Each month, ESPN.com.au AFL draft expert Christopher Doerre - aka Knightmare - unveils his power rankings to give readers an early insight into the top 30 prospects ahead of the draft on November 25.
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 analysis.
However, these rankings are his personal opinions, and are not reflective of the thoughts of AFL clubs.
Aside from his monthly power rankings Doerre also produces a weekly draft wrap and he will also predict who goes where with his annual phantom draft in November.
Potential top five on list quality
1. Hugh McCluggage (VIC)
Position: Forward/inside midfielder
Height, weight: 185cm, 75kg
Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels
Plays like: Robbie Gray
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: McCluggage is one of those rare forward/midfielders with excellent ability at ground level and overhead. He is freakish at ground level, so clean with his groundball pickups, and has such quick ability to dispose of handballs or kicks when pressured to a target. When utilised in the front half, McCluggage consistently gets front and centre when packs form and ends up with the ball more often than not. McCluggage is also a genuine marking target, boasting very strong and clean hands overhead, both one on one and on the lead. McCluggage is reliable in front of goal both from general play and set shots and is someone you can count on to consistently make the most of his opportunities. McCluggage has an attacking mindset, often looking to play on or move the ball on, generating meaningful scoring opportunities. His tackling and pressure game is excellent, often showing a willingness to chase and pressure. Through the midfield, McCluggage has the ability to win first possession from ruck contests and is also capable of winning the ground balls and clearances. He works hard to work into space on the outside and also can offer some overlap run at times. McCluggage has good acceleration which he uses in game at times mostly to burst away from packs. His ball use in the most part is good but spending so much time in the front half his disposal efficiency is lower than it should be. In time, as McCluggage grows stronger and starts to build more confidence attacking the ball harder and developing the contested side of his game, McCluggage should spend less time forward and more time through the midfield.
2. Sam Petrevski-Seton (WA)
Position: Utility
Height, weight: 180cm, 73kg
Recruited from: Claremont
Plays like: Shaun Burgoyne
Projected draft range: Top 10
Profile: Petrevski-Seton has excellent acceleration and displays rare evasiveness and agility, which allows him to take on the game frequently with ball in hand and avoid would-be tacklers with ease. He can play midfield (outside or inside), back or forward and his ability to tackle and pressure is very good. Petrevski-Seton is an ambidextrous and damaging kick of the footy who uses the ball by foot beautifully over short and medium distances. As with Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell, it is so hard to prevent Petrevski-Seton from hitting targets because he uses both sides so easily. Petrevski-Seton has excellent finishing ability around goal, has great goal sense in general play and up the field he has a really classy, polished feel with ball in hand. The major question mark surrounding Petrevski-Seton is a lack of consistency with his numbers, which are overall only moderate rather than high which isn't ideal for a potential top selection. However, Petrevski-Seton is a high impact per possession player who doesn't need to find a lot of the ball to have an impact. Being a smaller type with a light body, he is a below average stoppage player and only an average contested ball winner and similarly on the outside does not rack up the footy effortlessly either. But, Petrevski-Seton played three league games at the end of 2015 and in participating for AIS against VFL-standard competition, didn't experience a significant dip in his numbers or impact, which suggests his game will translate well to AFL.
3. William Brodie (VIC)
Position: Inside midfielder
Height, weight: 189cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Plays like: A more dominant Jack Crisp
Projected draft range: Top 10
Profile: Brodie has a strong inside game, often winning first possession and clearances. He wins a stack of contested ball around the ground, offers strong tackling pressure and can chase down or lay strong tackles around the ball. For an inside player, he has an excellent outside balance offering terrific overlap run and providing a link-up option on the outside. In space, Brodie likes to run with ball in hand and his ball use on the outside is good. Sometimes, Brodie would benefit from looking to move the ball on more quickly before the opposing team sets up behind the ball. Brodie is a very good athlete for a tall midfielder, displaying good pace that he uses in games and an excellent work rate, running hard both ways. Brodie's ball use by hand and foot is good but not great but he can hit his targets for the most part and is a capable finisher from general play in the forward 50m, where he can hit the scoreboard. What is missing at times when under pressure is composure in traffic. Brodie has a nice sidestep but in traffic he can get caught with the ball and also often appears pressured, leading to errant disposals by both hand and foot and poor decisions at other times. Overhead, Brodie is a clean mark who reads the flight well, getting to the drop of the ball which allows him at times to take some intercept marks. Despite being a tall midfielder he is not yet a contested marking threat which is something Brodie should look to add to his game as a further weapon to his arsenal.
