BigFooty Official The 2013 BigFooty Phantom Draft

[Offsider]

Max King wont play as a defender. Rarely been played there and he will either play ruck or KPF. Still have my doubts re where he goes but he has come on pretty well and think he would at least be rookied. Few clubs been speaking with him.

It's not so much the fact that he hasn't played at all as a key defender, but more so the fact that i think is size, skill set and athleticism could be utilised as a defender. I am not sold on him as a tall forward, as I feel is marking and game sense is not elite, and is ruck-work is pretty poor imo. He looks to be a very good athlete and is an excellent size. I think with time the potential is there for him to become a good defender. A random call, without much basis, maybe but I just have a feeling with him that he could make a great defender.

I am a big fan of McStay. i think his scope is large and i think that will appeal to clubs and absolutely agree with you on Leslie. If he is still there at my last pick he will be well in the frame now that Karpany, Bourke, Sicily and Holman are all gone. Agree with you on Beasly. He is well under rated on this Board as is Toohey who i think could be a good young prospect for down back. Foster will have some fans to late in the year. Another would be Vandeluer who i think has a lot of promise.

I don't rate Vandeluer too highly, he is a rookie imo, I don't think he has the size to be a KPD or the ability to keep up with medium forwards. Beasley is at least a great athlete and stronger overhead imo, so he is more likely to make it as a third tall.

Re Tickner - Big call rating him the 3rd best KPD. I would have Sully a long way ahead of him. Most games I have seen him in he has been fwd. Interesting to hear been going as a defender and makes a bit of sense. He moves very well and seems to read the game well but he just appeared a bit inconsistent to me and I couldnt figure out if it was the delivery to him as the QLD mids werent really that dominant this year or last. I often think with these bigger kids if they get much better and quicker delivery they could be much better players.

I think I rate Tickner so highly due to some Qld bias and having seen him play some excellent games. He struggled this year mainly due to his knee imo, but also the delivery was a bit average and he would have done better on the end of the Vic Metro midfield easily imo. He is inconsistent as a forward but as a defender he is much better imo as he is constantly in the game and as he is assigned a set task.

Re Conway. I keep thinking of Josh Thomas. He wasnt seen to have a lot of pace ala Conway but he is very good at getting his hands to it. I just cant figure him out but I would love another Josh Thomas. Whats your view?

I always rated Josh Thomas as a kid who had a good burst of pace and speed was never an issue for mine when he was a junior. Conway is a fair bit slower, and doesn't have the best endurance base. His inside game is the best since Dayne Beams, as far as QLD prospects go, and he is possibly slightly better than Beams as a pure inside player. His outside spread is improving as is his disposal, however it still has a long way to go. He is probably going to slide into the rookie draft, although I rate him as a 40+ option in what is a pretty poor draft.

 

[Yoda_]

Pick 66 - Essendon
Sam Heavyside (177cm, 73kg, 19, Bendigo Pioneers, Inside Mid/Fwd)

Going to pull shotgun on this kid but Ive managed to grab some tapes of this kid in his VFL games and he is a real goer. May not be 'best available' as some other more highly rated 18 year olds are available, but this kid has two things I absolutely love, character and competitiveness.

Injured in the back end of his draft year and was invited back to the Pio's as an overager, has simply dominated doing so playing forward or in the guts he does it all.

Heavyside may be slight but do not let that deter you from what he can do. He attacks the ball and the contest with vigour, willing himself to win the ball. Has good speed without explosive but is deceptively quick when chasing and harrasing. A real footballer's footballer, Heavyside will thrive in an AFL enviroment.

Despite being a more fancied rookie prospect, Heavyside would feature in my National Draft such is my standing of him and his character.

 

[tigs2010]

Garlett, Ben Brown, Heavyside. Yoda_ must hate the 18yo's

 

[Yoda_]

Garlett, Ben Brown, Heavyside. Yoda_ must hate the 18yo's

Garlett (best available)
Brown (best needs available)
Heavyside (fanboi of his)

all good excuses I would have thought

Was going to take Sokol if he slipped through but someone had to ruin all my plans

 

[Knightmare]

Collingwood pick 67 Mitch Thorp

Very happy to get Mitch Thorp at this point.

My vision with the inclusion of Thorp would be that Ben Reid would then replace Maxwell in the backline sweeper role.

At this stage of the draft getting a guy who can play a role from round one and contribute is big and I'm confident in the new Mitch Thorp and his ability to do this.

The history of Thorp is that he got drafted as an immature teenager with and ego and not much between the ears.
He's since grown from the once immediate teenager to now a captain/coach of his own team in Tasmania and someone who actively works with his team mates to help their games grow.

