Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2016 Draft Almanac

[hicksyshawks]

he finds a lot of the footy but ive seen him play twice this year and a couple of times last year it appears he just fits the oakleigh system receiving a lot of chip kicks inside and running up and down the centra of the ground largely unmarked allowing him to accumulate big possessions without neccessarily having a huge impact. I watched him closely last year in one game and definitely understoof why he was overlooked but wouldnt of been suprised if he ended up on a list. In saying all of this he does knows his way around a stoppage and is an elite clearance extracter by hand getting the ball to outside runners with ease. Thoughts?

also what chance would you give him of being picked up this year as i believe he has vastly improved his draft stocks since 12 months ago?

 

[Knightmare]

he finds a lot of the footy but ive seen him play twice this year and a couple of times last year it appears he just fits the oakleigh system receiving a lot of chip kicks inside and running up and down the centra of the ground largely unmarked allowing him to accumulate big possessions without neccessarily having a huge impact. I watched him closely last year in one game and definitely understoof why he was overlooked but wouldnt of been suprised if he ended up on a list. In saying all of this he does knows his way around a stoppage and is an elite clearance extracter by hand getting the ball to outside runners with ease. Thoughts?

also what chance would you give him of being picked up this year as i believe he has vastly improved his draft stocks since 12 months ago?

I actually liked him 12 months ago but I agree he is improved.

Probably 30% chance to get picked would be my best guess given he has been invited to the state rather than the national combine and hasn't been spoken about all that much.

 

[theGav56]

For pick 3 should always be the best player available. I will be happy with either SPS, Brodie, McGrath or McCluggage.

Taranto would be fine too.

 

[Wymo]

Hey KM. I'm interested to know what you think the weaknesses are in the games of Hinge, Lipinski, Kirby, Rolls and Ronke. I could see all five going later in the national draft. Cheers

 

[M Malice]

hi KM, what are your thoughts on Jacob Allisons dramatic drop off this year? he was very highly touted last year as a possible top 10 pick (i do remember seeing some reports that top 3 was a chance). has he not progressed as anticipated or just been terrible this year?

 

[Savage Kent]

Hi KM, given that it looks more likely that Taranto and Scrimshaw will be drafted in the top 10, who do you see as being the best and realistic option for the saints at pick 10?

 

[Knightmare]

Hey KM. I'm interested to know what you think the weaknesses are in the games of Hinge, Lipinski, Kirby, Rolls and Ronke. I could see all five going later in the national draft. Cheers

Hinge - good enough ball winner and ball user but lacking an x-factor or point of difference to seperate him in a deep midfield class.
Lipinski - athletic but still fairly raw. hands overhead, skills and contested ball winning still developing.
Kirby - dangerous fwd, strong, can finish, quick and pressures well enough. outside the front 50m struggles to find it and endurance needs developing.
Rolls - has some acceleration, agility and endurance but skills lacking consistency.
Ronke - like a lot. serious ball winner with acceleration among the best few this year. scoreboard impact excellent. probably could find more on the outside and clean up his footskills.

hi KM, what are your thoughts on Jacob Allisons dramatic drop off this year? he was very highly touted last year as a possible top 10 pick (i do remember seeing some reports that top 3 was a chance). has he not progressed as anticipated or just been terrible this year?

Lack of progress this year - footskills and contested ball winning not as good as it looked last year. Less impact on games. Seems to also have struggled to find a position where he has looked terrific.

Has continued growing this year, so there is still footballing growth in him. But a lot more questionmarks than I had coming into the season.

He has been ok this year, showing some glimpses rather than a complete package.

Still should get drafted, but Brisbane shouldn't need to match anything more than a second or third round pick at most to get him.

Hi KM, given that it looks more likely that Taranto and Scrimshaw will be drafted in the top 10, who do you see as being the best and realistic option for the saints at pick 10?

Taranto I agree should go top 10. Scrimshaw I'm not convinced will. Scrimshaw was terrific yesterday but I have him more so going around 10 than being gone before pick 10.

The top group is in some order: McGrath, McCluggage, Brodie, Ainsworth, Bowes, Taranto, SPS and English. Scrimshaw probably goes among those next few with Marshall - others may go in front of either with Setterfield, Perryman, Logue, Venables, Scharenberg, Witherden, Gallucci, Rotham, C.Cox, Powell-Pepper, Simpkin, Florent, Bolton, Battle and Berry may be among a group that could (not ordered).

 

[benblinkau]

Hinge - good enough ball winner and ball user but lacking an x-factor or point of difference to seperate him in a deep midfield class.
Lipinski - athletic but still fairly raw. hands overhead, skills and contested ball winning still developing.
Kirby - dangerous fwd, strong, can finish, quick and pressures well enough. outside the front 50m struggles to find it and endurance needs developing.
Rolls - has some acceleration, agility and endurance but skills lacking consistency.
Ronke - like a lot. serious ball winner with acceleration among the best few this year. scoreboard impact excellent. probably could find more on the outside and clean up his footskills.



Lack of progress this year - footskills and contested ball winning not as good as it looked last year. Less impact on games. Seems to also have struggled to find a position where he has looked terrific.

