Player Watch 2023 AFL Draft Pool Discussion Thread

[Strapping Young Lad]

Same rule applies to this thread as other years, keep it on topic about the kids.
Don’t get bogged down on what other teams might do or where they will finish.

Trade speculation belongs here.
That's also where you can discuss your mock drafts or pick trades.

Any McCabe, Dear or Maginness talk belongs here.

 

[Slaatybaadfaast]

I heard that Watson is the same height as Pickett?

If so, I don’t get any of the angst
Are people saying they would draft Pickett as he’s too short?

If the kid has talent and fills the spot we need, draft him

Watson is no doubt excellent. So too though is Curtin. There's more options with Curtin imo. Watson can only really play as a high forward. Curtin could do anything

 

[theiaofseed]

I heard that Watson is the same height as Pickett?

If so, I don’t get any of the angst
Are people saying they would draft Pickett as he’s too short?

If the kid has talent and fills the spot we need, draft him

Top 5 pick though, that's the sticking point for most. Do you use such a high draft pick knowing he probably wont have an impact outside of the forward line. It's a big limitation to have when you sell hope on a high selection.

Small forwards rightly or wrongly just don't carry the same value as a premium mid or KP.

 

[Hawk the Talk]

At pick 4 you take the best available from your draft board. We’ll be getting one of Watson, Duursma or McKercher. Bring it on!

Saying that any of those players won’t be great before they even get into the system is silly.

 

[Glacier]

Top 5 pick though, that's the sticking point for most. Do you use such a high draft pick knowing he probably wont have an impact outside of the forward line. It's a big limitation to have when you sell hope on a high selection.

Small forwards rightly or wrongly just don't carry the same value as a premium mid or KP.

Depends if the need is a goal kicking small forward

 

[Dipper]

I heard that Watson is the same height as Pickett?

If so, I don’t get any of the angst
Are people saying they would draft Pickett as he’s too short?

If the kid has talent and fills the spot we need, draft him

I completely agree, I don't look at Pickett and think he's too small.

Somebody replied to this point a while ago by saying yeah but Kosi is a ball of muscle and I thought that's the key thing but then someone replied to that saying that Watson is bigger than he was at the same age. That kind of calmed my thoughts.

Also Watson can get up in the air and when you're a small small-forward that's pretty important.

I'm all in.

Be happy with Duursma too.

Curtin not so much.

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

At pick 4 you take the best available from your draft board. We’ll be getting one of Watson, Duursma or McKercher. Bring it on!

Saying that any of those players won’t be great before they even get into the system is silly.

Don't know what it is but I reckon the club likes Curtin if duursma is not an option.

 

[projectdingley]

Top 5 pick though, that's the sticking point for most. Do you use such a high draft pick knowing he probably wont have an impact outside of the forward line. It's a big limitation to have when you sell hope on a high selection.

Small forwards rightly or wrongly just don't carry the same value as a premium mid or KP.

Cyril Rioli gets taken at Pick 1 in just about any draft.

To this day, the greatest player Al Clarkson has ever seen is a small forward.

Spoken from the man himself.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Yep agree , there will never be another Cyril! Just a different beast altogether.

 

[user33]

Don't know what it is but I reckon the club likes Curtin if duursma is not an option.

Have been hearing this for the past couple weeks

 

[The Chad and I]

This is an excellent top 6-7.

We can’t be unhappy with whoever we get, so here’s my order:
Reid - best player
Duursma - best forward
Curtin/Mckercher - consistently excellent
Watson/Caddy - next best forwards

It’s gonna be a strong addition to our list.

 

[parsons nose]

Top 5 pick though, that's the sticking point for most. Do you use such a high draft pick knowing he probably wont have an impact outside of the forward line. It's a big limitation to have when you sell hope on a high selection.

Small forwards rightly or wrongly just don't carry the same value as a premium mid or KP.

Has he ever been trialled in midfield though? What’s his aerobic capacity like?

 

[CliffMcTainshaw]

Curtin isn’t a key position player. He’s stated multiple times he sees himself as a midfielder, also spent all of this year playing in the midfield.

From Rookie Me Central:-
If Harley Reid is the draft prospect who’s attracted the most media attention this year, Curtin isn’t far behind him. That’s because of West Coast’s interest in the local WA product. The professional Curtin showed great versatility across his four carnival games to win WA’s MVP award, averaging 24 disposals, nine contested possessions and five tackles while going at 82 per cent by foot. Most clubs see him developing into a composed intercept defender at AFL level. They were thrilled they got to see him take on Jed Walter when WA faced the Allies, while he played behind the ball in his six WAFL league games for Claremont. But Curtin showed in two carnival games against SA and Vic Metro that he can be a damaging tall midfielder as he covered the ground with a Marcus Bontempelli-like presence. Where Curtin lands on draft night, though, remains a mystery. If West Coast trades Pick 1, it’s highly like the club gets a pick back that allows it to take Curtin early. If the Eagles hold Pick 1 and take Reid, there’s every chance Curtin slides down the order as several clubs with early picks are after ball-winners or hybrid forwards.

 

[TylerDurden]

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' October ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey delivers his fourth Phantom Form Guide ahead of the 2023 National Draft

www.afl.com.au

 

[Billyc]

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' October ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey delivers his fourth Phantom Form Guide ahead of the 2023 National Draft

www.afl.com.au

If draft order stays as is, I hope this is correct. I want Watson or Duursma

 

[Dewwwww]

Just Grab the Wiz

Another pre season into our young Mids with a forward line of

Bruest Lewis Moore
Ginnivan Chol Watson

Bench - MacDonald / Gunston / Ramma

That forward Line has the ability to kick 100points regularly

 

[Brishawk]

Has he ever been trialled in midfield though? What’s his aerobic capacity like?

