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.

 

[KeeperLeaguer]

AFL draft top 30 — ranking the best prospects set to take the league by storm

The 2023 AFL draft is just around the corner, and a new crop of young guns are ready to make their mark at your club. Here are our rankings of the 30 best talents set to be drafted this year.

www.abc.net.au

Watson @ 9?
Duursma @ 5?

This guy's so far out on a limb he's in the next tree.

 

[smish]

At the end of the day the value of anything is only what the market offers.

If WCE have made up their mind that they want to move on pick #1 for more picks, they will take the highest bidder. They are also well within their rights to deem their asset more than what the market offers and hold this.

Some of the WCE supporter base claiming a king's ransom and that no offer is acceptable are just naive. Perhaps the reason clubs are making such offers is because they're around the mark on what the market deems to be a fair value.

I almost spat out my breakfast when some of their fans suggested 4 + F1 + Cam Mackenzie was way off the mark. Imagine how they will feel if something like the suggested by KL goes ahead

 

[kirbatron]

Not if they want Curtin anyway

sure but they need/can get a lot more value for 'downsizing' HR

 

[kirbatron]

Watson @ 9?
Duursma @ 5?

This guy's so far out on a limb he's in the next tree.

"Here is our ranking of the best 30 players in this year's draft"

Their top 10 is fair imo. Watson could be higher but he does have his knocks.

 

[Roddy]

Curtin’s versatility nails it for me. We BADLY need another big-bodied key back, which is essentially what he is (or at least will be), but the fact that he can swing forward or even midfield tips the scales in his favour.

I hope he drops to four and I hope we nab him…

 

[bzparkes]

Fresh this morning - an early trade option that seemed to have stalled now being spoken about again, mainly because WC are very keen on Curtin and North have locked in on Duursma & McKercher.

WC trades pick 1 to us for pick 4 & F1, then trades pick 4 & F1 to North for pick 2&tbd (possibly 15&F2
We have 1, WC 2, North 3&4.

WC get Curtin and another 1st rounder this year plus an early 2nd next year (meaning they would have picks 21&22 in 2024).
North still get their men this year plus an extra 1st next year.
We get Reid.

The AFL would allow the trade to go through as it would help the bottom two struggling clubs.
2024 draft currently seen as a deep draft on quality mids.

This is a joke, right?

That's worse than what north have already reportedly offered...

 

[Judd2Sewell]

"Here is our ranking of the best 30 players in this year's draft"

Their top 10 is fair imo. Watson could be higher but he does have his knocks.

And he even said that Watson will get selected earlier than #9.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Curtin’s versatility nails it for me. We BADLY need another big-bodied key back, which is essentially what he is (or at least will be), but the fact that he can swing forward or even midfield tips the scales in his favour.

I hope he drops to four and I hope we nab him…

Differences of opinion are fine, and encouraged on this website.
Will McCabe's guaranteed inclusion already covers the bolded part for this draft though I feel.

We also have Will Day and Josh Weddle as dynamic, tall, athletic defenders with the ability to play multiple positions. Henry Hustwaite is another tall who has experience in multiple positions.

I like Curtin. I'm sure I'd love what he'd bring to Hawthorn. Nic Watson just still feels like the gut instinct for both what I want and what we'll do come draft night if it came down to those two.

 

[Inspiredteamalwayswins]

The problem is you're basing these ratings 90% on how they look now and only 10% on what they might become.
You'll probably find that most clubs rate players more like 80% on what they might become based on 20% of how they are now.

Clubs would base these players accordingly.
1. Reid
2. Duursma
3. McKercher
4. Curtin
5. Watson

That's not our official rating (I have only a vague idea of what that is), just my own personal one.
I can definitely tell you though we're not drafting a player because he'll be effective from round one, but because he'll become more effective as he develops.

Just to muddy the water, he could be both

But we draft for the future, for us challenging from 2025 onwards. That's why we're so big on McCabe - he'll probably play out next year solely at BH, maybe even a bit of 2025 but we think he has the weapons to become a seiously good player.

