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AFL Phantom Draft: Who goes where in the first round?

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.

This is his first phantom draft of 2019, looking at the first round only and ahead of the start of the free agency and trade period.

As we get closer to the draft itself -- on November 20-21 -- Doerre will expand his predictions into the second and third rounds as well as a full phantom draft.


1. Gold Coast: Matthew Rowell (VIC)
Height, Weight: 178cm/74kg
Profile: A big-game player, Rowell is the first person to ever win two successive Grand Final best-on-ground medals in TAC Cup/NAB League history. He is this year's premier midfielder as a hardworking, ball-winning midfielder with explosive pace.

2. Gold Coast (priority pick): Noah Anderson (VIC)
Height, Weight:
188cm/86kg
Profile: A match-winner who breaks games open in the matter of minutes whether he is winning his own ball or hitting the scoreboard. The most influential in the pool whether he's used as a midfielder or forward.

3. Melbourne: Caleb Serong (VIC)
Height, Weight:
178cm/83kg
Profile: Strong ball-winner and tackler through the midfield. Impressive athlete who is just as good up forward with his ground ball-winning and work aerially causing problems.

4. Adelaide (tied to Carlton): Sam Flanders (VIC)
Height, Weight:
182cm/81kg
Profile: Arguably this year's most damaging player forward of centre and has become just as valuable as a midfielder. Flanders is ready to go, plays a high impact per possession game and possesses explosive power.

5. Greater Western Sydney (matched bid): Thomas Green (NSW/ACT - GWS Academy)
Height, Weight:
188cm/85kg
Profile: The most prolific stoppage player and contested ball-winner to come through the junior ranks in recent years. Able to rotate forward as required and provide a leadup target.

6. Sydney: Hayden Young (VIC)
Height, Weight:
188cm/82kg
Profile: One of this year's premier ball users from defence. A reliable stopper and has the capability to push through the midfield and win his own ball.

7. St Kilda: Brodie Kemp (VIC)
Height, Weight:
192cm/82kg
Profile: Explosive ball-winning utility who impacts games through the midfield, up forward or in defence. Torn ACL likely keeps Kemp out until about mid-2020.

8. Fremantle: Dylan Stephens (SA)
Height, Weight:
183cm/69kg
Profile: Consistent performer at SANFL League level, playing 13 games through Norwood's midfield. Stephens is a ready-to-go, hard running midfielder who can impact outside or inside.

9. North Melbourne: Luke Jackson (WA)
Height, Weight:
198cm/94kg
Profile: A raw, athletic, high leaping ruckman who made the decision to pursue football instead of basketball. Jackson is an aggressive tackler who follows up powerfully from ruck contests, often winning first possession.

10. Carlton (tied to Adelaide): Lachlan Ash (VIC)
Height, Weight:
186cm/80kg
Profile: Line-breaking defender who breaks games open with his speed, agility and kicking. Does his best work generating drive from defence but has the versatility to push up through the midfield.

11. Port Adelaide: Josh Worrell (VIC)
Height, Weight:
195cm/74kg
Profile: Athletic utility with the scope to play key forward, key defence or on a wing. Worrell is an excellent reader of the ball in flight, displays a high work rate and was Vic Metro's leading goalkicker during the Under-18 Championships.

12. Hawthorn: Will Gould (SA)
Height, Weight:
191cm/98kg
Profile: Strong bodied defender with the performances on the board at SANFL League level including a premiership for Glenelg. Gould throws his weight around, plays an aggressive style of game and is a penetrating kick.

13. Fremantle (matched bid): Liam Henry (WA - Fremantle Academy)
Height, Weight:
179cm/67kg
Profile: Speedy forward who is dangerous at ground level and on the lead inside 50m. Henry is a composed ball user and applies heavy forward pressure.

14. Western Bulldogs: Cody Weightman (VIC)
Height, Weight:
177cm/73kg
Profile: Speedy small forward who makes something out of nothing. Weightman is dangerous at ground level, flies for marks, applies heavy forward pressure and hits the scoreboard.

15. West Coast: Deven Robertson (WA)
Height, Weight:
182cm/80kg
Profile: A worthy winner of the Larke Medal for the best performer during the Under-18 Championships. Robertson is one of this year's premier midfielders, winning the ball and moving it on aggressively.

16. Gold Coast (tied to Brisbane): Will Day (SA)
Height, Weight:
187cm/70kg
Profile: Lightly built outside midfielder with good skills and speed. Viewed by recruiters as one of the prospects with the greatest upside in this draft.

17. Brisbane (tied to Collingwood): Harrison Jones (VIC)
Height, Weight:
194cm/75kg
Profile: Lightly built key forward who is at his best taking marks at full stretch. Jones is athletic, capable at ground level, hits the scoreboard heavily and possesses a high ceiling.

18. Geelong: Fischer McAsey (VIC)
Height, Weight:
195cm/86kg
Profile: This year's most promising key defender. A high-level intercept mark and stopper with athleticism.

19. Hawthorn (matched bid): Finn Maginness (VIC - Hawthorn father-son)
Height, Weight:
187cm/80kg
Profile: Ball-winner midfielder who is a hard to stop mark one-on-one inside 50m. Finn is the son of Hawthorn defender Scott Maginness.

20. Richmond: Sam De Koning (VIC)
Height, Weight:
200cm/85kg
Profile: Athletic and versatile but raw key position player. Sam is the younger brother of Carlton's Tom.