Whispering_Jack

With the AFL National Draft less than three months away, who more than a Brayshaw brother to focus on? Here's Knightmare's AFL Draft Wrap Another Brayshaw impressing selectors

Weight of Grief and Expectation Can’t Slow Stephenson

Apologies for being the bearer of some bad news for the good folk who frequent this thread but I have to put it out there:- Mentone massage parlour Fire Banana declared illegal brothel by Moorabbin magistrate

The Herald Sun's Sam Landsberger looks at the leading contenders for the No. 1 pick - No.1 draft pick may not matter for North Melbourne or Brisbane in an even yearThe CAMERON RAYNER (Western Jets/Vic Metro) Height 187cm, Weight 88kg Could the Kangaroos pair ‘Mini Dusty’ with big Dusty? Bombers fan Rayner plays the same way as Martin blueprint and thrives in the limelight. Not a great runner yet, but the explosive half-forward made a statement when he averaged 120 SuperCoach points and slotted 12 goals in four Vic Metro games. PADDY DOW (Bendigo Pioneers/Vic Country) Height 184cm, Weight: 78kg Midfielder with great character who cuts angles, kicks goals, can win clearances and marks overhead. Seven of the eight Victorians the Lions have drafted over the past two years have been country boys. Bagged two goals from 35 disposals on Sunday. LUKE DAVIES-UNIACKE (Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country) Height: 187cm, Weight: 85kg Plays as a Nat Fyfe-type taller midfielder and is a threat near goal. Averaged 349 metres gained for Vic Country and opened this year’s national carnival with 34 disposals, but ultimately missed All-Australian selection. The Rye lad loves riding waves and is at school with St Kilda’s Josh Battle. ADAM CERRA (Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro) Height: 186cm, Weight: 85kg A knee injury ruined his 2016 season and shoulder surgery this month ended his 2017 campaign. But in between the classy midfielder produced some solid form. Smart footballer who lacks a gear of acceleration, but averaged 95 SuperCoach points from 18.3 disposals and 4.3 clearances for Vic Metro. DARCY FOGARTY (Glenelg/South Australia) Height: 192cm, Weight: 92kg A knee injury recently ended his season after a quiet patch of form. Fogarty was seen to be drifting down the draft order, but former Hawthorn recruiter Gary Buckenara still rates him as the No. 1 pick. Buckenara said he plays like a stronger Jack Gunston and will be a star. Has the flexibility to play as a third tall or a defender. Averaged 72 SuperCoach points for South Australia.

The midfielders dominate the very top of Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide - August edition but there are also plenty of tall key position players available to make this year's draft an interesting proposition. I suspect that this draft is a little deeper and more even than in the past and if a club has the selections and chooses wisely, it could top up with at the very least two quality players from this draft.

How odd? I've now fixed it (I think )

I know we have other things on our minds at present but for the record, here are Knightmare's AFL Draft Power Rankings: August

There's a player on the list of invitees to the Draft Combine who is probably not all that well known to most watchers of the under age football scene but I think in time to come, he will be a player to watch in late November when the draft meeting is held in Sydney. It was only a little over a month ago that he made his TAC Cup debut with the Sandringham Dragons when they thrashed the ladder leading Geelong Falcons but Victorian under-19 cricketer Nathan Murphy has already attracted the attention of AFL talent scouts. The 188cm, 84kg medium tall forward from Brighton Grammar has been on the Dragons' books for a while but was faced with the same choice between sports as Australian Under 19 cricket captain Will Sutherland who recently opted for the white flannels ahead of football after playing in the Vic Metro side that won this year's Under 18 National Championships. Murphy was invited to train with the Dragons' TAC Cup side over summer but cricket took precedence. A recent seven goal haul for Brighton Grammar in the APS system raised a lot of interest and the focus of the exciting young forward might have turned, and as a result, he was a late inclusion into the Sandringham Dragons squad. He has averaged over 22 disposals and taken some strong contested marks in his three games so far which included three goals in his last appearance against Bendigo Pioneers and impressed enough in that short time to earn him an invite to the AFL Draft Combine. There's a strong connection between Melbourne, his original club East Sandringham (think Jack Watts and Jayden Hunt) and Brighton Grammar School (think both of the above and Christian Salem) which has also produced some other great young talent like Josh Kelly and last year's number 1 draft pick Andrew McGrath. My mail is that Murphy is all class and that his goal sense and movement in and around traffic are exceptional. He will soon be on everyone's radar.

