We take our annual look at projected Champion Data positions for this year’s crop of AFL draftees.
Similar to last year’s version of this post, to figure out roughly what draftees are going to score from the start of the season we can take some pointers from previous performances of similar types of players. Champion Data classifies each player according to their position (Defender, Midfielder, Forward, Ruck, Utility), size (Small, Medium, Tall) and role (In or Out for midfielders, General or Key for forwards and backs). We can cross reference this post on rookies’ first one and three games with some educated guesses as to what the 2009 draft crop will be classified as, based on Champion’s own guidelines. The variations for different player types are huge, with the biggest average (medium-sized forwards) being fully double the lowest (key backs) in Dream Team.
Def-Med-Gen
Marcus Davies, Kyle Hardingham, Ryan Harwood, Christian Howard, Anthony Long, Jamie Macmillan, Jasper McMillan-Pittard, Daniel Menzel, Brad Sheppard, Jeromey Webberley
The averages for this player type are about middling, though that does disguise a lot of variation, much of which is related to time on ground (TOG) if not games played. Witness Clancee Pearce last year as opposed to Scott Selwood the year before. This type of player often suffers for opportunity early doors, which is why Sheppard’s popularity with coach Woosha will be monitored closely.
Def-Tall-Key
David Astbury, Dylan Grimes, Will Johnson, Samuel Reid, Dylan Roberton, Sam Shaw, Daniel Talia, Jason Tutt
Usually a black hole for fantasy. There are some mildly hyped players in here including several picked towards the end of the first round, which indicates quality, though not for fantasy purposes in their first year.
Fwd-Med-Gen
Trent Dennis-Lane, Mitchell Duncan, Nat Fyfe, Rohan Kerr, Kane Lucas, Andrew Moore, Brayden Norris, Gary Rohan, Luke Tapscott, Shane Thorne, Jack Trengove, Gerrick Weedon
In the bottom half for DT and right about middle for SC, this is a another position with a lot of big and small scores. Dedicated small forwards get very little supply from midfielders at the best of times, so those types are susceptible to getting nothing at all when their team mates don’t trust them enough to pass to them in senior game situations. Chris Yarran, who is in the former category, was the best of a bad lot last year. This year there’s a bit more hope, especially with the likes of Lucas and Dennis-Lane. Better to look for those who can win a bit of their own ball.
Fwd-Small-Gen
Taylor Duryea, Ben Nason, Ryan Neates
One of the best-performed player types in early games, mainly because they don’t bother with leading for balls that will never get kicked to them (see above), but concentrate on burrowing under packs for their own pill. Nason would be an excellent prospect if it looked like he was in line for a game, though his hero is Dale Thomas which does not speak well of his fantasy scoring ability. Neates and Duryea are also well worth keeping an eye on as smokies.
Fwd-Tall-Key
Aaron Black, John Butcher, Jake Carlisle, Benjamin Griffiths, Jack Gunston, Joel Houghton, Ayden Kennedy, Troy Taylor, Nicholas Winmar
Poor for fantasy purposes in DT, though not as bad in SC. I don’t think there will be a Taylor Walker type among this lot.
Mid-Med-In
Jesse Crichton, Jordan Gysberts, Dustin Martin, Jake Melksham, Tom Scully, Koby Stevens, Jordan Williams
Decent in both comps, as you would expect. Scully and Martin will be in a lot of sides, with Gysberts and Melksham also popular.
Mid-Med-Out
Joshua Cowan, Anthony Morabito, Jesse O’Brien, Ben Sinclair
About in the middle for scoring, though there were about half a dozen draftees in this category who earned a lot of fantasy money last year. Morabito as the #4 draft pick for the Dockers gets all the interest here at this stage, of course.
Mid-Small-In
Allen Christensen, Josh Thomas
Particularly good for SC. Unfortunately, we’re unlikely to see either of these two early.
Mid-Small-Out
Callum Bartlett, Travis Colyer, Lewis Jetta, Byron Sumner
Good scoring potential, and there are some popular names here. None of last year’s crop in this position got a single game in the seniors apart from Cruize Garlett, though. Jetta might be this year’s equivalent outlier.
Ruckman-Tall
James Craig, Jack Fitzpatrick, Max Gawn, Sam Grimley, Nathan Vardy
You’re not relying on a ruckman as a cash cow, are you? No, no you’re not.
Utility-Med
Ryan Bastinac, Ben Cunnington, Justin Bollenhagen, Matt Dea
I wonder how popular the Bastinac/Cunnington combo will be on fantasy benches this season, on the premise that at least one of them should be playing for North every week. This position certainly offers rewards, like Jack Ziebell last year.
