Who would you pick?

[Bad Brain]

Are you sure? I would have thought Conca would be easily ahead

Well that's what Daffey reckons anyway. Wouldn't be the first time Freo was seen to be reaching either.

 

[theGav56]

Not sayin he will be ther but Darling at 20 would be great. And his phantom reports say he has played midfield in a rotation.

 

[yakka man]

Darling at pick 20 would be great, allthough i can't see it happening. We still need a Bartel or Joel Selwood type inside midfielder as a priority.

I can't really get into the draft this year with the Gold Coast getting all the picks. I will listen intently on draft day in terms of who we get but the AFL have ruined it in my mind.

 

[theGav56]

Darling at pick 20 would be great, allthough i can't see it happening. We still need a Bartel or Joel Selwood type inside midfielder as a priority.

I can't really get into the draft this year with the Gold Coast getting all the picks. I will listen intently on draft day in terms of who we get but the AFL have ruined it in my mind.

GCS have actually made this draft extremely interesting, and I think you will be able to identify recruiting strategy via theie selections, rather than 1 off draft picks. Like an extended version of when we got Pav and Hase. They have also already impacted our draft with Mz and Faulks, plus I see good options available at all our existing selections.

 

[Chris25]

Chris25...how do you rate Litherland ?

I have not seen enough of him & of course he is more of a player that is going to come on in a year or two & plays down back.
Has played country footy as well .
Though then again who would have thought that Roberton would suit up so soon ?

My bets are for Cripps then Litherland at our 2nd pick.

I do like Litherland. In fact he is #21 on my top 50 list.

While I like him, I'm not sure he would be the best pick for us. Although he is 192cm he isn't really a key defender. Is more of an O'Brien/Gilbert type player. I think he'll be a good third tall and a dangerous rebounder, but given we only have three picks in the draft, Litherland might be more of a luxury given our other needs and depth in rebounders.

If we had more picks, I would love to get him. But we still need a key forward, inside midfielders and a small defender. And that has to take precedence in my opinion.

 

[DockerLand1]

I do like Litherland. In fact he is #21 on my top 50 list.

While I like him, I'm not sure he would be the best pick for us. Although he is 192cm he isn't really a key defender. Is more of an O'Brien/Gilbert type player. I think he'll be a good third tall and a dangerous rebounder, but given we only have three picks in the draft, Litherland might be more of a luxury given our other needs and depth in rebounders.

Now that is HARDLY a ringing endorsement Chris. Both players were serviceable at BEST! Hardly the sort of player that (it sounds like) we should be using our first draft pick on. Any chance Darling?

 

[the doc]

I do like Litherland. In fact he is #21 on my top 50 list.

While I like him, I'm not sure he would be the best pick for us. Although he is 192cm he isn't really a key defender. Is more of an O'Brien/Gilbert type player. I think he'll be a good third tall and a dangerous rebounder, but given we only have three picks in the draft, Litherland might be more of a luxury given our other needs and depth in rebounders.

Now that is HARDLY a ringing endorsement Chris. Both players were serviceable at BEST! Hardly the sort of player that (it sounds like) we should be using our first draft pick on. Any chance Darling?

I would have thought an AA and an almost AA is a reasonable endorsement? I am confused re your point?

 

[Nickos66]

I've got a feeling Dockerland1 thinks we're talking about Brock o'Brien & Phil Gilbert..

I'd take an A+ Harry-o clone anyday.

 

[Deep_Purple]

The JA coup has tipped the scales for me, before I could see the reasoning behind getting a KF in the draft. Now we have JA, Pav, Johnson (already stated that he will play more forward next year) and bradley freed up, because we will probably play griffin or clarke.

If we draft a good inside mid at pick 20 it gives more opportunity for Pav to play forward. I think JA, Pav, Johnson as KF's, Mayne, Ballas, Walters, and co mopping up, Beboar knocking blokes over. I think an inside mid is first priority, then a small defender

 

[Chris25]

Someone asked if I would post my top 50. It's not necessarily so clear cut, and it would probably be easier to just put them into groups (for example 1-25, 26-35 and 36-50). Oh and I left out Wallis and Liberatore, because well they were guaranteed to go the Bulldogs all season (they would have been around the 20-25 range).

1. David Swallow
2. Sam Day
3. Harley Bennell
4. Jarrad Polec
5. Andrew Gaff
6. Daniel Gorringe
7. Patrick McCarthy
8. Dyson Heppell
9. Jack Darling
10. Jed Lamb
11. Billie Smedts
12. Tom Lynch
13. Sebastian Tape
14. Shaun Atley
15. Scott Lycett
16. Luke Parker
17. Kieran Harper
18. Reece Conca
19. Jamie Cripps
20. Alex Fasolo
21. Angus Litherland
22. Cameron Guthrie
23. Brodie Smith
24. Lucas Cook
25. Josh Caddy

26. Ben Newton
27. Isaac Smith
28. Aaron Young
29. Jayden Pitt
30. Warrick Andreoli
31. Ben Jacobs
32. Anton Hamp
33. Tim Milera
34. Matt Watson
35. Mitch Hallahan

36. Ariel Steinberg
37. Jimmi Savage
38. Josh Green
39. Sam Crocker
40. Patrick Karnezis
41. Dion Prestia
42. David Kruse
43. Luke Mitchell
44. Blayne Wilson
45. Arryn Sippos
46. Aaron Mullett
47. George Horlin-Smith
48. Matthew Rankine
49. Justin Monaco
50. Max Otten

 

[Dockernut]

Any rough, outside, slight, possible chance that Atley could slide to us Chris? Seems to have it all and the AFL Draft machine has him sliding considerably (not that that means anything really).

