Hi all,

I find this bloke quite interesting. Knightmare from fan footy rates him higher than the likes of Aish, Sheed, Crouch and Scharenberg (more similar playing style). From my limited knowledge of the bloke I believe he will slide to the later few picks of the top 10 if not early teens. In regards to the draft, this year I'm struggling to make my rankings between Aish, Crouch, Sheed etc. If the club trades any early pick for an established midfielder, I hope we can also receive a pick to put us in the running for this bloke (wishful thinking).

Cheers!

Tell me your thoughts and info on him.

Might slip through to a second round pick?

I was wondering how long it would take for this kid to get a thread.


He is an absolute gun already, but also has MASSIVE scope for improvement given he is a tall midfielder (190-192cm) and also young for this draft. Has been BOG in 4 of the 6 games he has played for the Northern Knights post-U18 National Carnival... although he had a quieter game on the weekend in the Elimination Final (only 22 touches, 4 marks, 5 tackles, 7 clearances, 1 goal/1 behind). His best is phenomenal though... had 40 touches and kicked 10 goals in an earlier game for Marcellin this year.

The kid has massive up-side and I agree with Knightmare that he will be a potential A-Grader with a few seasons under his belt. He will end up being a Scott Pendlebury-type once he gets up to AFL speed.


As for him playing for Melbourne... I can't see us using pick #1/2/3 on him, and I don't think he will be available at our second round pick.

Reason for edit - Confirmed 6 games since U18 carnival

Average of last 6 games since U18 Carnival.

13.5 Kicks

10.5 Handballs

24.0 Disposals (11.6 Contested) - Highlights: 30 Disposals vs. Oakleigh (Rd. 13); 29 Disposals vs. Gippsland (Rd. 15).

5.5 Marks

1.8 Goals (0.8 Behinds) - Highlight: 5 Goals vs. North Ballarat (Rd. 16).

3.5 Tackles - Highlight: 7 Tackles vs. Oakleigh (Rd. 13).

4.7 Clearances - Highlight: 7 Clearances vs. Oakleigh (Rd. 13); 7 Clearances vs. Gippsland (Elim Final); 6 Clearances vs. Murray (Rd. 17).

5.8 Inside 50 - Highlight: 10 vs. Oakleigh (Rd. 13).

0.5 Rebound 50 - Highlight: 2 vs. Geelong (Rd. 14).

That's the run-down of his last 2mths (with some games playing more up forward). Pretty good numbers if you ask me... especially from a Clearance and Inside 50 perspective when you consider Melbourne's problem of actually getting the ball forward.

Bontempelli's a cousin of Nick dal Santo. Has very clean hands and nice left foot kick like his cousin. He has been more of a tall winger previously, but in the games I've watched, he's spent a lot more time in the centre square and has been impressive with his clearance work. Good awareness in close and a couple of his centre square takeaways last weekend were breathtaking. Early in the second quarter he read the tap, took the ball and burst away from the square before finishing from about 45. In the first half of the final against Gippsland, Bontempelli was very prominent and played a large role in giving them the buffer which allowed them to cruise home. Spent more time in the forward line in the second half, and didn't figure as prominently, but took a very nice grab in the third. Has the versatility to play in all areas of the ground. Needs to build up that upper body strength as well.

He and Freeman figure to be the points of difference amongst the midfielders in the top 20 or so, with Bontempelli as the tall, big bodied, midfielder and Freeman as the inside mid with that burst of speed. At the moment Bontempelli reminds me of an Isaac Smith/Goodes hybrid in the way he plays. If he continues developing that inside game, he'll be a very dangerous player.

Heard him interviewed and watched some vision of this kid and if we can find a way to draft him, I would not hesitate to call out his name anywhere outside the top 5.

Another reason I'm a big fan of trading a top pick and 'sweetener' for a mid first-round pick. I'm just convinced that there are so many good midfielders available that it is not so necessary to cling to a top ppick.

Also, I have a draft policy of 'only fun names' - Bontempelli is a pretty good start.

