2024 Draft Watch

[GVGjr]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Not sure we'd look at another KPD but there's a Zaydyn Lockwood running around for Bendigo. Good size at 198cm and one amazing first name. Seems to have quite the decent tank for a tall as well.

[Mofra]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Eh, Jones is old, Keath seems older, Gards seems depth at best and can't really be counted on to be fit, the Bus isn't necessarily coming, JOD has had a good first year but still very early.

I'd be comfortable with another KPD developing on the list.

Croft Jnr is being developed as a defender too (thank god)

[hujsh]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Croft Jnr is being developed as a defender too (thank god)

Totally forgot Crofty!

[lemmon]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Josh Smilie is such an interesting prospect. He's absolutely massive for a midfielder - a bit of the Patrick Cripps vibe - but I think his kicking is really good as well, it's an interesting point of difference for a guy who projects mostly as an inside mid. There's some Luke Hodge in the way he really takes his time with the footy and bites off the 'playmaking' kick when he does get some space.

[EasternWest]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Josh Smilie is such an interesting prospect. He's absolutely massive for a midfielder - a bit of the Patrick Cripps vibe - but I think his kicking is really good as well, it's an interesting point of difference for a guy who projects mostly as an inside mid. There's some Luke Hodge in the way he really takes his time with the footy and bites off the 'playmaking' kick when he does get some space.

I'm sold.

[Mofra]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Josh Smilie is such an interesting prospect. He's absolutely massive for a midfielder - a bit of the Patrick Cripps vibe - but I think his kicking is really good as well, it's an interesting point of difference for a guy who projects mostly as an inside mid. There's some Luke Hodge in the way he really takes his time with the footy and bites off the 'playmaking' kick when he does get some space.

Based on his champs games, if he was available last year I would have taken him with the Sanders pick.
And he's probably outside of the top 3 at this stage (including Ashcroft who is tied to Brissie)

[ledge]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Unless Smith or English go we aren’t going to have a lot to offer.
I don’t think we would get much for Daniel and I don’t think Macrae is going anywhere.
On the Macrae thing , do we try and get his brother ? He just can’t get a solid run at the pies .

[bulldogtragic]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Unless Smith or English go we aren’t going to have a lot to offer.
I don’t think we would get much for Daniel and I don’t think Macrae is going anywhere.
On the Macrae thing , do we try and get his brother ? He just can’t get a solid run at the pies .

If Smith goes to Collingwood. The best I can see them being able to offer a F1, Hawks 2nd this year (they have got Ginnivan) and I think a midfielder who was drafted high and won’t get a game with Smith there and will help our mid depth. So it’s Macrae or Ed Allan potentially I think.

[soupman]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Unless Smith or English go we aren?t going to have a lot to offer.
I don?t think we would get much for Daniel and I don?t think Macrae is going anywhere.
On the Macrae thing , do we try and get his brother ? He just can?t get a solid run at the pies .

We can barely find a spot for a slow accumulator, like Jackson.

Not sure doubling down on the issue by recruiting an inferior version of him is the path we should be taking.

[ledge]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

We can barely find a spot for a slow accumulator, like Jackson.

Not sure doubling down on the issue by recruiting an inferior version of him is the path we should be taking.

Collingwood supporters are furious Finn isn’t getting a game so they rate him, then again most of them think he is Flys son even with Different spelling.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

I mentioned Will Elliot last year as a player we could probably look at for Footscray.

From Code Sports

Former Test match cricketer Matthew Elliott did not see the spectacular mark his son Will took for the Northern Bullants in the VFL last Saturday.

He was too busy making hamburgers at the barbecue stand at the Cramer St ground.

But he was quickly told about it and someone whipped out a phone and showed him the replay of Will soaring in the goalsquare.

He liked what he saw.

As Elliott Snr turned the sausages, Will, 202cm, finished off the grab by kicking a snag.

He finished the match against Port Melbourne with eight marks, 15 possessions and 11 hit-outs – and, presumably, the interest of AFL recruiters ahead of the mid-season draft.

The scouts know there’s always something big brewing at Preston.

