The 2014 AFL National Draft

[Machsy 2,858]

*cough* called it months ago.

No Wright in the top 10.

[Ted Lasso 19,189]

I would be annoyed if we picked Wright, happy for him to slide

[InVINCEable 358]

People must be really stupid to be thinking Wright will slide outside of the top ten, he'd be unlucky to slide outside the top 5. GWS or Collingwood bound.

[Machsy 2,858]

People must be really stupid to be thinking Wright will slide outside of the top ten, he'd be unlucky to slide outside the top 5. GWS or Collingwood bound.

He won't be even in the top 10, in my opinion.

We'll see who's correct come draft day.

[monoccular 17,408]

If a rebuilding club that has won 40 games in 8 years doesn't use pick 40 in the national draft that'll just about be it for me.

We have the best development coach in the AFL now in Brendan McCartney, and we're talking about possibly bowing out at a pick where even we have managed to find a Tom McDonald, Dean Kent and JKH over the past few years.

McKenzie and Evans must have some bloody incriminating photos of someone....

The 'photos' McKenzie and Evans have are their contracts

[Whispering_Jack 29,689]

Every year, Bigfooty poster Snoop Dog puts out one of the more interesting and better Phantom Drafts and this year it's no different.

Like most of the others, he has Christian Petracca as the first choice with Paddy McCartin and Angus Brayshaw at 2 and 3 going to Melbourne (note the order). However, he considers Petracca, Peter Wright and McCartin as the best three players in the draft leaving out my two choices Brayshaw and Jake Lever.

Here are his descriptions of McCartin, Brayshaw and Lever:-

# 2 Melbourne - Patrick McCartin

Club: Geelong Falcons

Height: 192cm

Weight:90 kg

Position: Key Fwd

Thought to be the standout top pick by many for a long time. Just hasnt been able to string together enough games because of injury this year and therefore may have slipped a little. Tough uncompromising key forward who just loves the contest and being able to impact a game. Reads the ball really well and is a bit like that Dunstall type where not quite the traditional height but gets separation really well, has terrific hands and very good shot for goal. He can also apply pressure the other way and is a bloke you can build your forward line around. Also wouldnt be surprised if didnt take him long to start at senior level.

Others Thought long and hard about Lever and Wright but went with the best of those three. I do worry McCartin and Hogan are quite similar but they will be very dominant. Lever perfect for the Dees and it would have to appeal having Hogan and Lever up the spine at different end but I sort of feel you can always go and pay up for a key defender moreso than a key fwd.

# 3 Melbourne - Angus Brayshaw

Club: Sandy Dragons

Height: 187cm

Weight:87kg

Position: Mid

He is a bull. Tough in and out midfielder who will be top 3-4 selection for sure. Bit like Ollie Wines insomuch as just has that strong powerful body and a presence in the contest. Like Ollie he could step up to seniors in Rd 1 and have an impact. Not super quick but certainly quick enough to break from the contest pretty easily and get seperation. He does possess elite endurance, excels at clearances and good user of the ball. Plays well in the big and important ones to and will hurt offensively. Only area I think he might want to work on his ball use. It wasnt at the elite level at Champs but the conditions in some of those games wasnt ideal for clean ball use.

Others Would they go Lever and McCartin. I almost did but Roos loves Brayshaw and they need to invest in that midfield some more given issues with Jack and the fact Toumpas hasnt come on. If Dees had a pick around 10-20 as well I would have hit the two big boys.

# 7 GWS - Jake Lever

Club: Calder Cannons

Height: 193cm

Weight: 84kg

Position: HBF / Tall defender

Bio: One of the most highly touted coming into the year but struck down with a knee reco. He was so highly thought of he capt metro in a game at last years champs as a bottom ager. Few get that privilege so tells you how highly he is regarded. Key defender who can play CHB, or on medium and small sized players as well. Interesting to note Calder keen to play him as a mid this year and has a handy 3km time to suggest might be a possibility.

