List Mgmt. 2025 AFL Draft - Draft Analysis

[KrispyKreme]

Geez people talking red flags and attitude for kids is a bit rich.
Same thing could of been said about HArmstrong this time last year, and he goes alright.

Not sold on Armstrong yet

 

[Tigerbob]

"it’s not the way they operate to take a kid like that."

go on?

Data led decisioning. Still a lot of questions on him because the data is raw. We generally spend a lot of time to make sure our decisionings are sound and proven. That’s all I mean. From what I hear he’s a good kid.

 

[We are back baby!]

The more I sit back and look at this I think we did take best available at our picks or atleast players with the highest upside.
We took the 2nd best midfielder Cumming in this yrs draft (sharp the best) however based on athletic traits and fwd craft has the ability to easily be the best mid in the draft. It's similar with Grlj his athleticism and disposal probably puts him at one of the next highest upside players.

Last season Cumming as purely an inside mid was better than Sharp averaging 27d and 1 goal per game to take out the SANFL U18 MVP as a bottom age player. This year Sam spent a lot of time learning the high half forward role to great effect.

That is the is so good about our selections of midfielders that can win their own ball over the last 2 seasons .... all of them can play in other positions.

Lalor and Cumming - Forward
Retscko and Smilie - Wing
Grjl - Half Back
Hotton - Anywhere

So, for example, if we named Taranto, Hopper and KMac in the guts, we could put a side on the park effectively with nine midfielders. Exciting times ahead!

 

[Coach_Required]

Im not 100% sure we will match Kellaway if bid comes and we are needing points. Thats up in the air. But im hopeful we can add him.

Rh’s comment of getting our man no matter what the other clubs do tends to lean into a Kickett type but **** we’ve done a lot of work on Phillipou I can’t see us passing him if he’s there. Would shock me.

I reckon we won't match but i also reckon no bids will come.

 

[T4P]

I reckon we won't match but i also reckon no bids will come.

agree

 

[Calcium Man]

Last season Cumming as purely an inside mid was better than Sharp averaging 27d and 1 goal per game to take out the SANFL U18 MVP as a bottom age player. This year Sam spent a lot of time learning the high half forward role to great effect.

That is the is so good about our selections of midfielders that can win their own ball over the last 2 seasons .... all of them can play in other positions.

Lalor and Cumming - Forward
Retscko and Smilie - Wing
Grjl - Half Back
Hotton - Anywhere

So, for example, if we named Taranto, Hopper and KMac in the guts, we could put a side on the park effectively with nine midfielders. Exciting times ahead!

Sharp played seniors sanfl last year for 2nd half of season.

 

[KrispyKreme]

I get the need for academies but Gold coast picked up what 4 top 20 picks? That's just crap, league is compromised enough and the AFL talk about equalisation. It's a joke, hell we even had a team tell the AFL they arent travelling in the opening round next year and allowed it LOL

Just means Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell are up for grabs along with Max King is the way I see it

 

[sanaya]

I think having Gibcus, Trainor and Gray would of played a part in not selecting XT as well.
I think Gray will be a gun btw.

not to mention tom brown as well who is probably the more direct comparison

 

[Maurice Mitchell]

Get the dual screen going, mute Fox and listen to afl site.

Did exactly the same

 

[We are back baby!]

Sharp played seniors sanfl last year for 2nd half of season.

Probably get over the whole Sharp thing. He plays for Essendon now

I am so glad because and I can't see how he is any different to Jack Steele or Jy Simpkin ... Captain's that their teams don't want in their midfield beacuse they are too slow ... and Essendon brought in 3 of these big bodied glaciers

 

[Infamy]

Just on the whole bidding system and how 'unfair' it is. I'd just like to point out that for the Suns to be able to match the bids they had for Uwland Patterson Murray & Addinsall, they traded out the likes of Lukosius Atkins Flanders Ainsworth Fiorini & Budarick to allow them to acquire the picks they needed to match those bids, so it's not like they aren't losing talent to acquire talent. The Lions gave up Starcevich to gain the picks they needed to get Annable, while Carlton were only in position to match Dean because they opted to let TDK depart for a compo pick and traded out Curnow for multiple R1 picks that will allow them to also match Walker next year.

So to say that the system is broken is IMO the wrong take. It's not ideal that a side that finished 2nd last ended up with the 7th best player in the draft on rankings, but the clubs that got in before us to pick up players didn't get them for free, they paid a hefty price to do so.