Two other tall Ants have made the VFL-to-AFL jump in the past 12 months, with Brisbane’s Brandon Ryan taken by Hawthorn in the 2023 mid-season draft and Finnbar Maley rookie-listed by North Melbourne last November.

Nineteen-year-old Elliott has been a source of optimism this season for the Bullants, who have yet to win a game but are fighting to be competitive under first-year coach Rohan "Woosher" Welsh.

As the game against Port slipped away in the last quarter, Welsh could be heard from the coaches’ box pleading with the bench to "get Elliott back on right now!"



Elliott has missed a lot of football in previous seasons, but he’s finding continuity and enjoyment at Cramer St.

"He’s loving it," Matthew Elliott said of his son. "He's stringing some games together. He's five games into playing VFL footy."

A junior football connection kicked in to help the Bullants land the forward/ruckman.

Grant King, who does some recruiting for the Ants, coached Elliott’s brother Samuel at Kew Rovers.

As Elliott came off the Oakleigh Chargers' list at the end of last season, King made contact and Welsh followed up with a visit to the family home.

"Went there at six o’clock on a Friday night," Welsh said.

"I thought, 'I should be in the pub having a beer'. At least Matty brought a couple of cold Coronas out."

Matthew Elliott said Welsh's call was appreciated.

"Someone showed him a bit of love, and he loves 'Woosh', thinks the world of him, and I think going to the Bullants has been a big thing for him," he said.

"The senior players have embraced him a bit as well. And he gets opportunity. He gets a chance to play each week."

Welsh believes AFL clubs should be looking at his young charge.

He said Elliott’s skills and athleticism were exceptional.

"It’s very rare that you see a kid who's that big be so fluent," he said.

"As soon as I saw him kick and mark and run, I thought, 'Geez, this kid’s good'.

"He was captain of Oakleigh (Chargers), which is why I was pretty heavy in trying to get him. They don't make you captain of a TAC Cup team (now Coates Talent League) unless you’re a pretty good character for a start."

Elliott, who attended Camberwell High, joined the Chargers in their Under 16 program.

But Covid impeded his progress: he played no football in 2020 and a handful of games in the-then NAB League in 2021.

The Chargers named him captain in 2022 but he missed most of the season with a knee injury.

Last season he split his time as an over-ager with the Chargers and local club Norwood. He was also listed with the Box Hill Hawks, but played no played no matches.

Bullants GM Darren Bassett calls Elliott a “competitive beast’’ and "just so coachable".

"He's got that agility and also the flexibility to play forward and also go into the ruck," he said.

"His ruck craft is only beginning but his forward craft is pretty special. He's going to be a very good footballer.

"Ripping kid too. The sort of kid who after Thursday night dinners he's got the spray out wiping the tables. That tells you something."

As a parent, Matthew Elliott is enjoying his involvement with the Bullants, who in 2020 declared they would have to fold after Carlton walked away from their VFL alignment.


Wins have been elusive: three in 2021, one in 2022 and two last year.

"Hopefully they jag some games and feel good about what they’re doing as a club, because they are doing a great job," Elliott Snr said.

[macca]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Any chance of us picking up Young Elliott ?

[GVGjr]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Any chance of us picking up Young Elliott ?

I doubt it. He's still a work in progress and will take some time to develop.

[Mofra]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Can we hate on Brisbane for getting another Ashcroft in the top 3 yet?

[Bornadog]

Re: 2024 Draft Watch

Latest ESPN Rankings

1. Josh Smillie (April ranking: 1)
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
MID, 194cm

Talent League: 5 games, 28.2 disposals, 4.0 marks, 1.6 goals
Smillie is rocketing into football prominence, with each performance adding to his top pick credentials. His hulking size, explosive power and clean hands make him a midfield prospect with a huge ceiling, though he's also shown positional versatility at halfback. Though Smillie is six-foot-four, he hasn't proved a contested marking aptitude, but his rapidly evolving game has shown off goalkicking exploits and penetrating ball use forward of centre.

