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First phantom draft so be kind. I've only posted the first 4 rounds as I think we'll be done by then as will several other teams. I'm taking into account our departures Green (ret), Rivers (FA), Moloney (FA), Martin (trade), Gysberts (trade), Morton (trade), Jurrah (quit) & Lawrence (quit) our other delistings Cook, Bennell, Petterd, Bate, Sheahan & Williams. Firstly in the delisted free agent period from November 1-13, I would look at signing: Player: James Hawksley Height: 187cm Weight: 80kg Club: Brisbane Description: A creative and versatile player hailing from Western Australia, James Hawksley is a medium-sized midfielder/defender who has wonderful foot skills and a great understanding of the game. With senior experience under his belt, he can expect to push for regular senior opportunities at Melbourne. Then for the draft: ROUND 1 1.Greater Western Sydney Player: Lachlan Whitfield Height: 184cm Weight: 74kg Club: Dandenong Stingrays Description: Whitfield is the best junior in this years crop on current performances. To go along with his elite skills he has the endurance to just go and go all day at good speed. I have a feeling I read he clocked a 17 in the beep test which is incredible for a 17/18 year old. At this stage is more an outside midfielder who can go forward and kick goals which in modern footy is a more than handy attribute with the sub rule. With the Giants' array of inside mids Whitfield will be the outside class that they need to add to complete their midfield. 2. Greater Western Sydney Player: Brodie Grundy Height: 202cm Weight: 100kg Club: Sturt Description: Grundy would be one of the best ruckman available in quite some time. He is probably the only true rival to Whitfield for that no.1 selection especially with Sheedy's comments about talls. Excellent tap ruckman who can really bring his midfielders into the game. Already has a big body and with his mobility and ability below his knees I think he will be able to come in and play as a 2nd ruck from day one. Could probably be the no.1 ruck on ability but he'd just get banged up. Reasonable contested mark, good tank on him already and his kicking skills are improving very quickly. 3. Greater Western Sydney Player: Jimmy Toumpas Height: 183cm Weight: 74kg Club: Woodville West Torrens Description: Toumpas is a very highly skilled midfielder from SA.He's a player that a coach can throw anywhere on the field and he can perform. Has already been performing to a very high level at SANFL senior level as a 16 year old including a premiership with WWT. Like Whitfield is probably more of an outside type but has the ability to win a clearance and just burst out of a pack and be very damaging with his ball use once in the clear. Toumpas will be too hard to pass over and I believe ina few years will have no issue playing more inside. 4. Melbourne Player: Oliver Wines Height:185cm Weight: 83kg Club:Bendigo Pioneers Description: Wines would challenge Viney for the title of best inside midfielder in this draft. He's a fair bit bigger than Viney and isn't afraid to crash in with his big frame. Has pretty good endurance so can run all day but isn't overly quick. He's a decent kick without being anything special and at Champs it would have been nice to see him convert a bit more of his opportunities in front of goal. 5.Western Bulldogs Player: Jake Stringer Height: 191cm Weight: 91kg Club: Bendigo Pioneers Description: Stringer was looking to be the bargain of the draft despite his injury. He was being looked at as a mid-late first rounder and with the Cats interest in him, although the Western Bulldogs are looking likely to take him very early. Stringer is just a man mountain in under 18’s. I have a few question marks over his foot skills (I’ll admit I hadn’t seen him pre-broken leg so that could be the reason) and whether or not he dominates midfield because he’s just that much bigger. Having said that he’s not an awful kick and he does crack in hard so that should translate to being a dominate AFL clearance player too. I think if you are drafting him it’s as a midfielder who rests forward rather than a forward who pinch hits. 6.Western Bulldogs Player: Mason Shaw Height: 198cm Weight: 92kg Club: South Fremantle Description: It's a shame about the broken jaw that Shaw received earlier in the year. Kicked 8 in his return game but he hasn't really got going yet outside of that. Not completely sold on Shaw as a high pick but he's a great size at 198cm and can play as a 2nd ruck as well as FF. He's more of a stay at home forward rather that a guy who will roam up the field which is fine because he is a very good contested mark and looks like he could fill out to be a monster like Tippett. Kicked 7 in last years Grand Final so that should hold him in good stead come draft night. Reckon the Dogs might take a punt early with their need for a tall forward. 