The Third Draft by Whispering Jack

THE THIRD DRAFT: Continuing Stevo's guide to the last Thursday in November as told to Whispering Jack

THE TALLS

I have been asked why is it that, in terms of this year's national draft, the midfielders so dominate the talls in both quality and depth. Perhaps one way to respond is to look at the 2009 NAB AFL under 18 All-Australian team:

B: Andrew Hooper (VC) Blayne Wilson (WA) Bradley Sheppard (WA)

HB: Josh Toy (VM) Daniel Talia (VM) David Swallow (WA)

C: Anthony Morabito (WA) Dustin Martin (VC) Mitchell Duncan (WA)

HF: Kane Lucas (WA) Jack Darling (WA) Gary Rohan (VC)

F: Brandon Matera (WA) Matthew Panos (SA) Ben Cunnington (VC)

Foll: James Craig (SA) Jack Trengove (SA) Tom Scully (VM)

IC: Luke Tapscott (SA) Ryan Harwood (TAS) Dylan McNeil (NSW/ACT) Travis Colyer (WA)

From the team of 22, five are too young to be drafted this year by the AFL clubs and most are destined for the Gold Coast. Two of them - Blayne Wilson and Jack Darling are key position talls. Of the remaining 17 players judged to be the elite players from the 2009 National Under 18 championships, ruckman James Craig from South Australia is the tallest at 195cm. Centre half back Daniel Talia (at 194cm) and full forward Matthew Panos (192cm) are the only other players you would describe as a "tall" leaving a preponderance of medium and small players in this illustrious field.

Then there's the spectre of injury. Many prime candidates among the taller brigade had their year clouded by injury problems. Two early season top 10 draft candidates in Maffra key forward John Butcher and Western Jets ruckman Jack Fitzpatrick have had injury interrupted seasons which have seen their stocks slide. Strongly built Eastern Ranges tall forward Ben Griffiths, probably the most injury prone of them all, has had a multitude of ailments over the past two seasons will soon undergo a shoulder reconstruction as a result of an injury in the early part of the TAC Cup finals series while versatile Jake Carlisle, considered a likely first-round choice from the Calder Cannons, is also in the wars with a back problem. All Australian Talia missed most of the second half of the season with hamstring issues. The tallest potential draftee is 207cm Sandringham Dragon ruckman sustained a knee injury before this year's under-18 championships and had little game time during the season. With many of the best talls confined to the infirmary, the medium sized players have dominated this year's draft discussions.

That latter group has also gained much prominence in modern times because of the importance of the midfield in the modern game which has elevated medium sized on ballers in particular to the games loftiest heights. When you add this to the fact that this category of player develops sooner than its taller counterparts, then the advantages of drafting medium sized becomes clear. There have been many recruiting disasters among the taller group of players in recent times to make most recruiters wary. Only a special type of tall player is going to fight his way into top ten calculations these days.

So I'm taking the plunge with my look at the better talls and, once again, will follow my views up with the comments of their coaches taken from Inside Football: -

Paradoxically, I can only squeeze one tall into my top ten as one of Port Adelaide's consecutive selections although, in many ways, John Butcher makes it more on reputation than on 2009 performance.

John Butcher (Gippsland Power, VIC) Height: 197cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 03.07.91 Tall forward

Butcher has good height and last year stood out as an excellent contested mark who was good below the knees and, considering his size, above average in pace and endurance. This year he was injured (fractured hand and quad strain) and the attributes he showed as a bottom age player did not show out as much. His performances became inconsistent and his kicking for goal and general field kicking became very iffy. As a result, his stocks fell from a top five rating to top twelve. He remains the best credentialed key forward prospect in the forthcoming draft and a mid first round selection beckons.

QUOTE IF: "John is a key forward who could play down back and in the ruck if he wanted to. Very agile and quick for his height. Had an injury interrupted pre-season but played very well for us and at national carnival level he copped a bit of scrutiny and didn't play as well as he would have liked. We think he's a super talent and he'll go on and be a very good AFL player. He's a superb contested mark. He was ranked very highly in the TAC Cup for contested marks. The way he moves is exceptional," - Gippsland Power coach Damian Carroll. Vic Country representative 2008/09. AIS-AFL academy graduate

There are three other talls who I rate a little behind Butcher but who are likely go in the first round as double digit selections. One of these could easily end up a Demon selected at pick 11 in next week's draft.

