Review 2023 National Draft Review Thread II [McKercher, Z.Duursma, Goad, W.Dawson, Hardeman, Maley]

[The_General#1]

Come on, it’s not a shocker.

I’ll be absolutely thrilled if we walk out with Edwards Monday night, as much as I will McKercher/Duursma.

I like DeMattia more than a few on here, his speed is electric and that goes a long way at the next level.

I just don’t think we need DeMattia AND Hardeman.

Replace one of them with a key back or forward and it’s a fantastic draft.

I have seen a lot of DeMattia this year so I don’t see what people’s love is in getting DeMattia for us. What possie would he play. He’s quick but not elite quick. His ball use is questionable. He’s not an AFL mid or HB. The only position I think he fits is high HF, but he’d need to improve his kicking. It’s only my opinion and I don’t do follow the leader comments cause I read it somewhere I just don’t get the rationale.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Cal is really good with getting his early picks right. The only way McKercher and Duursma are not on our list tomorrow is if we trade 1 of the picks.

The later 1st rounders is a lot more hit and miss.

I just hope Duursma is as good as the experts are saying .. as I’ve mentioned before, another HF is the last thing we need unless this guy is a star.
As a list need & flexibility & to heck up Wet Toast good & proper Curtain for me with McKercher

 

[berniemccarthy]

AFL Draft: Finnbar Maley recovered from ‘pretty gnarly’ spider bite to star for Northern Bullants and rocket into draft contention​

He comes from one of basketball’s elite families but Finnbar Maley’s move into football has brought him a boom reputation, writes PAUL AMY.

Paul Amy
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@paulamy375

5 min read
November 19, 2023 - 6:00AM

Draft hopeful Finbar Maley comes from a family of basketball royalty.
It was the most unusual player injury or illness of the 2023 VFL season.
“You won’t believe it, but the poor bugger got bitten by a spider,’’ Northern Bullants general manager Darren Bassett said when asked about the absence of Finnbar Maley in the early rounds.
“Yep, it got me when I was sleeping in bed,’’ Maley, 20, confirms six months later, raising his right arm to show the scars.
“Look at this. Pretty gnarly!’’
He needed two operations and a spell in hospital after severe infection set in.
Maley thinks a white-tail – “they’re super nasty’’ – emerged from a pot-plant in his bedroom.
The bite came after his eye-catching Round 1 debut for the Bullants, when he had 15 possessions and 14 hit-outs against Richmond.
When he returned in Round 7 he was considerably lighter, having gone from 90kg to 84kg.
And the pot-plant had been placed outside.

Northern Bullants’ Finnbar Maley evades a tackle against Williamstown during the VFL season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos
The spider bite was part of an eventful season for Maley in which he made a VFL list for the first time, played 13 games for the Bullants and added a final flourish by kicking six goals in a grand final win for his local club, Eltham.
From what they’ve picked up in the past few weeks, the Bullants think he’s a roughie for a rookie-listing at the AFL draft, a young player relatively new to the game and with great scope for improvement.
The Ants probably can’t afford to lose him.
But it would be a success story out of Cramer St at a time when the club rallies from a rugged end to the season.
The Bullants sent Brandon Ryan on his way to the AFL in the mid-season draft.
The Ryan and Maley stories have similarities: both new to the Bullants, both out of local football, both big men and both stand-outs in the VFL pre-season practice-match series at Craigieburn in March.
Maley took a soaring high mark that set Bassett buzzing and explaining the background of the newcomer.
He was from Eltham, he said, and his dad had been a good basketballer.
In fact, Paul Maley was a star in the National Basketball League with the North Melbourne Giants in the 1990s, playing in a championship team.
His daughter, Anneli, is captain of Perth Lynx in the WNBL and was the league MVP in 2020-21.