7.Port Adelaide Player: Sam Mayes Height: 187cm Weight: 78kg Club: North Adelaide Description: Mayes could well become the best player in this draft. Absolutely love the way he goes about his footy. He has one of, if not the very best kick in this draft pool. Top notch kick. Has a lot of versatility with his development beginning as a lead-up forward where he dominated at champs last year. This year has turned into a more full-time midfielder. Has copped some heavy defensive attention this year so is very highly rated. Last year playing forward he had the ability to get great separation from his defender and whilst I haven't really seen him use this burst as a midfielder as much he always seems to have an eternity. I think he compares pretty favorably to Pendlebury in this regard. 8.Brisbane Player: Lachlan Plowman Height: 191cm Weight: 86kg Club: Calder Cannons Description: Plowman is a very good rebounding KPD whom the VM coach has said was sorely missed during the Champs (can't have been missed too much). I have him this high because a few Melbourne fans flagged him as a possible Pick 4. Just a hunch but I think his career may pan out similar to a Mundy. First few years as a rebounding HBF but then move into a midfield role. 9.Richmond Player: Jonathan O'Rourke Height: 183cm Weight: 75kg Club: Calder Cannons Description: O'Rourke is a skillful inside/outside mid who will be in top 10 calculations. After an injury riddled 2011 he has remained injury free this year. Not an overly big player physically but is quite an accomplished player on the inside. Always seems to have time to pick the right option and hit his target. Fantastic composure. Is also a very good athlete with good mix of endurance and speed. Will probably play a season or two as an outside mid before moving into the guts. 10.Essendon Player: Joe Daniher Height: 201cm Weight: 89kg Club: Calder Cannons Description: Daniher I’d have in the top 5(Whitfield/Grundy/Toumpas/Viney) pretty comfortably. One thing that has really impressed me (and he does have an advantage over other 18’s) is the muscle he has put on. He’s already filling out nicely for such a tall kid. His kicking in the WA game for goal wasn’t great but he’s quite capable of having a day of 7.0 so I don’t see it as an issue at all. 11.Carlton Player: Jackson MacRae Height: 188cm Weight: 75kg Club: Oakleigh Chargers Description: Highly skilled outside midfielder/half forward. Has very good pace and excellent agility that allow him to break the lines and cut teams up. Is slowly starting to be able to win his own ball and can be a very damaging goal kicker up forward as evidenced in his 6 goal haul in game 2 of the Champs. His kicking skills are a big feature of his game and he will certainly be a guy pushing for a 1st round selection come draft day. 12. Greater Western Sydney Player: Dayle Garlett Height: 180cm Weight: 75kg Club: Swan Districts Description: Garlett is the most interesting player come draft night for mine. Will he go top 5-10 like his talent deserves or will he slide out of the first round due to his 'attitude problems.' By all accounts he still has a fair way to go to rid himself of the perception he has created but he has gone a long way to doing so. Another highly skilled outside mid going early but he has genuine line-breaking ability with his pace and deadly accurate kicking skills. He also has the ability to win his own ball but his forte will be as a goal-kicking outside midfielder. 13. Gold Coast Player: Troy Menzel Height: 186cm Weight: 77kg Club: Central Districts Description: If Menzel can stay fit he will probably be one of the most damaging players in the draft. Managed to kick 15 goals in 2 Champs games before succumbing to injury. Has had the LARS surgery but that was some 2 years ago. Will probably go between 10-15 at least. Troy is a highly skilled medium forward/midfielder. He’s a great size and elite kick of the footy. As a forward he is more than capable of getting his goals from being a lead and mark player or as a crumber similar to a Stevie J. When fit is a pretty good athlete which should hold him in good stead at Draft Camp and boost his draft prospects. 