Daniel Talia (Calder Cannons, VIC) Height: 194cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 02.10.91 Tall back

The All-Australian centre half-back at this year's under-18 championships but he is much more than just a high quality key defender. He takes a good mark, can also play forward and has such great all-round athletic qualities with good pace and endurance and excellent ball getting skills and reasonably good disposal that he can also play midfield for periods during games (as he did in the final championship game against South Australia at Etihad Stadium). A hamstring injury curtailed the latter part of his year

QUOTE IF: "We played Daniel at centre half forward and he's an All Australian at centre half back, so he can play at either end, as well as midfield which he did at times for Vic Metro. He's a big unit and he wouldn't look out of place in an AFL team tomorrow. He's a genuine tall who I think will be very attractive to some clubs- Calder Cannons coach Martin Allison. Vic Metro representative 2009. All Australian 2009

Aaron Black (Peel Thunder, WA) Height: 193cm, Weight: 79kg, DOB: 29.11.90 Tall forward

Aaron Black was a virtual unknown when many of the other draft contenders were battling it out in the national under 18 championships. He was a little over a month too old for inclusion in the carnival and was working away putting good performances on the board as a high marking, athletic key forward in the WA Colts for Peel Thunder. His star rose as the season went on and he gained selection at senior WAFL level where he again shone. Being a late starter, it is considered that he has plenty more development in him.

QUOTE IF: "Aaron is a key forward who can also have a run in the ruck and has done some good jobs down back. He has good speed for his size, terrific hands (he came from a basketball background so is very good with his hands). Played Colts for most of the year and a couple of games of seniors towards the end of the year where he picked up some best and grounds, which was a pretty good effort. Really ready to go and I think he's going to do very well" - Peel Thunder Colts coach Michael Pratt

Jake Carlisle (Calder Cannons, VIC) Height: 197cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 01.10.91 Tall forward

Carlisle is another who grew in stature as the season wore on. Although he was noted as a tall forward, he was moved to the centre half back post when Talia was injured and excelled in that position thanks to his mobility, good aerial presence, clean marking and accurate disposal whether around the ground or near goals making him one of the very best key position prospects in this year's crop

QUOTE IF: "Jake can play forward or back and I don't think he quite realises how good he can be. He's got enormous potential once he gets a bit of confidence in his own ability. His skills are good and particularly up to 40 metres his kicking is really good - somewhere up in the middle 70s in terms of efficiency. He's possibly a late first round or early second round selection," - Calder Cannons coach Martin Allison. Vic Metro representative 2009

The next tier of tall players could sneak into the first round and in this group I include the player who I believe could easily be the first ruck prospect whose name is called out in the draft.

Benjamin Griffiths (Eastern Ranges, VIC) Height: 198cm, Weight: 99kg, DOB: 17.09.91 Tall forward

Griffiths is a big, strong key forward who has deceptively strong athletic ability for someone of his size – good pace, agility and leap with clean hands. His kicking on the right foot is prodigious and he is capable of kicking goals from 60 metres and his kicking is generally on target. There are some queries over his work rate but the big issue with him is the fact that he appears to be injury prone. A forthcoming shoulder reconstruction will not be particularly helpful but a club that is desperate for his type might consider drafting him early to be a gamble worth taking.

QUOTE IF: "Ben's a power forward who had some injury concerns during the year, but when he was fit and playing well he was really dangerous. He kicked six goals against the eventual premier (Calder Cannons) but he didn't do a lot at the draft camp because he had a crook shoulder. He played two games for Vic Metro and in one of them he kicked five goals in a half against NSW/ACT. The thing that will push him up is his mobility for his size. His speed over 20 metres is really good and his agility and clean ball at ground level is great. There aren't many like him in the draft and we hope he goes maybe late second or third round. We've had clubs tell us he will go late and others say he'll go really early." - Eastern Ranges region manager Anthony Parkin. Vic Metro representative 2009

Matthew Panos (Norwood, SA) Height: 192cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 25.01.91 Full Forward

The All Australian full forward Was the leading goalkicker of the under 18 championships but appears to have slipped out of first round contention, perhaps simply because he is not a fashionable player. Panos is a genuine full forward who leads strongly, has clean hands and makes good decisions. Is good around goals and an excellent kick of the football. There is a query on his endurance which remains important even though he plays at one end of the ground.

QUOTE "Matthew came out of the college system in 2008 and hasn't played a lot of footy - he's probably played for only the past two or so years. He comes from an indoor soccer background and he's a very good volleyball and tennis player. He played state indoor soccer so he's very nimble on his feet. This year he went to university and started our year in the Under 18s, went on and played state Under 18s and had a really good carnival and then ended the year by playing two games in the senior side. Plays key forward and is a magnificent kick and mark. Other than that, everything else is good without being super." - Norwood development manager David Oatey. SA representative 2009. All Australian 2009

Nathan Vardy (Gippsland Power, VIC) Height: 198cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 25/06/91 Ruckman

Vardy stands out as the best ruckman in a draft that is very light on for big men. What makes him stand out are his ruckwork and general all round football skills, a combination that is not common in many young big men. He's very strong overhead, kicks well and has the agility required of the modern breed of ruckman.

