Opinion 2023 AFL Draft Prospects

[Next Waiting]

The real difference is having the skill - or the luck - to identify which player has the truly elite ceiling. As Dalrymple was able to do with Bontempelli.

And Port did with Butters

 

[dogwatch]

And Port did with Butters

You have Butters up there as just about the best in the comp? Or likely to be so within a few years?

That's a bold call in my book. He's had a few very good seasons but so have a lot of players drafted around then. It's only this year that he's had a string of top class games. Many top footballers have one outstanding season. Not so many do it year after year.

My point was not about what we commonly call "elite" but about those one or two players who are just head and shoulders above almost everybody else in the comp at their peak. Think GAjr (or GA senior for that matter), Dusty, Bont. It's not easy to think of recent examples after those three. If we're talking KPFs as well (as I was) then maybe peak Franklin would be up there.

At the same age I'd have Bont well ahead of Butters who is just one of many very good young players out there.
Maybe in time Butters will become the colossus that Bont is, but in my book he's nowhere near that yet.

Who was it who said the other day "Bont is the best in the league ... and it's not even close" ?

 

[_Cerberus_]

Watson would be incredible

Gut feel is he probably goes before Gold Coasts pick. And I don't think we will trade up with them either, as other teams can offer better deals than us. But mainly because Croft has pretty much got as tied down, as he keeps climbing the rankings too much. We will lose a few points if he is bid on in the teens and our next best pick is in the 30s. I think we hold firm with a meh hand of two picks between 15 and 20. Suddenly the Dunks deal looks even more meh!

As of current standings, my early draft prediction.

1. WC - Reid
2. NM - McKercher
Walter bid somewhere around those two picks.
3. Haw - Watson or Curtain

I reckon the Hawks really like him, despite their public desire to focus on key position players.

 

[Next Waiting]

You have Butters up there as just about the best in the comp? Or likely to be so within a few years?

That's a bold call in my book. He's had a few very good seasons but so have a lot of players drafted around then. It's only this year that he's had a string of top class games. Many top footballers have one outstanding season. Not so many do it year after year.

My point was not about what we commonly call "elite" but about those one or two players who are just head and shoulders above almost everybody else in the comp at their peak. Think GAjr (or GA senior for that matter), Dusty, Bont. It's not easy to think of recent examples after those three. If we're talking KPFs as well (as I was) then maybe peak Franklin would be up there.

At the same age I'd have Bont well ahead of Butters who is just one of many very good young players out there.
Maybe in time Butters will become the colossus that Bont is, but in my book he's nowhere near that yet.

Who was it who said the other day "Bont is the best in the league ... and it's not even close" ?

Butters won't reach Bont's level. There isn't a Bont in many draft years. I get that.

Hard to split Rozee and Butters for me but I think they're the 2 best in their draft year.

My interest in Butters is that he is not someone the Bont would have to carry and I think he would make Bont a more damaging and influential player than he already is and ensure that the Bont (and Marra) years are all that they could and should be.

He's Libba with speed (not on speed). That he's having the year in this position is a credit to Port's development of the player. The skills and ceiling were always there and they've not gone too early with him. He's been allowed to develop physically without getting smashed early in his career. The overlooked but nonetheless evident trait that he brings is his competitiveness. Haven't seen him drop his head after losses. He looks simultaneously exhausted and enraged. We need that.

 

[weltschmerz]

Gut feel is he probably goes before Gold Coasts pick. And I don't think we will trade up with them either, as other teams can offer better deals than us. But mainly because Croft has pretty much got as tied down, as he keeps climbing the rankings too much. We will lose a few points if he is bid on in the teens and our next best pick is in the 30s. I think we hold firm with a meh hand of two picks between 15 and 20. Suddenly the Dunks deal looks even more meh!

As of current standings, my early draft prediction.

1. WD - Reid
2. NM - McKercher
Walter bid somewhere around those two picks.
3. Haw - Watson or Curtain

I reckon the Hawks really like him, despite their public desire to focus on key position players.

North taking another short inside mid with a top pick while their KPP stocks are some of the worst in the league. It’s such a bad idea that you can probably bet on it happening.

 

[hatescaptcha]

Hoping Watson’s height deters a few at the top
End.


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[Munnez]

You have Butters up there as just about the best in the comp? Or likely to be so within a few years?

That's a bold call in my book. He's had a few very good seasons but so have a lot of players drafted around then. It's only this year that he's had a string of top class games. Many top footballers have one outstanding season. Not so many do it year after year.

My point was not about what we commonly call "elite" but about those one or two players who are just head and shoulders above almost everybody else in the comp at their peak. Think GAjr (or GA senior for that matter), Dusty, Bont. It's not easy to think of recent examples after those three. If we're talking KPFs as well (as I was) then maybe peak Franklin would be up there.

At the same age I'd have Bont well ahead of Butters who is just one of many very good young players out there.
Maybe in time Butters will become the colossus that Bont is, but in my book he's nowhere near that yet.

Who was it who said the other day "Bont is the best in the league ... and it's not even close" ?

Not certain but think it might have been Buckley

 

[Next Waiting]

Not certain but think it might have been Buckley

I think it was Danger

Dangerfield believes there is no debate over this year’s No.1 player.

“But No.1 for mine - and I don’t think it’s all that close - is Marcus Bontempelli,” he said.

 

[Munnez]

I think it was Danger

Oh ok

 

[doggiesin08]

I think we’re just as likely to be a trade down as a trade up team. Argument could be made for trading down 16 for multiple picks in the mid 20s, or trading 13 to say Melbourne for 23 and a future first. Or both. There’ll be many iterations possible once picks start moving hands.