Finnbar’s dad Paul Maley playing for the North Melbourne Giants in 1996. Picture: Ian Stevenson

Sister, Anneli Maley (L), playing for Perth Lynx. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images
And Finnbar’s mother, Karianne, played at college level in the US.
“Basketball has been a massive part of my family,’’ Maley says.
He himself played at a good level, reaching the final round of try-outs for a Victorian under 18 squad.
But at 17 he decided to concentrate on football, which he had played with junior clubs Banyule and Research.
“I always played ‘tackers’ (under-age football),’’ Maley says.
“But I was a basketball kid, so I didn’t train for football or anything like that. It was more of a social thing. When I quit basketball I decided to have a good crack at it. I like the culture of football, that community feel of it, especially around the Eltham Football Club. That was something I hadn’t felt before.’’
His sporting switch was accompanied by a growth spurt.
He’s now 198 centimetres.

“When I grew I felt like I could use my athleticism in a more fluent way,’’ Maley says.
“Basketball is quite a mechanical sport. Obviously there are beautiful moments within it but it’s very mechanical. I felt with footy I had so much more space to use what I thought were my best attributes. I fell in love with it, I guess.’’
A few years ago Maley and his mother moved to the Geelong area and he completed Year 12 at Western Heights College, where former Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney was running a football program.
“I learnt how to kick when I was there. Still needs plenty of work!’’ he says.
Going back and forth on the train, he joined Eltham’s under 19s and was quickly promoted to the senior team.
There was a trial for the Northern Knights under 18 list but he missed out.
“They thought I didn’t have good enough hands,’’ Maley says.
Was he disappointed?
“No, not really. I had a lot of fun playing at Eltham. They made me love football,’’ he says.
Last year in a social media post, the Northern league described him as an “18-year-old sensation’’.
He was selected in the team of the year.
Maley had a few training runs with the Bullants during the season, and at the end of it the VFL club invited him to its preseason under new coach Brodie Holland

Brodie Holland

Age

45

Ht

181cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

8.6

4star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

.

Maley in action for the Northern Bullants. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos
He was taking nothing for granted.
“I just kept trying to do the right thing, kept working,’’ Maley says.
“Kris Pendlebury (assistant coach) gave me a lot of lessons on kicking. Forty minutes before every single training, we’d have a kick. It really helped. He taught me a lot.’’
He was ecstatic when Holland – not big on text messages – left a voicemail saying he would be given a contract.
Maley jokes that he’d “probably annoyed the shit out of him!’’
“I was just so happy for the opportunity. It was pretty sick.’’
****
Finnbar Maley was not supposed to play in that practice match at Craigieburn when he jumped on the shoulders of an opponent and took the mark that had spectators clapping and recruiters looking up his name.
Maley was a late call-up when Ethan Stapleton dropped out of the team.
“I actually played all right,’’ he says. “It felt good playing a good level of football. Everyone was clean. I thought I might actually have a shot at playing VFL.’’
He did, in Round 1, and made an encouraging debut, only for the spider bite to hold him back.
Besides weight, Maley says he lost fitness and confidence and felt well behind other players.
By Round 7 he was back in the side and gradually back into stride, as a ruckman giving away size and strength.
Relief came when the Bullants brought in another Finbar, Delbridge, late in the season.
It allowed Maley to go to the forward line. He enjoyed it.
“I could run and jump at the ball, whereas playing ruck, I felt it took away so much of my energy, going up against guys 10, 15, sometimes 20 kilograms heavier than me,’’ he says.
And it was in attack that he lit up the Northern league Division 2 grand final.
As former Coburg VFL captain Tommy Goodwin rucked, Maley filled a bag of six goals to help his club break a 21-year premiership drought.
Goodwin says it was a stunning performance from a player with reserves of potential.
“Oh mate, he’s so raw, but he’s got all the attributes,’’ he says.
“The kid’s got so much talent it gives you the shits! To be honest, I was in awe … if you watched that grand final, he was taking marks that he had absolutely no business taking. You only had to put it in his general direction and he’d do the rest.’’
Goodwin adds: “He’s got a good head on his shoulders. I just can’t wait to see what he can do if he does get that opportunity.’’
Maley says it would be “a dream come true’’ to go on to an AFL list.
His sister is a quiet inspiration.

More Coverage​

‘Best set of hands in the VFL’: Chance Cat’s rapid draft rise
‘New beginnings’: How Dolphins landed big fish


This is the kid from Eltham that D King says we have been talking to.

 

[Del191229]

Cal is really good with getting his early picks right. The only way McKercher and Duursma are not on our list tomorrow is if we trade 1 of the picks.

