Player Watch 2025 AFL Draft Thread (Welcome to our new Central Districts overlords!)

[HairyO]

Absolute rubbish

Yet before trade week literally all of the discussions were around how we had to recruit a top midfielder. Then when that failed all of the discussions for draft night were how we had to draft a top midfielder. Because to not do this meant we couldnt get better next year and be able to beat Geelong and Brisbane and GCS.

Now that neither of these things happened it clearly looks like the revisionists are starting their thing.

Meanwhile GCS just picked up 4 top 20 picks and Brisbane picked up a top 10 pick.

 

[killerspud]

We're a club looking to trade in established stars . Could've had two firsts next year. Great starting point for a Humphrey or Walsh. We do lack some genuine star quality in the middle.

Will Day and Jai Newcombe say konichiwa

 

[I got the outside word]

On Nairn, from the highlights I watched, I don’t think the clubs sees him as a Gunston replacement but a link up wingman. Has speed good awareness and a nice leg on him!

Can mark too.

 

[Coburghawk]

Super Sleepy goes ballistic; Bombers are atrocious.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Love the upside in these 2 boys.. Schubert was 10 days off next years draft class (born 21/12) and Nairn only moved up the ground late in the year.. to get a couple of F2s will help us at the trade table.. although the rules will slightly change again next year with only matching bids using 2 picks, our recruiting team knows what's going on

I wonder where we rated Schubert on our board? It seems like he was a BPA that was too good to pass up on.

I think MM did a great job given no ready-to-play midfield options available (once Sharp and Dovaston were gone) to us. Drafting two high-upside players whilst also accumulating two F2's was good work.

 

[hr_23]

We trade out similar calibre players (Worpel, CJ, Serong) and get a bag of chips, they trade out their surplus players and have the capital to bring in Petracca, and four first round draft picks, two of which are top 5.. The system is a complete debacle. Turns me off the game TBH…

They got a FF last year for trading Lukosis.. not their fault Port were stupid enough to give it to them

 

[hr_23]

Rumor is the Kitchen at Dingley has already ran out of Fritz, Pie Floaters & Farmers Union Iced Coffee

 

[Books]

You want them to release a 2026 draft order four months out from rhe 2026 season even beginning?

It should be safe to assume the AFL will have an accurate record of every future pick that has been traded.
It is not unreasonable to expect them to make that public, so the fans can keep track.

 

[extractasam]

They got a FF last year for trading Lukosis.. not their fault Port were stupid enough to give it to them

And pick 7 for Flanders or whatever it ended up being.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Rumor is the Kitchen at Dingley has already ran out of Fritz, Pie Floaters & Farmers Union Iced Coffee

Beef schnitzels back on the menu.

 

[Harper_Hawk]

I like the way Hawks trade and draft in this current climate and whose coaching and running the club. I have more trust now in the process and outcome with Mitchell and McKenzie at the helm. Its adventurous and risky, BUT always an eye for the future with what assets we currently have. I was anxious that we didn't draft a midfielder...but there could be many factors that we didn't and one being our desired player was gone very early. We then took two kids who were the best or one of the best in their position.
I think a mature aged midfielder will be picked up post draft to help the midfield group. Its about pieces of the puzzle.

 

[SunshineHawkCal]

Happy Oudshoorn-Bennier Day!!

 

[FB19]

Yet before trade week literally all of the discussions were around how we had to recruit a top midfielder. Then when that failed all of the discussions for draft night were how we had to draft a top midfielder. Because to not do this meant we couldnt get better next year and be able to beat Geelong and Brisbane and GCS.

Now that neither of these things happened it clearly looks like the revisionists are starting their thing.

Meanwhile GCS just picked up 4 top 20 picks and Brisbane picked up a top 10 pick.

