Draft Watcher Knightmare 2020 Draft Almanac

[Harlequin Dream]

Fairbrother has done well at League level and seems able to handle himself well and intercept a bit. Draftable. Surprised he wasn't invited to the draft combine.

I thought he looked quite comfortable on Saturday. Norwood were happy to promote him to the league side straight from the under 18s. He ran a sub 3 sec 20m in preseason. I am pretty perplexed that he wouldn't get an invite, there doesn't seem to be major signs that he is undraftable.

 

[Knightmare]

I thought he looked quite comfortable on Saturday. Norwood were happy to promote him to the league side straight from the under 18s. He ran a sub 3 sec 20m in preseason. I am pretty perplexed that he wouldn't get an invite, there doesn't seem to be major signs that he is undraftable.

He's be something like 15th on my SA draft board if I was to produce one.

I'd bring him in for Schofield personally.

Not that the draft combine matters all that much. We've had second round picks who weren't invited. So not being invited is far from the be all end all.

 

[Ah12]

Would you liken Todd Marshall or Mitch Georgiades to a wing?

 

[Knightmare]

Would you liken Todd Marshall or Mitch Georgiades to a wing?

By position, I'd be looking for contested marking beasts. Put the endurance with the contested marking and that's when you can develop a monster.

Marshall isn't even a good contested mark but Georgiades certainly is, so Georgiades is definitely the one where if he develops the endurance to make the transition and reads the game well enough to know when to push forward and when to push back, he could make that transition.

 

[Giant Pete]

Hey KM, assuming giants receive band 1 compo for Williams, which player would best fit their need to draft a midfielder with speed and agility. Thanks

 

[weltschmerz]

Hey KM, assuming giants receive band 1 compo for Williams, which player would best fit their need to draft a midfielder with speed and agility. Thanks

Wouldn't Jye Caldwell fit that description?

 

[Knightmare]

Hey KM, assuming giants receive band 1 compo for Williams, which player would best fit their need to draft a midfielder with speed and agility. Thanks

I'd be more concerned about drive from defence than speed and agility through the midfield in GWS' position. Drive from defence has been poor this season.

If you want an agile mover through the midfield Finlay Macrae moves well as his brother does.

For a more outside option Nathan O'Driscoll could be a fit and he can also play off half-back.

For speed through the midfield, Sam Berry and Zavier Maher from the second round are have that midfield burst.

 

[Giant Pete]

I'd be more concerned about drive from defence than speed and agility through the midfield in GWS' position. Drive from defence has been poor this season.

If you want an agile mover through the midfield Finlay Macrae moves well as his brother does.

For a more outside option Nathan O'Driscoll could be a fit and he can also play off half-back.

For speed through the midfield, Sam Berry and Zavier Maher from the second round are have that midfield burst.

Thanks for the quick response!
I agree it’s been poor - but due to systems rather than personnel. We had Whitfield and Williams down there for large parts... it’s a problem of the coaches doing I think.
We have Lachie Ash (great debut season), Whitfield and Isaac Cumming next season.
There is plenty of run and precise kicking available if the coaches cater to it.

 

[Giant Pete]

Wouldn't Jye Caldwell fit that description?

I hope so... just need him to keep developing and sign on the dotted line.

 

[briztoon]

Wouldn't Jye Caldwell fit that description?

Rumours he’s off to St Kilda.

 

[Knightmare]

Thanks for the quick response!
I agree it’s been poor - but due to systems rather than personnel. We had Whitfield and Williams down there for large parts... it’s a problem of the coaches doing I think.
We have Lachie Ash (great debut season), Whitfield and Isaac Cumming next season.
There is plenty of run and precise kicking available if the coaches cater to it.

Ash will develop.

Is Cumming good enough? For me he's on that edge still and still needs to convince me.

Whitfield can play back. But is that the best use for him? I favour him more wing/hf as more that link-up, though absolutely he can go back and use it.

I'm ever unconventional with my positional usages, but for GWS I like Coniglio across half-forward when he's using it well, Taranto I'd look to use forward on/off also, Whitfield and Kelly across opposing wings and I'd otherwise be looking in defence for some new pieces. If Perryman stays he's in that rotation in a wing with those guys. Maybe an Adam Saad off half-back if he can be had. And even then I'd be looking for one more quality defender to strengthen that group, maybe one of the St Kilda or Port Adelaide defenders depending on who they cut/make available and whether deemed to be good enough.

