2024 Phantom Drafts

[DeeSpencer 25,627]

Just now, Palace Dees said:

Sam Mitchell didn't finish the 20m sprint until the next day, but he did allright.

He also pulled himself out of the Eagles side when he knew the game had gone by him, as well as axed his slow boys at Hawthorn to get more speed in their side.

I think for the role he plays it’s not a huge issue but if by any chance he can gain a few yards of pace that would be lovely!

[Forever the pessimist. 64]

Harvey Langford reminds me of Cameron Ling, especially his kicking style. I hope if he ends up a Melbourne player that develops into a gun mid and not a gun tagger like Ling. 

[adonski 12,036]

1 minute ago, Forever the pessimist. said:

Harvey Langford reminds me of Cameron Ling, especially his kicking style. I hope if he ends up a Melbourne player that develops into a gun mid and not a gun tagger like Ling. 

Living up to your name!!

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,658]

Langford for me just doesn't bring much different but as a compliment to Windsor, fact he is a left-footer boosts him a little I guess so I am starting to warm to this.. Allan still spooks me as far as go home factor foes though

[demoncat 1,413]

13 minutes ago, adonski said:

When does Cal release his late mail? Tuesday or Wednesday?

Tomorrow night I believe 

Now I have a whole new Phantom Draft to worry about…

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,658]

As suspected today JT said C:EARLY our strategy this year is solely BEST AVAILABLE player as opp to any positional needs or allowing one pick to influence the other which fills me with joy and hope this means were bound to get best 2 players possible!!! exciting stuff

[BangBnagBang 689]

2 hours ago, Nascent said:

6. Harvey Langford

Langford started his season as a highly-rated player but went on to be have one of the most commanding seasons of any draftee this year, splitting games open for the Dandenong Stingrays on a weekly basis and winning the Larke Medal as the best player from the under-18 carnival for his Vic Country performances. He marks above his head, has a raking left-foot kick and boots goals. The Demons saw Langford's traits up close during the pre-season when he trained with the club and he has only flourished more and more since then. 

If not him? If Langford goes to the Crows the pick ahead, then Alix Tauru looks the next leading contender for the Melbourne pick. They will also be able to wait to see if one of the other premium midfielders slides through, albeit unlikely. 

11. Bo Allan

Allan is a man in demand and for good reason. His end to the season – on the field and off it – again highlighted to recruiters his potential value, having come back from injury to play in Peel Thunder's senior WAFL premiership and then blitz testing at the Draft Combine. He is a big, strong, tough, athletic midfielder who might start his career as a defender but can run all day, bustle through traffic and dominate around the ball. He is also considered a future leader, another appealing aspect for clubs considering him with early selections. Melbourne is right in the mix for Allan.  

 

If not him? There’s a chance Alix Tauru gets through to this point, at which point he would be expected to be taken. Otherwise, if not Allan here then Xavier Lindsay will be strongly considered, while Tobie Travaglia and Joe Berry are also likely in the mix.

 

So either Langford or Tauru unless one of the mids slides out unexpectedly.

Outside of Allan it's likely Lindsay, Travaglia or Berry unless Tauru is on the board.

Been huge fan of Berry this year, would not be upset at all if we took him here and happy to see a link to him for the first time.

 

Unprompted JT did mention more than once the group of smalls in his AFL.com interview today 

[John Demonic 5,779]

Quote

Taurus (♉︎) (Ancient Greek: Ταῦρος, romanized: Taûros, Latin for "bull") is the second astrological sign in the modern zodiac. It spans from 30° to 60° of the zodiac.

Tauru to North Confirmed. It is written in the stars

[John Demonic 5,779]

Quote

Leo (♌︎) (Ancient Greek: Λέων, romanized: Léōn, Latin for "lion") is the fifth sign of the zodiac. It corresponds to the constellation Leo and comes after Cancer and before Virgo. 

Leo The Lion Langford confirmed. It is written in the stars

[DeeSpencer 25,627]

30 minutes ago, Demon Jack said:

We picked up pace last year with Windsor. No issues if Langford is our first selection.

It’s less about team balance, there’s role players for that and more about can he be a star without pace?

Many of the games very best mids are quick. The ones that aren’t have what Langford does - size. 

Marking, kicking, endurance, footy smarts, clean hands. There’s a lot to like.

[John Demonic 5,779]

Quote

Aries (♈︎) (Greek: Κριός, romanized: Kriós, Latin: Ariēs, lit. 'ram') is the first astrological sign in the zodiac,

Sam The Ram Lalor will go to Richmond with Pick 1 confirmed. It is written in the stars

Sign up to my Astrological Footy substack today to read the rest of my AstroPhantological Draft and I'll give you 30% off the price of all my posts for the entirety of the 2025 season. What a deal!!

Edited Monday at 08:46 by John Demonic

[DubDee 25,761]

Could Allen and Langford be too similar?

either have speed and or great kicking?

Im very keen on both but would be surprised to pick two bulls 

[demoncat 1,413]

4 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Could Allen and Langford be too similar?

either have speed and or great kicking?

Im very keen on both but would be surprised to pick two bulls 

Allan is very quick and rated very highly at the Combine for endurance, agility and his leap

Langford is slower but tested well for endurance and is very strong, smart and clean with his ball use

Despite being the same size they actually have very different but complimentary profiles

[spirit of norm smith 16,418]

Yes happy with Langford and Allan if that’s the way the cards fall … 

[DubDee 25,761]

13 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Allan is very quick and rated very highly at the Combine for endurance, agility and his leap

Langford is slower but tested well for endurance and is very strong, smart and clean with his ball use

Despite being the same size they actually have very different but complimentary profiles

excellent! thanks Cat

[binman 42,839]

9 hours ago, binman said:

Really?

