Preview 2023 National Draft Preview Thread [currently: #2, #14 (PA), #19 (PP) #40, #52, #60]

[Makeshift Park]

Wasn't the 2014 draft the one we tried to fix our backline long term, and ended up recruiting defenders who didn't make it?

Sam Durdin (defender): pick 16 & 21 games Sam Durdin - Wikipedia

Dan Nielson (defender): pick 25 & 7 games. Daniel Nielson - Wikipedia

Ed Vickers-Willis (defender): pick 36 & 21 games Ed Vickers-Willis - Wikipedia

Those 2014-15 years make for pretty grim reading aye, Ben Mckay aside.

Brayden Maynard and Bailey Dale would've been pretty handy last season.

 

[Passmore]

19 disposals, 4 marks, 4 tackles, 7 r50s.

Was curious as a notoriously poor judge on X stated he was ordinary.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[Twangler]

Not to pot your reasoning, but I feel like that's a pretty big worst case scenario.

Yes perhaps but I feel like a powerful/dominant midfielder is a list luxury for us at the moment when we have holes everywhere else (except for medium forwards)

 

[Makeshift Park]

Yes perhaps but I feel like a powerful/dominant midfielder is a list luxury for us at the moment when we have holes everywhere else (except for medium forwards)

To say nothing of the developmental issues it creates when a quarter of your list were drafted to play in the same position, and how it sinks the trade value of those players if they can't get any continuity and enough exposure in their best role.

 

[noobermensch]

Facing a big step up in intensity and pressure in week 1 of the WAFL finals, Curtin's typical calm and poise was on display this game. He split his time between defense and the forward line, and as usual looked more at home behind the ball.

 

[giantroo]

Harley

View attachment 373433687_6463319207098472_3595048690537590627_n.mp4

 

[King Corey]

Harley

View attachment 1793653

And yeh, a musical theatre reference. Deal with it.

 

[RHLK]

Look forward to watching Curtin in action next week while the skivvy wearers are getting smashed by Subiaco (sorry, kraks ...and Mav...and spurs!...).

 

[Hitatarget]

Facing a big step up in intensity and pressure in week 1 of the WAFL finals, Curtin's typical calm and poise was on display this game. He split his time between defense and the forward line, and as usual looked more at home behind the ball.

Not one contested or intercept mark, people need to stop seeing him as a Key position player, height doesn't mark you key position, its how you play the game that does. He is a tall HBF, maybe a very good one, but he isn't what we need at pick 1 to 3

 

[noobermensch]

Not one contested or intercept mark, people need to stop seeing him as a Key position player, height doesn't mark you key position, its how you play the game that does. He is a tall HBF, maybe a very good one, but he isn't what we need at pick 1 to 3

This is his 5th senior WAFL game and he hasn't been played as a key defender at that level yet. There are plenty of games of him doing that though, I even have one or two on my channel.

 

[spurs]

Look forward to watching Curtin in action next week while the skivvy wearers are getting smashed by Subiaco (sorry, kraks ...and Mav!).

Tigers by 4 goals

 

[Psicosis]

Facing a big step up in intensity and pressure in week 1 of the WAFL finals, Curtin's typical calm and poise was on display this game. He split his time between defense and the forward line, and as usual looked more at home behind the ball.

He moves like Bont

 

[RHLK]

Not one contested or intercept mark, people need to stop seeing him as a Key position player, height doesn't mark you key position, its how you play the game that does. He is a tall HBF, maybe a very good one, but he isn't what we need at pick 1 to 3

Kept waiting for that big mark....but at least he's not getting outmarked overhead. He also rarely falls over after competing in the air (another common feature of our backline over the years), and is often the first to the ground ball.

Is his future as a tall midfielder? Can't help but see some Bont in the way Curtin moves. Really interested to know where we rank him, and where/how we see him playing in the future.

 

[Hitatarget]

This is his 5th senior WAFL game and he hasn't been played as a key defender at that level yet. There are plenty of games of him doing that though, I even have one or two on my channel.

can you please post them, would love to see him playing a Key position role

 

[Hitatarget]

Kept waiting for that big mark....but at least he's not getting outmarked overhead. He also rarely falls over after competing in the air (another common feature of our backline over the years), and is often the first to the ground ball.