Edit: I purposefully left out Walter in that rating because we all know he's taken.
If however he was a 'free agent' at the draft there would be some serious s**t going on for the first five picks between WC, North, Dogs & us.

Agree 100% with your statement and your 80:20 ratio. Those ratings I gave obviously incorporated what they could become.

Duursma could become a really good player and kick lots of goals, but at the same time also could turn out pretty average. I don’t think the risk is there with Watson, hence my rating. That’s just my opinion and why I have him as A+ though.

All clubs would have different ratings for the top 5 you’d think.

 

[Roddy]

Differences of opinion are fine, and encouraged on this website.
Will McCabe's guaranteed inclusion already covers the bolded part for this draft though I feel.

We also have Will Day and Josh Weddle as dynamic, tall, athletic defenders with the ability to play multiple positions. Henry Hustwaite is another tall who has experience in multiple positions.

I like Curtin. I'm sure I'd love what he'd bring to Hawthorn. Nic Watson just still feels like the gut instinct for both what I want and what we'll do come draft night if it came down to those two.

Is McCabe 100% ‘guaranteed’? If so, I agree 100%. If not, I badly want us to grab Curtin.

 

[hardway]

Is McCabe 100% ‘guaranteed’? If so, I agree 100%. If not, I badly want us to grab Curtin.

Load up on McCabe being a hawk there are zero doubts.

 

[TylerDurden]

Is McCabe 100% ‘guaranteed’? If so, I agree 100%. If not, I badly want us to grab Curtin.

McCabe will be a Hawk 100%

 

[Roddy]

Load up on McCabe being a hawk there are zero doubts.

That’s great news, I’ll stop obsessing over Curtin then…

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Factors to consider if we push to trade for pick one, as I imagine some will focus on us trading out a F1.

Yes obviously we would lose our future first, but that is shaping up to be a midfield heavy draft, and pure midfielders aren't a pressing need for us ATM.

We will also be getting another first round talent in McCabe this year, meaning we'd still be bringing in two first round talents over 2023 and 2024, including the highest rated player in years.

Plus we brought in two last season as well.

 

[smish]

Seems like we're keen to get rid of our 2024 first regardless

 

[HomerJayS]

It’s ‘all eggs in one basket’ trading 4 and F1 for Harley. I’m not sure he’s worth that.

Someone mentioned he had concussion a couple times this year. Grabbing one of this years anointed six and another top pick next (even trading it for Smith) could be a better option.

 

[Philhawk]

Fresh this morning - an early trade option that seemed to have stalled now being spoken about again, mainly because WC are very keen on Curtin and North have locked in on Duursma & McKercher.

WC trades pick 1 to us for pick 4 & F1, then trades pick 4 & F1 to North for pick 2&tbd (possibly 15&F2
We have 1, WC 2, North 3&4.

WC get Curtin and another 1st rounder this year plus an early 2nd next year (meaning they would have picks 21&22 in 2024).
North still get their men this year plus an extra 1st next year.
We get Reid.

The AFL would allow the trade to go through as it would help the bottom two struggling clubs.
2024 draft currently seen as a deep draft on quality mids.

Sorry, but this is idiotic. Happy to call myself out if I'm wrong, but why on earth would West Coast do this?

 

[KeeperLeaguer]

Sorry, but this is idiotic. Happy to call myself out if I'm wrong, but why on earth would West Coast do this?

Look at it this way, it depends on how they see their rebuild and how much thewy rate Curtin.
If they stay pat they get Reid this year and that's it. Their next pick is 23 which wont get them anything dependable in this shallow draft. And next year they'd also only have one first.
If they do the deal, they will have THREE firsts this year - 2, 8 & 15 and then would have picks 21 & 22 next year in a much deeper draft.

It equates to three good picks versus five. Something to think about.

 

[bzparkes]

Look at it this way, it depends on how they see their rebuild and how much thewy rate Curtin.
If they stay pat they get Reid this year and that's it. Their next pick is 23 which wont get them anything dependable in this shallow draft. And next year they'd also only have one first.
If they do the deal, they will have THREE firsts this year - 2, 8 & 15 and then would have picks 21 & 22 next year in a much deeper draft.

