Review Cats drown Hawks by 36 points in Tommas 350

[Finknottle]

Goodes? He was 35.

Sorry, what's your point?

 

[Footy Smarts]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stengle, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

 

[Commando]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

It's good because it's Hawthorn!

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

He looks to have very limited upside to me personally.

 

[BORIS332]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

Not sold on that... He looks pretty well built already for his frame and is not lightning quick.

 

[dazbroncos]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

he might become a star..... and good on him if he does....

alternatively..... let em burn.

GO Catters

 

[Mattttty]

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

I've got a feeling Dempsey might turn out to be better than you expect (ie. better than the Wizard). Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[Lana]

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

He’ll be a bust

 

[Oisin_the_Goat]

I've got a feeling Dempsey might turn out to be better than you expect (ie. better than the Wizard). Time will tell, I suppose.

I'm loving the role Dempsey is playing at the moment.

 

[Gazza Greatness]

Footy Smarts said:
I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

There is 'no way' BORIS332: that Watson is going to have a better career or be a better footballer than Ollie Dempsey, you either have a way, way to big a wrap on Watson or more that likely you've under-sold Ollie Dempsey by a HUGE margin because that kid in time will be one of the best footballers in the AFL. Not only does he have all the nature tools, ability with incredible athleticism but he has already developed a great defensive side to his game with his decision making by hand or foot to a team-mates advantage already making him a cut above most other players who do not possess the vision, poise or skill level required to do so, and this is after only 10 AFL games and very little Aussie Rules footy in the past 6 years or so, it's really quiet remarkable what this kid has achieved in such a short period of time with only playing a bit of school footy.

Personally, I rate Ollie Dempsey to be another Shai Bolton from the Tigers who is a incredible footballer with amazing ability but unlike Shai, when Ollie reaches full football maturity he will be more consistent than Shai which at present is Shai's main weakness, that's how highly I rate this kid. And by the way, when Toby Conway also reaches full footy maturity he will without any question or doubt, be in the top 3 ruckman in the AFL, he is Damien Bourke reincarnated but he's going to be better as he's more skilful than Damien and don't get me started on Tanner Bruhn, Ollie Henry, Max Holmes, Sam De Koning, Oisin Mullin, Jhye Clark, Connor O'Sullivan, Shannon Neale, etc for our young AFL list doesn't stop there, which when you think about it is quiet PHENOMENAL as this should not be happening but 'our club' refuses to lay down and die and be also-rans, with Wellsey and Mackie not only continually finding hidden gems but also finding the right type of young player with great character, potential and 'footy nous and ability' that can take this magnificent club forward.

 

[iameviljez]

A maths genius can correct me but does the AFLCA break down into one coaching having Duncan BOG and the other not including him at all, and that dynamic reversed for Holmes?

Not necessarily.

9 James Worpel (HAW)
6 Oliver Henry (GEEL)
5 Mitch Duncan (GEEL)
4 Max Holmes (GEEL)
3 Tanner Bruhn (GEEL)
3 Tyson Stengle (GEEL)

Could be:

5. Worpel
4. Holmes
3. Duncan
2. Bruhn
1. Henry


5. Henry
4. Worpel
3. Stengle
2. Duncan
1. Bruhn

Or,

5. Worpel
4. Duncan
3. Stengle
2. Holmes
1. Henry

5. Henry
4. Worpel
3. Bruhn
2. Holmes
1. Duncan

 

[iameviljez]

I can't believe Hawthorn gave up pick 5 for Watson. He'll probably be a decent player but we managed to pick up Stevens, Close, Miers and Dempsey with pick 57, 2x rookie picks and a delisted free agent signing. Imagine giving up pick 5 in the hope you get a similar quality player.

It's been three games, the kid weighs as much as a chip packet, and he's doing just fine. If it weren't for a little bit of wayward finishing, he would have had a pretty big impact on yesterday's outcome.

It's way too early to say, but if Watson were in hoops, I'd be excited.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

there has been a trend emerging that I think is very obvious, that the umpires are sensitive and red hot on looking to pay head high contact free kicks. A stack of them paid in 2024. The AFL is just terrified about concussion.... but then they need to be aware of encouraging players to draw and look for head high frees.... i feel we have shifted too far towards incentivising players.

I think the ‘head is sacrosanct’ has been around a bit longer. Used to cringe every time Selwood hit his head, concerned for future brain damage
Agree, we have shifted to far + weak players do milk for frees. Umpires were good refusing to pay free kicks to Ginnivan.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Not sure why a Stengle auto corrected to Stevens.

My issue with recruiting Watson is not that he's going to be a terrible player. But surely top 5 picks are to go after potential superstars of the game.

What's the upside with Watson? You get a Papley, Stengle, Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

type elite small forward. Ok that's a decent result but all of those were picked up in the rookie draft. Small forwards are about the last position you need to invest big in order to pick up a gun yet that's what they've done.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I think the ‘head is sacrosanct’ has been around a bit longer. Used to cringe every time Selwood hit his head, concerned for future brain damage
Agree, we have shifted to far + weak players do milk for frees. Umpires were good refusing to pay free kicks to Ginnivan.

Why laura kane came out and claimed they missed some is absurd... He clearly brings the arm up and plays for them. Why are we rewarding this crap??

