southerncross
18-11-2007, 08:17 AM
Emma Quale from the Age (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/general/draft-day-is-like-christmas-for-16-afl-clubs/2007/11/17/1194767026939.html)seems to think we will land Grant and Notte with our early picks. Would these be good selections for us?
DRAFT day is like Christmas for the 16 AFL clubs.
Everyone gets a big bundle of shiny new presents and can't think of a single thing they could have wanted more.
If the clubs don't get what they asked for, they smile, say thank you and insist they couldn't be happier.
The draft is also a day where beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but where no recruiter can ever be considered right or wrong until different clubs, coaches, development systems and injuries have played their part in whether a draftee works out.
Sunday Age football writer and one of Australia's foremost experts on junior football, Emma Quayle, has covered the past six national drafts, toured Perth and South Africa this year with the AIS-AFL Academy and has spent more time than ever this season watching under-18 games, tapes and players.
The following is not a phantom draft, rather how she rates her top 25 players from this year's pool.
She believes Carlton is almost certain to take Matthew Kreuzer at No.
1, but considers Trent Cotchin a better prospect.
1. Trent Cotchin
(Northern Knights. 17, 185cm, 80kg) Of all the players I've seen this season, Cotchin is the one who most screams: "star".
He has skills on both sides of his body, speed, and he's a real ducker and weaver (think Gary Ablett junior) who can kick goals and exert huge infl uence on how a game turns out.
Some have questioned his endurance, but Vo2max testing shows he has the capacity to run hard enough to play as a true onballer.
At 17, he's only just eligible for this year's draft but extremely driven.
What nudges him ahead of Matthew Kreuzer, Cale Morton and David Myers is the fact it is slightly clearer where he will play and what sort of player he'll be.
2. Matthew Kreuzer
(Northern Knights.18, 200cm, 94kg) Kreuzer has a massive heart, incredible endurance and sound skills £ for any sized player, let alone one pushing 200 centimetres.
He'll be a very good player for a long time.
I rank him second because I occasionally wonder what he'll be, or where he'll end up playing.
As a ruckman, he has the motor to exploit his opponents around the ground, but does he have the spring and technique to compete at centre bounces? Can you exploit his big asset, his endurance, by playing him as a forward? And if you are looking for a ruck-rover, why wouldn't you just choose Cotchin?
3. Cale Morton
(Claremont. 17, 192cm, 79kg) Plenty of clubs would take the third Morton brother if they had the No. 1 pick.
Others dropped away after his fi nals series, where he was subjected to some close opposition attention.
Morton boasts elite skills, especially for his size, and his running power.
He's a true utility and he has all the attributes to thrive in today's precise, uncontested game.
4. David Myers
(Perth 18, 191cm, 87kg) My hunch is that Myers, who will come into contention for Essendon at pick six, will captain an AFL team one day.
He's quick, balanced and composed; when the ball's in his hands and he's dashing off half-back you feel that something good will happen.
You wouldn't be drafting him as a key position prospect, more as a running defender who could play off a wing.
He's one of my real favourites in this year's draft.
5. Jarrad Grant
(Dandenong Stingrays. 18, 192cm, 77kg) When you have a high draft pick you have a choice: do you go for a safe, sure bet-type player, or one with the potential for greatness? Grant is one of the most gifted players in this year's draft pool, the one who most often makes you think: "how did he do that?" He's going to make freakish pick-ups and kick goals from nowhere.
I can't wait to see how consistently he does it.
6. Cyril Rioli
(St Marys/Scotch College. 18, 177cm, 79kg) Some will consider this ranking too high for "Junior" Rioli, the nephew of Michael Long and Maurice Rioli, who hasn't yet shown any real signs he'll be able to play as an onballer.
But on pure talent Rioli is a clear top-10 pick in this draft; he can win games as a small forward and also run off halfback.
His endurance (which is poor right now) should improve enough in an AFL environment for him to at least pinch-hit in the middle, and I'm backing him to make the most of his potential.
7. Alex Rance
(Swan Districts. 18, 192cm, 88kg) Rance is a natural defender and, unlike Myers, a more likely key position player.
The son of former Footscray and West Coast player Murray, Alex was one of the best rebounders in the WA under-18 team this year.
He needs to calm down on occasions when he gets the ball and can be a bit fumbly, but has a really strong mind and presence.
8. Patrick Dangerfield
(Geelong Falcons. 17, 187cm, 83kg) Dangerfi eld is a personal favourite, one of the most exciting players in the draft.
He grabs the ball and bolts.
His kicking needs some work, but he's only 17, and could have had another year in the TAC Cup had he wanted.
If you're looking for express midfi eld speed, he's probably the only top-line onballer in this draft who has it.
9. Chris Masten
(East Fremantle. 18, 180cm, 77kg) Masten is a safe bet.
He's a good player who should play a lot of games.
Like East Freo teammate Rhys Palmer he's not quick, but he covers huge amounts of ground.
He keeps getting the ball and his use of it seems to have improved this year.
He seems at fi rst glance to be a natural "inside" player, but he has more strings than that.
The tip is that West Coast will pick him at No.
3, and it's easy to imagine him slotting straight into that team.
10. Brad Ebert
(Port Adelaide Magpies. 17, 188cm, 85kg) His game doesn't have one absolute stand-out quality (except perhaps his stoppage skills), but Ebert does most things really well and has been impressive at every level he's reached.
Like Masten, he's simply a good player.