The later 1st rounders is a lot more hit and miss.

Hasn't he nailed the top ten like three years running?

I do find it quite funny when people act like draft boards and rankings and intentions at that end of the draft are some big state secret.

The really interesting thing about the Stan trading/drafting show was just how amateur the whole thing and really what a collective exercise, and indeed how willing to share info clubs are.

Like they literally have convos where Kinnear Beatson will go to Brady: "Hey Brady, you know you are taking McKercher and Duursma (Brady nods), look if Windsor is off the board by our 12, thoughts on trading so you can get Leaske?"

The only people who treat it like a huge secret where the aim is to get one over other clubs are Essendon brane losers like Dodo.

All the successful types in the industry understand it is about working together to get the best mutual outcomes.

The only time secret squirrel shiftiness comes in at top range is when clubs have found a way to rort AFL rules and don't want the league finding out and shutting them.

Its only outside the first say 25 picks that clubs might start whipping out players they've hidden or start springing surprises.

 

[Farthers]

How some of us are going one day out from the Draft.

 

[Hojuman]

So, tomorrow is either like x-mas where you can tell that the bike and cricket bat wrapped under the tree are yours, with an added new beach towel and bathers hiding in there somewhere....... OR...........................
it could be your birthday, where people have got you jocks, hankies & socks coz they saw what you wore to dinner last Saturday when you had a cold.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Cal is really good with getting his early picks right. The only way McKercher and Duursma are not on our list tomorrow is if we trade 1 of the picks.

The later 1st rounders is a lot more hit and miss.

Cal didn’t guess will phillips at pick 3

Let’s hope he’s wrong again with us

 

[TylerDurden]

Curtain will be taken by the hawks if he slips thru us …
He has visited the hawks on 3 occasions now with his manager.

So has Wiz.

I reckon Clarko takes Curtin. The jungle drums are beating.

 

[Wild Bill]

Cal didn’t guess will phillips at pick 3

Let’s hope he’s wrong again with us

Apart from the covid draft where it was a big mystery he has been really good. Perfect top 10 last year.

 

[GS WARRIORS]

Cal didn’t guess will phillips at pick 3

Let’s hope he’s wrong again with us

2020 was an adnominally. No national champs. The Vic kids played no footy that year.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Hasn't he nailed the top ten like three years running?

I do find it quite funny when people act like draft boards and rankings and intentions at that end of the draft are some big state secret.

The really interesting thing about the Stan trading/drafting show was just how amateur the whole thing and really what a collective exercise, and indeed how willing to share info clubs are.

Like they literally have convos where Kinnear Beatson will go to Brady: "Hey Brady, you know you are taking McKercher and Duursma (Brady nods), look if Windsor is off the board by our 12, thoughts on trading so you can get Leaske?"

The only people who treat it like a huge secret where the aim is to get one over other clubs are Essendon brane losers like Dodo.

All the successful types in the industry understand it is about working together to get the best mutual outcomes.

The only time secret squirrel shiftiness comes in at top range is when clubs have found a way to rort AFL rules and don't want the league finding out and shutting them.

Its only outside the first say 25 picks that clubs might start whipping out players they've hidden or start springing surprises.

The ones that make me laugh are those who think they have high-level negotiation skills that they could teach our list manager because they once scammed a 50% discount for a sarong at a Balinese street market.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

I just hope Duursma is as good as the experts are saying .. as I’ve mentioned before, another HF is the last thing we need unless this guy is a star.
As a list need & flexibility & to * up Wet Toast good & proper Curtain for me with McKercher

I don’t think we’re set at HF at all. I like our guys there but if we can upgrade via this pick, go for it.

I’m not even sure we’re set at inside mid.

Othe than clunking forward (I don’t think you can play more than 1) I still think we should be drafting on talent.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[scottywiper]

Harley already in Nic Nat areas in WA.
Front and back cover of today's paper and four pages on him.

 

[Passmore]

I don’t think we’re set at HF at all. I like our guys there but if we can upgrade via this pick, go for it.

I’m not even sure we’re set at inside mid.

