AFL NATIONAL DRAFT - Pick 9

[Machsy 2,858]

Crouch doesnt sound like our primary need.

Yes, I think this pick will be all about midfield balance for us, and I think Freeman is the best fit as a powerful burst runner from stoppages.

I've firmed on him as my preference, then Lennon.

I like Crouch, but I really don't think we need him as he is so similar to Viney.

[old55 23,687]

Who's the last player we had like Freeman ? A 184cm explosive and strong bodied mid with the ideal combination of speed and reasonable endurance, placing 10th in the beep test. He ran 2.82 seconds for the 20 metre sprint and is brilliant at stoppages. A player like that can crack games open with a 10 minute burst.

He may not be a ball magnet, but can improve that side of his game. And it's not like he doesn't find the footy, as he averaged 20 disposals in the championships and they're time affected games. Dangerfield averaged 13 disposals from 21 games in his second year at Adelaide and by year 5 was averaging 26.

We need speed and freeman has it in spades. But he's also strong at contested footy. He's the one.

Sylvia : )

[What 18,810]

Just realized Collingwood still have pick 10

So their trading away pick 11 doesnt affect the Taylor Adams deal at all

[ThreeOneSix 954]

I actually hope we draft Kolodjashnij. He is exactly what we need right now. How terrible has our disposal off half back been in recent years ? Someone who can use the ball well and has naturally played in that position will be a big plus for mine.

He is very good and Kolodjashnij is definitely the kid for that role.

Salem could perhaps do the same - but with more strings to his bow in regards to hardness, Salem is inside/outside and a great tackler, disposer of the football.

The thing with Kolodjashnij, is do we want a quarterback for 9 and do we think he is limited to that role.

If we see him elsewhere going forward, then take him, his on field results are there, his combine results are there and his improvement rate over the past year is up there.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

I mentioned a little while ago that I liked Northern Knights' Marcus Bontempelli as the prototype of the tall midfielder. Well, one of bigfooty's phantom draft gurus has him going at our selection number 9:-

Chris25

9. GWS - Marcus Bontempelli (192cm, 83kg midfielder - Northern Knights)

Possibly my favourite player in the draft, yes even ahead of the South Australians. At the start of the season I picked Marcus Bontempelli as my bolter, and I was talking him up to anyone who would listen. And I'm pleased to see more people jumping on board of the bandwagon. In previous years, Marcus has played more as a flanker/outside midfielder but this season has spent more time right in the middle as well as playing across half forward. He is a rangy type player who moves really well, with both decent speed and a strong endurance base. Really nice leap on him, and he is a very good kick - both long and strong. With reports that he is still growing, I'm becoming increasingly interested in his potential as a CHF. I do think he is best played as a midfielder, yet he could also play up forward and push into the middle. Not many defenders could go with him all game. But the reason I'm such a fan is because of the improvements I've seen in his inside game, he is starting to really use his body well and he gets himself into good positions. I'm not saying he will be as good, but he could potentially develop into a Jobe Watson type - versatile, damaging and wins his own ball.

... and in a touch of irony, the other guru from bigfooty Knightmare currently has him as the bolter at ... number 2 (note - he hasn't updated the player's draft range):-

Knightmare

#2 GWS Marcus Bontempelli (VIC Mid/Def)

Height: 191cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 24/11/1995

Recruited from: Northern Knights

Style: Jared Brennan (Less lazy)

Player comparison:

Range: 5-20

Profile: Bontempelli is a very athletic tall who does a bit of everything. Best known for his 50 disposal, 10 goal game in school footy through the midfield. Bontempelli can play pretty much anywhere. Off a back flank he can really break the lines with his pace but also has a nice leap on him making him a weapon in the air when he pushes forward. He has a nice combination of athletic gifts with above average speed, agility and endurance at his height. He also has some real penetration on that left foot and has the ability to do some major damage. As a midfielder hes still developing his inside game but its coming along nicely with his clean hands and his improving ability to win his own ball and distribute by hand so theres plenty to work with. With Bontempelli Ive really enjoyed his improvement in recent seasons and he still seems to be growing and with a late year birthday hes a guy who over future seasons has the opportunity to really develop into a monster if things go right. Just what position that ends becoming his and exactly how far he can take his game are the unknowns at this point.

It's been reported elsewhere that Bontempelli is still growing and is now 194cm tall which means he could potentially end up as a KPP. Definitely an interesting prospect with a family link to Nick Dal Santo.