The big attraction to Thorp as a draft prospect at this stage goes deeper than talent as a once pick 6 overall and a guy who this season kicked 78 goals from 20 games in the TSL beyond that he's a character I now want to bring into my football club.

Thorp is another guy who can help enhance the culture at the club and help the youth around him develop but then on field also be a regular best 22 player.

Thorp in the Collingwood forward structure as mentioned before is as a third tall. He's not going to be your power forward as more a lighter bodied, high motor tall forward. Despite the 78 goals Thorp kicked he's not a stay at home forward and someone who will mostly find his footy up the field which will be fine with Travis Cloke but then he's still good enough to push forward, take a mark and kick a goal and take some pressure of Cloke and White/Lynch and help give Collingwood the extra size up front that has been lacking since Leigh Brown retired.

I see Thorp as a more mature Jarrad Grant who can provide some more scoreboard pressure. Get that at this stage of the draft in this draft and you've got a bargain selection.

 

[Chris25]

TFLUA-Tiger you're up.

Some interesting picks this round. Quite a few smaller midfielders being taken, likely slipping due to questions on whether they will be midfielders or not at the next level I would imagine. That is the main question I have over the three SA boys. I know Liam Jacka has been getting a bit of attention lately, I'm not convinced though. I look at someone like Sam Gray, and think that if he can't get drafted then what hope does Jacka have - you need to be outstanding at that size, and Jacka is perhaps a bit too outside and inconsistent with his disposal. Reminds me a bit of Nathan Stark, the recently delisted Melbourne rookie.

Looks like I'm not quite as big on Sokol as a lot on here either.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Jacka is getting drafted by a team that should not even have this pick, so essentially it is a rookie draft selection.

 

[TFLUA-Tiger]

I'll grab Isaac Conway.

Write up of Conway and Cutler to come tonight.

 

[swannies]

Did someone tag swannies?

Sorry Chris25, was dozing, thought I was out....

 

[Chris25]

beowulf you're up.

Sorry Chris25, was dozing, thought I was out....

No worries. I looked for a Swan Districts player for you, but couldn't find any I liked. So you got stuck with Tom Hodgson.

 

[beowulf]

Carlton: Jacob Chisari
Bendigo Pioneers

Yes, Chissa could be an body double for Tyrion Lannister, but he is not slow and he gets leather poisoning. He gets a lot of possessions and he is an inside not, even though there isn't a lot of him. He recently won the Pioneers' B & F for the 2nd year in a row.
I'll do a better write up when I've finished a few more exams.
In reality, Carlton won't use this pick, but I really hope we pick one of the dwarves this year: Karpany, Heavyside, Cavarra, Chisari: there are a lot of little guys who can really play available.

 

[Footyking123]

does everyone have to do writeups or is it optional

 

[Chris25]

From missionpossible

Pick 70 Port Adelaide - Josh Miller - 204/94 - Glenelg -

Well Port get the ruckman that everyone thinks we desperately need. I think we are fine in that we have 3 capable ruckman and dont need another mature ruckman to help out. One to take over from Renouf in a couple of years will do.

Ok lets start with the physical stuff. There are no surprises that he is tall or should I say very tall at 204cm. As much as he looks like a stick he is already 95kg so one would think he is actually going to end up a very solid unit. Boy he tested slow but he beat Darcy Cameron and his pace when up and moving is suffidient for AFL for a big fella. Endurance is pretty poor but then you find most young ruck men have terrible endurance. However in game situations he gets across the ground well enough to suggest as he builds an enginine he will become rather effective. He shows reasonable agility for a ruckman.

Now the juicy stuff, can the kid play, well he wont be running around AFL next year. In ruck he doesn't look timid, he can tap the ball down the throat of his midfielders, now as simple as that sounds that is a massive tick. He has a desire to compete so he stays involved after the tap and is rather clean at ground level even if he looks all arms and legs. Around the ground at the moment he doesn't offer a lot due to his lack of endurance but when the ball does come near him he is a very good overhead mark. He will tackle. Up forward he has shown glimpses that he will be able to pinch hit as at times he can lead quite well. His kicking is quite solid, his handballing skills likewise.

Not sure why there isn't more love for him other than he looks like a strange cat but aren't most ruckmen that bit different. Yeah at times he looks very unco but he isn't. How Steffe played ahead of him in the championships is beyond me. If he played he may have just raised some eyebrows.
He played 8 junior games and 12 reserves games which is very good for a kid who only played a couple of under 18 games in 2012. Even without endurance he quite often has games where he is in the teens for possessions.

A lot for the coaches to work with.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Monocle you're up mate

 

[Monocle]

Sydney: Luke Reynolds. 186 cm. 84 kg . Medium Forward . Port Adelaide.

Write up latter.

