BigFooty Official The 2013 BigFooty Phantom Draft

[Offsider]

Pick 5: Gold Coast Suns – Matthew Scharenberg​

Height: 190cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 18/09/1995​

Club: Glenelg (SA)​

​

Gold Coast pick up the second best player on my list in Matt Scharenberg. I am not sure at this stage where he will end up playing, as he looks like he could be an excellent third tall in defence, he can rotate forward and kick goals, and he is also capable of playing as tall midfielder. He will fit right in at Gold Coast with his class, skill, athleticism being put to good use as a third tall defender or medium rebounding defender from day 1 imo as he is a dominant two-way player. His form this year in the U18 champs was exceptional and highlighted all his skills, he played mainly as a half-back but also showed that he could perform at a high level off a wing and through the midfield. His form in the seniors at SANFL level has also been pretty decent and he has shown the ability to provide elite rebound and defensively he looks great. I expect that Scharenberg will start his career off at half-back and then move into the midfield, yet even if he stays at half-back he will still be an elite player imo and a future All Australian. He is the best medium sized half-back prospect to come along for a number of years (slightly ahead of Kolojashnij imo).​

​

Strengths​

• Versatility – Scharenberg can play most positions on the ground to a high level, he has shown the ability to play on both talls and smalls in defence, he is capable of playing forward and being a target. His midfield work is also very good and always improving.
• Overhead skills – Scharenberg is very strong overhead, his marking is great, and if played as a third tall I would be surprised if he did not become an excellent intercept marker. He is also pretty decent defensively one on one when the ball comes in to a contest and he is a good spoiler.
• Athleticism – He is one of the best all round athletes in this years draft class, his pace is above average (I wouldn’t expect him to be a line breaker however he provides excellent run from defence), he is very agile and steps round players well (his movement in traffic is exceptional), his vertical leap and power off the mark are similarly good. All in all Scharenberg is a smooth mover and athletically he should have no problems in the AFL.
• Reading of the play – Scharenberg reads the play very well, he picks up a lot of disposals in the back half, he spoils contests well as the third man up a lot, and runs the lines well. Scharenberg also has a lot of time with the footy and makes good decisions, his footy IQ is very good. He is also very composed under pressure and does not panic, along with his clean hands this could mean he could become a very good inside player.
• Defensive ability – Defensively Scharenberg looks to be an excellent prospect as a third tall type, he out played Jesse Hogan last year and has shown the ability to match up on taller types and win one on one contests. His intercept marking is the best in this years draft imo and he is very good when the ball hits the ground. His rebound out of defence is also top notch.
• Disposal – I actually rate Scharenberg’s disposal and the times I have seen him play he looks like his disposal by foot is reasonably good, although by no means elite. He generally makes excellent decisions although he can go safe on occasions.
• Consistency – Scharenberg is a consistent player, he always seems to perform each week and plays his role well. He seems to consistently rack up the disposals and this is impressive for a young kid.
• Clean Hands - Scharenberg is very clean below the knees, he rarely fumbles, is one touch and is quick to get the ball out of contests. This will be very important for him moving over to the AFL imo and will help him if he becomes a mid.

Weaknesses/ Areas of Improvement​

• Where is his best position and where will he end up? Will Scharenberg ever take the next step and become a dominant midfielder as he is capable of or will he grow an inch and hold down CHB, or will he just become a dominant medium defender.
• Inside ball winning ability – At this stage Scharenberg has not shown much in the way of inside clearance ball winning ability. Still he has a lot of potential and given that he has not played much inside mid, and the way that the game seems to slow down a lot when he has the footy. The basic skills are there for him to be good he just hasn't played a heap of footy as an inside mid.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Billings at two is a good choice.

Kelly is a sure thing and one of the very few this year but Billings just has something more to his game with his class and ability to provide a target up forward and hit the scoreboard. Just has a bit more special to his game and has that bit extra star quality to him.

I couldnt agree more Knighta.

I actually think Kelly is closer to 4 or 5 than 2. I would have Scharenburg in a heart beat over Kelly and to be perfectly honest KK is rising fast on my radar as well. I just have a couple of things that just push Kelly that spot or two lower.

I think this top 5 has some changes towards the end....always does.

