Recruiting AFL Draft Watch 2025 - Picks 9, 10, 13, 37

[Lore]

 

[Call Me Cake]

I think if we don't trade for #2 then it's looking most likely that Robey + Taylor will go to the Tigers with us taking Cumming + Sharp and Dovaston if we trade with the Blues or Schubert if we trade with the Suns.

However if the Eagles go Robey, Richmond will snap up CDT.

If the Eagles like Sharp but don't like the optics of picking him at #2 and we can gain #9 from the Blues, then they'll trade with us and they'll be able to pick Sharp at #5 to add to Willem at #1 with an added a choice at #9.

 

[FootyGuru]

If we were to trade for pick 2 it would 100% be for Robey.

I think Essendon rates cdt and I rate him too, but trading up for him always seemed like smoke and mirrors to me. It’s such a risky player to trade up for. A ruckman with huge upside but also bust potential isn’t someone I see Rosa trading up for, yet we were hearing in the media that we were enamoured with him. I’d be stoked to get him with any of our current picks though.

 

[jdstorm]

I think Essendon rates cdt and I rate him too, but trading up for him always seemed like smoke and mirrors to me. It’s such a risky player to trade up for. A ruckman with huge upside but also bust potential isn’t someone I see Rosa trading up for, yet we were hearing in the media that we were enamoured with him. I’d be stoked to get him with any of our current picks though.

the counter to that is Ruck forwards who can kick a bag are the rarest player type to get for the list and with Draper gone and wright aging/inconsistent we actually have a significant need there (depending on how you feel about Gerryn)

 

[FlyingV]

Robey is starting to look like the messiah, but he’s certainly not without risk. At the combine: 6.45 2km and a 3.15 second 20 meter sprint, his perceived explosiveness certainly didn’t appear in the testing albeit with a sore shoulder. Did he just beat up on smaller guys at the right time of the year?

I have Xavier Taylor ahead of him. But that’s just me.

 

[ant555]

I think Essendon rates cdt and I rate him too, but trading up for him always seemed like smoke and mirrors to me. It’s such a risky player to trade up for. A ruckman with huge upside but also bust potential isn’t someone I see Rosa trading up for, yet we were hearing in the media that we were enamoured with him. I’d be stoked to get him with any of our current picks though.

It was not smoke and mirrors. We enquired about trading up for 1 and 2.
It was the asking price to get there. Eagles looking for a combination picks this year and F1. They were not looking to take on just two extra first round this year.
That’s what I hear anyway.

No club has so far has been willing to give up future firsts other than the Hawks in the Merrett trade.

 

[doug85]

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[FlyingV]

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

www.foxsports.com.au

For me Sharp, Farrow and Schubert combo is my least favourite combo. I will love them like sons… but the lack of footspeed and another dart thrown at the KPP board would leave me pretty frustrated.

 

[JayJ20]

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

www.foxsports.com.au

I didn't think there was a worst case scenario in our range so I was pretty comfortable, but Fox Footy have certainly found it.

None of Robey and Cumming available to us and we skip on Taylor? Then we select Schubert?

We likely miss Sweid and El-Achkar by trading up and we don't bring in Dovaston?

Farrow will probably be available at pick 9 so why would we reach then miss out on a competitive defender in Taylor?

If that's how the draft will look, package up 9 to trade with West Coast. At least we'll get CDT or Robey out of it.

 

[doug85]

I didn't think there was a worst case scenario in our range so I was pretty comfortable, but Fox Footy have certainly found it.

None of Robey and Cumming available to us and we skip on Taylor? Then we select Schubert?

We likely miss Sweid and El-Achkar by trading up and we don't bring in Dovaston?

Farrow will probably be available at pick 9 so why would we reach then miss out on a competitive defender in Taylor?

Thinking the same. If we took Taylor and Sharp at 5 and 6 I’d be very happy. Then Dovaston at 9.

I have no enthusiasm for Schubert. Probably because bean pole forwards rarely seem to work out for us (except Joe).