I see some positional usage opportunities to shake things up and some personnel additions are needed to complement those existing core components to add to that best 22.

 

[conrad_437]

G'day KM, not really 2020 draft related but it's sort of your forte.

Word on the street with on the Dogs board (it's bigfooty, so can't amount to much) is that Xavier O'Halloran is hoping to get to the dogs. What are the wraps on him?

 

[Knightmare]

G'day KM, not really 2020 draft related but it's sort of your forte.

Word on the street with on the Dogs board (it's bigfooty, so can't amount to much) is that Xavier O'Halloran is hoping to get to the dogs. What are the wraps on him?

A developing piece. Has acceleration and skills are clean so he'd bring balance from that perspective to the Dogs midfield if a trade there is facilitated. Not much of an accumulator or ball winner and will need to start finding and winning more of it. If he can, as he is a high impact per possession player, that would make him into something, but he's until then still a developing player who you hope comes good.

I'm on the more conservative side in my position on O'Halloran as I'm just not positive as to a specific spot he can play and find enough of it to impact games consistently, as more that type who is good in glimpses. Though there are others who see him as a sure future best 22 player.

Small sample size of AFL games (2) and with so many ball winners on that GWS side, and with no NEAFL games to go off of either, it's possible he's more advanced than I'm thinking he is, but he isn't one I'd feel confident betting/spending much on at this time until I see more of that ball winning component.

My draft time view was 38th on my board, but featured pick 22 and today I wouldn't be wanting to spend more than a late pick or depth player to get him, though I'm sure a club would offer more than that.

 

[TryAnHit]

Would you expect crows to bid on Campbell?
Or he is not top 3 quality... his highlights look great.
Where would you have him in comparison to Hollands

 

[Clarke is King]

Would you expect crows to bid on Campbell?
Or he is not top 3 quality... his highlights look great.
Where would you have him in comparison to Hollands

Given the Crows history of bidding on players I would love nothing more than to see them bid on JUH and then Campbell. Hard to see them passing on the opportunity to have the prestige of the number 1 pick though.

 

[Knightmare]

Would you expect crows to bid on Campbell?
Or he is not top 3 quality... his highlights look great.
Where would you have him in comparison to Hollands

Bids on JUH and Campbell would be fascinating if Adelaide went that route.

My expectation, and I've heard nothing from Adelaide on this is that it's too early to bid on Campbell. For me he's not a top-3 pick in this draft and is #7 on my draft board. He can really impact games but I would have liked to have seen over the course of a season big time midfield numbers given he's a smaller mid to place him inside certainly my top-3, which on my board is clear-cut.

Others may have Campbell higher than I do though. And whether he's a mid or a forward he's a piece, so he's a high probability, immediate performance type.

 

[Stavros1000]

Any information on Cody Brand, he is connected to the Bombers, don't really know much about him besides from being a tall defender i know it is hard with restrictions on games or anything, any more info you can give?

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Of the mature agers Duval and Highmore are the two attracting draft interest from what I've heard.

Any mature agers at other positions and/or leagues that are a serious chance to get drafted?

 

[sunsofanarchy]

KM this might be too hard to say but could Nikolas Cox play as a 3rd tall in rd 1 next year alongside Collins and Ballard?

On SM-G960W using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Knightmare]

Any information on Cody Brand, he is connected to the Bombers, don't really know much about him besides from being a tall defender i know it is hard with restrictions on games or anything, any more info you can give?

Shutdown key defender who is capable 1v1 and is athletic enough but intercepts and rebounds very little. There is talk Essendon are looking at him, and if nominated, if he attracts a bid I'd imagine it would be very late.

KM this might be too hard to say but could Nikolas Cox play as a 3rd tall in rd 1 next year alongside Collins and Ballard?

On SM-G960W using BigFooty.com mobile app

Unless he has improved dramatically, and there is no way to say that, I can't imagine based off 2019 viewings that he would be nearly ready. He'll take 3-4 years to develop, if he even develops. The taller types, and particularly when their numbers aren't crash hot don't tend to do much early days.

 

[Knightmare]

Any mature agers at other positions and/or leagues that are a serious chance to get drafted?

Duval and Highmore are the only two to receive national combine invites from the SANFL.

