Player Watch 2021 AFL National Draft - NOT FOR TRADE DISCUSSION

[Strapping Young Lad]

Let’s stick with a basic rule for this thread, that it’s for draft watch and discussion only.

It’s not for trade hypotheticals, who you think needs to be delisted or traded, how many games you think we will win, some other team will win, how many picks you want in the 1st round or discussion of current HFC players.

It’s about youngsters who are eligible for the draft in 2021.


Key dates to look out for:

• NAB AFL Draft Combine: TBC
• NAB AFL Draft: Wednesday November 24 - Thursday November 25
• NAB AFL Pre-season and Rookie Drafts: Friday November 26

 

[danielG]

It's pretty rough for the young guys. No proper training camp, basically no synergy and thrown together to play against a well-drilled & experienced side.

Daicos the standout mid. I like Erasmus & Gibcus. Horne has had some good efforts but hasn't won too much ball (although he's third behind Gibcus & Fahey). Fahey looks a HB who likes to take risks.

Heard Rendell say Daicos is far and away the number one pick.. I really don’t agree, though he collects a lot of the ball and uses it quite well..
Horne for me looks a prodigious talent.. he’s not looking for cheap kicks.. He genuinely challenges the mature age players of the cats. For me I’d take him.. the stats will come, the physicality you can’t engineer, will be a special player. Is josh Sinn playing? Fahey looks a good prospect as does Erasmus..

 

[Davo-27]

Half Time AFL Academy V Geelong VFL (Geelong 7.10 to 1.4 AFLA)

you can see the AFL Academy have not been together much this year because of all the covid restrictions, they are struggling to play as a team compared to previous years

Players who have caught my attention from the AFLA so far:
1. Josh Fahey - i think he has been the most composed and most comfortable at the level out of all the kids, i think he might go up peoples rankings after this performance

2. Nick Daicos - playing his role of getting a lot of touches and controlling the spread of the ball, had a chance to kick a goal from 45m near the boundary that fell a meter short, but looking like he belongs

3. Toby Conway - sharing the ruck load with Moyle who has looked ok, but for me Conway has stood out around the ground, marking, tackling, spoiling, he does it all

4. Cooper Hamilton - so far has been great off of half back/mid, has made good decisions and has been clean with disposal

5. Jason Horne - has not dominated, but has shown signs of his quality, strong marks, strong tackles, quick decision making, theres a lot to work with

Matthew Johnson, Neil Erasmus and Josh Gibcus have also been in the best players so far, im hoping the AFLA start gelling and get a little more competitive

 

[Billyc]

Fahey another academy kid

 

[Soaring Hawk]

Heard Rendell say Daicos is far and away the number one pick.. I really don’t agree, though he collects a lot of the ball and uses it quite well..
Horne for me looks a prodigious talent.. he’s not looking for cheap kicks.. He genuinely challenges the mature age players of the cats. For me I’d take him.. the stats will come, the physicality you can’t engineer, will be a special player. Is josh Sinn playing? Fahey looks a good prospect as does Erasmus..

Sinn out injured IIRC


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Judd2Sewell]

View attachment 1110118

First there was Tankin for Rankin, now there's Horny for Horne

 

[VandoHawk]

Daicos looks super impressive. Thought Rachele's pressure was really good when he got his chances. Callaghan's seriously quick. Horne has had some eye-catching moments.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

What channel?

 

[Davo-27]

What channel?

AFL Streaming - AFL.com.au

Watch the latest streams on the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.afl.com.au

last 1/4

 

[Judd2Sewell]

AFL Streaming - AFL.com.au

Watch the latest streams on the official website of the Australian Football League.

www.afl.com.au

last 1/4

Cheers, found it after I posted that. Not much of a game TBH. I suppose that was to be expected though.

 

[theiaofseed]

That was crisp of the ground from Josh Rachele

 

[Glebehawk]

I know they’re playing against men, but hardly looks a super draft. Besides Horne, Daicos. Thought Rachelle, Fahey, Arasmus and Johnson were impressive.

 

[VandoHawk]

I guess in games like that you look for signs rather than the complete performance. First time these guys played together and due to cutbacks didn't have a training camp. Geelong unit is a stronger, more experienced side that is also well-drilled. Lot of running around like headless chooks. It's a shame that Chesser & Sinn weren't out there.

Daicos the most complete midfielder. Has speed, good defensive efforts and won a few clearances. Wish he was available in the open draft.

Fahey was also very impressive with his rebound. Wasn't afraid to take the risky kick although it was costly when he missed it. Linked to GWS via Academy so another good prospect unavailable.

Horne had some great moments. Didn't bother with 'nothing' touches - everything was in the contest. Weirdly enough he might have to work on getting a few junk touches just to get more involved.

Was very impressed with Rachele's pressure. Tough bugger.

I think Gibcus is going to follow the early trajectory of Rance (not saying he'll be as good). Fantastic intercept defender but those kicking skills were very subpar.

Sonsie was very underwhelming. Spent a lot of time at the centre square for no impact. They also relegated Matthew Roberts to a forward pocket to accomodate him.

