Academy: Gold Coast SUNS Gun Factory

[My_Username]

I'm convinced Walter is ready for Round 1 next year.

Hopefully keep Levi for another year to teach him the ways, send Day to retirement

Read could be anything

Wonder if Chol has any trade value...

My big worry with this years academy picks is that it's really going to stretch us to get the picks/value to get them all in.

 

[noobermensch]

EDIT: I had to remove bits of this video to avoid a copyright strike. Apologies for the reduction in quality, hopefully it still gives an impression of his performance.

Jed Walter with another impressive key forward game here. Quieter than last week but still came out on top in his matchup against Daniel Curtin.

 

[briztoon]

Sorry I meant position in the draft

15+.

Wouldn't be surprised if Read goes later.

 

[briztoon]

Rodgers looks good but I can't see him being top 20 draft pick he is not even the 3rd best midfielder in the allies team

Mid 20 pick I think

It's a really, really shallow midfield group this draft. To the point that the Allies have the best (top age) midfield. Vic Metro has the best midfield, but they are all bottom agers (2024 draft).

 

[briztoon]

You don't see players of his height taken at the top end of the draft as recruiters would feel that there is ceiling on how good he will be. Caleb Daniel had the best kicking highlight package of any draftee ever and he only went in the 30s.

Nick Watson (Vic metro) is shorter and probably goes top 10.

 

[briztoon]

Wonder if Chol has any trade value...

My big worry with this years academy picks is that it's really going to stretch us to get the picks/value to get them all in.

I believe you'll get the points easily enough.

The big thing in your favour is that teams are allowed to trade multiple picks, worth more points, for a single pick on draft night.

If you miss finals, fair chance the Bulldogs will offer their two first round picks, for your first round pick and third round pick. So you add and extra 400+ points in that trade (they'll be wanting to get ahead of the bid on their own academy kid, Croft). The teams will be offering to trade for those two first round picks, plus the two second round picks you currently hold. I can see you adding an extra 1000 points on draft night, just by making the appropriate trades.

Teams will also want that third round pick you have, that's tied to Collingwood (it's currently the 6th pick you hald in the draft). I can see some (good) teams offering you a future third round pick for it (so it's about similar value). Or some bad teams offering you a future fourth round pick for it.

Even some possibilities of teams short on draft picks offering you a future fourth round pick for those excess fourth round picks you hold, possibly a two for one trade, as teams might be able to use them to package up picks to move up the draft order on draft night, as a few clubs likely have academy or father son picks that might be bid on in the second and third rounds.

 

[The Kings Ransom]

There are so many ways that we can get this done.

I wouldn’t even be worried about going into deficit if we had to.

Have so many good young kids.
With 3 top 30 players in the draft who are all locals we can afford a draft (2024) where we just pick up a few later picks. Probably good for the books if we do.

 

[Bjo187]

I was actually hoping the 3 guys would slide to pick 11 onwards, then using a top 10 pick on Watson, plus the 3 locals.

Unfortunately Walter looks like a top 3 pick now. He has pace, strength, height and aggression, you don't get that package often, if at all in a tall forward, I think he'd be challenging H.Reid if he wasn't an academy player now, or at least be in the media conversation.

 

[OB11]

There are so many ways that we can get this done.

I wouldn’t even be worried about going into deficit if we had to.

Have so many good young kids.
With 3 top 30 players in the draft who are all locals we can afford a draft (2024) where we just pick up a few later picks. Probably good for the books if we do.

They won't go into deficit as they have enough currency with the picks to make the math work.

It would be malpractice to just give away our future 1st Rd pick. Not so much getting another kid but using it as the centrepiece to trade for an mature A grade talent.

 

[Jirik13]

It looks like our Darwin academy zone became NGA zone which has consequences as bid matching is not allowed for the first 40 picks.

Since having Darwin as part of its Academy zone for three years – it's now a Next Generation Academy zone – Gold Coast has cashed in.

Suns' link inspiring the next crop of Top End talent

Gold Coast has developed a strong relationship with Darwin as a region which has helped to expose players to the AFL system as well as capture a new supporter base

www.afl.com.au

 

[The Kings Ransom]

They won't go into deficit as they have enough currency with the picks to make the math work.

It would be malpractice to just give away our future 1st Rd pick. Not so much getting another kid but using it as the centrepiece to trade for an mature A grade talent.

Yeah. Having that asset for trade purposes makes sense.

I don’t think we really need another early pick in next years draft for drafting purposes.

 

[Jen2310]

But the Suns’ academy prospects starred again, with key forward Jed Walter – the second-best prospect in this year’s draft according to some recruiters – booting 3.2 from 10 disposals and eight marks (three contested), midfielder Jake Rogers racking up 22 disposals and a team-high seven clearances, ruck Ethan Read kicking a goal from 21 disposals and 11 marks and backman Will Graham collecting 16 disposals in a promising defensive display.

