Preview Richmond Board Draft - Official Picks Version

[_RT_]

With trading and most delistings done leading up to the draft in 3 weeks time we're running another version of the draft this time using the official draft order.

Rules​

1. There will be 4 rounds​

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2. Any F/S or Scholarship selections must be taken where they fall.​

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3. The draft will start as soon as we have all 18 teams filled or Monday at 9am which ever comes first.​

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4. Each poster has 24 hours to make their selection or send selections to me via PM if you're not going to be available. If you're unable to adhere to this please don't participate.​

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5. Once you make your selection please tag the next poster so they are notified that they are up.​

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6. Please provide a write up of your selection ASAP after you make the selection. You can use a write up for one of the Phantom drafts(please credit the author of said draft) or you can provide your own write up.​

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[_RT_]

Club Poster Picks
Adelaide - TigerSE - 23 46
Brisbane - Tigerbob - 7 22 25 28 33 34 63(Scholarship Pick)
Carlton - MR - 13 39 51 69
Collingwood - bananatigz - 6 10
Essendon - The Dice Man - 26 55 66
Fremantle - THE_GUN - 17 37 58 73
Geelong - Calcium Man - 16 36 41 54 64 72
Gold Coast - Grockadoc - 5 20 27 61
GWS - Cevap_Roll - 1 2 14 29 48
Hawthorn - Richo83 - 24 38 56 59 74
Melbourne - KingJ - 9 40 57
North - TheAnt - 8(F/S pick) 30 47 65
Port - theflea - 21 45 52 70
Richmond - _RT_ - 12 50 68
Saints - tigs2010 - 3 18 19
Sydney - Stylo - 15 32 35 44 53 71
West Coast - _kp_ - 11 31 43 49 62
Western Bulldogs - TFLUA-Tiger - 4 42 60

Club by Club Breakdown
Adelaide:
23. Darcy Gardiner 192cm/84kg - KPD - Geelong Falcons
46. Nicholas Bourke 187cm/76kg - Midfielder - Geelong Falcons

Brisbane:
7. Christian Salem - 183cm/82kg - Midfielder - Sandringham Dragons
22. Trent Dumont - 186cm/83kg - Midfielder - Norwood
25. Patrick Cripps 192cm/88kg - Midfielder - East Fremantle
28. Darcy Hourigan 191cm 92kg - Forward - South Adelaide
33. Michael Apeness 199cm/101kg - Ruckman - Eastern Ranges
34. Zak Jones 181cm/76kg - Defender - Dandenong Stingrays
63. Jonothan Freeman 198cm/96kg - Forward - Aspley (Scholarship)

Carlton:
13. Ben Lennon 188cm/77kg - Forward/Midfielder - Northern Knights
39. Zach Merrett 179cm/76kg - Forward - Sandringham Dragons
51. Ben Brown 199cm/99kg - Ruck/Forward - Werribee

Collingwood:
6. Marcus Bontempelli - 191cm/83kg - Midfielder - Northern Knights
10. Dominic Sheed - 183cm/82kg - Midfielder - Subiaco
67. Sam Dwyer - Rookie Upgrade

Essendon:
26. James Battersby 177cm/78kg - Utility - Sturt
55. Darcy Cameron 203cm/102kg - Ruck - Claremont
66. Sam Bennett 189cm/79kg - Defender - North Ballarat Rebels

Fremantle:
17. Lewis Taylor 173cm/74kg - Forward/Midfielder - Geelong Falcons
37. Dwayne Wilson 178cm/75 - Forward - Sturt
73. Jarred Jansen 188cm/91kg - Utility - East Fremantle

Geelong:
16. Cameron McCarthy 195cm/89kg - Forward - South Fremantle
36. Jake Kolodashnij 192cm/88kg - Defender - Launceston
54. Tom Cutler 190cm/86kg - Defender - Oakleigh Chargers
64. Alex Spina 181cm/74kg - Midfielder - North Adelaide
72. Ben Sokol 183cm/87kg - Forward - South Fremantle