 

[Hinkley29]

AFLCA votes are in - fantastic to see three of our under 21s leading the way!

9- James Worpel (HAW)
6- Oliver Henry (GEEL)
5- Mitch Duncan (GEEL)
4- Max Holmes (GEEL)
3- Tanner Bruhn (GEEL)
3- Tyson Stengle (GEEL)

It would interesting to know which coach gave Worpel 5 votes. Would not surprise if it was scott. Also, either ollie or Mitch got 5 votes from 1 coach and 0 or 1 from the other. Performance truly is in the eye of the beholder

 

[Hinkley29]

Not sure why a Stengle auto corrected to Stevens.

My issue with recruiting Watson is not that he's going to be a terrible player. But surely top 5 picks are to go after potential superstars of the game.

What's the upside with Watson? You get a Papley, Stengle, Charlie Cameron type elite small forward. Ok that's a decent result but all of those were picked up in the rookie draft. Small forwards are about the last position you need to invest big in order to pick up a gun yet that's what they've done.

This is spot on.

Best case scenario for Watson is that you have recruited Tom Papley. Or maybe he develops a huge tank and becomes Gryan Miers. Now Papley is a nice player but that is best case scenario and nowhere near worth a top 5 pick.

Top 5 picks need to be close to sure things as front line players OR have top 20 player in the league upside. Watson has neither of these things.

 

[And_ROOS]

Watson have a better career than all of those players you mentioned, except for maybe Miers.

I mean Miers had a season where he smashed the assist record in a season coming off the back of a flag season where he was important. Theres a lot of players who went pick 5 in the last 20 years that wish they had 2 seasons like that.

And just looking at the players taken at pick 5 since 2000, the best ones have been McVeigh (2002), Franklin (2003), Pendlebury (2004), Boak (2005), Stringer (2012), De Goey (2014) and I expect Rozee (2018) to have a really good career.

No one in that list of best pick 5 players was a small forward, you had either genuine mids, KPF or big bodied mid/fwd hybrids.

And its only early by Sanders taken a pick later is already looking the better player.

This is spot on.

Best case scenario for Watson is that you have recruited Tom Papley. Or maybe he develops a huge tank and becomes Gryan Miers. Now Papley is a nice player but that is best case scenario and nowhere near worth a top 5 pick.

Top 5 picks need to be close to sure things as front line players OR have top 20 player in the league upside. Watson has neither of these things.

And if you look through the best players from pick 5 in the last 20 years they are overwhelmingly midfielders.

 

[Commando]

Isn't Watson the next Caleb Daniel

5

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

?
Not sure he's even worth a pick 5?

 

[Hinkley29]

Isn't Watson the next Caleb Daniel?
Not sure he's even worth a pick 5?

Daniel is a nice player but is playing the easiest role in the AFL - spare man back half distributor.

He does it quite well but is easily replaceable.

Watson will likely be better than Daniel, but he is nowhere near worth a top 5 pick.

 

[year of the cat]

Bit early to write Watson off after 3 games of footy. He’s got a stack of talent. Will just be interesting to see whether his lack of height will be an impediment to him against bigger, stronger, quicker, and better players than what he was up against as an under 18.

Personally wouldn’t have used pick 5 on him. But I think he will still make a very handy small forward.

 

[Hinkley29]

Bit early to write Watson off after 3 games of footy. He’s got a stack of talent. Will just be interesting to see whether his lack of height will be an impediment to him against bigger, stronger, quicker, and better players than what he was up against as an under 18.

Personally wouldn’t have used pick 5 on him. But I think he will still make a very handy small forward.

You can improve fitness, you can improve skills, you can improve game awareness, discipline, tackling. You can even improve speed (marginally).

But unfortunately you cannot improve height. And his (extreme) lack of height is always going be an impediment and will always limit his upside.

Put it this way - COS has not played a game yet, and was taken at pick 11. Would you swap him for Watson? I wouldn’t because COS has way more upside. COS might be a bust, but he could also be a top 20 player in the league at some point. Watson will likely be a decent player but he is physically limited. It is a shame but it is the ugly truth.

 

[Hinkley29]

Bit early to write Watson off after 3 games of footy. He’s got a stack of talent. Will just be interesting to see whether his lack of height will be an impediment to him against bigger, stronger, quicker, and better players than what he was up against as an under 18.

Personally wouldn’t have used pick 5 on him. But I think he will still make a very handy small forward.

Handy small forwards get taken at pick 40. Or in the rookie draft. Not in the top 5 of the national draft.

 

[year of the cat]

You can improve fitness, you can improve skills, you can improve game awareness, discipline, tackling. You can even improve speed (marginally).

But unfortunately you cannot improve height. And his (extreme) lack of height is always going be an impediment and will always limit his upside.

Put it this way - COS has not played a game yet, and was taken at pick 11. Would you swap him for Watson? I wouldn’t because COS has way more upside. COS might be a bust, but he could also be a top 20 player in the league at some point. Watson will likely be a decent player but he is physically limited. It is a shame but it is the ugly truth.

I wouldn’t swap COS for him either. But that’s mainly due to us having a good crop of small forwards already rather than thinking there’s a difference in talent between the two.

It was probably a risk using a top 5 pick on such a small player. Time will tell whether they’d have been better off using it on someone else.