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.

 

[Turly]

does he have Casey Voss in the top 10 for his draft rankings?

Not sure but he does have Callow going at pick 1.

 

[Boot Studder]

With all the AFL handouts charity and gifts tonight must be the highlight of the year for all Norf supporters ……. Clarko will bring out the Fender electric guitar for this one!

Hand me the earplugs!

 

[bigmaxi]

Yeah I agree. Same goes for Shifter waxing lyrical about every kid, even the ones picked in the 4th round.

People moan about him every year but he is only being positive. These are teenagers enjoying the biggest nights of the lives with their families, they dont want to hear Sheehan summarise them with 'this guy is a bit of a spud'.

Some people just like to whinge.

Plays with a straight bat he does, compared to the numerous flogs in the media, he is a breath of fresh air.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The 4 minutes and 45 seconds that the WCE drafting team spend shuffling papers, reviewing notes and whispering behind covered mouths, before ultimately selecting Reid, is going to be the stupidest, most pathetic, stage-managed pile of television putridness that is ever likely to be seen.

They should just submit the pick and tell Gil and co to **** off. Yes I know Gil isn't there anymore, but tell him to **** off all the same.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Yeah I am getting a sneaky feeling that Norf might go for Watson. They have a ton of mids so they might even go Watson Duursma which would really throw a cat among the pigeons and see some if not all of the toys thrown from the cot today

If we got Colby I really don't think many toys would be thrown out.

There are arguments for all of them, and he's a massive talent.

 

[The Dynastic]

KeeperLeaguer Any chance of a draft day update?

He's on holidays was his last post last week. In a PM he told me he was going to Fiji.
Probably there now enjoying the sun while we stress about the draft.

 

[mookieb]

This would not surprise me at all! Even GWS picks 7 could be a target i would imagine

Mitchell has been amazing for the Hawks but I reckon he's made a classic mistake. Plan was to be the only team actively rebuilding - recruit young players and build through the draft. After a better than expected year it looks like the plan is now "accelerate the rebuild we're nearly good to go". Overpaying for injury prone, not that good anyway players like McKay. Now there is talk of trading a F1 for pick 7 or 8? In all probability you are trading a top 5 pick for a top 8 pick. How does that help us?

 

[The Dynastic]

Mitchell has been amazing for the Hawks but I reckon he's made a classic mistake. Plan was to be the only team actively rebuilding - recruit young players and build through the draft. After a better than expected year it looks like the plan is now "accelerate the rebuild we're nearly good to go". Overpaying for injury prone, not that good anyway players like McKay. Now there is talk of trading a F1 for pick 7 or 8? In all probability you are trading a top 5 pick for a top 8 pick. How does that help us?

A top 5 pick next year will get us another mid and we're overstocked there. Another top 8 pick this year will get us a much needed tall like Caddy or O'Sullivan. Helps us a lot.

 

[Changa10]

A top 5 pick next year will get us another mid and we're overstocked there. Another top 8 pick this year will get us a much needed tall like Caddy or O'Sullivan. Helps us a lot.

Plus a year's extra development in our AFL system

 

[Billyc]

If we got Colby I really don't think many toys would be thrown out.

There are arguments for all of them, and he's a massive talent.

I'd say he's the most certain of all (bar maybe Reid) to be a very good AFL player. Extremely low risk.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Mitchell has been amazing for the Hawks but I reckon he's made a classic mistake. Plan was to be the only team actively rebuilding - recruit young players and build through the draft. After a better than expected year it looks like the plan is now "accelerate the rebuild we're nearly good to go". Overpaying for injury prone, not that good anyway players like McKay. Now there is talk of trading a F1 for pick 7 or 8? In all probability you are trading a top 5 pick for a top 8 pick. How does that help us?

Because we need a classy tall and there’s none next year so far!

An I don’t think we will finish bottom 4 in 2024! We should be aiming for 8-12

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Mitchell has been amazing for the Hawks but I reckon he's made a classic mistake. Plan was to be the only team actively rebuilding - recruit young players and build through the draft. After a better than expected year it looks like the plan is now "accelerate the rebuild we're nearly good to go". Overpaying for injury prone, not that good anyway players like McKay. Now there is talk of trading a F1 for pick 7 or 8? In all probability you are trading a top 5 pick for a top 8 pick. How does that help us?

Consider that next season's draft is shaping up to be midfield heavy at the top. Midfield isn't an area that we need to invest in with top draft picks at the moment.

Meanwhile this draft has Curtin (KPD/mid), O'Sullivan (KPD), Caddy (3rd tall / KPF) and Leake (utility) all potentially available in trade-in scenarios.

If we don't trade back in then so be it. But it sounds like the club seemingly believes that getting one of those above players now is a better investment for us in the long-term. An extra year of development (as opposed to a draftee next year) would be especially important for KPP's.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Still think that if we were to get another first round pick then caddy is the one! Perfect third tall to help out Chol and Lewis especially once Gunston retires. Watson plus Caddy pretty much would lock in our frwd half for years to come. With McCabe and Denver to develop as kpd players. If we pull this off then I don't think we need to invest as much in the draft from here on in. Most areas of the ground would be filled with talent.

 

[mookieb]

Because we need a classy tall and there’s none next year so far!

An I don’t think we will finish bottom 4 in 2024! We should be aiming for 8-12

Bookies have us coming 4th last. And to be honest do we want to finish 8-12 - the dreaded no mans land of average draft picks? We're rebuilding so let's rebuild and stock up on draft picks. The last thing we need is to improve enough to become middle of the range without catapulting towards the top of the ladder.

McCabe will ideally be developing over a couple of years.

