Review 2024 National Draft Thread Part Deux - Welcome FOS, M.Whitlock, L.Urquhart & River Stevens

[the big lebowski]

Just seen a few photos of M Whitlock in his NM gear at training.
I would say he is 3 years away minimum, from having a body that is anywhere near AFL ready for a KPP.

There is 1000 gym hours and then some, ahead for MW over the next 2 years.


Can he play against men in 2025 with that physique? Would the club risk it?

We are all about winning now, so I doubt MattLock gets any games.

Backline

Logue
Corr
Chom*
Dawson K
Pink
Dawson W

Would all be infront of him

Forward line

Larkey
Darling
Chom*
Maley
Even CCJ would get a farewell game before Matlock

Let him develope in the vfl for the year and hope he can have the body transformation that Goad has had coming into preseason 2.

I think we could expect him to get a taste of senior footy in 2026.

 

[The Talent Scout]

We are all about winning now, so I doubt MattLock gets any games.

Backline

Logue
Corr
Chom*
Dawson K
Pink
Dawson W

Would all be infront of him

Forward line

Larkey
Darling
Chom*
Maley
Even CCJ would get a farewell game before Matlock

Let him develope in the vfl for the year and hope he can have the body transformation that Goad has had coming into preseason 2.

I think we could expect him to get a taste of senior footy in 2026.

As a famous singer once said "you took the words right out of my mouth".

 

[the big lebowski]

As a famous singer once said "you took the words right out of my mouth".

That seems unsanitary

 

[chubbspeterson]

We are all about winning now, so I doubt MattLock gets any games.

Backline

Logue
Corr
Chom*
Dawson K
Pink
Dawson W

Would all be infront of him

Forward line

Larkey
Darling
Chom*
Maley
Even CCJ would get a farewell game before Matlock

Let him develope in the vfl for the year and hope he can have the body transformation that Goad has had coming into preseason 2.

I think we could expect him to get a taste of senior footy in 2026.

Yep best to not throw him in too early. Zane and Will Dawson both hurt their shoulders, which can happen, but you'd want Mattlock to have a bit of size before he comes in. Maybe you could squeeze him in for a game against Tigers if he's matched up on one of those first year Tigers players like Trainor or down the other end on Armstrong/Faull.

 

[Rooboys Rool]

We are all about winning now, so I doubt MattLock gets any games.

Backline

Logue
Corr
Chom*
Dawson K
Pink
Dawson W

Would all be infront of him

Forward line

Larkey
Darling
Chom*
Maley
Even CCJ would get a farewell game before Matlock

Let him develope in the vfl for the year and hope he can have the body transformation that Goad has had coming into preseason 2.

I think we could expect him to get a taste of senior footy in 2026.

I would have thought this is the exact reason why we got Darling. Matlock can develop in the VFL in 2025, a handful of games in 2026 and hopefully ready for full time seniors in 2027.

 

[Shazeezal]

Just seen a few photos of M Whitlock in his NM gear at training.
I would say he is 3 years away minimum, from having a body that is anywhere near AFL ready for a KPP.

There is 1000 gym hours and then some, ahead for MW over the next 2 years.

Can he play against men in 2025 with that physique? Would the club risk it?

Hawthorn light-weight Calsher Dear played 17 games in his debut year - and didn't get broken or let his team down.
Forget KPP for now, I think Whitlock could play as a 3rd tall in 2025 (forward or back ... probably back).
He has good hands below his knees and can actually play at ground level - unlike so many athletic talls that never make it. One of the reasons why I liked the pick.

Logue, Comben, Darling and Larkey are the spine ... Will Dawson, Corr, Teakle (even Maley) the big bodied extras ... so no pressure on Whitlock to play right away, or to play as a proper KPP.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

Hawthorn light-weight Calsher Dear played 17 games in his debut year - and didn't get broken or let his team down.
Forget KPP for now, I think Whitlock could play as a 3rd tall in 2025 (forward or back ... probably back).
He has good hands below his knees and can actually play at ground level - unlike so many athletic talls that never make it. One of the reasons why I liked the pick.

Logue, Comben, Darling and Larkey are the spine ... Will Dawson, Corr, Teakle (even Maley) the big bodied extras ... so no pressure on Whitlock to play right away, or to play as a proper KPP.

To be fair, Calsher Dear survived 18 long years whilst being named Calsher Dear. I'd say he arrived at Hawthorn battle hardened.

