OFFICIAL Draft 2003 Thread

[robbieando]

Originally posted by monopoly19
So, when's the rookie draft?

After the Pre Season Draft in the middle of December

[anne]

Does anyone know how the draft tracker works on the AFL site?

[liz]

Originally posted by anne
Does anyone know how the draft tracker works on the AFL site?

I think the answer is that it's on the AFL site and therefore it doesn't.

[j s]

What draft tracker??

Could someone summarise our picks please - I can't quite work out who we picked from the thread.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by j s
What draft tracker??

Could someone summarise our picks please - I can't quite work out who we picked from the thread.

16. Josh Willoughby
29. Tim Schmidt
45. Amon Buchanan
47. Andrew Ericsson
59. Matthew Davis

With the exception of Bucky, I know very little about any of them.

[Charlie]

What the hell is the story with Matthew Davis?

Not even a North Adelaide fan on Bigfooty has any idea who he is...

[j s]

The complete draft has just appeared on afl.com

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=127545

[Newbie]

I haven't seen them playing but by various reports:

16. Josh Willoughby
29. Tim Schmidt

Both of them come with very high credentials (AIS squad member, best player in the U16 championship, U18 All-Australians). If they are a bit taller, I am sure they would have gone much higher, possibly top ten. They are a bit both small though but they both seem to be attacking inside midfielders which are exactly what we need.

47. Andrew Ericsson
Got the size to be a genuine ruckman. He seems to have some question mark on the work ethnic/physical presence.

59. Matthew Davis
Anyone knows about them?

[Newbie]

Profiles from AFL phantom draft:

21. Richmond ? Josh Willoughby
(Glenelg) 11 January 1986, 175.6kg, 70kg

Willoughby is a classy inside forward/midfielder who is dynamic around goal and a smart reader of play. He is a highly rated small man, who was a joint winner of the Kevin Sheehan Medal for the best player in the National AFL under 16 championships in 2002. An AIS/AFL academy member and All-Australian in this year?s National AFL under 18 championships, Willoughby has attracted plenty of interest from the Tigers, while both Port Adelaide and Adelaide will certainly be monitoring his whereabouts during the selection process. He has been rated a top 10 pick on pure football ability by some, but is likely to be a second round or early third round selection

45. Sydney ? Tim Schmidt
(West Adelaide) 14 March 1986, 178cm, 79kg
A talented midfielder who shone in 2002 at the National AFL under 16 championships ? winning the Kevin Sheehan Medal for the best player of the under 16 carnival ? yet he had an injury interrupted year in 2003. Schmidt was a member of the AIS/AFL academy this year, while he also represented South Australia in the National AFL under championships. He is reportedly attracting keen interest from both Port Adelaide and Sydney, with the Swans right in the mix.

67. Adelaide ? Andrew Ericksen
(Sandringham Dragons) 17 July 1985, 203cm, 90kg

Ericksen looms as one of the most fascinating selections at this year?s National AFL Draft, due to the fact that he stands at over 200cm and is one of the few young rucks in the pool. Adelaide are set to take continue its plan of taking talls and will look at taking Ericksen with its final pick. He is a developing player and could be the type of youngster that the Crows groom, as Clarke enters the latter stages of his career. A member of the AIS/AFL academy squad in 2002, Ericksen also represented Vic Metro in this year?s National AFL under 18 championships.

[EMJ]

Great reading everyone's comments. Better than TV - we now only need a few pictures of our draftees. The future looks good and pleased to see they redrafted Buchanan.

[Steve]

Kevin Sheehan made a reference to Davis as being a 190cm+ developing KP player.

He had recently been upgraded from North Adelaide's U/17 side to the senior list for the 2004 season.

He is young, and would presumably be quite raw and skinny - another long-term project.

Buchanan is a bit strange to me, but otherwise I think the other picks are decent value, considering our average draft position this year.

Willoughby's lack of height is the major concern, but from everything that's been said of him he makes up for that in talent.

Schmidt was always in the picture I think, but another longer-term project.

Ericksen is worth the punt IMO - from Scotch College, 203cm, more of an athletic ruckman which is probably what appealed.

[anne]

Originally posted by janpa
Great reading everyone's comments. Better than TV - we now only need a few pictures of our draftees. and pleased to see they .

Willoughby is very good looking. He was interviewed on TV during the week and there is a picture of him in today's Age.

