What are you thoughts on tom lamb? AFL website says he could end up with us tall midfield like Jobe?
MY thoughts? You probably don't want my thoughts! :PWhat are you thoughts on tom lamb? AFL website says he could end up with us tall midfield like Jobe?
But I'll do him next as a collation of others thoughts!
MY thoughts? You probably don't want my thoughts! :PWhat are you thoughts on tom lamb? AFL website says he could end up with us tall midfield like Jobe?
But I'll do him next as a collation of others thoughts!
To me he sounds like a bit of a plodder haha
Tom Lamb
Height: 192 cm, Weight: 83 kg, DOB: 19/10/1996
Club: Dandenong Stingrays
Position: Medium Forward, Wing, Utility
U18 Statistics
2013: http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196134305&client=1-118-10472-253878-18717724&ocompID=253878
2014: http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196134305&client=1-118-10472-294691-20320224
Draft Combine
2nd – 3km time trial
4th – Beep test
Highlights
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-14/draft-prospect-tom-lamb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq5EDJTCKHA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAa8k4YPCdE
Article: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-18/lamb-his-toughest-critic
Chris25
Pick 16
Lamb really was more of a best available pick for North. And if you don’t want him as a third tall forward, then play him through the midfield and off a wing. Or down back, where some suggest he is best suited. He is much more than just a third tall forward. Personally, I want Fremantle to pick him. He is a really interesting prospect, and really the only one of his type in the draft.
You could almost argue that Tom Lamb fits both criteria - KPP and outside run. And I do think he is being underrated on BigFooty, I’d consider him best available at North’s selection - and a much better prospect than Marchbank and Cockatoo. The only question is where he settles. It could be across half back, on a wing or up forward.
Athletically, he is better than most midfielders in the draft. Absolutely elite endurance and good speed to match, in that regard he is quite similar to Nick Riewoldt and a similar size at 193cm and 84kg. He is also very good overhead, he just doesn’t physically play as a KPP yet. No reason he couldn’t develop into a Jack Gunston type third tall forward though. And I don’t think any team would say no to that. Alternatively, a tall midfielder/swingman like a Justin Westhoff isn’t out of the question. He does look comfortable down back, despite his obvious talent in front of goal. So that’s another option.
But really, sometimes you just have to pick on talent. And he’d certainly add a point of difference. Plus, he could have an early impact which is a positive for a team going all out for success like North are.
KnightmarePick 13, #34 talent Pick 17, #36 talent
Draft range: 10-35
Best position/role: Medium forward.
Strengths
Endurance and athleticism – Lamb has excellent endurance finishing sub 10 minutes over 3km and scoring a 15+ beep score. In game Lamb at times shows his very good leaping ability and also shows in game some above average pace for someone his height. I also after marks like his tendency to play on and take the game on, he often recognises when the man on the mark is tired and will go at the right times when he is confident he can get by the man on the mark.
Versatility – Lamb has at times played forward, back and through the midfield, getting opportunities in each area of the ground.
Ground level ability – Lamb is clean below the knees with his pickups. He has some natural crumbing ability and can be used at times as a front and centre option. His second and third efforts also are excellent and he will go from one contest onto the next contest.
Hits the ball at pace – Lamb has shown on many occasions that he can hit the ball at pace and win it and continue accelerating without any pause, such is his cleanness.
Offensive positioning – Lamb, particularly when played behind the ball will continually be running behind a player or behind the back of a pack giving his teammates an option to pass to as security and as a result he finds lots of easy uncontested ball through this method.
Ability to read the flight of the ball – Lamb reads the flight of the ball well and generally does a good job getting to the drop of the ball.
Scoreboard impact – When given regular opportunity in the front half while it might not happen every week Lamb can on his good days provide some heavy scoreboard impact and as he showed in round one v Gippsland Power with his six goals in that game.
Weaknesses
Inconsistent – From game to game Lamb does not always bring the same effort and intent at the contest as a result from game to game has mixed and inconsistent results.
Intensity – Lamb often lacks intensity to his game and can at times lack that intent to go for and win the contested ball. He is capable of winning the contested ball and his contested ball winning numbers are reasonably good, but he can at times pick and choose when he goes and he does not always bring the physical presence around the contest that he at his height should.
Work by hand – Lamb by hand while he has improved as the season has progressed he is still very poor and sloppy with his work by hand, rarely connecting sweetly with the ball. He can often miss his targets by hand and when rushed or under pressure will often miss targets by hand altogether, just lacking that bit of composure.
Defensive smarts – Lamb when played in the back half too often loses his opponent and does not often enough sit between his opponent and the oppositions goals or pay enough attention to his direct opponent. He also too often protects the wrong spaces in defence and just needs to go through the learning of where he needs to be, when. At the moment the question of whether it is just laziness or lack of understanding whether to be springs to mind but his positioning is just that bad, that often at the moment I can only assume it is a lack of understanding where to be.
Marking ability – Lamb is a threat on the lead and in the air to take some marks, and is hard to defend as a result but overhead can at times lack consistency and drop some marks he should consistently take.
Decision making ability – Lamb with ball in hand is prone to making poor, rushed decisions by hand and foot lacking composure. Footskills – Lamb‘s footskills at the start of the year were poor with his field kicking to targets inconsistent and his set shot goalkicking inconsistent but as the season has progressed he has shown significant improvement, particularly in his ability to hit his targets over a variety of distances and also has shown improved vision finding some good targets at times up the ground when he has time and space with the ball which is encouraging. Next he will need to improve his work when he does not have as much time to dispose of the ball with that still seeming to be a challenge for Lamb.
Lack of a best position – At this stage given Lamb has been thrown around and played in so many different positions it is hard to say with certainty where his best position is.
Disposal efficiency – Lamb‘s disposal efficiency is poor with a disposal efficiency through the U18 Championships of less than 60% and similarly poor through the TAC Cup. A lot of it has to do with his poor work by hand and his poor ability to dispose of the ball while under pressure.
What I expect will improve: I think Lamb can continue to improve his foot skills given the improvement he was showing us this season and he has an opportunity to find a best position with continued play in a set position or role I feel Lamb will remain a frustrating and inconsistent player throughout his career.
Who he can become? I see Lamb as being similar to Mitch Morton. Terrific talent and like Morton I feel Lamb is best suited and Lamb similarly can also in the front half at times do some real damage but I also expect similar frustrations and inconsistencies with Lamb.
When will he be ready to play? Lamb I anticipate will take some time to develop and in season two I imagine he will be starting to push for some senior AFL opportunities and come season three I imagine he will be working towards regular senior AFL games.
How to best utilise him? Lamb I feel is best utilised in the front half as a medium forward. He has the talent to on his day hit the scoreboard in bunches and given his endurance he is someone who I can see working over some opposition defenders with his ability to push up the ground.
Interpretation of his numbers: Lamb‘s numbers by position are good but not dominant and are up and down from game to game. His disposal efficiency is below average. His mark and tackle numbers per game are both fairly good. His scoreboard impact when forward while inconsistent is also relatively good.
