2019 Draft Watch

[Mofra]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Twomey running with our choice down to one of two players - Pickett or Bergman.

If the Hawks jump on Bergman, it would make the choice difficult because that would mean a quality kid has slipped.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Twomey running with our choice down to one of two players - Pickett or Bergman.

If the Hawks jump on Bergman, it would make the choice difficult because that would mean a quality kid has slipped.

Do you think there is any chance we will look at Worrell?


It's going to be interesting to see which players we overlook at 13 if we have our focus on either Bergman and Pickett

[Mofra]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Do you think there is any chance we will look at Worrell?

It's going to be interesting to see which players we overlook at 13 if we have our focus on either Bergman and Pickett

Fox liked us to Worrell a few weeks ago, seems like a tallish rebounding defender primarily who has pinch-hit forward.

Who knows, we may end up with someone who isn't even on the top 20 radar. It's more than likely a team with multiple first round selections takes a bolter and a highly rated kid slips to us.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

It was reminiscent of Uncle Byron but SA Under-18 coach Tony Bamford had a chat with ‘Kozzie’ Pickett after bone-crunching shepherd

There’s more to that video of Kysaiah Pickett.

In the 2018 SANFL under-18 grand final – if you haven’t seen it, check it out below – the Eagles excitement machine is seen launching himself into a South Adelaide opponent in order to create space for a teammate running into goal.

It was reminiscent of Pickett’s uncle Byron, who made his name as a game-changing, bone-crunching midfielder with the Kangaroos and the Power.

But, while he had no problem with the intention, SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford knew the style couldn’t become a regular thing.

Admittedly, it was an unusual shepherd,” a laughing Bamford said on The Lowdown AFL Draft podcast.

“We actually had to speak to Kozzie about that shepherd because we don’t want him to make that a habit because he’ll hurt himself or someone else.

“It was like a linebacker in the NFL.

“But the intent is what I love.

“One minute he’s sitting on someone’s head taking a hanger, the next minute he’s taking a crumb at full speed at the feet of a key forward and kicking a goal around the corner,” Bamford said of Pickett’s X-Factor which sets him apart from most others in the draft.

“The next time he’s running at full speed to chase and tackle someone.

“The bit I love about Kozzie is he’s got a bit of a nasty streak in him, that he likes to impact physically as well.”

Bamford also believes there’s more to Pickett’s game than many see.

“At the moment everyone sees him as a small forward that’s got some tricks,” Bamford said.

“But what you saw in that edit where he wins a ground ball contest between the arcs, gives it, gets it back, spreads hard and gets to the next contest because he’s got elite speed, that edit you saw is what I can see him doing at AFL level in three or four years’ time.”

The 171cm Pickett looms as South Australia’s bolter after being invited, along with Stephens, to the first night of the draft on November 27.

Melbourne and the Bulldogs are the clubs understood to be considering Pickett with picks inside the top 15.

[Dry Rot]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Hypothetical: If all our likely targets are gone by our pick, would we possibly trade our 2019 first pick tonight for a 2020 first pick plus something else for next year?

[The Doctor]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Hypothetical: If all our likely targets are gone by our pick, would we possibly trade our 2019 first pick tonight for a 2020 first pick plus something else for next year?

Can't see that happening. We will have a batch of targets to choose from. We won't be lacking options.

It would need to be a no brainer offer for us to give up our 1st rounder this year.

[The Doctor]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Elijah Taylor article in The Age

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/taylor-made-elijah-doing-it-for-his-grandfathers-20191120-p53cdy.html

Taylor-made: Elijah doing it for his grandfathers

Everywhere Elijah Taylor travels, he carries it with him. It's a piece of paper, his grandfather's eulogy.

Taylor's story cannot be told without major reference to his family. He has an impeccable football pedigree.
On his mother Danielle's side, Elijah – the oldest of five siblings – stems from the Narkles and the Kellys. As in Tim Kelly, with whom Elijah used to play Thursday night basketball. On his dad Phillip's side, Elijah is related to the Kicketts and the Haydens, who include former Fremantle backman Roger Hayden.

You can also draw a bloodline from Elijah to Lance Franklin and Nicky Winmar. Stripling forward Taylor, who lives in Fremantle, is literally made of Noongar football royalty.

But to simply list those related to Taylor would be to undersell the formative bonds, without which he mightn't have reached the cusp of the big time.

In particular, Taylor's two grandfathers have played key roles in guiding him along his at-times challenging personal journey.

