List Mgmt. 2025 AFL Draft - November 19-20. Rookie draft: November 21.

[WanderingDude]

Yeah, it's by no means certain he'll get the spot.
It depends on whether Adelaide want a player for immediate impact, or for the long term.
The latter is most likely why Tom didn't get drafted, because he would take a fair while to be ready.

I like the idea of him signed onto our list next year. But we are down to 13 OOC players next year. This is very low.

 

[No SPIN]

He was higher than Sullivan Robey too. You're giving far too much weight to non-recruiter opinion from miles out from the draft.

No one is going to recruit him to play a stoppage role, so he was moved to wing/hhf in the second half of his final year and he didn't show enough in those roles to get picked. Hopefully for him he has an excellent preseason with Adelaide and gets himself a list spot and can develop his game for an AFL role.

My post was answering a question as to why I believed Tom had more upside than Saxena.

 

[No SPIN]

His form didn't drop off, he was shown to lack flexibility

His lack of flexibility was not a concern when he was highly ranked early in the year - so that’s why I think form was a greater issue especially against bigger bodies in the VFL.

 

[gouki88]

His lack of flexibility was not a concern when he was highly ranked early in the year - so that’s why I think form was a greater issue especially against bigger bodies in the VFL.

He was getting played out of the middle as soon as he was playing for VM and not playing in his weak Western Jets side. Not sure that supports your point

 

[WanderingDude]

He was getting played out of the middle as soon as he was playing for VM and not playing in his weak Western Jets side. Not sure that supports your point

There was negative comments about the VM coach not getting it right. Either hurting McGuane or helping us hide him.

 

[stormskye]

There was negative comments about the VM coach not getting it right. Either hurting McGuane or helping us hide him.

they came from the same poster that abused anyone who suggested Tom might not make it.

 

[JOELY]

Elite Footy IQ, endurance, Clean, disposal/decision maker.

I think you also decribed him as quick in another post as well. Sounds like he's an incredible player.

 

[sr36]

His lack of flexibility was not a concern when he was highly ranked early in the year - so that’s why I think form was a greater issue especially against bigger bodies in the VFL.

I just view it like an undersized ruck situation. Lots do really well around the ground at junior level, but get moved to a more AFL arelevant KPP role to be more draftable, as they are unlikely to succeed at stoppages in the AFL, and if they don't show enough in that KPP role they don't get drafted.

 

[Gone Critical]

His lack of flexibility was not a concern when he was highly ranked early in the year - so that’s why I think form was a greater issue especially against bigger bodies in the VFL.

The history of players moving up and down the rankings in their draft year has been going since day dot. What they do in their state games and the vfl, sanfl, wafl etc trumps early season TAC cup every year. You have no basis for saying this was form not class. Tom slid down the ladder, happens to many every year.

 

[Gone Critical]

The latter is most likely why Tom didn't get drafted, because he would take a fair while to be ready.

Disagree. Players, especially mediums and smalls, needing time to develop compared to others in their year is largely a myth. You will find the odd case but almost always the kid who is going to make it will play early and be ready for that step.

 

[VinnieB]

Where was McGuane in the draft calculations earlier in the year - very much higher than Saxena. Then he lost all form - form is temporary, talent is permanent.
The consensus is that Tom lacks the size to make it in the short term.

But I can point to so many kids rated even higher than Tom McGuane at the beginning of their draft year (and earlier), but interest in them waned during and end of the season.

If they were considered top 5-10 and slide dramatically, most, if not all, get cut.
Harry Lemney is a recent case in point.

I think any player commencing their draft year as a top 10 candidate, who slides to late 2nd or 3rd round (not to mention not being drafted at all) is a very strong chance to not make it. Maybe recruiters feel they don't have much more improvement in them, or their flaws begin to get exposed.

These guys are the easiest 'short' on the market!

 

[swoop42]

Thomas McGuane Draft Profile

Western Jets midfielder Thomas McGuane is a consistent accumulator with equal measures of footy IQ and running power.

central.rookieme.com

Against his peers in the U18 Coates Talent League he averaged 27.9 disposals in 2025.

Last year in his bottom aged season he gathered the most disposals overall.

Clearly he has no problem finding the ball.

Personally I'd suggest his footy IQ is probably higher than the likes of a Robey he just didn't gain the same benefit and advantage due to a massive growth spurt.

 

[Dtennent94]

Thomas McGuane Draft Profile

Western Jets midfielder Thomas McGuane is a consistent accumulator with equal measures of footy IQ and running power.

central.rookieme.com

Against his peers in the U18 Coates Talent League he averaged 27.9 disposals in 2025.

Last year in his bottom aged season he gathered the most disposals overall.

Clearly he has no problem finding the ball.

Personally I'd suggest his footy IQ is probably higher than the likes of a Robey he just didn't gain the same benefit and advantage due to a massive growth spurt.

He was also surrounded by spuds and he was being fed the ball.

 

[RobJD]

Thomas McGuane Draft Profile

Western Jets midfielder Thomas McGuane is a consistent accumulator with equal measures of footy IQ and running power.

central.rookieme.com

Against his peers in the U18 Coates Talent League he averaged 27.9 disposals in 2025.

Last year in his bottom aged season he gathered the most disposals overall.

Clearly he has no problem finding the ball.

Personally I'd suggest his footy IQ is probably higher than the likes of a Robey he just didn't gain the same benefit and advantage due to a massive growth spurt.

