Footy Tragic

Welcome to the 2012 Footy Tragic Phantom Draft!

Last year was a raging success, and this one promises to be bigger and better!

Just to go over some housekeeping;

There are a lot of picks to get through, and we understand people have work, social and other commitments on. When it’s your turn, please post your pick in the ‘comments’ section with a description of the player and some reasoning behind that selection.

We have decided to take out Adelaide’s first round pick (20) as we believe it will be withdrawn due to the Kurt Tippett saga.

We have also decided that delisted players from 2012 (all other recycled players are OK) and other unknowns like Kurt Tippett, Josh Toy and Ben Jacobs will NOT be eligible for the draft as we are unaware of whether they will nominate for the National Draft or the Pre-Season Draft. All delisted players become Free Agents, so it is more than likely they will be picked up before the National Draft anyway.

Below is a list of every team’s recruiters, and if they have Twitter, in brackets will be their handle, so get around them!

This thread is for picks AND discussion, so if you’re not a recruiter, you are encouraged to stick around and watch it unfold.

We have lots of of very good U/18 watchers in this draft, so you’ll struggle to find a more accurate representation of the draft anywhere else!

The hashtag on Twitter for this draft will be #FTPhantomDraft, so get around that too, and spread the word!

Good luck to all involved, happy drafting!

 

RECRUITERS

Adelaide: hcdc93 (@hcdc93)

Brisbane: kimmerlions (@kimmerlions)

Carlton: Mezzocullo (@Mezzoculo)

Collingwood: collingood (@kensingtonpizza)

Essendon: abrowne24 (@pvcyclone)

Fremantle: Dr.Lazzmatazz (@jonnyx92)

Geelong: Budda230 (@BuddaMARP230)

Gold Coast: little_me1497 (@little_me1497)

GWS: Lemming

Hawthorn: hawksfan (@PaulC_78)

Melbourne: Clarkey

North Melbourne: jemian (@jem_gee) and (@the_policy_kid)

Port Adelaide: steven95 (@steve_lust)

Richmond: Kristian (@KristianPisano)

St.Kilda: Toby (@TobyBrocky)

Sydney: tigerwooda (@TigerWooda)

West Coast: thedann (@d_wolff)

Western Bulldogs: jimmywhelan96 (@jimmy_whelan23)

 

ROUND ONE

 

1. Greater Western Sydney – Jimmy Toumpas

Height: 183cm , Weight: 77kg, DOB: 2/1/1994

Recruited from: Woodville West Torrens

I’ve drafted him first due to his leadership qualities. Played with a hip injury and still made the AA team and looked great. Reminds me a little of Bartel and Hodge, I just have a great feeling that this kid will be a 200+ game player and of high quality.

 

2. Greater Western Sydney – Lachie Whitfield

Height: 184cm, Weight: 77kg , DOB: 18/7/1994

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

Is highly likely to go pick 1 and looks to have all the skills to make it at AFL level. A great combination of endurance, kicking skills and goal sense. Played a lot of time in the forward half at the championships and at times could have kicked 4+ goals, so those are good signs.

 

3. Greater Western Sydney – Sam Mayes

Height: 187cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 20/5/1994

Recruited from: North Adelaide

I think GWS can afford to go for a needs based selection. Mayes just adds a point of difference to their team and I feel will create match up problems in the future. Is a midfielder/forward and will add a big body to their midfield rotations and not look out of place in the forward line. Had star potential written all over him 2 years ago and nothing has changed. Has that little bit of Stevie J in him but taller. Did not look out of place at SANFL level as well.

 

4. Melbourne – Brodie Grundy

Height: 202cm, Weight: 100kg, DOB: 15/4/1994

Recruited from: Sturt

I expected Grundy to go top 3 so his availability threw a bit of a cat amongst the pigeons!

Whilst it may be that Melbourne’s midfield is too big a 3rd world problem to ignore it would be a big call for a club like Melbourne to overlook a player of Grundy’s quality & calibre.

At the end of the day while players such as Wines, O’Rourke & Macrae will be fine players for any club – there are good midfielders in every draft (2013 should be a bumper crop).

Melbourne needs a sure bet for it’s ruck division – Jamar is on his last legs, Clark has injury concerns & is the club’s best KPF, the jury is out on Fitzpatrick, Gawn & Spencer while Pederson & Sellar are undersized pinch hitters.

I love Grundy’s aggression, athleticism & enthusiasm & see him as a ten year/250 game star for the MFC. He could play as early as next season – is more physically mature than Joe Daniher.

 

5. Western Bulldogs – Jackson Macrae

Height: 188cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 3/8/1994

Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers

I’m going to choose Macrae with the fifth pick for the dogs. Macrae really come on this year and developed into one of the more intriguing prospects. He is a highly skilled and high production outside player who has really played some fantastic football this year and has improved immensely. Since the start of this season he has shown how productive his kicking ability can be to a team, playing for the Oakleigh Chargers and winning best on ground in the TAC Cup grand final where they won by a point over Gippsland Power. He looked a class above the rest in the final and would step straight into the dogs 22 round 1 in 2013. Macrae is just the player that the bulldogs need. He is an outside runner that can use the ball exceptionally well, with the likes of Boyd, Cross, Smith, Wallis, Stevens amongst others all being inside players, they need someone to give the ball to on the outside and break the lines and hit targets up the ground just like Rob Murphy has for the past 7-8 years.. His finishing ability around goal is excellent and has a real understanding of his positioning relative to the goals to allow him to execute finishes from positions few others can. I liken him a lot to a young Scott Pendlebury, because he seems to have so much time whenever he gets the ball and the game seems to slow down when the ball is in his hands. His poise and composure is rare and never looks rushed with the ball, just like Pendlebury. Another feature in Macrae’s game that makes him stand out is his running ability. Has really impressive pace and a high work rate with excellent endurance which is exactly what the dogs need in their midfield going into season 2013 and the future.