[Newbie]

An article on Josh Willoughby

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/footy03/story_page/0,8747,7749534%255E25397,00.html

[Tuhob]

Willoughby Photo

I've managed to find a photo of Josh Willoughby:

Josh Willoughby Photo

[ugg]

Here are GOALden Hawk's profile on bigfooty:

Josh Willoughby

Details:
Club: Bordertown/Glenelg
DOB: 11 Jan 86 Hgt: 176cm Wgt: 69kg
Position: Forward Pocket/Onballer
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
AIS/AFL Academy
South Australia 2003
All Australian 2003
National Draft Camp Invitee 2003

Profile:
Willoughby is yet another Croweater mentioned as a player to watch by JT last year. If we are after a small forward in the national draft, Josh would surely be one of the main candidates. Certainly if I had to choose between him and Harry Miller I would take Willoughby.

The good thing about Josh is not only can he play really well as a small forward, he can also spend time on the ball and be quite damaging. He gathered 59 possessions for the carnival and kicked a couple of freakish goals as well.

Willoughby has real pace, clean hands and is just one of those guys who can kick a goal out of absolutely nothing. He kicked a crucial goal for SA in the final game of the championships. Has that unique ability to do some freakish, something that will excite the crowd and spark a side.

He is good in traffic and a good mark despite his small size. He is also a very smart player. A good example of this was when he took a mark in the forward line. He kept backing back into the man on the mark, creating enough space for his teammate to run into an open goal after a clever handball.

Willoughby works hard, gathers a lot of touches and has that extra flair that should see him go fairly early in the draft. The only thing that will see him fall is his size - Josh is still extremely light (another Mummy's Boy?) and is not that tall. He is sensible enough not to put himself in a situation where he could get hurt, but he needs more bulk. Possibly 2nd-3rd round, but may go later due to his size.

Tim Schmidt

Details:
Club: Robertstown/West Adelaide
DOB: 14 Mar 86 Hgt: 178cm Wgt: 79kg
Position: Onballer
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
AIS/AFL Academy
Kevin Sheehan Medal (Best player in Under 16's Division 1)
South Australia 2003
National Draft Camp Invitee 2003

Profile:
Schmidt is another of the blonde SA onball brigade that impressed me greatly during the carnival. He was also nominated by JT as a player to watch this time last year. As you can see by the honours above, he has a very good record, and is also extremely young.

I was ultra-impressed with his performance against Vic Metro, he gathered a stack of possessions, and importantly many of them were clearances. He has a good ability to get a kick away, even when under heavy pressure. His kicking is very good.

Is OK overhead, but he is not that tall so I wouldn't call it a strength. He is still pretty slight as well, would take a couple of years to come on.

Tim is a smart footballer who should make it at AFL level. I think he will definitely be taken this year, and probably in the first two or three rounds as well.

Andrew Ericksen

Details:
Club: Scotch College
DOB: 17 Jul 85 Hgt: 203cm Wgt: 90kg
Position: Ruckman
Natural foot: Right

Honours:
AIS/AFL Academy
Victoria Metro 2003
National Draft Camp Invitee 2003

TAC Stats:
2002: 3 games, 0 goals, 4.3 PPG.
2003: 7 games, 1 goal, 11.3 PPG.

Profile:
Interesting this one. In a draft pool where ruckman are so rare, Ericksen is bound to be a highly valued commodity. However, I have some major concerns over whether he will make it - I couldn't see him playing regular senior footy before 2007 at the earliest.

Firstly, the good. Ericksen is a genuine tap ruckman. Some of his centre square work in particular is excellent. As I've said before, it's pretty rare at this level to have any idea, but he seems pretty good there.

Secondly, Andrew is very athletic for his size. Can move reasonably quickly, is a good handball and not totally hopeless below his knees given his size. Is a bit handball happy however, doesn't seem to trust his kicking, which is awkward and would need work, but is not totally a lost cause.

He is also very skinny and would be a very big boy given a few years on the weights. He reminds me a bit of David Loats. Gathers a lot of hitouts at TAC level (over 25 per game)

However, my MAJOR concern with Ericksen is his lack of physical presence. He seems to dislike physical contact, a big concern when you are a ruckman. I would hate to see him up against a Primus or Keating, he would be pulverised.

His form was so bad in the carnival he was actually dropped for non-ruckman Murray Boyd in the final match. So many times at boundary throw-ins he will just hope the ball will land on his head rather than making the running himself. He might get away with that at underage level where he towers over most opponents, but not at senior level. Whenever I see the phrase ex-basketballer I get wary, and I have a feeling that's where a lot of it comes from.

He does have talent, no doubt about that. But he is going to require a lot of work, patience and someone putting some mongrel in him if he is going to make it. Late pick.