Welcome to Essendon - there might be more last list spots…

Football Discussion Trade week Duursma head in
1

Probably best to take the info out of the AGM thread, it was getting very hard to follow.

We have one more list spot, confirmed at the AGM, which the club intends on filling at this moment, before the season starts. It was mentioned with this news that there will be a player trialing for this spot next week who comes from the NT. The blitz intel is suggesting this is either Ben Jungfer or Nigel Lockyer Jr.

Should this mystery player not get the gig, then they will keep looking at players to fill the void.

For me this is like finding an unopened present when your taking the Christmas tree down. I’m excited to see what we get.

26 Likes
2

I am very much hoping we go a Stack style pickup, not a vanilla standard pickup.

3 Likes
3

Well if it ends up being Lockyer, it’s exactly that, has serious potential. But how he will fair in the AFL system is the unknown.

He’s incredibly athletic, you know how the club the last 15 years talks about “oh he’s the best athlete at the club” and they are referring to time trials and aerobic capacity. He’s not that sort of athletic, he’s run super fast jump super high athletic, and he does it with a very solid 92kg frame.

13 Likes
4

What’s his “but”

And any info on Ben Jungfer?

5

23 year-old
6’1”
91kg
Geelong Grammar
Background in Lacrosse.

Oooooh, baby.

4 Likes
6

Doesn’t seem (?) to have taken footy particularly seriously until the last few years.

7

Why the secrecy around which player it is?

8

Don’t think it is secret, just hasn’t been announced yet.

9

I just think there is no offical announcement is all, plus it’s probably less pressure on the kid if they keep it quiet tbh. Which is a good way to handle a lad from that area to be fair

2 Likes
10

Hasn’t been chosen yet

2 Likes
11

Does he kick goals?

12

23 year old, but looks Jungfer his age.

63 Likes
13

“As a whole, Jungfer was arguably the most consistent NT player across the Academy series, averaging 22.6 disposals, 6.6 clearances and 5.2 tackles per game. His contested game is strong, averaging a mind boggling 16.2 contested possessions per game at a rate of 68.6 per cent.” Draft Central

9 Likes
14

Ben Jungfer

Height

185cm

Weight

75kg

Current Team

Allies, Northern Territory

Birthday

August 6, 2001

THE inside midfielder received a call-up to the Allies squad after a strong month with Northern Territory in the NAB League Boys Academy Series. He had no fear winning the ball at the coalface and is physically ready to match it with senior players. Jungfer also played for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL to gain some experience across two states given he boards at school in South Australia. As a whole, Jungfer was arguably the most consistent NT player across the Academy series, averaging 22.6 disposals, 6.6 clearances and 5.2 tackles per game. His contested game is strong, averaging a mind boggling 16.2 contested possessions per game at a rate of 68.6 per cent. All things considered, his kicking efficiency of 59.6 for the five games is quite impressive, and with less than a clanger by foot every game, is generally pretty reliable, even if he is forced to kick in rushed situations more often than not. Jungfer does have outside areas to build on such as his spread and scoreboard impact, because of his high volume of contested ball. He has become so prominent at it, he does not have as much versatility as some other midfielders, but is also well prepared for senior football given his attack on the ball. Overall, Jungfer showed enough consistency to earn a State Draft Combine invite and could develop into that hard-nosed inside midfielder with a fierce attack on the ball who could play any role for his side in that midfield group.

STRENGTHS: Inside game, defensive pressure, agility, clearances, consistency
IMPROVEMENTS: Spread, outside game, scoreboard impact

6 Likes
15

Nigel Lockyer Jnr

Height

186cm

Weight

92kg

Current Team

Northern Territory

Birthday

April 11, 2016

A versatile player with good skills, Lockyer has put on some size of late, having represented Northern Territory in both basketball and Australian rules football. He is a high-leaping talent at both ends, who recorded 87cm on the running vertical jump at the State Combine, and clocked up 2.93 seconds on the 20m sprint. He still has to build his fitness, but is a raw mature-age talent with confidence in his game. Since his impressive state combine outing, Lockyer returned home the very next day to play for Palmerston in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), booting three goals in consecutive outings and becoming a key cog in the Magpies’ setup. A player who rates his well-rounded game, Lockyer has continued to develop since his draft year to now be a genuine mature-aged prospect with good size. Lockyer Jnr represented Northern Territory in the TAC Cup back in 2016, averaging the 8.7 touches and three marks. Fast forward to 2019 and while he still averages just the 10 touches and 3.5 marks per game, he does it agains senior bodies and it is more his high impact per possession that catches the eye.