 

6. Western Bulldogs – Lachie Plowman

Height: 191cm , Weight: 86kg, DOB: 11/9/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

Probably looking for a key position player their second pick in the draft. Menzel, Membrey and Stringer are probably stretches this high. Might be able to pick one of them up with a later pick. Plowman is a key defender who in many ways resembles Brian Lake in that he is largely known for his strong marking and ability to read the play from the back half. With the retirement of Hargrave, Lake being traded to the hawks and Morris getting older, the dogs will be looking to rejuvenate their key back stocks. They drafted last year the brother of Rising star winner Daniel Talia, Michael and could get another solid key defender in Plowman who they would hope will shoulder the load over the next decade with Talia in the back line. He is very impressive in that he is a key defender but can also use the ball well and drive the ball out of the back half for his team. He didn’t get to play in the under 18 champs but that shouldn’t effect where he will get selected in the draft this year. He will need some extra time put into his defensive side of the game in order to become a great key back for the dogs. The best key defender in this years draft and one that the dogs should snap up at pick 6.

 

7. Port Adelaide – Oliver Wines

Height: 185cm, Weight: 73kg, DOB: 7/10/1994

Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers

Port would be desperate to pick up some Key Position Players but the lack of tall quality in the draft and the opportunity to pick up one of the safest players in the draft will lead them to select Oliver Wines. Wines really pushed himself up the draft order of many clubs after averaging 24 possessions at this years national carnival. Wines is a ready made player who will work hard all day long. Later on during the season Wines began to get on the outside more often which will be a key asset if he is to succeed at AFL level. Port will be more than happy to bring in a tough, ready made player who will compliment their young midfield brigade. Ideally, Port will be hoping that they can sneak in home town big man Brodie Grundy at this pick. Jonathan O’Rourke would also come into consideration.

 

8. Brisbane Lions – Jonathan O’Rourke

Height: 183cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 21/4/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

My pick is Jonathan O’Rourke. I think the Lions need to go for a midfielder and move Rockliff forward a bit. He wasn’t my first choice but Wines was just taken by Port. We can also use another Jonathan with endurance!

 

9. Richmond – Jake Stringer

Height: 191cm, Weight: 94kg, DOB: 25/4/1994
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers

Well, I wasn’t expecting that.

I had Nick Vlastuin pegged down for this pick the whole time, but there is no absolutely no way Jake Stringer is getting past me, or Richmond for that matter, I think.

Richmond desperately need inside midfielders. Jake Stringer isn’t exactly your typical inside midfielder but he has that many strings to his bow, it’s no wonder he was and still is touted one of the best talents to come out of this draft.

Let me get the bad stuff out of the way first.

Jake Stringer broke his leg (badly) last season. Before that, he would’ve arguably been a clear number one pick leading into this draft. As a result, he spent a year out of the game, and he still isn’t at his peak fitness.

Apart from that major hiccup, not much else is going wrong for Jake Stringer.

What you’ve got is a 191cm, 94kg man-child busting packs up forward and kicking bags of goals when you need him there and then you can throw him into the middle when you need that hard edge to go in and win that contested ball.

Stringer is a monstrous frame. At his best, and what he showed as a 16 year old playing in the TAC Cup, was that he was just so versatile. Athletically for a guy his size, he’s brilliant. People questioned (and still do) how his broken leg hampered his speed and leap, but as this season wore on, you could slowly see he was getting it all back.

There is the comparison to Matthew Pavlich, and some parts of it are correct. The ability to play as a key forward and through the midfield is something that Stringer has. But what I love about Stringer the most is his ferocity at the football, and his second and third efforts. For a bloke his size you could excuse the smaller, more agile midfielders to run rings around him, but that doesn’t happen. He doesn’t lose contests.

For those doubting what impact his broken leg might’ve had on him, well, his first game back for the Bendigo Pioneers this season, he kicked 10 goals, 6 behinds from 23 disposals. Second game back, 4 goals, 6 behinds from 20 disposals and his third game back, 31 disposals.

He then went on to make his debut in the VFL, and did not look out of place at all, again playing up forward but had some really good minutes through the midfield.

Jake is not at full fitness. That’s the scary part. Does the leg worry me? It does a little, but he’s gone and proven this season that he’s fully recovered and it’s well behind him.

When looking at draft prospects, I don’t like looking at what they’ll do next season. I like to think about what I can see them becoming in the next 10 years.

When you look at Jake Stringer, and his size, and his fierce competitiveness, it’s hard not to imagine him becoming an elite AFL player.

His ability to play in the midfield, and win as much footy as he does, and then go forward and kick bags of goals is rare.

With a couple of AFL pre-seasons under his belt, his lack of conditioning now will mean nothing.

Here’s just a taste of what Jake Stringer can do; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCV8qd2NeUM&feature=player_embedded

 

10. Essendon – Joe Daniher

Height: 201cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 4/3/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

I think everyone; particularly Essendon supporters, have a good idea about Joe as a player now after the significant media attention he has received all through the year.

There isn’t a lot not to like about Daniher as a prospect. He has a great ability to mark the ball at its highest point, and when you are 201cm that point is extremely difficult for any defender to attempt to spoil. Apart from the extremely clean hands, Joe’s other great trait for a man of his size is his ability below his knees. He is far from a dinosaur as his height would suggest, and the combination with his marking ability means the count of defenders able to match him in the air as well as on ground level is extremely small. If he continues to develop as expected he could be a nightmare for AFL defenders for the best part of a decade.

Bombers fans are excited, and with due reason after Joe’s dominant game against WA in the final round of the national carnival saw him kick 4.6. Had it not been for wayward goal-kicking he could have easily finished with 7 or 8 goals where he was just simply too big and too good for anyone to contain him.

