JWs AFL Draft Profile: Peter Wright Forward/Ruck, Calder Cannons, 203cm/100kg Player Comparison: Kurt Tippett/Jarrad Roughead Pick Range: Pick 1-5 PROS: Exceptional shot Strong mark Good movement for a ruckman Long boot, 50 metres is a breeze for this kid Complete mismatch for almost every defender Brings the goods more often than not CONS: Doesnt seem to be a natural ruckman despite his size Inaccurate general kick Poor tackler Needs developmental time Can have a Buddy Franklin-esque missing streak in the goals DRAFT PROFILE: Drafting a player of such immense potential and also of such busting ability is a risk for any team, especially if its a high first rounder. Peter Wright has a lot of question marks but undoubtedly a lot of talent, hes done enough to earn a high pick but ruckmen and key forwards are amongst the highest bust rates. Wright did very well this year in front of goals, kicking 26.16 in the TAC cup, however this number is slightly misleading as he kicked 5.4 and 0.4 in two games, meaning he was 21.8 for the rest of the cup. What is in question however is his general kicking, hes a poor 60% when disposing by foot. The good news is its an acceptable price to pay as hes a ruckman and a good kick for goal, most ruckmen arent exceptional kicks so it shouldnt be an issue for scouts, though it could stop him from being the top pick. Wright is a mammoth kick and can be used further up the ground than most ruckman/forward combos. Another misleading stat is just 20% of his marks (10 from 50) are contested. But what this number fails to show is a lot of his mars has been on the lead. While by no means an elite runner, hes very strong on the lead and can create separation. His size, kick, speed, marking both contested and uncontested and his ability to create a lead could make him an elite forward. Wright is an above average ruckman although by no means elite, in the next level he projects to be more of a forward and 2nd ruckman rather than a full time man in the centre. He was used plenty in the ruck in the U/18 championships and acquitted himself well. Wright is a poor tackler and will require developmental time as a rookie, but these are common issues for men his size and shouldnt factor into his draft stock much if at all. AFL MATCHES: Brisbane, St Kilda, Melbourne, Carlton Brisbane are the perfect match for Wright. Losing Jonathan Brown to retirement and Matthew Leuenberger to a bad knee injury, Brisbanes tall stocks are thin. Stefan Martin has been a revelation but its impossible to say if hes rejuvenated or a one year wonder, either way the Brisbane still need a tall key forward. St Kilda, Carlton and Melbourne all need tall forward options, and the lowest Wright should fall is the Blues. CONCLUSION: Wright is my current top player in the draft class, he isnt as good a forward as McCartin but he isnt far off. His ability to be a lethal ruck/forward combo is what makes him so valuable, and when the top 5 is full of teams that need key forwards, Wright should be a top 5 pick in the draft. -JW
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:00:48 +0000
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