AFL NATIONAL DRAFT - Pick 9

[What 18,810]

I see no difference between the talent available at picks 2 and 9. guys like Lennon and Freeman are every bit as good as Aish and Scharenberg

So effectively we traded picks 20 and 72 for Dom Tyson and pick 53

Massive win to say the least

[Dees2014 2,377]

As someone who has seen a lot of the Northern Knights the last few seasons, I'd HAPPILY take either of Lennon or Bontempelli at Pick #9.

- Both of them can play inside and outside.

- Both have brilliant skills (Lennon probably slightly ahead due to his longer range kicking, but Bontempelli is no mug in this area either).

- Both can take a strong grab (Bontempelli probably ahead in this regard, and has more scope for improvement due to him still growing), and

- Both can rest up forward and kick a goal.

Not that it matters on the ground... but both are bloody good kids too.

That very much fits Roos culture model which has come though in spades in this draft. Gee these guys have done a great job over the last month. What a [censored] Robinson is...

[dee-luded 2,959]

I hear he's a closet meth addict, so forget about him...

Also kicks puppies and plays violent video games.

worse he's a closet naptheline addict. you don't want to bunk in with him. bad for your hellth.

[rolly 149]

if we can get an instant impact player at #9 like richmond got with vlaustin

it will cap off one hell of a sucessful trade/draft period.

i like the sound of lennon or freeman but love crouch's agro

saw an interview where it turned out brad crouch missed a crows training

session with concussion because young matt had belted him in the backyard.

the dees could use some of this mongrel and aggression

edit- spelling

Edited October 19, 2013 by rolly

[ThreeOneSix 954]

if we can get an instant impact player at #9 like richmond got with vlaustin

it will cap off one hell of a sucessful trade/draft period.

i like the sound of lennon or freeman but love crouch's agro

saw an interview where it turned out brad crouch missed a crows training

session with concussion because young matt had belted him in the backyard.

the dees could use some of this mongrel and aggression

edit- spelling

Yeah, It will be a hard toss up if Crouch and Billings are available.

[olisik 4,060]

Crouch will be available but good chance he ll slip to 15. If we want him we may as well downgrade pick again.

[mikeydemon 126]

Played with and against Lennon and Billings since under 9's

JB- Is pure class. Would definitely add silk to our list which we so desperately need. He's played a lot of midfield in his junior days but due to his size, for the moment, he will best suited to a half forward flank type player. Both Lennon and his best mate Luke McDonald have longer kicks than him, however i would rate JB as the most elite kick. Never misses a target and is so calm and calculated with the ball in hand. Very Pendlebury like in how he always has time with footy in hand. Would be a great get at number #9, however he isnt quite the grunt inside midfielder we need (although we need that less so now with tyson, mitchie, vince)

BL- The best thing about Lennon is he developed early and was playing key forward most of his junior career. This has meant he's great over head and kicks goals. Now others have caught up to him in size, he's learnt to play as a midfielder but his key forward attributes have stayed with him. one of the best kicks I've seen as he can hit targets at any range up to about 60m. Additionally he played in a pretty bad team right throughout his junior career (JB was able to play with McDonald and Kennedy-harris in a dominant team), so he knows how to work hard and never give up in a losing side.

too be honest i'd rather Freeman or Crouch at pick #9 as i feel they are more natural mids and the inside type we need, however either Lennon or Billings would be great gets and would add some real diversity and class to our list

[mitch 127]

Does Crouch have the same speed as his brother?

[Hannibal 5,814]

I've only seen these players on tv, so I accept that my exposure is too limited to make an educated call, but if I was basing pick 9 purely from what I'd seen it would be hard to go past Luke Dunstan. For some reason he's not the flavour of the month and with Tyson on board we may now want a bit more outside run, but this guy has the body, the inside grunt, clean hands, good kicking skills, goal kicking ability and leadership to do an Ollie Wines and impact AFL footy from day one.

Jones, Vince, Viney, Tyson, Michie, Trengove, Dunstan works for me.

