Is it ever too early to start talking about the next draft? 

Not in my book - especially as the Demons now own a first round draft pick in the 2017 AFL Draft.

And I'm not going out on a limb when I nominate Eastern Ranges forward Jaydin Stephenson (DOB: 15/1/1999 Ht: 188cm Wt: 76kg) as one of the sure things for that draft.

Stephenson burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in last year's TAC Cup finals and booted three goals in a losing team in the grand final. He has enjoyed another consistent season and shapes up as one of next year’s most exciting prospects.

Naturally Stephenson is a member of the AFL Academy squad:- 

LEVEL TWO NAB AFL ACADEMY (draft-eligible 2017)
Vic Country: Tyrone Hayes, Aaron Darling, Kane Farrell, Aidan Quigley, Lochie O'Brien, Hunter Clark, Luke Davies-Uniake, Oscar Clavarino, James Worpel, Tom De Koning
Vic Metro: Jack Higgins, Lachlan Fogarty, Patrick Naish, Joel Garner, Jaidyn Stephenson, Sam Hayes
South Australia: Jordan Houlahan, Darcy Fogarty, Thomas Schmusch, Callum Coleman-Jones, Andrew McPherson
Western Australia: Jake Patmore
NSW-ACT: Charlie Spargo, Jack Powell, Jarrod Brander, Nathan Richards
Queensland: Jack Clayton, Connor Ballenden, Brayden Crossley
Northern Territory: Dominic Grant

Father-son trio headlines Academy squad

The signs are that next year's draft will be strong at the elite level and, unlike yesterday's midfield draft, there will be some good tall prospects in the mix.

Tall prospects head latest AFL Academy additions

As for Stephenson, he suffered a late-season set back when he broke a hand at training and missed the AFL's Under 17 All Stars match but will be back in action for TAC Cup season 2017 and close to #1 (but of course we're all expecting our first pick to be in the high teens).

2017 AFL Draft Prospects 

Top prospects on show in U17 Futures Game 

 

A timely reminder for me to start working on my 2017 Phantom Draft.

The AFL site's Callum Twomey is one step behind us but he has put out an interesting article about the leading prospects for next year:-

Ten to watch in 2017: Looking forward to next year's draft stars

  On 26/11/2016 at 21:35, Whispering_Jack said:

The AFL site's Callum Twomey is one step behind us but he has put out an interesting article about the leading prospects for next year:-

Ten to watch in 2017: Looking forward to next year's draft stars

I'm already paranoid WJ. You then put up an article that mentions GWS already has dibs on two of the top ten. Absolute joke. Ta

Crazy that Spargo can go to GWS. Dead set gun.

There are some questions on whether either will be GWS bound next year. Brander may be ruled ineligible due to his parents farm being outside of the GWS zone, and AFL look like removing Albury from the zone, which would put Spargo back into the pool.

Add the possible 2017 draft penalties from the Whitfield affair and it looks like they might get fewer free kicks next year. Horse has bolted, but speculation is that AFL are now worried about the optics around the generous start up concessions GWS have been granted. Jack Powell from GWS Academy also looks a player.

On a side note, how is there only one player from WA in the AFL academy? I know there have been issues over there, but there has to be more WA talent around.

  On 27/11/2016 at 01:58, ChaserJ said:

There are some questions on whether either will be GWS bound next year. Brander may be ruled ineligible due to his parents farm being outside of the GWS zone, and AFL look like removing Albury from the zone, which would put Spargo back into the pool.

Add the possible 2017 draft penalties from the Whitfield affair and it looks like they might get fewer free kicks next year. Horse has bolted, but speculation is that AFL are now worried about the optics around the generous start up concessions GWS have been granted. Jack Powell from GWS Academy also looks a player.

On a side note, how is there only one player from WA in the AFL academy? I know there have been issues over there, but there has to be more WA talent around.

If GWS win the Premiership next year (and I think they will), then the thought of them having further picks inside the top 10 plus academy guns 'makes me spew'.

  On 27/11/2016 at 03:15, Return to Glory said:

If GWS win the Premiership next year (and I think they will), then the thought of them having further picks inside the top 10 plus academy guns 'makes me spew'.

In that case, you can start spewing now RTG because I've thought long and hard to come up with my first 2017 Phantom Draft.

