17 hours ago, Turner said:

first of these for the season

Prasad so highly ranked and no mention of us

There has been some contention around Prasad's NGA status - my understanding is that he's no longer tied to the Dees and is a part of the open pool.

18 hours ago, Turner said:

first of these for the season

Prasad so highly ranked and no mention of us

Interesting mix,

13. Clancy Snell Gippsland Power/Vic Country DEF, 196cm - Solves one problem, good name too, he's no Marlon Neocleous but still a good name.

If we wanted to be real tricky we could go for Jack Pickett and Xavier Ladbrook.

Seems Prasad has drifted away from us which is a shame.

I wonder how interested we would actually be in Prasad given our investment in L Pickett and Matthews last year.

Regardless, with the obvious caveat that it's a long way out from the draft and the u18s season has just started, if we are interested it sounds like we'll probably have the opportunity to just pick him regardless given he isn't in top 10 discussions.

No doubt JT will be trying to trade up in the draft with our 2 first rounders. With a bit of luck Suns will not do as well as expected.

An elite mid would be a great get.

1 hour ago, roy11 said:

Interesting mix,

13. Clancy Snell Gippsland Power/Vic Country DEF, 196cm - Solves one problem, good name too, he's no Marlon Neocleous but still a good name.

If we wanted to be real tricky we could go for Jack Pickett and Xavier Ladbrook.

Seems Prasad has drifted away from us which is a shame.

I've got Snell even higher in my first top 50 dropping Sunday - think genuinely the best key defender in the crop. Aggressive and brave in the air. Good awareness of when to spoil or intercept mark. I think he's very good.

Jack Pickett I reckon slides a bit. ACL injury means he won't play again this year, and he was a bit one trick (lead, mark, goal) as a bottom ager. Clubs were hoping to see him up the ground more this year with greater accumulation and impact.

20 hours ago, Turner said:

first of these for the season

Prasad so highly ranked and no mention of us

Genuinely shocked Wil Malady doesn’t feature in the top 20. I’m sure his time will come.

Edited Thursday at 09:172 days by Dee Viney Intervention

34 minutes ago, Tommy_Wolfe7 said:

I've got Snell even higher in my first top 50 dropping Sunday - think genuinely the best key defender in the crop. Aggressive and brave in the air. Good awareness of when to spoil or intercept mark. I think he's very good.

Jack Pickett I reckon slides a bit. ACL injury means he won't play again this year, and he was a bit one trick (lead, mark, goal) as a bottom ager. Clubs were hoping to see him up the ground more this year with greater accumulation and impact.

Thoughts on Jackson Phillips?

3 minutes ago, adonski said:

Thoughts on Jackson Phillips?

Really like him. Wasn't on my radar heading into the year but certainly is now. He'll feature in my top 20 for my first ranking. I love his power and contested ability at stoppage. But I equally love the fact that when he rests forward, he's got genuine craft - both as a smart leading forward and as a crumbing creative type.

Really nice player that's a first round option I think.

1 minute ago, Tommy_Wolfe7 said:

Really like him. Wasn't on my radar heading into the year but certainly is now. He'll feature in my top 20 for my first ranking. I love his power and contested ability at stoppage. But I equally love the fact that when he rests forward, he's got genuine craft - both as a smart leading forward and as a crumbing creative type.

Really nice player that's a first round option I think.

Thanks Wolfie

TW7. Really hoping to the see midfield guns Jackson Phillips and Ethan Drever at the National championships. Both super impressive.

52 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

TW7. Really hoping to the see midfield guns Jackson Phillips and Ethan Drever at the National championships. Both super impressive.

I agree - very interested to see how high they can rise. Can see a world where they both end up in the top 15.

whats the difference between Snell and Ladbrook for you @Tommy_Wolfe7

Also i was big on a couple of HB types last year that didnt make the grade, Harrison Bridge and Aaron Sharkie, thoughts on where they went wrong or their potential to make the step up in the future, likewise does Jackson Voss have enough to be an AFL level BP/HB?

1 hour ago, Turner said:

whats the difference between Snell and Ladbrook for you @Tommy_Wolfe7

Also i was big on a couple of HB types last year that didnt make the grade, Harrison Bridge and Aaron Sharkie, thoughts on where they went wrong or their potential to make the step up in the future, likewise does Jackson Voss have enough to be an AFL level BP/HB?