[dazzledavey36 55,027]

Does Crouch have the same speed as his brother?

No

[Hannibal 5,814]

Does Crouch have the same speed as his brother?

According to Knightmare, who I don't reckon is the best judge, but well worth reading:

"Athletically Matt is not nearly as explosive as his older brother Brad but has shown some improvement over the past season in his foot speed which is encouraging."

[daisycutter 29,626]

How is it pronounced? The way it's spelled? How's it spelled? So many issues...PASS

what does it matter? He will have a nickname anyway

we should have a comp for best nick

how about "coke" as in Kola------?

[Machsy 2,858]

Not interested in Dunstan myself, but I'd be quite happy with any of Bontempelli, Lennon, Kolo, Sheed or Freeman.

Can't see Billings dropping to pick 9, but I can see Aish dropping out of the top 5.

I think Lennon will be on our wishlist at 9.

He did say at the combine when interviewed that the MFC interviews were intense.

We've obviously had our eyes on pick 9 for some time.

[Demanding Success 298]

There could also be another Tasmanian on our list. Kolodjashnij. I know we have been impressed with him. He is one of the guys really in the mix. Freeman will be picked if not taken earlier. He gives us something we don't have as a mid and something a lot of teams don't have as a mid. My only issue with him is he can go quiet at times.

[TRIGON 4,788]

Lennon marks, which will give Damien Barrett the sh1ts, so that's just another reason to draft him.

[Pennant St Dee 13,248]

I've only seen these players on tv, so I accept that my exposure is too limited to make an educated call, but if I was basing pick 9 purely from what I'd seen it would be hard to go past Luke Dunstan. For some reason he's not the flavour of the month and with Tyson on board we may now want a bit more outside run, but this guy has the body, the inside grunt, clean hands, good kicking skills, goal kicking ability and leadership to do an Ollie Wines and impact AFL footy from day one.

Jones, Vince, Viney, Tyson, Michie, Trengove, Dunstan works for me.

IMO I believe we can get this possibly at Pick 53 with Thomas Shanahan, big improver over the season and not really talked about much due to injury having a large impact on 2012 for him and he also missed U/18 State Selection. Like Kent was under the radar Shanahan is the same, inside grunt, very clean hands and good foot skills. He is a friend of Jesse Hogan and I think they may have went to Newman College together and came through the ranks at Marist JFC.

Lennon for me at 9 if available and Shanahan at 53 if he is there

[dee-luded 2,959]

There could also be another Tasmanian on our list. Kolodjashnij. I know we have been impressed with him. He is one of the guys really in the mix. Freeman will be picked if not taken earlier. He gives us something we don't have as a mid and something a lot of teams don't have as a mid. My only issue with him is he can go quiet at times.

& we may very well be the only club who has a chance of saying his name

whiteboard mayhem.

[Demon Disciple 12,185]

Apparently even with pick #2, there were 3 players we were interested in drafting and are still hoping at least 1 (if not all) of those 3 will be thereabouts at pick #9.

As has been reported, we have been closely following Kolod???? (whatever), have been rumoured to have strong interest in Freeman, and according to Emma Quayle are also interested in Lennon.

I'd be happy with any one of those 3, but my preference would be in the order of Freeman, Lennon then Kolod???? Purely because Freeman is/has been a pure mid, whereas Lennon is considered more of a HFF-mid and Kolod??? HBF-mid.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I've read the Facebook.com Draft Update, but it doesn't say Quayle has Lennon going to the Dees, or that he's our preference. It says that she thinks he'll still be available, but we may opt for the "Dangerfield clone Nathan Freeman, or his Sandringham teammate Christian Salem".

So has she made this comment elsewhere ? What am I missing ?

Edited October 19, 2013 by Ben-Hur

[Machsy 2,858]

She hasn't said it on twitter.

Don't know about any Facebook pages, but I wouldn't trust them anyway.

What I said is just based on a hunch, from what Mahoney has said about 2-3 we'd be aiming for at pick 2 being potentially available come pick 9.

