Game Day 2023 AFL Draft Live discussion Rd1, 2-4 and Rookie Draft

[Shadow89]

Well that definitely confirms that Wiltshire is closer to the 190 than the 180 mark now, given Scotty is 183 and Oli is taller than him while leaning.

My guess from a couple of photos is around 187-189 - could be the same height as Stevens at 189. Definitely in the Stevie J mould if tugga's posts are anything to go by.

Would be an incredible get and another Wellsy special if he turns out even half as good as SJ.

 

[year of the cat]

Well that definitely confirms that Wiltshire is closer to the 190 than the 180 mark now, given Scotty is 183 and Oli is taller than him while leaning.

My guess from a couple of photos is around 187-189 - could be the same height as Stevens at 189. Definitely in the Stevie J mould if tugga's posts are anything to go by.

Would be an incredible get and another Wellsy special if he turns out even half as good as SJ.

View attachment 1859847

I’d temper expectations. He’s been playing in a pretty low grade of footy. Whilst dominating it, even VFL will be a significant step up in quality. Be an absolute bonus at that pick if he forges an AFL career but I’m not holding my breath.

 

[Shadow89]

I’d temper expectations. He’s been playing in a pretty low grade of footy. Whilst dominating it, even VFL will be a significant step up in quality. Be an absolute bonus at that pick if he forges an AFL career but I’m not holding my breath.

I've got a feeling about this kid, will be interesting to see how it turns out

 

[Johanpetro]

Serious question. Has anyone here not had a “special feeling” about every draft pick of ours from the last 15 years

 

[moond0g]

The one thing that has really roused emotion from this years draft ..is the academy picks..the bids... the R1 going all the way to P29. Makes a total mockery of the 2 R1 picks every 4 years

Id expect some sort of review. Unlike some I support access to the northern players for the Fort Apache type clubs ... the more players developed from the north means more southern kids for everyone else .....but the discounts have to be looked at. Full rate may have to be paid for R1 picks. And the way tehy accrue the points for those pick might have be looked. And perhaps ..the number of players in one year has to be looked at. The AF could have had a huge public relations issue... if no club had bid on any of the players. Or worse.. what if all the clubs had bid on them all with P3,4,5 and 6. Probably Graham would not have got to GC.

I agree totally. GC were criticised for not being able to retain victorian talent when they first entered. with the introduction of the academies now they don't have to rely on this as much. This year was perhaps a bit of an anomaly because the Allies team was so strong. But it's about finding a way so they have to pay fair value, particularly for the very top end talent.

GC essentially traded pick 4 (which wasn't far off what Walter went for) for enough points to get all their academy prospects. So they're basically getting the Read, Rogers and Graham for free. If GC become more successful and start with pick 14 instead of pick 4, it would be a lot more difficult to make this happen though, so it may sort itself out a little in the future.

But the situation you describe at the end should probably be the reality. If GC are lucky enough to have 2, 3 or 4 academy prospects that are rated that highly, they should probably have to prioritise one or two, or at least trade out players/future picks to get the capital to acquire them.

I think people complaining about the academies are a little naïve. The competition is never going to be equal, it's unequal by design with so many clubs concentrated in Melbourne, among other things. It's about having targeted concessions to make it as equitable as possible.

 

[Shadow89]

Serious question. Has anyone here not had a “special feeling” about every draft pick of ours from the last 15 years

Honestly, I never saw it with Kroeger, Riccardi, Whyte or C. Stephens...so not really.

Just something about this kid and how hard he's worked to get to a level that gets him noticed - that reminds me Tom Stewart. Not saying he'll be anything close to that, but he won't die wondering.

Not to mention, tugga's posts who I respect, who said they've followed him closely, and has high raps on him.

No idea how he'll go, but he's probably the one I'm most curious/excited about - as I have no idea what his scope/ceiling will be.

 

[Lana]

I agree totally. GC were criticised for not being able to retain victorian talent when they first entered. with the introduction of the academies now they don't have to rely on this as much. This year was perhaps a bit of an anomaly because the Allies team was so strong. But it's about finding a way so they have to pay fair value, particularly for the very top end talent.

GC essentially traded pick 4 (which wasn't far off what Walter went for) for enough points to get all their academy prospects. So they're basically getting the Read, Rogers and Graham for free. If GC become more successful and start with pick 14 instead of pick 4, it would be a lot more difficult to make this happen though, so it may sort itself out a little in the future.

But the situation you describe at the end should probably be the reality. If GC are lucky enough to have 2, 3 or 4 academy prospects that are rated that highly, they should probably have to prioritise one or two, or at least trade out players/future picks to get the capital to acquire them.