The system would be broken if those clubs were able to keep all those players they lost and then still land the top end talents, but they haven't and it's not much different to us last year losing a heap of experienced talent that allowed us to acquire the extra 6 R1 talents that we did last year and the extra R1 talent that we got this year.

I tend to agree with you, however a single elite player can have a huge flow on effect to a team and by constantly shutting out the lowest teams from the absolute top talent, it skews things far too much. It's disappointing that they didn't shut out the Top 10 from matching bids. This would still give the academies a huge leg up and motivation to invest in them, however it doesn't stop the teams that don't make the finals from rebuilding. That was the entire point of the draft and now it's far too compromised. Alternatively, to match a Top 10 pick, you need to have an existing pick no more than 4-5 places from where the bid is made.

 

[SouthernStripes]

Sounds like both the lads we took are hard at it and won’t shy away from a contest. I like that a lot

 

[_RT_]

Nah system is broken as gcs just let go talent they have seen and get in new high rated talent that could and probably will be even better.
Tigers can't do this as WE DONT HAVE A TALENT FACTORY AVAILABLE-SO IN ESSENCE UNFAIR.
3 OF TOP 6 WENT TO PREMIERS AND FINALIST AND ALL 3 LOOK SPECTACULAR.

But we did let go of talent that we'd seen and brought in new high rated talent that could and probably will be better. That's the way the system works. To acquire top end picks to get top end talents you need to trade out top end talent or bad luck you miss out.

 

[_RT_]

I tend to agree with you, however a single elite player can have a huge flow on effect to a team and by constantly shutting out the lowest teams from the absolute top talent, it skews things far too much. It's disappointing that they didn't shut out the Top 10 from matching bids. This would still give the academies a huge leg up and motivation to invest in them, however it doesn't stop the teams that don't make the finals from rebuilding. That was the entire point of the draft and now it's far too compromised. Alternatively, to match a Top 10 pick, you need to have an existing pick no more than 4-5 places from where the bid is made.

I believe that will be something that will be looked at for the next tightening of the bidding rules.

 

[SA_Tiger11]

Mods, ban Robey chat plz

 

[LTT]

It’s getting fixed for 2026. Rumour is you can only use 2 x picks to match a bid, and 10% discount gone. So for Carlton to match Walker at #1, they’d need something like 2 and 17. Or 5 and 7.

So the days of stockpiling loads of picks in the 20’s and 30’s to match will be gone, and there’ll be lots more non-matching of bids, and if a bid is matched, teams will pay full freight.

The good thing is this will heck up the Blues and Port next year, then the Bombers with Bewick in 2-years.

I know Walker said he will nominate for Carlton but will he? Carlton could get flogged in the majority of games next year. Their entire forward line is McKay and rubbish. Most of their best players will be gone in a few years. If Walker was my son, I wouldn't be pushing him to hard toward a club that will be irrelevant for the next 6 years.

 

[tigerfan1961]

Im not 100% sure we will match Kellaway if bid comes and we are needing points. Thats up in the air. But im hopeful we can add him.

Rh’s comment of getting our man no matter what the other clubs do tends to lean into a Kickett type but **** we’ve done a lot of work on Phillipou I can’t see us passing him if he’s there. Would shock me.

Really appreciate your reply and you sharing the information you’ve gleaned. Hope things pan out how the club expects.

 

[Lsta062]

Yes delighted. Grilj is someone I wanted since August. He just presents so well and his unique blend of speed and endurance makes him something special. Also his character. He’s tough and has a will to win and drive to succeed. Those guys don’t fail. Cumming was a great selection and speaking to a few clubs he’s one that was ranked very high. Again, character and his will to succeed you can see what Richmond are doing and not just mouthing the words Richmond men, but delivering them.

Add to that draft class last year, competitors, driven individuals, clubs in a great place. The added bonus of these two is power athletic profiles.

How is his decision-making and performance under pressure?

In the lead up to this draft, someone mentioned composure was an issue for him, but I don’t know if that’s the case. What do you think about that side of his game?

 

[THE THIN MAN]

Night two preview: Roos eye tall defender, more bids expected - https://www.afl.com.au/news/1455117

 

[tigs2010]

Rh’s comment of getting our man no matter what the other clubs do tends to lean into a Kickett type but **** we’ve done a lot of work on Phillipou I can’t see us passing him if he’s there. Would shock me.

I reckon his comment may have been more along the lines of there are still good players left plus they probably have fair idea who takes who. Isn't there full disclosure around player interviews which is crazy hahaha.