Gold Coast:
5. Jack Billings - 183cm/78kg - Forward/Midfielder - Oakleigh Chargers
20. Jonathon Marsh 191cm/89kg - Utility - East Fremantle
27. Daniel McStay - 194cm/88kg - KPD - Eastern Ranges
61. Nathan Drummond - 182cm/82kg - Defender - Murray Bushrangers

GWS:
1. Josh Kelly 182cm/73kg - Midfielder - Sandringham Dragons
2. Matt Scharenberg 190cm/89kg - Midfielder - Glenelg
14. Billy Hartung 176cm/71kg - Midfielder/Forward - Dandenong Stingrays
29. Cameron Giles 195cm/93kg - KPD - Woodville-West Torrens
48. Dayle Garlett 181cm/77kg - Midfielder/Forward - Swan Districts

Hawthorn:
24. Cameron Conlon 198cm/86kg - KPF - Northern Knights
38. Isaiah Miller 187cm/82kg - Defender - Bendigo Pioneers
56. Riley Knight 180cm/72kg - Midfielder - Woodville-West Torrens
74. Matthew Boag 185cm/90kg - Forward - Geelong Falcons

Melbourne:
9. Luke Dunstan - 185cm/83kg - Midfielder - Woodville West Torrens
40. Toby Nankervis 200cm/100kg - Ruck - North Launceston
57. Mitch Honeychurch 175cm/65kg - Midfielder - Eastern Ranges

North Melbourne:
8. Luke McDonald - 188cm/85kg- Defender/Midfielder - Werribee
30. Jay Kennedy-Harris 173cm/68kg - Forward/Midfielder - Oakleigh Chargers
47. Luke Reynolds 188cm/86kg - Forward - Port Adelaide
65. Matthew Sully 196cm/95kg - KPD - Geelong VFL

Port:
21. Matt Crouch 181cm/80kg - Midfielder - North Ballarat Rebels
45. Errin Wasley-Black 189cm/80kg - Defender - NT Thunder
52. Malcolm Karpany 175cm/71kg - Forward - Woodville-West Torrens
70. Shane Nelson 176cm/76kg - Midfielder - West Perth

Richmond:
12. Nathan Freeman 182cm/85kg - Midfielder - Sandringham Dragons
50. Mitch Harvey - 197cm/95kg - Forward - North Adelaide
68. Nick Holman 189cm/79kg - Midfielder - Murray Bushrangers

Saints:
3. Tom Boyd 200cm/103kg - KPF - Eastern Ranges
18. Jarman Impey 177cm/78kg - Defender - Murray Bushrangers
19. Eli Templeton 182cm/75kg - Midfielder - Burnie Dockers

Swans:
15. Blake Acres 189cm/84kg - Utility - West Perth
32. Rory Lobb 205cm/98kg - Ruckman - Swan Districts
35. James Tsitas 181cm/78kg - Midfielder - Geelong Falcons
44. Mitch Thorp 194cm/94kg - Forward - South Launceston
53. James Sicily 186cm/77kg - Forward - Western Jets
71. Pass

WCE:
11. Kade Kolodashnij - 190cm/81kg - Defender - Launceston
31. Darcy Byrne-Jones 180cm/69kg - Defender - Oakleigh Chargers
43. Liam Jacka 180cm/73kg - Midfielder - North Adelaide
49. Darcy Lang 181cm/77kg - Midfielder - Geelong Falcons
62. Dallas Willsmore 191cm/82kg - Forward - North Ballarat Rebels

Western Bulldogs:
4. James Aish - 184 cm/75 kg - Midfielder - Norwood/SA
42. George Hewett 185cm/79kg - Midfielder - North Adelaide
60. Josh Glenn

 

[bananatigz]

I'll do GWS?

edit someone has them now apparently i'll do the pies again

 

[TigerSE]

i will take the crows again please

 

[Stylo]

Could I switch to Sydney RT? Thought the dogs had more picks

 

[KingJ]

I will take Melbourne if available.

 

[TFLUA-Tiger]

I'll take the doggies.

 

[_RT_]

Need 4-5 more posters to become involved in this so we can get started.

 

[MR]

I'll grab the Blues.

 

[THE_GUN]

Can anybody play

Freo way to go, We are the freo Wan*ers

 

[Calcium Man]

Richo83 knows a bit about the draft. If he wanted a side he would be solid inclusion.