Paige Cardonas
Pick 19
Position: Forward/midfielder
Projected draft range: 6-25
Plays like: Brendon Goddard
Lamb has catapulted up the draft rankings after a scintillating combine, where he ran a sub-10 minute 3 km run and a 15.7 beep test. On the back of that, Carlton look best placed to take the dreadlocked star whose season has been more of a shadow in comparison to his bottom-age year in 2013. As much as it separates the cream of the crop on offer towards the pointy end of the draft, the National Carnival also has a habit of exposing areas of weakness in players. For Lamb, it showed us a frustrating conundrum in his game, where he could pull off something stunning, but follow it up with a butchered kick, a stray handball or simply an inability to apply himself for four quarters. Despite these inconsistencies, he still offers plenty. At ground level, Lamb is solid, given he tracks the ball well for a player of his size and uses the ball well by hand. His marking game, particularly contested, mirrors that of what key forwards are offering up this year. He reads the ball well in flight, and although he can sometimes double grab a mark rather than take it cleanly, he still marks well both overhead and out in front. Ideally, Lamb will become a full-time midfielder, where he can really influence a game: however, he could start his career at either end of the field. What I love about Lamb is that he often plays on when he can, backing his speed, athleticism and thumping kick to propel his team into attack. Above all, the big tick for Lamb is his versatility.
Skippos
Pick 20
Range: Top 40
Style: Jared Brennan
Comparison: Marco Paparone
Tom Lamb has so much to like but also is incredibly frustrating. At 192cm he’s capable of being a target down forward but also playing across half forward, off a wing and down back as a smaller rebounding type. Some hope he can become a midfielder with his skills and athleticism. He’s freakishly athletic for a tall kid, with his speed in getting to ground level and cleanness in picking up a particular highlight, especially his ability to pick it up with one hand or under severe pressure. He’s got exceptional acceleration and real ability to create separation on the lead and when attacking a ground ball. He’s capable of ruthless and repeated attack on the ball. When forward he’s shown real goalscoring ability and is a capable mark, often ending up in the right spots however occasionally his marking technique lets him down, dropping simple ones or two/three grabbing. In defence he’s shown some ability to intercept, read the play and create.
While he was considered a key forward for a lot of his career, at his size he lacks the physicality and contested presence to effectively play that role. He is essentially a tall small. However through the midfield he hasn’t set the world on fire with his hands in close shaky along with his composure. By foot he’s got some really nice vision but in general is a poor kick with his kicking rushed and technically poor. At his size he doesn’t have the clean or natural inside game to indicate a future in that role. His work rate is often poor with him seemingly lacking desire and effort at times on the field. He’s prone to brain fades and unnecessary bouts of aggression while off the field from all reports he’s a bit lacking as a bloke.
When forward Lamb plays a bit like Jared Brennan. He has all the skill and physical power and ability but isn’t by any means a key target - more a flanker. A more modern comparison is Marco Paparone in that they are both tall smalls who have poor kicks but very reasonable athleticism. Paparone has a higher work ethic and endurance but Lamb is more natural and behind the ball he’s more skilled. If Lamb worked harder both off and on the field he could be anything. However I can’t help but feel his career will be riddled with frustration and non deliverance on promise due to his attitude and disciplinary issues.
Evaluation of his prospects: Lamb’s future in the AFL is impossible to speculate on. It’s not a question of ability or talent as it’s already there - it’s a question of application. With his commitment to fitness and exceptional results there I’m hoping he applies that to AFL training as well. If he applies himself - he could be one of the most exciting players from the draft and a club’s dream with his talent and versatility. If he doesn’t - well he’ll end up more worse off than Jared Brennan.
Bulldogs
Pick 21
Utility
I think St Kilda will be very happy with the next 2 picks. Lamb has exceptional talent and is a grandson of a St Kilda premiership player Ian Cooper. He is capable of most things on a football field; he has a huge running tank, very good skills and can do the mercurial. There are knocks on him, however not all should be seen as negatives. For instance he has a short fuse, in the AFL this can be seen as a positive, normally it means the player is extremely competitive and hates being beaten. Coaches will harness that and make it a positive. The biggest issue I see with him is his game awareness is lacking and he doesn‘t utilise his running ability in a game. Again in the AFL his running patterns will be shown to him and modified. I actually expect him to play early on in 2015 and by the end of 2015 be a good player with them. A similar pattern to Billings this year, although a completely different type of player.
Appreciate these reports, Ants but his height is incorrect. He 193cm, not 181.
Oops, copied the wrong header info. Thanks for the catch.Appreciate these reports, Ants but his height is incorrect. He 193cm, not 181.
How can a club with pick 19 look "best placed" to take anyone, let alone someone who might go as high as pick 6?
Reece McKenzie
Height: 196 cm, Weight: 100 kg, DOB: 28/03/1996
Club: Northern Knights
Position: Key forward, Ruckman
U18 Statistics
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=197777121&client=1-3020-111703-294694-20320272
Draft Combine
3rd – clean hands test
4th – 20m sprint
10th – standing vertical jump
Highlights
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-15/draft-prospect-reece-mckenzie
Chris25
Pick 22
Position: Forward
Fresh off a 10 goal haul in the TAC Cup yesterday, Reece McKenzie is next up on my list of profiles. He's a player who isn't getting a lot of exposure, but one that I rate highly. All season, I've had McKenzie as a top 5 key forward in this draft and a likely second round draft pick. But it seems not all agree.
I'll start with his game yesterday - 18 disposals, 13 marks (6 of those contested), three goal assists, 10 goals and 4 behinds. A total of 256 Supercoach points for those of you keeping score. It is without the doubt the best game he has played, and will probably end up as the individual performance of the 2014 TAC Cup season. Hopefully it's the game that sees him take his game to the next level consistently, but even that one game would likely be enough to get him drafted. Although having said that, his other games this season haven't been bad by any means. McKenzie had kicked 8 goals across 5 games leading into the match, switching between full forward and the ruck. It's been good to see him get a chance to stretch his legs, as opposed to playing out of the goal square all match. He has shown enough to suggest that pinch hitting could be in his future if needed.
Unfortunately, it hasn't all been good news for McKenzie this year. Through a combination of injury and competition for spots, he only managed the one game for Vic Metro in the U18 Championships this year. Which I did find a little odd. I understand that the likes of Wright and Moore will be picked first, but he deserved more game time and showed more than enough in his one game to get another. And further exposure at the top level would have been a real positive for his development too. He didn't play any TAC Cup football last year, as he chose to instead focus on basketball, so in the grand scheme of things he is still relatively raw as a player.
Despite a limited viewing sample this year, the reason I'm confident that McKenzie will get a chance come November is because he is essentially the template for what clubs are looking for in a key forward - over 195cm, strong body, contested marker, athletic. He isn't going to run all day from a CHF position, but his basketball background has given him quite decent agility for someone his size and weight. And it's the contested marking that will really make teams take notice. Roughly half his marks in the TAC Cup this year have been contested ones. And being able to clunk a mark like that isn't something you can really teach, which gives him a massive advantage.
But, McKenzie isn't a sure thing by any means. And in picking him, you are largely picking someone on potential with only flashes of performance. That's always a risk, and can go either way. Clubs are always going to back their development programs though. Otherwise, his kicking is where he lets himself down quite a bit. As I said before, he had kicked 8 goals in his 5 games before this weekend. But, he'd also kicked 8 behinds and finished with another 4 to go with his ten goal haul. He'll need to improve that if he is to truly be a focal point up forward, and while he seems to know his limitations during general game play, some of his field kicking could stand to improve too. And like all key position players, consistency and fading in and out of games has been a slight issue this year.