 

[Snoop Dog]

This is all assuming that Billings transitions to the midfield though. If he does, yes, he's got that extra dimension; if he doesn't, then Billings is a classy medium forward and Kelly's a smooth operator through the midfield. I'd take a midfield Kelly over a forward Billings every day of the week. I'm still not convinced he'll become a midfielder.

If he does move into the midfield and improve on his defensive work then he'll be a better pick than Kelly, absolutely. As you said, Billings provides a smaller target in the forward line who can compete and mark the ball overhead and crumb goals, which is a great attribute for a midfielder to have. If he doesn't though he's just a medium forward not really worth pick 2 in my opinion. Still a very good forward but I think there are better options available there, assuming he doesn't.

My pick will go up shortly.

I'm betting he will. I dont have much doubt he is going to push into the middle. His rotations through there this year were very effective and his defensive aspects improved all year. There is no question he competes well for the ball on the ground so thats not going to be an issue for him. He also has elite vision and his lateral movement is as good as anyones in this draft bar a couple of others probably. I think he has all the tools but even is he stays at HF or HB for a bit and then pushes in I aint bothered. Either end he has genuine hurt factor and if he gets the motor for the middle then look out because he has a lot more hurt factor than most in this draft bar probably Boyd.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Pick 5: Gold Coast Suns – Matthew Scharenberg​

Height: 190cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 18/09/1995​

Club: Glenelg (SA)​

​

Gold Coast pick up the second best player on my list in Matt Scharenberg. I am not sure at this stage where he will end up playing, as he looks like he could be an excellent third tall in defence, he can rotate forward and kick goals, and he is also capable of playing as tall midfielder. He will fit right in at Gold Coast with his class, skill, athleticism being put to good use as a third tall defender or medium rebounding defender from day 1 imo as he is a dominant two-way player. His form this year in the U18 champs was exceptional and highlighted all his skills, he played mainly as a half-back but also showed that he could perform at a high level off a wing and through the midfield. His form in the seniors at SANFL level has also been pretty decent and he has shown the ability to provide elite rebound and defensively he looks great. I expect that Scharenberg will start his career off at half-back and then move into the midfield, yet even if he stays at half-back he will still be an elite player imo and a future All Australian. He is the best medium sized half-back prospect to come along for a number of years (slightly ahead of Kolojashnij imo).​

​

Strengths​

• Versatility – Scharenberg can play most positions on the ground to a high level, he has shown the ability to play on both talls and smalls in defence, he is capable of playing forward and being a target. His midfield work is also very good and always improving.
• Overhead skills – Scharenberg is very strong overhead, his marking is great, and if played as a third tall I would be surprised if he did not become an excellent intercept marker. He is also pretty decent defensively one on one when the ball comes in to a contest and he is a good spoiler.
• Athleticism – He is one of the best all round athletes in this years draft class, his pace is above average (I wouldn’t expect him to be a line breaker however he provides excellent run from defence), he is very agile and steps round players well (his movement in traffic is exceptional), his vertical leap and power off the mark are similarly good. All in all Scharenberg is a smooth mover and athletically he should have no problems in the AFL.
• Reading of the play – Scharenberg reads the play very well, he picks up a lot of disposals in the back half, he spoils contests well as the third man up a lot, and runs the lines well. Scharenberg also has a lot of time with the footy and makes good decisions, his footy IQ is very good. He is also very composed under pressure and does not panic, along with his clean hands this could mean he could become a very good inside player.
• Defensive ability – Defensively Scharenberg looks to be an excellent prospect as a third tall type, he out played Jesse Hogan last year and has shown the ability to match up on taller types and win one on one contests. His intercept marking is the best in this years draft imo and he is very good when the ball hits the ground. His rebound out of defence is also top notch.
• Disposal – I actually rate Scharenberg’s disposal and the times I have seen him play he looks like his disposal by foot is reasonably good, although by no means elite. He generally makes excellent decisions although he can go safe on occasions.
• Consistency – Scharenberg is a consistent player, he always seems to perform each week and plays his role well. He seems to consistently rack up the disposals and this is impressive for a young kid.
• Clean Hands - Scharenberg is very clean below the knees, he rarely fumbles, is one touch and is quick to get the ball out of contests. This will be very important for him moving over to the AFL imo and will help him if he becomes a mid.

