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. Jack Lukosius (SA)
Best position: Key forward
Height, weight: 194cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Woodville West Torrens
Projected draft range: 1-3
Similar to: Nick Riewoldt
Rationale: If you stay back and don't chase him up the ground, he will endlessly take marks up the field. If you chase him, he will push forward and punish you. A potential generational player who may be the best key forward to come through the junior ranks in modern times. This preseason already, Lukosius has managed 25 disposals and 14 marks in a SANFL practice match as a key defender and five goals in three quarters in a SANFL League practice match against Port Adelaide reserves as a forward.
Strengths:
-Endurance
-Workrate
-Athleticism
-Overhead marking
-Production
-Scoreboard impact
-Dominant key forward and key defender
-Performances against SANFL League competition Success in the biggest games including four goals on SANFL League debut in a final
-Field kicking
-Lowers eyes
Weaknesses:
-Effective but not dominant contested mark
2. Izak Rankine (SA)
Best position: Midfield/forward
Height, weight: 178cm, 74kg
Recruited from: West Adelaide
Projected draft range: 1-3
Similar to: Shaun Burgoyne
Rationale: Not only productive and proven but the most damaging and influential player in the draft either as a midfielder or forward. Avoids and manoeuvres around players like they're traffic cones. Rankine is so dominant that in a practice game he was asked to change teams at half-time, and he single-handedly turned the momentum the other way.
Strengths:
-One-touch ground ball pickups
-Wins ground balls at full pace
-Evasiveness
-Agility
-Acceleration
-Change of direction
-Anticipation
-Skills under pressure
-Impact per possession
-Scoreboard impact
-Production
-Performances on the board at SANFL League level
-Contested ball-winning
-Dominant as a midfielder or forward
Weaknesses:
-Height
-Gets caught with the ball when he tries to do too much
-Not comfortable kicking on his non-preferred side
-Effective but not dominant stoppage player
3. Max King (VIC)
Best position: Key forward/ruckman
Height, weight: 201cm, 82kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Projected draft range: 1-20
Similar to: Jonathon Patton
Rationale: With his height, length, overhead marking and body positioning in the contest, King has been spoken about as a potential No. 1 overall choice. He is as damaging close to goal as any prospect since Joe Daniher. King kicked eight goals, five behinds behinds and gathered 19 disposals and nine marks (six contested) against a strong Oakleigh side in Round 2 which speaks to how dominant King is close to goal.
Strengths:
-Height
-Long arms
-Takes front position in marking contests
-Body positioning in the contest
-Draws free kicks inside 50m
-Jumps towards the ball when taking marks
-Contested marking
-One-on-one marking
-Clean at ground level
-Leap
-Leading patterns
-Mobility
Weaknesses:
-Endurance
-Workrate
-Rarely pushes up outside the forward 50m arc
-Conversion in front of goal
4. Ben King (VIC)
Best position: Key defence
Height, weight: 201cm, 79kg
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons
Projected draft range: 1-20
Similar to: Harris Andrews
Rationale: This year's premier key defender. Terrific both as a stopper and rebounding. Differs from his brother in that he has greater versatility and looks more accustomed to playing up the ground, but isn't dominant as Max is close to goal.
Strengths:
-Height
-Contested marking
-Intercept marking
-Reading the ball in flight
-Capability to play either end
-Protects the drop zone on marks
-Lockdown defence
-Skills
-Mobility
-One-on-one work in the contest
-Versatility to play key defence or key forward
Weaknesses:
-Endurance
-Workrate
5. Bailey Smith
Best position: Midfield/defence
Height, weight: 183cm, 74kg
Recruited from: Sandringham
Projected draft range: 3-20
Similar to: Mitch Duncan
Rationale: High production, consistent ball user who contributes strongly as a midfielder or half-back flanker and uses the ball effectively. Produced 37 disposals, 22 contested possessions and 12 clearances in Round 1 and is likely to frequently contribute 30+ disposals as a midfielder.