 

[Richo83]

Yeah I guess I should be in this, can I have the hawks?

 

[theflea]

I'll do port.

 

[tigs2010]

Lol and no one wants Essendon.

 

[THE_GUN]

Lol and no one wants Essendon.

You need to be carefull with who you associate with these days perception is everything and reputations can be tarnished very easily
Essendon should just be left to one of their own so lets just invite somebody from their own board as not to discriminate

 

[The Dice Man]

I'll take essendon, and be sure to hird it

 

[_RT_]

Ok the 18 teams are filled so we're right to go. Up first is Cevap_Roll with picks 1 & 2.

 

[Cevap_Roll]

After much consideration i am going to kick things of very differently to all Phantom Drafts experts by not taking Tom Boyd with picks 1 or 2.

Ive read many forums and many pages on how good this kid will be BUT GWS already have Patton and Cameron. How many gun tall forwards do you need? I feel with the losses of Tyson and Adams GWS need to fill up on their Midfield stocks.

#1 GWS – Josh Kelly (VIC – Mid)
Height: 182cm, Weight: 73kg, DOB: 12/02/1995
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons

Profile: Josh Kelly is an Aerobic running machine testing first in this years combine in the 3km time trial (9m 32s) and coming ninth in the beep test (15.1). Due to his elite running capabilities and hard work ethic Kelly has become an accumulator of the outside ball and with his elite kicking skills sets up play and finds the target every time. Not only limited to his outside game Kelly has been described to be great in tight situations he can work and think his way through tight traffic, size up an option, and hit it with a precision pass. For a light frame he is courageous in the air and not afraid to dig into a contest.

Add to all this he averaged 154 SuperCoach points during the TAC cup.

Weaknesses: Some say his inside game needs a bit of work but i'm sure with 1 or 2 pre seasons and a few Kgs to his light frame he will fix this right up.

Why: With the loss of Dom Tyson and Taylor Adams from their midfield stocks GWS could do a lot worse than pick Kelly to add to Scully, Whitfield, Ward, Sheil, Coniglio and O'Rourke. Even with his light frame i can see Kelly good enough to play from round 1 down the wing similar to the same role Whitfield played this season.

#2 GWS - Matt Scharenberg (SA - Utility/Mid)
Height: 190cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 18/09/1995
Recruited from: Glenelg

Profile: Matthew Scharenberg is the ultimate prototype he can play anywhere like Bredon Gooddard. He is a rare talent, his awareness, vision and poise are his key attributes that make him look like he has all the time in the world with ball in hand. The beauty of Scharenberg is he can play an array of positions very well, whether it be a free-wheeling rebounding defender, or an agile, quick and repsonsive type forward. As a defender he can read the play well and take that intercept mark but he is also good at 1v1 level with a strong overhead mark. As a forward he is quick of the mark can take a strong overhead mark and be an effective goal kicker. As a midfielder he can hit a target form any distance and he was the number one kick rating in the championships.

Weaknesses: There arent too many but a couple knocks on him would be as a defender he can be too offensively minded which could see him caught out in the AFL. The other is if can he make the transition to midfield at AFL?

Why: Scharenberg is the main reason why i didn't go with Boyd at Pick 1 i feel this is the position they lack most and i have chosen to go with fill a need rather than best available. GWS really lack that 190cm Swingman and with his body size he is ready to go from round 1. He could slot nicely in their back line or could compliment Patton and Cameron in the forward line. Give him a season or two and he could be quite daunting midfielder to line up against.

Bontempelli and Kade Kolodjashnij came into close consideration

 

[Cevap_Roll]

your pick tigs2010

 

[_RT_]

tigs2010 you're up

 

[tigs2010]

Saints just pissed themselves with excitement.

Pick #3 - Tom Boyd 200cm/103kg - KPF - Eastern Ranges

Boyd is one I didn't really watch all that closely this year, knowing we'd never get him. The game that really stood out and killed any chance of him not being there at pick 1 was when I went to the Carlton Round 1 game early and watched him tear apart the Pies VFL team with 5 goals in a losing side. Boyd is a genuine monster, who unlike many of the enormous KPF's is a dead-eye in front of goal. He can take contested marks with 4-5 blokes hanging off him and it is a real strength of his. Another advantage and why I see GWS taking him is that he could play a Vickery role and pinch-hit in the ruck with Patton/Cameron as the permanent KPF's.

