Chris Doerre (aka Knightmare) in his mock draft has us getting Ward, Butler, Taylor, Bazzo and Judson Clarke with our five top 30 picks.
ESPN's early two-round AFL phantom draftChris Doerre
ESPN
22 October 2021Throughout 2021, ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Chris Doerre has cast his eye over the country's best junior footballers to give readers an early insight into the next generation of AFL stars.
While attending live games has yet again been a challenge in a COVID-affected year, Doerre has pored through match vision from this and last year, analysed the stats and talked to industry sources to ensure he can offer the most insightful draft analysis.
1. North Melbourne - Jason Horne-Francis
2. Collingwood - Nick Daicos (Collingwood father-son) - bid matched
3. Western Bulldogs - Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs father-son) - bid matched
4. GWS - Josh Gibcus
5. Gold Coast - Mac Andrew
6. Adelaide - Josh Rachele
7. Hawthorn - Finn Callaghan
8. Fremantle - Neil Erasmus
9. Richmond - Josh WardHeight, Weight: 181cm, 79kg
Profile: A low risk, ready-to-go midfielder who is one of the very best and most complete midfielders in this draft with his combination of contested ball winning, sound skills, agility and endurance. His production and impact during the latter part of the NAB League campaign was comparable to the play of Nick Daicos.
10. Fremantle - Jye Amiss
11. St Kilda - Ben Hobbs
12. West Coast - Matthew Johnson
13. Essendon - Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
14. Port Adelaide - Mitch Knevitt
15. GWS - Josh Sinn
16. Brisbane - Josh Goater
17. Richmond - Sam ButlerHeight, Weight: 184cm, 73kg
Profile: The younger brother of St Kilda's Dan Butler, Sam plays both through the midfield and up forward. As with Dan, Sam is also a very quick, creative and one touch player who heaps on the pressure defensively, though the difference between the brothers at the same age aside from Sam playing more through the midfield is that Sam's ball winning capabilities are stronger.
18. Sydney - Jacob Van Rooyen
19. Melbourne - Mitch Owens (St Kilda Next-Generation Academy)
20. Brisbane - Darcy Wilmot
21. Fremantle - Tom Brown
22. GWS - Josh Fahey (Greater Western Sydney - Academy) - bid matched
23. North Melbourne - Arlo Draper
24. Hawthorn - Tyler Sonsie
25. Geelong - Toby Conway
26. Hawthorn - Blake Howes
27. Carlton - Matthew Roberts
28. Richmond - Zac TaylorHeight, Weight: 180cm, 74kg
Profile: With one of the strongest closes to the NAB League season, Taylor showed he's one of the most productive and complete midfielders in this draft. Ending his NAB League campaign with 37 disposals, 22 contested possessions and 11 clearances in a 10-point win against Murray, Taylor is a precise and damaging kick, speedy and evasive with ball in hand and has a great inside/outside balance to his game.
29. Richmond - Rhett BazzoHeight, Weight: 195cm, 81kg
Profile: When he gets his confidence up, Bazzo is one of the best in this draft flying for intercept marks and chopping off opposition kicks at will. When asked to play a more defensively oriented role he is also capable of restricting the impact of his opponents.
30. Richmond - Judson ClarkeHeight, Weight: 179cm, 69kg
Profile: A speedy forward, Clarke is one of this draft's best crumbers with his speed, agility, and kicking both to targets inside 50 and finishing around goal his greatest strengths. With the way he can take on the game and how damaging he is by foot, he's also viable for consideration as a rebounding defender.
31. West Coast - Campbell Chesser
32. Geelong - Leek Alleer
33. Sydney - Jesse Motlop (Fremantle Next-Generation Academy)
34. Geelong - Angus Sheldrick
35. Adelaide - Cooper Murley
36. Geelong - Alastair Lord
37. West Coast - Sam Banks
38. Melbourne - Jack Williams
https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/32443096/afl-2021-draft-phantom-draft-chris-doerre-espn-early-two-round-phantom-draft