Player Watch 2021 AFL National Draft - NOT FOR TRADE DISCUSSION

[Strapping Young Lad]

Let’s stick with a basic rule for this thread, that it’s for draft watch and discussion only.

It’s not for trade hypotheticals, who you think needs to be delisted or traded, how many games you think we will win, some other team will win, how many picks you want in the 1st round or discussion of current HFC players.

It’s about youngsters who are eligible for the draft in 2021.


Key dates to look out for:

• NAB AFL Draft Combine: TBC
• NAB AFL Draft: Wednesday November 24 - Thursday November 25
• NAB AFL Pre-season and Rookie Drafts: Friday November 26

 

[MrPremiership]

 

[rei154]

Josh Rachele, looks like he’s 22 already.

View attachment 1073144

From what I'd seen earlier he was tipped to go in the 8-12 mark or there abouts- if he does fall into that range he'd be perfect for us (Were we to exceed expectations this year)

 

[nelk boys]

Right now I think the top ten is:
1. Horne
2. Sinn
3. Sonsie
4. Rachele
5. Daicos
6. Chesser
7. Draper
8. Rooyen
9. Johnson
10. Hobbs/Banks

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[rei154]

Right now I think the top ten is:
1. Horne
2. Sinn
3. Sonsie
4. Rachele
5. Daicos
6. Chesser
7. Draper
8. Rooyen
9. Johnson
10. Hobbs/Banks

The four highlighted are the ones I'd hope we'd be able to net (although I don't think we're going to be in the frame for Horne, Sinn or Rachele.
Braden Andrews is another who sounds like he fits the Hawthorn mold, and offers some height which I think we'd benefit from.

If we were to grab Andrews we could be playing three midfielders all around the 189~ mark in Andrews, Day and Maginness- would be nice!

 

[VandoHawk]

The four highlighted are the ones I'd hope we'd be able to net (although I don't think we're going to be in the frame for Horne, Sinn or Rachele.
Braden Andrews is another who sounds like he fits the Hawthorn mold, and offers some height which I think we'd benefit from.

If we were to grab Andrews we could be playing three midfielders all around the 189~ mark in Andrews, Day and Maginness- would be nice!

Some very good options available this draft. The more I read/the more footage I see I think it's going to be a cracker of a draft. Would love to get multiple picks in the first round and would happily trade a future first.

Matthew Johnson is my pick of the bunch from the mids. 192cm last year (a growth spurt will see him 195cm or bigger) and elite skills + footballing brain. Reasonable pace too. His skill ceiling is a Patrick Cripps with significantly better disposal. Andrews looks like he has a nice ceiling too.

Rachele might not be available if we don't finish bottom 4 but he's exactly what we need forward and would let us play Wingard midfield. If everything clicks it will also be the start of a very strong, very young small forward group (Rachele/Brockman/S.Mitchell/Moore).

Campbell Chesser reminds me strongly of Zac Butters.

Van Rooyen is a tantalising forward prospect with his contesting marking and mobility but potentially less of a priority given Jeka/Lewis/Kosi?

 

[WWSD]

Who is touted as the best key position player in this draft?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Who’s touted as the best key position player in this draft?

Not really the year for KPP.

 

[VandoHawk]

Who’s touted as the best key position in this draft?

Van Rooyen at this stage. KPF with great mobility and contested marking. 194cm but a small growth spurt will fix that. Likely to go 3-6 IMO. Beyond that Alex Lukic (195cm) is a flexible tall and Rhett Bazzo is a key defender similar to DGB who might be a promising swingman. After that all the options are undersized.

Very much a midfielders draft. Stacked with all types.

 

[rei154]

Some very good options available this draft. The more I read/the more footage I see I think it's going to be a cracker of a draft. Would love to get multiple picks in the first round and would happily trade a future first.

Matthew Johnson is my pick of the bunch from the mids. 192cm last year (a growth spurt will see him 195cm or bigger) and elite skills + footballing brain. Reasonable pace too. His skill ceiling is a Patrick Cripps with significantly better disposal. Andrews looks like he has a nice ceiling too.