It is possible he could be seen as early as round 1 next year. For the last 12 months Joe has been spending one day a week at Essendon working on developing his comparatively still light frame. He will however, likely take a little while to show all of what he can do at AFL level, still acclimatising to his enormous frame and the huge step up from U18 defenders to AFL stoppers, but when he does he should be great to watch.

 

11. Carlton – Kristian Jaksch

Height: 194cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 7/10/1994

Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers

Tall, tall, tall. Although they Blues managed to get a few good games under the belts of their young KPPs this season, Carlton is still likely to target a tall or two with their picks.

Jaksch’s height and potential to play at either end of the ground saw him picked over Gippsland Power’s captain, Tim Membrey. At 194cm, Jaksch sits at the top end of both the forwards (5th tallest) and defenders (3rd tallest) and fills the immediate list vacancy left by the long-awaited delisting of T-Bird. Jaksch’s height could be best utilised in the back half of the ground, a position that is crying out for a player with above average decision-making and footskills.

 

12. Greater Western Sydney – Nick Vlastuin

Height: 187cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 19/4/1994

Recruited from: Northern Knights

Having players with leadership qualities can never hurt, I wanted to go taller at this point but I hope to have a few options with later picks. Great at contested work as well, strong tackling and just a real general down back when playing there, still has the ability to move into the midfield.

 

13. Gold Coast – Nathan Hrovat

Height: 174cm, Weight: 76kg, DOB: 23/2/1994

Recruited from: Northern Knights

Dynamic small midfielder who is a prolific ball winner and great user of the footy. Very quick on his feet and at ground level. He a veraged 25.2 disposals and 4 clearances. Doesn’t have the big, strong body as yet, but could change very quickly. Vic Metro’s MVP and All-Australian honours this year.

 

14. Greater Western Sydney – Dayle Garlett

Height: 180cm, Weight: 70kg, DOB: 9/1/1994

Recruited from: Swan Districts

When you have as many picks as GWS you can afford to take a high risk, high reward styled player. I’ve had some draft watchers say Garlett reminds them a little of Cyril and you can see the likeness in their skill sets. Garlett is a highly talented player that can play both inside and outside midfield. Moving away from WA would do him the world of good and moving into a shared housing arrangement could help to settle him down.

 

15. North Melbourne – Ben Kennedy

Height: 174cm, Weight: 70kg, DOB: 3/3/1994

Recruited from: Glenelg

With the delistings of Cruize Garlett and Matt Campbell, Aaron Edward’s trade to Richmond and Boomer’s suspension for the first 6 weeks of the season (not to mention his evergreen age) North desperately need a readymade small forward/midfield type ready to line up in round one come season 2013.

Dayle Garlett had been under consideration for this pick, but after being snapped up by GWS with the pick previous, Kennedy, who has already mixed it at senior level for Glenelg this year, was the easy choice.

Kennedy at 174cm tall lacks the height of other more fancied midfielders in this years draft but makes up for it with explosive pace, sublime kicking and a genuine ability to impact a game.

Recruiters will likely question Ben’s ability to rotate through the middle and match it with the hardened bodies of AFL midfielders. However Ben has shown a knack for winning his own ball in tight congested situation and using his speed and evasiveness to escape traffic and deliver precisely.

Ben is an exciting player to watch, he has real explosiveness and a left peg that can roost a ball further than one would expect.

 

16. Geelong – Troy Menzel

Height: 187cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 22/9/1994

Recruited from: Central Districts/Golden Grove

It’s very easy for Geelong supporters to be excited about Troy Menzel due to the obvious link of his older brother Daniel. But let me get this straight, this selection has nothing to do with his sibling being a Geelong listed player. He is the best available at this point of the draft.

In my opinion, Troy is a Top 5 selection on talent. As one unnamed recruiter was quoted as saying “there isn’t much he doesn’t do well”. He is a beautifully fluent left foot kick who has high efficiency rates more often than not. His strong overhead marking mixed with his elite ability of reading the play and the ball through the air makes him an extremely difficult match up forward. When the ball hits the ground, you are still in strife as his agility, pace and class is very difficult to counter. There aren’t many all-round defenders who will be able to cover all these attributes. While I’ve personally only seen him play forward, there is no reason to suggest that he can’t have an impact either in the midfield, wing or half back like his brother has done.

Troy also has the performances to go with his outstanding attributes. While he only played two games in the U18 National Championships, it’s safe to say that he couldn’t have produced much better results. He started by tearing Tasmania apart with 9 goals only to back it up with 6 against Northern Territory. If anyone was worried about potential down hill skiing against the lower Division 2 teams, he went back to SA, cemented a senior spot for Central Districts, one of the strongest SANFL clubs going around and performed admirably.

While this all sounds great, there are the well known negatives that see him slip this far. His knee issues have been a top agenda item for most media agencies. So there aren’t many amateur draft followers who don’t know it’s a talking point among AFL recruiting heavyweights. Only 2-3 months ago while playing senior footy for the Bulldogs, he partially tore the PCL in his left knee. But this injury isn’t what has recruiters second guessing. Instead it’s the right knee that has clubs concerned due to a LARS reconstruction when he was 16. While there haven’t been any problems since the operation, the track record of the LARS procedure isn’t pretty reading. Add this to the fact that his brother has had tradition reconstructions on both knees and you seriously have to query if there is a hereditary element to the injuries. In saying this, both injuries were contact related and he has recently been given very positive reports from medical professionals.

There is no doubt that Menzel will have some type of slide in the draft. Whether it’s a couple of places or a whole round depends on who you speak too. I personally feel Troy becomes far too irresistible just outside the Top 10. I would be extremely surprised if he got any further than Gold Coast’s pick 13 despite the risks. With the risks in mind, I have him 9th on my “best available” list so I’m absolutely stoked to see him slide to Geelong. Come draft day, I really do think that there is an ok chance that he’ll still end up a Top 10 selection.