Weaknesses/ Areas of Improvement​

• Where is his best position and where will he end up? Will Scharenberg ever take the next step and become a dominant midfielder as he is capable of or will he grow an inch and hold down CHB, or will he just become a dominant medium defender.
• Inside ball winning ability – At this stage Scharenberg has not shown much in the way of inside clearance ball winning ability. Still he has a lot of potential and given that he has not played much inside mid, and the way that the game seems to slow down a lot when he has the footy. The basic skills are there for him to be good he just hasn't played a heap of footy as an inside mid.

Quigley you have some competition this year. Between Offsider and Dannnnn there are some scribes amongst this years lot.

 

[Chris25]

I think my problem with Jack Billings, is that whenever someone describes what type of player they expect/hope him to develop into, they are actually describing what James Aish is now. Why not just take the real thing?

 

[Calcium Man]

I think my problem with Jack Billings, is that whenever someone describes what type of player they expect/hope him to develop into, they are actually describing what James Aish is now. Why not just take the real thing?

I call it the collingwood factor. With taking a few players earlier then expected i.e Pendles, Ried, the trade for Marley Williams, Broomhead and probably Bontempelli ect... they've picked up some superstar players with lots of upside. Other clubs and recruiters are now all trying to make that special pick and outsmarting themselves looking for glimpses of possible brilliance instead of whats right in front of their eyes.

Collingwood have one of the best development processes to go with the brilliance of Derek Hine. Teams like Melbourne, GWS and one or two others just end up outsmarting themselves.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I'm betting he will. I dont have much doubt he is going to push into the middle. His rotations through there this year were very effective and his defensive aspects improved all year. There is no question he competes well for the ball on the ground so thats not going to be an issue for him. Even is he stays at HF or HB for a bit and then pushes in. Either end he has genuine hurt factor and if he gets the motor for the middle then look out because he has a lot more hurt factor than most in this draft bar probably Boyd.

Perhaps I'm biased as a Bulldogs supporter as I just can't get Higgins out of my head every time I see Billings. They're different players but at the same time they share a lot of strengths and weaknesses and I suppose I'm a little more wary having lived through almost a decade of the annual, "Higgins is set for a move to the midfield this year," article. Of course, Shaun's had his fair share of injury concerns as well which contribute to it, but the midfield move isn't where the comparisons end for mine.

The bolded bit, however, I disagree with. Personally I don't think Billings is damaging enough when he's not in space. When he gets pressured he can really rush his disposal and it results in him either choosing a bad option or just failing the execution. When he's around goal he's got the goal posts as an anchor of sorts; he's such a natural in the forward line that he can just push off the pressure and kick goals from nowhere. When he's pressured in the midfield though he doesn't have that 'anchor' and he has to actively seek out an option. He's by no means a shocking decision maker or poor under pressure and I'm not trying to say he's a bad pick as I think he'll be at the very least a solid player. I'd just like to see more there. I feel as though if he spent more time in the midfield this would be thrust into the spotlight a little more. Not to say he can't improve upon it, but I don't think he's the most damaging in the draft, personally.

 

[Chris25]

Collingwood have one of the best development processes to go with the brilliance of Derek Hine.

Yet they still bring in the likes of Lynch, Russell, Young, White and Armstrong. And are now on a downwards slope. I know that has nothing to do with the draft, but I just like the thought of it.

 

[Knightmare]

The more I think about it the easier the decision is:

Collingwood pick 6 Marcus Bontempelli

Collingwood are a small, slow, unskilled team and Marcus Bontempelli is someone who screams perfect fit for this workman like team.

In the game whenever you can bring into a club quality size you take it and that's exactly what Marcus Bontempelli brings to the table at 192cm.

Bontempelli can break the lines with his run and carry ability rare for someone at his height. He moves exceptionally well and quickly and has that willingness to take on the game making it a major factor in his game.

He's got the long 55m kick on him that can either hit a target over a variety of ranges or finish when within range from goal making it yet another weapon you don't see on guys at Bontempelli's height.