It equates to three good picks versus five. Something to think about.

How are West coast getting pick 8?

Also, WCE won't be picking Curtin at 2, it'll be McKercher, hence the recent home visit to Tassie and only considering a trade if pick 2 is involved, because North are also keen on him.

 

[Alsmypal]

Look at it this way, it depends on how they see their rebuild and how much thewy rate Curtin.
If they stay pat they get Reid this year and that's it. Their next pick is 23 which wont get them anything dependable in this shallow draft. And next year they'd also only have one first.
If they do the deal, they will have THREE firsts this year - 2, 8 & 15 and then would have picks 21 & 22 next year in a much deeper draft.

It equates to three good picks versus five. Something to think about.

Seems to be a lot of detail missing here with the proposed trades from reading both your posts about this.

 

[KeeperLeaguer]

Seems to be a lot of detail missing here with the proposed trades from reading both your posts about this.

I'll spell it out again as fully as possible. It isn't just between us, North & WC it also involves Geelong.
(we're assuming it's Geelong - it might be Dees or Dogs ... either way they're talking to one of them).

So the deal would be us giving North pick 4 & F1.
WC giving us pick 1.
North giving WC picks 2 & 15 & F2
WC giving Geelong (?) their F1 for pick 8.

North then has two early firsts next year (and this year - which is why they came up with this).
Geelong would have two early firsts next year.
I'd assume Geelong would like having two early firsts next year in a deep draft of good mids considering their 'old man' midfield now.
We'd have Reid & McCabe and then our F2 next year.
WC would have picks 2, 8 & 15 this year and picks 21 & 22 next year.

And if it came to all parties agreeing but AFL not allowing us to trade our F1 I'm sure WC, North and Cats would flip a F3 & F4 our way to get it done.

Like I said earlier, it depends on how WC see their rebuild.
North like it (they offered it), we like it. The stumbling block right now is WC and the 4th party.

 

[bzparkes]

So the deal would be us giving North pick 4 & F1.
WC giving us pick 1.
North giving WC picks 2 & 15 & F2
WC giving Geelong (?) their F1 for pick 8.

That is horrible for WCE.

Give up pick 1/2 next year for pick 8 in this draft?

Never, ever happening.

 

[Bugs1977]

The second one. If they do like Curtin, they could get him at 4 and have a top 6 (imo) pick next year.

Edit. Didn't see the keep Reid option. I'd keep Reid, but I'm more open minded on the idea of trading it than most Eagles fans.

FWIW I've said from the very start that the Eagles are just using the Hawks as a plan B to keep the Shinbeggers honest. If i were you guys I'd be backing ourselves to retain Reid but being a country Vic lad who knows.

 

[Platten44]

I'll spell it out again as fully as possible. It isn't just between us, North & WC it also involves Geelong.
(we're assuming it's Geelong - it might be Dees or Dogs ... either way they're talking to one of them).

So the deal would be us giving North pick 4 & F1.
WC giving us pick 1.
North giving WC picks 2 & 15 & F2
WC giving Geelong (?) their F1 for pick 8.

North then has two early firsts next year (and this year - which is why they came up with this).
Geelong would have two early firsts next year.
I'd assume Geelong would like having two early firsts next year in a deep draft of good mids considering their 'old man' midfield now.
We'd have Reid & McCabe and then our F2 next year.
WC would have picks 2, 8 & 15 this year and picks 21 & 22 next year.

And if it came to all parties agreeing but AFL not allowing us to trade our F1 I'm sure WC, North and Cats would flip a F3 & F4 our way to get it done.

Like I said earlier, it depends on how WC see their rebuild.
North like it (they offered it), we like it. The stumbling block right now is WC and the 4th party.

We don’t need a future 4th. The rules were changed for that.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Beginning to think that I really should have never caved on letting trade scenarios enter this thread.

Can we talk about the players in the draft at all?