The only real weakness I see in Boyd is that he isn't very quick so he will struggle for separation at AFL level, but he is just so strong this shouldn't be an issue.

Why Saints? At pick 3 he is best available by a mile even though my 2nd ranked player is on the board it was still an easy choice. Saints forward line of Boyd and Lee would be set for years.

TFLUA-Tiger you're up with the Doggies.

 

[KingJ]

Curveball already by Cevap_Roll, this is going to be entertaining

 

[TFLUA-Tiger]

#4 - Western Bulldogs - James Aish - 184 cm/75 kg (midfielder) - Norwood/SA

Aish was the face of the 2013 draft pool probably all the way up until February this year, when a big, strong and imposing power forward named Tom Boyd took centre stage. Although he seems to have fallen a bit out of favour with phantom drafters as names like Kelly, Billings and Kolodjashnij gather momentum, Aish's resume for an 18 year old is seriously impressive. He's a dual SANFL premiership player with Norwood and was a pivotal cog in South Australia's Championship winning 18's team.

It's well documented Aish is a superb outside player and runner - he's an elite endurance runner who seems to glide across the grass and he positions himself fantastically on the field as an outlet option (You tend to be able to do a lot of that when you play in Norwood teams with Suckling, Thomas, Dumont and Zorzi and SA teams with Dumont, Dunstan and Hewett). Crucially, Aish possesses the critical thinking to pick out the best option and the skills to get it there. He's exceptional by hand and very neat by foot. You'll often see Aish linking up on the outside in multiple possession plays - he'll deliver that crisp 35 metre pass by foot or laser handpass out of congestion and then get on his bike and get it back. He's got a superb work rate, is very quick and has a nice sidestep that gets him out into space and away from tacklers.

Aish has the class to be the best player selected in this draft pool. He's an astute thinker, is devastating in space because of his quality disposal by hand and foot and I don't think he'll have anywhere near as much trouble transitioning his inside game to a more than acceptable level as is made out. He's got a lean frame but doesn't shirk the contest, and the teams he's been in haven't required him to get his hands dirty as much as others. When you're the classiest player in the team surrounded by old fashioned bulldogs like Zorzi and Thomas, they want you on the outside. At AFL level, they'll want him to get in and out of those packs. He has exceptional game sense and vision and that extra second to decide what to do with the ball (think Pendlebury) so shouldn't have too many troubles winning his own ball once he adds some size to his frame.

On the other side of that, Aish probably has the potential to finish as unfulfilled potential. It's well documented that Hartung, an elite endurance runner, blanketed him at the Champs. He can't afford to be shut down so easily at AFL level. I'd state that I think he'll be harder to tag once he adds a bit of size and develops his inside game. It's much harder to wipe out a truly two way player. I think he's capable of both putting on the size and developing the inside game to combat this. Others though, think he might go the way of guys like Gaff and Embley - great supporting acts when surrounded by a strong midfield but doesn't possess the two way game to grab a game by the scruff when it's in the balance.

I'm a big Aish backer, but I don't think his topline pace and explosiveness is as pronounced as people think it is. He's a flowing, gliding runner rather than an explosive one. Although I don't think he's likely to burst out of packs with extreme pace, I think he'll deliver enough of an inside game to be a real presence. He definitely has the quick sidestep and enough speed to get out and hurt you though.

Why the Bulldogs? 'Aint it obvious? The Bulldogs have a plethora of inside mids in Boyd, Wallis, Liberatore, Smith, Stevens, etc but precious few outsiders except for Griffen, Higgins (if fit) and MacRae. They're hoping Stringer will be a point of difference in there, but he's more of an insider than a line breaking outsider. Aish fits a niche. Start with him on one wing and MacRae on the other and the Bulldogs start to look a bit dangerous. The Bulldogs desperately need kids with class and poise who can provide outside polish and Aish is that. They'll be hoping he sizes up and gets that inside game to be one of the superstars of the competition. They're definitely in the position where they've got a good enough base to take a gamble on the kid with perhaps the biggest upside in the draft.