4. Jack Bowes (QLD - Gold Coast Academy)
Position: Utility
Height, weight: 187cm, 76kg
Recruited from: Gold Coast
Plays like: Nick Dal Santo
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Bowes is a clean, classy, evasive type who consistently does something constructive with ball in hand. He makes excellent decisions with ball in hand and has excellent vision, often finding meaningful targets by foot that others may not notice. Bowes is very quick getting ball onto boot and hits his targets consistently over a variety of distances. He is reliable in front of goal and makes the most of his opportunities both from set shots and general play. He also has the ability to absorb tackles and still get off a clean disposal to a target. He also has excellent ability at ground level with his clean groundball pickups. Bowes has the versatility to play inside/outside, forward or back, with can win the contested ball and clearances, but then also has class and hurt factor by foot. Bowes also has an ability to take strong intercept and one-on-one marks. The missing element for Bowes at the moment is a relative lack of pace, though it doesn't limit his game as his mobility and evasion in traffic make him look quicker than he is.
5. Harrison Macreadie (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Position: Key defence
Height, weight: 195cm, 82kg
Recruited from: UWS Giants
Plays like: Cale Hooker
Projected draft range: Top 10
Profile: What most stands out with Macreadie is what he does with ball in hand. Although a key defender, Macreadie sometimes looks a lot like a classy midfielder, in that he can avoid would-be tacklers by selling candy and implementing a sharp sidestep, while he has the ability to do something with the ball too. He uses the ball well under pressure and is a relatively penetrating kick who uses it well over short, medium and long distances. He has the vision and decision-making ability to hit good targets. Macreadie with space in front of him is also willing to provide some run and carry and overlap run, so he has some offensive weapons few of his peers share by position. Macreadie is also an excellent intercept mark who reads the flight well and works for front to give himself the opportunity to take one-on-one marks. For a tall player, he is very good below his knees, with his ground ball pick-ups clean. From a development standpoint it would be interesting to see if Macreadie had the ability to play at all as a forward. Given his athletic profile and mix of attributes, he should theoretically also be a very effective forward as he has good aerial marking ability and ability at ground level.
Potential top 10 on list quality
6. Brad Scheer (QLD - Gold Coast Academy)
Best position: Inside midfielder
Height, weight: 184cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Gold Coast
Plays like: Luke Parker
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: One of the more dominating inside midfielders in this draft class and the most dominant player in the under-16s until he missed much of 2015 with injury. Scheer is a strong-bodied contested ball-winning midfielder who does his best work inside the contest, often winning first possession from the ruck contests, and generating clearances. Further to his inside ability, Scheer also offers some composure with ball in hand and is reliable with his disposal by hand and foot. Forward of centre, Scheer can prove to be a threat as a relatively strong mark overhead and is able to offer a goal or two a game when he gets time in the front half. Where Scheer is relatively lacking is his endurance and work rate which over time can develop. He also struggles to find much outside ball and is reliable, rather than damaging, with ball in hand, and is not a run and carry threat.
7. Sam Powell-Pepper (WA)
Position: Inside midfielder
Height, weight: 188cm, 83kg
Recruited from: East Perth
Plays like: Ryan Griffen
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Powell-Pepper is a tall, strong-bodied midfielder with outstanding athletic ability. The West Australian is a difference maker at stoppages with his hardness at the ball and ability to take first possession from ruck contests, win clearances, win the contested ball, shrug tackles and tackle with great intensity. He has excellent ground level ability for a tall midfielder and is also a very good crumber who can get to best position in front of packs. What really sets Powell-Pepper apart beyond his inside game is his athleticism. He boasts excellent speed and endurance, regularly displaying a good burst of speed and the endurance to cover the ground and run both ways to a high standard. He has the ability to use evasive sidesteps in traffic and given all this, offers a great athletic package at his height. He also has the ability to hit the scoreboard at times through the midfield. Powell-Pepper also has some versatility to his game and has the ability to run off half-back and offer meaningful drive by using his linebreaking ability when the opportunity is there. Where further improvement is required is with his ball use, which is adequate but needs to become more consistent with his disposal efficiency not at the level you'd expect of a prospective first round selection at this stage.
8. Jy Simpkin (VIC)
Position: Outside midfielder/forward|
Height, weight: 182cm, 72kg
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Plays like: Zac Merrett
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Simpkin is a damaging forward/midfielder with class, composure and playmaking ability. His ball use is excellent by hand and foot, weighing his deliveries perfectly. Simpkin displays the vision and footskills to hit inside 50 targets as well as any in this draft and has great composure with ball in hand. The scoreboard impact Simpkin offers is strong, often kicking two or three goals a game when playing on a forward flank. Simpkin has excellent pace and uses it well, plays a good two-way game and offers excellent tackling pressure as well as the second and third tackling efforts. Simpkin is overall a good but not great ball winner at this stage and spending more time up the field will be the next step in his development. However, with the scoreboard impact he offers and the damage he can do forward of centre, the temptation will be to continue giving him minutes in the front half. Simpkin is capable of winning contested ball and ground balls cleanly and can win some clearances when thrown into the middle, but as a smaller body he likely will continue playing more of a combination outside/forward role. Unfortunately, Simpkin will miss the national Under-18 Championships and quite possibly the remainder of the season due to a broken leg, but on past performance should still be highly rated by clubs.
