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.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

The AFL don't contribute to the academies though. The Swans for instance is funded by QBE mostly.

The Suns and Giants academies would absolutely be endowed by the AFL as they wouldn't have the coteries that the Lions and Swans would have built over the decades. I don't doubt there is some corporate sponsorship involved but the Suns and Giants without AFL assistance would be as dead as Fitzroy - I can't see either of them having a self-sustaining academy up and running without daddy paying some of the bills.

 

[Kanga Commando]

Anyone got the footage of when Crows picked Curtin? Bloke looked miserable

Found it

( sorry if someone else beat me to it )

 

[Coburghawk]

The Suns and Giants academies would absolutely be endowed by the AFL as they wouldn't have the coteries that the Lions and Swans would have built over the decades. I don't doubt there is some corporate sponsorship involved but the Suns and Giants without AFL assistance would be as dead as Fitzroy - I can't see either of them having a self-sustaining academy up and running without daddy paying some of the bills.

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Gold Coast v North GF’s?

Gee whiz, they might have to double the MCG’s capacity to fit in all the fans.

McKercher said he can’t wait to play in front of 80K at the MCG.

JHF waited at least a year before putting in a trade request, so it is pretty bold by Colby to be doing it pre-draft.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I know it was the right choice because when north took Duursma I felt nothing and when we took the Wizard I gave a dodoro style fist pump on steroids!
Glad McCabe got to 19 so we have an extra pick let’s see who slips through.
Oh and my god I love GWS but biggest draft brain fart in history. Take Leake 12 gothard 17 and keep your f2 that was borderline under 70 IQ.

They clearly knew another club was going to beat them to it if they didn’t take him then.

 

[CobberRodgers]

Clubs need to back in their culture. From all reports Adelaide have a good young crop coming through, not to mention their on field rise. Wouldn't surprise me if he stays.

Plenty of worse places/clubs to play footy at than Adelaide.

Decent big town for a young bloke. Good beaches, good nightlife, and no shortage of young ladies that gravitate toward footballers. Also a great stadium that normally gets a decent crowd for the Crows.

 

[arupist]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

That is all very well. The issue is about access to that talent. The northern clubs have always had access to southern states talent. But southern clubs do not have access to northern talent.

True it is not the VFL any more. But it is not really a national league either. It goes way beyond a northern club running out on the field against a southern club.

 

[theiaofseed]

Geelong has its own significant advantage with its ability to appeal to kids from regional Vic. I don't expect them to change course and they will continue to target guys like Dangerfield and Cameron, probably with success.

If Geelong weren't a top 4 side they don't lure Dangerfield and Cameron, the country life style is bullshit.

 

[number23]

REMAINING Relevant 2023 AFL DRAFT ORDER (after Round 1)

30. West Coast Eagles 31. Brisbane Lions 32. Geelong 33. St Kilda 34. Carlton 35. Richmond 36. Geelong 37. Collingwood 38. Fremantle 39. Essendon 40. West Coast Eagles 41. Fremantle 42. Brisbane Lions 43. Richmond 44. GWS Giants 45. Western Bulldogs 46. Hawthorn 47. Western Bulldogs 48. North Melbourne 49. West Coast Eagles 50. GWS Giants 51. Gold Coast Suns 52. Hawthorn 53. Hawthorn…

Best of the rest: 10 overlooked prospects set to be drafted on Tuesday night

See our list of 10 players set to be selected between rounds two and four below.

www.sen.com.au

 

[QuietB]

There’s a reason Dimma had his sight set on that gig a long way out. They will be absolutely stacked.

Just on that I would so pissed if I was a Tigers supporter.

Dimma sells the farm to get Taranto and Hopper, realises he has ****ed up about 8 weeks in, high tails it out of there and goes to Europe, heads to a new club before the season is even over.

Sure he got them three flags but it is pretty graceless.

 

[Philhawk]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

Thank you for this perspective. As a NSWelshman myself with a young son I'm hoping to one day play junior AFL, I know how valuable the pathways are.

My issue is less the academies - it's the stupid allocation of essentially all these kids exclusively to 4 clubs.

EDIT: The equivalent way of putting it for me, would be if Hawthorn had exclusive access to any player that came out of the Sandringham Dragons. Madness.

 

[Billyc]

If Geelong weren't a top 4 side they don't lure Dangerfield and Cameron, the country life style is bullshit.

Nah, they finished 12th in 2015 when they lured Dangerfield

It's not bullshit that a lot of people like to live a lifetstyle similar to that they grew up in. Footballers are no different to anyone else.

 

[theiaofseed]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

Ask yourself why does it have to be club specific? Why can't the AFL run everything? Let's be real the only exist to make competitive Northern clubs and nothing else.