Bontempelli has shown this year real versatility which is something Collingwood sorely miss. Bontempelli on a flank at either end is damaging and this is likely where he starts his career. On a forward flank Bontempelli is a marking and goalkicking threat at his height while also having the pace and tackling ability to provide the necessary tackling pressure forward of centre. He's also a relatively good accumulator forward of centre so he's got the correct mix of attributes with that marking/kicking/goalkicking/tackling/accumulating mix you look for in forwards.

On a back flank something Collingwood need more than anything he's also got the appropriate mix of attributes. He's got the height and a body which will be able to put on enough size for him to with time become a strong 1v1 player. He's got the required marking ability. Footskills and ability to hit his targets up the field. But then also that really unique speed at his height and that ability to break the lines suggesting he could also do some damage down back.

The long term hope would be that Bontempelli develops into a midfielder. He's shown some promising signs on the ball this year that he can do it and he's really improved in a hurry on the ball with clear progress made with every game he played through the u18 champs. It's just not a complete product and will almost certainly require a couple of years development before he has any hope of mixing it with the bigger bodies on the ball.

There are a number of reasons I'm highly optimistic about Bontempelli as an AFL prospect. It's not only the attributes/versatility and damage he's doing at his height at present, though that helps.

Why I'm so optimistic is because he's a physically late bloomer who is still growing. He's got a late year birthday. He's still physically growing into his own body. His game has grown so much this past year going from a flanker who showed some glimpses to someone who has shown demonstrated that he can really take over games with his influence like few others if any others can do in this draft. He's got the pedigree as Nick Dal Santo's cousin. He's also got the necessary work ethic as someone who is actively doing everything he can to help his game grow and has been doing extra running since the completion of the season to get the added advantage over the next prospect.

Don't be shocked 10 years from now and people are saying Bontempelli was the best selection in the 2013 draft. Jack Martin has some talent and Thomas Boyd and Jesse Hogan have the opportunity to develop into dominant key forwards but Bontempelli may be the best of the rest and has the opportunity to be right in that conversation with the best of this draft if he goes to a club with a strong development program and can offer him the right opportunities as I believe Collingwood can.

 

[LemmingMaster]

I like that template Dannnnnnnnnnnn (enough n's?), I may steal that for my picks.

 

[LemmingMaster]

Internet playing up, pick 5 is showing now.

 

[Knightmare]

I call it the collingwood factor. With taking a few players earlier then expected i.e Pendles, Ried, the trade for Marley Williams, Broomhead and probably Bontempelli ect... they've picked up some superstar players with lots of upside. Other clubs and recruiters are now all trying to make that special pick and outsmarting themselves looking for glimpses of possible brilliance instead of whats right in front of their eyes.

Collingwood have one of the best development processes to go with the brilliance of Derek Hine. Teams like Melbourne, GWS and one or two others just end up outsmarting themselves.

Curiously I've found many of Collingwood's selections to have relatively low ceilings in recent seasons going very conservative with lots of well performed smalls and players with relatively limited games.

That said the players you identified are among those I agree on the Collingwood list with that star power. Grundy is another I'd add to that list as someone who I wouldn't be surprised to become the second best ruckman in the competition.

With the Collingwood development program as it's set up. It's doing a great job developing those under 21s and players with less than 50 games experience but then these past couple of seasons those established players are either coming back the same players or in the case of those 30 year olds sharp declines which is the slightly concerning aspect.

But anyway. Enough about Collingwood.

 

[LemmingMaster]

I thought Bontempelli was 194cm from the screening? That is one tall midfielder.

 

[Calcium Man]

That said the players you identified are among those I agree on the Collingwood list with that star power. Grundy is another I'd add to that list as someone who I wouldn't be surprised to become the second best ruckman in the competition.

Grundy is another good example but its kind of back to front. The simple fact he slipped to 18 was because to many clubs tried to outsmart themselves with ruckman. GWS being the worst offenders.

Vlastuin and Darling are another two examples of guys who were top three picks coming into the year and clubs overlooked a bit (a lot in darlings case) because of perceived lack of improvement and possible upside from underage champs and Dunstan looks to be another example this year.

In the case of Vlas and Darling not having to do year 12 i think didn't help, its a year of nothing waiting to get drafted and live your dream.

 

[Knightmare]

I thought Bontempelli was 194cm from the screening? That is one tall midfielder.

