Tominator's Top 22 Phantom Draft

[tbagrocks]

Are they after big Peter Wright? They said the player they had was likely to still be there, how odd ::)

We get a good player anyway no matter who is there and maybe Caleb is there @ #43? #35 on Maynard, Bampton or Hamliton

[Toga]

Said it before but I'll say it again... I'll be stoked if the Tiges get Lachie Weller 8)

[Grazz]

Said it before but I'll say it again... I'll be stoked if the Tiges get Lachie Weller 8)

Well i hope you do then mate, consider it a Xmas present from Grazz.  ;)

[kilbluff1985]

Said it before but I'll say it again... I'll be stoked if the Tiges get Lachie Weller 8)

Well i hope you do then mate, consider it a Xmas present from Uncle Grazz.  ;)

fixed

[Tominator]

Are they after big Peter Wright? They said the player they had was likely to still be there, how odd ::)

We get a good player anyway no matter who is there and maybe Caleb is there @ #43? #35 on Maynard, Bampton or Hamilton

I really hope not.... there are much better players than Declan Hamilton going in this year's draft

I don't know what the fuss about him is TBH, especially when guys like Gore and Bampton are getting overlooked in certain Phantom drafts but Hamilton is touted as a Top 40 pick. Clearly the recruiters see something I don't! Would love to hear input from others about him

[Mr.Craig]

I totally agree.

He does have some good qualities and I think he deserves to be on an AFL list but anything higher than Pick 50 feels like overs.

[Pkbaldy]

Are they after big Peter Wright? They said the player they had was likely to still be there, how odd ::)

We get a good player anyway no matter who is there and maybe Caleb is there @ #43? #35 on Maynard, Bampton or Hamilton

I really hope not.... there are much better players than Declan Hamilton going in this year's draft

I don't know what the fuss about him is TBH, especially when guys like Gore and Bampton are getting overlooked in certain Phantom drafts but Hamilton is touted as a Top 40 pick. Clearly the recruiters see something I don't! Would love to hear input from others about him

Bamptons stats alone should put him as a top 30. But being from SA he won't go before 30. So after that he is a steal for any club.

[Tominator]

Pick 14 - Adelaide:      Hugh Goddard   (Geelong Falcons, VIC Country)

Position:         Key position forward / defender
Height:           196cm
Weight:           93kg
Draft Range:    Pick 7-14



Description:
Adelaide's decision to trade Pick 10 for Geelong's Pick 14 - coupled with a swap of Pick 35 for Pick 47 - was one of the most intriguing trade moves, and this selection will be viewed with great interest. Adelaide claimed that their main target would still be available at Pick 14 - I initially thought that was Nakia Cockatoo, but he'll likely  be gone by then. Given their deficiencies in defence, the Crows could be looking for a tall defender and this draft is loaded with them.

Goddard, like Sam Durdin, was touted as a Top 5 certainty earlier this season, but an inconsistent year has seen him drop down the draft rankings. Combining his footy between VIC Country, the AIS-AFL Academy, Melbourne Grammar in the APS, and the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, Goddard has played up forward and also in defence. Going into the last month of the TAC Cup season, Goddard was predicted to slide out of the first round, but a superb run of form playing deep in defence - and beating Darcy Moore twice - saw him shoot back up. A mobile swingman, Goddard is aggressive and effective as a shut-down defender. He could form a formidable tandem with Daniel Talia, and has a great ability to read the flight of the ball, often taking intercept marks, and has a booming kick. He will need to work on his ground level ability, as he can be fumbly at times, but it is far from awful. He is a born leader and is very mature for his age. Goddard has the added bonus of being able to play as a forward, and these traits often translate to him being a dangerous presence in the forward line. If Goddard lasts to 14 he could prove to be a fantastic pick-up for the Crows.

Plays like:      Jake Carlisle, Eric McKenzie

Other Potential Picks:      Sam Durdin, Caleb Marchbank, Nakia Cockatoo, Kyle Langford, Peter Wright

[Tominator]

Pick 15 - Gold Coast:      Kyle Langford   (Northern Knights, VIC Metro)

Position:         Tall midfielder / utility
Height:           190cm
Weight:           73kg
Draft Range:    Pick 5-20