14. Greater Western Sydney Player: Tanner Smith Height: 194cm Weight: 83kg Club: North Ballarat Rebels Description: Smith is fantastic when it comes to being able to shut down his man as he is rarely beaten however needs to work on hurting his opponent going the other way which modern footy seems to dictate you need to do at a lot of clubs. At this stage he doesn’t get much of the ball and isn’t the greatest kick. 15. North Melbourne Player: Ben Kennedy Height: 174cm Weight: 76kg Club: Glenelg Description: Kennedy is a lightning quick midfielder/small forward. Is very much capable of doing both to a very high level. Can rack up a huge number of possession through the midfield or kick bags of goals in the forward line. If he was bigger would be a certain top 10 IMO and is still a chance to go there. By all accounts was very close to being selected by Adelaide with the mini-draft pick last year so that gives an idea of where he is at. One thing I really like about him for a guy who has the assets he does is he has a touch of arrogance. (Maybe more than a touch) Just has that I’m going to be able to burn you off look in his eyes when he sizes his opponent up. 16. Geelong Player: Nick Vlastuin Height: 187cm Weight: 83kg Club: Northern Knights Description: Vlastuin is a real hard nut inside midfielder. Someone who would fir right in at Geelong. Wasn’t hugely productive in the Champs but was playing a new role off a HBF. For a big bodied inside mid he has some pretty neat kicking skills. The downside to him would be that he isn’t the most athletically gifted player going around in that he isn’t very quick, he doesn’t have a big leap and he’s already very physically developed. However, he is already a pretty high level player and has the added bonus of good leadership quality as well. 17. Fremantle Player:Josh Simpson Height: 183cm Weight: 72kg Club: East Fremantle Description: Simpson broke his collarbone I believe earlier in the year so had a slow start and showed a few signs in the Championships. Plays midfield and forward and will probably start his career as a forward before developing into a midfielder. He still has a bit of filling out to do to be ready for AFL but he has some really great skills both football wise and athletically. Has a huge leap on him to go with some very good pace. Think long term he will develop into a Daniel Wells type. 18. Collingwood Player: Nathan Wright Height: 183cm Weight: 78kg Club: Dandenong Stingrays Description: Wright is a hard nut who can play either off the half back flank or as a midfielder. He has surprised me a little bit with his athleticism. He has some pretty good line-breaking ability and also a decent leap on him. His skills aren’t bad but he certainly isn’t elite which won’t matter if he plays more inside mid as opposed to rebounding defender. 19. Collingwood Player: Kristian Jaksch Height: 194cm Weight: 85kg Club: Oakleigh Chargers Description: I think Jaksch will turn out to be one of the best of this years KPF. Not sure he is worthy of a top 10 pick at this stage but I think a team will snatch him up quite early. Is a pretty solid KPD also, but it's his work as a KPF that will push him up to being a pick in the top 15-20. Is a very good contested mark and I believe he is a guy you could build an attack around long term. Has very good skills for a big man and believe he will turn into a big, strong FF/CHF like a Hurley type. 20. Adelaide Player:Sam Colquhoun Height:179cm Weight: 72kg Club: Central Districts Description: Colquhoun is a very skilful small defender/midfielder. Very rarely misses a target and would be a guy who you could trust with the kick-outs from day one. Not sold on him being a guaranteed 1st rounder at this stage. Have question marks on his ball winning ability as a midfielder and would like to see him play a bit more midfield. (Possibly just me not seeing him play games there as opposed to him not doing it?) Very composed and always has time to make the right decision so it should translate pretty well to being an AFL level midfielder. Not overly big so may take some time putting on some weight to be AFL ready. 21. Collingwood Player: Laine Wilkins Height:189cm Weight: 78kg Club:Peel Thunder Description: Wilkins is an interesting midfield/forward prospect who did his prospects no harm on the big stage nearly single handedly dragging WA back into the game against Metro with 3 third quarter goals. He has a good vertical leap and is quite a competent overhead mark, freakish speed and good skills. However, he is prone to the odd howler but that can be fixed at the next level IMO. As displayed in the Champs he is a guy with huge hurt factor whether it be midfield or as a forward. 