 

17. Fremantle – Tom Clurey

Height: 193cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 23/3/1994

Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers

Fremantle really need to bolster up their KPP stocks and Clurey is a good get.

Clurey was a key post in defence for Vic Country in the U18 Championships, and while he did not dominate he managed to get the job done each game. He has a solid shutdown game with the ability to defend deep forward or further out around the 50 (on the CHF types).

What standouts about Clurey is his rebounding game. He uses the ball very well out of the back half to set up the play and has excellent foot skills, especially for a tall defender. He reads the play well and has strong hands, and can zone off his man to take intercept marks (similar to Ben Reid). He has shown excellent leadership qualities and has elite endurance; has all the tools to become the general in defense for Fremantle.

 

18. Collingwood – Josh Simpson

Height: 184cm, Weight: 73kg, DOB: 9/2/1994

Recruited from: East Fremantle

Josh Simpson is what Collingwood need, a lightning quick player that will take the game on and also kick goals. He’s been likened to Lewis Jetta of Sydney.

Simpson’s evasiveness is probably his biggest strength, he has that rare combination of acceleration and agility which makes him dangerous in any situation. Once he gets himself outside of the contest his ability to use the football also shines. Simpson also has plenty of upside once he enters an afl environment.

In his own words: “I am a team player always and someone who people can rely on. My strengths are my ability to run and carry the ball, my kicking skills and my ability to create space.”

With today’s rolling zones and forward press it was important We went for a quick and explosive player that can kick a football. With Garlett and Kennedy taken with the earlier picks, the number 35 goes to Josh Simpson. Welcome to Collingwood!

 

19. Collingwood – Sam Colquhoun

Height: 179cm, Weight: 72kg, DOB: 20/12/1994

Recruited from: Central Districts

Collingwood need a skillfull half back and Colquhoun is the player to play that role. Very rarely misses a target and would be a guy who you could trust with the kick-outs from day one. Made All Australian side this year and was South Australia most valuable player.

Colquhoun reads the play really well. Good decision maker and has good work rate. Collingwood players read the ball well but it’s our disposal coming out if defence is what lets us down. Welcome to Collingwood Sam Colquhoun.

 

20. Adelaide (will not be used due to AFL investigation and likely withdrawal of pick)

 

21. Collingwood – Mason Shaw

Height: 197cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 15/1/1994

Recruited from: South Fremantle

Mason Shaw is one of the best key forwards in this draft. He is what Collingwood needs, a forward that can pinch hit inthe ruck. He’s strong on both the lead and in contested marking situations which makes him hard to stop. Shaws goal kicking is a feature. His beautiful kicking for goal is the best of any key forward. He moves really well around the ground and has a bit of an x- factor for a key position player. Once again he is another plenty of upside.

We are delighted Mason is coming to us at pick 21 and we thought he could of gone top 10. Shaw kickes 35 goals in 9 games for South Fremantle and with Cloke, Paine in the forward line shaw can share the ruck duties with Jarrod Witts and be a force in our forward line for years to come.

 

22. Western Bulldogs – Tim Membrey

Height: 189cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 26/5/1994

Recruited from: Gippsland Power

Captain of the Gippsland Power TAC Cup team, Tim Membrey played as their number one go to player in the forward line. Up until this point in his career he has always played as a key forward as his body has matured and gotten bigger at an earlier age. In the AFL he will probably have a similar role to that of Jack Darling at the eagles where he will be the third forward who would e able to play well up the field as well. Although he might not have the fitness base up just yet after a few pre-seasons he could convert to a more midfield-forward then forward-midfield player. He hit the scoreboard all year and kicked 8 in a TAC Cup final and then 4 goals in the grand final where the power lost by a point to the Oakleigh Chargers. Very quick on the lead and has a strong set of hands to make it difficult for defenders to stop when he gets out in front. He would benefit the dogs as they already have Roughead, Jones etc playing forward and he would provide the third option to clear space for them and also have th opportunity to kick a bag for himself.

 

23. Sydney Swans – Taylor Garner

Height: 186cm, Weight: 77kg, DOB: 8/1/1994

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

I’m probably a bit harsh on the guy because for a while there was talk that my beloved Tiges were interested in him at pick 9, which is a massive reach. Pick 23 on the other hand is just about right and could even turn out to be a steal.

I see Garner as a HFF at AFL level, though, he has the size at about 186cm and a bit of grunt in him, which could see him play cameos in the midfield.

Strengths:

He is a pretty good one on one player.
He has above average hands and good ariel ability.
His skills are good in open space, will hit targets consistently when given room.
At the championships he proved that he can win his own ball and compete well.
He has a bit of X factor about him, especially around the goals.
Plenty to work with, seems teachable.

Weaknesses:

Like most juniors his disposal can crumble under pressure.
He has already had a shoulder reconstruction
He thinks he plays like Angus Monfries!!! C’mon dude, pick a decent player if you’re trying to sell yourself.
Prone to the odd brain fade/decision making error.
Hasn’t exactly proven to be a high possession winner and has shown a level of inconsistency.

 

END OF ROUND ONE

 

24. Brisbane Lions – Nick Graham

Height: 182cm, Weight: 76kg, DOB: 12/6/1994

Recruited from: Gippsland Power

 

ROUND TWO

 

25. St Kilda – Tanner Smith

Height: 194cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 9/3/1994

Recruited from: North Ballarat

Well it should probably come as no surprise that we will be targeting a key defender with one of our first picks in this draft and Smith is the best of the strict full-backs in this draft. Smith has had a solid 2012, in what was largely a year of development for him.

Typically a pure shut-down defender, Smith has been given the opportunity to play some more attacking roles in the backline, as well as up forward. That said, we are recruiting him to play FB.

He won’t be right to go for a couple of years though as the boy needs to make very good friends with the gym – whilst he is a good height and has proven his strength to be a good closing speed, he has been easily out-bodied by many opponents this year, such as Grundy, who is a great example of the size of players he’d be facing were he to play AFL next year.