Strengths:
-Production
-Contested ball-winning
-Precise kicking
-Vision
-Versatility to play midfield or defence
-Contested ball-winning
-Outside accumulation
-Reading of the ball in flight
-Intercept marking
-Endurance
Weaknesses:
-X-factor
6. Riley Collier-Dawkins (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 193cm, 88kg
Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers
Projected draft range: 3-25
Similar to: Patrick Cripps
Rationale: Late bloomer who is still growing. Possesses tremendous upside as an inside midfielder with his ball-winning capabilities as mobility at his height. Speculative to have this high, this early, but as a still-growing tall midfielder with the mix of attributes he has, he could be another Patrick Cripps and hit his stride a few years into his AFL journey.
Strengths:
-Contested ball-winning
-Clean at ground level
-Wins the ball at speed
-Distribution by hand
-Still growing
-Rate of improvement
-Pace
-Agility
-Evasiveness in traffic
-Overhead marking
-Contested marking
-Capable through midfield or up forward
-Kicks out in front of targets to run onto
Weaknesses:
-X-factor
-Production
-Consistency
7. Ian Hill (WA)
Best position: Midfield/defence
Height, weight: 174cm, 66kg
Recruited from: Perth
Projected draft range: 2-10
Similar to: Stephen Hill
Rationale: Starred for Western Australia during the 2017 Under-18 Championships with his acceleration, agility, evasiveness, one-touch ground ball-winning and skills humbling opponents.
Strengths:
-Acceleration
-Agility
-Evasiveness
-One-touch at ground level
-Skills
-Vision
-Decision-making under pressure Impact per possession
-Production Impacts games through the midfield, down back or as a forward
Weaknesses:
-Height
-Size
8. Bailey Williams (VIC)
Best position: Ruck
Height, weight: 198cm, 91kg
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays
Projected draft range: 10-30
Similar to: Nic Naitanui
Rationale: Arguably the most dominant junior ruckman since Brodie Grundy. Elevates so high at centre bounces you think he is taking a specie over opponents. Opportunities for Dandenong to play through the ruck will be limited given their depth including three genuine rucks so he'll have to continue to improve his craft as a forward to maintain stocks as a possible early draft choice.
Strengths:
-Leap
-Gets first hands on it in the ruck almost every time
-Attacks the ball in flight
-Production
-Capable both as a ruckman and key forward, kicking 15 goals from 17 TAC Cup games in 2017
Weaknesses:
-Inconsistent overhead and aerial mark
-Accumulation
-Tap work could be directed more effectively to teammates
9. Connor Rozee (SA)
Best position: Forward/midfield
Height, weight: 184cm, 75kg
Recruited from: North Adelaide
Projected draft range: 3-20
Similar to: Chad Wingard
Rationale: Damaging forward with all the tricks who also applies impressive forward pressure.
Strengths:
-Skills
-Vision
-Kicking inside 50m
-Finishing around goal
-Sticky hands overhead
-Freakish at ground level
-Acceleration
-Leap
-Change of direction
-Pressures the ball carrier
-Forward pressure
-Tackling
-Overhead marking
-Impacts games as a forward and midfielder
Weaknesses:
-Stoppage work
-Contested ball-winning
10. Sam Walsh (VIC)
Best position: Inside/outside midfield
Height, weight: 182cm, 68kg
Recruited from: Geelong Falcons
Projected draft range: 3-20
Similar to: Dan Hannebery
Rationale: Averaged 29.2 disposals in the TAC Cup and 20.5 through the Under-18 Championships in 2017. Combination of acceleration and work through the midfield both inside and outside the contest makes Walsh as appealing as any midfielder. If he was a more consistent kick he would be even higher.
Strengths:
-Endurance
-Contested ball-winning
-Production
-Acceleration
-Agility
-Breaks the lines
Weaknesses:
-Consistency by foot
11. Curtis Taylor (VIC)
Best position: Midfield/forward
Height, weight: 186cm, 74kg
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Projected draft range: 15-45
Similar to: Robbie Gray
Rationale: Wins the contested ball and hurts the opposition with each kick.
Strengths:
-Impact per possession
-Contested ball-winning
-Skills
-Lowers eyes
-Brings teammates into the game
-Hurt factor with ball in hand
-Agility
-Movement through traffic
-Overhead marking
-Tackling
Weaknesses:
-Endurance
-Production
12. Jye Caldwell
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 181cm, 78kg
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers
Projected draft range: 3-20
Similar to: Adam Treloar
Rationale: Exciting midfielder who has shown signs of brilliance. Contested ball winner who hurts the opposition.