Agreed but it would be great if we got an early priority pick (lord knows we're bad enough to deserve one). That way we could trade one of the early picks for a good, sound midfielder. We would still have one high pick to get an Aish and part of the trade could see us get a lower first round pick to snare a good, strong bodied mid whose type usually goes between picks 10 & 20.

Another reason I'm a big fan of trading a top pick and 'sweetener' for a mid first-round pick. I'm just convinced that there are so many good midfielders available that it is not so necessary to cling to a top ppick.

Also, I have a draft policy of 'only fun names' - Bontempelli is a pretty good start.

Sorry if I've got this wrong, but you want to give away a top pick, say our Number 2 and a sweetener, say our second round pick, for a mid first round pick. I think you'll get heaps of acceptances for that.

Hoping we take this kid with pick 9!

Has the potential to be a star, similar to pendelbury!

Come on dees!!!

Hi all,

I find this bloke quite interesting. Knightmare from fan footy rates him higher than the likes of Aish, Sheed, Crouch and Scharenberg (more similar playing style). From my limited knowledge of the bloke I believe he will slide to the later few picks of the top 10 if not early teens. In regards to the draft, this year I'm struggling to make my rankings between Aish, Crouch, Sheed etc. If the club trades any early pick for an established midfielder, I hope we can also receive a pick to put us in the running for this bloke (wishful thinking).

Cheers!

Tell me your thoughts and info on him.

So far what you have opened with back in September has come to fruition.

I like what I'm hearing, reading and viewing of him but that's all I have to go on.

Maybe it's not all wishful thinking on your behalf as you've previously stated.

Edit:

Really looks impressive, I guess the question is will he still be available at p9?

Hey Ignition....you havent got Marty McFly's almanac by chance ?

What comes next ?

So far what you have opened with back in September has come to fruition.

I like what I'm hearing, reading and viewing of him but that's all I have to go on.

Maybe it's not all wishful thinking on your behalf as you've previously stated.

Edit:

Really looks impressive, I guess the question is will he still be available at p9?

Especially since the Pies are very keen! Picks 2 to 10 will be a lotto with a few surprises!

By pick 9 he'll be gone as, bro.

By pick 9 he'll be gone as, bro.

If he has gone, KK looks just as good and strong, and ready to go.

Hey Ignition....you havent got Marty McFly's almanac by chance ?

What comes next ?

Hahaha thanks beelzebub, I might have but I think I've lost it....

In all seriousness though I spoke to my AFL scouting/ recruiting mate and asked him about Bontempelli his response was "too slow for AFL, will slide to the second round". I was definitely thrown back by that.

Hahaha thanks beelzebub, I might have but I think I've lost it....

In all seriousness though I spoke to my AFL scouting/ recruiting mate and asked him about Bontempelli his response was "too slow for AFL, will slide to the second round". I was definitely thrown back by that.

Well, thanks for that update. (Reaches for the ruler)

Hahaha thanks beelzebub, I might have but I think I've lost it....

In all seriousness though I spoke to my AFL scouting/ recruiting mate and asked him about Bontempelli his response was "too slow for AFL, will slide to the second round". I was definitely thrown back by that.

Your friend doesn't work for the Pies does he? I thought this kid was the reason the wanted that number 6 pick off WCE.

By pick 9 he'll be gone as, bro.

I have a feeling based on nothing at all that we were hoping to snag him at 9 and that the filth have since pulled that move to snag him at six.

Little Goffy, on 08 Sept 2013 - 8:06 PM, said:

Another reason I'm a big fan of trading a top pick and 'sweetener' for a mid first-round pick. I'm just convinced that there are so many good midfielders available that it is not so necessary to cling to a top ppick.

Also, I have a draft policy of 'only fun names' - Bontempelli is a pretty good start.

Sorry if I've got this wrong, but you want to give away a top pick, say our Number 2 and a sweetener, say our second round pick, for a mid first round pick. I think you'll get heaps of acceptances for that.

Ha ha, a subediting error - should read 'a good midfielder and a mid first round pick'. Which obviously I'm delighted to see was actually what happened.

If he has gone, KK looks just as good and strong, and ready to go.

KK is better than Bontempelli.