Personally, I tend to think a lot of his weaknesses will be ironed out with a good 2-3 years of development at an AFL club. It's then just a matter of whether it all clicks, or if he remains one of those potentially great forwards who never quite make it. In terms of draft position, I could see him going anywhere from the second to the third round. It's not a great draft for genuine full forwards - you have McCartin, Wright and then some of the Academy boys. It's why I rate McKenzie as the third or fourth best on the open market. And with a strong finish to the season, there is no reason he couldn't sneak into the top 20 like Michael Apeness did last year. Teams will pay for a player like him.
Knightmare
Pick 30, #21 talent Pick 25, #5 talent
KPF/Ruck
Draft range: 20-60
Best position/role: Full forward.
Strengths
Go to guy talent – McKenzie with his size, presence and contested marking ability is a genuine go to guy in the front half. He has the performances on the board and proven production. He can draw double and triple teams and is a handful for any key defender to contain particularly deep in the forward 50 with his contested marking ability.
Contested marking/marking ability – McKenzie has strong hands overhead and can take the big contested grabs. He has a rare presence in the front half when he goes for his marks. He takes advantage of smaller opponents 1v1 and can bully anyone physically at TAC Cup level in the contest. He takes the big pack grabs. He crashes packs. He is an excellent mark in the air and is near impossible to stop when he launches at the ball due to his size, strength and power. His contested marking numbers are strong. He is also a capable mark on the lead with his leading patterns good and with his size and strength he is hard to stop.
Size/strength/leap/power– At 100kg McKenzie has excellent size and strength for his age and he has clearly put the time and effort in, in the gym. 1v1 McKenzie has rare strength in the contest and is a near immovable object with the strength through his legs and core strength. Additionally he has excellent leaping ability for his size and is a significant marking threat in the air with his hands overhead strong in the air.
Scoreboard impact – McKenzie is one of leading goalkickers in the TAC Cup and has shown he can have some dominant games where he can individually take over games.
Capable of big games v weak opposition – McKenzie has had some big games. He kicked 10 goals v a weak Eastern Ranges. 7 goals and 5 behinds v a small Northern Territory and 16 goals for Marcellin v Yarra Valley. He will capitalise if he gets the flow of entries or if he is playing against a smaller or less capable 1v1 opponents.
Strong improvement as year has progressed suggesting significant upside – McKenzie from July onward made the shift from playing a mix of forward and ruck minutes to a full time key forward and since then he has significantly lifted his scoreboard impact and contested mark totals. His numbers over the second half of the season have been a significant improvement on what he was showing over the first half of the season and while the role change to permanent forward has definitely helped him in achieving this it is difficult to ignore the sharp improvement in his scoreboard impact and contested marking totals. Given this sharp improvement in production I evaluate McKenzie‘s upside to be exceptionally high with his numbers evidence of the speed with which he is improving and I anticipate that sharp improvement to continue into the future. Additionally having spent last year playing basketball instead of football I cannot help but think the fact that he is putting up these numbers having not played TAC Cup last year suggests strong upside and substantial scope to improve further as he plays more.
Weaknesses
Does not have the same impact against better opponents – McKenzie has capitalised against weaker opponents in a big way but has up to this point failed to kick a big haul against better opposition and that will be the next step for him in his development.
Ability to hit the scoreboard from general play – McKenzie is very much a mark and goal forward who will get a large volume of set shot attempts at goal but few if any shots at goal from general play. If you have a guy who can match McKenzie for size and strength at the next level it is likely that he will get shut out of games as his game is very much just going out there and marking everything. At ground level McKenzie is dexterous and can pick up the footy relatively cleanly off the deck but he is not a goal scoring threat when he wins it at ground level as he lacks the ability to turn opposition players around and run into an open goal or create adequate time and space for himself at ground level to get it onto his boot.
Slow getting up to speed – McKenzie has a slow first step and slow first few steps on the lead. He also takes a number of steps to get up to full acceleration and does not have that immediate burst of speed allowing him to go from stationary to full speed quickly. The main limitation of this is it prevents McKenzie from turning guys around and running into an open goal. It also limits him from making quick, agile steps to create the time and space for himself after winning a ground ball to get it onto his boot for a shot at goal. As a result after winning a ground ball he will just be handballing it off to a team mate which is fine, but he is just not going to kick a whole lot of goals through this avenue during his career.
Followup work through the ruck – At McKenzie‘s height and size and with a good leap he is a reasonable tap ruckman who could if required play some backup ruck minutes but at ground level again because he lacks that immediate acceleration from zero his followup efforts are slow and as a result he is not going to win much of the footy through there ruck or lay many tackles.
Set shot goalkicking – McKenzie‘s conversion is above 50% but ideally he would be converting at a higher % than he is at the present time.
What I expect will improve: McKenzie I feel will continue in the most part make his strengths more dominant and take his dominant contested marking and scoreboard impact to the next level.
Who he can become? McKenzie plays that Travis Cloke style of game as that similar contested marking, mark and goal forward but I see him becoming something closer to a slightly more dominant Levi Casboult.
When will he be ready to play? McKenzie I anticipate will take four years before he establishes himself as a regular for a team and until season six before McKenzie really realises his potential and becomes a genuine go to guy. As a big marking forward he is not going to be able to take advantage of guys physically at AFL level right away so there will be an adjustment period but at his size and with his dominant marking and contested marking ability I see him taking more than enough grabs and providing enough scoreboard pressure to with time become a go to key forward.
How to best utilise him? McKenzie is best used at full forward as the go to target in the front half.
Interpretation of his numbers: McKenzie has put some dominant performances forward through the TAC Cup and for his school. His numbers are clearly best when utilised as a full time key forward as evidenced by his much improved mark, contested mark and goal scoring totals over the second half of the season. His numbers are trending sharply upward as the season which suggests he will continue this trend over coming seasons. His scoreboard impact and marking over the second half of the season have been outstanding and after Patrick McCartin has been arguably the next most dominant key forward with his contested marking numbers the strongest in this draft class.
Paige Cardonas
Pick 22
Position: Key forward/ruckman
Projected draft range: 25-60
Plays like: Travis Cloke
Reece McKenzie has his fans as much as he has his critics. His fans will say he‘s a pack-crunching, contested marking monster who relishes the opportunity to throw his weight around, dominating marks inside 50 and kicking bags of goals in his sleep. Meanwhile, his critics will say he lacks agility, is a flat track bully who has only turned it on against weak opposition, relies too heavily on his strength and height at TAC Cup level to beat his opponent and has poor recovery capabilities. The upside is certainly worth talking about, particularly given McKenzie has played just the one year at TAC Cup level since making the permanent switch from basketball. His natural leap as well as his clean hands featured in the top 10 of the combine, while his speed of 2.97 seconds was the equal-second quickest during testing. McKenzie is still largely raw in facets, but his body positioning, contested marking and his nous to kick bags means he can turn a game on its head. He‘s filled out for his age, and for a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, he‘s going to become a fan favourite with his passionate approach. Ideally, he‘ll have to strip some weight to bring about his agility, allowing him to roam further up the ground which needs improvement. In turn, this will aid his ability to recover form a contest. He won‘t be someone who comes on right away, so be prepared for a few years of development.