 

[Chris25]

Not sure how accurate the Herald Sun is, but I'm sure their writers are more informed than the one on the AFL website....

WHAT IT MIGHT GET

In a good position to snare one of two West Australian gems - if they make it to pick 20.

Their priority is Jack Darling - a mid-sized bustling forward replacement for Matthew Pavlich. But if he's gone, Reece Conca will become their man. Wonderfully-skilled and versatile midfielder would complement a glittering engine room magnificently.

LATE MAIL

Sizing up West Australian super-stopper Angus Litherland as a key defensive replacement for Luke McPharlin and Antoni Grover.

 

[Ysaye]

Well that's what Daffey reckons anyway. Wouldn't be the first time Freo was seen to be reaching either.

To my mind Cripps is a far better long term player than Conca. Top shelf skills, better speed and agility, and his worst attribute is endurance, which is something that can be improved. I hate comparisons but Cripps reminds me of Blake Caracella did in his prime - very dangerous if he has possession and inside 50. Conca feels very vanilla and I just don't see what he would bring to the team, apart from the ability to play from day one and maybe a high possession game.

 

[Ysaye]

Darling at pick 20 would be great, allthough i can't see it happening. We still need a Bartel or Joel Selwood type inside midfielder as a priority.

I can't really get into the draft this year with the Gold Coast getting all the picks. I will listen intently on draft day in terms of who we get but the AFL have ruined it in my mind.

Don't agree about it necessarily being a priority, but Luke Parker would fill that kind of expectation to a tee.

 

[The Gerbil King]

The JA coup has tipped the scales for me, before I could see the reasoning behind getting a KF in the draft. Now we have JA, Pav, Johnson (already stated that he will play more forward next year) and bradley freed up, because we will probably play griffin or clarke.

If we draft a good inside mid at pick 20 it gives more opportunity for Pav to play forward. I think JA, Pav, Johnson as KF's, Mayne, Ballas, Walters, and co mopping up, Beboar knocking blokes over. I think an inside mid is first priority, then a small defender

I agree although I would go for a tallish defender - like Litherland or Monaco. We only have Sibo as a backup to Luke, Antoni and Alex. Shepherd is a forward from what I have seen and I expect him to come through this year.

Just a question, could Jack Darling fulfil the role of a bullocking inside mid ala Pav? He could be a very good each way bet at 20.

 

[MARK In TIME]

Think you guys should have a look at this video on the 'Top WA prospects' by foxsports. http://www.foxsports.com.au/AFL/wa-...951597116?subcat=1225916318050&site=FoxSports

Anyway, I was really hoping Conca would fall to us (pick 21), but in the video they say Conca and Darling were both invited to attend the draft personally becasue they were in the top 20 picked.

I'd say it's likely you might get Conca, unless he's picked earlier than people expected.

 

[Ysaye]

I agree although I would go for a tallish defender - like Litherland or Monaco. We only have Sibo as a backup to Luke, Antoni and Alex. Shepherd is a forward from what I have seen and I expect him to come through this year.

Just a question, could Jack Darling fulfil the role of a bullocking inside mid ala Pav? He could be a very good each way bet at 20.

What about Faulks? And Roberton?

Don't want any backmen (Tall or Small) with the first two picks. The first two picks should be about getting as much potential as possible, which means key forwards and midfielders.

 

[Scham]

Think you guys should have a look at this video on the 'Top WA prospects' by foxsports. http://www.foxsports.com.au/AFL/wa-...951597116?subcat=1225916318050&site=FoxSports

Anyway, I was really hoping Conca would fall to us (pick 21), but in the video they say Conca and Darling were both invited to attend the draft personally becasue they were in the top 20 picked.

I'd say it's likely you might get Conca, unless he's picked earlier than people expected.

Picks 10 - 25 could go any which way. The talent is very close in that range and Conca is right in the mix. I personally think Melb may grab him at 12 but if they don't he'll more than likely fall to us.

 

[tofushark]

A few interviews with some of the WA prospects

http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/video/

 

[freoshark]

Yes if we want Chalwell I think we would need to do it at 20, WC will probably get him at 28, I have looked at footage of most of the picks that would be available at 20 and he looks as good as any, very poised.

Chalwell seems to have generated interest in a lot of the Phantom drafts. TradeDraft has a thread on him.
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=773825

 

[Belele]

I do like Litherland. In fact he is #21 on my top 50 list.

He is listed as an outsiders chance on the herald sun preview, but not sure about the Capper-esque shorts in the pic from the worst.

 

[Nickos66]

Saw that on the West footy page today, he probably could have chosen a larger size shorts, maybe he didn't know the pic would be used in the West paper.

 

[The Purple Hill]

I strongly believe we should pick the BEST player available with our first pick regardless of whether they are small or tall.
You can always fit a great young player into any team, regardless if they are the premier team or wooden spooners. A good tall would be great but I say just go the BEST available player.

 

[docker_champ29]

Saw that on the West footy page today, he probably could have chosen a larger size shorts, maybe he didn't know the pic would be used in the West paper.

Yeah, or maybe he did know.

 

[E Shed]

Yeah, or maybe he did know.

He's the complete package!