Has continued growing this year, so there is still footballing growth in him. But a lot more questionmarks than I had coming into the season.

He has been ok this year, showing some glimpses rather than a complete package.

Still should get drafted, but Brisbane shouldn't need to match anything more than a second or third round pick at most to get him.



Taranto I agree should go top 10. Scrimshaw I'm not convinced will. Scrimshaw was terrific yesterday but I have him more so going around 10 than being gone before pick 10.

The top group is in some order: McGrath, McCluggage, Brodie, Ainsworth, Bowes, Taranto, SPS and English. Scrimshaw probably goes among those next few with Marshall - others may go in front of either with Setterfield, Perryman, Logue, Venables, Scharenberg, Witherden, Gallucci, Rotham, C.Cox, Powell-Pepper, Simpkin, Florent, Bolton, Battle and Berry may be among a group that could (not ordered).

I was hoping taranto would have a quiet one yesterday, so that he would be available at Port's first pick.. Sadly i don't see this happening now.... Hopefully port steer clear of Marshall too. Looked lost or uninterested yesterday... I fear a left-field pick unless there is a slider.

 

[Knightmare]

I was hoping taranto would have a quiet one yesterday, so that he would be available at Port's first pick.. Sadly i don't see this happening now.... Hopefully port steer clear of Marshall too. Looked lost or uninterested yesterday... I fear a left-field pick unless there is a slider.

Taranto I think on the back of his finals series worked his way well inside the top 10 and into top 5 contention.

Marshall's draft position will be something to watch over the next two months.

Has the talent and attributes without the production (only averages two goals and three marks per game which is poor for a prospective key forward - particularly playing on a team that made it all the way to the grand final).

Marshall may drop out of the first round for all I know. He's dropping down my draft board anyway.

 

[benblinkau]

Taranto I think on the back of his finals series worked his way well inside the top 10 and into top 5 contention.

Marshall's draft position will be something to watch over the next two months.

Has the talent and attributes without the production (only averages two goals and three marks per game which is poor for a prospective key forward - particularly playing on a team that made it all the way to the grand final).

Marshall may drop out of the first round for all I know. He's dropping down my draft board anyway.

Would rather Battle!

 

[Floodgates]

Hey Knightmare, is Louis Cunningham of the Oakleigh Chargers any chance to be drafted? If so, what range would you think? Saw a few of his games this year, got some good attributes.

 

[Knightmare]

Would rather Battle!

It wouldn't be unreasonable for Battle to be selected ahead of Marshall. Averages a much more reasonable three goals per game and five marks per game.

Some may also prefer Kerr, Sproule or perhaps someone else depending on how low they are on Marshall.

Hey Knightmare, is Louis Cunningham of the Oakleigh Chargers any chance to be drafted? If so, what range would you think? Saw a few of his games this year, got some good attributes.

State combine invite. A possible late/rookie.

 

[avishka5]

where do you see bolton going and do you think rotham could go as a late mid to late second rounder?

 

[Knightmare]

where do you see bolton going and do you think rotham could go as a late mid to late second rounder?

Both are mid 1st - mid 2nd rounders roughly.

 

[Bicks]

Knightmare I was going through my notes yesterday and the day I saw Mason Blakey play I was very taken by his run and hard nosed approach, thought his kicking looked OK that day too yet I'm not seeing mentioned at all?? He is draft eligible this year isn't he??

 

[Knightmare]

Knightmare I was going through my notes yesterday and the day I saw Mason Blakey play I was very taken by his run and hard nosed approach, thought his kicking looked OK that day too yet I'm not seeing mentioned at all?? He is draft eligible this year isn't he??

Draft eligible this year. Improved over the course of the season. Not invited to the state or national combine so is not of interest to clubs, but I'd agree arguably should have been in the state combine group.

Blakey has been a good component for Northern and one of their better player. He can offer some run. Finds the footy. Clean enough ball user. Just overall lacking an x-factor. Not super strong/powerful, not super damaging.

 

[HedgeFund]

Blakey is captain of my old school (Whitefriars) and is one of those kids who is competent at everything, and only excellent at being competent.

Played well in the VFL seniors for Northern Blues as 23rd man. I'd expect him to start at that level and look to get picked up in 2017 if he has a strong VFL senior season.

 

[straightuplazy]

Hey Knightmare, was wondering where about you see Sam Powell-Pepper going?, and also your thoughts on his kicking, is it as poor as some have been saying? (Who would you compare his kicking to?)

 

[Gollo]

Given his recent injury spell, where do you think Kobe Mutch fits into the draft order right now? I can't see clubs bidding for him after the second round, but not playing TAC Cup, NEAFL or the All-Stars game must have put others ahead of him on recruiters' lists. Now that it seems Setterfield, Macreadie and Mutch may attract bids slightly later in the draft, is it likely that GWS will secure Perryman, Setterfield, Mutch, Macreadie and Sproule?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

In regards to the N.T prospects

Any chance Ezekiel Frank gets picked up?