Skippos
Pick 21 - Contested Marking KPF
Range: 5-30
Style: Travis Cloke
Comparison: Ryan Willits
Reece McKenzie is perhaps the most divisive player in the crop. Having not played football during his bottom age year, focusing on basketball instead, he came into 2014 with less runs on the board. This year he's been the best performed KPF in the TAC cup, kicking several huge bags while also doing the same for Marcellin. At 196cm and 100kg the query with him is whether his performances are through skill or size. His contested marking is fantastic. He crashes packs and takes massive pack marks. One on one he's able to use his size to force opponents out of the contest. He's able to read the flight of the ball well. Despite his size he's reasonable on the lead taking the ball out in front but requires a long lead as he's slow to accelerate though top speed isn't an issue. His size is predominantly efficient size with lots of it muscle. He's got a good solid leap and some real power through the legs. He's one of the few prospects who could be a genuine #1 power forward.
McKenzie isn't a great playmaker with his footskills average along with his set shot. At ground level he doesn't have much impact with his following up poor and his effort at ground level average. He lacks agility and awareness with his back to goal. His performances this year have been against weakened teams and he hasn't really dominated the good teams and opponents to the same level.
Upside is the concern with McKenzie. His development curve so far has been steep with his progress going from not having played in 2013 to being TAC cup standard early 2014 to being dominant late. Normally this indicates real upwards potential but I'm rather cynical. He's a bit of a one trick pony and at AFL level he's not going to have that size advantage. His ceiling is like a slightly lower level Cloke or Hawkins however there's a good chance he could end up like Ryan Willits who's shared a similar career path thus far.
Evaluation of his prospects: McKenzie's going to take a long time to really hit his straps so either way we're going to have to wait to see which way he goes. I'd say it's around 50/50 as to whether he makes it or not.
Bulldogs
22 KF
A key forward at number 22, there must be something wrong with him. That really depends on who you talk to. Positives are he has kicked large bags of goals in the TAC, he can run 2.88 secs for 20 metres, he is a very strong mark, and he is a very big boy.
Negatives he doesn‘t have a natural understanding of the game, he needs to learn when and how to use that speed. He doesn‘t have a big tank and his recovery, 2nd efforts aren‘t good, and his opponents will run off him.
He has a champion to learn the art of forward play from and once in the AFL system his general fitness will certainly improve. He will be given game time in 2015.
Personally I think Richardson will be rubbing his hands together just waiting to get hold of these 2 boys. If they both come on as I expect them to do, along with Petracca and some of last year‘s recruits they could turn around St Kilda a lot quicker than a lot of people think.
Bound for Glory
Written 5 August
Position: Key forward/ruckman
Player comparison: Travis Cloke
Strengths: Contested marking, running patterns, dominates games
Areas needing improvement: Goal kicking consistency, temperament
Reece McKenzie will take the AFL by storm. He‘s been kicking bags of goals since 16 years of age, when he kicked 10 for Marcellin in the A-Team.
His marking is unbelievable: no defender can beat him for strength in the TAC Cup, he has enough acceleration on the lead to constantly turn a one-metre advantage into two on the lead and his running patterns are unpredictable, but intelligent.
The sum of all the parts means he could easily be one of the best key forwards this year, but he struggles to put it all together.
McKenzie is stronger than anyone in this draft class. He is a man mountain, yet he seems to be able to move well and find the ball up the field. His disposal average of 11 is strongly affected by his down games.
When he is playing poorly, he barely finds the footy. McKenzie averages a tick under six marks per game, which shows how hard he works to get himself into the game. What is even scarier is his contested marking: he has three per game.
When on song, McKenzie looks as though he has as much talent and dominance as Patrick McCartin. However, what separates the two is goal kicking.
Against the Eastern Ranges earlier this year, McKenzie kicked 1.4 with one out on the full. He had nine marks – three of those contested – and he added 18 hitouts. He was unstoppable that day, but he just kept missing.
His mental demons really got the better of him. I interviewed him early in the year, and he said that because he has such a high expectation of himself, he can get frustrated when he isn‘t playing well, which can really throw him off his game. That will get better with maturity.
Fast forward a few months, and McKenzie took on the Ranges again. This time, he kicked 10.4 from his 19 disposals and 13 marks (eight of those contested). Clearly, his best is unstoppable. His goal tally of 26 in eight games is okay, but he must learn how to kick straight.
His father, Warren McKenzie, played in Carlton‘s 1987 premiership. However, Warren didn‘t play 100 games, and thus McKenzie is on the open market. The Blues have had their eyes on him since he was 16. At that stage, he was an elite basketballer.
This year marks his first season at TAC Cup level, although he had been part of the Northern Knights since the under 16s. The Blues have a strong interest in McKenzie, but his 10 goal game may take him from being a late second rounder into a possible top 25 selection.
Daniel McKenzie
Height: 183 cm, Weight: 77 kg, DOB: 17/05/1996
Club: Oakleigh Chargers
Position: Midfielder, small defender
U18 Statistics
2014: http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196134428&client=1-3020-111727-294694-20320284
Draft Combine
2nd – Agility results
3rd – Running vertical jump
4th – Repeat sprints
7th – 3km time trial
Highlights
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-15/draft-prospect-daniel-mckenzie
Chris25Pick 39 Pick 33
Ants – not entirely relevant to D. Mckenzie, but interesting
I'm not a huge fan of this draft pool. Look to be plenty of solid B grade players, but maybe lacking a touch of that top end talent. But the Bulldogs are reasonably well placed, as they should be able to draft for needs in the second and third round. And with a fairly talented young midfield, getting some role players in wont necessarily be a bad thing.
With 27 and 28, it would probably be a case of who is still available. Either take the best available slider regardless of position, or the best available outside midfielder. At a guess, Nakia Cockatoo or particularly Jarrod Garlett would be high on your list. Otherwise, the likes of Oleg Markov and Connor Menadue for some of those picks could be available. Damien Cavka, Daniel McKenzie and Declan Hamilton are others.
KnightmarePick 26, #38 talent Pick 26, #31 talent
Q: who would be the best three users by foot?
Caleb Daniel, Jayden Short and Daniel McKenzie are my three best and for completely different reasons….. McKenzie is efficient but also penetrating. Doesn't always unload the long kick but he can kick is 60m and do damage when given the time and space.
Def/Mid
Draft range: 15-45
Best position/role: Half back flank.
Strengths:
Athleticism – McKenzie is one of the standout athletes in this draft testing in the top 10 for agility, running vertical jump, repeat sprints and the 3km time trial. McKenzie frequently uses his pace in game to break the lines and provide meaningful run and carry with ball in hand.
Defensive ability - He also uses his athleticism well defensively and it allows him to restrict the influence of his direct opponent by being able to stay with them not only for pace, in the air and also around the ground. He also runs back strongly in transition as one of the best transition runners in this draft.
Footskills – McKenzie is one of the elite kicks in this draft. He has a long penetrating kick and over a variety of distances can hit his targets lace out. He kicks it out in front of leading players, guiding them to where he wants them to lead to give them the easiest possible uncontested marks. He is capable at times of delivering low, hard daggers for kicks that can get to their destination quickly. He also is a highly efficient kick and while he is damaging, he also is a consistent kick, mostly connecting sweetly on his kicks.
