Recruiting AFL Draft Watch 2023

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Spoiler: LIVE DRAFT ORDER (2023 Draft Order)

 

[Zach Package]

Dees did what I suggested we should do yesterday. Trade the farm to consolidate up, they’ll be two early selections and then out of the draft.

No reason to go deep here if you don’t have to.

 

[Booplaz]

I’d ask for all 3 picks with maybe our 2nd going back. Would rather trade up than down, reckon Cats may take that deal though with their pick before ours

I'd jump at that deal

 

[ant555]

Watching some clips of George Stevens - we should absolutely be having a look at this bloke. Absolutely enormous and looks like a great inside player.

The clips do not show he is Heppell speed and not really athletic. He is a hard player to get a read on as he can look good on the inside and he has done okay as a defender. There are also a few watchers that do not really rate his clearance / stoppage game.

 

[ant555]

Dees did what I suggested we should do yesterday. Trade the farm to consolidate up, they’ll be two early selections and then out of the draft.

No reason to go deep here if you don’t have to.

100% which is why we where not overly excited about a pick in the 30's for Shiel.

 

[Keystone agony]

As per the article posted by doug85;

"Recruiters are convinced there is a considerable talent drop-off after pick nine or 10, making picks in the teens a trickier prospect in this year’s talent pool."

I'm not interested in trading back. There will be a decent player at Pick 9.

We have different opinions as to what to do with 9

Id take it to draft night, see if we get lucky. See whats offered for it with the leaning towards moving back and doing so if

Wilson
Windsor
O.Murphy
Leake

Are all available. Making sure all our 3 picks are in the 13-27 range

It drops off imo in the sense that whats picked at 13 is probably not as good as Hobbs from a previous draft

But whats picked at 35 is pretty much on par with most drafts and is nor here nor there

I find it very interesting the cats are all about a midfielder at 8 - Could play into our hands with Caddy at 9

 

[ant555]

We have different opinions as to what to do with 9

Id take it to draft night, see if we get lucky. See whats offered for it with the leaning towards moving back and doing so if

Wilson
Windsor
O.Murphy
Leake

Are all available. Making sure all our 3 picks are in the 13-27 range

It drops off imo in the sense that whats picked at 13 is probably not as good as Hobbs from a previous draft

But whats picked at 35 is pretty much on par with most drafts and is nor here nor there

I find it very interesting the cats are all about a midfielder at 8 - Could play into our hands with Caddy at 9

Everyone I speak to says the middle is very shallow and not really on par with most drafts . And before you turn into quiz master . People on the ground in AFL recruiting. I have not seen enough of some of the mid range players (some only once live) to make a 100% comment but I have not been overly excited with this draft. If you look at the 2021 draft there are a number of players up to 30 games in the 25 to 40 range . Same with 2020 . Personally I am not seeing it in this draft but I may be wrong . I would make a stronger statement if I had of seen them live 4 or 5 times.

 

[Keystone agony]

Everyone I speak to says the middle is very shallow and not really on par with most drafts . And before you turn into quiz master . People on the ground in AFL recruiting. I have not seen enough of some of the mid range players (some only once live) to make a 100% comment but I have not been overly excited with this draft. If you look at the 2021 draft there are a number of players up to 30 games in the 25 to 40 range . Same with 2020 . Personally I am not seeing it in this draft but I may be wrong . I would make a stronger statement if I had of seen them live 4 or 5 times.

Interesting people on the ground telling me otherwise

 

[ant555]

Interesting people on the ground telling me otherwise

I suppose they have an "elite 8"
Funny thing that most clubs are not looking at taking more too many players this year and the prediction is the absolute minimum will be taken.

 

[MarshawnLynch]

The clips do not show he is Heppell speed and not really athletic. He is a hard player to get a read on as he can look good on the inside and he has done okay as a defender. There are also a few watchers that do not really rate his clearance / stoppage game.

Jobe was Heppell speed and he managed to make it work, maybe this kid could too

 

[Keystone agony]

I suppose they have an "elite 8"
Funny thing that most clubs are not looking at taking more too many players this year and the prediction is the absolute minimum will be taken.

Thats more so how its trending with less than 60 taken in 2 of the last 3 and last year

More to do with list sizes, different avenues for recruiting, the change to the rookie upgrades ect

The notion is

Harley Reid
Super 7
Next 4
Then a group

The concern is having the start of that 'then a group' picks and theyre not considered too valuable, whereas after that it doesnt drop off too much

I dont think at the 13,14 pick your getting an option of Ben Hobbs or Elijiah Hewett for example

 

[Cold Sober]

Hepps should have been sent to Gold Coast with a big thank you and a gold watch.
Shiel straight to StKilda with a thank you it didn't work out.
Next year we get nothing for either. Wasted money.

 

[ghostdog]

Thats more so how its trending with less than 60 taken in 2 of the last 3 and last year

More to do with list sizes, different avenues for recruiting, the change to the rookie upgrades ect

The notion is

Harley Reid
Super 7
Next 4
Then a group

The concern is having the start of that 'then a group' picks and theyre not considered too valuable, whereas after that it doesnt drop off too much

I dont think at the 13,14 pick your getting an option of Ben Hobbs or Elijiah Hewett for example

Yeah nah. I'll go with the opinion of this guy;
"...those later picks aren’t worth much in this years draft." eDPS

 

[Keystone agony]

Yeah nah. I'll go with the opinion of this guy;
"...those later picks aren’t worth much in this years draft." eDPS

As in pick 35 isnt worth much in this draft?

