AFL
Christopher Doerre, ESPN AFL Draft Expert 6y

Knightmare's October phantom draft: The first two rounds

AFL, Aussie Rules Football

With the football season and AFL trade period over, clubs now know what picks they'll be taking to the national draft in Sydney on November 24.

But which club will pick what player, and when?

ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Christopher Doerre - aka Knightmare - may have the answers.

As well as attending live games during the season, Doerre pores through match vision, analyses the stats and talks to industry sources to ensure he can offer the most insightful analysis.

His phantom draft is only for the first two rounds of the draft, and will be updated and extended several times ahead of the event itself.

ROUND ONE

1 Brisbane - Luke Davies-Uniacke
Height, Weight:
187cm, 85kg
Summary Profile: Dynamic, explosive, ball-winning midfielder who breaks away from contests with his acceleration. A matchup nightmare when he pushes forward, taking advantage of opponents one-on-one.

2 Fremantle - Cameron Rayner
Height, Weight:
187cm, 88kg
Summary Profile: Forward who is aggressive, powerful, explosive and unstoppable one-on-one. As his endurance builds, he is expected to transition more into a midfielder.

3 Carlton - Paddy Dow
Height, Weight:
184cm, 78kg
Summary Profile: Complete midfielder who thrives on the hard, contested side of the game. Moves well and possesses clean skills.

4 North Melbourne - Adam Cerra
Height, Weight:
186cm, 85kg
Summary Profile: Powerful ball winner through the midfield who has class, clean skills and composure. If not for injuries, would be in the conversation for pick No. 1 as arguably this year's best all-around midfielder.

5 Fremantle - Jaidyn Stephenson
Height, Weight:
189cm, 76kg
Summary Profile: Athletic midfielder who provides outside run and an aerial target up forward. The bigger the stage, the better he performs.

6 Collingwood - Darcy Fogarty
Height, Weight:
192cm, 92kg
Summary Profile: Powerful and athletic utility with clean skills. If not for an injury riddled 2017, may have been in the pick No. 1 conversation.

7 St Kilda - Andrew Brayshaw
Height, Weight:
183cm, 80kg
Summary Profile: Brother of Melbourne's Angus, Andrew is a complete midfielder suited to playing both inside and outside roles. Impressed at the draft combine with his endurance testing.

8 St Kilda - Aaron Naughton
Height, Weight:
194cm, 84kg
Summary Profile: Ready-to-go key defender who takes intercept marks, wins one-on-one contests and is a brilliant athlete. WAFL League form though his last seven matches will give recruiters confidence to call his name early.

9. Western Bulldogs - Nick Coffield
Height, Weight:
190cm, 83kg
Summary Profile: Evasive, classy and composed defender. Has the scope to develop into a midfielder over time.

10 Carlton - Aiden Bonar
Height, Weight:
188cm, 89kg
Summary Profile: Injury plagued, powerful and athletic prospect. Likely starts as a forward and develops into a midfielder as his endurance improves.

11 Greater Western Sydney - Jack Higgins
Height, Weight:
178cm, 76kg
Summary Profile: Ready-to-go, productive midfielder who won this year's Morrish Medal. Arguably more damaging up forward with his clean, one touch play.

12 Adelaide - Jarrod Brander
Height, Weight:
194cm, 89kg
Summary Profile: Talented key position player with the scope to develop at either end. Mobile tall who reads the ball well in flight and is a clean ball user.

13 West Coast - Hunter Clark
Height, Weight:
186cm, 79kg
Summary Profile: Well-rounded midfielder who is clean on both sides of the body. Just as good inside the contest as he is on the outside.

14 Sydney - Lochie O'Brien
Height, Weight:
184cm, 75kg
Summary Profile: Arguably the best kick in the draft and this year's most damaging outside player. Line-breaker who if not for niggles that limited his output, may have been a top five draft selection.

15 Brisbane - Charlie Constable
Height, Weight:
190cm, 83kg
Summary Profile: Tall midfielder with clean skills and impressive vision. Would be suited to developing as a rebounding defender.

16 Western Bulldogs - Noah Balta
Height, Weight:
194cm, 92kg
Summary Profile: Freakishly athletic key position player. Breaks the lines, possesses rare cleanness at ground level and is a strong mark who will take front position in the contest.

17 Richmond - Oscar Allen
Height, Weight:
191cm, 83kg
Summary Profile: Undersized key forward who has performed as well as any, leading the Under-18 Championships with 11 goals. Smart on the lead and just as good at ground level.

18 Brisbane - Jordan Houlahan
Height, Weight:
185cm, 78kg
Summary Profile: Athletic forward who is a threat in the air and at ground level. More a pure forward at this stage rather than a forward/midfielder.

19 Gold Coast - Matthew Ling
Height, Weight:
182cm, 74kg
Summary Profile: Arguably the fastest line breaker in the draft. Ball use on left is precise and can open up games.

ROUND TWO

20 Richmond - Sam Hayes
Height, Weight:
203cm, 93kg
Summary Profile: Talented ruckman who is just as capable as a strong marking key forward. Under-18 All-Australian the past two seasons.