 

[FootyGuru]

the counter to that is Ruck forwards who can kick a bag are the rarest player type to get for the list and with Draper gone and wright aging/inconsistent we actually have a significant need there (depending on how you feel about Gerryn)

His marking is suspect. Potentially he could be great in those areas, but still high upside but potential bust too.

 

[JayJ20]

Thinking the same. If we took Taylor and Sharp at 5 and 6 I’d be very happy. Then Dovaston at 9.

I have no enthusiasm for Schubert. Probably because mean pole forwards rarely seem to work out for us (except Joe).

And also because we have about half a dozen developing young talls we need to try in his position first. Taylor's competitiveness and mobility means he can play on smalls too which is a huge need for us. We don't need a KPF right now. If they are thinking about Schubert at 9, we may as well package the pick up to West Coast's pick.

Taylor and Sharp + Dovaston is my preference if both Cumming and Robey are taken, although Farrow and Grlj at 9 is good too. As long as we select two of Robey, Cumming, Sharp and Taylor.

 

[doug85]

And also because we have about half a dozen developing young talls we need to try in his position first. Taylor's competitiveness and mobility means he can play on smalls too which is a huge need for us. We don't need a KPF right now. If they are thinking about Schubert at 9, we may as well package the pick up to West Coast's pick.

Taylor and Sharp + Dovaston is my preference if both Cumming and Robey are taken, although Farrow and Grlj at 9 is good too. As long as we select two of Robey, Cumming, Sharp and Taylor.

Im not sure the fox phantom draft is how things will play out. I’ll wait for Cals before microwaving the membership.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

www.foxsports.com.au

Yuck. Don't like this. Hope cards fall better than this for us (we are owed it after two decades of Dodo tyranny).

 

[King Patty]

Hypothetical:

Essendon: Pick 1, 2 & 13

West Coast: Pick 5, 6, 9 & Essendon's 2026 first round pick

Remembering Merrett will probably still leave next year, and we'll get a first rounder for him in next year's draft.

If we want pick 1 I would solely offer F1, they probably reject it.

Or if we have 9 from blues F1 + 9 for 1 +F2
nothing more than that.

*Could end up with Duursma Robey, Sharp. + academy boys Sweid+ El-Achkar and Essendon win the draft.

 

[Unfazed]

For me Sharp, Farrow and Schubert combo is my least favourite combo. I will love them like sons… but the lack of footspeed and another dart thrown at the KPP board would leave me pretty frustrated.

Farrow while Taylor is still there. I hope not.

 

[Skipper_]

Cal says we are speaking to Latrelle Pickett today and we’re a chance to take him at 9.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

Updated Phantom Draft: Big top-15 calls, bid NOT matched as first 30 AFL picks predicted

www.foxsports.com.au

Lmao what a shit list. I could get a more realistic phantom draft from a happy meal.

 

[King Patty]

Yuck. Don't like this. Hope cards fall better than this for us (we are owed it after two decades of Dodo tyranny).

I don't mind Sharp and Farrow - but seem early to go after a tall in Schubert.
Maybe would have leaned in X Taylor over Farrow and hope he fell to our next pick.

 

[King Patty]

Cal says we are speaking to Latrelle Pickett today and we’re a chance to take him at 9.

or maybe its smoke and Mirrors so Dees take him with one of their pick 7/8 and pair him with his cousin.

I would be happy with this pick.

 

[Dons4days]

Would love to pair X Taylor and Dovaston. Good mates and both seem like campaigners. It would be nice to have a few antagonists running around for us for once rather than going the standard choirboy route.

 

[faible]

Big bodied midfielders that have footy IQ and some endurance have not been taken out of the game. It is the slow plonkers that will be gone.
Hawks are the fastest ball moving side going around yet they run with a midfield of hard inside players like Newcombe , Worpel (now gone) , Day , McKenzie , D'Ambrosio etc who are not quick but have either footy IQ or skill.

Setterfield was still effective enough for us this year.

The thing is players with good footy IQ can still play the game. Pendlebury. Sidebottom.Libba.Rowell.Dunkley. etc.