Elijah's paternal grandfather Dennis Taylor is a pastor.

Elijah moved in with Dennis and Elijah's grandmother Valda earlier this year.

"He's always been there to support me. Paying for footy fees, making sure that I have money for travel," Elijah says, softly, like pretty much every word he utters.

Dennis' work had earlier taken him to Melbourne and then Karratha, in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

"We grew up in church. Pretty much went almost every Sunday as a child until about year four, when they left to move over [to Melbourne]."

Dennis stresses the role played by Danielle and Phillip. "Elijah's mum and dad continue to be their son's greatest supporters in many ways. His father Phil ensuring Elijah got to and from training, getting him through school and doing the best he could to have a good life," Dennis said.

Elijah's late maternal grandfather, Ricky Narkle, lived in Narrogin.

He died in the fortnight before Elijah's primary school graduation, but left a profound impact on his grandson.

"I just want to play footy at the highest level because my pop, he's passed away, he taught me stuff. He always wanted to see me achieve my goals and stuff. I just want to do what I can to make AFL and make him proud," Elijah said.

Elijah took some paper from his grandfather's funeral back. He keeps it by his bedside, and it was in his hotel room during last month's AFL draft combine.

"We were pretty close," Elijah said.

"I take his eulogy wherever I go. He was just a really good bloke, and he taught me a few tricks. When I was younger, I always had the footy in my hand. I was always kicking the footy. At my backyard, there was a gap in the tree. I used to just kick from about 20 metres out, both feet, just trying to get better and better. It got to the point where he got a shovel and we just tried to hit the shovel from about 20 metres out, both feet. I was about 12. Torpedoes, snaps, every kick, trying to get as good as I can be."

Those skills honed in the backyard are those that tantalise AFL club recruiters and have carried Elijah into calculations for a selection as early as the back end of the first round next week.

A Collingwood supporter as a kid, Taylor's hero was Leon Davis, on whose game he tried to model his own.

"Quick, good goal sense, athletic," Elijah says when asked to describe his on-field strengths.

He is keen to improve his tackling and two-way running, but that's not to say the lightly framed teenager doesn't welcome the physical side of the game.

"Tackling is a little bit about technique, but it's also about a mindset as well," Taylor said.

"Sometimes I have it and sometimes I don't. I'm just trying to get it permanently. Sometimes I get a little bit lazy, but if I want to drill the bloke I'll drill them.

"I like doing bumps. One bloke dislocated his shoulder when I was younger. I think I was 14. He was a bit bigger but I just sprinted at him. I lined him up."

He is talented on the basketball court, too. He enjoys playing pick-up games with mates. Does he generally win? "Of course," he smirks, endearingly.

Taylor's basketball skill ended up getting his agent Tom Seccull of Hemisphere Management Group into trouble.

"I went for a block, he was going for a lay-up and there was a little bit of contact, and he banged his head on the pole," Taylor says.

Seccull laughs about his cautionary tale, but is serious when he praises Taylor for the way he's handled himself through some turbulent times off the field, about which clubs are aware but unlikely to be deterred by.

"Elijah's no different to any other kid. Every kid has their own circumstances and challenges that they go through. Some bigger than others. But how Elijah's gone about it on-field to go past that, and the way he's performed, has been a credit to himself," Seccull said.

"Some of the things he does in games, you just sit back and just go 'wow'.

"He's a genuine, thoughtful kid with a lot of care inside of him. He can come across as quite shy at times however in most circumstances he's just taking his time thinking about his answer."

Elijah is proud of his heritage. Having graduated from Perth's Lynwood Senior High last year, he ventured to several Indigenous football carnivals in between the end of this year's WAFL season and the draft.

"I just want to play footy at the highest level and be a role model to younger [Indigenous] people.

"There's a few that could play AFL but have other stuff in their way. Off-field stuff."

[Mofra]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

On limited vision, I'm more excited by Taylor than I am by Pickett TBH. Sounds like you'd need a good network in place to help him thrive though.

[The Doctor]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

On limited vision, I'm more excited by Taylor than I am by Pickett TBH. Sounds like you'd need a good network in place to help him thrive though.

Think I mentioned it on here somewhere before but the goal he kicked against Metro was a play of real beauty. He swooped at speed onto a mongrel kick into the forward line, burst away from the pack and snapped a terrific goal. A superb execution of the skills of our game. Clean Hands, speed, agility, evasion, goal instinct, and finishing with a great kick all in one brief movement at the elite junior level. Class!

