Tominator's Top 22 Phantom Draft

[Tominator]

So below is my 2014 Phantom Draft for the Top 22 selections. This has taken a bloody long time to write, and there has been a lot of chopping and changing. It is important that I stress the following:

DRAFT ORDER MAY CHANGE OVER THE COMING DAYS!

I will release bios on individual players tonight and over the coming days, one-by-one rather than all in one big long post. I've now picked the last 3 or 4 drafts and this has been by far and away the hardest draft to predict. There are some very good players missing out on a first round spot, and some good players may not even go Top 30.

The player I've listed at Pick 16, could go Pick 6, and vice-versa. That's how open this year's draft is.

There are not as many "definite A-Graders" like some years have had, but the depth is very good. It's a good draft for key position defenders and "role players", but clubs with picks outside the Top 10 or even Top 15 are not going to be left with duds....





..... at least I seriously hope so, given Adelaide traded our Pick 10 for Pick 14 .....

[Tominator]

Tominator's Top 22 - 2014 Phantom Draft

Pick 1 - St Kilda - Christian Petracca | Eastern Ranges | VIC Metro

Pick 2 - Melbourne - Angus Brayshaw | Sandringham Dragons | VIC Metro

Pick 3 - Melbourne - Patrick McCartin | Geelong Falcons | VIC Country

Pick 4 - Greater Western Sydney - Jayden Laverde | Western Jets | VIC Metro

Pick 5 - Collingwood - Jordan De Goey | Oakleigh Chargers | VIC Metro

Pick 6 - Greater Western Sydney - Jake Lever | Calder Cannons | VIC Metro

Pick 7 - Greater Western Sydney - Jarrod Pickett | South Fremantle | Western Australia

Pick 8 - Gold Coast - Liam Duggan | Western Jets | VIC Metro

Pick 9 - Collingwood - Darcy Moore [F/S Selection] | Oakleigh Chargers | VIC Metro

Pick 10 - Geelong - Paul Ahern | Calder Cannons | VIC Metro

Pick 11 - West Coast - Nakia Cockatoo | NT Thunder | Northern Territory

Pick 12 - Richmond - Lachie Weller | Southport/Gold Coast Reserves | Queensland

Pick 13 - Fremantle - Sam Durdin | West Adelaide | South Australia

Pick 14 - Adelaide - Hugh Goddard | Geelong Falcons | VIC Country

Pick 15 - Gold Coast - Kyle Langford | Northern Knights | VIC Metro

Pick 16 - North Melbourne - Peter Wright | Calder Cannons | VIC Metro

Pick 17 - Essendon - Tom Lamb | Dandenong Stingrays | VIC Country

Pick 18 - Sydney - Isaac Heeney [Academy Selection] | Sydney Swans Reserves | NSW-ACT

Pick 19 - Carlton - Caleb Marchbank | Murray Bushrangers | VIC Country

Pick 20 - Essendon - Alex Neal-Bullen | Glenelg | South Australia

Pick 21 - St Kilda - Reece McKenzie | Northern Knights | VIC Metro

Pick 22 - St Kilda - Connor Blakely | Swan Districts | Western Australia

Honourable mentions:
Brayden Maynard, Clem Smith, Dillon Viojo-Rainbow, Daniel McKenzie, Corey Ellis, Touk Miller, Jarrod Garlett, Connor Menadue, Ed Vickers-Willis, Dean Gore

Would love to hear your thoughts and if I've missed any players that you think should be in there! Would you be happy with the player I've picked for your club?

[kilbluff1985]

if North took Wright i'd be surprised Goldy is not old and they have Brown and Currie

[JBs-Hawks]

if North took Wright i'd be surprised Goldy is not old and they have Brown and Currie

Wright is more of a forward then ruckman and is like for like with Petrie

[kilbluff1985]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

[Ricochet]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

What about when Petrie and Waite are done in 1-2 years?

[kilbluff1985]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

What about when Petrie and Waite are done in 1-2 years?

take somebody with there next pick just saying they are not desperate enough to use there first pick on a tall

[Ricochet]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

What about when Petrie and Waite are done in 1-2 years?

take somebody with there next pick just saying they are not desperate enough to use there first pick on a tall

??? but they are, because those key fwds have not long left. Can never have too many good talls and their midfield already runs deep

[Mr.Craig]

Would you be happy with the player I've picked for your club?

:'(

I think you're pretty close to the mark. The Wright situation is pretty ridiculous imo, not saying he should be high or low just that it's funny how quickly opinion can turn.

[kilbluff1985]

and i'd want Essendon to take Connor Blakely instead of Alex Neal-Bullen

i'd like Lamb or McKenzie or Wright with the other pick (not in any order)

[Tominator]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

What about when Petrie and Waite are done in 1-2 years?

take somebody with there next pick just saying they are not desperate enough to use there first pick on a tall

??? but they are, because those key fwds have not long left. Can never have too many good talls and their midfield already runs deep

That's the viewpoint I took when assessing where Wright would go. I had him at 7, then 10, then 12 and now 16. I strongly considered sending him to Richmond at Pick 12, but they've been heavily linked with Duggan and Weller. Wouldn't surprise me if he went there though.

Would you be happy with the player I've picked for your club?

The Wright situation is pretty ridiculous imo, not saying he should be high or low just that it's funny how quickly opinion can turn.

I agree. He was touted as a Top 5 certainty not long ago, same with Durdin and Goddard. But there are legitimate concerns over Wright's ability to make it. I hope he proves them wrong, but on draft night I reckon he'll go in that 12-20 bracket, bit like Brodie Grundy a few years back.

[Tominator]

Pick 1 - St Kilda:      Christian Petracca   (Eastern Ranges, VIC Metro)

Position:         Midfielder / Half-Forward
Height:           187cm
Weight:           92kg
Draft Range:    Pick 1-3



Description:
The most talented player in this year's draft, St Kilda would be very brave to pass him up. Previously touted as a bullocking half-forward flanker who can have a run through the midfield, Petracca has used 2014 to turn himself into a bonafide midfielder who can have a run at half-forward. An extremely talented basketballer too - he played with Dante Exum in underage teams - he decided to pursue a footy career, and it looks likely to pay off. Petracca kicked 40 goals as a bottom-ager in the 2013 TAC Cup Season, but stamped his name on the draft as a top top player after having a superb U18 Championships for VIC Metro. He won the VIC Metro MVP, an All-Australian jumper for team of the carnival, and the Larke Medal, as the best player of the Championships. His strengths include his power, goal sense, and core strength. He can explode out of a pack like few others can, and can turn a game within five minutes. Whether he goes to Saints or Melbourne, he will be a ready-made player and likely to play a lot of footy in his first season. Has all the traits to be a future star.

Plays like:   He's a very unique player, so it's hard to say he 'plays like' someone, but three noteworthy comparisons are Ollie Wines, Dustin Martin and Steve Johnson

Other Potential Picks:   Paddy McCartin, Angus Brayshaw

[kilbluff1985]

Tom check your messages mate

[jobe#4]

still i think it's a bit risky when they don't need him

What about when Petrie and Waite are done in 1-2 years?

EXACTLY! develop Wright at VFL level  until Waite and Petrie leave/fissile out/get dropped or whatever and by then he can be straight in...although I find it hard to believe with Brown in the mix as well..

Bomber would be an ideal place for him

[Toga]

Nice work Tom, I think that top 15 of yours is going to be pretty accurate, that's how I see it playing out at this early stage as well!

Wright is a real unknown quantity at this point, will be very interesting to see where he ends up. I can't wait to see some more of the profiles!