LemmingMaster your up again.

 

[Footyking123]

Sydney: Luke Reynolds. 186 cm. 84 kg . Medium Forward . Port Adelaide.

Write up latter.

LemmingMaster your up again.

Can't believe he slid to here!

 

[LemmingMaster]

Geelong - Michael Apeness

 

[WAFLfan1969]

Monocle is a bit one eyed

 

[Chris25]

Alright, so if I didn't feel the need to select an unknown South Australian with my last pick, I would have taken one of the key defenders from the Oakleigh Chargers - either Hugh Beasley or James Toohey. And it probably would have been Beasley, even though he is slightly smaller. But at 192cm and 87kg, he is still a decent size for a defender. He plays a lot bigger though, seems to relish playing on the big names and is very good in the air. But his biggest strength is his speed, he's one of the few players who could match Jonathon Marsh both for size and speed. But enough about Beasley, because I'm not taking him...

Pick 73 Fremantle - Jackson Press (180cm, 75kg forward - Woodville West Torrens)

A quick search shows that Jackson Press has only been mentioned once on BigFooty - in a post of mine in the South Australian Draft Prospects thread, and even that was only a passing mention. So he certainly fits the bill of my annual SA smokey. But this time, there is actually something more behind it. Clubs are showing interest too, even though it has taken some time. Not a part of the U18 Championships, Press was initially overlooked for even the SA State Screening. However, a strong finish to the season saw him become a late addition to the lineup and he is quickly making up for lost time.

Primarily a small forward, Jackson Press started to push up the ground and run through the midfield as the season progressed. He has had a very consistent season, and some absolutely outstanding individual games - in his debut Reserves game he kicked 4 goals, while in the U18s he finished with 6 goals twice. But the highlight was his Round 19 game - 27 disposals, 12 marks, 6 Inside 50s and 8 goals (admittedly in an absolute belting). And despite being a small forward, Press led the goalkicking for most of the season before being overtaken in the finals series - but still finished with 47 goals from 16 U18 games, and 12 goals from 5 Reserves games. Seeing him make the jump to Reserves was pleasing, and I imagine a large reason as to why he got the late invite from clubs.

So other than some impressive performances, what does he offer? Well firstly, he is seriously quick - as in, probably would have finished top 5 at the Combine in the 20m sprint. And he puts that speed to good use up forward, where he has all the tricks you'd want from a small. He's just a natural in front of goal. He also would have given the top 3 a real challenge in the jump testing.

But there are obviously reasons as to why he has only just come onto the draft scene. And it's largely to do with his conditioning and endurance. He's not the greatest gut runner going around, perhaps hasn't always put in the work that others have. I think he came into the season underdone though, and it was only in the back half that he really caught up. So you'd think the scope for improvement is definitely there. And ultimately, he'll always be marked down for his size and the position that he plays.

You could make the case for any number of small forwards in this draft, but I like Jackson Press and I think he offers something slightly different. There is a little bit of Hayden Ballantyne in him - nippy, creative forward who can be a burst player in the midfield. He is also decent above his head for someone his size. Could also make comparisons to the likes of Jamie Elliott or Paul Medhurst. But that's all best case scenario of course. And on that note, there is something there that reminds me of Peter Persinos (remember him Snoop?). I think Press would be well worth a rookie spot though, and can see him being a good state league player at the worst.

 

[tigs2010]

Pick #74 - Hawthorn - James Toohey - 197cm/96kg - KPD - Oakleigh Chargers

I've only seen this kid in one Phantom Draft so far, (Snoops) which was why I was worried about Snoop having another pick before mine the other day. Toohey is an overage kid who came back to Oakleigh this year and won the Best & Fairest. He is practically a tall utility who can play anywhere you want him to, but I've picked him here for his potential as a KPD. He's a big lump of a lad and what I like most about him in regards to his chances of making it as a KPD is despite him probably not being the most talented guy left in the draft pool, he would be one of the more competitive kids going around and I think that's a pretty underrated attribute around here. I think he will miss out next Thursday and is more likely a rookie prospect but this pick is listed on the AFL site as a rookie upgrade so what the hell, I'll do as I please.

Strengths: As I already mentioned Toohey is a super competitive defender who hates to lose and after watching a few highly rated KPP's struggle at Richmond recently due to a lack of competitiveness I think this makes Toohey an intriguing prospect. Toohey has a raking long left foot kick out of defence although it can be a bit shaky at times over shorter distances I think this can be ironed out over time. Whilst he's a bit of a project tall, he already has the size to play a role, but just needs some fine-tuning in his game, so you won't need to wait 4 years for him to fill out. He is a very good athlete who can takes stints in the midfield or as a pinch-hitting ruck as well as playing KPF, so he is very versatile. He's shown he's capable of taking some big, contested grabs but they do tend to be few and far between when I've seen him.