 

[Topiary]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

I am not doubting your motivation, all I want is a level playing field. Just because you live south or come from a football state no different when it comes to rules. The AFL investment is fine and is to be encouraged, but the rules need to be the same.

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

The success of the northern academies suggests that there is a footy development problem down south.

 

[theiaofseed]

Nah, they finished 12th in 2015 when they lured Dangerfield

It's not bullshit that a lot of people like to live a lifetstyle similar to that they grew up in. Footballers are no different to anyone else.

2013 - 2nd
2014 - 3rd

They were always there abouts, if Geelong had finished bottom 4 for 3 years straight it doesnt happen. Same reason players wnated to join Hawthorn after 2009.

 

[Brishawk]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

I dont think it is reasonable to destroy the integrity of the draft and talent acquisition pathway to facilitate player development. The two need to be separated. The draft needs to be based on equal access to talent or else you might as well go back to zones.

 

[QuietB]

I'm on board with the academies and I think they are good. GC for example will not have father sons for a long time for example, so academies as an alternative makes sense.

The problem is the points system. You should not be able to take 4 first rounders with a bunch of nothing picks.

If GC wanted all those first round academy picks they should have been forced to give something up.

 

[tl92]

Nah, they finished 12th in 2015 when they lured Dangerfield

It's not bullshit that a lot of people like to live a lifetstyle similar to that they grew up in. Footballers are no different to anyone else.

Particularly footballers. They have a very different lifestyle than someone working 9-5 and also later in the career don’t want all the attention.

 

[Philhawk]

I've seen the narrative from the Swans that they spend $1m a year on development which is why they should be entitled to zones.

Swans received $16m from the AFL last year. OK, let's get the AFL to take over and pay for it and lower the distribution to them accordingly. Am I missing something?

 

[TheFourPillars]

Perhaps he was wondering why West Coast didn't trade for that pick, like the Crows did.

I hope he goes on to become a Crows legend and makes the Eagles regret that they didn't go all out for him.

WCE tried but future picks were not selling well this year

 

[Changa10]

I'm not sure about the Suns and Giants. i can only speak about the Swans as my son is involved with them. The work the swans do in enemy territory in terms of bringing kids to AFL through the academies is amazing. The coaching and development now matches what the Victorian system has been doing for many years.

That is why we are starting to see larger numbers of kids come through. Even if it has AFL investment is that a bad thing? It is only catching up now with the elite talent pathways available to the Victorian clubs. As I said before the more kids coming out of the northern states can only be a good thing for all clubs in a national comp. We are no longer the VFL.

And I am a mad Hawthorn supporter.

I think arupist and Philhawk summed up my thoughts on this too.

I can understand giving the Giants and Suns exclusive access to these kids when they were starting up for a period of time, say 10 years, however I don't get why the established clubs in Brisbane and Sydney are still getting these benefits. Kids from Vic/SA/WA etc are expected to pack their bags to wherever, why shouldn't the NSW/QLD lads be the same?

Tasmania will be similar in a couple of years time I assume, so there goes access to a few more.

 

[RoughysMullet]

Lorenz and Dear please for our next picks

 

[DeafHawk]

Interesting opening night.

Eagles kept Pick 1 for Harley Reid
(Surprise surprise)
Norf did right thing holding onto 2 & 3 in my opinion.
Absolutely rapt we got Watson
Stoked with McCabe with Deaf to follow.
We’ve held onto our F1 which will work out great for us I’m sure.


The forum was like a beer garden which I think shines poorly on the AFL

Bring on tonight …..can’t wait

Deaf? I'm too old to play

Interesting opening night.

Eagles kept Pick 1 for Harley Reid
(Surprise surprise)
Norf did right thing holding onto 2 & 3 in my opinion.
Absolutely rapt we got Watson
Stoked with McCabe with Deaf to follow.
We’ve held onto our F1 which will work out great for us I’m sure.


The forum was like a beer garden which I think shines poorly on the AFL

Bring on tonight …..can’t wait

Deaf? I'm too old to play you mean Dear

 

[RJL Hawk]

That is all very well. The issue is about access to that talent. The northern clubs have always had access to southern states talent. But southern clubs do not have access to northern talent.

True it is not the VFL any more. But it is not really a national league either. It goes way beyond a northern club running out on the field against a southern club.

The point is that big Victorian clubs like us already enjoy massive advantages when it comes to attracting and retaining talent over smaller clubs, especially those non-traditional football states. Academies go some way to balancing that advantage and by growing the overall pool of talent, they benefit everyone (i.e. the game) in the long run.