[Axe Man]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Melbourne considering trading pick 8 to land three top prospects in next week’s AFL draft

Melbourne is seriously considering a double-play with its pair of top-10 picks that would deliver versatile ruckman Luke Jackson and two other high draft choices.

The Demons hold picks No. 3 and 8 and are eyeing Jackson with their first pick, believing the former Australian basketballer can shine in a tandem act with All-Australian Max Gawn, who turns 28 next month.

The Demons are also looking to trade their No. 8 choice for two picks, which could come in the teens and early 20s.

Geelong, which holds picks No. 14, 17 and 24, Port Adelaide, which holds picks No. 12, 16 and 18, and Gold Coast, which holds picks No.15 and 20, are the leading contenders.

Hawthorn emerged as a potential buyer on Wednesday after securing a second-round pick in next year’s draft, enabling it to swap its own future first-round pick for another early choice next week.

That would enable Melbourne to snap up a small forward, such as Cody Weightman, in the teens to help replace Jeff Garlett after it missed out on free agent Jamie Elliott.

Jackson would be the first ruckman taken with a top-five pick since West Coast secured Nic Naitanui at No. 2 in 2008.

It is a bold move from the Dees, but Jackson – who has been likened to Collingwood superstar Brodie Grundy for his ability to hunt at ground level – soared up draft boards late in the year.

The Demons are unlikely to bid on GWS academy star Tom Green before drafting Jackson, because the Giants would pounce on Jackson at No. 4 instead of matching the bid.

The Giants are light-on for ruck stocks with veterans Sam Jacobs, 31, and Shane Mumford, 33, set to lead the division in 2020.

Clubs are this week holding their final recruiting meetings and determining their talent orders ahead of next Wednesday and Thursday’s national draft.

The Giants are poised to choose between halfbacks Hayden Young and Lachie Ash at pick No.4.

While Young has been highly touted all year for his elite kicking skills, Ash’s line-breaking speed has won comparisons to Essendon jet Adam Saad.

Sydney is desperate to bolster its onball brigade and is eyeing dynamic Sam Flanders as it plans for life after Josh Kennedy.

The Swans will bid their No. 5 selection on Green and, when the Giants match that bid, are then expected to welcome Flanders at No.6.

Adelaide traded back from No. 4 to No. 6, which will become No. 7 after Green joins GWS, knowing it could still secure Sandringham Dragons key defender Fischer McAsey.

That would spoil the party for Geelong, Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs, who are all keen on the Aaron Naughton clone.

At pick No. 8 Fremantle could turn to gun small forward Caleb Serong or halfbacks Ash or Young, depending on who GWS overlooks.

Melbourne’s second top-10 pick is likely to find a new home before departing Carlton list manager Stephen Silvagni uses his final first-round selection. The Blues are expected to part with Silvagni after next week’s drafts.

South Australian midfielder Dylan Stephens, ACL victim Brodie Kemp, Serong and Ash are all on Silvagni’s radar, while Young would a great result if he slipped.

The Blues are also seriously considering for Fremantle academy prospect and lethal small forward Liam Henry.

Carlton, which missed out on securing Tom Papley in the trade period with this pick, is a big fan of Henry’s tricks and goal nous.

Hawthorn, which currently holds pick No. 11, has been linked to Kemp and could also make a left-field play for 195cm intercepting defender Josh Worrell.

[Mofra]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

"Melbourne trade pick 9 to another club" - did they forget that other club would take a player with that pick?

[The Doctor]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Cal Twomey latest

Bergman all the rage for our 1st pick

Dogs have recently interviewed Trent Bianco/Oakleigh

Pickett & Will Day in contention

Hawks & Port also interested in Pickett

[Happy Days]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Cal Twomey latest

Bergman all the rage for our 1st pick

Dogs have recently interviewed Trent Bianco/Oakleigh

Pickett & Will Day in contention

Hawks & Port also interested in Pickett

No to any players that sound like bad menswear stores.

[Twodogs]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

No to any players that sound like bad menswear stores.

Sounds like a Simpsons character to me. Like Hank Scorpio.

[Mofra]

Re: 2019 Draft Watch

Cal Twomey latest

Bergman all the rage for our 1st pick

Dogs have recently interviewed Trent Bianco/Oakleigh

Pickett & Will Day in contention

Hawks & Port also interested in Pickett

Bianco is a 176cm mid.
Hope he has a huge tank as can play on the wing because he doesn't kick many goals and he has also played as a HB rebounder which is not a position of need.