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Resource 2025 AFL Draft prospects and discussion.

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Poor Lachie Neale might as well hang up his boots now.

Not to say McGuane is the next Neale, just that there is a whole lot of mayo applied to this complaint.

There is a difference between a Lachie Neale physique and a Patty Parnell. They may be about the same height, but only one is equipped to be able to play majority game time as an inside midfielder. I thought the implication from the poster was that McGuane has traits that suggest he won’t fill out.
 
SSP players with size or speed usually have significant flaws, like disposal or footy IQ.

There's no point taking another Ronin O'Connor type (big but can't find the football) or an Anthony Wilson (fast but that was it)

I think the opposite. The last spot or 2 should be for the hail Mary’s. An Ollie Wines type that busts through packs but shins it forward or completely misses his hand when hand balling. A speedy guy that with good disposal that always runs to the wrong spots.

Fix the critical flaw and you’ve got a difference maker. Go the other way and you peak at depth to sit alongside your other 2-3 year in second and third rounders waiting for a handful of injuries. What’s the point?
 
2025 VFL averages for Zac Foot according to wheelo

24 disposals (14.5k, 9.5hb) at 79% DE, 60% KE
5.3 I50
27% Contested possession
2.7 clearances
7 marks
3.3 score involvements
3.2 tackles
28 goals in 21 games

Looks like a pretty damaging profile as an outside mid (although the kicking efficiency looks low).
Posted this yesterday. Thought the discrepancy between DE and KE looked weird especially because his kicking passes the eye test so did some sums - for it to work he’d need 108% handball efficiency so it just can’t be right.

Kicked 28.8 as well so doesn’t miss much.

This guy looks the goods I reckon.
 

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I am by no means saying he's slow.

I'm just saying that testing isn't always an indication of actual game speed.

Let's look at the 20m sprint which is what was being spoken about.

This is the top 10 according to google.

Fastest recorded times
Joel Wilkinson: 2.75 seconds (2010)
Jonathan Marsh: 2.78 seconds (2013)
Reef McInnes: 2.78 seconds (2020)
Danyle Pearce: 2.79 seconds (2004)
Ashley Smith: 2.80 seconds (2008)
Edward Allan: 2.81 seconds (2022)
Aiden O'Driscoll: 2.871 seconds (2023)
Max Holmes: 2.80 seconds (2020)
Liam Kolar: 2.87 seconds (2020)
Isiah Winder: 2.873 seconds (2020)

His 2.93 is fast, but not at the upper echelons of the sprint testing but I guarantee on field he will play much faster than most of the people in that top 10.

I don't know what the top 20 is, but I doubt he would be in that, but you'd swear he's one of the quickest players we've ever had.

Interestingly McLeod had the exact same 20m sprint time.

Mitch Stevens looks to have recorded a 2.885 and as previously mentioned I think McGuane has done a similar 2.938.

i just think the way you think on field has an influence in terms how quick you play which is supported by your god given abilities. Rankine wouldn't necessarily win a straight line race against the elite runners, but on a footy field you would absolutely fear his speed.
If he was 0.06 seconds faster he'd be in the top 10 of all time.

Thats 60 milliseconds. Like, a 16th of a second. At an olympic sprinters max speed (which those guys probably don't hit in only 20m?) we're talking somewhere in the realm of 20 centimeters ahead.

I don't know how they actually measure it, but just being unlucky in your stride, or sticking your hand out would easily double or triple that distance.

What are we talking about here? I'm not sure what we're arguing about. Rankine is fast as all hell.
How much does this even matter? What you really want is the Andrew McLeod, Charlie Cameron type movement. Insane acceleration for your first few steps, putting you out of arms reach.
 
I think the opposite. The last spot or 2 should be for the hail Mary’s. An Ollie Wines type that busts through packs but shins it forward or completely misses his hand when hand balling. A speedy guy that with good disposal that always runs to the wrong spots.