1. Charlie Spargo (Murray Bushrangers) GWS Academy
2. Darcy Fogarty (Glenelg SA) 
3. Jarrod Brander (Bendigo Pioneers) GWS Academy
4. Jaidyn Stephenson (Eastern Ranges)
5. Connor Ballenden (Brisbane Lions) Brisbane Lions Academy
6. Sam Hayes (Eastern Ranges)
7. Hunter Clark (Dandenong Stingrays)
8. James Worpel (Geelong Falcons)
9. Jack Higgins (Oakleigh Chargers)
10. Jack Powell (Canberra) GWS Academy

That makes three early picks available to GWS through the academy system assuming their zone isn't changed to exclude the Riverina District which isn't really being "developed" by the Giants anyway (and note where my picks 1 & 3 are playing). 

Here is an article about the GWS Academy that might be of interest.

  On 02/12/2016 at 21:29, Chelly said:

In that case, you can start spewing now RTG because I've thought long and hard to come up with my first 2017 Phantom Draft.

1. Charlie Spargo (Murray Bushrangers) GWS Academy
2. Darcy Fogarty (Glenelg SA) 
3. Jarrod Brander (Bendigo Pioneers) GWS Academy
4. Jaidyn Stephenson (Eastern Ranges)
5. Connor Ballenden (Brisbane Lions) Brisbane Lions Academy
6. Sam Hayes (Eastern Ranges)
7. Hunter Clark (Dandenong Stingrays)
8. James Worpel (Geelong Falcons)
9. Jack Higgins (Oakleigh Chargers)
10. Jack Powell (Canberra) GWS Academy

That makes three early picks available to GWS through the academy system assuming their zone isn't changed to exclude the Riverina District which isn't really being "developed" by the Giants anyway (and note where my picks 1 & 3 are playing). 

Here is an article about the GWS Academy that might be of interest.

I refuse to read that article. Tell me, is it doom and gloom?

All I care about for next year's draft is who will be available at pick 18 when we have our first pick.

  On 03/12/2016 at 03:07, Return to Glory said:

I refuse to read that article. Tell me, is it doom and gloom?

No, not that bad. When the AFL planned the new franchises it expected that Gold Coast would find it easier to recruit and retain players than GWS. In the end, it overcompensated and gave the Giants too much in the way of concessions. 

IMO, the AFL has to do something when one of its clubs can finish top four and then use the bidding system to turn picks 2, 10, 37 and 39 into 2, 5, 14 and 20.

It's scandalous!

The AFL won't do anything. A strong Killer GW$ only helps make the next Broadcast Deals even bigger. That is all the Commission care about. That is why they want Essendrug strong again

TV Ratings....

  On 26/11/2016 at 23:56, dee-tox said:

Crazy that Spargo can go to GWS. Dead set gun.

Yes and GWS put a lot of development into the kid who comes from AFL heartland in Albury and plays for the Murray Bushrangers. His father Paul played for North Melbourne and Brisbane and his grandfather Bob played finals with Footscray.

How much work are the Giants are putting into Brander who is with Bendigo Pioneers.

Jack Powell is from Canberra which has had a strong local competition for aeons. Lovely.

I don't object to academy zones per se but the AFL has turned them into a joke with the pretence that they're meant to help foster and develop talent in areas underexposed to the game.

 

  On 03/12/2016 at 03:26, billy2803 said:

All I care about for next year's draft is who will be available at pick 18 when we have our first pick.

I'm confused about this pick. Can someone explain to me if we will have to give up pick 18 to Freo when Fyfe nominates us or do we get him for free and then just draft the best tall?

  On 03/12/2016 at 03:26, billy2803 said:

All I care about for next year's draft is who will be available at pick 18 when we have our first pick.

18 would be nice next year except it may drift if Essendrug gets a priority pk for finishing last. Just joking... but the whole favouritism to our four northern neighbours is disgraceful and I hope it will be ultimately be seen as a bludy joke manufactured by the AFL.

  On 03/12/2016 at 04:11, Sir Why You Little said:

The AFL won't do anything. A strong Killer GW$ only helps make the next Broadcast Deals even bigger. That is all the Commission care about. That is why they want Essendrug strong again

TV Ratings....

GW$ have been given more time to prepare their defence in the Whitfield farce saga. Likely outcome is a wet lettuce delivered over the holidays when everybody's looking away.

  On 03/12/2016 at 03:26, billy2803 said:

All I care about for next year's draft is who will be available at pick 18 when we have our first pick.

It won't be until well after 18 - GW$ will obviously be in great need of several priority picks if they don't win the GF, but only one or two if they do.   And of course poor old hard done by EssUndone will deserve some too.  

The SA Under 18 trials got under way today -MCDONALD’S SA U18 TRIAL TEAMS

For the record, the first trial game was close with the Blue Team beating the Red Team  11.6.72 to 10.7.67.