I like Gilj. He is a very good fit for us. I think we should 100% be looking at him if he is available. If Richmond take Robey and X Taylor then we should be taking one of Sharp / Cuming and Grilj. Hopefully we get 9 and cab take Farrow as well.

We certainly do need to add some speed but this whole the game has changed, is changing, so much that inside ball winners are dinosaurs is not an accurate read IMO.

Taking a look at the SANFL that have played the last touch rule for a while now, the likes of Snelling have still dominated. Players with a decent footy brain have no issues even if they are just average pace wise.

Inside ball winners aren't obsolete, they just need to be something more than an inside ball winner. Which Hobbs wasn't, and Tsatas will need to become if he wants to stay on the list.

A Greg Williams or Tom Mitchell that can win it on the inside and handball it out would struggle in today's game if they couldn't offer more than that. A player like Liberatore is still valuable because he has an exceptional work ethic to stay involved around the ground and on the outside, and will scrap and win the ball on the inside to allow Bontempelli and Richards to get it on the outside.

Rowbottom facilitates Gulden and Warner. Dunkley facilitates Neale (though he's also very strong on the inside anyway) and McCluggage / Ashcroft. Rowell's inside work complements Anderson and Miller. GWS run the big classy brutes in Green and Callaghan. Melbourne had three strong inside players in Viney, Petracca and Oliver when they won their premiership.

Even though the game is more mobile than ever, and players that can impact on the outside are highly important, you still need to get the ball there. You still need a guy or guys that can go toe-to-toe with a Rowell, or a Tom Green, or a Petracca / Dangerfield / Dusty type in big games, hell we don't even have an answer for Liberatore either.

 

[doug85]

Cal says we are speaking to Latrelle Pickett today and we’re a chance to take him at 9.

Not unhappy with that

 

[FootyGuru]

Inside ball winners aren't obsolete, they just need to be something more than an inside ball winner. Which Hobbs wasn't, and Tsatas will need to become if he wants to stay on the list.

A Greg Williams or Tom Mitchell that can win it on the inside and handball it out would struggle in today's game if they couldn't offer more than that. A player like Liberatore is still valuable because he has an exceptional work ethic to stay involved around the ground and on the outside, and will scrap and win the ball on the inside to allow Bontempelli and Richards to get it on the outside.

Rowbottom facilitates Gulden and Warner. Dunkley facilitates Neale (though he's also very strong on the inside anyway) and McCluggage / Ashcroft. Rowell's inside work complements Anderson and Miller. GWS run the big classy brutes in Green and Callaghan. Melbourne had three strong inside players in Viney, Petracca and Oliver when they won their premiership.

Even though the game is more mobile than ever, and players that can impact on the outside are highly important, you still need to get the ball there. You still need a guy or guys that can go toe-to-toe with a Rowell, or a Tom Green, or a Petracca / Dangerfield / Dusty type in big games, hell we don't even have an answer for Liberatore either.

Agree the pure inside mid isn’t dead, but the midfield combination needs to be right. There can be at best one only pure inside midfielder in each side, and they generally need to be elite at it. Similarly to the names you mentioned.
I have seen people say sharp wont be a superstar, but will be a consistent afl player, but we kind of need him to be a star inside mid if we draft him to fill that role.

If you don’t spread well you need to be elite in close and have a defensive side. For you to have a weak defensive side you need to be in the top few clearances players in the comp to attract the oppo mid to you.

Alongside this player you want a combination of both inside/outside mids and those who can play in other positions.

If we are to draft sharp, to me it would put an end to tsatas career, it would also mean sharp would need to get to a grade level, otherwise, we will always be trying to upgrade his position. Sharp isn’t huge either, so think about the players he will be relied upon to contain.

From what I’ve seen he can play forward at a pinch, but will need to use his smarts rather than athleticism to be truly useful in this role.

All this said I’m not opposed to drafting sharp, just think we need to be very smart about the future midfield combination.

From what I have seen he has been the best player in this draft year.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Would rather Dov over Latrelle

 

[Seagrave_Holmes]

Missing out on both Robey and Cumming would be one of the worst scenarios.