Luke Tapscott (North Adelaide/SA) - Draft Profile

Height: 180cm

Weight: 87kg

Position: HFF/FP/Mid

Potential: 7.5-8/10

Style-like: Jason Porplyzia?

Video Footage

Strengths

> Very strong OH for his height – strong grip, reads the flight well and very good use of his body –reach advantage for his height

> Very smart forward that has a good understanding of finding the football, timing leads and positioning himself in marking contests

> Powerful, damaging and very long kick with decent-good accuracy and control – very good finisher in front of goals from set shots

> Physically extremely strong - he’s the most developed body of this year’s bunch – built like a weightlifter – uses his strength advantage very effectively and enjoys throwing his weight around to win the football, tackle or clear the path - ready for AFL games in his first season

> Offers good defensive pressure despite not being quick

> Clean hands at ground level

Weaknesses

> Not much of an athlete - OK-below average pace off the mark and below average running capacity

> Kicking DM is too predictable - tends to lack composure under pressure and kick long to contests and space far too often rather than look for and isolate targets

Other

> A general forward role suits him best at this stage – he does have some potential to develop as a midfielder – he is an OK reader at stoppages ATM and seems to have decent vision and feeding ability in traffic? but will need to improve his work-rate to a much higher level - half back could be another option given his reading of the play and marking ability, but he will need to develop his ability to pinpoint and isolate targets to a much higher level

> Played 6 SANFL League games – physically AFL ready next year in a medium marking forward role

> Played both 2008 and 2009 U18 Championships - 2009 AA U18 FP – averaged 16.4Dpg, 4.8Mpg, 1.8Gpg, 1.6Bpg

Overall

Tapscott is a high quality big bodied small forward that has the potential to develop into a midfielder (although I wouldn’t say so with any confidence). At best he could be a top 100 AFL player as a medium forward/utility, at worst he will be a consistent 30 goal per year player as a forward only IMO. Probably worth a late first round round pick.