While none from the WAFL got invites. Chad Pearson from the WAFL may receive consideration again. Callan England may get another chance. Corey Gault possibly if clubs don't get too caught up on age and want an immediate ruck/kpp.

Otherwise mostly the same names are draftable without to my knowledge being on draft radars.

 

[briztoon]

Unless he has improved dramatically, and there is no way to say that, I can't imagine based off 2019 viewings that he would be nearly ready. He'll take 3-4 years to develop, if he even develops. The taller types, and particularly when their numbers aren't crash hot don't tend to do much early days.

Are you basing that purely on stats, or have you seen him play KPF a few times as a bottom ager?

 

[Johnson186]

Hi Knightmare, just wondering your opinion on Tom De Konning. How did you forecast his development Originally and what do you think his ceiling is?

 

[Knightmare]

Are you basing that purely on stats, or have you seen him play KPF a few times as a bottom ager?

The question asked made reference to Cox as a defender rather than a key forward.

I've seen Cox utilised all over the ground, and at this stage he is a jack of all trades, but master of none. Still very raw and needs to find a position. Is he a key forward? Key defender? Wing? Ruck? I haven't seen him in a position yet where I feel convinced. He's very much a project player. Needs to get stronger. Needs to become a more ominous contested mark and convert those times he attacks the ball aerially into more marks. Needs to find more of it. With his ground level work good and some athleticism, maybe he can be a key forward and develop. He's one who I would have needed to have seen this year, and see substantial improvement from to endorse this year as a prospect I'd take inside the first round.

Do you have an opinion on his best position? Are you thinking key forward also?

Hi Knightmare, just wondering your opinion on Tom De Konning. How did you forecast his development Originally and what do you think his ceiling is?

Tom De Koning has exceeded expectations. I thought he'd be spit out of the competition after 2-4 years as a key forward who while a nice height and moved well lacked the marking capabilities to develop into anything adequate - just dropping too many uncontested marks that you just can't drop. He has kept growing which I didn't expect and I had only accounted for him as a possible key forward where I didn't think he would be good enough, and still don't think he would be good enough as a key forward. As a ruck though, and he still has to keep developing, but he looks like he can have a career and become an able component with continued ongoing development. The fact that he has continued growing, and continued growing later on tells me there is more development ahead which is my reason for optimism with rate of development, and guys still growing later great future indicators.

I see De Koning surpassing Pittonet and becoming Carlton's #1 ruckman, quite possibly for the next 10 years. Whether it's in 2021 or 2022, he should make Pittonet irrelevant and can be that long term guy if he puts in the work and keeps improving.

 

[briztoon]

The question asked made reference to Cox as a defender rather than a key forward.

I've seen Cox utilised all over the ground, and at this stage he is a jack of all trades, but master of none. Still very raw and needs to find a position. Is he a key forward? Key defender? Wing? Ruck? I haven't seen him in a position yet where I feel convinced. He's very much a project player. Needs to get stronger. Needs to become a more ominous contested mark and convert those times he attacks the ball aerially into more marks. Needs to find more of it. With his ground level work good and some athleticism, maybe he can be a key forward and develop. He's one who I would have needed to have seen this year, and see substantial improvement from to endorse this year as a prospect I'd take inside the first round.

Do you have an opinion on his best position? Are you thinking key forward also?



Tom De Koning has exceeded expectations. I thought he'd be spit out of the competition after 2-4 years as a key forward who while a nice height and moved well lacked the marking capabilities to develop into anything adequate - just dropping too many uncontested marks that you just can't drop. He has kept growing which I didn't expect and I had only accounted for him as a possible key forward where I didn't think he would be good enough, and still don't think he would be good enough as a key forward. As a ruck though, and he still has to keep developing, but he looks like he can have a career and become an able component with continued ongoing development. The fact that he has continued growing, and continued growing later on tells me there is more development ahead which is my reason for optimism with rate of development, and guys still growing later great future indicators.

I see De Koning surpassing Pittonet and becoming Carlton's #1 ruckman, quite possibly for the next 10 years. Whether it's in 2021 or 2022, he should make Pittonet irrelevant and can be that long term guy if he puts in the work and keeps improving.

Seeing as I’m in QLD I don’t have an opinion, as I’ve only watched highlights.

I know others see him as tall defender.