Father-son trio impress; Tassie star’s ‘Horne-Francis’ moment as Allies records smashed: AFL Draft Watch

Father-son trio bolt into early mix; star’s ‘Horne-Francis’ moment as records smashed: Draft Watch

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[exile]

wow really disappointed in walter, rogers and read in the U18 championship this year! they've played terribly and have shown very little promise at all!!

i expect them to drop down the draft board, i can't see why any club would want to select them at all!!! maybe the suns will draft them in the 3rd/4th round, if they're lucky...

 

[The Kings Ransom]

EDIT: I had to remove bits of this video to avoid a copyright strike. Apologies for the reduction in quality, hopefully it still gives an impression of his performance.

Jed Walter with another impressive key forward game here. Quieter than last week but still came out on top in his matchup against Daniel Curtin.

How's that pack he crashes at the start of the video

 

[Jen2310]

Gotta work on that goal kicking and sticking those marks.

 

[noobermensch]

Probably lost the hit out battle against Mitch Edwards, but his spread from the contest was super damaging all game.

 

[Jen2310]

Probably lost the hit out battle against Mitch Edwards, but his spread from the contest was super damaging all game.

Hitouts aren't everything, especially when you do the other things better.

 

[GC2015]

Probably lost the hit out battle against Mitch Edwards, but his spread from the contest was super damaging all game.

Hitouts aren't everything, especially when you do the other things better.

Here's a great breakdown of the battle between these two. Edwards won the ruck battle but it would appear that Read won in every other part of the ground. Seems like both will likely be taken in the top 10 given their enormous upside as 200cm+ prospects.

Marquee Matchups: Ethan Read vs. Mitchell Edwards

Marquee Matchups are back, and what better way to mark a return than to pit two titans of this year's AFL Draft against each other.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Jen2310]

Here's a great breakdown of the battle between these two. Edwards won the ruck battle but it would appear that Read won in every other part of the ground. Seems like both will likely be taken in the top 10 given their enormous upside as 200cm+ prospects.

Marquee Matchups: Ethan Read vs. Mitchell Edwards

Marquee Matchups are back, and what better way to mark a return than to pit two titans of this year's AFL Draft against each other.

central.rookieme.com

I'd be very surprised if both are taken the top 10.Rucks don't tend to be, unless you are really exceptional like Luke Jackson.

 

[OB11]

I'd be very surprised if both are taken the top 10.Rucks don't tend to be, unless you are really exceptional like Luke Jackson.

If you go back through history even the most dominant highly rated junior rucks like English and Grundy didn't get picked top 10. A team generally can only play 1 ruck at a time so teams don't invest the high draft capital as there is still years of development required and still no guarantees that they will usurp the incumbent ruckman prior to being picked off by another team for a low draft pick as the player hasn't been in the best 22.

 

[KaySwizzle]

If you go back through history even the most dominant highly rated junior rucks like English and Grundy didn't get picked top 10. A team generally can only play 1 ruck at a time so teams don't invest the high draft capital as there is still years of development required and still no guarantees that they will usurp the incumbent ruckman prior to being picked off by another team for a low draft pick as the player hasn't been in the best 22.

Walter top 5 as the potential best key forward.

Read top 12-20 as one of the better rucks; however, Andrew was picked top 5 as an athletic ruck, so there is some precedence for a top pick.

Rogers somewhere early in the second round as a solid midfielder option.

That’s what I would imagine based off form and historical picks for players of similar calibre/type/body size.

 

[Southern Sun]

Don't think Read is being picked up with ruckman in mind. Still think he's a key fwd or back who plays as 2nd ruck.

 

[OB11]

Don't think Read is being picked up with ruckman in mind. Still think he's a key fwd or back who plays as 2nd ruck.

Fair call, although he hasn't been asked to play those positions in the Champs. I imagine recruiters from other teams would be wanting to see that while the Sun's recruiters would be hoping to keep that under wraps.

 

[GC2015]

I'd be very surprised if both are taken the top 10.Rucks don't tend to be, unless you are really exceptional like Luke Jackson.

I would've thought there were a few teams that desperately needed an elite ruck at this year's draft like Geelong. In saying that, it doesn't appear to be a fait accompli that Read will end up playing in the ruck at the AFL level. He's 202cm right now which is the same height as key forward Ben King and key defender Harris Andrews so obviously he can still play at either end of the ground should the team bidding on him see him that way. Allies coach Mark McVeigh even went as far as to say he could play on the wing at the AFL level so I guess some may see him in the same mould as 200cm winger Nik Cox.

It's not often you see a junior that's over 200cm who has the kind of skills Read possesses so I have a feeling he probably will be bid on with a pick in the top 10. The versatility of being able to play several important positions all over the ground just makes him even more appealing. So I'm preparing for two top 10 bids on our PBC boys (Read & Walter) and we'll need to find a way to trade up so we can secure Jake Rogers with a pick in the teens as well.

 

[MarcLocksCrustySock]

Never seen a 202cm guy glide around like a midfielder like that. He almost looks nothing like a ruckman at all. Don't think he'll ever be a number 1 ruck.

Relief ruck rotating through wing, on ball and defense third key. He will be a nightmare.