Others I really rate Paul Ahern and they have looked at Cockatoo. De Goey would be a type that would appeal but they need key defenders and if they are leaders all the better. This kid is both.

Now that Melbourne officially (well ... almost) has # 40 in play, it's worth noting Snoop Dog's choice of Ed Langdon. Since one or two others have put Langdon in this position, do they know something?

# 40 Melbourne - Ed Langdon

Club: Sandringham Dragons

Height: 182cm

Weight: 73kg

Position: Midfielder / Fwd

Bio: Didnt get to see much of him this year due to school footy and injury but played a game at the champs which have seen and will have had a few excited I would have thought. He has elite speed and tests at circa 2.9 for 20m and has a beep in excess of 16. He projects as a player who could play midfield at AFL level and be one that can transition run, break lines and bust open a game. He is smart around goals and has clean hands as well so you would think someone is going to be keen to get him and whilst hasnt played much would think he is in the mix for a late senior spot.

Why / Others: One that could go a lot higher given he ticks lots of boxes. He has some tricks. Touk Miller quality player around here as is Dan Capiron.

Predictably, the Dog expects # 53 to be used to upgrade Neville Jetta which still seems likely although there are reports that the club is considering a further delisting.

The other player mentioned in his Phantom Draft is Billy Stretch who gets a nice tick.

# 42 Melbourne - Billy Stretch (Father / Son Selection)

Club: Glenelg

Height: 180cm

Weight: 70kg

Position: Wing

Bio: Young Billy is a kid who I think I rate a lot higher than most others. He is an elite runner and whilst only small has a want for the contest and has a go irrespective of who has the ball. Got a great couple of first steps, good pace and is a long and penetrating kick. Like his old man he reads the game very well, can run all day and he is a good fit for that list.

Why: Lucky buggersI would have had him going in the 20s easily.

Snoop Dog goes all the way down through to his rookie draft picks but I won't go there. It's a good read on Bigfooty and thankfully not as long-winded as some of his past efforts. Well worth the read.

[spirit of norm smith 16,163]

2,3,40, 42(Stretch), 53.

rookies 2 & 20 (Evans)

Added ... Lamumba, Gartlett, Frost, Newton, Jetta (upgrade)

Hopefully...

2-Angus Brayshaw

3-Pat McCartin

40-Ed Langdon (as Oscar Mcdonald is likely to be unavailable)

42-Billy Stretch

53-Nathan Drummond

rookies- 2-Tom Wilkinson 20-Michael Evans (rookie)

Edited November 12, 2014 by spirit of norm smith

[Whispering_Jack 29,689]

Paige Cardona's final phantom draft.

[Whispering_Jack 29,689]

And all you want to know about the draft prospects ~ http://m.afl.com.au/draft

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

New Mccartin highlights up, aaaaand I'm sold.

McCartin/ Brayshaw happy days!

[Wells 11 5,358]

New Mccartin highlights up, aaaaand I'm sold.

McCartin/ Brayshaw happy days!

where?

[MikeAlphaTango 150]

where?

AFL website Draft Machine then select McCartin.

I'm in the same boat as Sweet Dee.

[Slartibartfast 17,095]

I've just watched the highlights. Makes me realize how difficult it would be being a recruiter. McCartin mauling kids much smaller than him and looks terrific. You'd never get to see the kid play on big bodies and that's who he'll get in his career.

Players like Fergus Watts come to mind, Nic Smith, Hanson, Thorp, Dowler and Robbie Tarrant never turned into what they were supposed to be. Then there's Roughy, Franklin, Henderson and Kennedy who probably did.

How on earth would you know? Roos is spot on, picking talls is a mugs game and big bodied ones like McCartin doubly so.

I'll watch his career with great interest, more so if we select him.

[Arrow 1,257]

New Mccartin highlights up, aaaaand I'm sold.

McCartin/ Brayshaw happy days!

McCartin's highlights resemble Hawkins.

Hawkins took 3-4 years as a player to come on and be a strong AFL footballer. I wonder if McCartin will be given the same leeway these days with the must be elite within 3 years mentality.