Grockadoc - you're up with GC.

 

[Grockadoc]

Pick 5: Gold Coast Select Jack Billings.

Writeup courtesy of Knightmare.

FWD/MID
Height: 183cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 18/08/1995
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Style: Jimmy Bartel/Nick Dal Santo
Player comparison:
Range: 2-4
Profile: Billings is a very high level footballer already and I’ve been very impressed with his play at a national level, in the TAC and also in APS footy and he just seems a class above at any level he plays at. Jack stands out with his elite footskills and is very duel sided with his preferred left foot in particular excellent and can both finish around goal easily just knowing where the goals are but also has rare playmaking ability with the way he finds those inside 50 targets by foot with his vision and ability to put it to where the forwards want it real features of his game and what he does as well as any. Whenever he has ball in hand regardless of pressure he just uses it really well and looks really comfortable out there. The other major feature of Jack’s game is his overhead marking ability. He’s not tall but for his height his marking is a real highlight marking it at the highest point, but has those genuine sticky hands where he just takes it every time and also has unbelievably strong 1v1 marking ability allowing him to be a big weapon when pushed forward. He’s also excellent at ground level and a superb finisher from anywhere in range and particularly from set shots where he is pretty much automatic. While he’s most dominant forward of centre he’s also excellent through the midfield so while he will most likely start in a forward half for a team he’ll be rotating through a midfield in no time at the next level. He’s struggled this year with injury which is why we haven’t seen him at his best as often as we would like but having watched him for a number of years now he’s someone who can really take over games with his influence and consistently beat his direct opponent whether it be up forward or through the midfield.

Why Gold Coast?: The way the game is travelling with interchange caps, and the like, clubs need to be drafting players who can adapt to a variety of roles. Midfielders need to be able to play as forwards and defenders, defenders and forwards need to be able to play as midfielders, if only for a short burst each game. Also, Gold Coast, aside from Ablett, O'Meara, McKenzie and Bennell, don't have many potent players around goals who can also push into the midfield. This is something I feel the Gold Coast lacks as a unit. The missing link between midfield and forward line, and Billings is, for me, the best in this draft class at playing as a half forward flanker. He pushes up the ground to get involved in the play, but also pushes into the forward 50 and kicking goals. I believe Billings is one of the most naturally gifted footballers in this draft, and one of the most talented as well. He is that X-Factor type player who, in a short burst, can tear a game part with just a handful of possessions.

Who else I considered with this pick: Bontempelli, Lennon, Freeman.

bananatigz you're up.

 

[bananatigz]

#6 Collingwood- Marcus Bontempelli (VIC – Mid/Def)

Write-up courtesy of Knightmare
Height: 191cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 24/11/1995
Recruited from: Northern Knights
Style: Jared Brennan (Less lazy)
Player comparison:
Range: 2-10
Profile: Bontempelli is a very athletic tall who does a bit of everything. Best known for his 50 disposal, 10 goal game in school footy through the midfield. Bontempelli can play pretty much anywhere. Off a back flank he can really break the lines with his pace but also has a nice leap on him making him a weapon in the air when he pushes forward. He has a nice combination of athletic gifts with above average speed, agility and endurance at his height. He also has some real penetration on that left foot and has the ability to do some major damage. As a midfielder he’s still developing his inside game but it’s coming along nicely with his clean hands and his improving ability to win his own ball and distribute by hand so there’s plenty to work with. With Bontempelli I’ve really enjoyed his improvement in recent seasons and he still seems to be growing and with a late year birthday he’s a guy who over future seasons has the opportunity to really develop into a monster if things go right. Just what position that ends becoming his and exactly how far he can take his game are the unknowns at this point.

Why Collingwood?This is a guy who the pies will probably be chasing with pick 6 come draft day, enormous potential, one of the few guys that KM ranks as a potential elite player and the pies will back themselves to get the best out of him. Can play pretty much wherever they want him too, they might stick him on a forward flank or down on a back flank in Shaw's role, he could do either. If developed correctly will become an elite player who could play just about anywhere on the field, there's a lot to work with, a risk involved too, but massive upside

Tigerbob