Vision and decision making ability – McKenzie has elite vision and consistently finds the best targets up the ground. He can find targets inside 50 lace out consistently for easy marks but then also finds long targets up the ground and executes and hits them no problem.
Intercept marking – McKenzie reads the flight of the ball well and in the back half is a very good intercept mark, and makes good decisions as to when he can peel off his opponent to take the intercept mark.
Versatility – McKenzie while best suited on a back flank is also as required capable on a forward flank or through the midfield. He can also play a variety of different roles and down back he is not only effective as a rebounder but also can close down his direct opponents influence.
Weaknesses:
Offensive influence – McKenzie does not every week have as noticeable of an offensive influence on the outcome as he should as someone with his linebreaking ability and footskills with only some meaningful possessions each game, though as the season he has improved at this and become more damaging more often.
Easy outside ball – At this stage McKenzie does not find as much easy outside ball as he should and out of the back half and as a link man needs to find more space and find more ways to get his hands on it more as he is someone who can at times do damage with ball in hand.
Slow start to the season – Over the first half of the season McKenzie‘s performances were mild at best but as the season progressed he worked his way into the season and started to find the ball more often as he played more in the back half.
What I expect will improve:
McKenzie I imagine will look to kick his hurt factor up a gear in the AFL system, look to find more of the ball and look to influence games offensively more often.
Who he can become?
McKenzie although slightly less damaging has the scope to develop into something like Aaron Mullett as a similarly damaging back flanker.
When will he be ready to play?
McKenzie from season two I imagine will start to push for some senior games and come season three I expect he will be looking to establish himself as a regular part of a best 22.
How to best utilise him?
McKenzie is best utilised across a back flank.
Interpretation of his numbers:
McKenzie‘s numbers over the first half of the season were unimpressive but over the second half he started to find more of the ball. He would benefit from finding more uncontested ball with his uncontested ball numbers lower than they could be. His disposal efficiency and kicking efficiency is very good. His marks per game numbers of the second half of the season were very good. His tackles per game numbers are strong by position.
Paige Cardonas
Pick 60
Position: Midfielder
Projected Draft Range: 50 – rookie
Plays like: George Horilin-Smitth
A player who has a knack of finding another gear in big games, Daniel McKenzie has averaged just the 15 disposals throughout the home and away season. However, he made a big statement in the first qualifying final, notching 20 disposals, four marks and three tackles against Geelong in the Chargers‘ one-point win, and was named Oakleigh‘s best player in the Grand Final. He rates among the best in terms of his tackling, marking and transition running. Although he doesn‘t bob up too often on the scoreboard, he is the type of grinding midfielder that has nearly unmatched athleticism, rating elite in terms of his speed, endurance and agility. McKenzie also has an above average leap, allowing him to play taller than what he is across several positions across the ground. On the burst he‘s unstoppable, but consistency and remaining in the game over four quarters the areas that require improvement – which, to McKenzie‘s credit, he is working on. He finished inside the top 10 at the combine in the 3 km time trial, agility test, repeat sprints and the running vertical jump.
Skippos
Pick 30 Athletic midfielder/small back
Range: 40-rookie
Style: Paul Duffield
Daniel McKenzie is someone who'll be drafted not on what he's done, but what he could turn into. He's athletically exceptional in nearly every regard, with his speed, leap, agility and endurance all top notch. His acceleration is a particular highlight with his ability to create space fantastic. He's a hard worker who maintains a defensive presence throughout games. While his numbers this season haven't been huge, he's shown improvement throughout the season and at a rate strong enough to indicate he can continue to improve at a high rate. His finals performances have been good. He still has a lot to work on but with the natural athletic traits he has, he'll be given the opportunity to make the best of himself.
Evaluation of his prospects: McKenzie has shown enough improvement each week throughout the year to give some confidence that it'll continue and he'll make the grade. His athletic qualities are exciting and he seems to have the footballing ability to back that up.
Peter Bampton
Height: 182 cm, Weight: 83 kg, DOB: 15/04/1996
Club: Norwood
Position: Midfielder
U18 Statistics
?
Draft Combine
n/a
Highlights
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-16/draft-prospect-peter-bampton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-VZWfkKgNQ
Chris25
40. midfielder
KnightmarePick 29, #18 talent Pick 47, #21 talent
Mid
Draft range: 15-40
Best position/role: Midfield – on the ball.
Strengths
Inside game – Bampton‘s point of difference is his inside game. He is a terrific inside extractor as someone who consistently wins the contested ball and then gives it off to outside runners by hand. He is clean by hand and has the composure inside to find his targets and the best targets inside the contest. He goes in harder than anyone else into the contest showing real aggression and a hard attack on the ball and will consistently win the ground balls. He does all the off the ball work delivering hard bumps and shepherding as applicable. When he tackles guys, he really tackles them with ferocity. He has the strength over the ball where he will not get knocked off it showing the strength to beat more mature competition to the contested ball.
Aggression – Bampton consistently demonstrates a hard edge inside the contest and really attacks every contest with a real hard intent to win the footy, he buries guys in his tackles and will deliver hard bumps around the contest.
Immediate impact – Having performed and performed exceptionally well against men at SANFL league level in 2013 and early 2014 it can reasonably be expected that Bampton can play regular senior AFL games from season one.
Strength – Has good strength in the contest really barrelling through at force and has good AFL weight already on his frame at 83kg.
Endurance – Runs all day and gets to every contest, runs a 15+ beep.
Off the ball work – Bampton frequently when involved inside the contest will give it off by hand and then look to put in a hard bump on opposition players to let them know that he is there. He is also willing to bump around the field and shepherd as appropriate.
Ability to draw free kicks - Bampton has shown a real knack for drawing free kicks as someone who can draw high tackles and by going in lower and harder than others into the contest.
Skillset – By hand Bampton is terrific and is an excellent inside extractor finding the outside runners and in congestion choosing the best option consistently, showing real composure with ball in hand and summing up his options well. By foot while not overly penetrating or damaging he is a mostly safe but efficient kick who shows a willingness to lower his eyes and find the best targets. By foot he is also a relatively good kick into the forward 50 as someone who for leading targets will kick it out in front of them to lead onto. By hand and foot whether in space or congestion Bampton makes the right decisions and it all shows with his excellent disposal efficiency at SANFL league level. Bampton has clean hands and rarely fumbles.
Weaknesses
Outside game – Bampton while an efficient user of the footy is not likely to do much damage outside the contest as not an overly penetrating kick or a threat to break the lines. He also does not find a whole lot of outside ball as a genuine inside player at this stage doing his best work and finding most of his footy inside at this point. He will need to learn where to run and more frequently find the open spaces to present as more of an option around the ground.
Athleticism – As an athlete while Bampton gets by and moves sufficiently well to adjust seamlessly to play at the next level he is not a threat to break the lines, sidestep guys or outleap anyone in game.
Ability forward of centre – Bampton can occasionally sneak forward and hit the scoreboard but at this stage it is not a feature of his game.
What I expect will improve: I expect the natural improvement of Bampton‘s inside game to continue and to become more and more dominant. I also anticipate Bampton makes going forward and having an impact a more prominent component to his game. While he likely never becomes overly proficient outside the contest I anticipate Bampton will with time begin to find more outside ball.