22.Western Bulldogs Player: Alex Howson Height: 195cm Weight: 80kg Club: East Fremantle Description: Prior to the Champs Howson was making a name for himself as a KPF at East Fremantle, however WA swung him down into a key defensive post where he was rather impressive. His defensive skills were very good and while still a lightweight he is a fantastic height for a KPP. I believe his versatility as a bit of a swingman will see him be highly sought after for teams like Brisbane/St.Kilda/Bulldogs who need some up and coming KPP. 23.Sydney Player: Tim Membrey Height: 187cm Weight: 87kg Club: Gippsland Power Description: Membrey is another guy I really like in the Darling/Crameri mould. Will need to work hard on his tank to be able to reach the heights of those guys though. Captain of the Gippsland Power so has good leadership qualities and is a high-character kid. Really strong-marking forward and an accurate kick for goal. His first quarter against SA was really impressive, especially some of his harassing and tackling. His issue is he’s not super quick so will he create separation from his opponent at AFL level and it’s this query that will see him slide down the draft. 24.Brisbane Player: Nicholas Rodda Height: 194cm Weight: 94kg Club: West Perth Description: Rodda is a guy who I think will go higher than expected due to needs. He’s a lovely size and a very good full back. Can shut down an opponent but is also a very good kick for a FB of his size, which is a rare commodity to have. Capable of taking the kick-ins as well as linking up on the rebound and being able to hurt opposition teams with his foot skills which will see him go reasonably high for a full back. ROUND 2 25.St Kilda Player:Sam Lowrie Height: 187cm Weight:80kg Club: South Fremantle Description: Lowrie is a lovely height for a midfielder and has the body shape to really fill out. Was really disappointed we didn’t get to see him play more in the guts in the VM game. He’s capable of playing both inside and outside but really only got to see his outside play. He’s also more than capable of pushing forward to impact the scoreboard if given the chance. Could be a real bargain for the team that picks him up. 26.St Kilda Player: Thomas Clurey Height: 193cm Weight: 85kg Club: Murray Bushrangers Description: Clurey IMO is the best of a good group of KPD (not including Plowman who I’d have as a 3rd tall def/mid). Whilst I think Smith is probably a better shut down defender, Clurey is a better rebounder and more all-around KPD. In that sense he’s probably more you’re the type of guy to take the 2nd forward who he can run off a bit more. He probably won’t go first round but I like him a lot. 27. Melbourne Player: Jack Viney Height: 178cm Weight: 80kg Club: Oakleigh Chargers Description: Viney is probably the best inside midfielder of this draft crop and will add a lot of grunt to the Melbourne midfield. Probably the most ferocious junior to come through in a while. Just hunts the footy without much care for his well-being. Had seen him on video but saw him live for Casey this year and he was a maniac in his attack. 28. Greater Western Sydney Player: Liam McBean Height: 202cm Weight:84kg Club: Calder Cannons Description: McBean is one of the toughest to place. Has lots of potential as a highly athletic 200cm+ KPF/2nd ruck. I have heard he will likely go first round as you just don’t get guys with these qualities every day so someone could take the punt. I think you are more picking him for his work as either a KPF or KPD as he showed at the Champs, whilst his rucking is just an added bonus. His aerial ability, foot skills and reading of the play would hold him in good stead if someone wants to develop him as a KPD. However, not sure that 202cm CHB will be that successful. There’s always a first for everything though. 29. Hawthorn Player: Nick Graham Height: 182cm Weight:76kg Club: Gippsland Power Description: Graham is another one of those players who I could see surprising come draft day. The obvious weakness to his game would be his kicking, it is quite inconsistent and he can turn it over a bit. But then again, on his day you wont even notice it. Otherwise, there is lots to like - strong mark, runs hard and is a big tackler. He has had a lot of success playing as a forward in the TAC Cup, but this year has been playing predominantly in the midfield and has been doing it well. AFL Comparison: Luke Parker. 