It's been said that all the heights were 2cm off.

That said he may well grow to 194cm. The latest reports are that Bontempelli is rumoured to be 192.8cm.

As far as I'm concerned with the way he moves the taller the better and the greater his advantage will become.

 

[Quigley]

Pick 7 Brisbane

I am hoping Brisbane just sit here and pick whoever falls into their lap. There has been some talk lately of Scharenberg falling to us and I am hoping if that actually happens we are smart enough to take him. Personally I do not see it happening. The only one of the projected group who I would probably pass on is the guy who actually fell today and that is Kolodjashnij. I like KK quite a lot but I do not see him being a need for us and so I am going with Sheed who has been talked down quite a lot mostly by the Victorian media. I guess they must have missed the game where he tore Country a new one. Anyway he is the kind of inside out guy we need and he would be an excellent get for us on the day.

Dom Sheed
DOB 10/4/95 Ht 187 Wt 83

If you don't to see these guys much and a player has either an outstanding or terrible game it can really colour any other games you see from them. That is the case for me with Sheed. I only saw him once live all year and that was against Country where he dominated and coming out of that game I really cannot understand how guys like Twomey cannot have him high in this draft. Twomey admittedly has trouble seeing past the Metro kids but really did he have his eyes closed at the Champs this year? Sheed missed the last game but still won the Larke medal and rightly so. He was the stand out midfielder at the Champs without any question I thought.

One issue for him might be the lack of exposed form this year. He had injury issues early in the year (groin issues from what I read on clipboardbinocs run down on the WA guys) which affected his preparation and meant a late start and missing games in between. From what I can see he played only 4 games before the Champs all in the WAFL and then obviously the broken collar-bone suffered in the Country game ruled him out for the rest of the year. In the WAFL he averaged about 14 disposals a game which was pretty modest given his 19 and 21 disposal finish to the year last year as a bottom ager. As a bottom ager he dominated the Colts going for about 23 disposals a game (all figures worked out in my head so subject to being wrong

). So he was certainly on the radar but expectations were probably down a bit given his start to the year.

At the Champs though he dominated averaging 28 disposals a game over his four games and in the televised game against Country he kept the Sandgropers in it with 29 disposals and 4 goals before his injury. He was the WA captain and the one his teammates looked to control play through the middle of the ground. It was like watching Ablett at the Gold Coast. He was winning it on the inside and outside and his teammates looked to use him at every opportunity including those little duck around behind the guy who has marked the ball to get a cheapie.

With his injury there has not been a chance for him to build on his good Champs form but too many people seem to be overlooking it and instead promoting guys ahead of him who are simply nowhere near as good but just happen to have played decently in the, below normal standard, TAC at the end of the year. There have been some reasons given for dropping him down the order but quite frankly I do not think they stand up.

The one which seems to have gained the most traction is that Sheed has a lack of pace. Hopefully the Combine results have put paid to that furphy. Sheed does not have the explosiveness off the mark that many of the indigenous players are renowned for but neither is he slow and over 20m he was in the top 25% of those tested. Once he gets up and going he lopes along really nicely and covers the ground well. He has great awareness of where tacklers are coming from and will rarely be run down. He tested poorly at Combine in the beep test but I have not noticed his engine being a problem from what I have seen. I give him a pass on this one on the basis that his shoulder injury has probably restricted his ability to keep the miles in his legs. The test which did surprise me was the agility test where Sheed finished in the bottom 10%. I am not sure what is going on there as he seems to slip through packs pretty well and I would have expected him to have tested reasonably well on this one.

My biggest knock on him is probably his hands in tight. They are not as clean as I would like for an inside out specialist especially one I am taking this high. He does fumble quite a bit when collecting and this is something which needs to be worked on. It is not terminal by any means and he is probably cleaner than most of the other inside mids available this year but it is a think which can be improved on. He has big hands and is a really nice mark of the ball and it could be a simple technique thing to fix like keep his head down a fraction of a second more.

