Draft Watcher Young Talent Time 2013 - A Phantom Draft

[Richo83]

Yeah Templeton's kicking was good at the champs, I'd be happy to have him at the tigs, but it looks like it wont happen. I'd be interested to know why Sin City thinks he's such an average kick.

 

[tigs2010]

Chances of Lennon actually getting to our pick? I think FJ would cream his pants.

 

[Chris25]

Third round is up.

Chances of Lennon actually getting to our pick? I think FJ would cream his pants.

Possible. Chances are he will go ahead of Marsh, Dunstan and maybe Acres. But then again, you could say the same about Kolodjashnij, Taylor, Freeman and even Salem. So someone has to slip through.

 

[george2]

Hey Chris really loving your work as usual. Just a quick one, do you think the Freo would be stretching if they took McStay with our second pick? I would think I would walk away a happy man if we took McCarthey with our first, Mcstay with our second and Conlon with our third. We have got a pack marking KPF (Pav), a high flying CHB (McPharlin) and another KPF/ruck (Clarke/Sandilands). I just think that if we took Robertson, although I do really rate him, we would kind of be overloading a bit on mids.
Thanks in advance Chris

 

[tigs2010]

Hey Chris can I get your thoughts on Nick Bourke?

 

[Chris25]

Well, I like McStay enough to select him in the second round - particularly as we'll be picking quite late. But he could quite easily go anywhere from the second to fourth round in my opinion, predicting how teams rate KPPs is always the hardest. I think he'd be a good one to develop though.

I do think Fremantle posters may need to get used to the idea of picking more midfielders. No guarantee that McCarthy slips through to us and there is a slight chance that the likes of Marsh/Bontempelli/Gardiner are all gone by the time we pick. Which leaves midfielders. And if Michie does leave, then I don't think another strong bodied inside midfielder would be a bad idea - could do much worse than bringing in a Dunstan, Dumont, Robertson type.

And in the later rounds, there is no guarantee that Conlon even gets picked up. While I would strongly consider Vandeleur and Tickner, it wouldn't surprise me if we just went best available and looked to the rookie draft for talls again - Garstone, Le Grice for example.

 

[manny100]

Shifter Sheahan on SEN this morning said he expects Marsh and N Freeman to go very early. I would expect to see Freo looking to trade in a capable or potentially capable KPF later in the draft month. Eg, Gumbleton, Fitzpatrick or even a late play for Crameri. Whether it comes off?? Freo's only weakness is the lack of a specialist tall forward to back up Pav. I do not count rucks who can play forward as a specialist. Look at past premiers, mostly 2 good tall forwards. Oddly Sylvia will counter this to some degree as he can take a great grab in a pack as well as hit everything hard when the ball is on the ground - he can play above his size. I think that Lyon recruited him mainly for forward work with the option of mid to maintain that large body intimidation factor in the middle..

 

[Chris25]

Hey Chris can I get your thoughts on Nick Bourke?

He reminds me a little bit of Matthew Haynes from last year, quite highly regarded but ultimately went undrafted. Bourke is a little stronger, which was probably the biggest weakness for Haynes, but otherwise look quite similar to me. I have him going anywhere from pick 40 to the rookie draft.

Not sure about his best position, which is why I don't think he'll get drafted early. He isn't a big ball winner, and I thought he struggled at the U18 Championships playing on a wing. He wasn't getting involved enough in the play. He can run hard when he has the ball, but for whatever reason he just wasn't getting it as much as you'd want. And playing across half forward, he presents well and is a strong mark but has never been a real goal kicker.

Someone will take him, probably with the view to develop him into a back flanker in my opinion. Maybe Brisbane will view him as a like for like replacement for Elliot Yeo?

 

[george2]

Chris how capable is Bontempelli at playing a KPF role? does he have good contested marking or do you see him more as just a pure mid? it seems that he is getting to that height where he may be getting a little to tall to be a full time mid at AFL level, who knows he could become the next wave of tall mids.