[dazzledavey36 55,318]

[dee-luded 2,959]

I mentioned a little while ago that I liked Northern Knights' Marcus Bontempelli as the prototype of the tall midfielder. Well, one of bigfooty's phantom draft gurus has him going at our selection number 9:-

... and in a touch of irony, the other guru from bigfooty Knightmare currently has him as the bolter at ... number 2 (note - he hasn't updated the player's draft range):-

It's been reported elsewhere that Bontempelli is still growing and is now 194cm tall which means he could potentially end up as a KPP. Definitely an interesting prospect with a family link to Nick Dal Santo.

with a name like that & from the northern lights, hard to imagine him getting past the blues first pick.

sounds like he could play anywhere. CHB, wing, Mids, forward.

[dee-luded 2,959]

looks strong thru the hips & thighs. should hold his ground.

[rjay 25,086]

with a name like that & from the northern lights, hard to imagine him getting past the blues first pick.

sounds like he could play anywhere. CHB, wing, Mids, forward.

A bit like the coach.

[Bang Bang Bang 5,839]

Richmond used to be like us - terrible drafting based on picking skinny kids with huge "upside".

But in recent years they've gone the safe-option, picking pure footballers early on with low-risk (Conca, Ellis and Vlaustin). These have all proven to be wise picks and the first two in particular were pivotal in the Tiges making the 8.

I suggest we go for the same method.

[Dees2014 2,377]

Richmond used to be like us - terrible drafting based on picking skinny kids with huge "upside".

But in recent years they've gone the safe-option, picking pure footballers early on with low-risk (Conca, Ellis and Vlaustin). These have all proven to be wise picks and the first two in particular were pivotal in the Tiges making the 8.

I suggest we go for the same method.

I'd be very uncomfortable copying the Tigers. A bit like Australian soccer copying the English - perennial losers. No, Roos knows how to build a winning Organisation, I'd much rather put my trust in him.

[Bang Bang Bang 5,839]

I'd be very uncomfortable copying the Tigers. A bit like Australian soccer copying the English - perennial losers. No, Roos knows how to build a winning Organisation, I'd much rather put my trust in him.

Maybe but nobody could argue that their drafting in recent years has been very good.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Who's the last player we had like Freeman ? A 184cm explosive and strong bodied mid with the ideal combination of speed and reasonable endurance, placing 10th in the beep test. He ran 2.82 seconds for the 20 metre sprint and is brilliant at stoppages. A player like that can crack games open with a 10 minute burst.

He may not be a ball magnet, but can improve that side of his game. And it's not like he doesn't find the footy, as he averaged 20 disposals in the championships and they're time affected games. Dangerfield averaged 13 disposals from 21 games in his second year at Adelaide and by year 5 was averaging 26.

We need speed and freeman has it in spades. But he's also strong at contested footy. He's the one.

I agree with the sentiment about the type of player BH, but he's a long way off being a Dangerfield on the scant evidence of the one Sandy Dragons game that I saw him play this year.

He was in and out of the game that day and I didn't see much brilliance from him although admittedly, I came to watch others in the team and wasn't particularly concentrating on Freeman.

I know one of the members of this year's Dragons and he mentioned him as a bottom ager with potential last year. I recently asked him what he thought of Freeman and Josh Kelly and this was his SMS back:-

I have played with Kelly and freeman since u12s. Freeman is a jet, so explosive and a competitive beast.

Kelly is such a light frame and will take a long time to impact games!

It's probably fair to say that whoever comes on board, whether by way of draft pick 9 or any other selection is going to be at some advantage compared to previous years with Roos and development coaches like George Stone now at the club.

It's also going to be so much easier for the youngsters to develop with better quality around them in the midfield. Even if # 9 isn't a walk up start for round 1, I'm more confident now than in at any stage in the past ten years that when the time comes, he'll be ready to play.

[Hannibal 5,814]

I agree with the sentiment about the type of player BH, but he's a long way off being a Dangerfield on the scant evidence of the one Sandy Dragons game that I saw him play this year.

Thanks for the info.

It's probably worth remembering that Dangerfield went at 10 and didn't dominate all of the games he played. Freeman obviously shows similar physical attributes.

Although Dangerfield was very young in the year he was drafted, which may have affected his draft pick. He was thought to be a likely "teens" pick at the time.

Will be interesting to see who we take.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

The longer it goes on, the more it looks like a masterstroke trading pick 2.

Outside of Boyd, this draft is dead even till pick 10.

The players that were marked to go at 2 - Aish and Kelly - are too lightly framed for us anyway.

