Under Age U16s - 2027 AFL Draft General Discussion

[AFootballParent]

A really strong hitout today in trying conditions.

Anyone want to guess who impressed the most?

If i was a betting man putting on the triffecta, i would put a gorilla on (Alphabetical order) Condello, Fairchild, Tucker with Ryder Brown coming hard down the straight.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Condello, Fairchild or Kravic?

Jen2310 Eli kicked 4 at FF and looked strong and energetic despite the conditions. Is starting to get a fair bit of arrogance (in a good way) about him.

 

[AFootballParent]

Rumour mill is that Condello was that far ahead of everyone and that they took him off before half time and apparently Ash commented that he should be playing in the 18s. I can’t confirm if the above is true it’s just what has been shared to me.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Rumour mill his that Condello was that far ahead of everyone that they took him off before half time and apparently Ash commented that he should be playing in the 18s. I can’t confirm if the above is true it’s just what has been shared to me.

True. To be fair, a lot of the better kids had cut time…including Jack, Luke D, Ryder Brown and a few others.

 

[Jen2310]

True. To be fair, a lot of the better kids had cut time…including Jack, Luke D, Ryder Brown and a few others.

cut time? management?
How how Cooper, Ted and Luke De Valle go?
I guess once they go back post christmas (end of Jan?) they'll start cutting down the squad

 

[Half Back Pocket]

cut time? management?
How how Cooper, Ted and Luke De Valle go?
I guess once they go back post christmas (end of Jan?) they'll start cutting down the squad

I think some of the more advanced kids are already through, so they wanted to see some of the others with extra game time. Jack, Luke, Ryder etc all very solid. Cooper was ok, didn’t see those trademark runs though. Ted had a few possessions, but generally quiet. He still needs more time (along with most of the talls)

 

[Jen2310]

I think some of the more advanced kids are already through, so they wanted to see some of the others with extra game time. Jack, Luke, Ryder etc all very solid. Cooper was ok, didn’t see those trademark runs though. Ted had a few possessions, but generally quiet. He still needs more time (along with most of the talks)

Assume Eli would be one of those already through?
I'll be interested to see how many of these nga's get into the final squad.
With such a large training squad, it would be hard to manage game time for players (which then you have to make a tough decision).

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Assume Eli would be one of those already through?
I'll be interested to see how many of these nga's get into the final squad.
With such a large training squad, it would be hard to manage game time for players (which then you have to make a tough decision).

They will all get through most likely.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

We're officially into the next phase of the Tassie draft.

Whitney, Husband and Russell aside, may further talent showcase their wares.

 

[Davo-27]

watched some 2024 u16s champs games and have a few names for 2027 to watch out for


Axel Walsh - WA
Angus Abbonizio - WA
Zemes Holmes-Pilot - SA
Taj Garrett - SA
Harvey Chapman - SA
Mason Whitney - Tas
Sam Husband - Tas
Lachlan Ellen - Bris
Taj Murray - GCS

 

[EDFL follower]

watched some 2024 u16s champs games and have a few names for 2027 to watch out for


Axel Walsh - WA
Angus Abbonizio - WA
Zemes Holmes-Pilot - SA
Taj Garrett - SA
Harvey Chapman - SA
Mason Whitney - Tas
Sam Husband - Tas
Lachlan Ellen - Bris
Taj Murray - GCS

So these kids all played as bottom agers?
Do Victoria select bottom age players for 16s?

 

[Haggas]

So these kids all played as bottom agers?
Do Victoria select bottom age players for 16s?

They didn't this past year

 

[briztoon]

So these kids all played as bottom agers?
Do Victoria select bottom age players for 16s?

It probably has more to do with a lack of depth of talent for teams outside of Vic.

In our Lions academy, say our U18’s, the top 4 or 5 U17’s would be better than most of the top age kids in the team, barring say the top 6 U18’s. And the top 2 or 3 U16’s are probably better than every top age Kid and U17 kid, except for those top kids in the age groups above.

So it’s usual to see the best bottom age and double bottom age kids in our U18’s.

So to seeing bottom age kids at U16 or U15 level.

 

[Davo-27]

So these kids all played as bottom agers?
Do Victoria select bottom age players for 16s?

usually not because theres so much depth in Victoria, they have to show off that years talent.

 

[Miller1971]

It probably has more to do with a lack of depth of talent for teams outside of Vic.