21 West Coast - Lachlan Fogarty
Height, Weight:
179cm, 73kg
Summary Profile: Hard-nosed midfielder who loves to tackle and possesses clean skills. Western's best player in each of his last three games, where he amassed 36 tackles collectively.

22 Geelong - Nathan Murphy
Height, Weight:
188cm, 84kg
Summary Profile: Focused on cricket prior to this year, Murphy has chosen to pursue an AFL career. Mobile utility who is effective as either a forward or defender.

23 North Melbourne - Ed Richards
Height, Weight:
184cm, 77kg
Summary Profile: Speedy backman/outside runner with clean skills and a classy left foot kick. Strong finish to season saw Richards rise up draft boards.

24 Geelong - Charlie Ballard
Height, Weight:
195cm, 81kg
Summary Profile: Late-blooming, tall wingman. Possess good skills, composure and is a strong overhead mark.

25 Richmond - Patrick Naish
Height, Weight:
180cm, 69kg
Summary Profile: Eligible for Richmond as a father-son selection. Naish adds outside run and class through the midfield and up forward.

26 West Coast - Gryan Miers
Height, Weight:
177cm, 73kg
Summary Profile: Energetic forward with smarts who always looks involved. Kicked seven goals in the TAC Cup Grand Final.

27 Greater Western Sydney - Ryley Stoddart
Height, Weight:
183cm, 73kg
Summary Profile: Rebounding defender who uses the ball cleanly from defence and provides run. Will peel off his man at suitable times to take intercept marks.

28 Greater Western Sydney - Callum Coleman-Jones
Height, Weight:
201cm, 98kg
Summary Profile: Big bodied ruckman and key forward. Possesses mobility and is a strong contested mark.

29 Melbourne - Toby Wooller
Height, Weight:
193cm, 90kg
Summary Profile: Strong-bodied key forward who provides a marking presence. Just as capable as a big bodied, ball-winning midfielder.

30 Carlton - Jack Petruccelle
Height, Weight:
184cm, 73kg
Summary Profile: High impact per possession player. Dynamic ball winner with a big leap and line-breaking pace.

31 Melbourne - Charlie Spargo
Height, Weight:
173cm, 73kg
Summary Profile: Shoulder surgery saw Spargo miss the better part of the season. Capable ball winner with speed who plays through the midfield and up forward.

32 West Coast - Joel Garner
Height, Weight:
183cm, 81kg
Summary Profile: Skilled utility who has generated a fair bit of hype. Not a big accumulator but uses the ball neatly.

33 Sydney - Harrison Petty
Height, Weight:
194cm, 81kg
Summary Profile: South Australian MVP during the Under-18 Championships. Key defender who takes intercept marks and uses the ball cleanly from defence.

34 St Kilda - Dylan Moore
Height, Weight:
175cm, 66kg
Summary Profile: Outside running midfielder and forward with clean skills. Starred at national combine in endurance testing and has developed a reputation for running out games strongly.

35 Geelong - Sam Taylor
Height, Weight:
196cm, 85kg
Summary Profile: Intercept marking key defender who reads the flight well. Capable both as a rebounder and stopper.

36 Melbourne - Andrew McPherson
Height, Weight: 1
86cm, 78kg
Summary Profile: Composed half-back flanker who is an able stopper and uses the ball cleanly out of defence. Also has capability to push through the midfield.

37 West Coast - Zac Bailey
Height, Weight:
180cm, 68kg
Summary Profile: Speedy midfielder who gets to the right spots at stoppages. Stood out during Under- 18 Championships for Allies.

Who are the Academy and father-son choices likely to feature in the first or second round and have their bids matched?

Patrick Naish is expected to join Richmond as a father-son selection. A bid is likely to come for Naish somewhere in the teens or early 20s.

Connor Ballenden from Brisbane's Academy is expected to attract a bid somewhere in the 20s. Brisbane are expected to come up with the points to match the bid for Ballenden and add him as a strong-marking key position prospect.

What about the other Academy and father-son selections who may receive draft consideration?

Brisbane Academy: Jack Clayton, Jack Payne
Gold Coast Academy: Kwaby Boakye, Damien Burke, Brayden Crossley, Sam Davidson, Connor Nutting, Harry Simmington
Greater Western Sydney Academy: Jy Lane, Doulton Langlands, Brendan Myers, Alex Paech, Jack Powell, Nathan Richards, Nicholas Shipley
Sydney Academy: James Bell, Jake Hardman
Adelaide father-son: Jackson Edwards (son of Tyson).
Brisbane father-son: Lachie Harris (son of Leon)
Collingwood father-son: Tyler Brown (son of Gavin)

What about clubs without a first or second round draft choice?

Essendon, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide are among the clubs without first or second round choices. Hawthorn, who have shown no aversion to taking mature age recruits, may consider WAFL midfielder Tim Kelly with pick No. 43. Port Adelaide, who possess pick No. 46, have been linked to athletic utility Jackson Ross. Essendon, holding pick No. 48 are expected to take a midfielder and would find it difficult to pass up big bodied midfielder James Worpel if he is still available.

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