Hampton and Parfitt stocks seemed to have slid as well. What's holding Parfitt back? Early in the year it seemed as though he was a lock for top 25

 

[CrusaderAussie1]

Hey Knightmare, was wondering where about you see Sam Powell-Pepper going?, and also your thoughts on his kicking, is it as poor as some have been saying? (Who w
ould you compare his kicking to?

James Manson?

 

[Knightmare]

Hey Knightmare, was wondering where about you see Sam Powell-Pepper going?, and also your thoughts on his kicking, is it as poor as some have been saying? (Who would you compare his kicking to?)

Powell-Pepper should fit somewhere either late first round or in the second round. Highly draftable with that sheer power over the ball and acceleration.

Powell-Pepper has good penetration - almost kicking a 60m set shot on Friday - and he went back confidently.

He just lacks that consistency of kicking by foot to a fair extent - missing targets, hitting the opposition instead and some decision making.
First person to name someone who can kick 60m but can't hit a target consistently probably has the comparison, to give him a kicking comparison.
*Although to his credit, his kicking is less bad than he was certainly a year ago.

I'm reaching, and his kicking is worse again, but an early career Jordan Lewis is something like Powell-Pepper from a kicking perspective. While powerful, just lacking that consistency by foot.

Given his recent injury spell, where do you think Kobe Mutch fits into the draft order right now? I can't see clubs bidding for him after the second round, but not playing TAC Cup, NEAFL or the All-Stars game must have put others ahead of him on recruiters' lists. Now that it seems Setterfield, Macreadie and Mutch may attract bids slightly later in the draft, is it likely that GWS will secure Perryman, Setterfield, Mutch, Macreadie and Sproule?

Mutch hasn't been spoken about much lately, and there is always a recency bias. GWS aren't thought to be interested in him (due to their loaded midfield) which should see him picked up by another team. Mutch may feature second or third round and looks a bargain if he makes it into the latter.

My expectation is GWS take Perryman and Setterfield (both first round). Sproule and Macreadie I'm unsure of GWS' intentions, but if they feel they'll lose several KPPs this offseason, which they very well may, and have the list positions available to take both, I could see them taking them with the view to develop them and further add to their long term tall stocks - which as has been shown over time can always in the future pretty easily be flipped in a trade if they don't develop into best 22 players.

In regards to the N.T prospects

Any chance Ezekiel Frank gets picked up?

Hampton and Parfitt stocks seemed to have slid as well. What's holding Parfitt back? Early in the year it seemed as though he was a lock for top 25

Ezekiel Frank while he showed some promise last year has not developed enough this year and is not in the draft mix, having not received a state or national combine invite.

From NT Ben Long, Brandan Parfitt and Tony Olango all received national combine invites and Jamie Hampton, Rohan Armstrong and Willie Rioli from the SANFL (originally NT also on the radar) as state combine invites.

It's a good year for NT footy with all six on my (extended draft board) all players I rate fairly evenly. Armstrong and Hampton offer linebreaking run off HB. Rioli up fwd is a talent. Olango is a nice leaping tap ruckman. Parfitt brings great energy around the contest. And Long has been terrific both forward and back this season.

 

[avishka5]

Powell-Pepper should fit somewhere either late first round or in the second round. Highly draftable with that sheer power over the ball and acceleration.

Powell-Pepper has good penetration - almost kicking a 60m set shot on Friday - and he went back confidently.

He just lacks that consistency of kicking by foot to a fair extent - missing targets, hitting the opposition instead and some decision making.
First person to name someone who can kick 60m but can't hit a target consistently probably has the comparison, to give him a kicking comparison.
*Although to his credit, his kicking is less bad than he was certainly a year ago.

I'm reaching, and his kicking is worse again, but an early career Jordan Lewis is something like Powell-Pepper from a kicking perspective. While powerful, just lacking that consistency by foot.



.

well he did kick it but the goal umpire didn't see it was touched behind the line.


hows florents inside game and do you think he can transition into midfielder at the next level?
saw him play for the first time on friday and liked what i saw. Would like him at the eagles.

 

[Knightmare]

well he did kick it but the goal umpire didn't see it was touched behind the line.


hows florents inside game and do you think he can transition into midfielder at the next level?
saw him play for the first time on friday and liked what i saw. Would like him at the eagles.

Many are saying it was Florent's best game of the season, and if it wasn't, his grand final performance was.

Florent is more a half-forward/winger than an inside player, or at least that's how he has played for Sandringham mostly, though you wouldn't have known it on Friday going off his contested ball and clearance count which caught me by surprise.

I suggest Florent at AFL level always would be forced outside, probably starting his career at half-forward and rotating up onto a wing. He doesn't have the size and hasn't been one of the better ball winners this year for me to feel confident he can transition to a midfield role at AFL level.

 

[Dunny82]

Slightly off topic from a draftee question, I see that Braydon Preuss is/will be upgraded to the North Melbourne senior list. I saw part of his round 20 VFL game against Box Hill and Pittonet and thought he got beaten on the day. What is your opinion of his progress this year? Do you think the upgrade to the senior list is justified?