You are conflating 2 things. Yes we need an elite midfielder from somewhere. We tried via the most suitable avenue which is trade and free agency and failed. That requirement cannot be solved via the draft for immediate and significant impact unless you have an early pick and a generational player like Reid or Daicos is available. It’s a total exception to the rule, even Levi Ashcroft (who was most people’s pick 1 despite going later) was a role player in the flag.
Drafting is for future proofing the list not contending now. The club have done great work to get 2 high upside talents and add significant future draft capital. That’s exactly what you are meant to do at the draft. It won’t help us contend in 2026 but it’s not meant to and almost never does.

 

[danielG]

They got a FF last year for trading Lukosis.. not their fault Port were stupid enough to give it to them

Fair point… That was used for Petracca.. Good luck to them on that.. How did they afford the rest? By cobbling up some mediocre players for third rounders and combining the points for elite academy talent. Yet when a half way decent contracted player wants to leave (Humphrey), it’s a crime against humanity…
Shocking system. Needs changing.. In typical AFL fashion three years too late.

 

[hawkinoz]

It should be safe to assume the AFL will have an accurate record of every future pick that has been traded.
It is not unreasonable to expect them to make that public, so the fans can keep track.

I am ok with dunking on AFL house but they do have it recorded clearly now.

AFL Draft - AFL.com.au

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

www.afl.com.au

they have even updated the picks that were traded yday.

Hawks Future picks listed here

2025	2026	2027
10 (Carl pick swap)	R1 pick	R1 pick
22 (Carl pick swap)	R2 pick	R2 pick
59 (tied to WC)	R2 pick (tied to GWS)	R3 pick
66	R2 pick (received from WC, tied to StK)	R4 pick
	R3 pick (tied to Syd)
	R4 (tied to Melb)

Looking at which top 8 team could trade for any of the Blues or Eagles or Pies picks( assuming they are forced to when a bid comes), most of them have a R2 and also have better picks than us they can bundle up to match on points scale.

So quite likely we are just picking at 52(45ish in reality).. at best bundle 52+59 to move up a few spots and then with last pick in draft pick Blanck up.

 

[westhawk]

Congratulations to Essendon for winning the 2025 AFL Draft Premiership.

That is 40 draft premierships in a row.

They will bring out a draft highlights dvd soon, showcasing where talent goes to die.

 

[stevehawkington]

I am ok with dunking on AFL house but they do have it recorded clearly now.

AFL Draft - AFL.com.au

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

www.afl.com.au

they have even updated the picks that were traded yday.

Hawks Future picks listed here

2025	2026	2027
10 (Carl pick swap)	R1 pick	R1 pick
22 (Carl pick swap)	R2 pick	R2 pick
59 (tied to WC)	R2 pick (tied to GWS)	R3 pick
66	R2 pick (received from WC, tied to StK)	R4 pick
	R3 pick (tied to Syd)
	R4 (tied to Melb)

Looking at which top 8 team could trade for any of the Blues or Eagles or Pies picks( assuming they are forced to when a bid comes), most of them have a R2 and also have better picks than us they can bundle up to match on points scale.

So quite likely we are just picking at 52(45ish in reality).. at best bundle 52+59 to move up a few spots and then with last pick in draft pick Blanck up.

So.. death riding carlton once again?

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Rumor is the Kitchen at Dingley has already ran out of Fritz, Pie Floaters & Farmers Union Iced Coffee

Fridge stocked with red cans

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Yet before trade week literally all of the discussions were around how we had to recruit a top midfielder. Then when that failed all of the discussions for draft night were how we had to draft a top midfielder. Because to not do this meant we couldnt get better next year and be able to beat Geelong and Brisbane and GCS.

Now that neither of these things happened it clearly looks like the revisionists are starting their thing.

Meanwhile GCS just picked up 4 top 20 picks and Brisbane picked up a top 10 pick.

So explain how not getting a midfielder stalls all potential avenues of improvement

 

[hr_23]

Fridge stocked with red cans

Cooper's red of course

 

[butlers hawks]

I am ok with dunking on AFL house but they do have it recorded clearly now.