He's also a really diligent kid, who will work as hard as he can.
I think he'll become a reliable midfi elder/half-back and play a lot of games, with not much gap between his good and his bad.
DRAFT day is like Christmas for the 16 AFL clubs.
Everyone gets a big bundle of shiny new presents and can't think of a single thing they could have wanted more.
If the clubs don't get what they asked for, they smile, say thank you and insist they couldn't be happier.
The draft is also a day where beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but where no recruiter can ever be considered right or wrong until different clubs, coaches, development systems and injuries have played their part in whether a draftee works out.
Sunday Age football writer and one of Australia's foremost experts on junior football, Emma Quayle, has covered the past six national drafts, toured Perth and South Africa this year with the AIS-AFL Academy and has spent more time than ever this season watching under-18 games, tapes and players.
The following is not a phantom draft, rather how she rates her top 25 players from this year's pool.
She believes Carlton is almost certain to take Matthew Kreuzer at No.
1, but considers Trent Cotchin a better prospect.
1. Trent Cotchin
(Northern Knights. 17, 185cm, 80kg) Of all the players I've seen this season, Cotchin is the one who most screams: "star".
He has skills on both sides of his body, speed, and he's a real ducker and weaver (think Gary Ablett junior) who can kick goals and exert huge infl uence on how a game turns out.
Some have questioned his endurance, but Vo2max testing shows he has the capacity to run hard enough to play as a true onballer.
At 17, he's only just eligible for this year's draft but extremely driven.
What nudges him ahead of Matthew Kreuzer, Cale Morton and David Myers is the fact it is slightly clearer where he will play and what sort of player he'll be.
2. Matthew Kreuzer
(Northern Knights.18, 200cm, 94kg) Kreuzer has a massive heart, incredible endurance and sound skills £ for any sized player, let alone one pushing 200 centimetres.
He'll be a very good player for a long time.
I rank him second because I occasionally wonder what he'll be, or where he'll end up playing.
As a ruckman, he has the motor to exploit his opponents around the ground, but does he have the spring and technique to compete at centre bounces? Can you exploit his big asset, his endurance, by playing him as a forward? And if you are looking for a ruck-rover, why wouldn't you just choose Cotchin?
3. Cale Morton
(Claremont. 17, 192cm, 79kg) Plenty of clubs would take the third Morton brother if they had the No. 1 pick.
Others dropped away after his fi nals series, where he was subjected to some close opposition attention.
Morton boasts elite skills, especially for his size, and his running power.
He's a true utility and he has all the attributes to thrive in today's precise, uncontested game.
4. David Myers
(Perth 18, 191cm, 87kg) My hunch is that Myers, who will come into contention for Essendon at pick six, will captain an AFL team one day.
He's quick, balanced and composed; when the ball's in his hands and he's dashing off half-back you feel that something good will happen.
You wouldn't be drafting him as a key position prospect, more as a running defender who could play off a wing.
He's one of my real favourites in this year's draft.
5. Jarrad Grant
(Dandenong Stingrays. 18, 192cm, 77kg) When you have a high draft pick you have a choice: do you go for a safe, sure bet-type player, or one with the potential for greatness? Grant is one of the most gifted players in this year's draft pool, the one who most often makes you think: "how did he do that?" He's going to make freakish pick-ups and kick goals from nowhere.
I can't wait to see how consistently he does it.
6. Cyril Rioli
(St Marys/Scotch College. 18, 177cm, 79kg) Some will consider this ranking too high for "Junior" Rioli, the nephew of Michael Long and Maurice Rioli, who hasn't yet shown any real signs he'll be able to play as an onballer.
But on pure talent Rioli is a clear top-10 pick in this draft; he can win games as a small forward and also run off halfback.
His endurance (which is poor right now) should improve enough in an AFL environment for him to at least pinch-hit in the middle, and I'm backing him to make the most of his potential.
7. Alex Rance
(Swan Districts. 18, 192cm, 88kg) Rance is a natural defender and, unlike Myers, a more likely key position player.
The son of former Footscray and West Coast player Murray, Alex was one of the best rebounders in the WA under-18 team this year.
He needs to calm down on occasions when he gets the ball and can be a bit fumbly, but has a really strong mind and presence.
8. Patrick Dangerfield
(Geelong Falcons. 17, 187cm, 83kg) Dangerfi eld is a personal favourite, one of the most exciting players in the draft.
He grabs the ball and bolts.
His kicking needs some work, but he's only 17, and could have had another year in the TAC Cup had he wanted.
If you're looking for express midfi eld speed, he's probably the only top-line onballer in this draft who has it.
9. Chris Masten
(East Fremantle. 18, 180cm, 77kg) Masten is a safe bet.
He's a good player who should play a lot of games.
Like East Freo teammate Rhys Palmer he's not quick, but he covers huge amounts of ground.
He keeps getting the ball and his use of it seems to have improved this year.
He seems at fi rst glance to be a natural "inside" player, but he has more strings than that.
The tip is that West Coast will pick him at No.
3, and it's easy to imagine him slotting straight into that team.
10. Brad Ebert
(Port Adelaide Magpies. 17, 188cm, 85kg) His game doesn't have one absolute stand-out quality (except perhaps his stoppage skills), but Ebert does most things really well and has been impressive at every level he's reached.
Like Masten, he's simply a good player.
He's also a really diligent kid, who will work as hard as he can.
I think he'll become a reliable midfi elder/half-back and play a lot of games, with not much gap between his good and his bad.