I think people complaining about the academies are a little naïve. The competition is never going to be equal, it's unequal by design with so many clubs concentrated in Melbourne, among other things. It's about having targeted concessions to make it as equitable as possible.

I think it is the pick cycling that pisses people off about the academies more than the players themselves. By the end of it they got all of the kids they wanted and pushed their picks into the next season. They have an extra first rounder, an extra end of first rounder, and an extra second rounder. While retaining their own first and second rounders.

 

[moond0g]

I think it is the pick cycling that pisses people off about the academies more than the players themselves. By the end of it they got all of the kids they wanted and pushed their picks into the next season. They have an extra first rounder, an extra end of first rounder, and an extra second rounder. While retaining their own first and second rounders.

Probably mostly true. If GC are forced to pay what is deemed a 'fair' price, a lot of people wouldn't care that they get priority access. reviewing the bidding process by changing points value, forcing clubs to match high bids with first round picks etc. will go a long way.

But I think there's also a lot of people who begrudge them for having access to the top talent at all just because their club (Vic, SA, WA teams) can no longer match NGA bids inside the top 40. People like complaining, and are quick to point out when someone has something they don't have, without acknowledging that they may have something else that others also don't

 

[Max Rooke]

Thinking about us just drafting 3 players 198cm or taller (Edwards, COS, Jeka), to go along with Conway, Neale, Furphy, SDK & Foster as young talls.

Wells & Mackie would have just seen the huge premium clubs are placing on key position players, with some paying well overs for Sav, Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

etc both in salary and/or trade capital.

Perhaps the thinking is to load up on talls via the draft where possible, then use trading and free agency to go after midfielders where the price is more on par with performance.

 

[Turbocat]

When we have a situation where North did not bid on Walter at pick 2, but did bid at pick 3, then clubs cannot complain about the bidding system.

If the clubs don’t hold each other accountable and make the NGA clubs pay the legit price for their bids then why should the AFL have to do the job for them?

I think the clubs will fins plenty to conplain about although the difference between 2 and 3 would be far from anyones bug bear

 

[bombersboy]

Wiltshire looks very lean but then again George does not look 100kg in that photo either.

 

[bombersboy]

Well that definitely confirms that Wiltshire is closer to the 190 than the 180 mark now, given Scotty is 183 and Oli is taller than him while leaning.

My guess from a couple of photos is around 187-189 - could be the same height as Stevens at 189. Definitely in the Stevie J mould if tugga's posts are anything to go by.

Would be an incredible get and another Wellsy special if he turns out even half as good as SJ.

View attachment 1859847

Wiltshire looks very lean but then again George does not look 100kg in that photo either.

 

[Hinkley29]

Wiltshire looks very lean but then again George does not look 100kg in that photo either.

Stevens looks like a 25 year old Chris Grant. Check that kid’s birth certificate

 

[CHAWKTS]

I’d temper expectations. He’s been playing in a pretty low grade of footy. Whilst dominating it, even VFL will be a significant step up in quality. Be an absolute bonus at that pick if he forges an AFL career but I’m not holding my breath.

Know lots of players who go from Vafa or equivalent league to vfl and find it a massive step up. In particular young ones who don’t have body developed yet.

We should temper our expectations until we see them perform ok in VFL. And then start to dominate…then we know we have something that COULD work (ala Knevitte and Dempsey)

 

[CHAWKTS]

Thinking about us just drafting 3 players 198cm or taller (Edwards, COS, Jeka), to go along with Conway, Neale, Furphy, SDK & Foster as young talls.

Wells & Mackie would have just seen the huge premium clubs are placing on key position players, with some paying well overs for Sav, Ben McKay etc both in salary and/or trade capital.

Perhaps the thinking is to load up on talls via the draft where possible, then use trading and free agency to go after midfielders where the performance is more on par with performance.

And these guys (recruiters) think in multiple years….apparantly next draft top players are predominately mids…so good idea to go tall this year

 

[Two Planks]

Loving watching the insider discussions about the draft from the Giants on social media, I wonder if all clubs will do similar in the future

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Well that definitely confirms that Wiltshire is closer to the 190 than the 180 mark now, given Scotty is 183 and Oli is taller than him while leaning.

My guess from a couple of photos is around 187-189 - could be the same height as Stevens at 189. Definitely in the Stevie J mould if tugga's posts are anything to go by.

Would be an incredible get and another Wellsy special if he turns out even half as good as SJ.

View attachment 1859847

Perspective can play funny games so it's hard to say for sure from a photo. I would take Tuggas word for it though

 

[dazbroncos]

Think we are pretty much done here.

Draft over and list is complete.

Discussion of players can go to relevant threads and preseason can go to that thread.

And DT is back open.

Go Catters