Opinion 2023 AFL Draft Prospects

[BLACAE]

First time I've watched their highlight videos, and this is who they remind me of:

1. Watson = Papley (Nuggety forward who can read the play, win his own ball and pinch in the midfield)

2. McKercher = Merret (Good speed and probably the most damaging by foot)

3. Sanders = Crouch or Laird but could become a Tom Green

12

Tom Green

Age

24

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

5star

(Bullish in the midfield and will take the game on through brute force. Can also kick a goal)

4. Durdin = Crisp (Bash and crash, but in the midfield, he needs to work on his disposal. Will get a heap though through sheer will. Good mark and interceptor so if he stays in defence might become a Sicily)

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[doggy_dog]

Watch the YouTube video of the WAFL Clots Grand final:



Daniel curtin looks like a beast in the middle.

I hope we get him

Is it just me or was that not impressive at all? Seemed panicked at stoppages and just dumped out short handballs very often

 

[DognBones]

Is it just me or was that not impressive at all? Seemed panicked at stoppages and just dumped out short handballs very often

Tend to agree. Didn't look as clean as I would have expected of a top 5 draft pick. His longer kicks also hang in the air a bit much. Highlights can be misleading though and often don't reflect a body of evidence.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Yeah, even less impressed after that watching that.

 

[TiAn_]

Tend to agree. Didn't look as clean as I would have expected of a top 5 draft pick. His longer kicks also hang in the air a bit much. Highlights can be misleading though and often don't reflect a body of evidence.

Watch any other video of him for context. There are plenty. He’s a gun. Dominates behind the ball, defends and tackles really well, sells candy and moves through traffic like a mid, great decision maker. If he somehow falls to our pick it’d be a huge call not to take him. I doubt we’ll have that choice though.

 

[The Inbetweener]

The only way I can see Melbourne is getting ahead is something like 6 & 11 for 3 from North. And then North trade 2 & 11 for 1. Would be a shame but out of our control.

 

[Golden_6]

Is it just me or was that not impressive at all? Seemed panicked at stoppages and just dumped out short handballs very often

They look fine to me. Highlights are very misleading. You could make a clip of any of Bont’s game and he’ll make a bunch of errors with rushed decisions over the course of the game.

The sidestep at 2.40 in that clip is almost identical to something you see from Bont. I think he’s probably a closer comparison to Bont than anyone I’ve seen in recent years. Obviously not as clean but certainly the skills and traits.

 

[Mofra]

The only way I can see Melbourne is getting ahead is something like 6 & 11 for 3 from North. And then 2 & 11 for 1. Would be a shame but out of our control.

Trading out pick 11 twice?

 

[doggies ftw]

I think it’s the WA vs VM highlights, where he played in the middle. They were fantastic. I think he missed one target out of about 20, elite kicking, tackling, agility in the contest. Really sold me on him that video.

Worst case he’s probably a Stewart/Sicily type (not necessarily to that high level, but type of player), best case a genuine elite mid in the style of Bont. Fits the list pretty well.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Trading out pick 11 twice?

Confused me for a minute but they mean North-WC in the second trade.

 

[LondonBulldog]

Hawks have been linked to Duursma for months now.
I think we end up with Watson, Curtin and McKercher gone before our p

Is it just me or was that not impressive at all? Seemed panicked at stoppages and just dumped out short handballs very often

Yeap, Curtin a ripper and I'm sure if he slips to 6 we grab him in a heartbeat.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Watch any other video of him for context. There are plenty. He’s a gun. Dominates behind the ball, defends and tackles really well, sells candy and moves through traffic like a mid, great decision maker. If he somehow falls to our pick it’d be a huge call not to take him. I doubt we’ll have that choice though.

He moves so fluidly in some of the clips I've seen, has that 360 awareness time-and-space thing that some of the best players have

 

[CaptainMurphy]

He moves so fluidly in some of the clips I've seen, has that 360 awareness time-and-space thing that some of the best players have

This is the clip that got me excited about him. Sliding around tacklers at 195cm. Anticipates contact really well.

 

[Dav1d]

They look fine to me. Highlights are very misleading. You could make a clip of any of Bont’s game and he’ll make a bunch of errors with rushed decisions over the course of the game.

The sidestep at 2.40 in that clip is almost identical to something you see from Bont. I think he’s probably a closer comparison to Bont than anyone I’ve seen in recent years. Obviously not as clean but certainly the skills and traits.

Sometimes you’re taking a player based on what they could do and not off what they’ve done
It’s what makes the draft so exciting

 

[Bulldogs85]

 

[Angak]

I don't get the hate for Sanders.

More than happy for us to take him at our pick.

 

[Mofra]

I don't get the hate for Sanders.

More than happy for us to take him at our pick.

I get a bit of Tom Mitchell in his play.
Not super quick and better by hand than foot.

Mitchell just won a flag, was considered 4th best on ground on the day, and has a Brownlow to his name.
If he did get to us I'd imagine he won't get many opportunities until Libba retires.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I don't get the hate for Sanders.

More than happy for us to take him at our pick.