If I was going to guess on that wishlist, I'd think Lennon, Freeman and Alphabet (Kolodjasnij).

Not necessarily in that order.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

To me it's a toss up Billings or Freeman.

But we all know Billings has huge behavioural problems. Also stands in closets with a camera.

[Dees2014 2,377]

IMO I believe we can get this possibly at Pick 53 with Thomas Shanahan, big improver over the season and not really talked about much due to injury having a large impact on 2012 for him and he also missed U/18 State Selection. Like Kent was under the radar Shanahan is the same, inside grunt, very clean hands and good foot skills. He is a friend of Jesse Hogan and I think they may have went to Newman College together and came through the ranks at Marist JFC.

Lennon for me at 9 if available and Shanahan at 53 if he is there

Agree. Would top off our trading wonderfully.

[red and blue forever 1,035]

Mahoney's comment was along the lines of being very pleased about replenishing our midfield while remaining in the top 10 in the draft. As Oucher said, that implies that they've got designs on a player or two in the draft. Furthermore, we're getting tight on list spots, and if we trade out 9 our first pick will be at 40. I expect a whole lot of sitting on our hands for the last week of trade week. Our job here is done.

unless we trade players out for a pick or player...

[red and blue forever 1,035]

My pick 9 options...

Nathan Freeman

Sandringham Dragons, 181cm, 85kg, 16/6/95

A strong-bodied midfielder who fiercely attacks the ball and contest. Real pace and has also shown a tendency to push forward and hit the scoreboard.

Jack Billings

Oakleigh Chargers, 183cm, 78kg, 18/8/95

Billings is a smart and skilful half-forward with elite foot skills and a strong overhead mark. Composed and creates as much as delivers.

Marcus Bontempelli

Northern Knights, 191cm, 83kg, 24/11/95

The athletic utility suited to the modern game. Bontempelli is tall enough to hold down a key position, and runs and jumps at marking contests like one, but can also push up the field and is good at ground level. Has been starring for school side Marcellin College.

Matt Crouch

North Ballarat Rebels, 181cm, 77kg, 21/4/95

Probably the best inside midfielder of the draft. Crouch digs into contests, rips the ball out and feeds it off, and has improved his outside play.

Luke Dunstan

Woodville-West Torrens, 184cm, 81kg, 29/1/95

A strong and physical midfielder who thrives on the contested situation. The South Australian has a presence around the ball and swings onto his left foot with ease.

Christian Salem

Sandringham Dragons, 183cm, 82kg, 15/7/95

A smooth-moving and classy left-footed midfielder. Has a damaging kick and often sets up play as the linkman through the middle of the ground. Solid build.

Ben Lennon

Vic Metro, 188cm, 82kg

Ben Lennon is very much in the mould of a Dustin Martin type, in that he can play virtually anywhere between midfield and deep forward where his strength and marking power see him play a key forward position, despite being only 188cms. Gifted with versatility and explosiveness, Lennon makes big impacts on games no matter which position he plays in

Dom Sheed

Subiaco, 183cm, 82kg

Sheed is an incredible talent; and arguably was the best performed and well-rounded midfielder of the champs, who should be rated much higher than some are giving him credit for. Sheed is high production midfielder, easily shakes a tag, has the endurance and football smarts to run all day, and accumulates an elite number of possessions

Kade Kolodjashnij

Launceston, 188cm, 80kg

Kolodjashnij loves to play the flanks, he led the way in Division 2 for rebound 50′s, and his left foot is a weapon – slicing through zones, and penetrating well over 50m, very much in the way that Grant Birchall sets up play from defence for Hawthorn. Kolodjashni’s aerial ability was also a strong talking point in the championships, he flies into and over packs, and can take a defensive contested mark, or simply leave his man to kill the ball and the contest.

Edited October 19, 2013 by red and blue forever

[monoccular 17,443]

& we may very well be the only club who has a chance of saying his [Kolodjashnij] name

whiteboard mayhem.

And the recruiter only gets what, 2 minutes, to call the name on draft day....or will they accept a number and initials?? :-)