 

[justroyal]

I replied to this with 'cry harder', which seems to have inflamed local opinion somewhat

You and I copped it by Hubnester for the absolute smallest of details. I think I said we should take up his concerns with our drafting at the AGM next week.
The funny part was my posts had their board laughing and reacting with likes. It was very strange, bizarre even that @Hubnester’s board we’re commenting on here with worse content. I hope they got banned.

Quite bizarre. But what else would you expect from a club who drafted two backs when they needed mids

 

[Merlin007]

You and I copped it by Hubnester for the absolute smallest of details. I think I said we should take up his concerns with our drafting at the AGM next week.
The funny part was my posts had their board laughing and reacting with likes. It was very strange, bizarre even that @Hubnester’s board we’re commenting on here with worse content. I hope they got banned.

Quite bizarre. But what else would you expect from a club who drafted two backs when they needed mids

welcome back (mutually, as it were)! Yes, I did think suspension was a bit over done, certainly in comparison to the stupidity of their posters on our board giving free advice ad nauseam

sensitive petals down Moorabbin way

 

[koshari]

I would have thought this is the exact reason why we got Darling. Matlock can develop in the VFL in 2025, a handful of games in 2026 and hopefully ready for full time seniors in 2027.

Happy for him to win a frosty miller then step up

 

[iloveireland]

I think Whitlock focuses on vfl and getting his body ready. Would rather Maley/Goad/Dawson get game time instead along with the regulars

 

[Twangler]

I think Whitlock focuses on vfl and getting his body ready. Would rather Maley/Goad/Dawson get game time instead along with the regulars

Agree but don’t think Goad will get a run in the 1s until 2027

 

[justroyal]

I haven’t had a chance to comment on the draft because I was in exile along with Merlin for keeping those saint flogs at bay with a dose of reality.

But as long as we got FOS, I didn’t really care what we did at that point. It was refreshing to see that the club didn’t play to the wider footballs narrative of us not needing the 2nd most talented player in the draft, rather a KPP. Which, we weirdly haven’t drafted in the past two years according to them…

In the past if I would have been annoyed at the Whitlock pick, especially after the price paid for Daniel’s, but they clearly rated him. And again, after the FOS I just wanted them to draft a KP so everyone else could stfu about what they think we need.

Honestly, I don’t know what he develops into. He doesn’t seem to have the physicality of Chom, or even Dawson, maybe a bit of the Larkey and CCJ placid nonchalant type? He gave me Delaney brothers vibes, the young one. What trait stands out compared to our other young KPD? He looks wirey and can lead. Definitely something we’re lacking.

I justified this pick in my head because we once spent a plethora on high draft picks on 3 defenders and not one of the came good. One of them finished second to Stephenson for ****ing up his pre-season (speaking of Sleevo, anyone catch his mentorship program? Weird to offer mentorship in areas of a resilience in sport, but whatever). My point being, unless it’s a stand out KP like Kings’ or Walter - who the **** really knows?
We’ve got enough mids now, so perhaps they know something about next years draft, the KP players available or maybe they have something planned.

Urquhart. Now this guy has one of the best running strides and actions on our list. That time trial, you could see how high his tibia gets in the recovery phase and how much force he puts into the ground. Probably the type of midfielder we needed from Lazaro, but we’re never going to get.

He is also really hamstring dominant (compared to our prince, Wardlaw who is quad dominant ) coupled with his height and wide build, this is going to make a powerful beast. I assume he’ll be able to kick it pretty hard/far. We’ve got enough good ball users in the midfield now, this is type we needed.

I’m not trying to justify the pick here, this guy could essentially be our Smille. Albeit, quicker.

All in all, after getting FOS and knowing Daniel’s will be at HB, with Kerch up the ground, I’m just excited to see how manic this going to be. It’s actually a more insane build than that plastic gws line up who we sat back and watch take player after player in those drafts where we got **** all.

 

[shiraz]

It was refreshing to see that the club didn’t play to the wider footballs narrative of us not needing the 2nd most talented player in the draft, rather a KPP. Which, we weirdly haven’t drafted in the past two years according to them…

Great post. The reality is we spent much more draft capital on talls in 2023 than in 2024, though it seems some folks are more pleased this year because the draft capital that we spent on talls cost us more. Go figure.

I mainly posted to say that this time of year, thoughtful posts like this are especially appreciated.

 

[Merlin007]

I haven’t had a chance to comment on the draft because I was in exile along with Merlin for keeping those saint flogs at bay with a dose of reality.

