Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Pick 18, Josh Weddle

[Strapping Young Lad]

Sam says Blicavs…

 

[OnTheRocks]

Could he be?

 

[toomanysquibs]

He's going to be a Burgoyne level player, with Pavlich's ability to play key position at both ends at a guess.

Could he be?
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I think if this week was a job interview for that position, he'd probably get the gig!

 

[Brishawk]

Will be the best player in this league in the future years.

Edited for accuracy.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Genuine question, why didn't he go in the top 5?

I hadn't heard much about him when we drafted him, but it seemed fairly obvious from the first training session that he was an elite prospect ...

Is that revisionist?

He was an undersized key position player and he wasn't super clean at ground level or with his marking.
Not to be too negative but his cleanliness handling the ball is definitely something he can still improve.

The fact Sammy (possibly the recruiting team) saw Weddle as more than a key defender is why they should be paid the big bucks, he's just so naturally gifted as an athlete.

 

[threesixpio]

D+

 

[The Chad and I]

Whenever the media piles on to criticise us, I feel confident that we have done the right thing, but it usually takes time to play out.

Picking Hodge, Clarko appointment, coaching transition, trading up to get Weddle.
AFL media is a great counter-trade signal.

 

[Slysh]

Not saying they play the same necessarily but bit of Goodes in him. Could see him being BOG kicking a bag as a key forward, being BOG the following week as a ruckmen who dominates at ground level and follows it up the next week shutting down the best forwards while rebounding and being an offensive threat.

His mix of athleticism and talent is so so incredibly rare.

 

[rei154]

Thanks Sydney for helping us obtain Weddle - I bet quietly your regretting this trade of draft picks

What'd they get out of this deal again...?

 

[The hands of stone]

I have no idea but wasn't he U18 FB, so maybe a lot thought that's all he was and were blinded to his true potential.

Love that our guys saw the Koutafides potential in him, maybe The hands of stone can explain why others didn't see it, as at the time he said his pal in the AFL talent pathway told him that we'd got a good one and would be more than happy with our trading up. Presumably he chatted to other guys in that system who similarly saw the potential.

I think others have covered it but basically played defence on the oppos best forward in under 18s , tall or small .
So that may have swayed some recruiters away from his genuine athletic traits .

His athletic potential has sky-rocketed even further in an elite environment . Its great ID by us .
As T4P has said he has also grown .
My mate had him as a top 10 at draft but with the highest ceiling in improvement based on his athletic potential.

What he did yesterday as a 20yo is crazy at AFL level .

 

[Hawk1986]

Time to buy a membership

 

[grumbleguts]

Him, Day, Dear and McCabe are going to have to share Norm Smiths so they can show them off at the reunions.

 

[Nugett]

Whenever the media piles on to criticise us, I feel confident that we have done the right thing, but it usually takes time to play out.

Picking Hodge, Clarko appointment, coaching transition, trading up to get Weddle.
AFL media is a great counter-trade signal.

You forgot the big one. The blatant tanking of trading out Tom Mitchell and O’Meara

 

[Billyc]

There’s no limit to his upside. Added yet another string to his bow yesterday. He’s been likened to so many different players/athletes, many of whom are not at all like one another. Just goes to show how unique he is. He’s the best athlete we have drafted since Buddy.

 

[Nugett]

I stand corrected, I have thought he would be Burgerish.. I think he is going to be more Roughish, in that he could play, Ruck, Forward, Back and Midfield.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Weddle could be the finishing piece in our midfield rebuild. Way too much speed and power to waste in a lockdown defensive roll. Unleash the beast!

 

[Billyc]

Weddle could be the finishing piece in our midfield rebuild. Way too much speed and power to waste in a lockdown defensive roll. Unleash the beast!

Mid / half forward for me - Goodes/Pavlich type match winner roles. It will be a fascinating career to watch

 

[Bugs1977]

Weddle could become the most difficult to stop player in the AFL I reckon. There's just no one else who could mind him in all the different places he can go and have an impact.

Some in hear might not like to hear this as a comparison but the way he can play any postion on the ground reminds me of Adam Goodes. The kid is so versatile.

 

[Bugs1977]

Glad he's getting some recognition and doesn't seem the type to let it get to his head either

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Some in hear might not like to hear this as a comparison but the way he can play any postion on the ground reminds me of Adam Goodes. The kid is so versatile.

I can see it.

Like Goodes he can play as an undersized ruck or centre half back/forward which is a great asset to have.

 

[bigmaxi]

McCabe will be the man this year.

Next year we will have more flexibility with Blanck back and possibly Battle.

Plus Phillips, an embarrassment of riches

 

[natio]

He's that type of footballer that can play every position on the ground. Like Goodes.

But reminds me most of Kouta. The athleticism. His last quarter was almost game winning type stuff.

 

[MrPremiership]

American media would call him the Franchise Player.

He's going to be our superstar, he's going to bring people through the gate.

Love that he's ours

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Whenever the media piles on to criticise us, I feel confident that we have done the right thing, but it usually takes time to play out.

Picking Hodge, Clarko appointment, coaching transition, trading up to get Weddle.
AFL media is a great counter-trade signal.

Who in the media was critical of our move up to draft Weddle?

Maybe I'm misremembering, but my impression was that it was received pretty well and seen as an ambitious move. Or maybe that was just us in here?

 

[Shot of Jaeger]

Reminds me a little of Hay and Croad in there early years grabbing it and just taking off. Love it!

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[MrPremiership]

He'll win goal of the year eventually

Once he realises how quick he is and that no-one can catch him when he's off for a gallop

Take it on Josh