Essentially, he’s a no-frills defender, with good closing speed and a very good spoil. Exactly what the Saints need!

 

26. St Kilda – Jesse Lonergan

Height: 183cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 14/11/1994

Recruited from: Launceston

Lonergan is a tough, inside mid with great clearance and tackling stats. He’s missed a portion of this year, but still showed good signs in the games he did play – he was also a top prospect by the end of 2011 too, so he has the runs on the board.

The Saints midfield is going to become very bare of talent over the coming years when the likes of Hayes, Dal Santo and Montagna retire, and whilst Armitage and Steven are progressing well as midfielders, it certainly won’t hurt to add another rugged ball winner to the mix. His outside game still needs to be worked on, but there will be plenty of time to build up this part of his game. He is even physically ready to go from round one if he showed the right signs in the pre-season.

 

27. Melbourne - Jack Viney

Height: 178cm, Weight: 80kg, DOB: 13/4/1994

Recruited from: Casey Scorpions

One of the very few things that went right for Melbourne in 2012 was when GWS & the Gold Coast overlooked bidding on Jack Viney & subsequently forcing Melbourne to take him at pick 3 in the draft. While pick 3 may have been slight overs for Viney, pick 27 in comparison was an absolute bargain.

Jack Viney is definite top ten material and is one of (if not the) best inside midfielders in the draft. While small in stature his core strength & raw aggression make him invaluable around the stoppages. He is a real first dibs midfielder & will be a godsend for Mark Neeld in 2013. While being an inside toughnut who loves hurting opponents are the hallmarks of his game, Viney does have some subtleties to his game that if developed properly could see him become Melbourne’s first midfield star in a generation.

Good burst speed away from the stoppages, exquisite 20-30 metre passing, good decision making & a willingness to work both ways all make Viney an excellent prospect for the Dees & an absolute steal at pick 27.

Jack Viney is just about Melbourne’s only legitimate win in 2012.

 

28. Greater Western Sydney – Tim O’Brien

Height: 192cm, Weight: 81kg, DOB: 28/3/1994

Recruited from: Glenelg

He has some great speed and agility for his height and has something to work with in the future.

 

29. Hawthorn – Dean Towers

Height: 189cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 4/5/1990

Recruited from: North Ballarat

Dean is a long-striding wingman who won the 2012 Fothergill-Round Medal in the VFL. He is a quick and classy player and is a ready made replacement for the departed Clinton Young.

 

30. Port Adelaide – Tim Broomhead

Height: 183cm, Weight: 72kg, DOB: 22/3/1994

Recruited from: Port Adelaide

Port will be using their first of a double pick to select home town product Tim Broomhead. Broomhead spent the 2nd half of the year playing in the Port Adelaide Magpies seniors side which is sure to help him make the transition to the AFL. At the draft combine he finished 6th overall in the repeat sprints and equal 2nd overall in the goal kicking test. He has a great work rate which allows him to get to contest after contest. Although he played the majority of the season in the middle I see him playing off the back flank setting up the play with his quick pace. The only thing that slightly lets him down at the moment is his kicking but should be able to develop that as his career goes on.

 

31. Port Adelaide – Nick Rodda

Height: 194cm, Weight: 94kg, DOB: 6/7/1994

Recruited from: West Perth

The Power will use their 3rd pick in the draft to grab solid WA big man Nicholas Rodda. Rodda worried me after I watched Joe Daniher monster him during the championships but my confidence in him has risen after seeing he has put on 5 kilograms since then. Rodda had some extremely impressive results at the combine, but not in the areas that one would expect from a key defender. Like Broomhead, Rodda also came in equal 2nd in the goal kicking test with a score of 25, and also recorded an impressive 27 in the clean hands test, which placed him equal 3rd overall. He also has the ability to run off his man and set up the play from the backline. He switched from the forward line to defence in his junior career and he may continue to do so in the early parts of his AFL career. His ability to use the ball well is another impressive attribute that Rodda has.

 

32.  Richmond – Andrew Boston

Height: 180cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 23/3/1994

Recruited from: Broachbeach

At this stage, the draft is starting to get pretty damn shallow, so I’m rapt to get Andrew Boston at pick 32.

Andrew will most likely get picked up by the Gold Coast as a zone selection, but while he’s still in the draft pool, he’s fair game.

Boston’s come off a big year in the NEAFL, announcing himself as the best talent to come out of Queensland this season and one of the more intriguing midfield talents in the entire draft.

He was given the Rising Star award in the NEAFL on the back of consistent performances where he managed bags of four, five and six goals in his first eight senior games.

Boston played quite a bit up forward and with those goal kicking efforts showed he’s more than capable, but he played some fantastic games through the midfield and showed that a couple of times during the U/18 National Champs where he earnt a spot on the bench in the All-Australian side.

In the Champs he displayed his ball-winning ability through the midfield, but also showed his class, rarely turning it over and hitting targets on both sides of his body.

In the AFL I can see Boston becoming a very good outside midfielder that can push up forward and kick goals. He’s very capable of going inside and winning his own footy too.

What I like about him is the fact he trusts himself by foot and two games in particular stood out to me. You can get used to these sort of stat lines from him;

Game 3: 28 disposals (23 kicks), 11 contested possessions and 5 clearances.
Game 5: 23 disposals (17 kicks), 10 contested possessions, 74% efficiency, 3 clearances and a goal.

He is a very well rounded player, and from all reports is a ripper kid.

He’s got the body to play senior footy immediately and at Richmond he will provide an outstanding second tier midfield option in the future.

 

33. Brisbane Lions – Rory Atkins

Height: 183cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 12/7/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

 

34. Richmond – Samuel Lowrie

Height: 187cm, Weight: 80kg, DOB: 22/7/1994

Recruited from: South Fremantle

I stated from the start, midfield talent is on the menu, and Sam is another one of my favourites.