30.Port Adelaide Player: Tim Broomhead Height: 183cm Weight: 72kg Club: Port Adelaide Description: After each game Broomhead plays, I seem to come away a bigger and bigger fan of his. I've gone from having him top 50, to top 30 to now possibly a first rounder. Everything he does, just looks like an AFL footballer. He can play at either end of the ground - for SA he looked really good running off a half back and up through the wings, while earlier on in the year for Port Adelaide he looked really good across the half forward flank kicking goals. And in between, he has been doing his thing in the midfield too. Broomhead is a neat kick, and has good skills overhead. Also runs hard, which is why he has had success in so many different positions. AFL Comparison: Dyson Heppell. 31.Port Adelaide Player: Matthew Wallis Height: 192cm Weight: 84kg Club: Norwood Description: Wallis was SA’s no.1 KPD throughout the Champs but also had the challenging role of playing on NT’s smaller forwards and handled himself really well. Not a huge guy but a pretty good athlete and is big enough to hold down an AFL spot as a key defender. Has neat skills for a big guy as well though he doesn’t get to use them a lot at this stage. I’d like to see him get a bit more involved on the rebound because he certainly isn’t a liability. His biggest strength is probably his aerial ability though. He is a very good overhead mark which will help make up for any lack of height. 32.Richmond Player: Spencer White Height: 195cm Weight: 90kg Club: Western Jets Description: At the start of the year, I had White as one of my top KPFs to watch. That was based largely on potential rather than performances at the time, but as the year has gone on he has started to perform more consistently. He still has a long way to go, particularly needs to focus on what he does when he isn't kicking for goal because often he can go missing. But he is a big strong target up forward, is very good in the air and is an accurate shot on goal. 33.Brisbane Player: Taylor Garner Height: 186cm Weight: 77kg Club: Dandenong Stingrays Description: Garner is one I wasn’t overly impressed with in the televised games. At this stage he seems very patchy, which admittedly can happen with his type of player. Struggles to always get involved in the game and hasn’t really put together 4 quarters. As a medium forward I really want to see him hit the scoreboard harder as I do believe he has the talent to do so. He also has some ball-winning ability and I’d like to see him play more midfield minutes to boost his draft chances if I was going to take him this high. 34.Richmond Player: Adrian Corr Height: 194cm Weight: 80kg Club: Northern Knights Description: Not one I’ve seen a lot of but Corr is a KPD with good endurance and a great size to him (although still skinny at this stage.) He has a good rebounding game so can see him making a good CHB long term. Whilst he is more of an attacking KPD he is still capable of shutting his opponent down as well but it is an area for improvement still at this stage. 35.Essendon Player: Rory Atkins Height: 183cm Weight: 75kg Club: Calder Cannons Description: Atkins is a guy who has probably slipped down the pecking order this year as he has struggled to get involved in games during the Champs. Atkins is more than capable of playing as an inside or outside midfielder. Personally like him better on the inside as he has a fierce attack on the ball and uses it well even under pressure. He also has a nice burst of pace out of packs and is strong so he is hard to tackle. He is another of those midfielders who can go to the forward line to rest rather than the bench and have an impact there. Last year he had an 8 goal haul from memory. At this stage just needs to develop a bit more consistency to his game. 36.Carlton Player: Matthew Haynes Height: 189cm Weight: 76kg Club: Northern Knights Description: Haynes is a fantastic athlete. Very tall outside mid whom has freakish pace for someone so big. Very capable of using this pace to break the lines and cut teams up. However, his foot skills and decision-making can let him down and prevent him from being a first rounder. Would like to see him play more in the centre to try develop his ball-winning skills, which would make him a far more damaging and sought after player. 