Powerful young gun who could fill legendary Tigers’ shoes: Draft prospects ranked 1-50Ben Waterworth
Fox Sports
October 30th, 2024 Foxfooty.com.au presents the full and final 2024 AFL Draft Power Rankings, with players rated 1 to 50.
Note: This is not a ‘phantom draft’ predicting where players will be taken across the draft nights.2. JAGGA SMITHHe’s right in Richmond’s Pick 1 frame — and could still be on the board by the time the Tigers have their second pick — but all of North Melbourne, Carlton, Adelaide and Melbourne will strongly consider him too.
3. FINN O’SULLIVANHe’s one of three players in Richmond’s Pick 1 mix. If the Tigers opt for another prospect, it’s hard to see the on-baller slipping past Carlton, which traded up the order to land Pick 3.
5. SAM LALORHas always been regarded as a top-10 prospect, but there’s now a good chance Lalor is taken by the Tigers at Pick 1, such is the excitement around his potential at AFL level. A clean, powerful and physical forward-midfielder with a penetrating kick and strong one-on-one ability, Lalor consistently impacts games forward of centre. he was hampered by foot, quad and hip issues at the start of this season, but returned to the field in the middle of the year with a bang, booting a lazy 7.3 for Geelong Grammar in a school game. He then kicked 3.1 from 16 touches and three clearances in an eye-catching display for Vic Country against the Allies, before clunking two telling marks against Vic Metro in the carnival final. He also averaged 23.0 disposals, 6.2 clearances, 5.8 marks and 6.0 inside 50s from four Coates Talent League games for the Rebels. His strong showing in the back-end of the year and enormous potential at AFL level now have him at the pointy end of the 2024 pool. The growing expectation is Richmond selects the Victoria Country star with the first overall selection. A player who wore the No. 4 guernsey, idolised Dustin Martin and plays in comparable fashion — it seems a dream partnership.
6. HARVEY LANGFORDThere’s a slight chance the Tigers take him at Pick 1, but if he’s still there at Pick 6 they would strongly consider him. Rival clubs recently strongly linked him to Melbourne (Picks 5 and 9), too.
7. MURPHY REIDReid is likely to come into the draft mix from Richmond’s Pick 6 onwards, with St Kilda and Melbourne to consider him too. Some rival clubs, though, wouldn’t be surprised if he slipped into the teens.
8. JOSH SMILLIEMelbourne (Pick 5) the earliest link at this stage. It’s hard to see him sliding past St Kilda and Richmond’s top-10 picks.
9. ALIX TAURUthe widely-held view the Roos would be prepared to slide down the order, perhaps to Richmond’s Pick 6. If the Roos keep Pick 2, there’s every chance they just select Tauru. If they pass on him, it’s hard to see him slipping past that second Richmond pick.
10. HARRY ARMSTRONGThere’s an outside chance Melbourne (Pick 5) takes him with its first selection, although the sense is the Dees will more likely target a midfielder at that pick. It’s most likely Armstrong, at this stage, goes to Richmond (Pick 6), St Kilda (Picks 7 and
or Melbourne (Pick 9).
11. LEO LOMBARD
12. ISAAC KAKO13. TOBIE TRAVAGLIAHe’s now a top 10 to 15 prospect, with Richmond (Picks 10 and 11) recently linked to the Pioneer.
14. JOE BERRYBerry looms as a mid first-round pick, with Richmond, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and the Giants in the mix.
15. XAVIER LINDSAY
16. LUKE TRAINOR17. TAJ HOTTONIs still expected to be a mid first-round pick with Richmond, in particular, said to have put some work into him. The fact so many clubs have multiple early picks this year — the Tigers, Giants, Swans and Bulldogs — probably plays into Hotton’s favour.
18. BO ALLAN19. JOBE SHANAHANThere’s a slight chance he sneaks in to the top 10 — should one of the Saints, Demons or Tigers want a key forward at that stage of the draft — otherwise he should be in that mid first-round mix featuring the Power, Dockers and Giants.
20. JACK WHITLOCKCould be an outside chance to be taken by one of the Saints, Demons or Tigers in the top 10, but looms more likely as a later selection on night one. Could Sydney pounce?
21. SAM MARSHALL
22. JONTY FAULL
23. ALEX DODSON
24. JESSE DATTOLI
25. COOPER HYNES
26. MATT WHITLOCK
27. TOM GROSS
28. HARRISON OLIVER
29. CHRISTIAN MORAES
30. OLLIE HANNAFORD
31. BEN CAMPOREALE
32. NOAH MRAZ
33. CHARLIE NICHOLLS
34. JASPER ALGER
35. TOM SIMS
36. HAMISH DAVIS
37. JAMES BARRAT
38. ANGUS CLARKE
39. JACK OUGH
40. LOGAN SMITH
41. KAYLE GERREYN42. SAM DAVIDSONPosition: Medium forward
Size: 191cm
Clubs: Richmond (VFL)/St Kevin’s Old Boys
AFL player comparison: Ollie DempseyThe best mature-age prospect in the class — and he could continue one of footy’s great recruiting streaks. Davidson this year was recognised for a breakout VFL season by claiming the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal, which is awarded to the most promising player aged 24 or under. In a good omen for Davidson, the past 17 consecutive Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal winners — including Michael Barlow, Michael Hibberd, Kane Lambert, Nic Newman, Luke Ryan and Bayley Fritsch — have been drafted onto an AFL list. Davidson, 22, did most of his damage inside 50 for the Tigers’ VFL side this year, kicking 26.13 and averaging 14.4 disposals, but he also showed off his versatility by playing on the wing and, at times, in the ruck. He has terrific aerobic capacity — he ran his 2km time trial at the state draft combine in 6:12 — but is so competitive in the air too. Richmond has taken several players from its VFL list in recent years. Could Davidson be the next?
43. HARRY O’FARRELL
44. LACHIE JAQUES
45. MALAKAI CHAMPION
46. ADRIAN COLE
47. JOSH DOLAN
48. HUGH BOXSHALL
49. XAVIER IVISIC
50. OLLIE WARBURTONhttps://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/fox-footy-afl-draft-power-rankings-2024-top-50-afl-draft-news-2024-prospects-predictions-final-power-rankings/news-story/3e3909b5ec637e92aeeae8ce440315a6