Tiger fans won’t like this, but yes, Sam is another player I’ve chosen that’s coming off a broken leg.

Last season he broke both bones in his leg in a round 11 match in the WAFL Colts as a 16 year old.

He was in some fine form before that, averaging 13 kicks, 6 handballs, 19 disposals, 4 marks, 2 tackles in a goal, including the game in which he got injured in (3 disposals).

The good news is he’s back better than ever.

What I love about Sam is his big frame for a midfielder. At 187cm he’s got a genuine AFL body that is ready to crack in and win the contested ball, but that’s not the only thing that’s in his armour.

He rarely wastes a disposal. He’s a lovely kick, and makes good decisions.

His running capacity is also elite. I don’t have his State Screening results, but I’m sure he’d be up there.

The other surprising thing was that Sam wasn’t invited to the Draft Combine.

This would have a lot to do with why he doesn’t get talked about all that much.

But to be honest, in the limited oppurtunities he had, I thought he was one of WA’s better players in the National Champs.

He averaged only 60% game time, and of that, hardly any was in the midfield for whatever reason.

From that drip-fed midfield time he averaged 10 kicks, 6 handballs, 16 possessions, 72% disposal efficiency, 6 marks, 4 tackles and 3 clearances.

His best matches were in games one and three where he got 21 disposals in both, but my favourite game of his, which was televised, was game five.

He only had 58% game time, but from that he got 8 kicks, 4 handballs, 83% disposal efficiency, 2 marks, 6 contested possessions, 1 tackle and a great 6 clearances.

In the WAFL Colts he’s had much more of a go, averaging, 15 kicks, 9 handballs, 24 disposals, 7 marks, 2 tackles and a goal.

Sam is an excellent ball winner, with great disposal, brilliant running capacity and he stands at 187cm.

On draft day, I would not be surprised one bit if he fell in the first round.

He’s come in pretty underrated, and that’s possibly because of his broken leg from last year, but he’s proven he’s well over that and when people look closely I think they’ll realise he’s quite the talent.

 

35. Essendon – Nathan Wright

Height: 183cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 16/02/94
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

The Bombers would have liked Rory Atkins to have fallen a couple more places as they are very keen on him. Tough to split Wright and Matthew Haynes at this point, and Wright has been given the nod due to his stronger (still not though great though) ability to win his own ball as well as stronger defensive side to his game. Had a solid U18 carnival highlighted by his last game against SA which was excellent.

Wright is a real line-breaker who can use his excellent pace to burn off opponents. Can play off half-back, but is perhaps more likely to develop as a winger. Extremely clean with his ball handling and definitely has the confidence to back himself to run and carry. Solid above his head and also runs well the other way.

His kicking is perhaps the limiting part of his game. Will likely hit more targets than not when under little pressure, but when heat is on or when he is at absolutely full pace his kicking can be a little wayward and will need some work. I think it is something that can be improved, and if that occurs would make Wright an excellent prospect.

Selected to add some pace to the Bombers midfield, although will likely take a couple of seasons to feature for the first team joining the other recent bomber midfield recruits developing in the VFL.

 

36. Carlton – Jacob Ballard

Height: 186cm, Weight: 82kg, DOB: 26/2/1994

Recruited from: Northern Knights

This competitive defensive midfielder possesses a great work ethic, good one-on-one skills and a big body. When combined with his above average disposal, he is a good chance to get early games for the Blues – hopefully allowing Bryce Gibbs to spend the majority of time in the midfield.

 

37. Fremantle – Spencer White

Height: 194cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 22/9/1994

Recruited from: Western Jets

Fremantle’s key forwards stocks rely heavily on Pav, so it would be a smart pick to draft a couple of key forwards for the future.

Spencer White is a very exciting prospect and has the potential become a gun power forward. He has been likened to Buddy Franklin for his play style – “tall, quick, left foot, take em on style”.

He had a slow start to the season for the Western Jets, causing him to miss out on selection for the U18 Championships, but he stormed home kicking 30 goals in 10 games, taking his tally to 36 in 16 games for the season for a second place finish in the TAC Cup goal kicking.

He has a strong marking ability, an accurate shot at goal and he presents well at the footy, making him a strong target up forward. What makes White so exciting is his athleticism for his size. He is a good runner and tested very well for both the running and standing vertical leap. For his size and strength he offers a genuine “X-factor” ability. The downside is his pressure and impact on the game when he doesn’t have the ball, but that could easily be improved under a coach like Ross Lyon. He will need time to mature, but when he does White could become the focal point of Fremantle’s forward line in the future.

 

38. North Melbourne – Matthew Haynes

Height: 190cm, Weight: 76kg, DOB: 19/3/1994

Recruited from: Northern Knights

The Roos would be crazy not to pounce at 38 on Victorian prospect Matthew Haynes Haynes. The club is in desperate need to add to the likes of Shaun Atley and Jaimie Mcmillan who can break lines and add excitement and unpredictability to a workman like defensive unit.

At 190cm Matt is the perfect height to play as a negating half back flanker, on a wing or through the midfield. Roos fans will love the x factor that he is capable of bringing to the table on a regular basis and will consistently enjoy his dashing long runs through the center.

At 76kg, Matt will need to work hard in the gym over summer, he will also have to improve his kicking efficiency and work on his positioning around the ground. Whilst not an exceptional kick, Matt is genuinely reliable by foot and has the rare ability to make good contact with the football while running at full tilt and hit long range targets.

Overall, Matt is an exciting prospect with huge potential. He was selected to be a part of the 14th AIS-AFL Academy and is considered to be an extremely versatile football perfectly balanced to succeed in the modern game.

 

39. Collingwood – Liam McBean

Height: 202cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 25/8/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

Liam McBean is a 202cm ruckman/forward. He is smart footballer, strong mark and kicks goals. Darren Jolly will retire at the end of 2013 and McBean can tandom with Witts and also go forward. For 202cm ruckman, he is also very good below his knees and ground level balls.