Who he can become? I see Bampton developing into a player of similar style and quality to Tom Liberatore as that hard but high level contested ball winner.
When will he be ready to play? Bampton is ready to play and play well from his first season and if healthy he is capable of debuting in round one if the opportunity is there given his proven performance over the past two seasons at SANFL League level. How to best utilise him? Bampton is best utilised as an on the ball through the midfield.
Interpretation of his numbers: SANFL League numbers these past couple of seasons through the midfield have been outstanding. His contested ball winning numbers are excellent. His disposal efficiency is good. He has shown that he can draw free kicks to a high standard. And he has shown that he can consistently win the contested ball against strong competition and be among the dominant midfielders on the ground which are all signs suggesting he can play right away.
Paige Cardonas
Pick 59
Position: Midfielder
Projected draft range: 20-60
Playes Like: Tom Liberatore
I‘m not quite sold by the comparison of Peter Bampton to that of Luke Dunstan, and the view of some that he is a top 20 prospect couldn‘t be further off. Yes, Bampton is a thick, burly lad who has more senior experience than any other draftee available. However, for all the hustle and bustle of his contested ball and ability to steamroll through congestion with three guys hanging off his back like a pack horse, he has a limited ceiling in terms of his growth as a player. He‘s got really smooth, clean hands and is a contested beast who can be relied upon to be that man to win the hard ball, and does have some toe – however, for me, that‘s where it stops. Where does his improvement come from? He‘s a one trick pony, no matter how damn good the trick is. In a day and age where versatility is king, Bampton just doesn‘t have any. He lacks penetration and polish by foot, and doesn‘t spread to win the outside ball as much as he should, and he isn‘t a goal kicker. I cannot fault his inside game which is strongly likened to the way Tom Liberatore plays, but whilst there are other inside players who have either speed or versatility to go alongside that grunt role, it‘s where Bampton tumbles down the order. He‘ll be fantastic for a club that just wants that inside role, as his application is first class.
Skippos
Pick 31 - Bullocking inside midfielder
Range: Top 25
Style: Brad Crouch/Ben Cunnington
Comparison: Luke Dunstan
Peter Bampton is a big bodied inside mid who should be ready to go season one not dissimilar to Luke Dunstan. Not only is he a high level extractor and clearance winner but his effort to win the ball is unparalleled. His burst speed is good with his ability to create space and distribute by hand reasonable. He’s a powerful mover and someone who when he hits, it hurts. His agility and evasion is underrated and on occasion he shows shades of Brad Crouch with ball in hand. He’s got elite endurance and impacts most contests. His performances in the SANFL both in 2013 and 2014 have been to a very high standard.
Bampton by foot isn’t incredibly great. Normally the ball gets where he wants it to go but he’s not someone whose hands you want the ball in. On occasion he blindly bombs it long out of the contest. He has an ability to find outside ball but needs to work on this more. His courage may cause him trouble through his career with his ruthless attack putting him at a much higher risk of injury.
Bampton should replicate Luke Dunstan’s impact in his first season. He doesn’t have as smooth a running style and isn’t as solid by foot but on the inside he’s more powerful and has a better burst. Ben Cunnington is perhaps his ceiling, with his ability to dominate games on the inside excellent but he just lacks versatility and other tricks.
Evaluation of his prospects: Bampton is a sure fire bet to make the grade. He’s got the readymade game to impact early and keep his spot for a long career - the peak is just the question. Perhaps he lacks the strings to his bow to ever be top tier quality.
Emma Quayle
AFL biography: Hard running, strong bodied medium midfielder with an appetite for the contest. Has played senior football over the past couple of seasons for Norwood before injuring his ankle and missing the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Has an excellent ability to extract the footy from the stoppage and run hard forward. Averaging 19 disposals and three clearances at senior SANFL level.
Brenton Phillips, SANFL: "He just hasn’t been able to get going because of injury, unfortunately. He had a bad shoulder and a bit of a foot or ankle problem so he couldn’t get a run at the national championships and he would have been in our leadership group if not our captain. He’s a quality individual who has a real team and club focus. He’s worthy of a spot on a list. The question mark is his ability to cover the ground and spread from a contest, but he’s a very good inside player."
Aceman
Id probably take Bampton, just think he has a bit more upside than Wilson. Bampton has had his injuries but he is a very smart footballer for someone his age and I reckon he could have a real crack at it. All the people at Norwood still reckon at the same age he was more advanced than Aish and Dumont.If Essendon can only pick up one of Bampton or Wilson, who would you choose?
I heard someone rated Bampton better than Aish at the same age, before he got injured.
I love Wilson though for his raw excitement, would love to see him in an AFL environment and see what he is capable of. Chatting to a few hierachy at the club and they dont think Wilson will get picked up. They think Bampton, Panos and Baulderstone are the best bets
Q:Yo Aceman what do you think Bampton? Parker type? Some phantom draft I saw said he might fall into our lap.
A: Had a bad ankle injury which forced him to miss a couple of months this year but the kid is a jet. Just missed our GF side as a 17yo last year. Inside mid with a with a strong build. Bit shorter than Wines but similar build and ability to break tackles. Good disposal as well, would be one of the best out of SA this year
I really hope Bampton somehow gets to us, would slot straight in from round 1, very much in the Wines mould, strongly built lad who busts tackles with ease. Some concern over his injury early this year which means he may drop down the order
Completely forgot that Bampton has only turned 17 in April so that would mean he is ineligible for draft this year. Another year in Norwood’s league side next year is a scary prospect, the kid is a unitBampton being touted as next year’s number 1 pick isn’t he? Think I remember them gushing over him as a 16 year old in the foxtel cup a few months ago.Trent Dumond from Norwood would be a shoe in considering he has nearly played all year in our league side and doesnt look out of place against guys with 200 games experience. Peter Bampton is another from Norwood, called the man child, only 17 but built like Adonis, when he bumps or tackles players they stay down, not scared of anythingWho tested the best getting the hard ball against hardened men,surely they should have a test for that.
Pretty sure he’s 26 years old or something. Skills are obviously going to be more refined than those of 18 year olds and at 26 you’d think he’■■■■■ his ceiling.Any chance Chris Cain is a forward pocket goalsneak? Did well in the goalkicking and clean hands testing.
Jackson Nelson
Height: 187 cm, Weight: 80 kg, DOB: 15/03/1996
Club: Geelong Falcons
Position: Midfielder, Defender
U18 Statistics
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196055723&client=1-3020-111704-294694-20320268
Draft Combine
n/a
Highlights
http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-13/jackson-nelson-highlights
Chris25Pick 21 Pick 26
Position: Midfielder, Defender
When you're talking about underrated players, it's not very often a member of the AIS/AFL Academy will be mentioned. But that's exactly the case with Jackson Nelson. Tall midfielders seems to be all the rage, but he isn't mentioned. Arguably one of the more consistent performers in this draft pool, Nelson just seems to do his thing every week and typically to not much fanfare. He reminds me a bit of Nick Vlastuin in that regard. Everyone knows he is a good player, yet they get distracted by whatever flashier player comes along. But at the end of the day, which player will remain standing? My money is on Nelson. The likes of Laverde and DeGoey are climbing the draft boards every week, but Nelson remains an afterthought.