In our Lions academy, say our U18’s, the top 4 or 5 U17’s would be better than most of the top age kids in the team, barring say the top 6 U18’s. And the top 2 or 3 U16’s are probably better than every top age Kid and U17 kid, except for those top kids in the age groups above.

So it’s usual to see the best bottom age and double bottom age kids in our U18’s.

So to seeing bottom age kids at U16 or U15 level.

Not quite.

Annable in 2023 was the only double bottom ager in the Lions team (think Levi Ashcroft in the Sandy team in 2022)
A kid called Jaydon Macaulay in 2022 was the only double bottom ager in the Lions team.

Last year, there were no 16 year olds in the Lions u18s, though Matt Owens might have trained with them a bit.

The Suns had Archie Hill play in their u18s in 2024 as a 16 year old, and the year before Uwland, Murray and Addinsall all got games as 16 year olds.

It doesn't happen that often though, not even Jaspa Fletcher was picked at a 16 year old for example.

The Lions in 2024 only had a handful of 17 year olds (bottom agers) in the team - Ben Lillico, Harrison Bridge, Raph Geesu and of course Annable.

The previous year there were alot more ( Gilder, Gillet, Fry, Fazldeen, Pope, Milner, Macaulay, Greenaway)

By my estimations, probably only Murray and Owens would be worthy of selection in 2025 from the bottom aged crew. Though Hodge might get a gig for the surname and McPherson might be an outside chance - its a pretty strong crop the 2007 year for the Lions.

Kids like Barry, Harrison, Slater, Ronchi, Waller, Tanks etc.

Nucleus of the u15 School side that nearly won the title in 2022 (even though Geesu, Lillico and Slater weren't even picked in that side!)

In the end, only really matters what you do as an 18 year old as Gallop showed.

 

[GC2015]

The Suns had Archie Hill play in their u18s in 2024 as a 16 year old, and the year before Uwland, Murray and Addinsall all got games as 16 year olds.

It doesn't happen that often though, not even Jaspa Fletcher was picked at a 16 year old for example.

The Suns appear to have found the recipe to make it work. You can't just throw any random 15/16 year old into the top level U18s competition and expect them to hold their own. There's a lot that goes into it and if you end up with a top 10 pick at the end (e.g. Uwland and Addinsall) then you've done a lot right over many years of development.

 

[Miller1971]

Think you will find the Suns will only be able to take Uwland and one other in this years draft, and don't be surprised if the other is not Addinsall.

However, not unreasonable to think that Uwland, Addinsall, Murray, Patterson all get drafted - plus a few others in the mix, even White if the ridiculous hype continues.

I can't see any of those Top 4 names getting past the ND though. Suns will have to match a 1st round bid on Uwland, and I reckon a first round bid will come for Patterson as well. suns then jsut have to pick between Patterson and Addinsall

 

[briztoon]

Think you will find the Suns will only be able to take Uwland and one other in this years draft, and don't be surprised if the other is not Addinsall.

However, not unreasonable to think that Uwland, Addinsall, Murray, Patterson all get drafted - plus a few others in the mix, even White if the ridiculous hype continues.

I can't see any of those Top 4 names getting past the ND though. Suns will have to match a 1st round bid on Uwland, and I reckon a first round bid will come for Patterson as well. suns then jsut have to pick between Patterson and Addinsall

Suns have 3 first round picks, plus their second round pick.

Believe they’ll manage to get all four players.

 

[GC2015]

Think you will find the Suns will only be able to take Uwland and one other in this years draft, and don't be surprised if the other is not Addinsall.

However, not unreasonable to think that Uwland, Addinsall, Murray, Patterson all get drafted - plus a few others in the mix, even White if the ridiculous hype continues.

I can't see any of those Top 4 names getting past the ND though. Suns will have to match a 1st round bid on Uwland, and I reckon a first round bid will come for Patterson as well. suns then jsut have to pick between Patterson and Addinsall

Suns have 3 first round picks, plus their second round pick.

Believe they’ll manage to get all four players.

I'm with briztoon. I'm fairly confident that we've prepared ourselves well for these upcoming bids and now being able to trade two years into the future also opens more doors to load up on even more points, should we need them. IMO if we don't end up getting any of them then it'll be because we don't want them OR they've chosen to pursue priority access with another club e.g. Kalani White F/S to the Dees.