Othe than clunking forward (I don’t think you can play more than 1) I still think we should be drafting on talent.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

When we start winning games and playing consistently good footy, you can say we're "set" in areas with a level of certainty.

Until then, and while we're racking up 2-3 win seasons, there's no area that is "set".

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[Eggs11]

If Wet Toast are willing to give up F1 for pick 7 (Curtin), then surely they would swap their F1 and F2 for our pick 3 (4).

They’re most likely bottom 2 next year so we’d be swapping 4 for 1/2 and 20 and making out like bandits.

 

[shinboner magic]

Harley already in Nic Nat areas in WA.
Front and back cover of today's paper and four pages on him.

Haas he done something - 4 pages on what

 

[The Anvil]

I just hope Duursma is as good as the experts are saying .. as I’ve mentioned before, another HF is the last thing we need unless this guy is a star.
As a list need & flexibility & to * up Wet Toast good & proper Curtain for me with McKercher

Wondering if teams see Duursma as a Charlie Curnow type player?

However they do it though, would like to see Curtain in a Roos jumper tomorrow night.

 

[shinboner magic]

I have seen a lot of DeMattia this year so I don’t see what people’s love is in getting DeMattia for us. What possie would he play. He’s quick but not elite quick. His ball use is questionable. He’s not an AFL mid or HB. The only position I think he fits is high HF, but he’d need to improve his kicking. It’s only my opinion and I don’t do follow the leader comments cause I read it somewhere I just don’t get the rationale.

We need a hall replacement - run fast and kick it anywhere

 

[Eggs11]

We need a hall replacement - run fast and kick it anywhere

I believe that is Fisher…..hopefully with less of the “anywhere”

 

[kirbonavich]

Seriously anyone doubting that we should be selecting Duursma should watch these extended highlights. This is better than any of the Harley Reid highlight packages I have seen. He could win a brownlow with these skills as they just stand out. Duursma and McKercher is the way to go.

Can't really go wrong there. Very well rounded.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Harley already in Nic Nat areas in WA.
Front and back cover of today's paper and four pages on him.

Nic Nat would have to be the most overhyped and over rated footballer in the history of the league compared to his on field exploits.

Would take some significant fawning to top him.

 

[kirbonavich]

So out of the three high end rucks available I just want the one who's the best contested mark, best skills at ground level, best endurance and possesses the greatest amount of mongrel. Who best fits all of those categories?
Yeah I don't want much

Averages for Coates + U18's

Player - COATES + U18 AVE

KICKS

HANDBALLS

DISPOSALS

MARKS

HITOUTS

TACKLES

CONTESTED

UNCONTESTED

CLEARANCE

INSIDE 50

REBOUND 50

GOALS

Mitch Edwards

2.67​

7.33​

10.00​

2.00​

23.00​

3.33​

7.33​

3.33​

2.00​

1.33​

1.00​

0.33​

William Green

4.48​

4.61​

9.10​

2.28​

19.00​

2.00​

2.38​

1.24​

0.86​

0.95​

0.57​

0.19​

Taylor Goad

4.00​

3.50​

7.50​

0.75​

16.50​

2.75​

4.50​

3.00​

1.50​

2.50​

0.50​

0.25​

Ethan Read

11.09​

7.73​

18.82​

5.55​

14.73​

2.36​

7.00​

13.75​

2.50​

2.18​

1.18​

0.09​

 

[Del191229]

So has Wiz.

I reckon Clarko takes Curtin. The jungle drums are beating.

Clarko has quote a limited say in it. WA media are just racking up clicks.

 

[hilly]

I just hope Duursma is as good as the experts are saying .. as I’ve mentioned before, another HF is the last thing we need unless this guy is a star.
As a list need & flexibility & to * up Wet Toast good & proper Curtain for me with McKercher

I think you're being lenient on Curtin and harsh on Duursma there.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Psicosis]

Yes, good draft if we go for two talls rather than DeMattia and Hardeman. As it is, it looks like most of our drafts in that every one of those decisions can be justified individually, and all the players look great, but as a whole the result doesn't address the major weaknesses with our list.

One of the concerns re Clarksons game plan from a recently departed player, is lack of elite footskills and run in the back half to execute it.

Expect that to be right at the top of our priority list.