Where I see him as being elite is in his ability to read the ball off hands in the ruck situation. He is easily the best in this regard in this draft. He does not position himself at the feet of the rucks but is always on the move and finds himself in the right place at the right time more often than anyone else. With him being on the move this also allows him to collect and go and gives him more of a chance to come out the other side. Once he gets the ball he has great awareness of where everyone is around him and he has quick hands and can get the ball to boot quickly as well. If he goes by boot in the clearance situation he can be a bit indiscriminate which is pretty common in those situations. By hand he is good, reads the play well and takes good options. He also has good awareness of where tacklers are coming from in close and keeps his arms free nicely and does not panic when under physical pressure.

From the clearance he spreads nicely and has a good feel about where to run to. When he has time and space he is really dangerous by foot. He makes excellent decisions and executes pretty well when the time is there. He is a left footer with the typical easy style that looks very pretty and is effective although he does occasionally weight a little strong. He has good skills on the right as well. Up forward he has a nice, easy, slow set shot which he often guides rather than kicks through it. He is an effective set shot.

He will be an inside out midfielder at AFL level who can rest up forward. I do not see him starting his AFL career as a small forward. When he is up forward though he can be dangerous particularly in crumbing situations where his ability to read the ball off hands makes him very dangerous. In marking situations he needs to work on his leading but he does judge the ball in the air well and in that Country game he protected the drop zone on a couple occasions which gave him opportunities.

When I saw him last year I made the comparison to Simon Black given he was a slight, lefty midfielder who was excellent inside. Turns out I wasn't so clever and every man and his dog was making the same comparison this year. He has grown a bit this year and will end up being bigger than Black and could be Judd like physique. Sheed is not a sexy pick but he is one player I would welcome with open arms if my team picked him up. He is a low risk, high ceiling type player.

 

[Quigley]

I call it the collingwood factor. With taking a few players earlier then expected i.e Pendles, Ried, the trade for Marley Williams, Broomhead and probably Bontempelli ect... they've picked up some superstar players with lots of upside. Other clubs and recruiters are now all trying to make that special pick and outsmarting themselves looking for glimpses of possible brilliance instead of whats right in front of their eyes.

Collingwood have one of the best development processes to go with the brilliance of Derek Hine. Teams like Melbourne, GWS and one or two others just end up outsmarting themselves.

I think Collingwood do an excellent job of not getting too cute in the draft and just drafting what falls into their lap. Grundy, Fasolo and Beams are three in recent years where they should have been taken higher but teams just passed on them for no apparent reason. Collingwood were just smart and took them.

 

[Offsider]

The one which seems to have gained the most traction is that Sheed has a lack of pace. Hopefully the Combine results have put paid to that furphy. Sheed does not have the explosiveness off the mark that many of the indigenous players are renowned for but neither is he slow and over 20m he was in the top 25% of those tested. Once he gets up and going he lopes along really nicely and covers the ground well. He has great awareness of where tacklers are coming from and will rarely be run down. He tested poorly at Combine in the beep test but I have not noticed his engine being a problem from what I have seen. I give him a pass on this one on the basis that his shoulder injury has probably restricted his ability to keep the miles in his legs. The test which did surprise me was the agility test where Sheed finished in the bottom 10%. I am not sure what is going on there as he seems to slip through packs pretty well and I would have expected him to have tested reasonably well on this one.

The way I view the agility test is that it is a good indicator of a) what a player is line moving from side to side and b) how explosive a player is off the mark over the first couple of steps. This is where the biggest question mark lies with Sheed imo as I feel he is slow off the mark, but this is hidden sometimes by the fact he reads the game so well.

Still I don't mind the pick and Sheed should turn out to be a fine player in his own right.

 

[God Save Max King]

PICK 3 - St Kilda
Josh Kelly, Sandringham Dragons
184cm 75 kg

I'm pleased to see Kelly available as I had him ranked 2nd in the draft to Tom Boyd. The Saints should be happy with the selection should it play out like this on draft night, Kelly provides the midfield spark they require and will provide outside running and class. St Kilda have shown that they will go with the best available midfielder at each of their picks, so the only other player that I considered was James Aish. Being a local player also helped, but it was primarily that Kelly would inject some class into the midfield and could possibly take over the role Leigh Montagna played after Joey's career ends.