QUOTE "Nathan's a ruckman who I think was right up there with the best ruckmen in the TAC Cup. Very athletic, moves across the ground really well and has good skills for a big guy. He dominated some matches this season for us after having an injury interrupted 2008." - Gippsland Power coach Damian Carroll. Vic Country representative 2009

There are other talls in the field but, as I've already pointed out, they're pretty thin on the ground. Of the remaining tall players worthy of consideration, I list the following:

James Craig (North Adelaide, SA) Height: 195cm, Weight: 91kg, DOB: 18.04.91 Ruckman/defender

QUOTE "James has come through our system and he's a ruck-man with a beautiful tap. He's very athletic and given he's 196cm someone might look at him to play a key position role because he might be a bit small for a ruck in the AFL Did that at reserves level and did OK. Played two league games late in the year and did well. A great kid who really wants to learn." - North Adelaide football manager James Moore SA Representative 2009

Jack Fitzpatrick (Western Jets, VIC) Height: 201cm, Weight: 85kg, DOB: 26.06.91 Full Forward/Ruck

QUOTE "Fitzy's up around the 200cm mark and he's very mobile for his size which was highlighted by the fact he ran under three seconds for 20 metres. He was No.1 at the draft camp for repeated sprints and did OK in the beep test. Worked really hard towards the end of the season on his fitness because for some reason he was a little down this year after having a really good 2008. He is yet to do a pre-season because he's had chronic fatigue syndrome which obviously has played a part in hindering his development. We played him forward and back and while we didn't play him much in the ruck he played there with Vic Metro. Skills aren't too bad, although he needs to keep working on his kicking, but he's a good contested mark and on a lead he's very hard to beat. I think he'll get drafted and when he gets into the AFL system I think he's got the attributes to take the next step." Western Jets coach Steve Kretiuk. Vic Metro representative 2009. AIS-AFL Academy graduate

Max Gawn (Sandringham Dragons, VIC) Height: 206cm, Weight: 97kg, DOB: 28.12.91 Ruckman

QUOTE "Max played only four games because he did his ACL in Round 5 against the Geelong Falcons. The games he played up to that point he certainly showed a lot of promise and being 206cm if he makes an AFL list he'd be the second tallest player in the AFL. He came into the system late last year and played a handful of games but he was still very raw. Misses the cut off as a top-age player by one day so he's yet to turn 18 but he's got another 12 months development in him again. Potentially he's got some outstanding attributes and the signs he displayed early in the year were very promising." Sandringham Dragons coach Dale Tapping

Dylan Grimes (Northern Knights, VIC) Height: 192cm, Weight: 81kg, DOB: 16.07.91 Defender

QUOTE "Dylan has probably been disadvantaged a little this year because he's had to play in a key defensive spot but he's better suited to a wing/half back. Flank. It's been tough for him because he hasn't got huge body strength but he's got all the requirements to play AFL football". Northern Knights coach Denis Pagan. Vic Metro representative 2009

Dylan Roberton (Dandenong Stingrays, VIC) Height: 190cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 21.06.91 Defender

QUOTE "Dylan's a 190cm half-back flanker who has really jumped out of the ground as an 18-year-old this year. There was a fair bit to work on after his first year with us but he got a lot stronger, a lot fitter and a hell of a lot more competitive. He's quite en attacking defender, and while he is good defensively, he's very good at rebounding and kicks the ball well both sides of his body. He's got some good attributes and I can see him playing a bit of AFL" - Dandenong Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats.

Troy Taylor (NT Thunder, NT) Height: 188cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 12.09.91 Forward

QUOTE "The most publicised of the players from the NT given his chequered past (missed the 2008 season because he was in a juvenile detention centre). Has vowed to do everything right to make something of his life with football. He is a smooth moving medium forward who reads the ball well and is very agile when the ball hits the deck. Some scouts are calling him the next Michael O'Loughlin. Has a good defensive mindset and great ability to win contested ball. I'd expect a club to give him a chance early in the second round." - AFLNT talent and coaching manager Jarrod Chipperfield. NT representative 2009.

To sum up the talls in 2009, I would say that you shouldn't expect to get much value picking a tall player beyond about 25 (although a recycled Mitch Thorp taken late might turn out a good selection) but then again, it's just one of those drafts.