But as long as we got FOS, I didn’t really care what we did at that point. It was refreshing to see that the club didn’t play to the wider footballs narrative of us not needing the 2nd most talented player in the draft, rather a KPP. Which, we weirdly haven’t drafted in the past two years according to them…

In the past if I would have been annoyed at the Whitlock pick, especially after the price paid for Daniel’s, but they clearly rated him. And again, after the FOS I just wanted them to draft a KP so everyone else could stfu about what they think we need.

Honestly, I don’t know what he develops into. He doesn’t seem to have the physicality of Chom, or even Dawson, maybe a bit of the Larkey and CCJ placid nonchalant type? He gave me Delaney brothers vibes, the young one. What trait stands out compared to our other young KPD? He looks wirey and can lead. Definitely something we’re lacking.

I justified this pick in my head because we once spent a plethora on high draft picks on 3 defenders and not one of the came good. One of them finished second to Stephenson for *ing up his pre-season (speaking of Sleevo, anyone catch his mentorship program? Weird to offer mentorship in areas of a resilience in sport, but whatever). My point being, unless it’s a stand out KP like Kings’ or Walter - who the * really knows?
We’ve got enough mids now, so perhaps they know something about next years draft, the KP players available or maybe they have something planned.

Urquhart. Now this guy has one of the best running strides and actions on our list. That time trial, you could see how high his tibia gets in the recovery phase and how much force he puts into the ground. Probably the type of midfielder we needed from Lazaro, but we’re never going to get.

He is also really hamstring dominant (compared to our prince, Wardlaw who is quad dominant ) coupled with his height and wide build, this is going to make a powerful beast. I assume he’ll be able to kick it pretty hard/far. We’ve got enough good ball users in the midfield now, this is type we needed.

I’m not trying to justify the pick here, this guy could essentially be our Smille. Albeit, quicker.

All in all, after getting FOS and knowing Daniel’s will be at HB, with Kerch up the ground, I’m just excited to see how manic this going to be. It’s actually a more insane build than that plastic gws line up who we sat back and watch take player after player in those drafts where we got **** all.

My understanding of biomechanics is limited to the certain knowledge that the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone, so it's a comfort to learn that Urquhart's tibia is high in the recovery phase.

I think.

 

[KillaKanga]

My understanding of biomechanics is limited to the certain knowledge that the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone, so it's a comfort to learn that Urquhart's tibia is high in the recovery phase.

I think.

I'm usually falling asleep in the recovery phase but I guess that's why I'm no good at running or football.

Don't know about quad or hamstring dominant. It's usually glutes and tris. Then again I'd beat all these fools in a time trial anyway!

 

[My Left Foote]

In the past if I would have been annoyed at the Whitlock pick, especially after the price paid for Daniel’s, but they clearly rated him. And again, after the FOS I just wanted them to draft a KP so everyone else could stfu about what they think we need.

Honestly, I don’t know what he develops into. He doesn’t seem to have the physicality of Chom, or even Dawson, maybe a bit of the Larkey and CCJ placid nonchalant type? He gave me Delaney brothers vibes, the young one. What trait stands out compared to our other young KPD? He looks wirey and can lead. Definitely something we’re lacking.

Whitlock is the complete opposite of this.

 

[King Corey]

justroyal Good call on Cam Delaney. I saw that in Mattlock's footage too.

Cam was looking pretty good early on.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Blightys Barrel]

That seems unsanitary

As was his performance at the AFL GF a few years back RIP Meatloaf

 

[berniemccarthy]

To be fair, Calsher Dear survived 18 long years whilst being named Calsher Dear. I'd say he arrived at Hawthorn battle hardened.

And lost his father. Hats off to the lad.

 

[Roosurgence]

If his form warrants it and they think he deserves a shot, why put a ceiling on when he can play?

He isn’t going to play as a physical forward until his body fills out, but it’s reported he is athletic for a guy of his size.

The last thing you want to tell these kids is that you are going to spend 2 years playing VFL because we don’t think you can physically handle AFL level.

Let the kid show what he has and let him shoot for the stars. If he’s good enough to play in year one, two or three let it happen. But the last thing you want is to take away the carrot of making a debut.

 

[shinboner magic]

When are they handing out the newbies numbers

 

[The Filth Wizard]

Whitlock is the complete opposite of this.

I've got him as closest to Ben King of the more recent draftees, who also went forward as an early key back propect.

 

[Wild Bill]

Could be a reason we didn't try and drop back for him. Back stress fractures isn't great for an 18 year old.