Draft Watcher Knightmare's 2019 Draft Almanac

[Knightmare]

Sokol and riccardi are the 2 mature ages I like. If I was geelong I would take 13, 22 and ask for one of cameron/waterman for kelly. Both fill a need and are depth for west coast.

I see 13 as a sweet spot. Grab a Gould/Flanders or Robertson at 13 and potentially another slider such as serong weightman or Mahoney at 15.

Keays is an interesting one. I feel he could become a decent lead up forward who could play the lynch or okeefe role and hit the scoreboard and roll through the middle at times.

The other two from Brisbane I would look at is Cox for a late pick or Ely Smith with a 2nd round pick. Cox has a game that would look better at afl level. Players of his style rarely get much of the ball in the 2nds.

Seems to be a few small forwards with x factor that cam be found late in this draft. Should be interesting to see what geelong do.

I'm not convinced Cameron remains depth for West Coast. Particularly with Rioli in trouble. Cameron perhaps as soon as next year can be a regular for West Coast. But I agree strongly with you that he is one to target as someone who has a big future ahead of him. Waterman also I agree with you on is good is one to target as an underutilised forward with an AFL standard game.

Serong is top 5 and Flanders at least top 10 if not top 5. Gould/Robertson/McAsey could be realistic targets. Weightman another. Mahony can be had second round.

Cedric Cox could come good and has the attributes. Not sure why Brisbane would move Ely Smith though.

With Kelly requesting the trade, this will be a critical moment in Geelong's list management that could decide a lot of things. Picks 14 and West Coast's 2020 first round pick I don't view as adequate compensation for Kelly. If West Coast throw in 24 and 33, that makes things more interesting as a good combination of liquid assets that Geelong can easily flip, and West Coast can always get later picks back that wouldn't otherwise be used in the deal. If they want to interchange one of those second round picks with Cameron or Waterman I'd do it. But for mine, that's the fair price in an exchange with West Coast given the caliber of player Kelly is.

Knightmare who do you see Richmond taking early?

Also who are the mature agers who might get picked in this draft?

I wouldn't be surprised to see Richmond go tall with that first selection with Harrison Jones and De Koning two who may be in the mix. Richmond are pretty good everywhere though, so best available is also an option.

Of the state leaguers, Jake Riccardi as a young key forward I fancy. Ben Sokol is generating some interest finally as a medium forward, as is Luke Partington as a midfielder. Sam Lowden and Lochie Dickson are two others who have been spoken about as possibles. Frank Anderson and Sam Fisher could be considerations also.

 

[WileyWiggins]

Any further thoughts on Mason Fletcher? Seemed to improve a bit as the year went on but maybe not enough to be considered AFL relevant?

 

[Knightmare]

Any further thoughts on Mason Fletcher? Seemed to improve a bit as the year went on but maybe not enough to be considered AFL relevant?

Has been played mostly as a key forward this year. He leads up at the footy well and is a good kick who can hit i50 targets. He's just not dominant enough.

In defence where he is probably better suited and played more previously again good kick and has the penetration but needs to find more of it and intercept more.

He could be picked as a rookie, but he's a long term project if he is taken.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Where were this year's draft camps held?

 

[robbo1981]

Don't think port pass on Gould if his still there.

 

[mustang]

KM has Maginness jumped in your draft order in how he went in the Combine and where do you think another Hawk father son will go in the draft Hugo Ralphsmith.

 

[Trav 20]

14. Dylan Stephens

Weaknesses: Size, hurt-factor, completely left side dominant

How can he be ''completely left side dominant'' when he handballs with his right hand and bounces the ball with his right hand ?

Also, not sure I agree with the lack of hurt factor comment.

 

[Knightmare]

AFL Draft Combine wrap: https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/27769053/afl-draft-combine-which-prospects-shone-brightest

 

[Knightmare]

KM has Maginness jumped in your draft order in how he went in the Combine and where do you think another Hawk father son will go in the draft Hugo Ralphsmith.

Maginness definitely helped his stocks. I address him in my combine wrap. Surprised me with how well he tested.

Ralphsmith mid-late draft I can see getting picked.

14. Dylan Stephens

Weaknesses: Size, hurt-factor, completely left side dominant

How can he be ''completely left side dominant'' when he handballs with his right hand and bounces the ball with his right hand ?

Also, not sure I agree with the lack of hurt factor comment.

I'm referencing his kicking. Didn't see him take a kick on his right during the U18 Champs. During the Champs he was neither damaging, nor was he in the SANFL Reserves Grand Final. I've seen footage from other games where he has moments where he does damage, but it feels more an infrequent thing than something he does often.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Stephens prefers his left and is left-side dominant but he does use his right and it's not that bad actually and is getting better the more I see him.

 

[Trav 20]

I'm referencing his kicking. Didn't see him take a kick on his right during the U18 Champs. During the Champs he was neither damaging, nor was he in the SANFL Reserves Grand Final. I've seen footage from other games where he has moments where he does damage, but it feels more an infrequent thing than something he does often.

Perhaps you were oblivious to the fact he nearly always handballs with his right hand and always bounces with his right hand.

Still, it's hardly a ''weakness'' to be very left side dominant by foot if you're good enough. James Hird only had a left foot to keep him upright.

 

[Knightmare]

Stephens prefers his left and is left-side dominant but he does use his right and it's not that bad actually and is getting better the more I see him.

I heard that in the commentary during the SANFL Reserves Grand Final that he uses his right foot, but I've never noticed him attempt one. Certainly during the Under-18 Championships it was use the left or go further left so that he could use his preferred side.

Perhaps you were oblivious to the fact he nearly always handballs with his right hand and always bounces with his right hand.