9. Jacob Allison (QLD - Brisbane Academy)
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 193cm, 73kg
Recruited from: Brisbane Lions
Plays like: Robert Murphy
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Allison is a tall utility with a very well-rounded game. Allison has some unusual weapons in his arsenal as a strong contested ball winner, winning more than 50 percent of his ball in contested situations through the 2015 under-18 championships. He is a strong one-on-one mark who often takes multiple contested marks in a game. Allison has excellent footskills, with 55m penetration and accuracy over a variety of distances. Allison is also a high level athlete, boasting a good leap, linebreaking ability, a good burst of acceleration and a willingness to take on the game at speed. Allison also possesses a strong work rate offering good overlap run and working back defensively. Allison's tackling ability also is strong. While versatile, what is lacking with Allison at the moment is a clear best position, as he can play well in several different positions without necessarily making the one role his own. To improve further, he will need to add strength as he still has a light body. That will aid him in one-on-one contests and further allow Allison to improve his contested ball winning ability.
10. Jonty Scharenberg (SA)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 185cm, 77kg
Recruited from: Glenelg
Plays like: Callan Ward
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Highly productive inside midfielder with strong contested ball winning ability, Scharenberg wins clearances and gains first possession regularly, can dish a quick handball in traffic to open teammates, find space in traffic and tackles strongly through the midfield. He also finds a good balance of contested and uncontested possessions. The brother of Collingwood's Matthew at times has proven a threat forward of centre, running into space, taking some strong marks and offering some scoreboard impact. Skill level by hand and foot is good. Athletically Scharenberg is only average, with no freakish attributes but he has an overall good workrate, covers the ground well, spreads from stoppages and provides some overlap run. Scharenberg would benefit from making his weapons more pronounced, taking his inside game from very good to dominant and taking his play forward of centre up another level, but overall he offers a well-rounded game through the midfield, projecting to be a valuable component to a midfield going forward.
11. Joshua Battle (VIC)
Best position: Key forward
Height, weight: 192cm, 90kg
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays
Plays like: Jack Darling
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Strong bodied, strong contested marking key forward with a real presence to him. Started the season with four goals and 10 marks (five contested) and added four goals and eight marks in his second game. With continued strong performances, Battle has the opportunity to rocket up draft boards.
12. Will Setterfield (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 190cm, 79kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Plays like: David Mundy
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Setterfield is a tall midfielder who thrives at stoppages with his contested ball winning ability. He uses the ball very well, demonstrating excellent composure with ball in hand. Setterfield plays his footy in Victoria for Sandringham Dragons and Caulfield Grammar.
13. Harry Perryman (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 184cm, 75kg
Recruited from: Collingullie-GP
Plays like: Tom Rockliff
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: A natural footballer who is very clean below the knees and uses the ball well, Perryman has strong contested ball-winning ability but can also find lots of it on the outside. His pace is only average but he covers the ground well and finds the footy in bunches.
14. Josh Rotham (WA)
Best position: Key defence
Height, weight: 192cm, 79kg
Recruited from: West Perth
Plays like: Troy Chaplin
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Rotham is a highly productive rebounding key defender who uses the footy very well by foot coming out of the back half. Will need to get stronger and develop his one-on-one game and ability to his direct opponent.
Projected best 22 players
15. Brandon Parfitt (NT)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 177cm, 72kg
Recruited from: North Adelaide/Nightcliff
Plays like: Allen Christensen
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Parfitt is a small midfielder who can win his own ball and offers great tackling energy and intensity around the contest. Parfitt has excellent pace and agility which he uses well in game, he just needs to develop greater consistency in his execution by foot.
16. Ben Ainsworth (VIC)
Best position: Forward pocket
Height, weight: 179cm, 74kg
Recruited from: Gippsland Power
Plays like: Jamie Elliott
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Highly productive, strong-marking small forward with good ground level ability who can take a hanger, provide strong scoreboard impact and offer good tackling pressure in the front half. Ainsworth will need to work on conversion in front of goal, with his conversion rate of below 50 percent in 2015, which is not good enough for a small forward.