He has but more on the wing. He isnt a great contested player (at least from a midfielder perspective). Tends to go to ground under pressure and when tackling. Too much to see him as an inside mid. He is more like pickett in that he wants a bit of space around him to use his agility and speed to gain advantage. If he plays up the ground it would be as a wingman.

 

[TylerDurden]

Just Grab the Wiz

Another pre season into our young Mids with a forward line of

Bruest Lewis Moore
Ginnivan Chol Watson

Bench - MacDonald / Gunston / Ramma

That forward Line has the ability to kick 100points regularly

Correct. Breust, Chad, Gunner will all be gone soon.

 

[The Chad and I]

Edwards and Wilson look like excellent prospects at 15 and 24.

 

[cryptor]

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' October ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey delivers his fourth Phantom Form Guide ahead of the 2023 National Draft

www.afl.com.au

Ashton Moir now out of Cal’s top 30.

I hope we can find a way to pick him up late. Sounds like the hip injury has tanked his season.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

As it is, I cant see any way that the Hawks can get creative like they did with Weddle last year.

Even if McCabe slips past 20 and they want to trade in then, they dont have the capital to do it without going into deficit next year.

Same goes for Harley. The best that they can tack on to pick 4 and the F1 would be Collingwoods F2. Eagles arent taking that.

However, I wouldn't be against moving 4 for 6 and 11 from the Dees. Grab Caddy/Curtin and if a radical bid comes for McCabe before 11 they can move it for a future pick from someone? Thats very unlikely anyway.

Is the difference between Caddy and Watson that great?

 

[TylerDurden]

As it is, I cant see any way that the Hawks can get creative like they did with Weddle last year.

Even if McCabe slips past 20 and they want to trade in then, they dont have the capital to do it without going into deficit next year.

Same goes for Harley. The best that they can tack on to pick 4 and the F1 would be Collingwoods F2. Eagles arent taking that.

However, I wouldn't be against moving 4 for 6 and 11 from the Dees. Grab Caddy/Curtin and if a bid comes for McCabe before 11 they can move it for a future pick from someone or split it further?

Is the difference between Caddy and Watson that great?

No way Caddy gets to 11.

 

[hawkinoz]

I am very interested in who we take after McCabe.

Mark McKenzie does his best work After pick 30.

Don't think we have assets to do this.

Even though I think we did well in trade period as a overall, we could have done better IMO.

Expressing this sentiment seem to upset people who think it is a commentary on a trade target. If we overpay, we can land most trade targets, not rocket science.

Even giving up Pies F2 to Suns instead of Lions F2 would have given us a better chance of trading it out for a late pick in 30's. Now MM could have extracted side deals that may become visible on draft night but not holding my breath there.

As it is, I cant see any way that the Hawks can get creative like they did with Weddle last year.

Even if McCabe slips past 20 and they want to trade in then, they dont have the capital to do it without going into deficit next year.

Same goes for Harley. The best that they can tack on to pick 4 and the F1 would be Collingwoods F2. Eagles arent taking that.

However, I wouldn't be against moving 4 for 6 and 11 from the Dees. Grab Caddy/Curtin and if a radical bid comes for McCabe before 11 they can move it for a future pick from someone? Thats very unlikely anyway.

Is the difference between Caddy and Watson that great?

Exactly. The targets should one of the Suns 3 picks in 20's and 3 in 30's. This will get exhausted before the top 5 draft picks, so we can't wait for McCabe bid to move on those.

I had these simple & elaborate theories of getting them but all has gone Kaput. Our tools now is threat to bid on Suns players at our Pick 4( Read, Rogers) or at pick 1( Walter)

Your club's draft picks after the 2023 Trade Period​

Adelaide: 10, 14, 20, 89
Brisbane: 30, 39, 51, 54, 67, 97
Carlton: 22, 28, 70, 78, 96
Collingwood: 19, 33, 80, 98
Essendon: 9, 31, 35, 61, 88
Fremantle: 34, 46, 60, 64, 85
Geelong: 8, 25, 76, 87, 94
Gold Coast: 24, 26, 27, 32, 36, 38, 66, 71, 74, 84
Greater Western Sydney: 7, 16, 43, 59, 77, 79, 95
Hawthorn: 4, 44, 47, 49, 62, 63, 83
Melbourne: 6, 11, 42, 93
North Melbourne: 2, 3, 15, 17, 18, 57, 82
Port Adelaide: 73
Richmond: 29, 41, 65, 68, 86
St Kilda: 13, 21, 40, 92
Sydney: 12, 45, 55, 91
West Coast: 1, 23, 37, 58, 81
Western Bulldogs: 5, 48, 50, 52, 53, 56, 69, 72, 75, 90

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

No way Caddy gets to 11.

I meant at 6. Curtin OR Caddy. I dont have an opinion on who to take at 11.

I wasnt very clear

 

[Slow Hand]

Curtin (key defender or forward), Dursma (third tall) and Watson (small forward) would all certainly fill a need where we are lacking players we know will be quality.

While Curtin could be a ‘go home’ risk, it could unlock Reid for us in a few years.

Back the club in to make the best assessment on draft night subject to who is available. Either three of these kids would be great for our club.

 

[Yardie]

Same DNA. One brother won’t miraculously be quicker/stronger than the other.

No, they don't.