 

40. Fremantle – Brant Colledge

Height: 192cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 25/10/1994

Recruited from: Perth

Colledge plays a lead up forward. He has strong hands and can be dangerous on the lead, and with his strong work rate he presents many leading efforts in the one play. He uses the ball well by both hand and foot especially in the forward half. A standout trait of his game are his footy smarts and ability to pass the ball exactly where other forwards want it, something that is rare in a key forward. Only managed two games in the U18 Championships due to an ankle injury, but when fit throughout the season he showed a lot of promise.

Can play as the CHF or the lead up forward for Fremantle in the future.

 

41. St Kilda – Aidan Corr

Height: 194cm, Weight: 80kg, DOB: 17/5/1994

Recruited from: Northern Knights

 

42. North Melbourne – Jason Pongracic

Height: 182cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 21/4/1994

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

Jason is a big bodied, tough contested football beast. He attacks the ball with real conviction and uses his big frame to split packs with regularity. Jason is very clean above his head and generally uses the ball really well. As a midfielder he is more of an impact player, capable of fighting his way to the bottom of packs and clearing the ball.
Whilst not the quickest player it is not unusual to see Jason time his runs well to create separation when playing half forward.

Jason is following a similar junior development path as Shannon Hurn did back in ’05. Recruiters will be umming and arring in regards to his speed, stamina and the questions of where he will actually line up at AFL. However, North will be confident that with a modified diet and intensive training his engine will improve over time as will his straight line speed.

North’s inside midfield stocks were boosted last year with the recruitment of Sam Gibson and Pongracic promises to be another strong body to compliment Andrew Swallow, perhaps more consistently than injury prone Leigh Adams, Under-performing Ben Cunnington and Match Review Panal advocate Jack Ziebell.

 

43. Richmond – Daniel Currie

Height: 199cm, Weight: 92cm, DOB: 15/2/1989

Recruited from: North Adelaide/Sydney Swans

 

44. St Kilda – Adam Carter

Height: 179cm, Weight: 70kg , DOB: 17/4/1994

Recruited from: South Fremantle

45. Sydney Swans – Cameron Banfield

Height: 183cm, Weight: 74kg, DOB: 1/2/1994

Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons

Like his ball use and is a good option to replace the ageing Rhyce Shaw in the future. Can see him being able to play some midfield minutes, but the half back flank is his spot. Does the 1% ers, which coaches love. He is a bit like Jake Batchelor in that respect, but a bit smaller. Will be restricted to playing on small forwards so competition for spots will be with the Nick Smith types.

 

ROUND THREE

46. West Coast – Kamdyn McIntosh

Height: 192cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 3/4/1994

Recruited from: Peel Thunder

McIntosh is a medium to tall defender. He had an inconsistent carnival, but his best was very promising. The Eagles refusal to move Mitch Brown this season highlights their lack of depth in key defence stocks. McIntosh is likely to find his way as more of a medium defender who can play a bit tall, but ultimately not be the sort of guy you structure your defence around.

 

47. Sydney Swans – Marco Paparone

Height: 193cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 3/9/1994

Recruited from: East Fremantle

 

48. North Melbourne – Lewis Pierce

Height: 202cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 16/11/1994

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

With the departure of Hamish McIntosh to Geelong, North are in need of some ruck depth, not unlike Richmond who are also a little short (pun definitely intended) behind Ivan Maric, North could find themselves in some serious strife should Todd Goldstein go down injured.

Pierce represents a long term project, who would need to make best friends with all gym staff down at Arden Street before he could really be taken seriously at AFL level.

What he does have in his favour are pronounced football smarts, which are far harder to acquire then bulging muscles, just ask Izzy Falou. In his 4 games for Vic Country at the U18 Championships, Pierce displayed keen awareness of his midfielders positioning with astute tap work and ground coverage which got him the footy.

Give him a few years in the system and he might be able to forge a career as a future number 1 ruck at AFL level.

 

49. Melbourne – Brodie Murdoch

Height: 187cms, Weight: 85kgs, DOB: 21/1/1994

Recruited from: Glenelg.

Brother Jordan was drafted to the Cats in 2011 with selection 48 & I found Murdoch the younger too hard to pass up with this selection. This year Murdoch played mainly as a forward rarely venturing further up the ground than a high half forward position. That being said with his mature frame, pace & solid skill set I’m backing him to add something a little different to Melbourne’s on ball division as a pacy inside/outside mid who can go forward & cause some damage.

Hopefully a more team oriented Colin Sylvia type. With Melbourne’s midfield woes it was important to selected a player who can have an impact in there with this selection.

 

50. Western Bulldogs - Lachie Hunter

Height: 181cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 13/12/1994

Recruited from: Western Jets

 

51. Western Bulldogs – Matthew Dick

Height: 187cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 3/11/1994

Recruited from: Calder Cannons

 

52. Essendon – Matthew McDonough

Height: 180cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 26/01/94

Recruited from: Woodville-West Torrens

McDonough is a medium forward who kicks plenty of goals. There are slight question marks over whether he can develop into a full time midfielder as his endurance is currently a far way off elite level but he does have the rest of the tools if he can work on his tank.
Despite this, McDonough has excellent footskills, vision and uses good positioning as a forward to hit the scoreboard. He had a very strong championships for SA kicking 17 goals across the 5 games, including two hauls of six and with a strong body should be pushing for senior selection from next season. He isn’t particularly quick, but also isn’t overly slow and normally can find a way to manoeuvre in tight space which should translate well to the AFL.

 

53. Melbourne – Louis Herbert

Height: 186cm, Weight: 70kg, DOB: 27/6/1994

Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels

54. Adelaide – Matthew Wallis

Height: 194cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 16/1/1994

Recruited from: Norwood

Tall defender from Norwood who was good at the u18 championships at full back. Strong one on one and spoils well, but can also go forward at CHF or FF.