Not only that, there is nothing splitting them from a handful of players.

The more people debate their way through the top ten, the better our trade looks.

I can't split 2 from 9, I could have Kelly at 2, Aish at 2 - yet then make a case that Klod, Sheed, Freeman, Billings or Sharenberg could be picked there.

[rjay 25,086]

Maybe but nobody could argue that their drafting in recent years has been very good.

I would have taken Grundy if I was them but time will tell, Grundy v Vlastuin.

[beelzebub 23,383]

The longer it goes on, the more it looks like a masterstroke trading pick 2.

Outside of Boyd, this draft is dead even till pick 10.

The players that were marked to go at 2 - Aish and Kelly - are too lightly framed for us anyway.

Not only that, there is nothing splitting them from a handful of players.

The more people debate their way through the top ten, the better our trade looks.

I can't split 2 from 9, I could have Kelly at 2, Aish at 2 - yet then make a case that Klod, Sheed, Freeman, Billings or Sharenberg could be picked there.

its called having your cake and eating it too

A roll of the dice for sure...but sometimes you get it right

[Jordie_tackles 354]

Would not be surprised if we get lucky and one of Kelly, Aish, Freeman or Bontempelli are available at our pick, and if they are it will be a big result.

Boyd, Scharenberg, Aish, Billings, Kelly, Bontempelli, Lennon, Mcdonald, pick 9 Freeman

Pick 7 would get it done pick 9 just stretches that bit further

[old55 23,687]

Nervous about that Pies upgrade - Hine is a great operator and Taylor is his protege.

[CBDees 3,167]

Nervous about that Pies upgrade - Hine is a great operator and Taylor is his protege.

We will still do well at #9 if you look at Jordie_tackles hypothetical above. Getting Tyson was a great coup. In effect we received a pick #3 (2011) and a pick #9 (2013) for the cost of a pick #2 (2013), a net gain of one. Not a bad result with effectively two players secured by picks in the top ten, both midfielders.

[DeeSpencer 26,080]

Nervous about that Pies upgrade - Hine is a great operator and Taylor is his protege.

Agree I would've preferred to Eagles to stay there especially if they were taking Sheed. I'd be happy if the pies draft Bontempelli, not because I dont rate him but he's up to 194cm and it's a long way to win a clearance at that height. He's going to have to play half forward and half back until he settles at least. We are already trying to introduce Watts and to a lesser extent Howe to the midfield.

[Geddy Lee 582]

Sylvia : )

The legend builds . . .

[What 18,810]

my prediciton

1 GWS - Tom Boyd

2 GWS - Josh Kelly

3 St. Kilda -Matt Scharenberg

4 Western Bulldogs - Jack Billings

5 Gold Coast - James Aish

6 Collingwood - Nathan Freeman

7 Brisbane - Kade Koldashnij

9 North -Luke McDonald

Would leave us to snap up whoever we prefer out of Crouch, Bontempelli, Sheed, Lennon and Salem. Or someone else....

[Demon_JB 1,385]

my prediciton

1 GWS - Tom Boyd

2 GWS - Josh Kelly

3 St. Kilda -Matt Scharenberg

4 Western Bulldogs - Jack Billings

5 Gold Coast - James Aish

6 Collingwood - Nathan Freeman

7 Brisbane - Kade Koldashnij

9 North -Luke McDonald

Would leave us to snap up whoever we prefer out of Crouch, Bontempelli, Sheed, Lennon and Salem. Or someone else....

Variety of options to choose from nonetheless. It's not a risky business having pick 9 in this years draft, which is why I was so glad to see us trading pick 2 and netting Dom Tyson and pick 9 in the process. If Freeman is snapped up at pick 6 it won't be the end of the world. Crouch, Bontempelli, Sheed, Lennon and Salem all have major upside. In saying that if it comes down to it who would we prefer most out of that remainder? Would it be Sheed?

Edited October 21, 2013 by juzzk1d

[Machsy 2,858]

Nervous about that Pies upgrade - Hine is a great operator and Taylor is his protege.

Not really worried.

Different lists, different gameplans, different needs.

And I don't think their trade was based on being worried about us at 9.

We wouldn't be banking on just one player.

I think it's more likely that we gazump them by having pick 9 ahead of their pick 10.

Mind you, we could've gazump we Collingwood if we wanted.

Pick 9 & 40 for pick 6 is better than pick 11 & 37 for pick 6.

As far as the Eagles are concerned, since they plan to ontrade 37 for Yeo.