Game Day LIVE - AFL 2023 Draftwatch for the WB

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Yeah I agree. I just wanted something to look forward too tomorrow.
You need to join Draftwatchers Anonymous, dg.

"Hi everyone, I'm dergert and I'm a draftaholic. I can't stop myself wanting my footy team to draft more players."
 
Lol, we'll include him in the trade for Jamarra. How did you get him again?

Nah, now he’s got that Dodo stink on him

dodoro GIF by AFL
 
RYLEY SANDERS 186cm 86kg


AFL PROFILE
Another top prospect who sat out the Combine, Sanders did not test due to a hip issue. It will have no impact on his draft placing, having shown throughout the whole year his incredible consistency and production as a midfielder in the group. Sanders capped his season with 25 disposals and four clearances in Sandringham's Grand Final win over the Eastern Ranges, when he had some key moments as he always does. Sanders averaged 31 disposals at that level to go with his Larke Medal in the under-18 carnival in a complete campaign.


ROOKIE ME CENTRAL PROFILE

STRENGTHS:

  • Accumulation
  • Clean hands
  • Consistency
  • Inside game
  • Stoppage craft
  • Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

  • Explosive speed
  • Impact-per-possession

An old school footballer in both look and method, Sanders is the embodiment of ‘pull your socks up’. He often cracks in at the contest with 100 per cent intensity, and that team orientated focus allows his more outside-leaning teammates to thrive off his inside craft. For this reason, Sanders has been a mainstay in his various sides' midfield groups over the last two years.

Playing a major role in the undefeated Allies side this year, Sanders was recognised for his efforts across the four games with the Larke Medal, given to the best player across the carnival. It was well deserved given he averaged 35.8 disposals, 5.0 clearances, 6.3 marks, 4.0 tackles and a goal. Sanders linked up well with fellow Tasmanian Colby McKercher at the Champs, with one of them often handing it off to the other if they had won a clearance, or finding each other around the ground.


Sanders has a well-rounded midfield game and balances between inside and outside roles - which he has vastly improved on this year - but thrives more when given the responsibility to win the ball in the coalface. Sanders’ size and strength lend to the contested side of the game, but is by no means the sole reason he is so effective. Sanders uses his physical advantage along with his natural stoppage craft and technique to push opponents off the ball and take it on himself, running at roughly a 40 per cent contested possession rate through the Champs.


On the outside, Sanders is an exceptionally hard worker around the ground, often breaching the defensive 50 arc to assist in winning the ball back, or running hard to lose opponents and accumulate uncontested marks around the ground. However, Sanders is a fairly good contested mark when caught in the situation, displaying strong hands overhead.

Sanders' disposal and general cleanliness at ground level make him extraordinarily reliable. Although he does tend to favour handballing and is often in situations where it’s the best option, Sanders is a damaging kick when given time and space. He's able to assess options quickly and pick out inside-45s almost before his opponents have time to react. What's more, he has developed his scoreboard impact to compound that hurt factor.

There’s not much holding Sanders back from becoming a top level midfielder given his traits and well developed game, with his current style well suited to a first possession winner at the next level. However, Sanders could become an even more damaging player if he more often looked to drive his legs out of congestion to give himself better opportunities to kick rather than handball. An overall focus on improving his explosive power would allow him to do so easier, with more pressure in the elite grade.
 
JORDAN CROFT 201cm 81kg


AFL PROFILE
Croft has committed officially to joining the Western Bulldogs as a father-son selection, which is a big factor in the Dogs outbidding rivals to get a hold of Gold Coast's No.5 pick. It means they will get a top selection in before the bid comes for Croft, a tall and athletic forward who showed some real promise through the year. At his size, Croft has shown he can get a mark on the lead and convert his shots and he will be given time to develop at the Dogs. He finished fourth overall in the Combine's 2km time trial with a 6:05 minute run.