2. Finn O'Sullivan (2)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Country
MID, 182cm

Talent League: 1 game, 15 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles
O'Sullivan's campaign has been frustrating to date, returning from a broken thumb only to fracture another finger playing for the AFL Academy. It leaves him with just two injury-hampered outings to date outside of his school commitments with Xavier. At his best, O'Sullivan's power, aerial prowess and consistently damaging game style has him in pick one contention. Though he hasn't been able to show that to date, a stellar bottom-age campaign holds him in good stead.

3. Levi Ashcroft (3)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
MID, 179cm

Talent League: 3 games, 27.3 disposals, 4.7 marks, 1.3 goals
Ashcroft is the star of a powerhouse Dragons outfit, building on his outside linking game this year by becoming a much-improved contested on-baller. He gets forward to hit the scoreboard, finds time and space where few can and shows elite work rate to rack the ball up all day. The brother of Will, Ashcroft is linked to the Lions through their academy and father-son ties.

4. Jagga Smith (5)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
MID, 181cm

Talent League: 5 games, 30.6 disposals, 3.6 marks, 2.8 tackles
The mercurial Chargers midfielder has been a shining light in another dour year for the club, flourishing with added responsibility as its captain. Smith takes the ball from the inside to outside better than anyone in the draft and has the neat skills to release players into space by hand and foot. He sits second in the CTL for disposals per game.

5. Luke Trainor (4)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
DEF, 194cm

Talent League: 2 games, 20.5 disposals, 5.5 marks, 3.3 tackles
The standout key position player of the pool has been Trainor, possibly the best performer from the AFL Academies hitouts. Trainor is a capable one-on-one defender, great interceptor and brilliant ball user out of the backline. He's been compared to Essendon's Jordan Ridley, but the right footer is more willing to take the game on and get up the ground, averaging four inside 50s per outing.

6. Sid Draper (6)
South Adelaide/South Australia
MID, 182cm

2023 SANFL U18s: 14 games, 21.6 disposals, 4.2 clearances, 0.6 goals
Draper made his long-awaited return from a shin fracture in SA's state trials on the weekend, playing a half of football through the midfield. His speed and endurance ties in beautifully with his hard edge at the coalface belying his size. Draper was a genuine Larke Medallist chance last season as a bottom-ager and recruiters haven't forgotten those sparkling carnival performances.

7. Christian Moraes (7)
Eastern Ranges, Vic Metro
MID/FWD, 183cm

Talent League: 4 games, 26.0 disposals, 6.3 marks, 2.3 goals
An elite aerobic athlete boasting snappy movement with ball in hand, Moraes excites around the forward line and as an outside midfielder. He's kicking bags of goals for a powerful Ranges outfit and forms a potent combination with Smillie out of centre bounces, though hasn't proved his inside grunt work can match his dazzling play in transition.

8. Sam Lalor (9)

GWV Rebels/Vic Country
MID, 187cm
2023 Talent League: 8 games, 20.3 disposals, 7.5 tackles, 0.8 goals
Lalor will ply his trade for Geelong Grammar leading into the national carnival, where he kicked seven goals on return a few weeks back. The hulking midfielder offers elite defensive presence in stoppages to go with aerial prowess up forward. His defensive application and tenacity mirrors that of Brisbane's Josh Dunkley.

9. Leonardo Lombard (8)
SUNS Academy/Allies
MID/FWD, 178cm
Talent League: 2 games, 25.0 disposals, 2.5 marks, 0.5 goals

The mature Lombard has been on the radar for years through the Gold Coast Academy, and won a VFL premiership last season as a 16-year-old. He plays full-chested, able to run through the midfield but also impact up forward where he's masterful in transition breaking the game apart with dare.

10. Taj Hotton (11)
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
FWD/MID, 182cm

Talent League: 3 games, 28.7 disposals, 7.3 marks, 1.7 goals
The big riser from last year is Hotton, a forward-turned-midfielder whose aerobic base has come on in leaps and bounds. He is composed and sharp with the footy and bites off corridor kicks with impressive accuracy. Hotton will hold onto the ball with bold evasiveness until he finds the right option.

11. Jobe Shanahan (20)
Bendigo Pioneers/Allies
FWD, 194cm

Talent League: 5 games, 12.2 disposals, 4.6 marks, 2.0 goals
Shanahan continues to impress aerially, clunking pack marks and making his presence felt leading out of the goal square. He's also spent time up the ground where his work rate gets him up and down the wings to provide an outlet out of defence. Able to leap on heads and typically an accurate set shot, Shanahan could rocket into the top-10 with a strong carnival.