Snell I can see what kind of player he's going to be - a brave, aggressive aerialist with brilliant marking hands and the feel for when to spoil and when to mark. Powerful kid who's also composed at ground level and with ball in hand. The kind of defender that can shut down with closing speed, but opposition will also try to avoid as he turns defence into attack. He's also closer to his final form physically that Ladbrook, so there's less doubt on how he grows / carriers added muscle when trying to build AFL running capability.

Ladbrook on the other hand is very much an upside kid for me. Super tall (201cm) and very rangy - there's a lot of physical development required, and this means there's uncertainty about how that plays out. He's ultra aggressive in his positioning and the way he defends. I suspect as he's thinly framed, he's learned to read the play / intercept rather than body up. At this stage, when it goes bad, it doesn't look good. But the flipside is that when he gets it right, it's quite breathtaking. He moves really well and has the scope to potentially pinch hit through the ruck. He's a bit more frenetic and less assured at this stage, but has huge athletic potential.

As for those half back types:

Bridge for me was draftable - nice run and carry, could accumulate and had nice foot skills. Getting injured early in the National Champs and then missing an extended part of the season hurt him. He's back playing for the Lions academy as an overager, and if he plays the full year and improves his physicality / contested game, I can see him being draft relevant.

Sharkie was that classic looks good on paper but just isnt that't impactful by foot. Neat enough but very safe and then inconsistent when trying to make things happen. Good work rate runner but no elite speed or agility. A really solid underager but maybe didn't scream point of difference.

I'm not sure on Voss personally, but as with many of those state league guys, sometimes that need that opportunity and the rise to it once in the system. I think he maybe becomes relevant with Tassie coming in, as the league will need to find approx. 50 new players, and they can't all be draftees. Strongly performed second tier players will get opportunity.

AUSTRALIA U18 TEAM LIST

#	PLAYER	STATE	STATE LEAGUE CLUB	COMMUNITY CLUB
4	Arki Butler	VIC M	Sandringham Dragons	Beaumaris
5	Garrison Kenh	WA	East Perth	Ellenbrook
6	Gabriel Patterson	SA	Glenelg	Plympton
7	Noah Williams	VIC C	Geelong Falcons	St Joseph's
8	Harrison Chapman	VIC M	Eastern Ranges	Boronia
9	Heath Mellody	WA	Claremont	Wembley Downs
10	Archie Hill	QLD	Gold Coast Suns Academy	Broadbeach
11	Caylen Murray	QLD	Brisbane Lions Academy	Maroochydore
12	Tanner Armstrong	VIC C	Murray Bushrangers	Shepparton United
16	Marlon Neocleous^	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Traralgon
18	Cody Walker	VIC C	Bendigo Pioneers	Echuca
20	Darcy Szerszyn*	VIC C	Dandenong Stingrays	Seaford
21	Jack Gordon	SA	Central District	Port District
22	Jack Pickett*	VIC C	Geelong Falcons	Torquay
23	Ethan Matthews	NSW/ACT	GWS GIANTS Academy	Ingleburn
24	Kodah Edwards	SA	South Adelaide	Willunga
25	Aidan McCartney*	NSW/ACT	Sydney Swans Academy	Willoughby
26	Wil Malady	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Bairnsdale
27	Koby LeCras	WA	West Perth	Manning
28	Kale Matthews-Hampton^	SA	Sturt	Strathalbyn
29	Tate Hodgson	VIC M	Northern Knights	Park Orchards NRP
33	Xavier Ladbrook	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Nar Nar Goon
34	Ethan Herbert	SA	North Adelaide	Walkerville
35	Lewis Houndsome	VIC M	Northern Knights	Yarrambat
38	Benji van Rooyen	WA	Claremont	Wembley Downs
39	Dougie Cochrane*	SA	Central District