A little more light reading about this year's AFL Draft - 10 key questions ahead of this year's AFL draft Lions eye six in the mix for No.1 pick The full list of 56 TAC Cup players invited to the 2017 NAB AFL Draft Combine Jarrod Brander Bendigo Pioneers Brent Daniels Bendigo Pioneers Paddy Dow Bendigo Pioneers Kane Farrell Bendigo Pioneers Bailey Henderson Bendigo Pioneers Lochie O’Brien Bendigo Pioneers Angus Schumacher Bendigo Pioneers Noah Balta Calder Cannons Mitchell Podhajski Calder Cannons Aiden Bonar Dandenong Stingrays Hunter Clark Dandenong Stingrays Oscar Clavarino Dandenong Stingrays Luke Davies-Uniacke Dandenong Stingrays Tom De Koning Dandenong Stingrays Tyler Brown Eastern Ranges Adam Cerra Eastern Ranges Joel Garner Eastern Ranges Sam Hayes Eastern Ranges Dylan Moore Eastern Ranges Trent Mynott Eastern Ranges Tom North Eastern Ranges Jackson Ross Eastern Ranges Jaidyn Stephenson Eastern Ranges Ryley Stoddart Eastern Ranges Ethan Floyd Geelong Falcons David Handley Geelong Falcons Matthew Ling Geelong Falcons Tom McCartin Geelong Falcons Gryan Miers Geelong Falcons James Worpel Geelong Falcons Changkuoth Jiath Gippsland Power Matthew McGannon Gippsland Power Aiden Domic Greater Western Victoria Rebels Jordan Johnston Greater Western Victoria Rebels Lloyd Meek Greater Western Victoria Rebels Jordan Butts Murray Bushrangers Harrison Jones Murray Bushrangers Ben Paton Murray Bushrangers Charlie Spargo Murray Bushrangers Nick Coffield Northern Knights Patrick Naish Northern Knights Ethan Penrith Northern Knights Jack Petruccelle Northern Knights Matthew Day Oakleigh Chargers Jack Higgins Oakleigh Chargers Ned Reeves Oakleigh Chargers Ed Richards Oakleigh Chargers Toby Wooller Oakleigh Chargers Andrew Brayshaw Sandringham Dragons Charlie Constable Sandringham Dragons Hayden McLean Sandringham Dragons Nathan Murphy Sandringham Dragons Angus Styles Sandringham Dragons Will Walker Sandringham Dragons Lachlan Fogarty Western Jets Cameron Rayner Western Jets

And now for Knightmare's AFL Draft Power Rankings: July

A couple of interesting draft rankings - both of them from before Will Sutherland's decision to opt for cricket ahead of football. Firstly, Brett Anderson's Big Board 1.0 and Secondly, Terry Wallace from Future Stars - 1. Cameron Rayner 187cm/88kg MID 2. Luke Davies-Uniack 187cm/85kg MID 3. Jarrod Brander 195cm/83kg FWD 4. Will Sutherland 195cm/90kg FWD 5. Jayden Stephenson 189cm/76kg FWD 6. Darcy Fogarty 192cm/88kg MID/FWD 7. Jack Higgins 178cm/78kg MID 8. Nick Coffield 190cm/78kg H/BACK 9. Paddy Dow 184cm/78kg MID 10. Lochie O'Brien 184cm/75kg MID 11. Charlie Constable 190cm/83kg MID 12. Adam Cerra 186cm/75kg MID 13. Patrick Naish 180cm/67kg FWD 14. Charle Spargo 173cm/75kg SML FWD 15. Sam Hayes 203cm/93kg RUCK 16. Connor Ballenden 199cm/95kg FWD/RUCK 17. Hunter Clark 186cm/79kg HALF BACK 18. Joel Garner 183cm/81kg MID 19. Oscar Allen 191cm/83kg FWD 20. Lachlan Fogarty 179cm/75kg MID

With the Under 18 Championships done and dusted, the experts are reviewing the top draft picks and their chances. First can off the rank is Callum Twomey's Phantom Form Guide - July edition And one potential draft pick's situation is made even more intriguing as a result of the fact that he is not only also a potential elite cricketer of the future but because his father is embroiled front and centre in the cricketing row between the administration and the players and his mother has an important role in football - Draft stocks rising, but will Will stick with footy?