Draft sliders like Greeves, Onley, Burton, Hibbins-Hargreaves might indicate that there's more to U18 level performance than the number of disposals that a player can rake up . If you consider Duursma as a utility and Sam Grlj as a forward-mid, then I don't think there was a Victorian based mid-fielder selected within the first 35 ND selections of the ND.

 

[No SPIN]

I think you also decribed him as quick in another post as well. Sounds like he's an incredible player.

That wasn’t me - I think someone quoted his draft combine sprint result.
I suggest you look at his rookieme profile for his strengths.

 

[Chunky Steak]

I agree he’s not ready but that’s not the argument. The question is - given his very high footy IQ and other excellent traits, should we have taken him and put time into his physical development ie just like we will need to do with Saxena, who’s got a lower ceiling IMO.

I suspect if Tom was say 183cm and 6kg heavier he would be on our list today.

Has the club said anything publicly about Tommy being next cab off the rookie rank? Or is it it an assumption that we would have rookied Tom if we didn't take Jai? Genuine question, as I don't know the answer.

I'm sounding like a broken record but 18 sets of professional scouts and recruitment experts said Tom wasn't worthy of a draftee or rookie spot. Port sent 8 people to Melbourne and came home empty handed rather than give him a go.

I'm not knocking your analysis of Tom at all - it's your opinion as you say, and it's a very interesting discussion. If the Crows take him and he flourishes, you'll be proven right. But on face value I see a kid who, right now, is a mad footy head who works his bum off and reads the game well but might just be too physically far off it in key areas the clubs value, to warrant a spot (right now). Saxena is slight of build but plays in a part of the field where his ability to play at the level is less reliant on physicality.

As I would say to my kids, I'm not mad we didn't draft him, and I'm not even disappointed. I'm just sad.

 

[No SPIN]

The history of players moving up and down the rankings in their draft year has been going since day dot. What they do in their state games and the vfl, sanfl, wafl etc trumps early season TAC cup every year. You have no basis for saying this was form not class. Tom slid down the ladder, happens to many every year.

I think you’re being disingenuous dismissing all drops in ranking over time as not due to form.
Therefore I’m more than comfortable that form was a factor.
Tom did not lose his ability - he just couldn’t manage the step up.

 

[BillyElliott]

Has the club said anything publicly about Tommy being next cab off the rookie rank? Or is it it an assumption that we would have rookied Tom if we didn't take Jai? Genuine question, as I don't know the answer.

I'm sounding like a broken record but 18 sets of professional scouts and recruitment experts said Tom wasn't worthy of a draftee or rookie spot. Port sent 8 people to Melbourne and came home empty handed rather than give him a go.

I'm not knocking your analysis of Tom at all - it's your opinion as you say, and it's a very interesting discussion. If the Crows take him and he flourishes, you'll be proven right. But on face value I see a kid who, right now, is a mad footy head who works his bum off and reads the game well but might just be too physically far off it in key areas the clubs value, to warrant a spot (right now). Saxena is slight of build but plays in a part of the field where his ability to play at the level is less reliant on physicality.

As I would say to my kids, I'm not mad we didn't draft him, and I'm not even disappointed. I'm just sad.

The club said the last rookie spot was between Jai & Tom as we only had one list spot available.

For all we know that may have been an easy choice for them to make, but I wouldn't expect (or want) the club to say that publicly.

 

[Chunky Steak]

The club said the last rookie spot was between Jai & Tom as we only had one list spot available.

For all we know that may have been an easy choice for them to make, but I wouldn't expect (or want) the club to say that publicly.

It was reported that way but I haven't found anything from the club to confirm this. Do you have any links?

 

[BillyElliott]

It was reported that way but I haven't found anything from the club to confirm this. Do you have any links?

Shane O'Bree says so in the last part of this video.

 

[Chunky Steak]

Shane O'Bree says so in the last part of this video.

Thanks!

 

[Gone Critical]

I think you’re being disingenuous dismissing all drops in ranking over time as not due to form.
Therefore I’m more than comfortable that form was a factor.
Tom did not lose his ability - he just couldn’t manage the step up.

Didn't say no drops are off form just there is no basis for seperating that from a player who finds the step to the next level , state U18, VFL, Coates finals too big a step.

Its a bad time to lose form but the much more common factor is not being good enough. They are going up a pyramid and at each level more get dropped off. Lots get dropped off at the level Tom has reached and only a very few make it back on once dropped off.

 

[manicpie]

Didn't say no drops are off form just there is no basis for seperating that from a player who finds the step to the next level , state U18, VFL, Coates finals too big a step.

Its a bad time to lose form but the much more common factor is not being good enough. They are going up a pyramid and at each level more get dropped off. Lots get dropped off at the level Tom has reached and only a very few make it back on once dropped off.

Tom's best bet is to try and get on Adelaide list, if he doesn't make it, he should play SANFL

 

[jmac70]

I don’t agree but let’s assume for the sake of argument that you’re right.
It’s same debate as McCarthy - there were many better Ruck options, but we decided on long term potential/upside.
Tom has more upside than Saxena, as with McCarthy - the short term is irrelevant.

That’s your opinion. Seems like the club has a different one.

 

[sr36]

If the Crows take him and he flourishes, you'll be proven right. But on face value I see a kid who, right now, is a mad footy head who works his bum off and reads the game well but might just be too physically far off it in key areas the clubs value, to warrant a spot (right now). Saxena is slight of build but plays in a part of the field where his ability to play at the level is less reliant on physicality.

You can be wrong even when you're right.

And backing early hype about a potential draftee over the draft decisions of the pros is just wrong.