FootyDraft.com - 'Pies take Eckerman and Polo

[Cannibal]

erniedog made reference to this website in another post, so I went and had a look. Thanks for the idea, mate!

http://www.footydraft.com/

Although it admits to links with BigFooty, it appears to be quite different and certainly isn't the same draft as those idiots put up.

It suggests Collingwood will draft Ben Eckerman (SA) and Dean Polo (Gippsland) with picks 7 and 23. Here's what it had to say about these guys:

http://www.footydraft.com/players.php?player=ben_eckerman

Ben Eckerman
Details:
Club: Athelstone/Sturt
DOB: 12 March 1987 Hgt: 177cm Wgt: 74kg
Position: Onballer/Half Back Flank
Natural Foot: Left

Honours:
South Australia 2004
South Australia MVP 2004
All Australian 2004
National Draft Camp 2004

Strengths: Eckerman is yet another of the SA onball brigade who impressed at the Championships. He was SA’s most consistent performer over the three games, winning the MVP for his constant ball winning.

Ben has very good pace and loves to carry the football, creating a real impact with his speed and long kicking. Like all good midfielders he just knows how to find the footy, but unlike many in the draft pool can really damage sides with his speed and good skills. Has clean hands and good evasion. One of the youngest players eligible in the entire draft.

Weaknesses: At only 177cm and 74kg, Eckerman’s small stature will no doubt see him slip down the draft order.

Footydraft.com comment: I'd like to see him go slightly higher, because this kid does everything right and has a bit of the Byron Schammers about him. Like Schammer he might slip down the order because he not the 6 foot midfielder clubs tend to go for these days.

http://www.footydraft.com/players.php?player=dean_polo

Dean Polo
Details:
Club: Wy Yung/Gippsland
DOB: 5 August 1986 Hgt: 187cm Wgt: 76kg
Position: Onballer
Natural Foot: Left

Honours:
Victoria Country 2004
All Australian 2004
Wing in TAC Cup Team of the Year 2004
National Draft Camp 2004

TAC Stats:
2002: 1 game, 0 goals, 3.0 PPG
2003: 15 games, 5 goals, 19.1 PPG
2004:

Strengths: Polo is an ungainly looking but extremely effective midfielder. He works hard and just keeps finding the football in close. He is very good overhead for his size and is very good at winning the ball at stoppages and kicking it forward.

Dean will put his head over the footy, has good pace and has plenty of improvement left in him. Can do a job on an opposition player when instructed.

Weaknesses: Polo can tend to lack poise and rush his disposal by foot rather than balancing, and some of his decision-making can be questionable. Like a lot of kids needs to put on some weight.

Footydraft.com comment: I suspect he might go a bit later than we have him, but I think he deserves to go early. Has the runs on the board and has been a big improver this year. If he can get a bit more poise into his game will be a real player.

[Johnson#26]

I like the looks of Ekerman. But he will probably want to return to Addelaide. You have to be warey of those SA players.

[Joel]

Didak is from SA, and wants to stick around. I don't think you can make generalisations like that. But, yes, I guess it is a concern.

[labrooy]

Burns is also from SA and has been at the club for years. Also lets not forget Bucks and Tarks.

[05bucks]

thats if we still have the pick, they might trade them of

[Cannibal]

I like the sound of these kids, particularly Eckerman.

[Nath]

Take everything on that site with a grain of salt because the guy that has put the page together really lacks a clue. Its almost a given that Eckerman or Monfries are to be the Pies pick, especially if Tambling is gone.

However, I get the impression the site has just poached its information from other sites and has no real clue. Doubt that Collingwood would draft three kids from Calder this year and the three mentioned haven't even spoken with the Pies, yet the one who has isn't even mentioned in the program at all.

[erniedog]

Who is the player they have talked to?

[Nath]

From Calder. The kid that the Pies have spoken to is Jackson Barling and the one that they are thinking of placing in a rookie listed position is Adam Iacobucci.

There has been no talks between Collingwood and Dale May or Dean Limbach.

[Johnson#26]

I just hope we get two players with pace and skill. Trading or drafting. Ekerman sounds good.

[Joel]

Nath, where did you hear that? Sorry if I'm a pain, I just like to know if what I'm hearing is true, and where it came from.

[Nath]

An immediate family member of mine works for Calder

[Cannibal]

Clubs must have a minimum of three picks in the draft. Beyond that it becomes speculative - it depends on how many picks clubs want, how many players they are prepared to delist to acquire picks, depth in the draft, etc.

The AFL's mock draft is damn accurate but doesn't come out until just before the draft itself, when the kids have been through the draft camp, etc., and all information is to hand, so is useless to us right now.

I think it would be wise to focus on just the first three rounds only at this stage.

Dale May is a projected fourth round pick, Barling isn't even mentioned (that's not saying he won't go in the draft - I don't know anything about the kid and what might be interesting Collingwood, so am in no position to comment) and that means we don't know if any other club might be interested in any of them as well.

[Nath]

Couldn't agree more Cannibal, the best guide to the draft is the mock draft that www.afl.com.au d, which is only posted a couple of days before the draft itself.

With regard to players, those that are invited to the National Draft Camp have more interest than those requested to attend the Draft Screenings by State. In order to make the National Camp, at least 4 clubs must have listed you in the top 30 kids that they are interested in seeing, as far as I know, Dale May has only been asked to the State Screening.

The guy who did the mock draft on big footy seems to have just listened to the twits that post on that forum and picked players for the team on the basis of posts such as 'Who is the best CHF in the TAC', threads of which have little bearing as they are based on our opinions and not those of scouts. For instance, I'd be completely surprised, almost falling off the chair if a player like Stefan Garrubba is still around at pick 60, and a bottom age player like Matthew Bate, despite his win in the Morrish Medal is taken in the first round.

Regardless, the only thing is fair to assume is that Tambling, Franklin, Deledio, Griffin and Roughead are gone by pick 7, look for us to take someone like Monfries, Eckerman or Lewis.

[Joel]

Cheers Nath, thanks for the info.