It would be surprising if either of these teams missed the finals, and it wouldn’t be surprising if either won the flag – both these teams have been backed by some of their peers to do just that.
But the remaining clubs have backed by more coaches, meaning they’re ultimately outsiders. Can either of these clubs overcome those more fancied?
Roughnecks
The Roughnecks have fallen short at the last hurdle two years running, and time may be running out for this iteration of the list. Gone are seasoned vets Gary Ablett and Kade Simpson, and Scott Pendlebury and Shaun Higgins are the wrong side of 30.
There is plenty of young talent – none brighter than breakout star Tim Taranto. But their peers have their own young talent, and arguably less reliance on some older heads. Is it now or much later for the Roughnecks?
Coaches Predictions:
- 5th – 1 coach
- 4th – 4 coaches
- 3rd – 2 coaches
- 2nd – 2 coaches
- Tipped for the flag – 1 coach
2020 Draft Results:
| 9 | Shaun Higgins NM – C |
| 29 | Deven Robertson BL – C |
| 39 | Jeremy Howe CW – B |
| 59 | Taylin Duman FR – B |
| 62 | Callum Brown CW – F |
| 68 | Mason Redman ES – B |
| 69 | Zac Fisher CA – C,F |
| 79 | Harry Schoenberg AD – C |
| 89 | Liam Baker RI – B,F |
| 109 | Cameron Zurhaar NM – F |
| 119 | Orazio Fantasia ES – F |
| 121 | Bailey Scott NM – C,F |
| 129 | Luke Valente FR – C |
| 139 | Zachary Bailey BL – B,C |
| 149 | Tom Hawkins GE – F |
| 159 | Riley Collier-Dawkins RI – C |
| 169 | Mitch Lewis HW – F |
| 179 | Tom Sparrow ME – F |
| 189 | Steven May ME – B |
| 199 | Brett Bewley FR – F |
A similar approach to the Scourers here – a have your cake and eat it too draft with prospects and older heads.
The Roughnecks shirked the opportunity to grab one of the leading draftees with their first selection, opting to redraft Higgins for one last roll of the premiership dice. Old habits die hard though, and they selected young underage scoring gun Devin Robertson with their next selection.
As we mentioned earlier, they’ve let a few older heads go. But they’ve sought to replace them with ever so slightly younger, less fancied folk. Jeremy Howe was a longtime keeper, now fallen premium, seeking a redemption season. Steven May is an even more extreme example of all of the above. Hawkins is a reliable 70 avg. Orazio Fantasia is a reliable injury sufferer.
Surrounding these selections are a bunch of younger players who coach Ritchie will hope can push the club over that final hurdle. Duman and Redman are youngish defenders with a whiff of breakout potential. Zac Fisher is contractually required to be on their list. Harry Schoenberg the token Crow.
Will they pay a price for not committing fully one way or the other? They could’ve brought back Ablett with the pick they selected Robertson. There’s no doubt Ablett would’ve helped more with a flag push in 2020 – the fact they didn’t might suggest they don’t believe they can snare that elusive flag with the list. But if that’s the logic, why redraft Higgins when you could’ve had Tom Green, or Lachlan Ash? Will they rue not pushing all their chips into the middle of the table?
Early Verdict
We started this club review asking is it now or much later for the Roughnecks. Judging by the four coaches backing a fourth place finish, the prevailing mood seems to be later.
There are two clubs clearly more fancied, and a third the coaches feel a pinch more optimistic about.
They should play finals (despite a scare on this front last year). But the elusive premiership seems slightly further away heading into the 2020 season.
Solomon’s Soldiers
The perennial cellar dwellers leapt up the ladder last year, securing an unexpected second place finish and a their first ever finals appearance. They lost out to the experience of the aforementioned club in this review – can they snare that first finals win in 2020?