It’s not as sexy as trading into the top 10, but we might be able to take Croft and have enough capital left for a trade or two and multiple second round draftees, while preserving some value for next year.

There’s a lot of good that can be done that doesn’t involve cashing our chips in for a top 10 pick this year.

I agree this is likely. If we can get the GC pick then great otherwise I think we trade both picks into 2024 and then try to get them back into 2023 post a Croft bid (maybe to get Lual). The other option would be something like #16 to Brisbane for Lohmann and #29 and then use #29 and #35 to match Croft.

We still need some points though to match Croft if we move both 1st rounds up or out. Part of the challenge for Power figuring out how many points we need is it makes a big difference if Ethan Read and Jake Rodgers are bid on before him a clean out a bunch of Gold Coasts picks (which will move our 2nd and 4th round picks up 3-4 spots and increase their points).

 

[Next Waiting]

Let him win a medal in volleyball at the Paris Olympics and then we can quietly Cat B him after that.

Or something similar. If he's a 200cm tall forward, given the time and physical development he'll likely need to play against seasoned men in the AFL, how many games is he likely to play in the seniors next year. We've already seen what can happen with Darcy when rushed.

He could not nominate for the draft this year. Instead he could join a VFL club like Footscray for example and essentially enjoy the AFL environment and all the development opportunities for a year and then nominate for the draft next year.

Meanwhile we trade away our high draft picks for this year and next year to get up the draft order this year so we can target an existing high end midfielder or get a brand new shiny one that's ready to go Round 1 next year and make a difference straight away.

We're at Hawthorn 2012 stage IMO (not suggesting we win 3 in a row but the fwd line looks potent and the midfield is missing one star). They brought in Lake, Silk, Gibson and Gunston leading up to 2013+. IMO, we should be doing the same so would prefer we trade our top end picks and go very hard for a seasoned top end clearance mid that is fast and skilled.

 

[Mojorisin]

Gut feel is he probably goes before Gold Coasts pick. And I don't think we will trade up with them either, as other teams can offer better deals than us. But mainly because Croft has pretty much got as tied down, as he keeps climbing the rankings too much. We will lose a few points if he is bid on in the teens and our next best pick is in the 30s. I think we hold firm with a meh hand of two picks between 15 and 20. Suddenly the Dunks deal looks even more meh!

As of current standings, my early draft prediction.

1. WD - Reid
2. NM - McKercher
Walter bid somewhere around those two picks.
3. Haw - Watson or Curtain

I reckon the Hawks really like him, despite their public desire to focus on key position players.

That's exactly the same as mine. If Hawks Pick Curtin and Melbourne keep their pick then I think they pick Watson with Duursma a close second.
Alot of water to go under the bridge though, the likely inclusion of a FA pick and atleast one of those picks changing hands will reshuffle everything.

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

If Croft does not nominate - can we pick up in the mid season as a FS? Would preserve all our picks - he wouldn’t play for first six months anyway and would be signed by Footscray?

 

[weltschmerz]

If Croft does not nominate - can we pick up in the mid season as a FS? Would preserve all our picks - he wouldn’t play for first six months anyway and would be signed by Footscray?

That’s just shit from all around. We’d be fuming if another team did that. Also I think for mid season they have to have nominated for the previous draft.

 

[DognBones]

I’d do our two firsts and our second next year for GC first. Would make a massive difference if we can get one of the top 5 or 6 live prospects vs where our picks are now.

How would we draft Croft under that scenario?

 

[flipper83]

If Croft does not nominate - can we pick up in the mid season as a FS? Would preserve all our picks - he wouldn’t play for first six months anyway and would be signed by Footscray?

I don't think there's any mechanism for father son bidding in the mid season draft so he'd be open to any club. Also I'm pretty sure players have to have previously nominated for a draft to be eligible for the mid season draft

 

[Mojorisin]

I Wouldn't mind Picking up Wil Dawson in the rookie Draft. 200cm 85kg athlete who has played forward and Ruck but is now in defence. With a bit of bulk he could become the key Defender we will need. He is incredibly raw though.

 

[Euku]

It almost feels we are little stuck with our picks and hopefully croft goes after our first trade our 2nd on the night maybe, is it possible in someway no one bids until both picks please

 

[Deadly Darcy]

How would we draft Croft under that scenario?

I think we’ll end up trading someone for a second rounder or so this year. Bailey williams potentially - who knows. We can get the points for Croft.

 

[Mojorisin]

I think we’ll end up trading someone for a second rounder or so this year. Bailey williams potentially - who knows. We can get the points for Croft.

Williams is a Free agent

 

[Mojorisin]

George Stevens had 29 touches playing for Geelong in the VFL today, second most on the ground.

 

[hatescaptcha]

Croft is giving me Darcy Moore

30

Darcy Moore

Age

28

Ht

203cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.1

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

169.1

3star

D

13.9

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

0.7

1star

MG

182.0

3star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

87.4

2star

vibes.


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[Northernsoul74]

The emerging double draft dilemma facing the Dogs as two prospects rise up the ranks: AFL Draft

Carrying multiple first-round picks into the off-season, the Western Bulldogs have some thinking to do.

www.zerohanger.com

 

[hatescaptcha]

The emerging double draft dilemma facing the Dogs as two prospects rise up the ranks: AFL Draft

Carrying multiple first-round picks into the off-season, the Western Bulldogs have some thinking to do.

www.zerohanger.com

I think we’ll have to trade up to make certain we get another gun player in before Croft.



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[Munnez]

I think we’ll have to trade up to make certain we get another gun player in before Croft.



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That's what I would like to see happen just remains to be seen who we can cut a deall with to rise up the boards. Suns a candidate but others might have a better hand to offer up to them for Pick 5