seems like a solid but nothing outstanding type of player with no real weapons.

Lastly with Cockatoo, was he such a highly rates player prior to his injury or did he just come out of nowhere? In otherwords, was he viewd as a likely top pick prior to injury displaying what we saw in the allys match at a young age? Would he have been a top 5 pick without injury?

 

[Aussiemac82]

Was about to ask the same thing turbo haha

 

[fronkalicious]

Hi km

Massive thanks once again.

Can you tell me more about Declan Hamilton and Bailey Dale? Dalrymple never ceases to surprise.

 

[SumTingWong]

Seems to be a few good prospects available in the rookie draft?

 

[The German Hunter]

About to take the toaster in the bath.... Can't believe hawks didn't take lamb.
Hawks to get wilkenson or Evans in the rookie draft?

 

[Knightmare]

KM , thoughts on the Wells call on Cockatoo ?

I like it and great environment for Cockatoo to go with Geelong's history of developing talent. Geelong needed an injection of pace having got some talls through trade week so while I didn't expect it a week ago I get the theory behind it with Cockatoo's talent if things go right potentially among the absolute best in this draft with his clean skills, clean hands, incredible explosive pace but then some ball winning ability and ability to read the ruck taps.

KM, can you give your thoughts on Gregson and Cunico (I can't find a profile on them on your phantom draft). Gregson looks like a ripper from his highlights but is hardly mentioned on these boards. Reminds me of ben kennedy.

Also, do you think Gore has the tools to make it? seems like a solid but nothing outstanding type of player with no real weapons.

Lastly with Cockatoo, was he such a highly rates player prior to his injury or did he just come out of nowhere? In otherwords, was he viewd as a likely top pick prior to injury displaying what we saw in the allys match at a young age? Would he have been a top 5 pick without injury?

Gregson is short but a very hard, contested ball winning small mid. Well performed and has a real go. 47 is probably a little earlier than I would have gone but in saying that I don't mind it either. He is someone where you actively notice his ball winning and hardness inside so when you're that noticeable in there you're doing something right with those inside types often harder to spot inside. Gregson isn't as explosive as Ben Kennedy and isn't as penetrating a kick but has a similar inside game otherwise as more an inside guy who outside the contest won't find as much of it.

Cunico is an outside linebreaker. Footskills not as good as I'd like and he isn't a contested ball winner but can still find some outside ball and provide some good run and carry on a wing.

Hi km

Massive thanks once again.

Can you tell me more about Declan Hamilton and Bailey Dale? Dalrymple never ceases to surprise.

Declan Hamilton is a very skillful small forward. Light bodied forward but has a nice vision and footskills combination. Has some talent but has also had some poor games that I've seen.

Bailey Dale is another outside type. Another light bodied guy and again a pretty good skillset and moves well.

It's a real outside theme for WBD and with a focus also heavily on improving footskills.

The additions I really like are Toby McLean and Caleb Daniel. Both short but McLean as a forward is not unlike Collingwood's Jamie Elliott, perhaps not as strong but similar athlete and can do similar things. Then Caleb Daniel just runs all day and is such a consistently good user of the ball. They're the two of that bunch I'd be getting excited about.

Seems to be a few good prospects available in the rookie draft?

Bampton is the best of those to miss out and he is a guy I project to make it at the next level, such is my liking for his game. Josh Glenn, Will Fordham, Nic Newman, Brett Turner, Billy Evans, Brenden Abbott, Garrett McDonagh and Billy Gowers are among those I still like of those leftovers.

About to take the toaster in the bath.... Can't believe hawks didn't take lamb.
Hawks to get wilkenson or Evans in the rookie draft?

Billy Evans from reports is one on Hawthorn's radar so if there I think he will be in the mix.

Wilkinson I have no information on regarding who likes/doesn't like his game.

Lamb while freakish with some of the things he can do will drive you nuts. For your sanity it's probably not an entirely bad thing Hawthorn passed. Passing on Connor Blakely is more the one I would have taken at 33 instead as a dominant tall midfielder.

 

[nottenthagain]

The Swans picked up a bloke who didn't make your final phantom but was on earlier versions.... if you have his bio floating around could you lob in into this thread when you get the chance? Seems like a massive reach, no one saw that coming..... must be some untapped upside, I can't find a phantom draft where he was in the top 50.

 

[The Bomb]

KM do you know where I can view the under18 championship games?
I can't find them anywhere.
thanks

 

[captain cotch 9]

Why do you think Mckenzie slid so much?

 

[Demonheart]

Hey Knightmare any interest from any of the clubs for a scouting gig? Good luck with it and thanks again for your work.

 

[Blind Turn]

Outstanding stuff KM.

Is there any reason you can think of for Laverde slide. Was one of the least likely sliders I would've thought due to hiss all-round talent. Anything us Bombers should be a bit wary of?

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

KM. Well done on a few accounts. One - thanks for sharing your insights. Two - you nailed 15 of the top 20 (Melbourne order is noise). OK - 2 were done but you made the hard calls and made them early.

Impressed you picked Marchbank and Cockatoo inside top 10 as they were questionable calls. Crows not taking Durdin was gutsy.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Do you think there was anything on the psych testing and interviewing that might have led to Laverde sliding as far as he did?

 

[tappy43]

About to take the toaster in the bath.... Can't believe hawks didn't take lamb.
Hawks to get wilkenson or Evans in the rookie draft?

Don't do it just yet...I need to know how the rookie draft picking order works...can't find any info on Dr Google...can you give a quick overview?

 

[mustang]

KM could Daniel Howe become a mundy/fyfe type player.