Given its notoriously difficult to assess talls given bigs who are 17-18 are still filling out and they don't hit their peak until mid twenties, i reckon JT's strike rate drafting tall is above industry average.

I may have missed some talls, but by my recollection JT has drafted in the following genuine talls (in order): Omac, Weed, Jackson, Adams, Turner, JVR, Farris White, Jefferson, Verral  and Ketfield. 

Of that group, only two were top ten picks, Jackson and Weed.

Jackson helped us win a flag and may well help us win another with the draft picks we got from freo for him.

JVR look a genius pick at 19. I have zero doubt will be in the top 3 or 4 key forwards over the next decade

Jefferson was pick 15. Jury is still out on Jeffo, but they think enough of him to have extended his contract. And signs are positive that he is building an AFL ready physique.

The rest are all speculative late picks.

Turner looks another genius pick - a mid season rookie draft pick at 21 who is best 22 lock. Gold from a drafting perspective.

We traded out Omac, but he is still playing AFL footy, and if he stays fit will play his hundredth AFL  game this year - statistically very rare for a draft pick past 50.

The jury Is out on Adams, Verell and Ketfield.

But Adams was pick 38, and Verell and Ketfield were rookie draftees so the opportunity cost is minimal, and even if only one plays regular AFL footy JT has done super well.

So by my reckoning, JT has drafted 10 talls - and only Weed and Farris White are definitive busts.

Weed hurt given he was pick 9, but Farris White was a Category B Rookie, so a nothing ventured, nothing gained throw at the stumps.

So at this stage, only one real bust out of ten selections.

The jury Is out on four players, but really only jeffo would hurt from an opportunity cost perspective if he doesn't make it given the others were a late pick and rookies.

Any recruiter in the AFL  would take that strike rate for selecting talls in a heartbeat.

I forgot Petty from that list.

Taken at 37 in the draft, petts is another big tick for JT in terms of his record with talls.

[von 1,564]

3 hours ago, picket fence said:

I seriously am! DEADLY SERIOUS! I"ll go further and say DAZZLE DAVEY 36 would absolutely wipe the floor with most recruiters in AFL! 

Hehe. Great stuff.

[dazzledavey36 54,745]

I know Twomey has good inside sources but something tells me that its Tauru that will eventually be our first selection. 

i still think Langford does not make it past the Crows.

[Melonmonster 124]

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

I know Twomey has good inside sources but something tells me that its Tauru that will eventually be our first selection. 

i still think Langford does not make it past the Crows.

I have a feeling this year will be the one cal has a few miss placed. 
tough year to call, but I doubt we’d reach for Tauru at 5 . 
 

[CHF 2,726]

I am hearing a couple of very quiet whispers, but not sure if it is really solid information or wishful thinking.

* Very unlikely North will trade out of pick 2 unless they get a once in a generation deal and given the depth of the draft I think that is a long shot.

* Consensus is that Lalor will be Richmond's first pick However would not surprise if Smith was the first named called. If they did go that way then I would expect Allen to be called at their pick 7.

* Ashcroft to be bid on by either North or Carlton to keep Brisbane honest.

* Believe that MFC rate Langford higher than Tauru.

* If Allen is not there at MFC second pick I would not be surprised to hear us calling Hotton out.

* Smillie may slide to mid teens. No idea why.

Based on these unverifiable rumours I see a couple of different outcomes.

Likely.....

1. Richmond: Lalor

2. North: Smith

3. Carlton: O'Sullivan

4. Adelaide: Draper

5. Melbourne: Langford

6. Richmond: Tauru

7. St Kilda: Allen

8. St Kilda: Travaglia

9. Melbourne: Lindsey/Reid/Hotton

Possible...

1. Richmond: Smith

2. North:Lalor

3. Carlton: O'Sullivan

4. Adelaide: Draper

5. Melbourne: Langford

6. Richmond: Allen

7. St Kilda: Tauru

8. St Kilda: Travaglia

9. Melbourne: Lindsey/Reid/Hotton

 

[dazzledavey36 54,745]

27 minutes ago, Melonmonster said:

I have a feeling this year will be the one cal has a few miss placed. 
tough year to call, but I doubt we’d reach for Tauru at 5 . 
 

Yeah I agree.

[The Jackson FIX 3,099]

2 hours ago, demoncat said:

Tomorrow night I believe 

Now I have a whole new Phantom Draft to worry about…

Were we linked to Windsor in his original or late phantom last year?

[Willy's Warriors 102]

4 hours ago, Palace Dees said:

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1256531/cal-twomeys-2024-phantom-draft-top-30-late-picks-whispers

Langford/Tauru for our first pick is good news.  We can't really lose there. 

I am not the biggest fan of Allan, but at that point I don't think there is any standout options. He has enormous upside, so can see why we like him.

I really doubt this is how it plays out though.  If St Kilda pick two defenders there could be riots in Moorabbin.  They need mids. 

Could Tauru slip to 9? Could see it going... 5. Langford. 6. Smillie 7. Allan 8. Travaglia/Lindsay 9. Tauru. 

 

 

[picket fence 17,126]

2 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Picket I really like your work and you often make me laugh.  But I reckon you've lost the plot 🤯 😉 (no offence to @dazzledavey36)

Time for an evening 🍷 perhaps 🙃

Sheeeit that happened YESTERDAY😍🍷🍸🍹🍺🍻

[adonski 12,036]

6 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Were we linked to Windsor in his original or late phantom last year?

Both