Rachele might not be available if we don't finish bottom 4 but he's exactly what we need forward and would let us play Wingard midfield. If everything clicks it will also be the start of a very strong, very young small forward group (Rachele/Brockman/S.Mitchell/Moore).

Campbell Chesser reminds me strongly of Zac Butters.

Van Rooyen is a tantalising forward prospect with his contesting marking and mobility but potentially less of a priority given Jeka/Lewis/Kosi?

Tbh the Cripps comparisons might not flavour MJ super well these days- I think one of the reasons why Cripps is down on form is the game is evolving beyond his size (not to say people are getting bigger, but the skills/athleticism required is moreso), though if he turns into a Crippa with better footskills and a little more speed he'll be a fantastic player for anyone.
I'm personally not a fan of us going for a KPP in this years draft- at least not with our first pick, mostly for the reason you've mentioned above.
Haven't heard too much on Chesser so he's one I'll keep an eye out for, a Butters type wouldn't go amiss for us at the minute!

 

[Dewnior]

We need to pick up a Sam Walsh

18

Sam Walsh

Age

24

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

25.1

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

5.1

5star

T

3.2

5star

CL

3.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

26.2

5star

K

15.4

5star

HB

10.8

5star

M

6.0

5star

T

3.2

5star

CL

4.8

5star

type mid in this draft

 

[danielG]

We need to pick up a Sam Walsh type mid in this draft

I'd be thinking we need someone a little more outside than Walsh...
Sinn would be outstanding because of his breakaway speed and attacking inclination.. Horne will be gone unless we finish bottom, which you'd think Kangas have a monopoly on. Rachele also has the X factor we lack from the footage I've seen. Sonsie might be a little same same with our bunch of inside accumulators that lack the sublime finishing skills of the top echelon AFL mids. Someone that's seen more of these young elite picks might be able to confirm / speculate ?
I would put money on Bombers finishing lower than us and getting a FA first round compo pick to boot for Merrett who I suspect will leave. If we get him I'll live with that. ; ) I'm guessing we'd be left with a pick in the 5-8 range.

 

[VandoHawk]

Would happily give my left kidney for Sinn but we'd need to finish 17th on the ladder to get him. Things change but at this stage I'm 90% positive Horne will go 1 and Sinn will go 2. And even though I don't think we'll finish high up on the ladder it'll be hard to beat a tanking North and an injury decimated Essendon (+likely Merrett compensation).

Campbell Chesser is the one I'd keep an eye on. Excellent speed, skills, spread and leadership but unproven inside midfield capabilities. If he proves himself capable he'll be a weapon.

 

[danielG]

Would happily give my left kidney for Sinn but we'd need to finish 17th on the ladder to get him. Things change but at this stage I'm 90% positive Horne will go 1 and Sinn will go 2. And even though I don't think we'll finish high up on the ladder it'll be hard to beat a tanking North and an injury decimated Essendon (+likely Merrett compensation).

Campbell Chesser is the one I'd keep an eye on. Excellent speed, skills, spread and leadership but unproven inside midfield capabilities. If he proves himself capable he'll be a weapon.

Good info..I'll take a closer look at him.
Yes Sinn is such an exciting prospect...North is capable of screwing up their selections royally so we might be left with a player one better than anticipated.

 

[WWSD]

We definitely need another small forward. Someone who can play alongside Brockman for the next decade. Breust is in the twilight of his career and at some point the club will need to find a replacement for him. No disrespect to Hanrahan, but I don’t think he’s going to be in the best 22 in the future.

 

[danielG]

We definitely need another small forward. Someone who can play alongside Brockman for the next decade. Breust is in the twilight of his career and at some point the club will need to find a replacement for him. No disrespect to Hanrahan, but I don’t think he’s going to be in the best 22 in the future.

True, Hanrahan looks a little pedestrian. Maybe with one of our two second rounders (ours and Magpies)...target the best mid possible with our first then a speedy, electric goal kicker who can apply pressure in the Kosi Pickett mould (assuming one exists in this draft and in that range)..