AFL Draft - AFL.com.au

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

www.afl.com.au

they have even updated the picks that were traded yday.

Hawks Future picks listed here

2025	2026	2027
10 (Carl pick swap)	R1 pick	R1 pick
22 (Carl pick swap)	R2 pick	R2 pick
59 (tied to WC)	R2 pick (tied to GWS)	R3 pick
66	R2 pick (received from WC, tied to StK)	R4 pick
	R3 pick (tied to Syd)
	R4 (tied to Melb)

Looking at which top 8 team could trade for any of the Blues or Eagles or Pies picks( assuming they are forced to when a bid comes), most of them have a R2 and also have better picks than us they can bundle up to match on points scale.

So quite likely we are just picking at 52(45ish in reality).. at best bundle 52+59 to move up a few spots and then with last pick in draft pick Blanck up.

at that point you are looking at a team who is simply done and wanting out to take the picks instead of passing as those picks currently have a combined value of 42 points (59 has no points at all)

there are still some prospects that could get bids obviously to pull them in a bit. In a way Hawks now would be hoping Carlton can get pick 28 done before the Ison bid as it will eat some picks if it does but if it is before 28 it wont help Hawthorn moving in much at all

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Cooper's red of course

That stuff will destroy you after a couple

 

[burger09]

Going into this off season desperate for gun mids and coming out with none is a fail no matter how we spin it.

IF Nairn and Schubert turn out to be gun players then our 2025 off season can be salvaged from the ashes. (I'm optimistic they could be in time)

If they don't and Sharp is then it gets even worse.

Sorry, but that's just facts.

 

[Mercy Seat]

I like the way Hawks trade and draft in this current climate and whose coaching and running the club. I have more trust now in the process and outcome with Mitchell and McKenzie at the helm. Its adventurous and risky, BUT always an eye for the future with what assets we currently have. I was anxious that we didn't draft a midfielder...but there could be many factors that we didn't and one being our desired player was gone very early. We then took two kids who were the best or one of the best in their position.
I think a mature aged midfielder will be picked up post draft to help the midfield group. Its about pieces of the puzzle.

I think we've made calculated gambles to Zag when others are Zigging and it's paid off. We have limited assets, and generally have for a long time. Little in the way of top draft picks, no established players looking for trades, etc, and what MM has done well is create opportunities to push what we do have as far as possible.

Our list still has holes, and the trade period was a real disappointment to everyone at the club, but we've managed to punch above our weight with what we've had to work with.

 

[To the Hawk]

Yet before trade week literally all of the discussions were around how we had to recruit a top midfielder. Then when that failed all of the discussions for draft night were how we had to draft a top midfielder. Because to not do this meant we couldnt get better next year and be able to beat Geelong and Brisbane and GCS.

Now that neither of these things happened it clearly looks like the revisionists are starting their thing.

Meanwhile GCS just picked up 4 top 20 picks and Brisbane picked up a top 10 pick.

Wild.

Who on earth was the top midfielder that was ever supposedly going to be available for us to take?

Grlj? Maybe, but he's a project mid who was poor in the champs as a midfielder. He will play half-back.

Farrow remains a project mid given he's played at half-back. No proof at all he makes it as a mid let alone in 2026 lol

I'm not sure which 18 year old kid in a pretty weak draft you expected to come in and dramatically increase our chances in 2026 or even 2027 was?

We've added seriously high potential players that will develop and ensure our window isn't short. We've got an incrediblly long window. People forget the lions took years of falling short in finals to become the team they are today. Hell, we took from 2009 to 2013 to get another flag by adding bits each year to the core.

If worried about 2026, our improvement comes from Day. Newcombe still improving. Watson, Weddle, Dear, D'Ambrosio, Ward, Mackenzie, Ginni, Butler and MacDonald all not even near their prime yet.

Sicily not being banged up most of the year and Moorey getting back to just being a high half forward. A full year of Mitch Lewis.