Strengths:
-Production
-Stoppage work
-Able to play midfield or forward
-Scoreboard impact
-Contested ball-winning
-Tackling
-Acceleration from the contest
-Dual sided
Weaknesses:
-Consistency of skills
13. Jackson Hately (SA)
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 189cm, 79kg
Recruited from: Central Districts
Projected draft range: 5-30
Similar to: Blake Acres
Rationale: Potential as a tall ball-winning midfield intrigues.
Strengths:
-Production
-Versatility to play forward, midfield or back
-Clean hands in close
-Distribution by hand
-Contested ball-winning
-Overhead marking
Weaknesses:
-Decision-making under pressure
-Inconsistent skills
14. Jack Bytel (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 188cm, 79kg
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Projected draft range: 10-40
Similar to: Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
Rationale: Best pure stoppage player in the draft.
Strengths:
-Stoppage specialist
-Contested ball-winning
-Tackling
-Uses body effectively in the contest
-Body positioning at stoppages
-Attack on the ball
-Scoreboard impact
-Capability to play forward
Weaknesses:
-Kicking consistency
15. Nick Blakey (NSW - Brisbane F/S, North Melbourne F/S, Sydney Academy)
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 194cm, 75kg
Recruited from: University of New South Wales
Projected draft range: 1-15
Similar to: Darcy Moore
Rationale: Physically developing key position player with athleticism and mix of attributes that suggest he'll develop.
Strengths:
-Mobility
-Leap
-Marking on the lead
-Versatility to play forward or back as a key position player, third tall or through the midfield
-Clean at ground level
Weaknesses:
-Size
-Strength in the contest
16. Tarryn Thomas (TAS - North Melbourne Northern Academy)
Best position: Midfield/defence
Height, weight: 189cm, 71kg
Recruited from: North Launceston
Projected draft range: 5-25
Similar to: Jack Martin
Rationale: Exciting outside runner who burst onto the scene with his 2016 Under-18 Championships performances for Tasmania.
Strengths:
-Line breaking pace
-Pressure on the ball carrier
-Tackling
-Clean skills
-Composure with ball in hand
-Lowers his eyes
-Time and space in traffic
Weaknesses:
-Light bodied
-Contested ball-winning
17. Tom Joyce (WA)
Best position: Midfield/defence
Height, weight: 180cm, 68kg
Recruited from: East Fremantle
Projected draft range: 10-30
Similar to: Lachie Neale
Rationale: Small midfielder who made a name for himself during the Under-18 Championships as one of the key midfield pieces who got the ball moving.
Strengths:
-Contested ball-winning
-Production
-Competitiveness in close
-Clean skills
-Sound decision maker who is composed with ball in hand
-Takes on the game
-Pace
Weaknesses:
-Size
18. Thomas Berry (VIC)
Best position: Inside midfield
Height, weight: 184cm, 74kg
Recruited from: Greater Western Victoria Rebels
Projected draft range: 10-40
Similar to: Luke Shuey
Rationale: Contested ball-winning midfielder with explosive pace.
Strengths:
-Contested ball-winning
-Stoppage work
-Attack on the ball
-Acceleration
-Agility
-Movement through traffic
-Versatility to play midfield, forward or back
Weaknesses:
-Skills
-Decision-making under pressure
19. Rhylee West (VIC - Western Bulldogs F/S)
Best position: Inside midifeld
Height, weight: 180cm, 80kg
Recruited from: Calder Cannons
Projected draft range: 10-40
Similar to: Nathan Jones
Rationale: Hard, ball-winning midfielder with production on the board.
Strengths:
-Strong body
-Contested ball-winning
-Composure with ball in hand
-Vision
-Reliable ball user
-Midfielder who can push forward
-Acceleration
Weaknesses:
-Height
-X-factor
20. Bailey Scott (QLD - Geelong F/S, North Melbourne F/S, Gold Coast Academy)
Best position: Utility
Height, weight: 184cm, 70kg
Recruited from: Broadbeach
Projected draft range: 5-20
Similar to: Jarrad McVeigh
Rationale: Skilful utility with production on the board.
Strengths:
-Capable as a forward, midfielder or defender
-Scoreboard impact
-Provides drive off half-back
-Ball use
-Decision-making under pressure
-Provides run
-Strong overhead mark
Weaknesses:
-Speed
-Forward pressure
-Tackling