Coaches Predictions:
- 4th – 1 coach
- 3rd – 4 coaches
- 2nd – 4 coaches
- Tipped for the flag – 1 coach
2020 Draft Results:
| 1 | Noah Anderson GC – C |
| 2 | Matthew Rowell GC – C |
| 21 | Luke Jackson ME – R |
| 32 | Ricky Henderson HW – C |
| 38 | Isaac Quaynor CW – B |
| 41 | Ned McHenry AD – C |
| 48 | Kade Simpson CA – B |
| 70 | Marlion Pickett RI – C |
| 78 | Aiden Bonar NM – C,F |
| 88 | Darcy Fogarty AD – F |
| 98 | Nicholas Coffield SK – B |
| 99 | Stephen Hill FR – B,F |
| 102 | Pearce Hanley GC – B |
| 108 | Sam Reid SY – R,F |
| 118 | Ben Crocker AD – F |
| 138 | Cameron Guthrie GE – C |
| 148 | Cody Weightman WB – F |
| 168 | John Noble CW – B |
| 178 | Brandon Starcevich BL – B,C |
| 190 | Marcus Adams BL – B |
| 198 | Rhylee West WB – F |
The Soldiers finally propelled themselves up the ladder, but clearly weren’t prepared to leave behind the world of premium draft picks.
First they sent premium-turned-disappointing Angus Brayshaw, pick 12 and pick 58 to the Lethal Vipers for the number one pick, pick 21, and pick 41.
Weeks later, they sent Luke Dunstan, Quinton Narkle, and picks 21 and 28 to the Taxmanian Devils for pick 2, Wil Powell and Daniel Rioli.
They then got pick 21 back, along with picks 32 and 108 for Sydney Stack, pick 50, and pick 128
For those who want to play the end product game, here is what that trade looks like in June 2020.
| IN | OUT |
| pick 1 (Noah Anderson) | Angus Brayshaw |
| pick 2 (Matt Rowell) | Luke Dunstan |
| pick 21 (Luke Jackson) | Quinton Narkle |
| pick 32 (Ricky Henderson) | Sydney Stack |
| pick 41 (Ned McHenry) | Pick 12 (Sam Flanders) |
| pick 108 (Sam Reid) | Pick 28 (Mitchell Georgiades) |
| Wil Powell (not currently on list) | pick 50 (Jacob Dawson) |
| Daniel Rioli (not currently on list) | Pick 58 (Rory Lobb) |
| Pick 128 (Jarrod Harbrow) |
Worth it? Something to look back on come season’s end. Or in three season’s end.
We don’t have to wait till then to say this – one of the youngest and most talent-laden lists in the competition added the first two picks from the AFL draft.
This is a promising draft haul, even once you get beyond the headline opening selections. They added the third selection of that draft, Luke Jackson, with their third selection. They also snared some players who will bolster the flag push in 2020 – Ricky Henderson, Kade Simpson, Marlion Pickett, Pearce Hanley, and Stephen Hill chief among them.
John Noble looks like great value at 168, while Brandon Starcevich, who they selected with pick 178, has already been sent alongside a 9th round selection to acquire a 7th round selection in next year’s draft.
This is a draft for now and the future. The only question mark I have is selecting Jackson where they did. It’s hard to envision Jackson delivering field-able scores reliably in the next 2 or 3 seasons, and this is a team that should be going for flag during that time. Are they going to be able to afford keeping him come season’s end?
In any event, it’s a nice problem to have.
Early Verdict
There is a lot to love in this list. The starting 6 defenders stack up well against anyone (Docherty, Simpson, Daniel, Milera, Mills and Noble). The midfield is similarly stacked – and has the bonus of being particularly young.
They have arguably the most dependable-but-not-truly-elite ruck in Witts. The forward line is perhaps the weaker of the lines, but even there they brim with some talent.
Depth is perhaps the only real concern here, but there are very few teams that concern doesn’t apply to. Only one coach thinks they’ll finish any lower than third. This is a team that will be disappointed if they don’t win their first final in 2020. I suspect they’ll be disappointed if they don’t make the grand final.