Description:
Since I began these Phantom Draft bios, Langford's stock has risen further, having met Collingwood earlier this week and he could well go instead of De Goey at Pick 5. Langford is a tall skinny utility that has transformed himself into a bonafide midfielder this season. Gold Coast would love Langford, Weller or Cockatoo, but all three of them may be gone by now. Fitting the "modern midfielder" tag given his 190cm height, Langford has a solid season for VIC Metro, Northern Knights in the TAC Cup, and Ivanhoe Grammar in the AGS School Competition, and his strengths are many. He has excellent movement for his size, tackles ferociously, has excellent defensive pressure, and is a very good link-up player. He kicked two bags of five goals in the TAC Cup, as a midfielder, but his versatility means he can play on-ball, on the wing, half-back or half-forward, all to great effect. Langford has significant upsize given his lean frame and scope for development. He speaks well, is very coachable, and can kick very well on his left or right boot. The more I see of him, the more I like him, and the more I believe that his position in this Phantom Draft is too low - he should not last until Pick 15.

Plays like:      Jackson Macrae, Marcus Bontempelli

Other Potential Picks:      Hugh Goddard, Tom Lamb, Caleb Marchbank, Nakia Cockatoo, Lachie Weller, Peter Wright

[Tominator]

Pick 16 - North Melbourne:      Peter Wright   (Calder Cannons, VIC Metro)

Position:         Key position forward / ruckman
Height:           203cm
Weight:           102kg
Draft Range:    Pick 6-20



Description:
Wright has been one of the hardest draftees to place, and is a big slider in this year's draft. Having gone from a Top 5 projectory all year, with some talk of him earning the #1 slot, very few have a real idea of where Wright will land come next Thursday night. "Two-metre Peter" is an absolute brute of a man, no question about that. But his inconsistent season has meant he has slid down the rankings, and Wright has not dominated games like a man of his size should be. There are legitimate concerns over Wright's aggression, his ability to mark strongly, his 1v1 contests, and his general competitiveness. Wright has also experienced inaccuracy in front of goals, often drifting in and out of games. But for all these negatives, there are many positives as well, which saw Wright touted so highly in the first place. He has a booming kick, is a very good tap ruckman, has a strong endurance base, and has an innate forward ability unlike many others his size. In the AFL world, he could go either way. Brodie Grundy experienced a similar slide in 2012, and has proven a steal at Pick 18, so if he can get the best out of himself, Wright could be a steal for North at 16. He should really be hitting his straps by the time Drew Petrie retires, and can take over the mantle and prove to be a long-term linchpin for the North Melbourne side.

Plays like:      Tom J. Lynch

Other Potential Picks:      Caleb Marchbank, Tom Lamb, Corey Ellis, Jarrod Garlett, Nakia Cockatoo, Ed Vickers-Willis

[_wato]

I have my worries about Collingwood choosing Langford at 5.

His kicking is woeful, and he seems to make some terrible decisions with ball in hand. Might just be me though, however the highlights and games I've watched I've been a little unimpressed.

His scope for improvement is massive though as you said, and his size and pace along with his likening to Bontompelli is very very salivating. Will be an interesting selection, no matter where he goes.

[Tominator]

Pick 17 - Essendon:      Tom Lamb   (Dandenong Stingrays, VIC Country)

Position:         Half-forward / tall wingman
Height:           192cm
Weight:           83kg
Draft Range:    Pick 15-25



Description:
The enigma of the draft, Lamb can do things which beggar belief. One minute he can scoop the ball off the ground, run through three players, and slot a goal from the impossible angle. The next, he can give away a reckless free kick, turn the ball over, and go missing from the game. It is these traits that have seen Lamb drop out of Top 10 contention, but he is my no means not a Top 10 talent. Lamb has elite endurance, running a sub-10 minute 3km and scoring 15.7 in the beep test at the Draft Combine. His skills can be pinpoint and his ability to weave through traffic is superb. He has a great eye for goal and can slot them from the most unlikely of angles. His versatility allows him to play as a half-forward, on-baller or a tall wingman. Lamb will often leave recruiters thinking "how did he do that?!" He is very similar to Jared Brennan, a player who showed so much potential yet lacked the consistency to become a true AFL star. If Lamb can do more of the good and less of the bad, he can become one of the most exciting players in the competition, and Essendon will have a cult hero on their hands. Essendon would probably prefer to take him at Pick 20, but with Carlton strongly linked at Pick 19, the Dons will want to snatch him up before Carlton get a chance.