37. Fremantle Player: Adam Carter Height: 179cm Weight: 70kg Club: South Fremantle Description: Carter is a guy with a very good football brain. Not very big but don’t let his size fool you though as he is a strong little tough nut who just knows how to win the footy on the inside, which long term will be his role at AFL level. He is also more than capable of playing as a backman to start so despite his lack of size for a ball-winning midfielder he will be able to get a taste of AFL early on and have an impact. 38. North Melbourne Player: Harrison Marsh Height: 188cm Weight: 78kg Club: East Fremantle Description: A really nice sized midfielder who unfortunately played as a key defender for most if not all of the under 18's championships. Really would have liked to have seen a midfield consisting of a combination of Marsh, Lowrie, Martin and Kent at some point throughout the Champs so was a little disappointed but oh well what can you do? Not a huge ball winner at this stage but that will come as he develops. I doubt him playing out of position will hurt his draft chances too much. 39. Collingwood Player: Jason Pongracic Height: 182cm Weight: 86kg Club: Dandenong Stingrays Description: Pongracic is a tough as nails inside midfielder who is already very physically developed so again probably drafting him for what he is capable of now. He’s like a bull with his attack on the ball. While not a liability he is not the best kick going around but he will probably develop into the guy diving onto the bottom of packs dishing out the handball so it’s not a huge issue as he won’t rely on it. Has the added bonus of his leadership skills as the co-captain of the Stingrays. 40. Fremantle Player: Marco Paparone Height: 193cm Weight: 84kg Club: East Fremantle Description: Paparone is a guy I know a few others are pretty keen on but I just don’t see it. He may go late first/early second due to lack of other KPF’s but I think he just lacks in too many areas for my liking. He’s a very good endurance athlete, which will hold him in good stead as a CHF but his aerial work and toughness leave a little to be desired if he wants to make it as a KPF at AFL level. His kicking for goal is also not at a high-level from what I’ve seen so I think he is a guy who will probably go closer to the 40-60 range. 41.St Kilda Player: Sean Lynch Height: 184cm Weight: 76kg Club:South Fremantle Description: Lynch's production is probably worthy of a pick around 20 but he seems like a bit of a vanilla type midfielder. He's more of an outside guy as a rebounding defender or wingman and he isn't blessed with any electric pace, not that he's a plodder, nor does he have super skills. For this reason I'd say he's more likely to go after 40ish. 42. North Melbourne Player: Tim Sumner Height: 187cm Weight: 78kg Club: Woodville West Torrens Description: Sumner is a real excitement machine and a very damaging outside midfielder or half forward. He’s a really great size and capable of taking a good grab. Managed to get a game for SA against Country and was IMO robbed of a goal. Nice pace and skills and with limited touches can either set up a lot of goals or kick them himself. For an outside player he is still capable of going in and winning his own ball or sitting back to be the receiver and use his skills. 43.Richmond Player: Jackson Thurlow Height: 189cm Weight: 79kg Club: Launceston Description: Thurlow is a rebounding defender from Tasmania. Very good skills and can rack up a lot of the ball. Played a pretty unaccountable loose role in the backline throughout the Championships so would like to see him push up into the midfield a bit more and work on his defensive side and contested work which will help push him up the draft order. 44.St Kilda Player: Dean Towers Height: 189cm Weight: 83kg Club: North Ballarat Roosters Description:I've been watching a bit more of the VFL this season, and even managed to see a North Ballarat game live - and I like what I've seen from Towers. I've seen him compared to Isaac Smith, and I think it's an apt comparison. He has the height, speed and kicking skills of Smith. I'd be fairly confident in saying he will go early in the draft. 45.Sydney Player: Jesse Lonergan Height:183cm Weight: 86kg Club: Launceston Description: Lonergan is a tough contested inside ball-winner. He is the cousin of Essendon’s Sam. Not an elite kick by any stretch of the imagination but you would be drafting him for his work on the bottom of the packs. Missed a chunk of this season with injury but came back for second half of champs. 35 of his 49 possessions were contested at the champs. He started to hit the scoreboard at the champs as well, with 4 goals in the last 2 games against NSW/ACT and NT.