Word of Warning

[Keyser Söze 0]

Just been looking through Matt Burgan's old Phantom Drafts and considering he is fairly well respected in this field I found these snippets from his 2005 phantom interesting...

2 - HAWTHORN - Richard Tambling

(Southern Districts), 12 September 1986, 181cm, 74kg

With Deledio expected to be the first player claimed in the 2004 National Bank's AFL Draft, expect Hawthorn to quickly snap up Tambling with the first of its three selections in the top seven. Tambling has been an elite performer at junior level, having been named the best player at both under-16 and under-18 level, which earned him the Alan McLean Medal and the Hunter Harrison Medal respectively. During his three matches at this year's National Bank's AFL under-18 championships, he notched up 61 disposals to cap off a stellar carnival. Tambling also captained The Allies during grand final week this year, when he led the side to victory in the inaugural National Bank's AFL under-18 Rising Stars Cup against Victoria. An AIS/AFL Academy member in 2002/03, Tambling shone at the recent National Bank's AFL Draft Camp, where he recorded a time of 2.87 seconds in the 20-metre sprint and a vertical leap of 93 centremetres, which were among the best tested this year. The dashing Northern Territorian goalkicking midfielder with the blistering pace and silky skills will be an excitement machine at Glenferrie.

7 - HAWTHORN - John Meesen

(Geelong Falcons), 20 June 1986, 199cm, 89kg

One of the most sought after ruckmen in this year's National Bank's AFL Draft, Meesen is a strong marking big man, who can also play up forward. A member of the Victoria Country team at under-18 level this year, he was also named as first ruck in the 2004 TAC Cup team of the year. More recently, Meesen recorded a brilliant time in the three-kilometre time-trail at the National Bank's AFL Draft Camp, when he finished in the top 10 per cent, after he completed a run of 10 minutes 44 seconds. It was a terrific performance for a player of his size, particularly in the latter stages, when he pushed himself right to the finish. Meesen is right on Hawthorn's radar and should be snapped up at seven, but he is not without a chance of being taken earlier by Richmond at number four.

I know Burgan is not infallible and this is only a phantom draft, but I think his opinion is a good representation of the general opinions of a certain player...

(http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/36819/default.aspx)

[Adzman 2,086]

Meesen was a mega draft bust. That said I think tambling could be a gun at another club. Tambling was expected to lift a club in his first season. He is not that type of player. If Daisy Thomas had gone to richmond (also an outside player) then his career would have gone the same way.

Tambling would be SUBLIME at Geelong, STK and other clubs with established in and under players to feed him the ball.

I agree that no journo can be infallible, it is just not possible. It is all guesswork. Our recruiters are the ones that need to get it right.

Having picks 1,2 have me salivating. 11 & 18 are nothing to scoff at either. With any luck we will bypass the Tamblings and Meesens this draft and land ourselves some solid building blocks.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Meesen was a mega draft bust. That said I think tambling could be a gun at another club. Tambling was expected to lift a club in his first season. He is not that type of player. If Daisy Thomas had gone to richmond (also an outside player) then his career would have gone the same way.

Tambling would be SUBLIME at Geelong, STK and other clubs with established in and under players to feed him the ball.

I agree that no journo can be infallible, it is just not possible. It is all guesswork. Our recruiters are the ones that need to get it right.

Having picks 1,2 have me salivating. 11 & 18 are nothing to scoff at either. With any luck we will bypass the Tamblings and Meesens this draft and land ourselves some solid building blocks.

Tambling has had Foley, Cousins, Cotchin and co and has been well short of sublime. A classic tease at draft time with all the right metrics without the most important and hardest attribute to measure.. the will to succeed.

Meesen proves the peril or punt of taking a ruckman with your first round pick. A typical tweener..great at TAC level and a bunny at AFL.

The ability to sort out the class from the brass is the real test for BBBP.

[Bruce Almighty 0]

Tambling has had Foley, Cousins, Cotchin and co and has been well short of sublime. A classic tease at draft time with all the right metrics without the most important and hardest attribute to measure.. the will to succeed.

Meesen proves the peril or punt of taking a ruckman with your first round pick. A typical tweener..great at TAC level and a bunny at AFL.

The ability to sort out the class from the brass is the real test for BBBP.

tambling had pretty good season this year in a very ordinary team, personally i think he will be a geniune star in years to come!

[e25 5]

This is pretty interesting...

especially considering how excited some posters are getting after reading Emma Quayle's top 25.