2015 Draft Watch

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

You've done it the right way and I appreciate the effort. I like your suggestion of Skinner.

In an ideal but realistic scenario which 4 players can you see us taking?

I couldn't even hazard a guess. If I had to pick 4, I'd go:

20 - Ben MacKay
21 - Mitchell Hibberd (I've watched a fair bit of him, gee he'd fit great with us)
30 - Sam Skinner (just cause we need talls more, Cole/Fiorini would be great additions)
51 - Matthew Allen (if we don't get both MacKay and Skinner, maybe Brown for safety)

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

I couldn't even hazard a guess. If I had to pick 4, I'd go:

20 - Ben MacKay
21 - Mitchell Hibberd (I've watched a fair bit of him, gee he'd fit great with us)
30 - Sam Skinner (just cause we need talls more, Cole/Fiorini would be great additions)
51 - Matthew Allen (if we don't get both MacKay and Skinner, maybe Brown for safety)

All players with a bit of height. The Doc might have a different name or two but he'd probably be happy with that mix of taller guys

I like the way you have unearthed Allen at pick 51 and Skinner at 30 although Skinner might be a bit high at 30.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

PICK 51


Having acquired 1/2 quality young talls and 1/2 quality mids who complement our list, in my dream draft we would identify someone of a more speculative nature who fulfils specific list needs. I reckon there are 5 intriguing candidates as 4th pick/rookies:

Nicholas Coughlan (Murray Bushrangers), 19 yrs 2 mths (195/83). Well known to the club as he played a few 2015 games at Footscray and was, by all reports, quite impressive. Strong points are that he is a strong 1 on 1 competitor who is a very good overhead mark and intercept mark, yet is mobile and a good kick (ranked #2 at combine). Downside is that he is still physically light so probably a season or 2 away from being a serious KPD option at AFL level. Endurance is also considered suspect and is also GWS academy listed, so they can counterbid depending on the circumstances of the night.

Draft range: 47 - undrafted

Matthew Allen (South Aust), 18 yrs 2 mths (194, 90). Tremendous all round sportsman who is alsoa development rookie with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash. Bit bemused as to why he is not more highly rated. Was great for SA in the U18 champs, beat Keiran Collins hand down and had 9 shots on goal v WA (but kicked poorly). Is rated a hard working, mobile forward with excellent endurance and very strong overhead. Terrific athlete and good field kick, but pokes at goalkicks inside 40. Kind of a poor mans, slightly smaller Nick Riewoldt. Can really see him topping off the Bulldogs forward set up as a hard leading, mobile CHF.

Draft range: 44 - undrafted

Mitchell Brown (Sandringham/Geelong), 25 yrs 3 mths, (196, 93), Safe bet for KPD depth. Disappointed as a high draft pick at Geelong, but had a plate removed from his foot after 2013 season and was excellent at VFL level last year (and when filling in for Essendon during NAB challenge). No great attributes, but is strong, mobile and skilled enough to be a very solid AFL contributor and can go forward. Given our list, his KPD abilities could prove invaluable. If we miss MacKay, we could conceivably even take him at 30.

Draft Range: 32 - 53.

Gach Nyuon (Dandenong), 18 yrs 8 mths (201, 81). Sudanese-born Ruckman with 4 years AFL experience. Has attributes we would love, namely mobility (spreads like a midfielder) and an ability to go forward and take a grab. Skills are okay and combine testing was outstanding, equalling NicNat's all time running vertical leap record and very fast sprints. Dominant ruckman in U18s.
The catch is that his light frame means that he is years away from his best and unlikely to meaningly contribute at AFL level for at least a couple of years.

Draft range: 32 - 55

Matthew Flynn (Naranderra/GWS academy), 18 yrs 2 mths (200/99), another who is surprisingly undersold in my opinion. Physically solid yet mobile ruckman who loves the crash and bash. Sound football skills, for a Ruckman especially good below his knees. Can take a grab, has kicked goals and is a nice kick. Very raw and drafting rucks is unfashionable, but this kid is developed, terrific competitor and talented. Would be a great rookie get.

Draft range: 51 - undrafted

If we pick Matt Allen I'll have a brain haemorrhage from excitement. Seen him play many matches. I'm uber impressed by his upside.

[stefoid]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

I can see a quick, 191cm guy who is an excellent kick being tempting, but Skippos from BF says Bonner is "very, very" outside.

Can anyone confirm whether he can at least cope with pressure when he has the ball, let alone win a contest?

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

True. I didn't try to adjust for pick after academy selections as this could vary on the night. I'm just going with allocated pick prior to academy bidding process. Could just as easily have said pick 1, pick 2, pick 3 and pick 4 for us I suppose.