Fix the critical flaw and you’ve got a difference maker. Go the other way and you peak at depth to sit alongside your other 2-3 year in second and third rounders waiting for a handful of injuries. What’s the point?

I'd rather go the other way. Take the player with extreme football IQ and/or elite ball use that isn't quite at the modern physical profile of an AFL player. Maybe a bit short, seen as too slow, poor endurance, whatever.

Players with size or pace but have no footy IQ will never make it no matter how much time you put in.
 
I'd rather go the other way. Take the player with extreme football IQ and/or elite ball use that isn't quite at the modern physical profile of an AFL player. Maybe a bit short, seen as too slow, poor endurance, whatever.

Players with size or pace but have no footy IQ will never make it no matter how much time you put in.
There’s always a knock.

Wanganeen Milera was too outside, not contested enough. You need to be more than a wing.

Matt Roberts too slow not athletic enough.

Neale too small.

Good footballers are good footballers.
 
I'd rather go the other way. Take the player with extreme football IQ and/or elite ball use that isn't quite at the modern physical profile of an AFL player. Maybe a bit short, seen as too slow, poor endurance, whatever.

Players with size or pace but have no footy IQ will never make it no matter how much time you put in.
We've already got Taylor. ;)
 
We've already got Taylor. ;)
Except McGuanne is quite quick and is a very powerful runner. His 6.20 2km at the combine would put him quite high in our 2km run if he was to compete.
 
Except McGuanne is quite quick and is a very powerful runner. His 6.20 2km at the combine would put him quite high in our 2km run if he was to compete.
He would probably lap Taylor lol.

(I still like Zac though)
 
He would probably lap Taylor lol.

(I still like Zac though)
Well one things for sure if that footage Josh Money posted is any guide he's no shrinking violet and he wants to be on an AFL list real baaaad.
 

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"Having attempted to get up the ranks, the Crows' pick finally rolled around and they decided on forward Mitch Marsh, who edged out Archie Ludowyke for the spot (the Crows later landed on Ludowyke, who was surprisingly still available at pick 50 on night two)."

This might be the only time in draft history where "oh yeah, they were our second choice" is true for a pick ~25-30 players down the order.
 
If he was 0.06 seconds faster he'd be in the top 10 of all time.

Thats 60 milliseconds. Like, a 16th of a second. At an olympic sprinters max speed (which those guys probably don't hit in only 20m?) we're talking somewhere in the realm of 20 centimeters ahead.

I don't know how they actually measure it, but just being unlucky in your stride, or sticking your hand out would easily double or triple that distance.

What are we talking about here? I'm not sure what we're arguing about. Rankine is fast as all hell.
How much does this even matter? What you really want is the Andrew McLeod, Charlie Cameron type movement. Insane acceleration for your first few steps, putting you out of arms reach.
If you couple with reading the ball etc then with his pace he is extra fast and that is what he does.

Chayce Jones that doesnt have that anticipation / reading of the ball is not as fast as he is starting from nil
 
"Having attempted to get up the ranks, the Crows' pick finally rolled around and they decided on forward Mitch Marsh, who edged out Archie Ludowyke for the spot (the Crows later landed on Ludowyke, who was surprisingly still available at pick 50 on night two)."

This might be the only time in draft history where "oh yeah, they were our second choice" is true for a pick ~25-30 players down the order.
Yes. Actually, from inside the club (Edwards), it was openly stated to the players that Ludo was the very next in our talent order after Marsh. We did not believe that he slid to 50, LOL.
 

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Yes. Actually, from inside the club (Edwards), it was openly stated to the players that Ludo was the very next in our talent order after Marsh. We did not believe that he slid to 50, LOL.
I heard this and now it's been said publicly on the welcome draftees video my question is this.

Why did we bid on Max King, then?
 
I heard this and now it's been said publicly on the welcome draftees video my question is this.

Why did we bid on Max King, then?
Well there was absolutely no doubt the Swans were going to match at that point in the draft.
 

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Resource 2025 AFL Draft prospects and discussion.

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