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Stiff competition for a bottom 5 pick...North, Bombers, Crows odds on bottom 3. GWS stinking it up right now, Bombers potential compo for a leaving Merrett would see us outside top 5 selections. Give me a solid performing developmental year, and a top 5 - 8 pick netting us a silky midfielder and I'm happy with our year.

Crows do look ok however, I agree with the rest.

 

[Brant]

I'd be thinking we need someone a little more outside than Walsh...
Sinn would be outstanding because of his breakaway speed and attacking inclination.. Horne will be gone unless we finish bottom, which you'd think Kangas have a monopoly on. Rachele also has the X factor we lack from the footage I've seen. Sonsie might be a little same same with our bunch of inside accumulators that lack the sublime finishing skills of the top echelon AFL mids. Someone that's seen more of these young elite picks might be able to confirm / speculate ?
I would put money on Bombers finishing lower than us and getting a FA first round compo pick to boot for Merrett who I suspect will leave. If we get him I'll live with that. ; ) I'm guessing we'd be left with a pick in the 5-8 range.

A player like Horne (apparently) will be doesn't grow up dreaming of being the best player in the Country, yet never ever playing a final or in front of an an average of 17,000 people.

We need to be building towards success about the same time he comes out of his first contract - the rest is up to him.

Him going to North is the 2nd best option (behind him coming to us).

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Van Rooyen at this stage. KPF with great mobility and contested marking. 194cm but a small growth spurt will fix that. Likely to go 3-6 IMO. Beyond that Alex Lukic (195cm) is a flexible tall and Rhett Bazzo is a key defender similar to DGB who might be a promising swingman. After that all the options are undersized.

Very much a midfielders draft. Stacked with all types.

Then I want this guy.

We need a KPF more than anything

 

[nelk boys]

Then I want this guy.

We need a KPF more than anything

So you would take him over a talent like Sinn, Horne or Rachele?

I think the likely scenario will be we will have 2 top 20 picks, with a mid like Chesser/Draper and perhaps a medium forward like Howes/Andrews.

We've already got Kosi/Lewis/Jeka on the rise.

 

[theiaofseed]

Then I want this guy.

We need a KPF more than anything

If you pick a player purerly based on needs it wont end well, I'd alsoargue we need a skilled/fast midfielder more than anything.

 

[nelk boys]

We need elite midfield talent, at least one elite explosive runner like Sinn/Chesser and a Big tall bull like Johnson/Andrews. Also a medium high marking forward, replacement for Gunston.

Our young midfield core includes: Worpel, Cousins, Maginess, Downie, Phillips, O'Meara, hopefully Day.

Our backline is sorted for the next 6 years.
Small forwards are sorted with Brockmen, Moore and hopefully s.mitchell.

 

[WWSD]

We need elite midfield talent, at least one elite explosive runner like Sinn/Chesser and a Big tall bull like Johnson/Andrews. Also a medium high marking forward, replacement for Gunston.

Our young midfield core includes: Worpel, Cousins, Maginess, Downie, Phillips, O'Meara, hopefully Day.

Our backline is sorted for the next 6 years.
Small forwards are sorted with Brockmen, Moore and hopefully s.mitchell.

Moore, Mitchell and Morris are half forwards. We definitely do need another small forward. Breust in a few years time will retire. The forward-line is still a major weakness.

 

[Dewnior]

If you pick a player purerly based on needs it wont end well, I'd alsoargue we need a skilled/fast midfielder more than anything.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

We need elite midfield talent, at least one elite explosive runner like Sinn/Chesser and a Big tall bull like Johnson/Andrews. Also a medium high marking forward, replacement for Gunston.

Our young midfield core includes: Worpel, Cousins, Maginess, Downie, Phillips, O'Meara, hopefully Day.

Our backline is sorted for the next 6 years.
Small forwards are sorted with Brockmen, Moore and hopefully s.mitchell.

Sorted is a bold call, Brockman looks really good for a first year player however, jury still out on Moore.