At TAC Cup and U18 Championship level, Nelson has proven himself as a quality half back and inside midfielder. There is a strong argument to make in regards to him being the best half back in the draft in fact. But back to 2013 for now, and Nelson was a strong performer for both Geelong Falcons and Vic Country as a 17 year old. Playing in 12 TAC Cup games, he averaged around 17 disposals - particularly strong in terms of handball receives and uncontested marking. Playing off half back he provided a lot of run, working up the ground to link up with his inside midfielders. Nelson looked good doing so, and continued on with that form for Vic Country in four matches. Not quite as many possessions, but a disposal efficiency of around 76% highlighted the impact he could have. But as you'd hope, Nelson has taken the next step in 2014 and has stamped himself as one of the best players at the talented Geelong Falcons. Consistently winning 20+ disposals a match, Nelson has become a bigger part of the midfield rotations while still remaining in his customary half back position. Again, he is taking lots of marks in defence and running hard up the ground. His tackling pressure has been really good too, he tackles hard and had a massive 12 tackles just this weekend. For Vic Country this year, he was perhaps more solid than spectacular. His best game came against South Australia with 21 disposals, 5 tackles, 2 clearances and a goal. While other players may have caught the eyes of viewers, Nelson did nothing to hurt his draft stocks at all.
And as I said before, Nelson may well be the best half back in the draft - and that should not be underestimated when it comes to draft day. Every club is looking for that position. And Nelson ticks a lot of boxes. From his size and versatility to play either tall or small, to his disposal and work rate. He's a good clean player, and a smart one at that. He seems to read the play well, and knows when to attack and when to defend. A lot of the time he is probably the type of player you wont notice much, and that's a good thing. His kicking is neat over a distance, although not elite. And the same can be said for his speed, he might not burn off players chasing him but he in turn wont get burnt off by the smaller forwards either. His versatility to play in the midfield is another positive. It's possible that teams may consider developing him as a midfielder first and foremost, but personally I'd be happy just with having him part of the rotations.
If he were to play more in the midfield though, his offensive game will need to improve quite a bit. The modern midfielder needs to kick goals, and Nelson has only kicked about 3 in two years - and that's TAC Cup and U18 Championships combined. He is good at setting play up offensively from the back lines, but hasn't really shown much in terms of finishing off plays himself. But otherwise, it's just a case of developing his inside midfield game and continuing to improve defensively. He is a good rebounder, but hasn't been forced to play one on one quite as much in the TAC Cup as he will at AFL level.
So where does he sit in terms of draft range? Personally, I'd be surprised to see him drop out of the first round. But conservatively, I'd put a 10-25 range on Jackson Nelson. The likes of Nick Vlastuin and David Myers are two players I'd consider to be similar to Nelson in style. And while he might not be getting a lot of attention by phantom drafters, I don't expect the same would be true when it comes to the professionals.
KnightmarePick 73 Pick 50
Range: 30-rookie
Profile: Promising midfielder/back flanker.
Paige Cardonas
Pick 31
Position: Defender/midfielder
Projected draft range: 12-35
Player comparison: Nick Vlaustin
Best described as a rudder in defence, Jackson Nelson is a steely defender-■■■-midfielder who relishes the hard side of the game. Not too dissimilar to Richmond‘s Nick Vlastuin in his attack on the ball and the man, Nelson is a tackling machine who rates among the best for marks, contested possessions and pressure acts. On top of this, Nelson also has enough polish on the outside to operate at an average of 70 per cent disposal efficiency. Rated incredibly highly at the Geelong Falcons, Nelson doesn‘t have romantic traits like a Paul Ahern or Jayden Laverde, but he is just as effective if not more well-rounded, doing so without fuss. Averaging 22 high-quality disposals in the TAC Cup, Nelson‘s best traits include his work rate, his defensive pressure, repeat efforts, gut running and most obviously his tackling, at an average of 6.2 per game for the Falcons.
Skippos
Pick 34 - Hard nosed midfielder/defender
Range: Top 40
Style: James Kelly
Comparison: Nick Vlastuin
Jackson Nelson is one of those players who doesn't really grab your attention when watching. He's a low flash kind of player but does all the right things. As a result he's kind of slipped under the radar a bit. Having a quiet game in round 5 of the championships and being concussed in the second quarter of round 6 in the televised championships games mightn't have helped, to be fair. Nelson is able to play through the middle or off half back and he plays both to a high standard. He's got a nice height and really nice frame which helps him win his own ball but he's also a really handy user of the ball with both feet on the outside with and decision making and vision are nice.
Athletically he's not elite but he's still quick and agile with his lateral movement a highlight. Down back he's able to play an accountable brand of football while also having the confidence to zone off if needed. While his kicking isn't elite it holds up in traffic and under pressure and as such he's a very capable user under any circumstance off the back flank. He's already got a fairly mature body and with a wide frame he can likely develop further and really become a physically imposing type. A low flash but high substance and someone you can bank on to work hard and perform an honest role at AFL level wherever that be and become a staple of a 22; the kind of player a coach loves. He projects as a less skilled version of Nick Vlastuin.
Evaluation of his prospects: Nelson looks a safe bet to make the grade and should remain a role player for most of his career. He's a lesser chance than most players picked in the 30s to flop but doesn't seem to have that ceiling that some have either.
Bound for Glory
Written 6 August
Position: Defender/midfielder
Strengths: Tackling, marking, clearances machine, contested ball-winner, versatility.
Weaknesses: Speed
Player comparison: Nick Vlastuin
A picture of consistency and versatility, Jackson Nelson continues to float under the radar and could very well launch himself into first round contention, according to draft experts.
Although Nelson doesn‘t have any flashy traits or romantic tricks that make him a stand out like a Jayden Laverde or Paul Ahern, the no-frills defender-■■■-midfielder is just as affective, if not more rounded and does it all without fuss.
Nelson has a great mixture of aggression and poise, not too dissimilar player to that of Nick Vlaustin when he was drafted. He is a defender who gravitates to an inside midfielder, Nelson plays either position equally well and is rated high internally at the Geelong Falcons.
As a bottom-aged prospect in 2013, he was utilised in both positions averaging 17 disposals at 67 per cent disposal efficiency, but as expected he has this year made the next step in his development, averaging 22 disposals so far for the Falcons in his top-age year.
Although his appearances at the National Championships weren‘t overly flattering, his best came against eventual title-winners, South Australia gathering 21 disposals, five tackles, two clearances and one goal.
In terms of his strengths, his intensity and repeat efforts are a stand out. His work rate is massive, and he is vocal and leads by example out on the field. nelson isn‘t afraid to put his body on the line, and his tackling pressure is trait that really sounds out his defensive capabilities, averaging a whopping 6.2 tackles per game at TAC Cup level this year.
His football smarts is another attribute worth mentioning – he isn‘t fooled into getting sucked in a player trying to dart around him. He watches hip movements then really corrals and pressures players into ultimately coughing up the ball, whether that‘s via the boundary line or a direct turnover. He understands when to play his man close, and when to peel off to impact another contest or swoop on a loose ball. It‘s for that reason that clubs are wary of Nelson becoming an attacking option, which forces the opposition to find a player who can also play him accountable.
