Opinion 2023 AFL Draft Prospects

[House_of_Dahl]

I think there could be some value in taking South Australians this year with the lack of draft picks available to the SA teams. I like the look of both Kane McAuliffe and Bodie Ryan if they slip at our late picks. Port are probably hoping to use 72 on one of these guys when

McAuliffe is hard and aggressive at the coal face and Ryan is a great overhead mark defender. Both are listed at 187 cm and other threads have these guys in mock drafts falling in the 50s and 60s, but as high as 40s for McAuliffe.

My gut feeling is they might be slightly higher if the SA teams had picks. McAuliffe would be of particular interest I would have thought if we go Watson over Sanders.

Like the sound of McAuliffe if we don't take Sanders

Kane McAuliffe Draft Profile

North Adelaide enforcer Kane McAuliffe does plenty of grunt work in midfield, boasting great contested nous and a powerful athletic profile.

central.rookieme.com

 

[_Cerberus_]

Like the sound of McAuliffe if we don't take Sanders

Kane McAuliffe Draft Profile

North Adelaide enforcer Kane McAuliffe does plenty of grunt work in midfield, boasting great contested nous and a powerful athletic profile.

central.rookieme.com

I'd still take both. Ideally you want two inside bulls, along with a pacey burst mid in the middle. Throw him, Sanders, and Smith IF he can recapture 2021 and early 2022 form. That is a solid center brigade for the next decade.

I reckon our late picks won't be that inspiring tbh. We should be focused on smaller players and pace with later picks. But I feel we will probably do our stock standard Footscray pick, and some "wtf?" type player in a position that is not a need.

I'd personally try find a small forward, small defender, winger or a natural half fwd/mid with later and rookie picks. (Assuming we don't take Watson)

 

[doggiesin08]

There seems to be less smokies getting through these days… never forget Dale Morris, Matthew Boyd, JJ, Liam Picken, Like Dahlhaus all played in a somewhat important winning game a few years back and were Rookies…

There are gems to be found


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Correspondingly, there are also fewer busts in the first round. It's hardly surprising given clubs like us have moved from having one part-time scout calling around asking his mates how the kids in WA and SA got on, or TAC games he couldn't get to, to now having multiple full-time scouts and just about every top-league under 18s game across the country captured on film.

 

[doggiesin08]

I think I’m taking Curtin.

Yep agree, don't think you'd be any worse off having him for the year and selling at a premium after his first year if WCE still really want him. I think it's only an issue if its a split between Curtin or Duursma at our pick otherwise one of Watson or Sanders is still on the board.

 

[weltschmerz]

The Bigfooty phantom draft ended up with us taking Watson, Croft, McAuliffe, and De La Rue, which would be a top tier draft.

 

[doggies ftw]

The Bigfooty phantom draft ended up with us taking Watson, Croft, McAuliffe, and De La Rue, which would be a top tier draft.

That would be bloody unbelievable, covers all bases and where’d our late picks land and do they do the points & late pick shuffling etc correctly or just leave them where they started?

 

[Ash1337]

Pretty sure if eagles were serious about getting Curtin they'd be offering a premium if he is still on the board.

 

[doggiesin08]

Pretty sure if eagles were serious about getting Curtin they'd be offering a premium if he is still on the board.

It's just hard to see that happening with the assets they have and us not valuing extra picks this year until Croft is matched. Best they could really do in a direct trade would be F1 and swap F2s, but not sure that would be enough for us given the first rounds are stretching out to picks in the mid-20s now.

Best chance would be to involve Melbourne if they would prefer the Eagles F1 to whoever of Watson/Sanders is slipping to their pick. Could be Eagles F1 to Melbourne, Melbourne pick #7 to Dogs (we still get Watson/Sanders), Dogs pick #6 to Eagles ... and then something to sweeten the deal for us, either their pick in the 20s (that we will move into 2024 with someone else before a Croft bid) or swap F2s.

 

[VitalDread]

Dogs recruiting team have met with Lance Collard

 

[_Cerberus_]

Dogs recruiting team have met with Lance Collard

I predict he will go in the 20s. Interesting we'd be meeting players who likely won't be anywhere near our picks, unless we have a plan to somehow move up again post Croft bid.

Would also seem to point that we still consider a small forward as a main need. Maybe Watson is number one on our board.

 

[hatescaptcha]

Dogs recruiting team have met with Lance Collard

Big fan. If we can somehow make Collard happen that would be amazing. Shai Bolton clone.


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[Struggle]

It's just hard to see that happening with the assets they have and us not valuing extra picks this year until Croft is matched. Best they could really do in a direct trade would be F1 and swap F2s, but not sure that would be enough for us given the first rounds are stretching out to picks in the mid-20s now.

