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AFL Draft Power Rankings: Giants academy prospect holds off chargers from Oakleigh

Each week, ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Chris Doerre casts his eye over the country's best junior footballers to give readers an early insight into the next generation of AFL stars.

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

Aside from the weekly wraps, Doerre will also unveil his power rankings at the end of each month and as we get closer to November's national draft, Doerre will also predict who goes where with his annual phantom draft.


1. Thomas Green (GWS Academy)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 188cm, 85kg
Recruited from: GWS Giants
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Patrick Cripps
Rationale: The most prolific stoppage player and contested ball winner in the pool. Averages 21 disposals as well as a competition-high 15 contested possessions and six clearances in his four matches representing the Allies in the 2018 Under-18 Championships. He's also averaging 24 disposals and eight clearances per game from his three NEAFL matches, placing him ahead of all other midfielders in the pool.
Strengths: Stoppage work, winning clearances, contested ball winning, distribution by hand, capabilities forward of centre, marking inside 50m, scoreboard impact, production on the board in the NEAFL
Weaknesses: Pace, outside hurt factor

2. Noah Anderson
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 190cm, 83kg
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Projected draft range: 1-10
Plays like: Brendon Goddard
Rationale: When Anderson is 'on' he is a match winner capable of kicking four goals in a short space of time or breaking games open with his run and damaging ball use. One of this draft's most exciting prospects and a pick one contender. While Noah's father Dean played for both Hawthorn and St Kilda, he did not clock up 100 games with either club to be eligible for father-son selection.
Strengths: Impact per possession, has moments where he individually takes over games, versatility to impact games midfield, forward or back, spread from the contest, explosive line breaker, hurt factor by foot, vision, moves the ball on quickly, scoreboard impact, ground ball winning, finds space inside 50m, endurance, work rate
Weaknesses: Inconsistency

3. Matthew Rowell
Best position:
Inside/outside midfield
Height, weight: 180cm, 73kg
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Projected draft range: 1-3
Plays like: Adam Treloar
Rationale: A pick one contender, Rowell finished 2018 ominously by winning best-on-ground honours in a losing TAC Cup Grand Final as well as in the Under-17 All Stars Grand Final curtain raiser.
Strengths: Attack on the ball, contested ball winning, explosive acceleration, endurance, versatility to play inside or outside midfield, performances on the biggest of stages
Weaknesses: Consistency by foot, scoreboard impact

4. Sam Flanders
Best position:
General forward/inside midfield
Height, weight: 183cm, 81kg
Recruited from: Gippsland Power
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Cameron Rayner
Rationale: One of the draft's most damaging players forward of centre with among the highest ceilings in the pool.
Strengths: Scoreboard impact, contested ball winning, one-on-one marking, overhead marking, explosive acceleration, hurt-factor by foot, versatility to hurt the opposition as a forward or through the midfield
Weaknesses: Inconsistency, endurance

5. Dylan Williams
Best position:
General forward/inside midfield
Height, weight: 188cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Projected draft range: 1-10
Plays like: Steve Johnson
Rationale: Already has the performances on the board for Oakleigh in 2018 and is appealing with the quality of his play forward of centre and through the midfield.
Strengths: One touch at ground level, strong one-on-one mark, overhead marking, clever finisher around goal, skills, contested ball winning, midfield capabilities
Weaknesses: Forward pressure, tackling, endurance

6. Brodie Kemp
Best position:
Utility/general defence
Height, weight: 193cm, 76kg
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers
Projected draft range: 5-25
Plays like: James Sicily
Rationale: Arguably the most advanced defender from the 2019 crop. An intercept marking machine who averaged two contested marks per game over his last four matches in 2018.
Strengths: Intercept marking, reading of the ball in flight, aerial marking, one-on-one marking, contested marking, ground ball winning, run from defence, movement through traffic, evasion, versatility to push forward or win the ball through the midfield
Weaknesses: Unclear best position, kicking efficiency

7. Dylan Stephens
Best position: General forward/midfield
Height, weight: 181cm, 69kg
Recruited from: Norwood
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Hugh McCluggage
Rationale: Kicking 13 goals from his eight SANFL Under-18 matches and prolific performances in the finals, Stephens is one of the draft's best performed and most exciting talents.
Strengths: Scoreboard impact, endurance to run all day, hurt factor by foot, production, versatility to play forward or midfield in an inside or outside role
Weaknesses: Size, forward pressure

8. Cameron Taheny
Best position:
General forward/midfield
Height, weight: 183cm, 76kg
Recruited from: Norwood
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Shane Edwards
Rationale: One of South Australia's most talent forwards who kicked eight goals in one game and four goals in two successive weeks in the SANFL Under-18s in 2018.
Strengths: Scoreboard impact, classy and damaging left foot kick, kicking penetration, moves the ball on quickly, smarts around goal, overhead marking threat inside 50m, knack for finding the ball forward of centre
Weaknesses: Unclear midfield capabilities, contested ball winning

9. Caleb Serong
Best position: Inside midfield/general forward
Height, weight: 178cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Gippsland Power
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Jamie Elliott
Rationale: Damaging forward with the tools to be one of this draft's best. Looked a class above in the Under-17 Grand Final curtain raiser with 28 disposals.
Strengths: One-on-one capabilities, powerful overhead mark, aerial marking threat, high leaper, explosive first step, agility, damaging skills, impact per possession, scoreboard impact, contested ball winning capabilities
Weaknesses: Low numbers (other than the Under-17 All Stars Grand Final curtain raiser)