 

[Chris25]

Chris how capable is Bontempelli at playing a KPF role? does he have good contested marking or do you see him more as just a pure mid? it seems that he is getting to that height where he may be getting a little to tall to be a full time mid at AFL level, who knows he could become the next wave of tall mids.

The fact that he has grown to around the 192cm mark certainly means teams will start to think about playing him in different positions. And while I do think he could play as a mobile CHF type, it wouldn't be as a strong contested marking presence. He is decent above his head, but against genuine KPDs it wouldn't be a strength. He can certainly fly for marks, but doesn't have the sticky hands which allows Fyfe to dominate against taller and stronger opponents for example.

But with Bontempelli, I think you'd be picking him as a project regardless of what position you view him as. One of the reasons I was so keen on him earlier in the season, was because he had shown glimpses of a contested game and I was excited to see that develop. That probably hasn't quite come on as I'd hoped, and my early season hopes of a Jobe Watson or David Mundy comparison look a long way off. He is looking closer to a Jared Brennan type outside midfielder/flanker.

So, as a midfielder he is still somewhat of a project. Just as he would be a forward. You could go either way, just like Jonathon Marsh.

 

[Dale4captain]

I just can't see why teams would overlook Marsh. When was the last time we saw someone who could run that fast at 192cm? For all the talk of 'only being a third tall forward', well what about Scharenberg? He might only be a third tall defender, yet nobody is marking him down for it. Marsh is one of the new breeds of footballers - able to play as a KPP or a midfielder. Not that much different to Bontempelli really.

Realistically, Marsh wont go top 5. But, there is a distinct drop in quality come the second round of this draft. Teams with a clear vision for the future and trust in their development coaches would be stupid to let him slip through.

As for Acres, well I have him at #6 so I personally would say #5 isn't too early. But it would surprise me if he went that early. Chances are they'd more be looking at him for their compensation pick. He looks to be a really good prospect though, and is another one of those tall midfielders. I think he'll fall somewhere in between when the Suns are picking.

Jarrad Grant..

 

[george2]

The fact that he has grown to around the 192cm mark certainly means teams will start to think about playing him in different positions. And while I do think he could play as a mobile CHF type, it wouldn't be as a strong contested marking presence. He is decent above his head, but against genuine KPDs it wouldn't be a strength. He can certainly fly for marks, but doesn't have the sticky hands which allows Fyfe to dominate against taller and stronger opponents for example.

But with Bontempelli, I think you'd be picking him as a project regardless of what position you view him as. One of the reasons I was so keen on him earlier in the season, was because he had shown glimpses of a contested game and I was excited to see that develop. That probably hasn't quite come on as I'd hoped, and my early season hopes of a Jobe Watson or David Mundy comparison look a long way off. He is looking closer to a Jared Brennan type outside midfielder/flanker.

So, as a midfielder he is still somewhat of a project. Just as he would be a forward. You could go either way, just like Jonathon Marsh.

I was under the impression that he as at 194cm now according to the AFL websites article about him the other day. If he stayed at 192cm then he is pretty much on par with the bigger midfielders going around in the comp now, but if he was at 194cm then I would think that is getting to KPP for sure.

 

[Chris25]

I was under the impression that he as at 194cm now according to the AFL websites article about him the other day. If he stayed at 192cm then he is pretty much on par with the bigger midfielders going around in the comp now, but if he was at 194cm then I would think that is getting to KPP for sure.

It's being suggested that the Combine heights are out by 2cm. Whether or not that's true, I don't know. But some of the measurements have raised a few eyebrows.