Is his future as a tall midfielder? Can't help but see some Bont in the way Curtin moves. Really interested to know where we rank him, and where/how we see him playing in the future.

i kept waiting to, almost hoping to see it, but his positioning isn't that of a Key defender, he is so much more effective when the ball is on the ground

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Not one contested or intercept mark, people need to stop seeing him as a Key position player, height doesn't mark you key position, its how you play the game that does. He is a tall HBF, maybe a very good one, but he isn't what we need at pick 1 to 3

One thing I always remember about Lachie Hansen that came to light AFTER we drafted him - the really smart draft watchers observed that as a key forward prospect, he didn't exactly thrive on heavy body contact even as a junior. It took us a while to work that out and we eventually played him as the loose intercept defender where that shortcoming wasn't as much of a problem. He had height but he was not the Carey replacement we'd been waiting for. Of course, we made the same error with Mason Wood. And we possibly will again with Curtin.

 

[noobermensch]

can you please post them, would love to see him playing a Key position role

This would be the most obvious example. Here he's up against Jed Walter who could probably step in and play as a key forward at AFL level tomorrow. Curtin conceded early opportunities, but I thought he largely got on top of Walter over the final three quarters. He's not a dominant contested mark, he tends to favour going the spoil in those moments. He does have nice acceleration though to stick with a forward on the lead.

 

[r00boy96]

I agree Curtin has Bont like traits which is why we shouldn't sell the farm for Harley. Also Curtin is built like a tank compared to Bont in his draft year. If WCE don't want 2 + 16 which is a great offer despite what the WC board wants with their 'godfather offer' than I'll be stoked with Curtin permitting he wants to live in Melbourne. Zurhaar, Logue and Fisher I'm sure will make him feel right at home.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Not one contested or intercept mark, people need to stop seeing him as a Key position player, height doesn't mark you key position, its how you play the game that does. He is a tall HBF, maybe a very good one, but he isn't what we need at pick 1 to 3

Wasn't a single contested or intercept mark in the previous video either. Not even a spoil in a marking contest from memory.

Like you say, he's a tall HBF or even midfielder.

 

[Epictetus]

Wasn't a single contested or intercept mark in the previous video either. Not even a spoil in a marking contest from memory.

Like you say, he's a tall HBF or even midfielder.

He's clearly a talented player, and if he's a midfielder and we're sure of that...great. Upside is huge.

If he's not, I'd be nervous.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

He's clearly a talented player, and if he's a midfielder and we're sure of that...great. Upside is huge.

If he's not, I'd be nervous.

Probably a poor mans Bont i'm guessing. Which is still pretty good.

 

[Hitatarget]

This would be the most obvious example. Here he's up against Jed Walter who could probably step in and play as a key forward at AFL level tomorrow. Curtin conceded early opportunities, but I thought he largely got on top of Walter over the final three quarters. He's not a dominant contested mark, he tends to favour going the spoil in those moments. He does have nice acceleration though to stick with a forward on the lead.

This clip only further strengthens my point, played as a Key position back, did ok in the contest regarding spoiling, but not one contested mark and maybe only one intercept if he was lucky, but even it was just a kick that went over the forwards head, he didn't actually make a move to intercept the ball. At best he might turn out to be a KPD that is a stopper, just don't expect a player that is an aerial threat regarding marking, which all the best KPD are.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Epictetus]

Duursma is going to comfortably be a better player than Watson. Apologies if that's obvious.

 

[Hitatarget]

In fact the more i look at it, if the club is desperate to take a KP player i would be trading back with pick 3 (comp for McKay) to get O'sullivan. He's such a great reader of the play behind the ball and is such a good mark, both contested and intercept. Hasn't got the flashy aspects of his game like Curtin, not as good a kick (still a good kick tho), but is still very mobile and would suit as much better, play round 1 next year as a Key Back.