Weaknesses: He still has a lot of work to do and is far from a finished product, but he has some tools to work with if he is developed well I think he can be a solid KPD, who can do his job week in, week out. He needs to work on his one-on-one ability and how to use his size as he has a big frame. As mentioned above, his kicking is quite good overall but his short kicking needs a little work.

Why Hawthorn? Lake proved to be the difference to getting Hawthorn a flag. He's getting on in age and whilst not the same level talent offensively as Lake, I could see Toohey holding down a role playing on the oppositions gorilla forwards in the future.

PS Thanks for not taking him at 73 Chris25

 

[Chris25]

One final pick from Snoop Dog and we'll be done. So if everyone could send me a list of 15-20 players remaining, I'll put them together into a little rookie draft.

 

[Snoop Dog]

# 75 GWS
Will Maginess - Oakleigh / 182cm / 76kg / '95

I am a fan of this kid and think he will probably be in the frame from about pick 40 or so onwards. Seen him play a bit now and saw a lot of his champs games and I am a bit more positive on him than some others. Fundamentally the lad knows how to get the ball and in the Chargers side with all that talent he was still able to show he could do it. He does it bc he can go inside and out. He is very adept inside at the stoppages. He takes his time, doesnt panic, has good vision and generally makes pretty good decisions. His issue has been that he doesnt have a great DE at TAC level but could well be bc he was in the centre a fair bit but look there is no hiding that issue. What's interesting is when I saw him at CHamps I actually thought his ball use was bordering elite at times. He has a good drop and he finishes the execution well so I think he could get more consistent and raise his game a fair bit if he can use the Champs as his benchmark. His endurance, pace, agility, lateral movement are all AFL standard and he is a terrific kid as well from those that had a bit to do with him at Champs. Was co-captain so has leadership ability and we know he has positional scope. I think the kid will probably go later but I do think he is one that might defy his selection....ticks a lot of boxes.

For me he is a pretty rounded player with a lot of AFL attributes. The knock has been his ball use at TAC but I reckon he demonstrated at Champs that he can go to a higher level. Outside of that he is pretty light but he will build up in time.

GWS will have a few other picks after this and I would think some guys Jensen, Kearns, Leslie, Shanahan and a few others off the top of my head would have been in the mix for those and are blokes who I think will have a shot at the National draft late or through the rookie.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Spina write up will be done by tonight and I'll send my list of remaining players to Chris25 in a bit.

 

[LemmingMaster]

54. Geelong - Nick Holman (187cm, 79kg midfielder - Murray Bushrangers)

This was purely a case of best available and will add another larger midfielder to the mix. At this point in the draft you're looking for AFL attributes and hopefully this will develop going forward. Holman is meant to be a good club man and plays that tough and hard contested player. I know I already drafted a few similiar types early in the piece, but if you throw enough darts, you hope a few land.

From afl.com
Medium midfielder who uses the ball effectively on his preferred left foot. Star at the stoppages with his clearance work, including his clean hands and strong tackling. Hard runner who won Vic Country's MVP in the Under-18s this year.

64. Geelong - Liam Jacka (180cm, 73kg midfielder - North Adelaide)

Basically had a cracking finish to the year and may be on the radar of a few clubs. In all fairness this selection was not a valid pick in the real draft, so I can see this kid being picked up as a rookie prospect. He was the MVP for the SA under 18's so that is a good sign his performances were solid.

from afl.com
The hard-running midfielder enjoyed a hugely successful season with North Adelaide's under-18 side, taking out the Roosters' best and fairest as well as the competition's MVP award. Wasn't selected in South Australia's Under-18 side, but tested well at the State Combine in the standing vertical jump, 20m sprint and 30m repeat sprints. Outside player with pace and skill.

72. Geelong - Michael Apeness (199cm, 101kg ruckman - Eastern Ranges)

Okay, I had to ignore this guy a few times after selecting Lobb earlier in the draft. I know tall rucks are on the nose a little at AFL level, but surely this guy goes a little higher than where I managed to pick him up?
His ruck work is not insanely great but his true strength is in the forward line. Strong contested marker, reads the play well and while his testing results were not amazing, he hardly ever gets beaten 1 on 1.

from afl.com
Aggressive and competitive ruckman who consistently gets his hand to the ball, providing his midfielders with first use. Has strong hands overhead and can be dangerous playing as a tall forward. Comes from a rugby background.

 

[Snoop Dog]

LemmingMaster I really like your work late there. Not sure what you did early but Holman and Apenness could be a lot higher in the real go. Holman is a kid i have a lot of time for.