With Rutten likely to retire in the next couple of years, the Crows will need to add to their KPD stocks. Talia clearly has locked up a spot for the next 8-10 years, but still are weak in this area with Sam Shaw and Luke Thompson still yet to solidify a permanent spot in the 22.

The loss of Adelaide’s two first picks is a possibility, so this selection might not take place either.

 

55. Essendon – Leigh Osborne

Height: 186cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 13/03/90

Recruited from: Frankston

Leigh Osborne certainly has the capabilities to make a strong impact on the competition next season. He is certainly in the top tier of mature age players and is an extremely strong rebounder as a medium defender. Tested very well at the combine, finishing top 5 for both 20m sprint and repeat sprints. He also has very nice footskills and should be competing for a round 1 spot at whichever team he ends up at.

His role for Frankston was firmly in the attacking rebounder role, and because of this, his stopping abilities have been questioned, however I think that he does also have the tools to be a strong defensive players as well as an attacking defender. He isn’t overly strong spoiling above his head, but at ground level he is extremely clean and rarely fumbles. He also has the positive of a strong performance when he made the step up to the VFL state team against the TSL earlier in the year. In that game he managed 25 disposals off half-back and was voted the best player on the ground by the opposition players.

Mature age medium defenders have a strong history of making it at AFL level, and Osborne joins fellow former Dolphins Michael Hibberd and Mark Baguley on the Bombers list.

 

56. Carlton – Nathan Stark

Height: 177cm, Weight: 70kg, DOB: 19/7/1994

Recruited from: Glenelg

Time to get speculative! Nathan Stark is a small, aggressive midfielder with great footy smarts who – at 70kg – is at risk of being blown away in a strong breeze. His immature body and average disposal suggests that he may spend all of 2013 developing in the VFL (as the similarly built Dylan Buckley did in 2012) but if he develops adequately he could end up Mick Malthouse’s navy Blue Jarryd Blair.

57. Gold Coast – James Stewart

Height:197cm, Weight: 82kg, DOB: 4/3/1994

Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons

There is a lot to like about Stewart, particularly as a defender. He reads the play well when he is behind the ball, marks strongly, is great at ground level for his height and puts in the 1% ters. Stewart will need to spend 1 or 2 years developing before he is any chance of a regular spot in an AFL team but he has the potential to turn into a high quality AFL player. Has a massive leap and very mobile. Stewart could have been a father-son picked but wasn’t selected so now looks like a 50s pick.

 

58. North Melbourne

59. Gold Coast – Jackson Thurlow

60. Gold Coast – Clay Cameron (zone selection)

61. West Coast – Tom Temay

62. West Coast – Mason Wood

63. North Melbourne – Majak Daw (rookie upgrade)

64. Adelaide – Kris Pendlebury

65. Greater Western Sydney – Sam Frost (rookie upgrade)

66. Sydney Swans – Shane Valenti

67. Sydney Swans – Jackson McDonald

 

ROUND FOUR

68. Hawthorn – Sean Gregory

69. Greater Western Sydney – Andrew Phillips (rookie upgrade)

70. Melbourne – Daniel Nicholson (rookie upgrade)

71. Carlton

72. Hawthorn

73. Melbourne – Michael Evans (rookie upgrade)

74. Melbourne

75. Essendon – Mark Baguley (rookie upgrade)

76. Carlton – Levi Casboult (rookie upgrade)

77. St Kilda

78. North Melbourne – Sam Gibson (rookie upgrade)

79. Geelong -

80. Fremantle – Clancee Pearce (rookie upgrade)

81. West Coast – Brad Dick (rookie upgrade)

82. Collingwood – Marley Williams (rookie upgrade)

83. Adelaide – Ian Callinan (rookie upgrade)

84. Hawthorn

85. Port Adelaide – Tom Jonas (rookie upgrade)

 

ROUND FIVE

86. Gold Coast – Kyal Horsley (rookie upgrade)

87. Carlton – Zach Tuohy (rookie upgrade)

88. St Kilda – Sam Dunnell (rookie upgrade)

89. North Melbourne – Aaron Mullett (rookie upgrade)

90. Geelong – Jesse Stringer (rookie upgrade)

91. Fremantle – Lee Spurr (rookie upgrade)

92. Hawthorn

93. Sydney Swans – Harry Cunningham (rookie upgrade)

 

With the (real) draft less than a month away, we have decided to launch our user-generated Phantom Draft, which was a huge success last year.

Essentially, 18 participants take an AFL team each, and are left with the responsibility of choosing which players to draft to their club.

We will run through the draft pick by pick over the course of the next couple of weeks, but of course, we need some recruiters first!

So below is a list of all 18 teams. Please comment below if you are keen to join in and which club you would like. I will update the below list of clubs with their recruiters as I have confirmation of their interest.

Ideally, we will kick off the draft by mid-way through next week. But, we could start earlier if we fill all 18 spots quickly.

Obviously you will be allowed time to make your selection (catering for work/social/other events), but please post your pick (once it is your turn) as soon as you can. A brief description on why you selected the player would be nice too! We’ll then update the picks as we go.

If there are any questions, let us know below.

Cheers

Adelaide: hcdc93

Brisbane: kimmerlions

Carlton: Mezzocullo

Collingwood: collingood

Essendon: abrowne24

Fremantle: Dr.Lazzmatazz

Geelong: Budda230

Gold Coast: little_me1497

GWS: Lemming

Hawthorn: hawksfan

Melbourne: Clarkey

North Melbourne: jemian

Port Adelaide: steven95

Richmond: Kristian Pisano

St.Kilda: Toby Brocklehurst

Sydney: tigerwooda

West Coast: thedann

Western Bulldogs: jimmywhelan96