17. Jarrod Berry (VIC)
Best position: Half-back flank
Height, weight: 191cm, 80kg
Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels
Plays like: Kade Kolodjashnij
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: High production rebounding defender who reads the play well, uses the footy efficiently and can provide some run and carry from the back half. What is missing is a lack of contested ball winning ability.
18. Todd Marshall (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Best position: Key forward
Height, weight: 197cm, 87kg
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Plays like: Mitch Clark
Projected draft range: First round
Profile: Marshall is a tall goalkicking forward who plays his best footy close to goal. He is a strong contested-marking presence inside the forward 50m but with time, will want to become more prolific up the field and start finding more of the footy.
19. Jack Graham (SA)
Best position: Half-back flank/inside midfield
Height, weight: 183cm, 83kg
Recruited from: North Adelaide
Plays like: Marley Williams
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Graham is a strong-bodied backman who can push through the midfield as a ball winner. He offers good run out of the back half but his big strength is his ground ball-winning class and ability to win the 50/50 contests, which is among the best in this draft class.
20. Alex Witherden (VIC)|
Best position: Half-back flank
Height, weight: 186cm, 80kg
Recruited from: Geelong Falcons
Plays like: Brodie Smith
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Witherden is a clean-kicking back flanker with excellent penetration by foot and very impressive composure with ball in hand. He also offers good run from the back half.
21. Tim Taranto (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 186cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Plays like: Jarrad McVeigh
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Taranto is a midfielder who can win first possession but also does damage by foot and has good evasiveness. He offers good versatility with his ability to push forward and hit the scoreboard and push back and take an intercept mark as required.
22. Kobe Mutch (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 184cm, 75kg
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers
Plays like: Brandon Ellis
Projected draft range: second round
Profile: Mutch is another GWS Academy player who has made the move to Victoria to play TAC Cup football, playing for the Bendigo Pioneers. He is a versatile type who can play back, forward or on a wing and is a good ball user who runs all day, accumulating extremely high disposal numbers each week.
23. Jack Rolls (QLD - Brisbane Academy)
Best position: Outside midfield
Height, weight: 182cm, 72kg
Recruited from: Brisbane
Plays like: Stephen Coniglio
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Rolls is a high-quality ball user with composure with ball in hand. His production is strong and he has impressive acceleration and excellent endurance.
24. Harry Morrison (VIC)
Best position: Half-back flank
Height, weight: 182cm, 73kg
Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers
Plays like: Bachar Houli
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Morrison is a back flanker who does great damage by foot with his efficient and penetrating kicks. He also is willing to take the game on with his run, showing good pace, but also the ability to avoid tacklers through skilfully showing the ball to opponents on the move and going the other way.
25. Jordan Sweet (SA)|
Best position: Ruck
Height, weight: 203cm, 105kg
Recruited from: North Adelaide
Plays like: Matthew Kreuzer
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Sweet is a big, tall, dominating ruckman. While Sweet is a highly effective tap ruckman, he also has demonstrated some ability to find the ball around the ground.
26. William Drew (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 188cm, 78kg
Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels
Plays like: Aaron vandenBerg
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Tall midfielder who can win first possession at stoppages and offers strong tackling pressure around the ball. Drew is very clean below the knees and also a capable one-on-one mark which also allows him to be effective forward of centre.
27. Jack Scrimshaw (VIC)
Best position: Half-back flank
Height, weight: 193cm, 81kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Plays like: Grant Birchall
Projected draft range: First to second round
Profile: Tall defender who has yet to play this season for Sandringham. Could develop into a key defender or may develop up the field. Regardless of where he settles, he has shown talent with his movement, evasiveness at his height and footskills.
28. Dylan Clarke (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 187cm, 85kg
Recruited from: Eastern Rangers
Plays like: David Armitage
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Dylan is the younger brother of North Melbourne's Ryan, and is taller and has a larger frame, but lacks the acceleration of his older brother. Clarke is a strong-bodied midfielder who does all the hard stuff on the inside and offers some versatility. He is starting to play forward more this season and offer some scoreboard impact.
29. Joseph Atley (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 186cm, 84kg
Plays like: Mitch Robinson
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: Joseph Atley is the younger brother of North Melbourne's Shaun. And while he doesn't possess his brother's line-breaking pace, is terrific at stoppages as a strong-bodied midfielder with excellent contested ball winning ability.
30. Andrew McGrath (VIC)
Best position: Outside midfield
Height, weight: 179cm, 75kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Plays like: Jarman Impey
Projected draft range: second to third round
Profile: McGrath is a quick outside type who shows a willingness to take on the game with his run and carry. He also displays class and composure with ball in hand and is a reliable ball user who uses the footy particularly well by foot.