Rating highly in terms of disposal efficiency at a fraction over 70 per cent, Nelson‘s marking game is also fantastic, averaging 5.2 marks per game. He runs hard to always present an option, can cut off forward entries with an intercept mark, as well as mark up around the flanks, through the middle and on a wing.
I rate him particularly highly across half back, which is what I believe to be his best position is at the next level. He has variety in that role, playing small to medium, lock down, rebounding or loose. He picks off marks, repels attacks and takes the game on.
His contested game is incredible, in fact against the Northern Knights he collected nine clearances and 15 contested possessions in a complete game earlier in the season.
Although Nelson‘s kicking doesn‘t have a whole lot of depth to it, he does enough to get from A to B, so to speak. He doesn‘t possess that line-breaking speed, but has quickness over his first few steps to create enough separation to take possession and give himself enough time and space to find a target.
What you see is what you get with Nelson. An honest, hard working footballer who is more likely to wear black boots rather than fluorescent ones. A player who dumps opponents into the turf and has a fearless approach. His resilient mental edge that means he gets the best out of himself as well as his team mates around him.
Some awesome efforts mate keep it up
I’ll try and add Blakely, Garlett and Marchbank over the weekend.
The real problem is now that some are speculating that guys like Wright, Weller or Ahern might make us, I’ll have to do them too! At some stage. While they were safely near the top of the order wasn’t going to bother. Still might not. And now Knightmare has De Goey going at #5. Grrrr.
De Goeyng at #5?
Knightmare also saying he'd rather have 17 and 20 than pick 5 (darcy moore technically doesn't count). That's how even it is after the top few.
Could explain why GWS didn’t trade for pick #1. The issue with drafts like that is it gives the guy with #17 and #20 two cracks, but often it means there will be a lot of misses in the top 25.
Yep.De Goeyng at #5?
Hi Ants, do you have any comment on Liam Duggan.
There are big wraps for him around our Town, as he is a local boy. Some say he is better than Nick Suban at Freo, our last draftee.
Seems like a good kid, young at 17, but 183 cm and quick.
Hi Ants, do you have any comment on Liam Duggan.
There are big wraps for him around our Town, as he is a local boy. Some say he is better than Nick Suban at Freo, our last draftee.
Seems like a good kid, young at 17, but 183 cm and quick.
would be an awesome pick up
the way he moves reminds me of Zerrett
but position wise Zerrett is a mid/forward, Duggan mid/back
I want him
From Inside Footy:
1. ST KILDA – Christian Petracca | Eastern Ranges
It‘s a line-ball call but the Saints opt for the powerful midfielder in the hope that he can form a dynamic unit with Dunstan, Steven and Billings.
In the mix: Patrick McCartin
2. MELBOURNE – Angus Brayshaw | Sandringham Dragons
Melbourne coach Paul Roos is an unabashed fan of the Dragons‘ ball magnet and he fits the bill perfectly as a big-bodied inside midfielder.
In the mix: N/A
3. MELBOURNE – Patrick McCartin | Geelong Falcons
Still in the mix for No.1, but shouldn‘t fall any further than here. Teamed with Jesse Hogan, they‘d form a formidable forward pairing for a decade.
In the mix: Jake Lever
4. GWS GIANTS – Jayden Laverde | Western Jets
If GWS wants the dynamic Jets‘ utility, they will need to nab him before the Magpies pounce with the following pick.
In the mix: Jake Lever
5. COLLINGWOOD – Jordan De Goey | Oakleigh Chargers
The Pies could go any number of ways but after drafting some smaller types in recent years, De Goey‘s bigger frame would be a decided asset.
In the mix: Paul Ahern, Lachie Weller
6. GWS GIANTS – Jake Lever | Calder Cannons
Despite missing the entire year, Lever‘s stocks are still very high. He could go as high as No.3 but is a great fit as an intercept defender.
In the mix: N/A
7. GWS GIANTS – Hugh Goddard | Geelong Falcons
Many see Goddard as a late first-round pick, but GWS has done a mountain of work on him and can‘t afford to hope he falls to its next pick at No.23.
In the mix: Jarrod Pickett, Paul Ahern
8. GOLD COAST – Jarrod Pickett | South Fremantle
The Suns aren‘t far away from announcing themselves as genuine contenders and Pickett‘s run and creativity would be a great addition.
In the mix: Kyle Langford, Lachie Weller
9. COLLINGWOOD (F/S) – Darcy Moore | Oakleigh Chargers
As much as they tried to play it down, Moore was never going to be overlooked by the Magpies and is a potential star at either end of the ground.
In the mix: N/A
10. GEELONG – Peter Wright | Calder Cannons
The Cats traded up from No.14 late in the trade period to improve their hopes of nabbing a player who falls down the order. Despite an abundance of talls – each with injury concerns, Wright could be that player.
In the mix: Jordan De Goey, Liam Duggan
11. WEST COAST – Lachie Weller | Southport
The Eagles have been crying out for some outside class and Weller provides that in spades – at both half forward and in the midfield.
In the mix: Connor Blakely, Jarrod Pickett, Nakia Cockatoo
12. RICHMOND – Liam Duggan | Western Jets
The Tigers could be spoilt for choice with the majority of their target all still available. In the end the classy Western Jet is their pick.
In the mix: Lachie Weller, Nakia Cockatoo
13. FREMANTLE – Sam Durdin | West Adelaide
Durdin was rated as a top three pick early in the year and is great value for a team needing to replenish its key position stocks.
In the mix: Hugh Goddard
14. ADELAIDE – Brayden Maynard | Sandringham Dragons
Possibly a slight reach, but after just missing Maynard as a father-son, they take the punt and not risk waiting to their second round selection.
In the mix: Sam Durdin, Caleb Marchbank
15. GOLD COAST – Kyle Langford | Northern Knights
The needs of other clubs see Langford – a target at No.8, still being available at the Suns next selection. An easy choice for Scott Clayton!
In the mix: Nakia Cockatoo, Jarrod Garlett
16. NORTH MELBOURNE – Nakia Cockatoo | NT Thunder
Cockatoo spent a week at North as part of the AIS AFL Academy and they loved what they saw. If his foot is OK, this pick will prove to be a steal.
In the mix: Paul Ahern, Jarrod Garlett
17. ESSENDON – Paul Ahern | Calder Cannons
Ahern‘s best is as good as any, but his inconsistency sees him drop into the grateful hands of the Bombers. A nice surprise for Adrian Dodoro and co.
In the mix: Jarrod Garlett, Tom Lamb
18. SYDNEY SWANS (A/S) – Isaac Heeney | Cardiff
Some have Heeney as the best midfielder in the draft, so for the Swans to land him at No.18 is bordering on criminal – just ask Ed!
In the mix: N/A
19. CARLTON – Caleb Marchbank | Murray Bushrangers
The Blues will either go tall or for a running flanker. For now, Marchbank is the better prospect and will settle nicely into the Carlton defence.
In the mix: Jarrod Garlett
20. ESSENDON – Tom Lamb | Dandenong Stingrays
Like Ahern, Lamb‘s best is top shelf, but he has been flipped all over the field and the Bombers will hope settling into one position will allow him to flourish.
In the mix: Jarrod Garlett, Corey Ellis