Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Pick 18, Josh Weddle

[Strapping Young Lad]

Sam says Blicavs…

 

[SSSSSS]

Maybe Darcy Moore like, using his athleticism and ability to read the field ahead to make impact plays, and running off his man to providing a rebounding option. Moore is great at that. Though I think Moore is geared more to the defensive side of the game, whilst Weddle can be geared more towards providing overlapping runs.

A taller, faster Gibbo.

Probably less successful with the ladies but that's no slight on Weddle. Gibbo was just a stud.

 

[Roddy]

It's hard to believe he's still a teenager. The upside is monumental.

 

[peetoo]

He could be ‘our’ Aaron Naughton at CHB where Naughton should be played.

Naughton seemed to get impact later in each quarter.
They could play him back and move him fwd in red time

 

[hawkman]

Even Robbo is impressed

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-tackle-mark-robinsons-likes-and-dislikes-from-round-9/news-story/271150d995f9d0d63ea17141543e62af

HOW GOOD IS THIS KID?

Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle is the steal of the 2022 draft. He was taken at pick No. 17, but if the draft was reworked with hindsight, he’d be in the top five with Will Ashcroft, Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw and Reuben Ginbey. In fact, you could make a case that Weddle could be the pick of that bunch. That’s fantasy talk, but fantasy talk is exactly what the future market is. Clearly, it’s hardly breaking news that the rising 20-year-old is a good young player. At 20, he plays like a 26-year-old Mason Redman

27

Mason Redman

Age

26

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.2

4star

K

10.1

4star

HB

5.1

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.7

4star

MG

262.0

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.8

3star

MG

210.3

3star

D

12.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.4

4star

MG

144.2

3star

. He’s a rebounder like Redman, has wheels like Redman and he’s better overhead than Redman. He played on Tim Membrey

28

Tim Membrey

Age

29

Ht

188cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

8.1

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.8

5star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.8

5star

D

9.4

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.5

4star

T

1.3

2star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

4.8

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.6

3star

and Max King

12

Max King

Age

23

Ht

202cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

1star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.8

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.4

5star

on Saturday and in a combined 85 minutes, he only conceded one goal. His opponents this year have been Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (two goals from three touches), Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

23

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

(one goal), Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

31

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

(one goal) and Jamie Elliott (zero goals). The back six at Hawthorn is holding its own. Weddle will be star, Amon and Impey are super cool with ball in hand, Scrimshaw needs to be blasted by Sam Mitchell every week if this is how he’s going to respond, and Sam Frost

8

Sam Frost

Age

30

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.9

4star

MG

191.6

3star

D

10.5

3star

K

6.3

3star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

191.6

3star

D

11.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

’s past three weeks on Max King

12

Max King

Age

23

Ht

202cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

1star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.8

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.4

5star

, Aaron Naughton

33

Aaron Naughton

Age

24

Ht

196cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.7

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

4.9

5star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

6.3

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

2.3

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

0.8

1star

G

0.5

4star

D

12.8

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

and Hayden McLean

2

Hayden Mclean

Age

25

Ht

197cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.4

3star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.3

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

10.0

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.4

5star

G

0.2

3star

have been better than solid.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Even Robbo is impressed

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-tackle-mark-robinsons-likes-and-dislikes-from-round-9/news-story/271150d995f9d0d63ea17141543e62af

Great write up. Had to spoil it with his essendon comparison.

 

[TylerDurden]

Great write up. Had to spoil it with his essendon comparison.

He's already gone past Redman.

 

[HawthornHawk]

I'm blown away by his defending this year, how many times has he managed to get a clean fist in to spoil a taller opponent from an advantageous pass??

 

[matey]

Just heard Bucks on SEN re Weddle and he feels that his best position is a third tall down back as he competes well in the air but he is a weapon transitioning the other way with his running ability (his tall opponent won’t be able to keep up with him) …… as compared to being matched up on smaller running types.

I’m sure Mitch and all the coaches are working out his best position that most benefits the team but I still reckon he will be our Mr fix it depending on the opposition team structure or the situation of a game.

 

[fairdinks]

Just heard Bucks on SEN re Weddle and he feels that his best position is a third tall down back as he competes well in the air but he is a weapon transitioning the other way with his running ability (his tall opponent won’t be able to keep up with him) …… as compared to being matched up on smaller running types.