And compared to what?

 

[ydc55]

Interesting people on the ground telling me otherwise

I think they are not providing you the truth.
I think 50 to 60 live picks taken which shows a severe lack of depth.
top end talent 1 to 5 good as usual but falls away from there.
draft looks bereft of high end tall forwards.
interestingly one of the better ruck drafts in some time with read, edwards, green, goad all very good and visentini having some potential.

 

[Vindicater]

North are surely not planning on taking all five picks in the top twenty right?

 

[ydc55]

Is there any danger of Wilson being another Brayden Ham? Great runner, decent skills, but no physical presence.

I don’t think so.
in his last final showed some fight and mongrel moving forward and kicking a few goals after being physically targeted all game.
will not be slight like ham as he has a nice frame to fill out.

 

[Yoda_]

I think they are not providing you the truth.
I think 50 to 60 live picks taken which shows a severe lack of depth.
top end talent 1 to 5 good as usual but falls away from there.
draft looks bereft of high end tall forwards.
interestingly one of the better ruck drafts in some time with read, edwards, green, goad all very good and visentini having some potential.

I was thinking the other day would we go for a ruck with that second pick? seems a few could be in the hitting zone for our second

 

[ydc55]

That is the million dollar question. I said 4 months ago that this may well not be the draft we want. I have been Sanders for ages but he is not likely to be realistic.

So we have the compromise selections.

Nate Caddy if he gets through. We need a CHF and he has sticky hands and is a good mark but he has lacked a bit of consistency at times and at 192cm he will have to have the work rate going forward.

Nick Watson . No for me. I may be proven wrong but I have not been a fan of his defensive stuff and urgency to pressure.

Darcy Wilson . I have liked him despite the fact he is an outside player and the games when his skills have not always been tip top . Watching him live a few times I like the way he works up and down the ground and his pace. He has a good step and if you block for him he can win clearance / stoppage . The obvious downside is he is not overly physical and right now he is not the exact fit right now. Tested really well at the combine and I have seen him use the ball really well in more than a few games.

Arie Schoenmaker is a little bit left field but is a superb kick of the footy and has done well off half back. May be a bit of a reach.

James Leake is certainly worth a look . Plays half forward or half back. Good kick. Good mark on the lead.

Riley Hardeman had a good year as an intercepting half back. tested well at draft camp. Generally a good kick but did have a couple of mare games by foot.

Charlie Edwards has finished off the year well and has moved up the charts . Good speed. Nice size. Has played a lot of half back before moving into the midfield this year.

if we are taking the best player then it is most likely Connor O'Sullivan but he has mainly been a defender . 198cm and 92kg so he has good size. Has kicked goals as a forward and even had a run through the midfield. Good intercept mark and a decent tank. Think most would go insane if we picked a defender but he may well be the best player at that pick.

So I have basically sat on the fence . Reason being I have struggled to find the guy who ticks everything I think we need and the main issue is players with a physical presence.

So to cut it to three. Caddy / Wilson / O'Sullivan but not sold rock solid on this draft .

Tholstrup is probably the one who likes a physical contest the most.

I mentioned this months ago but I hear essendon linked to koltyn tholstrup.
I wonder if Rosa has additional intel on him?

 

[Keystone agony]

I think they are not providing you the truth.
I think 50 to 60 live picks taken which shows a severe lack of depth.
top end talent 1 to 5 good as usual but falls away from there.
draft looks bereft of high end tall forwards.
interestingly one of the better ruck drafts in some time with read, edwards, green, goad all very good and visentini having some potential.

If you place in the academy/father sons this pool is fine

 

[ydc55]

If you place in the academy/father sons this pool is fine

but you can’t as they are all assigned

 

[andleanback]

9 for 15 and 18 or 15 and 17

I’d say a combination of those end up at west coast. I’d say 2 , 17/18 or 15/18

 

[Schnitzengruben]

The clips do not show he is Heppell speed and not really athletic. He is a hard player to get a read on as he can look good on the inside and he has done okay as a defender. There are also a few watchers that do not really rate his clearance / stoppage game.

Speed to be expected for a bloke the size of Mercury. Who is the gold standard for speed for a player his size, prime Wines maybe? Not sure.

For a pick in the mid/late 20's (according to Twombstone), I'd take the risk. I also like the look of Archie Roberts albeit for a different position. Have you seen much of him?

 

[Keystone agony]

but you can’t as they are all assigned

People are happy to include them when looking back on drafts

You cant just say this draft is shit and will be better down the track because of compromises as they continue on

Welsh
Camporale
Camporale
L.Ashcroft
Lombard

And more to come already for the following year

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I mentioned this months ago but I hear essendon linked to koltyn tholstrup.
I wonder if Rosa has additional intel on him?

I like it. Long shot to be a midfield star but we could do with a real competitive half forward. Looks like a mix between Rayner and Lohmann.... with a hint of Dangerfield.

 

[ant555]

People are happy to include them when looking back on drafts

You cant just say this draft is s**t and will be better down the track because of compromises as they continue on

Welsh
Camporale
Camporale
L.Ashcroft
Lombard

And more to come already for the following year

Now you are arguing with a bloke who has seen the draft pol live several times and is actually on the ground with recruiters.

You are not quite getting the picture here.
The comments are not based on a neutral view of the draft. The comments are based on how the draft is for players you actually have access to. So for clubs it is not as strong as some of the best players inside the top 20 are unavailable.
In a strong year Geelong say yes to a second round pick for Rat without blinking.