Kelly's standout trait to me is easily his attitude. While others will point to more tangible qualities, with the drama surrounding the Saints' culture, they definitely need no-nonsense leaders who are willing to acknowledge and work on weaknesses both on and off the football field. Kelly seems to be hard-working and clever, so I doubt the issues that have plagued St Kilda over the past few years will affect him too much. If the club is serious about moving in the right direction, Kelly would be an outstanding addition as he oozes professionalism.

Now back to his football. Kelly's running ability over medium distances is truly elite, as shown by his 3KM time trials in both his underage and top age years. This ability should hold him in good stead, especially with the direction the game is heading towards, with a greater focus on outside run and carry. Kelly has greatly improved his sprinting and when this is put with his work ethic and endurance, it is a significant weapon that could make a large impact. His repeat sprint times were above average without being amazing, highlighting that his second and third efforts are often what allows him to breakaway.

In regards to his long distance running and endurance, he runs games out well, however he will struggle with the step up to the AFL like almost every other draftee. After a couple of pre-seasons however, I see him becoming one of the best runners in the AFL. He has already shown an innate ability to run from end to end picking up disposals and this should only improve. He ran a very good beep test and without having the actual results sheet, I am confident that his VO2 max/maximal oxygen consumption test was in the top few percentile.

Despite his athletic abilities, I don't think it can be said that Kelly is an athlete only. His kicking is well above average, he can safely hit targets on his trustworthy left boot. He isn't as creative as some of the players in this draft, but he certainly has brilliant skills on his preferred foot. His non-preferred isn't so much a weakness as it is not a strength, he is a decent disposer of the football on that side of his body. Kelly's decision making is quite good and while his composure isn't elite, he certainly doesn't just waste the football under pressure. Kelly has clean hands and can dish off quick, accurate hand-passes.

It has often been said that Kelly plays too much of an outside role, but I don't see that posing a significant issue at the highest level. As has been said earlier, every team needs run and carry and it's not like Kelly is fully uncontested. Being the competitor that he is, Kelly will win footy on the inside when necessary and his ball winning ability around the ground is improving.
I don't think enough can be said about his ability to find the football around the ground, he is amazing at reading the play and knows where to run and when to run to that place. His football nous and smarts make up for any lack of clearance work. He is a very smart player and when you combine this with his running and determination, you can see why many think tagging won't be too much of an issue at AFL level.

In the modern era, there is an ever increasing role being placed on defence and defensive running. Kelly undoubtedly runs both ways and applies pressure on the defensive end. His fantastic athleticism allows him to be incredibly effective defensively, his great aerobic capacity enables him to compete more than once and his second and third efforts are solid. Despite not being a big midfielder, he lays his tackles.

The one thing that most clubs will look for Kelly to improve immediately is his frame and build. At 75kg, Kelly is still well below the average of an AFL midfielder and could be bullied in his first year. He will need to put on almost 10kgs before he tries to become a better clearance player at AFL level.

 

[borrat]

is sheed a mummys boy?? because if so would love him at brisbane if scharenberg isn't there

 

[LemmingMaster]

is sheed a mummys boy?? because if so would love him at brisbane if scharenberg isn't there

He left Kal to improve his game, so I would guess moving to Brisbane would not be a massive issue.

 

[borrat]

great that should piss west coast off then

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Pick 8 North Melbourne - F/S Luke McDonald
Height: 188cm Weight: 85kg DOB: 9/2/1995

Club: Werribee VFL

The prodigal Father Son pick up for the roos has been the topic of conversation for many roos supporters for a long time. If it were some supporters choice Luke would have been playing seniors 3-4 years ago such is the expectation on his shoulders. Luke's pedigree as been well documented throughout his junior years and he has a number of accolades that supports the hype that surrounds him. At this stage he will play as a half back but he definitely has the potential to become a full time midfielder or alternatively a damaging wingman. Luke is very well advanced on a number of levels and I feel He'll step in and be able to play a role from round 1, especially with the benefit of a full pre-season and another Utah trip under his legs. His form this year at Werribee was inconsistent to say the least averaging 15 odd touches and 3 marks per game. In saying that his gametime was managed carefully and there were rumours he was carrying a few hip/knee niggles throughout the year. He showed his potential best during werribee's Finals where had considerable impact with his kicking game while also locking down on some of the best mid-sized VFL forwards. At the Under 18 champs he lead from the front and while he didn't have the impact of last year his form was still solid. I feel he is well placed to have a big career in the blue and white, and I'd argue he is in the top 4 in this years crop based on talent.