I’m sure Mitch and all the coaches are working out his best position that most benefits the team but I still reckon he will be our Mr fix it depending on the opposition team structure or the situation of a game.

I'm loving Weddle's development down back and I am also rapt that Sam is resisting the urge to move him to the mids or forward.
Development of a player with Weddles ability is fundamental to him becoming a star of the game in time, in whatever role that may be.
He is extremely exciting and getting better with his decision making, defensive work and footy IQ week by week.
Enjoy the next 10 years...

 

[matey]

I'm loving Weddle's development down back and I am also rapt that Sam is resisting the urge to move him to the mids or forward.
Development of a player with Weddles ability is fundamental to him becoming a star of the game in time, in whatever role that may be.
He is extremely exciting and getting better with his decision making, defensive work and footy IQ week by week.
Enjoy the next 10 years...

They also complimented the club in identifying his talent and doing the deal to make it happen ……… D+

 

[burner1]

He seems to be taking the taller opponents when they go up the ground but hands them off as soon as they enter the 50. But also uses his tank to run back and help out so gets a few intercept possession/spoils as 3rd man.

Given we also had frost, scrim and serong as talls we also seem to be finding ways to use Weddle’s height on offence by targeting mismatches.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

His overhead marking is pretty handy too.

 

[WatWouldCyrilDo]

Just heard Bucks on SEN re Weddle and he feels that his best position is a third tall down back as he competes well in the air but he is a weapon transitioning the other way with his running ability (his tall opponent won’t be able to keep up with him) …… as compared to being matched up on smaller running types.

I’m sure Mitch and all the coaches are working out his best position that most benefits the team but I still reckon he will be our Mr fix it depending on the opposition team structure or the situation of a game.

Josh himself has mentioned wanting to move into the midfield, tracking a similar path to Daysy. Would be a weapon streaming out of the midfield.

 

[SSSSSS]

Mason Wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

30

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

dominated us on the wing in the last quarter. He was just too big and strong for Massimo. Was nearly the difference for them as he helped them link from defense to offense.

Weddle has infinitely more talent and is taller + faster to boot.

Weddle up the ground creates mismatches that are an absolute headache for oppo coaches.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

He seems to be taking the taller opponents when they go up the ground but hands them off as soon as they enter the 50. But also uses his tank to run back and help out so gets a few intercept possession/spoils as 3rd man.

Given we also had frost, scrim and serong as talls we also seem to be finding ways to use Weddle’s height on offence by targeting mismatches.

We've now got an army of 3rd talls but no first or second talls.

 

[I got the outside word]

Imagine Weddle streaming out of the centre from the bounce and kicking goals from 50-55 out… Oh Lordy. He could do it from defensive side too.

 

[Kanga Commando]

Discussion on SEN with Cornes and Bucks today looked at the trades that took place to get Weddle to Hawks - and his ceiling. More or less said trading genius in hindsight..

Of course Cornes was complimentary, Buck even more so comparing him to Blakey from the Swines.

 

[burner1]

Mason Wood dominated us on the wing in the last quarter. He was just too big and strong for Massimo. Was nearly the difference for them as he helped them link from defense to offense.

Weddle has infinitely more talent and is taller + faster to boot.

Weddle up the ground creates mismatches that are an absolute headache for oppo coaches.

Starting to get a good dynamic down back with weddle and fellow defenders - why change it? CJ may be the answer on the wing in a few weeks.

 

[peetoo]

Discussion on SEN with Cornes and Bucks today looked at the trades that took place to get Weddle to Hawks - and his ceiling. More or less said trading genius in hindsight..

Of course Cornes was complimentary, Buck even more so comparing him to Blakey from the Swines.

The best thing is even though 2023 was borrowed from to get Weds, the 2023 intake has great upside

 

[SSSSSS]

Starting to get a good dynamic down back with weddle and fellow defenders - why change it? CJ may be the answer on the wing in a few weeks.

I like Weddle as a CHB at the moment.

Like you said it's working well. I think Weddle sees himself wanting to play in the midfield in the future.

 

[Billyc]

Starting to get a good dynamic down back with weddle and fellow defenders - why change it? CJ may be the answer on the wing in a few weeks.

Long term it is about his highest and best use. That may be down back, but it might not be. His upside is the highest on the list in my view so i'd like him to be given opportunities in more attacking roles over time.