ROOKIE ME CENTRAL PROFILE
STRENGTHS:
  • Aerial ability
  • Aggression
  • Athleticism
  • Mobility
  • Running capacity
  • Upside

IMPROVEMENTS:
  • Consistency
  • Ground balls
  • Strength

Croft does a lot of things well for a player his size, but the most notable of his traits is athleticism. The 200cm forward is capable of covering serious ground and runs a 2km time trial most midfielders would envy - clocking in at 6:05 during the National Draft Combine. He's also spring-heeled and attacks the aerial ball hard, while having the capacity to both carry the ball with speed or hunt the opposition down in punishing tackles. That kind of all-round athletic profile is hard to find, no less in a key position prospect.

Much of Croft's best work on-field is done in the air. Around a third of his average disposals across all competitions come from marks; in the Coates Talent League that translated to 10.2 disposals and 3.5 marks (2.0 contested) per his 11 games. He utilises his range and length in the ruck too, pinch-hitting at the centre bounces and taking stoppages inside 50. A significant positive with Croft is that he has the kind of aggression required of talls, jumping at the ball with little regard for his own safety and rising above packs.

The type of player to make his few possessions count, Croft is a consistent goal kicker. He was held goalless just twice in the Talent League season and held together a seven-game streak of snaring multiple majors. It's a relatively simple game when Croft is playing - jump, mark, score. His conversion was a touch inconsistent throughout the season, either catching fire as he did with a deadeye four-goal haul against the Young Guns, or spraying shots out on the full and into the mark. Regardless, he's a constant aerial and scoring threat.

As a capable runner with both speed and endurance, Croft is difficult to contain on the lead. He has the tank to overwork his opponents as a high centre half-forward, but has arguably been more prominent when stationed closer to goal this year. At the next level, more key defenders will be able to match him for reach and leap, meaning he'll have to lean on his endurance base to have a sustained impact. Croft posted under 10 touches in six of 11 Talent League games this year, so his four-quarter consistency and overall production level can certainly lift.

Other areas of his overall craft like ground balls could also do with some polish, though Croft is quite nimble for his size. His tackling numbers, which sit around two per game, do not jump off the page but the 18-year-old applies good defensive pressure and makes sure his opponents feel it when they're caught. With those added elements, Croft will become an all-round force in the AFL system and likely gives the Bulldogs selection headaches down the spine for years to come as he slots in alongside young talls Sam Darcy, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, and Aaron Naughton.
 
JOEL FREIJAH 191cm 88kg


AFL PROFILE
A wingman who has real composure, is clean below his knees and distributes the ball very well. Announced himself as an AFL prospect when he kicked six goals from 26 disposals in the GWV Rebels’ loss to the Dandenong Stingrays in Round 4. He holds his width when playing on the wing, providing his team with an outlet option with its ball movement. Had a consistent year at club level averaging 19.6 disposals in 14 matches for the Rebels and finished third in the club’s best and fairest while playing in all four matches for Victoria Country. A strong all-round athlete, he ran a time of 2.98 seconds in the 20m sprint during pre-season testing and then completed the 2km time trial in 6:13 at the national Draft Combine.


ROOKIE ME CENTRAL PROFILE

STRENGTHS:

  • Clean hands
  • Evasiveness
  • Outside game
  • Size
  • Vision
  • Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

  • Composure
  • Kicking consistency

A player that seems to have perfect understanding of his role as a winger, Freijah has a lot of traits that will hold him in good stead heading into the next level. Most significantly, he covers ground well end-to-end and hold his width from the contest, keeping him involved as an option throughout large stretches of games. Freijah was a consistent accumulator for the Rebels on the outside, only dropping below 15 disposals for two of his 14 games this year, with his best performance for the season coming in Round 4 against Dandenong, accumulating 26 disposals and slotting six straight goals. Albeit, he was also utilised at centre bounces with a forward rotation.

At the National Championships, Freijah was a lock for the wing each game, where his gut running and clean ball use benefitted teammates, particularly heading forward, generally looking to move the ball into the corridor to open up the ground. Freijah didn’t quite accumulate to the same level he did at Talent League level, but still managed to impact in little ways to make up for it, with some smart tap ons for running teammates standing out. Freijah produced a standout game at representative level against Vic Metro, logging 16 disposals and two goals to show his ability to impact the scoreboard at higher levels of play.


