For anyone interested (feel free to ignore), my second last power rankings for the year dropped yesterday. There will be a couple more mock drafts pre and post trade period, and then a final mock a week out from the draft.
Current power ranking is at:
https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/09/07/2026-top-50-draft-power-rankings-v4-0/
More than happy to field questions or hear your thoughts here.
Hey mate, thanks for the post. Keen to hear more of a breakdown on HVH. His elite vertical leap, tap work and field kicking are well documented but how would you rate the other aspects of his game:
- contested marking
- speed
- aerobic tank
- ground level game
I guess I’m just trying to understand why he wouldn’t potentially be taken with the first open pool pick in the draft. I know there’s a stigma around taking rucks so early in the draft - I’ve been of that opinion myself especially regarding CDT last year, but HVH just seems like the best ruck prospect in a long time with all the attributes to succeed as a modern ruck and his height/weight make me think he could come in and make an impact pretty quickly.
While the likes of Tex, Butler and Drever look like fine prospects in their own right, I just think that the top end of the draft is always filled with players of that profile and we already have a few mid/fwds (Lalor, Hotton, etc.) on the list.
If HVH is already gone or we’re not keen on him, I think I’d be inclined to go for Drever next as that quick/tall inside/outside mid type. I read I think it was on Twomeys latest phantom rankings that his kicking is questionable- would you consider that a big deficiency in his game?
I love HVH as a prospect. In the open pool, he's the one with generational attributes. It's why he's still #2 on my rankings, only behind Cochrane. His speed and running ability are high end. Speed certainly elite for a ruck, and pre-injury he was getting around the ground really well. I suspect there's no concerns on high being able to build an AFL tank over his initial preseasons. His ground level game is highly advanced - he's that additional midfielder both in terms of ball winning, but also tackle pressure and blocking/stoppage work.
The contested marking is one thing we'd probably have liked to see with more regularity. Having said that, he's demonstrated he can do it. I wonder whether his injury troubles have taken the edge of his aerial work / getting around the ground. I wouldn't expect this to be an issue going forwards.
He also an assertive, aggresive big man, one that makes a midfield group walk taller. I would happily take him at pick #2 (after a Cochrane bid).
I think the reason he could slide is that historical stigma. Rucks take a long time to develop, it's an investment that takes time to pay off (and if it is a bust, then it's a long investment for nothing). Talls can often be harder to predict their translation to AFL from U18s, and they can at times have an increased injury chance. It just means they're considered a more risky proposition, regardless of perceived talent.
There is also the school of thought that a ruck's overall influence is less that an impactful ball winning mid or elite forward half player. But with the new ruck rules, we've seen the influence from stoppages increasing significantly.
It's a bit of a rambling response, but I hope I've made sense?