I had been scared off by the descriptions of him not being particularly quick or having great disposal, but after finally watching some footage I'm higher on him than I was. If he's not quick, he's also not slow from what I can tell, and his first couple steps out of a stoppage seem to get him clear enough. And his highlights at least show some very good delivery (as highlights should of course).

He's that solid accumulator mid without a massive point of difference that I always have trouble judging at this level. Some of them becomes stars, others average vanilla midfielders, and I can never pick the traits that determine which it will be from the limited footage available. But I'd be happier taking him that I was, after actually seeing how he looks.

 

[Mofra]

I had been scared off by the descriptions of him not being particularly quick or having great disposal, but after finally watching some footage I'm higher on him than I was. If he's not quick, he's also not slow from what I can tell, and his first couple steps out of a stoppage seem to get him clear enough. And his highlights at least show some very good delivery (as highlights should of course).

He's that solid accumulator mid without a massive point of difference that I always have trouble judging at this level. Some of them becomes stars, others average vanilla midfielders, and I can never pick the traits that determine which it will be from the limited footage available. But I'd be happier taking him that I was, after actually seeing how he looks.

Isn't that Macrae?
Accumulator who just knows football, works hard, but was always the no 2 midfielder at AFL level?

I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. For every Macrae there might be 200 guys who didn't make it

 

[Euku]

Sanders is actually quicker than most inside mids he's just not as quick as mckercher his disposal is very good his mark is very good his balance between offence and defence is very good and could be the best in the draft

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Isn't that Macrae?
Accumulator who just knows football, works hard, but was always the no 2 midfielder at AFL level?

I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. For every Macrae there might be 200 guys who didn't make it

It looks like Sanders' has got a little more burst than Macrae, his first steps from a contest seem a bit of a weapon at least. But yeah more generally Macrae is the kind of player I mean. I've got no idea how to pick them.

 

[hatescaptcha]

Sanders is actually quicker than most inside mids he's just not as quick as mckercher his disposal is very good his mark is very good his balance between offence and defence is very good and could be the best in the draft

Saw Sanders at a cafe a week or so ago, he was chatting about the draft, couldn’t make out who it was with / much of what was said but from what I heard he would definitely pass the character test. Sounded extremely level headed, very mature, good kid.


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[doggies ftw]

Yeah alright after watching a bit more Sanders footage I’m on board too (man there’s a lot of YouTube footage this year). He doesn’t really fit for a year or two like Watson or McKercher who could play round 1 and add to our premiership ambitions but I guess that’s not what we should be looking at anyway.

He very well might be the best option for us long term, especially if Baz doesn’t stick around. Pretty nice package though - definitely not quick but he at least seems to always be on the move from the stoppage, don’t think he compares at all to Macrae really. He does look like the type where it wouldn’t really surprise at all if he ends up being one of the top 2 mids from the draft looking back in a few years.

Did he test at the combine?

I love Watson he’s still my favourite but we really can’t lose here, we’re guaranteed one of the top prospects so you can see why we were so keen on moving up to maximise the Dunks compo. It’s also why the Hawks supporters suggestions we need to move up a spot this year are ridiculous, we really don’t at all. We’re guaranteed Watson/McKercher/Curtin/Duursma/Sanders and you really can’t go wrong

 

[Doggy]

Yeah alright after watching a bit more Sanders footage I’m on board too (man there’s a lot of YouTube footage this year). He doesn’t really fit for a year or two like Watson or McKercher who could play round 1 and add to our premiership ambitions but I guess that’s not what we should be looking at anyway.

He very well might be the best option for us long term, especially if Baz doesn’t stick around. Pretty nice package though - definitely not quick but he at least seems to always be on the move from the stoppage, don’t think he compares at all to Macrae really. He does look like the type where it wouldn’t really surprise at all if he ends up being one of the top 2 mids from the draft looking back in a few years.

Did he test at the combine?

I love Watson he’s still my favourite but we really can’t lose here, we’re guaranteed one of the top prospects so you can see why we were so keen on moving up to maximise the Dunks compo. It’s also why the Hawks supporters suggestions we need to move up a spot this year are ridiculous, we really don’t at all. We’re guaranteed Watson/McKercher/Curtin/Duursma/Sanders and you really can’t go wrong

If Smith leaves, should get Watson and Sanders

 

[doggies ftw]

I get a bit of Tom Mitchell in his play.
Not super quick and better by hand than foot.

Mitchell just won a flag, was considered 4th best on ground on the day, and has a Brownlow to his name.
If he did get to us I'd imagine he won't get many opportunities until Libba retires.

I don’t really see Mitchell in him IMO, Mitchell’s way more hands & knees, he really is a bloody limited footballer (but good at what he does of course)

Sanders from his YouTube footage is a much bigger body & looks a better user by foot and probably looks to stay on his feet and be on the move a bit more at stoppages. Mitchell does not spread at all he’s really first touch or nothing IMO

For AFL comparisons I actually reckon Oliver is not a bad shout, similar size & athletic ability. Maybe Sanders a touch cleaner by foot? I can see the JHF comparisons too. Maybe a touch of Selwood too. Obviously best case scenarios