 

[Nemisis]

way off topic, but what's the story with Alex Forster? As a youngster he played well for Norwood seniors -

 

[Chris25]

way off topic, but what's the story with Alex Forster? As a youngster he played well for Norwood seniors -

Injuries ruined his first season, so this year was actually his first playing senior football in the WAFL. He worked his way into form, really picking up in the second half of the season. The problem is he was tasked with playing almost as a key defender, often getting the resting ruckmen. But that was never his strength. He got drafted on the back of his rebounding work, acting as the general in the back line. He may have lost a yard of pace post injury/weight training, but I think he deserved another year.

 

[tigs2010]

Injuries ruined his first season, so this year was actually his first playing senior football in the WAFL. He worked his way into form, really picking up in the second half of the season. The problem is he was tasked with playing almost as a key defender, often getting the resting ruckmen. But that was never his strength. He got drafted on the back of his rebounding work, acting as the general in the back line. He may have lost a yard of pace post injury/weight training, but I think he deserved another year.

I swear I've heard this story before. Straight out of the Richmond playbook of how they've destroyed a promising Jake Batchelor.

Also, thanks for your info on Bourke. I think he has a bit more football talent than Haynes from limited viewing. In a draft with a lot of short people he could surprise with his height.

 

[Patron]

Really hope WCE gets another pick in the top 20 of the draft.

 

[Books]

Always enjoy your work, thanks Chris.

Is there any chance Freeman or Marsh might fall through to Hawthorn?

 

[Chris25]

Added the fourth round. Few players who haven't been mentioned, but otherwise the only real surprises are a couple of players sliding further than BigFooty would expect.

Always enjoy your work, thanks Chris.

Is there any chance Freeman or Marsh might fall through to Hawthorn?

There's always a chance. Guess it depends on where Hawthorn end up picking, as it seems they'll be trading out of the first round - and potentially second, if they're still keen on other players too. I don't see Marsh or Freeman dropping out of the top 20 though.

 

[Zakk Wylde]

Cheeky question on next year, but thoughts on Jack Hayes ? Putting up some incredible numbers right now.

 

[Quigley]

Having said that, I really like Darcy Hourigan. I'm not convinced he goes anywhere near as early as I have him, wouldn't surprise me if he went later than expected. But certainly one I'd be looking out for. Otherwise, I think Mitch Harvey is more of a late second/third round prospect - and I've seen a lot of him, enough to be a pretty big fan. But he has some things to really work on. And then well, there isn't much.

Harvey tested appallingly and unless there is a damn good reason he would be undraftable. Terrible on the 20m (particularly over 5), he should have been pulled up in the beep in single figures and his 3km was a joke I hear.

 

[Chris25]

None of that's new. He tested poorly at the start of the year, and it's always been his problem - but it has improved throughout the season. It's been suggested he wasn't 100% healthy, which I believe because his numbers don't match with what he was doing during the year. He still has a long way to go of course.

His bandwagon has grown a bit too big this year though. He has unrealistic expectations put on him, by people who haven't actually seen him play and just go by reports/statistics. The kid is a project, and late second/early third (#35-50) is the top of his range for me.

 

[Gee Dub]

None of that's new. He tested poorly at the start of the year, and it's always been his problem - but it has improved throughout the season. It's been suggested he wasn't 100% healthy, which I believe because his numbers don't match with what he was doing during the year. He still has a long way to go of course.

His bandwagon has grown a bit too big this year though. He has unrealistic expectations put on him, by people who haven't actually seen him play and just go by reports/statistics. The kid is a project, and late second/early third (#35-50) is the top of his range for me.

Harvey tested appallingly and unless there is a damn good reason he would be undraftable. Terrible on the 20m (particularly over 5), he should have been pulled up in the beep in single figures and his 3km was a joke I hear.

Doesn't Harvey have glandular fever at the moment?

 

[BC Barrel]

Doesn't Harvey have glandular fever at the moment?

Harvey has glandular fever and has been sick for a while from all accounts. Is was amazing he he got through the testing. He looks like he lost heaps of weight and heard he was doing pb times before he was unwell

 

[tigs2010]

I like the Campbell Coombe pick in the main draft.