Strengths:

Leadership- Well Documented that he has excellent leadership credentials. Has captained Vic metro and is very vocal onfield. Leads well with his ability to impact the contest and put his body on the line for his team mates.

Kicking Skills- his kicking is exceptional more-so over distance than short passes. He doesn't seem to have Trent McKenzie like flat bullets, but more long range weighted passes with height similar to Luke Hodge. He loves to have a ping from outside 50 when the opportunity arises which makes him very damaging forward of centre.

Defensive Application- When given a role Luke sticks to his opponent like a glove. Rarely beaten in the air, Luke has good closing speed which allows him to impact the contest when his opponent is on the lead. His body positioning against bigger bodies in the VFL this year was super impressive. When he gets a bit stronger through the shoulders he will be hard to beat. His tackling and pressure is something I feel is underrated.

Reading of the play- it's very well developed for someone his age. He picks his time to go and time to stay. While he doesn't get a heap of intercept marks (especially at VFL level) when he zones off and goes third man up he makes sure he kills the contest.

Contested Footy- When he has had the chance to play as an inside mid he has impressed me. His height and ability to read the tap is very well advanced. Because of his core strength and subtle side step he is able to gain a lot of time in contested situations.

Strength- in the contest. Luke is a competitive beast who does not like to be beaten. So strong below his knees and rarely goes to ground.

Weaknesses:

Consistency- seemed to fade in and out at VFL level this year to take his game to the next level he needs to get his hands on the footy a bit more at that level.

Overhead marking- It is by no means bad, but is definitely something he can work on.

 

[swannies]

great that should piss west coast off then

Not at all leaves me to select who I really want.

 

[Snoop Dog]

Perhaps I'm biased as a Bulldogs supporter as I just can't get Higgins out of my head every time I see Billings. They're different players but at the same time they share a lot of strengths and weaknesses and I suppose I'm a little more wary having lived through almost a decade of the annual, "Higgins is set for a move to the midfield this year," article. Of course, Shaun's had his fair share of injury concerns as well which contribute to it, but the midfield move isn't where the comparisons end for mine.

The bolded bit, however, I disagree with. Personally I don't think Billings is damaging enough when he's not in space. When he gets pressured he can really rush his disposal and it results in him either choosing a bad option or just failing the execution. When he's around goal he's got the goal posts as an anchor of sorts; he's such a natural in the forward line that he can just push off the pressure and kick goals from nowhere. When he's pressured in the midfield though he doesn't have that 'anchor' and he has to actively seek out an option. He's by no means a shocking decision maker or poor under pressure and I'm not trying to say he's a bad pick as I think he'll be at the very least a solid player. I'd just like to see more there. I feel as though if he spent more time in the midfield this would be thrust into the spotlight a little more. Not to say he can't improve upon it, but I don't think he's the most damaging in the draft, personally.

yeah I reckon Higgins injuries have cruelled him. He has never been able to string the games together but I remember his draft year pretty well and he had a ripper with the Falcons. To be fair to him he went to the Dogs as a ball winning mid so I think he had the talent but injuries have hurt. Dont forget that was probably the worst talent pool after pick of any draft year I can remember.

I can only go on the games I have seen Billings in over the last few years and i would think he has been a standout player in terms of his ability to hurt the opposition. Re his ball use in the middle I think that is fair but equally I dont think its at all bad and will improve as he spends more time there.​

​

For me it was a process of elimination a bit for me with the other prospects. For mine, Kelly has a lot of Tom Scully about him but I dont think he is as good in his draft year as Scully was and the Giants already have one Tom Scully and dont need another type who racks up outside footy. Aish I think has a minor issue around winning his own ball but also we have a few similar types as Aish at the Giants. What the Giants mid / fwd group is a natural forward who can push into the midfield. The recruitment of Lamb was very purposeful for them and its on the radar to get someone whose a natural forward who can do that on their list. I'm still spewing we gave up Anderson to Hawthorn for basically nothing as he could have played that role. It was a toss of the coin between Scharenberg and Billings in the end for me. Happily have either and to be fair be happy if we grab KK, Aish or Kelly as well.​