The AFL has issued an indicative draft order based on ladder positions after round 11. Obviously, this is not all that meaningful because positions will change over the last half of the season and again as a result of the free agency and trade periods. ROUND ONE 1. Brisbane Lions 2. Carlton 3. Sydney 4. St Kilda (received from Hawthorn) 5. Gold Coast 6. North Melbourne 7. Essendon 8. St Kilda 9. Collingwood 10. Melbourne 11. Fremantle 12. West Coast 13. Western Bulldogs 14. Brisbane Lions (received from Port Adelaide) 15. Richmond 16. Richmond (received from Geelong, via Carlton and GWS on-trades) 17. Adelaide ROUND TWO 18. Brisbane Lions 19. Geelong (received from Carlton) 20. Sydney 21. Gold Coast (received from Hawthorn) 22. Gold Coast 23. North Melbourne 24. Essendon 25. Greater Western Sydney (received from St Kilda) 26. Greater Western Sydney (received from Collingwood) 27. Melbourne 28. Gold Coast (received from Fremantle) 29. West Coast 30. Western Bulldogs 31. Port Adelaide 32. Gold Coast (received from Richmond) 33. Geelong 34. Adelaide 35. Hawthorn (received from GWS, via Carlton on-trade) ROUND THREE 36. Collingwood (received from the Brisbane Lions) 37. Carlton 38. Sydney 39. Hawthorn 40. Gold Coast 41. Western Bulldogs (received from North Melbourne) 42. Essendon 43. St Kilda 44. Brisbane Lions (received from Collingwood 45. Melbourne 46. Fremantle 47. West Coast 48. North Melbourne (received from the Western Bulldogs) 49. Port Adelaide 50. Richmond 51. Geelong 52. Adelaide 53. Richmond (received from Greater Western Sydney) ROUND FOUR 54. Collingwood (received from the Brisbane Lions) 55. Carlton 56. Sydney 57. Hawthorn 58. Fremantle (received from Gold Coast) 59. St Kilda (received from North Melbourne, via Western Bulldogs on-trade) 60. Essendon 61. St Kilda 62. Collingwood 63. Melbourne 64. Fremantle 65. West Coast 66. North Melbourne (received from the Western Bulldogs) 67. Port Adelaide 68. Richmond 69. Geelong 70. Adelaide 71. Greater Western Sydney ROUND FIVE 72. Brisbane Lions 73. Carlton 74. Sydney 75. Hawthorn 76. Gold Coast 77. North Melbourne 78. Essendon 79. Western Bulldogs (received from St Kilda) 80. Collingwood 81. Melbourne 82. Fremantle 83. West Coast 84. Western Bulldogs 85. Port Adelaide 86. Richmond 87. Geelong 88. Adelaide 89. Greater Western Sydney * The Giants' first pick (no.18, worth 985 points) will shift to the end of the draft as a result of the 1000 point penalty placed on them due to the Lachie Whitfield affair. The remaining 15 points will be taken off the value of their next pick. Indicative draft order: June edition And a couple of fine pieces on the draft - Road to the Draft: Episode 10 U18: Cal Twomey's top-10 draft prospects

Woody's latest - a doco

Knightmare agrees with you WTM - Knightmare's AFL Draft Power Rankings: June

That's a cheep joke Biff.

This is an interesting contribution from AFL Draft Central's Matt Balmer:- Matt Balmer’s 2017 AFL Draft June Power Rankings Meanwhile, over at 9's Future Stars, Plough has come out with his first TOP 20 draft picks 1. Darcy Fogarty 192cm/88kg MID/FWD 2. Cameron Raynor 187cm/88kg MID 3. Jarrod Brander 195cm/83kg FWD 4. Luke Davies-Uniack 187cm/85kg MID 5. Jayden Stephenson 189cm/76kg FWD 6. Lochie O'Brien 184cm/75kg MID 7. Sam Hayes 203cm/93kg RUCK 8. Connor Ballenden 199cm/95kg FWD/RUCK 9. Adam Cerra 186cm/75kg MID 10. Hunter Clark 186cm/79kg HALF BACK 11. James Worpel 185cm/84kg MID 12. Charle Spargo 173cm/75kg SML FWD 13. Jack Higgins 178cm/78kg MID 14. Joel Garner 183cm/81kg MID 15. Paddy Dow 184cm/78kg MID 16. Matthew Ling 182cm/74kg MID 17. Patrick Naish 180cm/67kg FWD 18. Callum Coleman-Jones 199cm/98kg RUCK 19. Lachlan Fogarty 179cm/75kg MID 20. Jack Petruccelle 184cm/73kg MID

I think you've ingested too many bananas.

Could you at least hang in long enough to arrange the annual dinner you've been promising to organise?

More Road to the Draft

And how could we forget Knightmare who does his power rankings on ESPN these days? Knightmare's Power Rankings April Knightmare's Power Rankings May

I always like following those left of field prospects like this one from the Northern Territory. Then there are the potential players who, like Jayden Hunt were more at home at schoolboy football.

... and more of the series

Our record at the MCG is becoming a mini-embarrassment. We've lost three on the trot there this year (all of them very winnable) after beating Carlton in Round 2. Time to knock that one on the head along with the big hoodoo against North

Yee of little faith. Shame on you.