Freijah is a pretty silky operator in all areas of the game, demonstrated with his ability to consistently work through traffic or side step opponents in front of him. He doesn’t get to show off that level of evasiveness as much on the outside, but in his few games with more of an inside role, caused headaches for opposition and proved hard to tackle even when they got a hand on him due to his size.

His general cleanliness at ground level and when moving the ball by hand is another strength of Freijah’s, generally remaining one touch below his knees even with oncoming pressure or when moving close to top speed. Also at top speed, he can pull of terrific passes going inside 50, albeit somewhat inconsistently.

While Freijah has the ability to do some truly remarkable things, he does at times rush with ball in hand under pressure which leads to a dump kick or floating handball forward without any real target. Building some consistency with his composure will be a crucial part to him becoming as good of a player as he can be, but if he does iron this out, and find a way to bring his scoreboard impact to more of the games he plays than less, he presents as an ideal modern wingman or utility.
 
LACHLAN SMITH 203cm 101kg


AFL PROFILE

Left-footed ruckman who uses his impressive frame to compete ferociously at stoppages and can win his own ball. Was a strong contributor all year for the Gippsland Power in the Coates Talent League averaging 16.8 disposals, 3.7 marks and 19.4 hitouts. Was particularly impressive for Victoria Country in its win over Western Australia at the National Championships. Was unable to test at the state Draft Combine due to injury but his 3.13 seconds on the 20m sprint at the Coates Talent League testing day earlier in the year was an insight into his mobility for a ruckman.


ROOKIE ME CENTRAL PROFILE

STRENGTHS:

  • Aggression
  • Production
  • Ruck craft
  • Strength

IMPROVEMENTS:

– Kick consistency
– Speed

Gippsland Power has had a knack of developing key position options over the last couple of years, and following in Max Knobel‘s shoes comes Lachlan Smith. Though he is not the quickest player going around, the readymade 202cm and 101kg ruck is strong and clever at the stoppages. His ruck craft is one of his strengths, often getting first hands to it, and his form for the Power was then put to the test against the best in the Country at the Under 18 National Championships.

He averaged 2.7 clearances to go with his 18.7 hitouts, and while he is not a huge accumulator, can still get involved between the arcs. An aggressive ruck who is not afraid to throw his weight around or carry the ball, Smith is a player who could still tidy up some execution areas such as kicking and decision making, but what he does well is in his primary ruck position which is what clubs will look at for the future. Look for him to be a late or rookie chance.
 
AIDEN O'DRISCOLL 176cm 70kg


AFL PROFILE
Wingman who caught the eye with his pace for Western Australia at the National Championships and was among the best players against South Australia and Victoria Country. Showed good footy smarts to keep his width on the wing and provide an outlet for his team and generally was a neat ball user. His elite combination of speed and endurance set the national Draft Combine alight, where he was ranked number one for the 20m sprint with a blistering 2.87 seconds and finished fifth in the 2km time trial with an effort of 6:06. Played nine matches for Perth at under 18 level, averaging 15.8 disposals and kicking seven goals. Comes from an AFL football family with his brother Nathan and sister Emma both playing with Fremantle.


ROOKIE ME CENTRAL PROFILE

STRENGTHS:
  • Agility
  • Endurance
  • Speed
  • Scoreboard impact
  • Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:
  • Consistency
  • Contested game

One of the most impressive athletes in this year’s draft, O’Driscoll’s running abilities would have many coaches excited about what he could become. The sole member of the National Combine invitees to post a sub one second five metre sprint in the preseason, O’Driscoll’s runs regularly begin with a sharp burst of speed to break away from his opponents.

Over 20 metres he managed a time of 2.87 seconds in the preseason, one of only four National Combine invitees to clock under 2.9 seconds. These numbers are no surprise when you watch O’Driscoll play. It’s a common occurrence to see him on his own in acres of space, and it’s no wonder how he loses his man so easily with acceleration like that.

His speed is backed up with a large tank for endurance running. A capable two way runner, O’Driscoll does have a tendency to be seen more on attack than defence, an area he could look to improve on. Though, his fitness allows him to have an impact across the entire ground throughout the game and assist in transitioning the ball from defence to attack in the blink of an eye.
Being as quick and nimble as he is, O’Driscoll is very capable of taking on opponents with a sharp turn, or combining with his teammates to force defenders to cover two men where he can turn an inch of space into an opening.

