Academy Rorts - The 2025 Draft Thread

[Comeback Lions]

Article has been updated:

I haven’t been following, are we a chance to take 2 live picks at the draft after Annable?

Yes, 2 live picks after Annable and 2 rookie upgrades, Lester and McKenna.

 

[Elixuh]

To be fair, previously the'yd probably have been "power rankings" rather than a mock draft.

I’ve never been one for fairness.

Most of the ‘power rankings’ had the academy players as 1 to 5. While not impossible I find that hard to believe.

 

[Perrip]

AFL Draft 2025: 54 picks, bidding drama in ESPN's final, full phantom draft

6. BID: Brisbane - Dan Annable
41. Brisbane - Talor Byrne
GWV Rebels/Vic Country
FWD/MID, 174cm
Clubs have expressed interest in Byrne earlier than this mark. A powerful midfielder-turned-forward, he's balanced through contact and brings strong goal nous.
In the mix: The Lions are assessing where bids will land for their later academy talents, but look set to grab a couple open pool players in addition. Riley Onley and Matt LeRay have been linked.

45. Brisbane - Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier
North Adelaide/South Australia
MID, 181cm
Oudshoorn-Bennier has some special traits in his power and ball use. He's quick from hand to foot and executes skills under pressure impressively, and could end up higher than this given some clubs rate him inside the top 30.

47. Brisbane - Tye Prindable
Lions Academy/Allies
FWD/MID, 181cm
If no bid comes for Prindable the Lions may just select him with their final pick given the rookie opportunities for Isaac Waller and Harrison Bridge. A step up to VFL for Brisbane turned heads, with Prindable winning his own contested ball and hurting the opposition off a forward flank.
In the mix: Clubs suggest Brisbane is most likely to add Prindable through the national draft out of their club-tied talent after Annable.

 

[briztoon]

I’ve never been one for fairness.

Most of the ‘power rankings’ had the academy players as 1 to 5. While not impossible I find that hard to believe.

Uwland and Annable came in to the year rated as top 5 prospects.

Patterson moved in to top 5 calculations after the championships.

The only thing seeing Annable not getting a bid top 5, is West Coast rumoured to be bidding early on Carlton’s father son, to completely wipe Carlton out of the top 40, where WC have 5 picks.

 

[Tom14]

AFL Draft 2025: 54 picks, bidding drama in ESPN's final, full phantom draft

Looks like I’ll at least be able to say that we’ve never had a top 5 academy pick.

I’m leaving this draft with something.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I’ve never been one for fairness.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

AFL Draft 2025: 54 picks, bidding drama in ESPN's final, full phantom draft

Me likey. Talor Byrne is my favourite prospect that might be available to us, he plays a bit like a younger Kai Lohmann. Probably doesn't become as good as Kai, but we can always use an understudy in case of injury.

 

[briztoon]

Conole on Gettable this morning, when asked who he rated as the number one pick/kid, said Zeke Uwland from GC.

 

[Viceregal]

Just searched to see when the draft was (had no idea but was wondering how long the conversations would be going for) ... oh tomorrow (and the day after) ... not long to go now

 

[Elixuh]

Just searched to see when the draft was (had no idea but was wondering how long the conversations would be going for) ... oh tomorrow (and the day after) ... not long to go now

Yes, I barely get any sleep on Rortmas eve. I get so excited.

 

[Section 5]

Phantom draft from Twomey, Fox and ESPN have the top 6 all in the same order.
Would be good if Annable slipped to 7
Twomey gets another 2 goes at it before the draft starts, not sure about the others.

That being: 1 Duursma, 2 Uwland, 3 Dean, 4 Duff-Tytler, 5 Patterson, 6 Annable

Then
Twomey: 7 Robey, 8 Taylor, 9 Cumming 10 Sharp
Fox......: 7 Robey, 8 Cumming, 9 Sharp, 10 Farrow
ESPN...: Robey, 8 Taylor, 9 Cumming, 10 Sharp

 

[Perrip]

Phantom Draft: Every pick, bid predicted for the first round of the 2025 AFL Draft - Chris Cavanagh and Dan Batten

Pick 6: Annable
At least one club has Annable at No.1 on their draft board, so highly is he rated not only from a playing perspective but also from a leadership point of view. The Tigers have conducted home visits with both Patterson and Annable and are ready to bid. But the Lions have long known this was coming and are ready to match on their Academy ace, who is incredibly consistent, works hard and is dynamic around clearances.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Naive question, why wouldn't WCE bid on all of the top academy/ father son with their first picks? There is a chance that they could get one of these players, who by all accounts would be picked at these picks anyway.

