Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2018 AFL Draft Almanac

[HedgeFund]

How is Wild eligible for CFC Indigenous/New Generation Academy? What is his Collingwood connection if his father only played 70 games for Collingwood?

1. He is indigenous

2. He lives in Carlton’s NGA zone.

3. He isn’t F/S eligible - there’s no connection to Collingwood.

Pretty simple really.

 

[Knightmare]

How is Wild eligible for CFC Indigenous/New Generation Academy? What is his Collingwood connection if his father only played 70 games for Collingwood?

Carlton Academy.

 

[Knightmare]

First AFL Draft weekly wrap for the season with a focus on Xavier Duursma: http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...ightmare-wrap-xavier-duursma-shines-gippsland

 

[mustang]

Can you see it getting to 2001 draft talent KM

 

[Knightmare]

Can you see it getting to 2001 draft talent KM

This years group still need to prove it, but in my 10 years following the draft. This is the best I've seen, particularly up the top end.

 

[Knightmare]

My first AFL Draft Power Rankings for 2018 are now up!: http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...-power-rankings-key-position-players-dominate

Pretty incredible top end this year. Not the worst year for your club to be struggling.

 

[GoGrows]

interesting to see you put Walsh that low.

 

[Knightmare]

interesting to see you put Walsh that low.

It speaks firstly to how great that top end is.

Why Walsh fits below those I have ahead of him is all because of ball use. If he was more reliable, he'd be higher and contending for 3rd/4th on my draft board. Watching as much as I did of Walsh through 2017 and particularly the finals, it's something he'll need to continue to put time into cleaning up.

 

[philthy05]

Seems like teams looking for those inside/outside mids will have options early

 

[Knightmare]

Seems like teams looking for those inside/outside mids will have options early

There are always good inside options, but there is that group of really capable outside mids this year, and a nice top end of KPPs. This draft has all needs covered and those sides with top end picks have some potential stars to choose from.

 

[eDPS]

My first AFL Draft Power Rankings for 2018 are now up!: http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...-power-rankings-key-position-players-dominate

Pretty incredible top end this year. Not the worst year for your club to be struggling.

Getting on the Collier-Dawkins bandwagon early I did some focused notes on him on the weekend, didn’t get a massive amount but he made his touches count and his hands are elite

 

[Knightmare]

Getting on the Collier-Dawkins bandwagon early I did some focused notes on him on the weekend, didn’t get a massive amount but he made his touches count and his hands are elite

You're right to be watching him. I was hyped for the matchup with Bailey Smith, but of course Smith was a late withdrawal.

Collier-Dawkins was quiet but he had some good moments, and as that late grower with the right mix of attributes, and being those steps ahead of Cripps at the same stage, I'm on board.

He's incredible at ground level, moves so well and is such a good distributor by hand, but also while he seems reluctant to kick often used it really well on the weekend - kicking it out in front of his targets for them to run onto.

There is a lot to like. He's just not going to be the most advanced prospect at years end and is someone you look at for who he will become when his talent materialises rather than who he is now.

 

[eDPS]

You're right to be watching him. I was hyped for the matchup with Bailey Smith, but of course Smith was a late withdrawal.

Collier-Dawkins was quiet but he had some good moments, and as that late grower with the right mix of attributes, and being those steps ahead of Cripps at the same stage, I'm on board.

He's incredible at ground level, moves so well and is such a good distributor by hand, but also while he seems reluctant to kick often used it really well on the weekend - kicking it out in front of his targets for them to run onto.

There is a lot to like. He's just not going to be the most advanced prospect at years end and is someone you look at for who he will become when his talent materialises rather than who he is now.

Fair bit quicker than Cripps aswell

 

[Knightmare]

Fair bit quicker than Cripps aswell

Agree.

Has a long way to go towards becoming as dominant at stoppages. But at that height with good size and that cleanness at ground level. He can be a stoppage star in his own right.

 

[HedgeFund]

Getting on the Collier-Dawkins bandwagon early I did some focused notes on him on the weekend, didn’t get a massive amount but he made his touches count and his hands are elite

Yep, relatively quiet on the day. Only 7 kicks, had 14 uncontested possessions from his 17. He is very “outside” at the moment. Agree he was effective when he had it though.

 

[eDPS]

Yep, relatively quiet on the day. Only 7 kicks, had 14 uncontested possessions from his 17. He is very “outside” at the moment. Agree he was effective when he had it though.

He was played on the wing a bit, his skill set suits being inside the contest, the week before he was fantastic on the inside

 

[Knightmare]

Yep, relatively quiet on the day. Only 7 kicks, had 14 uncontested possessions from his 17. He is very “outside” at the moment. Agree he was effective when he had it though.

While we have you here HedgeFund, as our resident Sandringham expert/fan.

What are your thoughts on McNeish for your boys? I liked the look of him v Oakleigh. Very lively around the ball and always seemed to be first to it every time it hit the deck. Also interested in your thoughts of his capabilities as a forward.

 

[HedgeFund]

While we have you here HedgeFund, as our resident Sandringham expert/fan.

What are your thoughts on McNeish for your boys? I liked the look of him v Oakleigh. Very lively around the ball and always seemed to be first to it every time it hit the deck. Also interested in your thoughts of his capabilities as a forward.

Fumbles too much, but makes up for it because he is so hard to tackle. The best reader of the drop of the footy we have outside Smith. Has to work on scooping the ball up cleanly under pressure and distributing it quickly.

TBH - if he has any forward nous/capability, it’s being well hidden for the moment!

As a non-private - he will (with Stocker) be the mainstay inside midfielder once APS/AGS begins. So I doubt we can afford to send him forward unless we unearth some bottom age inside midfielders.

 

[eDPS]

Fumbles too much, but makes up for it because he is so hard to tackle. The best reader of the drop of the footy we have outside Smith.

If he has any forward nous/capability, it’s being well hidden for the moment!

As a non-private - he will (with Stocker) be the mainstay inside midfielder once APS/AGS begins. So I doubt we can afford to send him forward unless we unearth some bottom age inside midfielders.

Did Stocker leave Haileybury?

 

[HedgeFund]

Did Stocker leave Haileybury?

Finished year 12 and is at uni.

 

[Knightmare]

Fumbles too much, but makes up for it because he is so hard to tackle. The best reader of the drop of the footy we have outside Smith. Has to work on scooping the ball up cleanly under pressure and distributing it quickly.

TBH - if he has any forward nous/capability, it’s being well hidden for the moment!

As a non-private - he will (with Stocker) be the mainstay inside midfielder once APS/AGS begins. So I doubt we can afford to send him forward unless we unearth some bottom age inside midfielders.

If he's not clean at that size, it's over for him. That's a shame, because he felt really lively and really seemed to be on top of all those ground balls.

 

[HedgeFund]

If he's not clean at that size, it's over for him. That's a shame, because he felt really lively and really seemed to be on top of all those ground balls.

I wouldn’t say “it’s over for him”.

Kids are allowed to improve, and capable of improving in these areas across the year. It’s called player development. Happens all the time.

 

[GoGrows]

not sure cleanliness is something that develops that much.

 

[HedgeFund]

not sure cleanliness is something that develops that much.

Try Will Walker early 2017 versus late 2017. Improved his clean ball gathering below his feet immensely. Didn’t make Metro squad in April, yet taken at #23 in November.

It can happen.

 

[eDPS]

Try Will Walker early 2017 versus late 2017. Improved his clean ball gathering below his feet immensely. Didn’t make Metro squad in April, yet taken at #23 in November.

It can happen.

Improved massively when he was moved into the midfield, if I recall he mostly played forward at the start of the year