10. Mitch O'Neill
Best position: Outside midfield
Height, weight: 181cm, 69kg
Recruited from: North Hobart
Projected draft range: 5-20
Plays like: Zach Merrett
Rationale: An Under-18 All-Australian and the son of a state 400m champion and state netballer. The quality of his ball use, movement and capacity to impact games at ground level or overhead places him among the most promising midfielders in the pool.
Strengths: Precision kicking, decision making, vision, evasion and slipperiness in traffic, agility, leap, aerial marking threat, one touch at ground level
Weaknesses: Size, contested ball winning

11. Jeremy Sharp
Best position: General defence
Height, weight: 185cm, 72kg
Recruited from: East Fremantle
Projected draft range: 5-25
Plays like: Jack Crisp
Rationale: One of the premier rebounding defenders and outside runners in the draft. His speed, endurance and ball use are his greatest assets.
Strengths: Speed, endurance, line breaking capabilities, composure with ball in hand, evasion, long, reliable kick
Weaknesses: Contested ball winning, unclear midfield capabilities

12. Will Gould
Best position: General defence
Height, weight: 190cm, 93kg
Recruited from: Glenelg
Projected draft range: 5-25
Plays like: Steven May
Rationale: An Under-18 All-Australian, Gould is the most physically advanced and dominant prospect in the pool.
Strengths: One-on-one strength, reading of the ball in flight, intercept marking, penetrating kick with 60m range, performances on the board
Weaknesses: Endurance, athleticism

13. Lachlan Ash
Best position:
General defence
Height, weight: 186cm, 77kg
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Projected draft range: 5-25
Plays like: Kade Simpson
Rationale: A well rounded defender who intercepts at a high level, provides run and uses the ball reliably from defence.
Strengths: Intercept marking, reading of the ball in flight, ground ball winning, tackling, forward pressure, reliable kick, run and carry, agility, evasion, versatility to push up through the midfield
Weaknesses: Lack of hurt factor

14. Ryan Byrnes
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 179cm, 75kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Projected draft range: 10-30
Plays like: Luke Shuey
Rationale: Started 2019 off with dominant performances in Sandringham's practice matches and first round win. One of this year's most promising midfielders as a ball winner who applies his pace around stoppages as well as any and uses the ball sweetly.
Strengths: Wins first possession at stoppages, use of speed with ball in hand around stoppages, speed, agility, run and carry at speed, evasion in traffic, clean skills, vision to find targets inside 50m
Weaknesses: Scoreboard impact, unclear versatility

15. Thomson Dow
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 182cm, 71kg
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers
Projected draft range: 5-30
Plays like: Adam Treloar
Rationale: Younger brother of Carlton's Paddy Dow, Thomson is one of this year's most impressive midfielders with his ball winning capabilities and explosiveness among the best in the pool.
Strengths: Contested ball winning, explosive pace, decision making, distribution by hand, marking threat forward of centre, scoreboard impact, versatility to play inside/outside midfield or forward
Weaknesses: Kicking consistency

16. Hayden Young
Best position: General defence/midfield
Height, weight: 186cm, 79kg
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays
Projected draft range: 1-20
Plays like: Zak Jones
Rationale: One of the early contenders for the number one pick, Young is a relentless attacker of the ball who can play in defence or through the midfield.
Strengths: Versatility to play defence or midfield, aggressive attack on the ball, clean skills, run and carry, one-on-one defence
Weaknesses: Production, hurt factor, intercept marking

17. Deven Robertson
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 182cm, 75kg
Recruited from: Perth
Projected draft range: 10-50
Plays like: Nathan Jones
Rationale: Nephew of Darren Glass, Robertson is one of the most productive ball winning midfielders in the pool.
Strengths: Production, attack on the ball, contested ball winning, stoppage work, work rate, endurance, speed, agility, tackling, pressure around the ground
Weaknesses: X-factor, scoreboard impact

18. Cooper Stephens
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 187cm, 70kg
Recruited from: Geelong Falcons
Projected draft range: 5-30
Plays like: Taylor Adams
Rationale: One of the premier ball winners of the 2019 crop, Stephens has the production on the board and is one of the most prolific at stoppages.
Strengths: Contested ball winning, distribution by hand, stoppage work, burst of speed from stoppages, acceleration, production
Weaknesses: Kicking reliability, versatility, scoreboard impact

19. Luke Jackson
Best position: Ruck
Height, weight: 196cm, 90kg
Recruited from: East Fremantle
Projected draft range: 5-35
Plays like: Paddy Ryder
Rationale: A raw, athletic, high leaping ruckman who made the decision to pursue football instead of basketball. Follows up powerfully often winning first possession and tackling aggressively.
Strengths: High leaper, follow-up work, contested ball winning, tackling, contested marking, reading of the ball in flight, endurance
Weaknesses: Raw, skills, running patterns, struggles to find the ball outside the contest

20. Charlie Dean
Best position:
Key forward
Height, weight: 194cm, 86kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Projected draft range: 10-50
Plays like: Ben Brown
Rationale: Promising key position player who has started the season with nine goals from his first two matches.
Strengths: Set shot goalkicking routine, marking on the lead, reading of the ball in flight, skills, comfortable at ground level, mobility, one-on-one defence, intercept marking, versatility to play key forward or key defence
Weaknesses: Contested marking, forward pressure, tackling