Still, it's hardly a ''weakness'' to be very left side dominant by foot if you're good enough. James Hird only had a left foot to keep him upright.

It is a weakness to only use one side. Players have and will continue to get away with it, but being dual sided is optimal because it means if pressure comes from one side, you can use the other to kick the ball to a target. It's also a weakness if he doesn't ever handball on his left.

With Stephens it was a constant theme that he would no matter what try to get onto his left side. It was like watching Ben Johnson. If he couldn't get a left foot kick off, he'd go further left so that he could.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I heard that in the commentary during the SANFL Reserves Grand Final that he uses his right foot, but I've never noticed him attempt one. Certainly during the Under-18 Championships it was use the left or go further left so that he could use his preferred side.



It is a weakness to only use one side. Players have and will continue to get away with it, but being dual sided is optimal because it means if pressure comes from one side, you can use the other to kick the ball to a target. It's also a weakness if he doesn't ever handball on his left.

With Stephens it was a constant theme that he would no matter what try to get onto his left side. It was like watching Ben Johnson. If he couldn't get a left foot kick off, he'd go further left so that he could.

Yea, I saw him use the right a few times in the champs games, was actually a half decent delivery inside 50 one time. His ratio of left to right is fairly normal for a midfielder, almost all of them have a preferred but I certainly wouldn't put him in the basket case non-preferred class.

 

[Euku]

Who are the best pressure forwards this year

 

[eDPS]

Favouring a certain foot isnt really a weakness when 85% of AFL players use their opposite and if they do they struggle massively. Kicking both sides is more a string too the bow than a negative for scouts to draft a player.

 

[Knightmare]

Who are the best pressure forwards this year

Mostly the good ones are part of club Academics with three of those pressure forwards part of Gold Coast's Academy.

In the open draft Weightman for those with a mid-late first round pick, otherwise Kysaiah Pickett in the second round is the standout.

 

[Trav 20]

I heard that in the commentary during the SANFL Reserves Grand Final that he uses his right foot, but I've never noticed him attempt one. Certainly during the Under-18 Championships it was use the left or go further left so that he could use his preferred side.



It is a weakness to only use one side. Players have and will continue to get away with it, but being dual sided is optimal because it means if pressure comes from one side, you can use the other to kick the ball to a target. It's also a weakness if he doesn't ever handball on his left.

With Stephens it was a constant theme that he would no matter what try to get onto his left side. It was like watching Ben Johnson. If he couldn't get a left foot kick off, he'd go further left so that he could.

I'm aware of the benefits of being dual sided, however, I repeat, if you're good enough it doesn't really matter. If you're not good enough it does matter. So I accept it's a weakness, although watching two minutes of a youtube clip one can quickly see him use his right foot three times - once well and twice not so much.

 

[Mutineer]

Pretty impressive effort today by Biggy in the 20m Sprint at the Vic State Combine, quicker than all the National draftees...

20-METRE SPRINT

Bigoa Nyuon (Dandenong Stingrays): 2.855

Ryan Gardner (Northern Knights): 2.927

Lachlan Gawel (Eastern Ranges): 2.929

Sam Lowson (Coburg): 2.930

Nigel Lockyer (NT Thunder): 2.933

Kaden Schreiber (Oakleigh Chargers): 2.934

Blake Kuipers (Dandenong Stingrays): 2.939

 

[Chaisa]

Biggy any relation to Gach?

 

[Knightmare]

Pretty impressive effort today by Biggy in the 20m Sprint at the Vic State Combine, quicker than all the National draftees...

20-METRE SPRINT

Bigoa Nyuon (Dandenong Stingrays): 2.855

Ryan Gardner (Northern Knights): 2.927

Lachlan Gawel (Eastern Ranges): 2.929

Sam Lowson (Coburg): 2.930

Nigel Lockyer (NT Thunder): 2.933

Kaden Schreiber (Oakleigh Chargers): 2.934

Blake Kuipers (Dandenong Stingrays): 2.939

I'm Biggy's biggest fan. And that's a great result.

Any state combine testing result links up?

I'm weighing up whether for my upcoming October power rankings whether Biggy should make my top 20.

I know full well he's not rated that highly in clubland but I'm seeing a more advanced Aliir Aliir and as I cool on some others he is one of those firmly in that conversation.

Biggy any relation to Gach?

Brothers.

 

[Resigned]

Thanks for replying to my previous post Knightmare.

I've got another question for you, where do you think Lachlan Potter from the Northern Knights sits in draft standings? I watching him last year and his pace really stood out and I've also noticed that there is less talk about him this year. Is that due to him not showing much more apart from that?

 

[Knightmare]

Thanks for replying to my previous post Knightmare.

I've got another question for you, where do you think Lachlan Potter from the Northern Knights sits in draft standings? I watching him last year and his pace really stood out and I've also noticed that there is less talk about him this year. Is that due to him not showing much more apart from that?

Lack of improvement and not adding to his game is a key with Potter.

He remains a one trick pony where he'll break the lines and provides serious run. So he has something. But he's not someone who wins his own ball or has that other thing. And he's not doing that at an elevated frequency either.

My view is he is appropriate for selection late/rookie.

Unclear whether he gets picked though. A will he/won't he and will rely on a few clubs late/rookie looking for someone with his capabilities from a need perspective.

 

[Heaps of fun]

It's also a weakness if he doesn't ever handball on his left.

Ben Cunnington disagrees.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Ben Cunnington disagrees.

Just because a one sided player is successful doesn't mean they couldn't be even better.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Just because a one sided player is successful doesn't mean they couldn't be even better.

He's easily the best by hand in the league. Hard to imagine how he could be better.