 

[mookieb]

A top 5 pick next year will get us another mid and we're overstocked there. Another top 8 pick this year will get us a much needed tall like Caddy or O'Sullivan. Helps us a lot.

To me it's like the option of next year's McKercher or this years Caddy or O'Sullivan. If it's Caddy why get Chol. If it's O'Sullivan isn't that where McCabe could fit in?

Do we want a likely absolute elite talent (top 5) or do we want a potentially good or very good key position player with more risk?

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

There are so many great talents on the board. But I just love Nick Watson too much. I hope we get The Wizard GO HAWKS!!!

 

[Billyc]

Still think that if we were to get another first round pick then caddy is the one! Perfect third tall to help out Chol and Lewis especially once Gunston retires. Watson plus Caddy pretty much would lock in our frwd half for years to come. With McCabe and Denver to develop as kpd players. If we pull this off then I don't think we need to invest as much in the draft from here on in. Most areas of the ground would be filled with talent.

Structurally I agree. Basically recruit/draft an entire forward line to join Lewis (and Breust for a couple more years).

 

[mookieb]

Consider that next season's draft is shaping up to be midfield heavy at the top. Midfield isn't an area that we need to invest in with top draft picks at the moment.

Meanwhile this draft has Curtin (KPD/mid), O'Sullivan (KPD), Caddy (3rd tall / KPF) and Leake (utility) all potentially available in trade-in scenarios.

If we don't trade back in then so be it. But it sounds like the club seemingly believes that getting one of those above players now is a better investment for us in the long-term. An extra year of development (as opposed to a draftee next year) would be especially important for KPP's.

Say you get pick 4 next year and the choice of a gun mid like McKercher? Hardly a disaster if you draft him, but if you don't trade back and get next years O'Sullivan, Caddy or Leake plus extra draft capital.

if you rate Curtin top 5 then that's a bit of a different scenario and I can see the logic. Or if it's the genius who did the Weddle deal.

We have a limited number of drafts to rebuild fully until the compromised Tassie drafts kick in.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Bookies have us coming 4th last. And to be honest do we want to finish 8-12 - the dreaded no mans land of average draft picks? We're rebuilding so let's rebuild and stock up on draft picks. The last thing we need is to improve enough to become middle of the range without catapulting towards the top of the ladder.

McCabe will ideally be developing over a couple of years.

With a heap of old players no! With a list of young players all a part of the upward journey!

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Say you get pick 4 next year and the choice of a gun mid like McKercher? Hardly a disaster if you draft him, but if you don't trade back and get next years O'Sullivan, Caddy or Leake plus extra draft capital.

if you rate Curtin top 5 then that's a bit of a different scenario and I can see the logic. Or if it's the genius who did the Weddle deal.

We have a limited number of drafts to rebuild fully until the compromised Tassie drafts kick in.

As it stands there are no O'Sullivan, Curtin, Caddy or Leake equivalents next year, that's the issue. And we know those players are potentially available right now.

Do we take the risk of missing out on one of those players now, on the hope that some emerge next season?

But then you need to consider - what if there are only one or two KPP players that emerge next year, will we have a pick good enough to select them?

Will there be a specific set of circumstances, like we see now, where teams like GWS and Geelong are considering trading back, which may allow us to snag one?

Or would teams that are ahead of us be willing to trade back of the KPP options are rated right up the top of the draft?

It's the old bird in the hand adage. We know for sure there is a chance to get a player that will fill a hole now, so do we risk missing out on the off chance one may be there next year?

 

[2008wasoverDEW!]

If we can't trade our future 1st back into this year's draft to pick up O'Sullivan or Caddy, I think we will use one of our late picks on Ethan Phillips.

Watson
O'Sullivan/Caddy
McCabe
Dear

Or

Watson
McCabe
E.Phillips
Dear

 

[robiecampbellbrown]

Just draft the Wiz please

 

[eldorado]

Bookies have us coming 4th last. And to be honest do we want to finish 8-12 - the dreaded no mans land of average draft picks? We're rebuilding so let's rebuild and stock up on draft picks. The last thing we need is to improve enough to become middle of the range without catapulting towards the top of the ladder.

What horseshit.

I want to win as many games as possible. So do the coaches. I want to play finals as soon as possible..not just accrue pick 4s or 5s until we have some magical number of 'high picks'

None of this bullshit, mythical, "Lets be really shit for a few more years, before we magically launch a dynasty based on being really shit for a long long time"

If we finish 8th, we'll get pick 11 or so...that will not doom us forever, will it?

 

[Bugs1977]

What horseshit.

I want to win as many games as possible. So do the coaches. I wan't to play finals as soon as possible..not just accrue pick 4s or 5s until we have some magical number of 'high picks'

None of this bullshit, mythical, "Lets be really s**t for a few more years, before we magically launch a dynasty based on being really s**t for a long long time"

If we finish 8th, we'll get pick 11 or so...that will not doom us forever, will it?

It's paramount that we start winning more games to start showing pending free agents that we're on the cusp of making the 8. This is one of the main reasons I want the Wiz because I feel he can contribute day 1 in making that happen. Obviously can't do it alone but the addition of Chol + Ginni will help tremendously in the 2024 season.

 

[FB19]

The 4 minutes and 45 seconds that the WCE drafting team spend shuffling papers, reviewing notes and whispering behind covered mouths, before ultimately selecting Reid, is going to be the stupidest, most pathetic, stage-managed pile of television putridness that is ever likely to be seen.

There will be the 1-2 live trades for suns picks to distract from all that. They should play cards or something, maybe Harley should sit in the room with them…