STRENGTHS: Acceleration, vertical leap, marking, size, skills
IMPROVEMENTS: Endurance, defensive pressure, accumulation

2 Likes
16

Ben Sokol

Height

184cm

Weight

88kg

Current Team

Subiaco

Birthday

October 28, 1995

A prominent goalkicker, Sokol finally earned a State Combine invitation after a sensational year of 60 goals in 20 games. He took 8.3 marks to go with his 14.5 touches in the WAFL for premiers Subiaco, including a bag of seven goals, and three bags of six majors. With some of the hauls he has caught the eye, but with a 3.30-second 20m sprint and 70cm running vertical leap, he has athletic areas to work on. The way Sokol can outmuscle his opponents is a feature of his game and very few can match him one-on-one and despite being undersized for a key forward, Sokol knows how to find space and then force an opponent to engage. On pure numbers alone, Sokol’s season has been remarkable, and for a club perhaps close to a flag, the recently turned 24-year-old could be an option to look at. Sokol really threw himself into the limelight winning the Bernie Naylor Medal for best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final, booting six goals in the 96-points smashing. He will need to develop other areas to win the ball at AFL level given the strength and smarts of opponents in the competition, but with a full pre-season under his belt in an elite system, Sokol could be a wildcard for a club.

STRENGTHS: Marking, scoreboard impact, consistency, strength
IMPROVEMENTS: Athleticism, multi-dimensional

Angus Baker

Height

191cm

Weight

86kg

Birthday

August 3, 1998

AFTER suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury a couple of years back, Baker has put together a couple of years of good work to emerge as a genuine mature-age option in this year’s draft. Stationed at half-back for Canberra Demons, Baker was an intercept machine, averaging 7.2 marks and 30.6 disposals in the NEAFL. Had an eye-opening 37 disposals, 15 marks and 10 inside 50s against NT Thunder. A number of clubs are keen on the readymade player who could also be released as a tall midfielder if need be. At the State Draft Combine, Baker recorded a 3.04-second 20m sprint which is not too bad for his size, and while his other athletic traits were not overly impressive, he still has strong impact in the air and is hard to bring down in tackles. He has a high hurt factor and of the mature-agers eligible, Baker might be one of the most likely to land at an AFL home given the interest and ability to have an immediate impact.

STRENGTHS: Intercept marking, rebounding, accumulation, hurt factor
IMPROVEMENTS: Versatility, agility

And, if we wanted to add some KPD depth

Ben Kelly

Height

203cm

Weight

100kg

Current Team

Allies, Murray Bushrangers

Birthday

February 17, 2000

THE overage ruck has played a bit of everywhere, having transitioned from a ruck role into a key defensive post, and pinch-hitting up forward this year. At 203cm and 100kg, Kelly is a readymade prospect with good size and strength, and is mobile for his giant frame. He does need to build his endurance with a sub-20 yo-yo test, as well as his defensive pressure at ground level, averaging just the 1.3 tackles per game. Kelly was one of a number of players whose name was raised for the mid-season draft, but instead he remained at Murray for the season and was fairly consistent throughout 2019. For a player of his size, Kelly uses the ball well with almost 70 per cent disposal efficiency, and speedy for his frame with a 3.05-second 20m sprint time. Most impressively, with a 88cm running vertical leap, Kelly is able to beat most players in the air, and have them covered at ground level. A legitimate value pick late/rookie with scope for the future.

STRENGTHS: Skills, speed, marking, vertical leap, consistency
IMPROVEMENTS: Endurance, defensive pressure

1 Like
17

Most well developed three year old I’ve ever seen. Imagine when he grows up. Absolute brute.

36 Likes
18

the kommer replacement @efc1robbo always wanted

1 Like
19

Call me crazy, but I don’t think we should have under-5s in the AFL. They need to develop some mental capacity first.

Look what happened with Dustin Martin.

10 Likes
20

Yikes.

5 Likes