[Axis of Bob 11,603]

It's interesting when you put all of those names together, BB, because it's interesting to see why they didn't have the success of Roughead/Buddy et al.

F Watts: Too slow.

Smith: Too slow.

Hansen: Not sure he deserves to be in this group, but he's not physically dominant enough to beat his opponent up forward.

Thorp: Tool, and injury.

Dowler: Competitiveness, body size and injury.

Tarrant: Bit left field at the time (talent?) and injury.

I think that the general idea is that you are looking for athleticism or an AFL dominant physical trait. None of those players has a physical AFL dominant trait. McCartin is quick, so even if he doesn't become an AFL monster wrestler then he'll at least have the speed to beat his man. He looks like he can get the footy out by himself or on the lead through athleticism, rather than simply by jumping over packs (like Watts/Hansen), reading the play (Smith) or being good an the small man stuff for a big man (Dowler).

I suppose you'd be looking for power rather than just strength, which McCartin seems to have.

That said, I agree that it's really tough to project.

[olisik 4,060]

Pelchen didnt sound crash hot on Petracca in his twitter take over. Said he was good but not as good as some of the other midfielders taken high in the draft recently.

Said when he left St Kilda they were still deliberating between Petracca and McCartin.

[Demoneyes 562]

McCartin, Brayshaw, Petracca. 1, 2, 3 in order

Edited November 20, 2014 by Demoneyes

[rjay 24,809]

I've just watched the highlights. Makes me realize how difficult it would be being a recruiter. McCartin mauling kids much smaller than him and looks terrific. You'd never get to see the kid play on big bodies and that's who he'll get in his career.

Players like Fergus Watts come to mind, Nic Smith, Hanson, Thorp, Dowler and Robbie Tarrant never turned into what they were supposed to be. Then there's Roughy, Franklin, Henderson and Kennedy who probably did.

How on earth would you know? Roos is spot on, picking talls is a mugs game and big bodied ones like McCartin doubly so.

I'll watch his career with great interest, more so if we select him.

...but he was playing better footy without injury last year against the older kids 'Bob' so I don't think it will be a problem for him.

[whatwhat say what 22,550]

Pelchen didnt sound crash hot on Petracca in his twitter take over. Said he was good but not as good as some of the other midfielders taken high in the draft recently.

Said when he left St Kilda they were still deliberating between Petracca and McCartin.

To me it sounds more like this draft will be of Scully / Trengove / Neck Tatts or Watts / Naitanui / Hill variety than Hodge / Judd / Ball.

Solid players who should play 150-200 games, barring injury, rather than competition leading champs.

[rpfc 28,220]

To me it sounds more like this draft will be of Scully / Trengove / Neck Tatts or Watts / Naitanui / Hill variety than Hodge / Judd / Ball.

Solid players who should play 150-200 games, barring injury, rather than competition leading champs.

Then pick the Talia / Fyfe / Gunston or Sidebottom / Beams / Hannebery of those effing drafts then...

I feel like we have the most players to choose from and the least at the same time....

[ChaserJ 4,977]

Had a go at ranking 50 or so of the eligible (and available) kids in the pool.

Could only fit the first 38 or at the first attempt, might put the remaining up tonight. The rankings aren't necessarily an indicator of where I would take them, more of what each player brings to the table:

http://chaserj.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/2014-draftee-rankings.html#!/2014/11/2014-draftee-rankings.html

[Whispering_Jack 29,689]

Tweet from Paige Cardona:-

@paigecardona: Melbourne supporters, you should celebrate like you've won the premiership. Because getting Petracca and Brayshaw is as good as it gets!

[Machsy 2,858]

[ChaserJ 4,977]

Just up on Twitter:

3AW Football ‏@3AWisfootball 7m

7 minutes ago

.@sam_mcclure says McCartin to be #1 on Thurs ahead of Petracca as 'some of Petracca's testing hasn't been at the expectation of a #1 pick'

[What 18,810]

Who is Sam McClure and how would he know who the Saints are taking?