 

[KrispyKreme]

I know we wanted speed but isn’t it just faster to kick the ball lol

 

[_RT_]

We lost 3 of our top 5 in the 2024 B&F to get picks 7, 12, 14 and 21.

None of the players GC lost finished even in the top ten of their B&F this year, and they end up with picks 2, 5, 17 and 18.

Don't try to say they're similar. It's not even close.

It's like if we traded out Graham, Ross, Mansell and Young to get the same return as last year.*
*exaggeration

They still lost players that were regarded as members of the best 23:
Ainsworth played 24 games in 2025
Flanders 23 in 2025
Budarick 19 in 2025
Fiorini 18 in 2025
Lukosius 21 in 2024

All of which allowed them to gather the picks they needed to have enough points to end up with those academy players.

Whether we like it or not the Suns aren't cheating the system IMO, they are paying a hefty price to get access to these academy kids who if not for the Suns Academy wouldn't be playing AFL at all.

 

[SMILLIE]

St Kilda isn’t due to enter the draft until Pick 40. The Saints had been linked to a move into the first round for Jevan Phillipou — the brother of young gun Saint Matteas Phillipou — in recent weeks, but now might have him land in their lap without having to move up the order. Although Richmond has put work into the Woodville-West Torrens prospect.

Swan Districts small forward Leon Kickett — a late national combine invitee — is a good chance to be picked up in the second round, with Richmond strongly linked along with Fremantle, Carlton and Geelong. A 173cm prospect, Pickett plays with great energy and life, while his speed an elusiveness is eye-catching.

Late Mail: Trio firm for first pick; early trade alert as tricky night looms — AFL Draft LIVE

Late Mail: Trio firm for first pick; early trade alert as tricky night looms — AFL Draft LIVE

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[ShereKhan]

In Cal Twomey's draft rankings on August 27th, Robey was not in his top-30. Robey played his last game for the year on Sept 20th. Yes, his 40 and 3 game was after August 27th, but let's not panic just yet that we've missed a Bontempelli/Dusty clone.

Also, let's put the 2024 (top-30) and 2025 (top-31) drafts together instead of analysing them in isolation....so we've got 10 x picks across 61 x players - and it's generally accepted that in the open draft, only Duursma and CDT would've been locks for a first round pick in 2024, so our picks 7 & 8 would come early second round in a combined list.

So for our 10 x picks it would be:

Lalor
Smillie
Hotton
Faull
*** (2025)
Trainor
*** (2025)
Armstrong
Sims
*** (2025)

So picks 5 and 7 is where we took Cumming and Grjl.....

Having secured Lalor and Smillie, and already having TT, Hopper and McCauliffe, would it have made any sense to secure another hulking mid-fwd in Robey? Or a slow clearance beast in Sharp? Or an intercept defender in Taylor having secured Trainor, got Gibcus back on the park, seen Brown become a best-23 lock and confirmed Balta is going to play permanent defence?

Or would it have made perfect sense to secure elite midfield speed, endurance and defensive intent via Cumming and Grlj?

And if available, to complete a perfect mix, no reason we can't take Greeves (35 and 4 goals in an U18 PF, and touted top-15 for almost entire season). Or NHH or Poo (classy wingers). Or Emmett (potential #1 ruck).

The club has absolutely nailed it. Cumming and Grlj are exactly what we need, and at 7 & 8 not a reach at all in a draft regarded as pretty shallow.

Kudos Tigers for not getting caught up in the hype (as I was along with everyone else).

 

[From45SlightAngle]

St Kilda isn’t due to enter the draft until Pick 40. The Saints had been linked to a move into the first round for Jevan Phillipou — the brother of young gun Saint Matteas Phillipou — in recent weeks, but now might have him land in their lap without having to move up the order. Although Richmond has put work into the Woodville-West Torrens prospect.

Swan Districts small forward Leon Kickett — a late national combine invitee — is a good chance to be picked up in the second round, with Richmond strongly linked along with Fremantle, Carlton and Geelong. A 173cm prospect, Pickett plays with great energy and life, while his speed an elusiveness is eye-catching.

Late Mail: Trio firm for first pick; early trade alert as tricky night looms — AFL Draft LIVE

Late Mail: Trio firm for first pick; early trade alert as tricky night looms — AFL Draft LIVE

www.foxsports.com.au

Can we afford to have identical types in Kickett and MRJ in the same forward line?

45 /