12. Jack Whitlock (17)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
FWD, 200cm

Talent League: 3 games, 15.0 disposals, 6.0 tackles, 2.3 goals
Whitlock has missed games through injury, but put himself in the first round picture early with big performances up forward for the Bushrangers, earning himself an AFL Academy call-up. At his best he's taking the ball at his highest point and proving a match-up nightmare for defenders with his long limbs, outstanding leap and strong hands.

13. Harry O'Farrell (15)
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro
DEF, 196cm

Talent League: 2 games, 11.5 disposals, 2.5 marks, 0.5 tackles
A masterful shutdown defender, O'Farrell can play at both ends of the ground but looks most comfortable playing back shoulder and coming over the top of packs in contested marking situations. He has the length and sneaky-good closing speed to play on a variety of talls.

14. Joe Berry (unranked)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
FWD, 180cm

Talent League: 5 games, 13.6 disposals, 4.0 tackles, 3.2 goals
The in-form small forward across the country is Berry, a full-tilt pressuriser who thrives in the chaos of forward 50 contests. He's a chasedown artist, has a beautiful left foot set shot and can work up the ground to boot. Berry's defensive mentality and talent with the football will make him an in-demand small forward.

15. Ben Camporeale (14)
Glenelg/South Australia
MID/DEF, 186cm

SANFL U18s: 4 games, 30.0 disposals, 4.5 marks, 3.5 tackles
A strong accumulator linked to Carlton through the father-son rule, Camporeale shone in the SA trials as a pure midfielder where his quick hands and strong hips come to the fore. He accumulates and has deft touch in his disposal, plus can play across half back as a distributor. His brother Lucas has first-round potential off a wing for Glenelg.

16. Bo Allan (16)
Peel Thunder/Western Australia
DEF/MID, 191cm
WAFL Colts: 2 games, 21.0 disposals, 5.5 marks, 0.5 goals

Allan is a strong presence either down back or through the middle of the park. He takes on tackles with brute force and can fly at top
speed, though doesn't have the burst out of contest like some others. Allan may settle as a defender at the next level where his physicality and courage can be displayed.

17. Tom Gross (13)
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
MID/FWD, 181cm
Talent League: 2 games, 25.5 disposals, 6.0 tackles, 1.0 goals

Gross possesses an abundance of power in the contest and plays above his height in the forward line. It's an exciting package, but he hasn't quite proved his ability as a pure on-baller. There are elements of Brisbane's Zac Bailey in his forward-half game.

18. Matt Whitlock (unranked)
Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country
DEF/FWD, 199cm

Talent League: 5 games, 14.8 disposals, 6.0 marks, 1.2 goals
The second of the first-round twins is Matt Whitlock, who has moved up draft boards after a rare forward outing where he booted five goals in his brother's absence. Matt is typically a rangy defender with a good athletic foundation and safe hands in the air. But up forward he competed well and was rewarded for his reading of the play, and it proved his positional versatility for scouts.

19. Isaac Kako (unranked)
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro
FWD, 175cm

Talent League: 5 games, 16.6 disposals, 3.8 marks, 2.0 goals
Kako is must-watch, a dynamo with the ball and wrecking ball without. He hits contests at full tilt and loves to pressure and tackle, plus can play as a lead-up forward on the wings to provide outlets. Kako doesn't have the best goal nous of the small forwards in this draft, but his frenetic energy and ability to stay involved in games has been impressive this year. An Essendon NGA prospect, but a bid can't be matched until pick 40 in the draft.

20. Cody Anderson (18)
Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro
MID, 181cm

Talent League: 6 games, 23.5 disposals, 6.8 tackles, 0.8 goals
Anderson is a maniacal inside midfield presence, hunting the ball and opposition players alike. He's part of a dynamic on-ball unit for the Ranges and has hit the scoreboard to add to his inside game. While he flourishes in the contest, Anderson still needs to prove his outside game and foot skills can translate to the next level.