Nah I get that you have used 20, 21, 30 & 51 as our selections, I'm wondering about the draft ranges e.g. you've got Mitch Brown's range as 32-53, taken from 7 other drafts you looked at, so did those drafts adjust for the academy selections (meaning 32 is actually before our pick 30) or not

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

If we pick Matt Allen I'll have a brain haemorrhage from excitement. Seen him play many matches. I'm uber impressed by his upside.

Must say T&T I came into Allen late, but the more vids I watched and the more comments I read, I just found myself wondering why he isn't more prominent in discussions. Seems to have a massive amount to offer. Nobody watching Allen v Collins in the U18s could put Collins 40-50 picks ahead (in fact, most would have Allen comfortably ahead). I'd love him with a low pick.

By the way, you know him better than me. Do you reckon my profile is about right? Anything to add to it (or to Riley Bonner's).

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Must say T&T I came into Allen late, but the more vids I watched and the more comments I read, I just found myself wondering why he isn't more prominent in discussions. Seems to have a massive amount to offer. Nobody watching Allen v Collins in the U18s could put Collins 40-50 picks ahead (in fact, most would have Allen comfortably ahead). I'd love him with a low pick.

By the way, you know him better than me. Do you reckon my profile is about right? Anything to add to it (or to Riley Bonner's).

This is a nice little write up

Allen

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

I can see a quick, 191cm guy who is an excellent kick being tempting, but Skippos from BF says Bonner is "very, very" outside.

Can anyone confirm whether he can at least cope with pressure when he has the ball, let alone win a contest?

Good players find a way to cope.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Q

Must say T&T I came into Allen late, but the more vids I watched and the more comments I read, I just found myself wondering why he isn't more prominent in discussions. Seems to have a massive amount to offer. Nobody watching Allen v Collins in the U18s could put Collins 40-50 picks ahead (in fact, most would have Allen comfortably ahead). I'd love him with a low pick.

By the way, you know him better than me. Do you reckon my profile is about right? Anything to add to it (or to Riley Bonner's).

I'm not 100% sure on his speed and endurance, need to look at the testing results. Is built like Robocop and is normally a deadly accurate kick. For mine he's more stringer (albeit slower) than Riewoldt. I'll upload some photos tonight

[lemmon]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

The Sam Skinner talk is interesting. How does his form as a 17 year old compare to someone like Jake Lever's?

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Nah I get that you have used 20, 21, 30 & 51 as our selections, I'm wondering about the draft ranges e.g. you've got Mitch Brown's range as 32-53, taken from 7 other drafts you looked at, so did those drafts adjust for the academy selections (meaning 32 is actually before our pick 30) or not

Sorry boydogs, misunderstood. All the drafts included academy picks, which (as you note) does effectively compress the picks a little - 20/21 becomes 24/25ish whilst 51 becomes 47ish. Hopefully all still indicate that the preferred candidates should still be around the mark come our selections (although no doubt some will go a little early).

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Sorry boydogs, misunderstood. All the drafts included academy picks, which (as you note) does effectively compress the picks a little - 20/21 becomes 24/25ish whilst 51 becomes 47ish. Hopefully all still indicate that the preferred candidates should still be around the mark come our selections (although no doubt some will go a little early).

Thanks. I can see our draft hinging on Mitch Brown, whether we want him and how much we and other clubs are prepared to give up. If we're prepared to use pick 30 we'll have a ready made player that can truly free Roughead up to focus on rucking and perhaps fill our two weak points, making us look a lot more like a top 4 side in 2016. It also takes the pressure off our other picks so we aren't forced to reach for a tall if the one we wanted is gone

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Q

I'm not 100% sure on his speed and endurance, need to look at the testing results. Is built like Robocop and is normally a deadly accurate kick. For mine he's more stringer (albeit slower) than Riewoldt. I'll upload some photos tonight

Thanks T&T, totally get the Stringer comparison (although would be unfair to expect Allen to rival Stringer's ground game). What excites me about Allen is that he is a solidly built 194 cm at 18. With another 2-3 cm growth, he can play a variation of that Stringer type role, but as a genuine CHF. Especially given his strength overhead.

When I mentioned his speed/endurance, I was referring to his ability to make repeat long hard leads (he had Collins in all sorts at the champs) and really work his space. If he develops ok, I could see him playing a Riewoldt style hard running CHF for us in a couple of years, with TBoyd in behind and Stringer and Crameri to either side. Would be an opposition nightmare.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

some good links from this page

http://www.sanfl.com.au/maccas_cup/draft_hub/overview/

[The Doctor]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Allen gave Collins a torrid time in the state match.