Rumours have it that Essendon want to take him to attract the attention of taggers away from Dyson Heppell

Plays like:      Jared Brennan, Ben Lennon

Other Potential Picks:      Connor Blakely, Caleb Marchbank, Jarrod Garlett, Alex Neal-Bullen

[Tominator]

Pick 18 - Sydney:      Isaac Heeney   (Cardiff / Sydney Swans Reserves, NSW)

Position:         Midfielder
Height:           186cm
Weight:           82kg
Draft Range:    Pick 18 [Academy Selection]



Description:
This selection has caused great unrest amongst several AFL clubs (cough cough Collingwood), and for good reason. Under the Sydney Swans Academy, the Swans get priority access to Heeney, and were forced to part with Pick 18 for him. In an open draft, Heeney would be a Top 3 talent without question, perhaps the #1 pick. Melbourne were willing to part with Pick 2 for Heeney, but Sydney rejected and will take this top-end talent for a bargain price.

Heeney is an absolute jet. He is a Rolls-Royce - such a smooth mover, classy inside and outside, and is a top-end talent. Having a perfect balance between inside and outside game, Heeney can kick goals, run back into defence, and has all the traits. His aggression and ferocity is superb, and he has great natural leadership abilities, earmarked as a future captain. Heeney is willing to put his body on the line and do whatever role is necessary for his side, even if it means sacrificing his own game. It's very hard to find a flaw in Heeney's game as he is such a well-rounded midfielder. The only question mark is how long it will take for him to break into Sydney's dynamite midfield - he'd be in the best 22 for most other sides already. He won the Division 2 medal at the U18 Championships, and starred for the AIS-AFL Academy. Remember the name - this kid will be a star.

Plays like:      David Swallow, Jude Bolton

[Tominator]

Pick 19 - Carlton:      Caleb Marchbank   (Murray Bushrangers, VIC Country)

Position:         Tall defender
Height:           193cm
Weight:           85kg
Draft Range:    Pick 10-25



Description:
Marchbank has had a wretched run with injuries in the past two seasons, but shot to prominence in the U18 Championships after starring for VIC Country. In the opening game he shut down Darcy Moore for VIC Metro and did not drop off after that game. Similar to Jake Lever, Marchbank is the general of his team's defence. He can shut down opponents yet gather 20 disposals a game and orchestrate his team's rebounds from defence. Marchbank is injury prone, however, as he has only played 6 TAC Cup games in the last two years. But he has shown what he is capable of, and with new recruit Kristian Jaksch the duo could answer Carlton's need of tall defenders to aid Michael Jamison. He reads the flight well and is a strong 1v1 competitor, and despite being 193cm, can play on tall or medium-sized forwards, adding to his versatility. Another string to Marchbank's bow is that he can play as a tall wingman, as he did in his junior years, which is a position he could transform into over time.

Plays like:      Sam Fisher, Brian Lake

Other Potential Picks:      Connor Blakely, Alex Neal-Bullen, Brayden Maynard, Ed Vickers-Willis, Tom Lamb

[Tominator]

Pick 20 - Essendon:      Alex Neal-Bullen   (Glenelg, South Australia)

Position:         On-baller
Height:           182cm
Weight:           77kg
Draft Range:    Pick 15-30



Description:
This is where the Draft predicting gets REALLY tough, and I'm glad I only chose to do 22  ::)

Neal-Bullen is a very very underrated midfielder, starring for South Australia's title-winning U18 Championship side. He does all the grunt work and doesn't always get the appreciation for it. Ludicrously, Neal-Bullen did not win All-Australian honours, despite dominating the midfield and leading all-comers for clearances. He has played a full season with Glenelg seniors in the SANFL, averaging 24 disposals per game after the U18 Championships, so he has succeeded against bigger bodies. Having played against him myself a few years ago, I know first-hand that he is an absolute jet. His strength in the contest and ability to get the ball out of a tight space is unlike many others. Despite his elite endurance - he ran a sub-10 minute 3km, and scored 15.2 in the beep test - he doesn't win a lot of outside ball, but has a lot of hurt factor when given space and time. His inside game is similar to Matt Crouch, but with better endurance, whilst his overall output is not unlike Anthony Miles. Essendon will may very well take Connor Blakely instead of Neal-Bullen here, but both are pretty like-for-like. Neal-Bullen gets the nod from me because of his superb Combine, proven record and his sheer consistency.

Plays like:      Anthony Miles, Matt Crouch

Other Potential Picks:      Connor Blakely, Ed Vickers-Willis, Brayden Maynard, Tom Lamb, Jarrod Garlett, Corey Ellis, Connor Menadue