Luke Davies-Uniake is my very early call. Reminds me of Jack Ziebell. Big strong athletic mid. From the Stingrays. Should be available at pick 12-15.

  On 02/12/2016 at 21:29, Chelly said:

In that case, you can start spewing now RTG because I've thought long and hard to come up with my first 2017 Phantom Draft.

1. Charlie Spargo (Murray Bushrangers) GWS Academy
2. Darcy Fogarty (Glenelg SA) 
3. Jarrod Brander (Bendigo Pioneers) GWS Academy
4. Jaidyn Stephenson (Eastern Ranges)
5. Connor Ballenden (Brisbane Lions) Brisbane Lions Academy
6. Sam Hayes (Eastern Ranges)
7. Hunter Clark (Dandenong Stingrays)
8. James Worpel (Geelong Falcons)
9. Jack Higgins (Oakleigh Chargers)
10. Jack Powell (Canberra) GWS Academy

That makes three early picks available to GWS through the academy system assuming their zone isn't changed to exclude the Riverina District which isn't really being "developed" by the Giants anyway (and note where my picks 1 & 3 are playing). 

Here is an article about the GWS Academy that might be of interest.

Yes, it's only fair that GWS get another three top ten players next year and retain the Albury region. FMD, could the competition get any more uneven?

  On 11/02/2017 at 03:54, Return to Glory said:

Yes, it's only fair that GWS get another three top ten players next year and retain the Albury region. FMD, could the competition get any more uneven?

The AFL has ruled that its love child the GWS will keep areas of NSW such as Albury which have been traditionally AFL regions as part of their "development" areas. Another free leg up when it comes to draft time later this year.

Will the AFL bite the bullet and start taking action to make its draft a level playing field again?

One club out of 18 can't have direct access ahead of the others to what could possibly be 3 of the best 10 prospects in the land.

Why Greater Western Sydney should lose rich recruiting zone

  On 14/03/2017 at 20:20, Whispering_Jack said:

Will the AFL bite the bullet and start taking action to make its draft a level playing field again?

One club out of 18 can't have direct access ahead of the others to what could possibly be 3 of the best 10 prospects in the land.

Why Greater Western Sydney should lose rich recruiting zone

The gall of GWS!  They:

• have benefited from some loose definition of GWS Academy for a number of years
• succeeded in making the AFL defer the draft penalties re Whitfield until after the 2016 draft
• then managed to get the Whitfield penalty watered down to 'draft points' rather than 'draft picks'
• want to continue to claim players with only vague connection to parts of the Murray region as 'Academy' players, even tho they have never put a penny into their development.
• have a generous (not!) plan should they lose these rights: 
  1. Sydney should be '... forced to potentially sacrifice local talent altogether should it finish in the top four or even the top eight...'  But no proposed penalty for GWS should they finish in that range!  The hypocrisy in that...words escape me!
  2. Defer the loss of rights till after the 2017 draft.  Where they just happen to have two top draftees in their sights.  Probably no talented kids coming from that area after 2017 so having the removal of rights deferred is no detriment to GWS at all.  Their list will be set up for the next 10-15 years.
  • How very generous of them!  Probably setting up an ambit claim to AFL House: "Give us claim 2 and we will drop claim 1" (which could never have had any credibility in the first place).

GWS can no longer be allowed to call the shots at AFL House like they have over the last 12 months!  Otherwise the perpetual cycle of: Step 1. draft in top 10 talent,  Step 2. keep the cream of the crop, Step 3. trade out the others for top 10/1st round draft picks.  Step 4. Repeat from Step 1, will continue.

Take this 'zone' from GWS this year!

Good to see all the interstate clubs support the Vic clubs on this.

 

Edited March 14, 20178 yr by Lucifer's Hero

GWS..... premiers forever.... that will make AFL happy ......... they would be even happier if Brisbane and GCS could snag a premiership or two

Did you notice that notwithstanding the opening round being played over many days ... we won the graveyard shift of Saturday twilight and just for good measure up against qualifying session for the Melbourne GP

  On 14/03/2017 at 20:20, Whispering_Jack said:

Will the AFL bite the bullet and start taking action to make its draft a level playing field again?

One club out of 18 can't have direct access ahead of the others to what could possibly be 3 of the best 10 prospects in the land.

Why Greater Western Sydney should lose rich recruiting zone

It seems that the AFL will (at last)!

GWS Giants lose Murray region as AFL re-shapes northern academy system

Not only will Albury be stripped from the zone (Spargo and Brander will be released into the pool), but the already mentioned restrictions on players ranked inside the top 20 (subject to ladder positioning) will also come into effect immediately.

Excellent.