Best chance would be to involve Melbourne if they would prefer the Eagles F1 to whoever of Watson/Sanders is slipping to their pick. Could be Eagles F1 to Melbourne, Melbourne pick #7 to Dogs (we still get Watson/Sanders), Dogs pick #6 to Eagles ... and then something to sweeten the deal for us, either their pick in the 20s (that we will move into 2024 with someone else before a Croft bid) or swap F2s.

I really think with the Dees the Eagles F1 would be worth 6 and their future first. I wouldn't give it up for anything less.
They're likely to be top 4 again. I would make that trade if I was them

 

[doggy_dog]

Lachlan Smith Draft Profile

Gippsland Power tall Lachlan Smith is a physically readymade ruck with developable traits which have placed him into draft contention.

central.rookieme.com

Don’t mind the sound of this guy. Think it’s important he has upside while still being immediately VFL competitive

 

[True Dog]

I predict he will go in the 20s. Interesting we'd be meeting players who likely won't be anywhere near our picks, unless we have a plan to somehow move up again post Croft bid.

Would also seem to point that we still consider a small forward as a main need. Maybe Watson is number one on our board.

My gut tells me Watson was our primary focus in moving up the ranks to obtain Gold Coast’s pick. Just ticks too many boxes in an area of need. A genuine small forward with speed and goal sense. Could be wrong but would be interested to see what we do should Watson and Sanders be available at our pick.

 

[Mojorisin]

Dogs recruiting team have met with Lance Collard

That's interesting, we have met with him a few times now. Thought we would have backed off now he has risen up boards.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

That's interesting, we have met with him a few times now. Thought we would have backed off now he has risen up boards.

Something maybe brewing behind closed doors perhaps?

What needs to happen for us to get back in to a pick in the 20’s? I’m assuming almost impossible?

 

[_Cerberus_]

Where will the draft be shown this year? I remember being bummed at not being able to watch it live a couple of years back. Was stuck reading names pop up on the screen on the AFL website. Hopefully they have a live stream there on their website, or via Kayo even. And that it is not exclusive to Foxtel, which we no longer have here.

Nothing beats watching live. "With Pick Number X, the Western Bulldogs select...."

 

[flipper83]

Something maybe brewing behind closed doors perhaps?

What needs to happen for us to get back in to a pick in the 20’s? I’m assuming almost impossible?

Maybe, if the club is confident a Croft bid will be later, we're looking to trade a couple of our third rounders for one of gold coasts early seconds

 

[ossie_21]

Maybe, if the club is confident a Croft bid will be later, we're looking to trade a couple of our third rounders for one of gold coasts early seconds

This would be the most likely scenario, there may be a handshake deal already in place considering the deal we made with them to move up. That move in isolation was overs considering other deals they have done, but evens up if we can move back up to a pick or 2 not long after the Croft bid

 

[LittleG]

Maybe, if the club is confident a Croft bid will be later, we're looking to trade a couple of our third rounders for one of gold coasts early seconds

GC won’t have any early second rounders left by the time Croft is bid on.

 

[dogwatch]

I’d love to know how much collaboration goes on between different clubs’ draft teams a week or two out from the draft regarding potential mid-draft trades. It’s clearly in their interests to have contingency plans in place depending on how the bids for FS and academy players pan out. Much better than a last minute scramble to contact potential trading clubs.

Clubs would know it’s in their interest to assist sometimes because next year it could be them looking for a favour. As long as they get good value back.

There’s the added intrigue of wanting to tee up a potential trade but not wanting to reveal too much about the club’s own targets, especially in the 15-30 range where there are plenty of attractive candidates.

I guess reinterviewing players like Collard would send a pretty clear signal to anyone trying to second guess our draft strategy.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Maybe, if the club is confident a Croft bid will be later, we're looking to trade a couple of our third rounders for one of gold coasts early seconds

Possibly. Not sure Croft slips that far.

 

[VitalDread]

Something maybe brewing behind closed doors perhaps?

What needs to happen for us to get back in to a pick in the 20’s? I’m assuming almost impossible?

Dogs are open to trading Future Seconds for F2 and picks in this year's draft
Depending on if the Croft bid comes later thus their picks have a higher value to trade up

 

[Cadillac]

Are we confident Watson might slip to our pick now? I want him badly

 

[doggies ftw]

Where will the draft be shown this year? I remember being bummed at not being able to watch it live a couple of years back. Was stuck reading names pop up on the screen on the AFL website. Hopefully they have a live stream there on their website, or via Kayo even. And that it is not exclusive to Foxtel, which we no longer have here.

Nothing beats watching live. "With Pick Number X, the Western Bulldogs select...."

Usually on Kayo these days I believe- I’m pretty excited too, been super boring when the biggest shock for us is whether our father/son goes at pick 1 or pick 4 and then we don’t enter the draft again until pick 50

Pretty keen to have a live top 5 pick and then some decent picks afterwards, although the two day bs does my head in.