Not enamoured by the talls in this draft. Both Van Rooyen and Williams looked fairly one-paced although they weren't done many favours with the delivery.

Johnson, Callaghan & Erasmus had some good moments. All of them seem to be above average kicks so maybe that's why they stood out.

 

[Davo-27]

I know they’re playing against men, but hardly looks a super draft. Besides Horne, Daicos. Thought Rachelle, Fahey, Arasmus and Johnson were impressive.

yea its not a super draft, i think some people went a bit over the top with that statement, looking at you edps

 

[Davo-27]

I guess in games like that you look for signs rather than the complete performance. First time these guys played together and due to cutbacks didn't have a training camp. Geelong unit is a stronger, more experienced side that is also well-drilled. Lot of running around like headless chooks. It's a shame that Chesser & Sinn weren't out there.

Daicos the most complete midfielder. Has speed, good defensive efforts and won a few clearances. Wish he was available in the open draft.

Fahey was also very impressive with his rebound. Wasn't afraid to take the risky kick although it was costly when he missed it. Linked to GWS via Academy so another good prospect unavailable.

Horne had some great moments. Didn't bother with 'nothing' touches - everything was in the contest. Weirdly enough he might have to work on getting a few junk touches just to get more involved.

Was very impressed with Rachele's pressure. Tough bugger.

I think Gibcus is going to follow the early trajectory of Rance (not saying he'll be as good). Fantastic intercept defender but those kicking skills were very subpar.

Sonsie was very underwhelming. Spent a lot of time at the centre square for no impact. They also relegated Matthew Roberts to a forward pocket to accomodate him.

Not enamoured by the talls in this draft. Both Van Rooyen and Williams looked fairly one-paced although they weren't done many favours with the delivery.

Johnson, Callaghan & Erasmus had some good moments. All of them seem to be above average kicks so maybe that's why they stood out.

i completely agree, Sonsie was ineffective and jumping at shadows, Roberts was playing out of position as a forward pocket, i dont know if Roberts would have done better or not, was very disappointing.

the forwards in the game had very few options and as you say the delivery was not up to par with the defence they were playing against.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Wonder if this hurts Sonsie's draft stock

 

[Davo-27]

Wonder if this hurts Sonsie's draft stock

i've said this elsewhere, his poor game against Tasmania and then this no show in the AFLA where he played most of the game in the centre and had less than 5 touches or something ridiculous is not up to standard for a top 10 let alone a top 5 potential draftee, he has to win back some people after these 2 disappointing performances imo.

late in the game Horne did a wonderful play out of the middle to get space, chipped it to Sonsie all on his own and Sonsie flinched when no one was near him, let the ball bounce 20cm behind him, after not even trying all day and flinching like that, i mean what can you say?

 

[nelk boys]

Did Erasmus improve his draft stocks today?

 

[Davo-27]

Did Erasmus improve his draft stocks today?

i already had him around 15 or so, which is where i think he should go, maybe other draft watchers will think the same now i guess?

 

[Glebehawk]

i already had him around 15 or so, which is where i think he should go, maybe other draft watchers will think the same now i guess?

What’s his usual position? Looked pretty crafty as a HFF, but didn’t look out of place further up the ground.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

i've said this elsewhere, his poor game against Tasmania and then this no show in the AFLA where he played most of the game in the centre and had less than 5 touches or something ridiculous is not up to standard for a top 10 let alone a top 5 potential draftee, he has to win back some people after these 2 disappointing performances imo.

late in the game Horne did a wonderful play out of the middle to get space, chipped it to Sonsie all on his own and Sonsie flinched when no one was near him, let the ball bounce 20cm behind him, after not even trying all day and flinching like that, i mean what can you say?

Does he have enough to work with to be a top 5 pick? In terms of skill, pace and cleanliness?

 

[Davo-27]

What’s his usual position? Looked pretty crafty as a HFF, but didn’t look out of place further up the ground.

he was amazing as a HFF in the wafl colts gf last year kicking 4 and setting up a few other opportunities, this year he has played wafl colts in the midfield and had 28,29,28 possession games with good mark and tackle numbers, then this AFLA game where i thought he did well, so to answer you, he is a HFF/Midfielder, he has proven himself in both positions.

 

[Davo-27]

Does he have enough to work with to be a top 5 pick? In terms of skill, pace and cleanliness?

i have only seen him play as a half forward in 2019 and a midfielder in 2021, he was good in 2019, 2020 no footy and this year he has been good in the Oakleigh game, but got schooled by Daicos, then he has had 2 poor games in a row where he has avoided contact and not really got involved in contests which to me is not good enough, if he plays well for the remainder of the year he might go top 10, but at this stage i think theres better prospects to use a prized top 5 pick on than a guy who doesnt turn up to a game that is as important as this game was, imagine we recruit him for him to play like that in the VFL?

 

[rei154]

How did Chesser perform in this one?

 

[HAWKSBESTEVA]

How did Chesser perform in this one?

Don’t think he played

 

[nelk boys]

Davo-27 Who do you think is the top 5 now then?