12 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

AUSTRALIA U18 TEAM LIST

#	PLAYER	STATE	STATE LEAGUE CLUB	COMMUNITY CLUB
4	Arki Butler	VIC M	Sandringham Dragons	Beaumaris
5	Garrison Kenh	WA	East Perth	Ellenbrook
6	Gabriel Patterson	SA	Glenelg	Plympton
7	Noah Williams	VIC C	Geelong Falcons	St Joseph's
8	Harrison Chapman	VIC M	Eastern Ranges	Boronia
9	Heath Mellody	WA	Claremont	Wembley Downs
10	Archie Hill	QLD	Gold Coast Suns Academy	Broadbeach
11	Caylen Murray	QLD	Brisbane Lions Academy	Maroochydore
12	Tanner Armstrong	VIC C	Murray Bushrangers	Shepparton United
16	Marlon Neocleous^	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Traralgon
18	Cody Walker	VIC C	Bendigo Pioneers	Echuca
20	Darcy Szerszyn*	VIC C	Dandenong Stingrays	Seaford
21	Jack Gordon	SA	Central District	Port District
22	Jack Pickett*	VIC C	Geelong Falcons	Torquay
23	Ethan Matthews	NSW/ACT	GWS GIANTS Academy	Ingleburn
24	Kodah Edwards	SA	South Adelaide	Willunga
25	Aidan McCartney*	NSW/ACT	Sydney Swans Academy	Willoughby
26	Wil Malady	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Bairnsdale
27	Koby LeCras	WA	West Perth	Manning
28	Kale Matthews-Hampton^	SA	Sturt	Strathalbyn
29	Tate Hodgson	VIC M	Northern Knights	Park Orchards NRP
33	Xavier Ladbrook	VIC C	Gippsland Power	Nar Nar Goon
34	Ethan Herbert	SA	North Adelaide	Walkerville
35	Lewis Houndsome	VIC M	Northern Knights	Yarrambat
38	Benji van Rooyen	WA	Claremont	Wembley Downs
39	Dougie Cochrane*	SA	Central District

what do the * and ^ represent?

i count 5 nga academy kids (4 northern states, 1 sa) and 1 father-son (walker) in this group - are there others besides?

The * represents players out with injury, the ^ will be players called up as injury replacements.

Can’t work out why Neocleous wasn’t in the original squad.

Kenh is tied to WC academy & Armstrong is Tiges NGA.

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by ChaserJ

@ChaserJ yes agree Neocleous has talent and deserves a spot in the best talent group.

@whatwhat say what again ANOTHER COMPROMISED DRAFT with likely 10 of the best 25-30 youngsters being unavailable

16 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

@ChaserJ yes agree Neocleous has talent and deserves a spot in the best talent group.

@whatwhat say what again ANOTHER COMPROMISED DRAFT with likely 10 of the best 25-30 youngsters being unavailable

@ChaserJ is this neocleous any relation to the one who played for casey for a period of time?

it's only going to be more slim pickings for the next little while @spirit of norm smith with an extra franchise - or two? - set to enter the competition in the next 2-6 seasons, you'd imagine

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by whatwhat say what

53 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

@ChaserJ is this neocleous any relation to the one who played for casey for a period of time?

it's only going to be more slim pickings for the next little while @spirit of norm smith with an extra franchise - or two? - set to enter the competition in the next 2-6 seasons, you'd imagine

Yep @whatwhat say what , brother of Harvey:

(1) More history for the Gippsland League was... - Gippsland League | Facebook

Early doors, but draft does look to have some quality. I'm hoping the AFL don't cave to pressure and just make the changes to bidding rules now, will mean Carlton pay fair price for Cody Walker & Port pay fair price for Cochrane.

Even though they haven't been formally confirmed, we've known they were coming for 2 years, clubs complaining about timing are essentially upset that they're not getting as big a free hit as the Queensland clubs.

1 hour ago, ChaserJ said:

Yep @whatwhat say what , brother of Harvey:

(1) More history for the Gippsland League was... - Gippsland League | Facebook

Early doors, but draft does look to have some quality. I'm hoping the AFL don't cave to pressure and just make the changes to bidding rules now, will mean Carlton pay fair price for Cody Walker & Port pay fair price for Cochrane.

Even though they haven't been formally confirmed, we've known they were coming for 2 years, clubs complaining about timing are essentially upset that they're not getting as big a free hit as the Queensland clubs.

seems likely they'll be delayed til after tasmania come in

5 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

@ChaserJ yes agree Neocleous has talent and deserves a spot in the best talent group.

@whatwhat say what again ANOTHER COMPROMISED DRAFT with likely 10 of the best 25-30 youngsters being unavailable

I've got 8 of my current top 35 and 10 of my current top 50 as club tied. So you're right - it's not insignificant.

It's a little better in that outside of those two right near the top, there are probably only 1 (maybe 2 if clubs like McCartney who's out for the year) more in the top 20.

Edited 16 hours ago16 hr by Tommy_Wolfe7
Didn't read properly/