 

[rye]

Naive question, why wouldn't WCE bid on all of the top academy/ father son with their first picks? There is a chance that they couod get one of these players, who by all accounts would be picked at these picks anyway.

they wouldnt want to waste the privilege of using pick 1 on checks notes a duursma

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Noah Roberts-Thompson:

https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/noah-roberts-thomson/






Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier:

Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier Draft Profile

North Adelaide midfielder Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier is a classy operator with quick feet and penetrative kicking skills.

central.rookieme.com

Highlight scouting never gives you the full picture, but going by the videos, I came away more impressed with Roberts-Thomson than with Oudshoorn-Bennier.

NRT has better speed, better decision making and better disposal. He also shows the ability to go forward and kick goals, which is useful in a side where the midfield is already stacked so there are few opportunities for young inside mids. And he finished #6 overall at the national combine at both the speed and agility tests.

BOB isn't a bad prospect by any stretch, he's impressive at dealing with pressure, grabbing clearances and dishing it out by hand. He knows how to remain calm and get his way out of trouble. But what gives me pause is his ability to hit targets with his kick, I feel like in his highlight reels he was regularly missing his team mates when kicking beyond a short distance. I'm not sure he's that adaptable to either the forward line or back line either.

If we have the choice between the two, I hope we go NRT.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Finnegan Davis or Balyn O'Brien.

I'm not wedded to our academy kids in the ND.

What are your thoughts on drafting Matt LeRay to mould into a Starcevich replacement? He doesn't have Starce's level of speed but seems very good at intercept marking and pressure.

 

[briztoon]

Naive question, why wouldn't WCE bid on all of the top academy/ father son with their first picks? There is a chance that they couod get one of these players, who by all accounts would be picked at these picks anyway.

West Coast have a few nga kids in the next few drafts. Don’t want to completely set yourself up for revenge bids.

That and WC do want to make the kids they actually select feel loved.

 

[briztoon]

What are your thoughts on drafting Matt LeRay to mould into a Starcevich replacement? He doesn't have Starce's level of speed but seems very good at intercept marking and pressure.

I haven’t really followed this draft class to know many kids, so can’t really give an opinion on most kids.

But I will reserve the right to melt on night two, when we pick some random kid in the 40’s.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Naive question, why wouldn't WCE bid on all of the top academy/ father son with their first picks? There is a chance that they couod get one of these players, who by all accounts would be picked at these picks anyway.

They wouldn't because they don't rate them that highly

Plus, go home factor

 

[Tom14]

Naive question, why wouldn't WCE bid on all of the top academy/ father son with their first picks? There is a chance that they couod get one of these players, who by all accounts would be picked at these picks anyway.

Good question, a mystery to me. I certainly can’t think of a single reason why they wouldn’t bid on lions academy players!

 

[Crusha]

Stephen Conole will be on Gettable Draft Countdown tomorrow 8:30am AEST, 9:30am AEST.

Conole on Gettable this morning, when asked who he rated as the number one pick/kid, said Zeke Uwland from GC.

Link for those wanting to hear the full discussion

 

[T Rick]

Link for those wanting to hear the full discussion

Thanks for doing that Crusha...

 

[Saucery]

Yes, I barely get any sleep on Rortmas eve. I get so excited.

Here's some Rortmas music to sooth you to sleep.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Good question, a mystery to me. I certainly can’t think of a single reason why they wouldn’t bid on lions academy players!

Yes, I understand why they might not pick a Lions player. However, there is also Dean (Carlton) and the two highly ranked Suns players. Anyway, we will find out later I suppose...

 

[irel]

I haven’t really followed this draft class to know many kids, so can’t really give an opinion on most kids.

But I will reserve the right to melt on night two, when we pick some random kid in the 40’s.

If they don’t have a YouTube highlights reel, your meltdown is fully justified. That’s just the rule.