In terms of impact on the game, O’Driscoll regularly finds his name on the scoreboard, having managed 14 goals across 20 WAFL Colts games in his three-year career at the Demons. The finals run that led Perth to the last game of the season brought the best of his goalkicking out, managing four goals in three games off the wing, including the opening two goals of the Grand Final.

As far as room for improvement is concerned, O’Driscoll’s consistency not just week to week, but often quarter to quarter within one game could be bettered. At his best, he is one of the most dangerous looking players on ground, though he can have a tendency to go quiet for extended periods of a game. As a lightly framed winger, his contested game too can leave something to be desired.
 
What’s with the co*khead Essendon fans coming over to shoot their mouths off? The reason they can’t win a thing is because they still act like world champions despite it being clear to everyone else over a period of time that their club is busted and they’re just an ordinary organisation trading on past glories that have zero relevance in the modern age.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
What’s with the co*khead Essendon fans coming over to shoot their mouths off? The reason they can’t win a thing is because they still act like world champions despite it being clear to everyone else over a period of time that their club is busted and they’re just an ordinary organisation trading on past glories that have zero relevance in the modern age.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

It’s so rare they get one over us they have to celebrate, Lual loves the dogs, so we can target him later if we want him that badly, but the shot of our recruitment box afterwards showed no one was upset or throwing stuff, I think they were happy that once again our Academy is developing kids from an African background who are getting a chance at AFL.

It’s not quite the same as us pinching Dicko from under their noses in the 2014? draft, that’s premiership player, best accuracy in the AFL goal kicking Dicko. The look on Hirds face at the time was priceless.
 

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Excuse me, I've just woken from a 20 year coma and heard Essendon 'won' the last 20 trade weeks and drafts and Adrian Dodoro is some sort of God.

I can only assume they've won like a dozen flags since I've been asleep...

They've done what now? That long huh?
 
Essendon fans acting like they stole an A grade super star, that they feel the need to gloat on here? Seriously, are their lives really that pathetic?

Sorry, but you you didn't "steal" him from us.
We were likely not interested in him, as we made zero moves to trade up for him despite having the currency to easily do so. And we were clearly targeting pure MIDS based on our draft moves. We had much stronger links to Freijah days out from the draft than we did for Lual as well.

Enjoy a player who can't kick, like the rest of your team. 57% by foot? Yuck!!

Guess they can enjoy the moral trade and draft period victories as always
 
Last edited:
Excuse me, I've just woken from a 20 year coma and heard Essendon 'won' the last 20 trade weeks and drafts and Adrian Dodoro is some sort of God.

I can only assume they've won like a dozen flags since I've been asleep...

They've done what now? That long huh?

They robbed us of the 39th best talent in a weak draft. Not sure how we'll recover from this tbh.
 
They robbed us of the 39th best talent in a weak draft. Not sure how we'll recover from this tbh.

Just put on our raincoats, goggles, raise our umbrellas and shield ourselves from Essendon media circle jerk between now and their inevitable dropping off the cliff midway through next year.
 
Well if you believe the latest article from the Essendon Sun they have no more list cloggers and can pick an elite 23 each week. Interesting because their backs, forwards and rucks still stink.
 
Get the feeling Duryea will be done in pre-season draft to main list. One Category A rookie spot left for someone new other than McNeil, and maybe we will also take a Category B rookie after the draft with the new rules of any clubs NGA player being able to be signed up.
 
Get the feeling Duryea will be done in pre-season draft to main list. One Category A rookie spot left for someone new other than McNeil, and maybe we will also take a Category B rookie after the draft with the new rules of any clubs NGA player being able to be signed up.
I’d be quite happy to add Hine-Batson as a Cat B and take De La Rue as a rookie if available. Don’t think we necessarily need to hold out for the mid season draft, if we rate a player now just grab them I reckon. Never know what can happen with injuries etc opening up mid year picks anyway
 
We're probably only taking the one rookie today correct? Hopefully we look at maybe a cat B rookie as well since O'Donnell was a pretty smart pick up.
 

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Game Day LIVE - AFL 2023 Draftwatch for the WB

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