Can I go the early crow and claim Jeremy Sharp as “my boy”?
At the very least he’ll be fantastic HBFer, if he successfully moves into the middle he’ll be a top 10 pick and given his athletic profile and his boot it wouldn’t surprise me to see him go top 5.
It’s kind of difficult to say what we will need at the draft table, which is unusual, Dodoro has built quite the list and there aren’t really any pressing needs. HBF depth for Saad and McKenna and a long-term FF/2ndRuck are the only two ‘needs’ that I can see.
Do you see Cody Hirst & Mitch Mellis getting picked up @THE_DON1 ? I know a few people at Eastern have them very highly rated. The same guy who told me Jaidyn Stephenson would be the best player from that years draft also said Hirst was one of the best juniors he’s seen come through Ranges. Had rotten luck with injuries & think he missed being drafted as a result.
Note: he also said Sam Hayes would be the bargain of 2017 to port at around pick 47 ish
I was a fan of Hirst before his injuries but he will always be up against with his small stature and light frame, hoping he gets a full season this year and if he does I think he gets drafted
Mellis is in the same boat with his size but he can use the pill well and I’d expect him to play forward a lot since clubs would mostly be keen to see him hit the scoreboard rather than get a lot of the ball.
Mahoney lacks tricks? I don’t think so I’m guessing you haven’t seen a lot of his games because he is a constant feature hitting the scoreboard and can find the pill easy through the middle.
I’ve seen Ralph-Smith do some really classy things with his composure and kicking especially around goal, was picked in the all-stars game for a reason but he can be flaky I will admit I think I have him high on potential more than actual results so far. Louis Butler is another I really like that didn’t quiet show his ability at TAC level
Dean lacks pace but I like his versatility, kicking could use some work from defence. McAsey is another tough one to rate as a tall but I like his game down back in the all-stars game and a few games up forward in the 16s champs
Josh Kemp is the main one for me, Bowman will be going again and playing as a forward for Sandringham (they don’t even need more talls wtf) That’s just of the top of my head I’d need to check again the players that will be available
I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve got more picks after the trade period this year. I expect us to go very well this year and 1 or 2 very handy players to ask for a trade due to lack of opportunity
I can’t see anyone worthy of a 1st round pick leaving, the only ones I can see asking for a trade for more opportunity are Laverde, Stewart and maybe one of Hartley and Ambrose and assuming they are fit, in form and wanting to leave, we shouldn’t expect any more than a 2nd for each of them.
FWIW I think we’ll try getting back into the 1st round by packing up 2x 2nds and sending them off to a team that needs points.
I think it’s unlikely that we will get back into the first round of the 2019 draft.
Due to all the free agency picks, academy dilution etc…every club will know that our two second rounders are going to end up being 35+ in the draft order…and they will probably sum up to less than 1000 points…early in the second round looks achievable, but the first round looks a stretch.
PS. Perhaps a player departure could bump up a little…but a fringe player won’t be worth much.
I think we need some more KPB youth personally. Zerk looks like he’ll be good, but he’s pretty much it. Ambrose is 27 so not that much younger than Hooker/Hurley and Hartley seems to have stagnated since he debuted for us.
You would think Mason Fletcher gets added at the end of this year and I think Hurley still has a good few years left, don’t forget about Ridley aswell and in a few years time Francis may become a genuine key defender not just a 3rd tall.
Yeah I don’t really see either of Francis or Ridley as KPP depth, they seem more like tall flankers to me… well Ridley does, Francis could be anything. But Fletcher coming in will be good :).
The major one for me at this stage is Lachlan Johnson who is the son of Chris Johnson so could go to Lions as FS aswell but I think he will favour Essendon as his choice if he gets drafted. Small of stature but a natural footballer and very tough and I’m hoping to see a lot of him through the midfield this year. Kyle Baker has his fans but he was never a player of note for me when I saw him.