Utility-Tall
Bryce Retzlaff, Benjamin Stratton
Worse than the mean when it comes ot fantasy, so I wouldn’t be venturing here.
I realise that this time last year I was pumping out blog posts at a humongous rate of knots, and I have been relatively lax so far this off-season. I’ll set about changing that over the next couple of weeks, starting with more rehashes of last year’s posts like this one. Let me know what you want me to blog about in the comments.
chadwick
January 7, 2010 at 8:45 am
Great stuff monty. I would have thought that Cunnington would be infront of Bastanic (body looks more AFL ready). It all depends what position Cunnington and Bastanic are. Only 2 bench spots in the midfield, and so many kids i want on my bench. Oh well.
A blog i would like to see monty is your thoughts (and our discussion) on mid priced players that could possibly take the next step. E.G. with no Richo, will that help or hinder Jack Riewoldt who average 75 in a poor team?
hibbo
January 7, 2010 at 10:57 am
Monty, was wondering if these are the actual positions of these rookies, or just your guess? E.g. Does this confirm that Trengove is a forward?
From all reports Sheppard has been ripping up the pre-season and it’ll make life much easier if he’s in Weagles team come Rd1.
m0nty
January 7, 2010 at 11:23 am
These are my educated guesses, hibbo.
Kangamagic
January 7, 2010 at 11:29 am
Thanks Monty great write up this is great stuff.
I think Cunnington would be ahead of Bastinac also, though Bastinac is running great times at North for pre-season.
Theres alot of good draftees to choose from weather they get a game or not will be interesting.
ExPrez
January 7, 2010 at 11:31 am
Unless Jason Tutt has shot up in height in the last 12 months I don’t know that he will be a key defender.
Those who watched him play towards the end of last year might have a better idea but when he won a World Championship as an Australian U/19 men’s softballer in 2008 he was pretty short.
m0nty
January 7, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Tutt is now listed as 191cm, ExPrez.
JedMack
January 7, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Monty, I have a lot of 2nd year players this year. Is there some trend data similar to the cash cow graphs from last year?
zaratan
January 7, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Just wondering on the reasoning behind the educated guess on Trengove, as you didn’t mention anything on him in the wording of the article.
I think it’d be great if he was a forward personally 🙂
FairDinkum
January 7, 2010 at 1:41 pm
gday this is the stuff i like to read about – very interesting round up there monty much appreciated!
im guessing this blog includes mature age draftee’s yes?? only because i recognise webberly.. (local boy here in tas)
early days but im not liking many of this years draft players that are actually 94k (SC) – seems that we are going to have to splash out a little for bench/6th mid/7thFWD this season. only blokes i know who look like playing at 94K will be 2nd year and beyond players… this year is harder than last season to pick a good side from start
Danger_32
January 8, 2010 at 10:38 am
Cunnington will miss the next 2 – 4 weeks of training due to a foot injury.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/roos-quick-on-cunnington-injury/story-e6frf9io-1225817240320
dylan123
January 8, 2010 at 10:57 am
good write up, a lot of the Mid-Med-In players could play early on and it will be interesting to see which ones are the best scores and if it is worth spending the extra money on the earlier picks because they have better talent so hoping that they score better.
divvydan
January 9, 2010 at 11:54 pm
Jason Tutt is only 177cm tall, small defender, not tall defender.
Saw a pic of him posing with Howard at a training session. Was clearly shorter than the 184 cm Howard which confirms this.
Is seen by the club as something of a Gilbee replacement if that helps indicate the possible role he’ll be given by Champion Data.
Otherwise a good job and thanks.
Scorpio
January 10, 2010 at 11:05 am
Surely it will be too much of a fantasy gift if Trengrove is classed as a fwd?
divvydan
January 10, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Would certainly be a gift, however, Trengove did spend a lot of time playing off half forward for Sturt in the SANFL this year so it’s certainly possible he gets named in both centres and forwards.
kouta
January 11, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Monty will you be posting a blog about a possible DT structure soon? I found the all premium back blog from last year very helpful. cheers
jaybo123
January 12, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Nice write up Monty.
Just a little something I noticed in planteam for SC. You have Mitch Duncan listed as Geelongs first rounder when it was infact David Menzel. No biggie as neither will feature heavily this year but just thought I’d let you know 😉
Millanes
January 15, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Jason Tutt is not a key defender he is 174cms from NSW who will play as a small defender all small midfielder