List Mgmt. Draft thread - 2025 (remaining picks: 29, 34)

[Keys]

Live draft hand
R1: 1 (Duursma), 4 (CDT), 19 (Lindsay)
R2: 29, 34
RD: 1

Draft picks pre-draft
R1: 1, 2, 13
R2: 34, 41
RD: 1

List spots available
Main list: 2 (includes Duursma, CDT, Lindsay)
Cat A Rookie list: 1 (expecting Robertson, Macrae and Schoenberg to join as SSP signings)
Cat B Rookie list: 1

Draft order

Spoiler

Draft prospect video highlights (thanks to noobermensch)

Rookie Me Central 2025 Draft Guide

2025 AFL Draft Guide

online.fliphtml5.com

Matthew Clarke on Gettable 17/11

Spoiler

Cal Twomey’s Phantom Draft

Spoiler

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Can’t understand why Sharp is a priority when we could get Fred and Banfield (and Dev) for next to nothing

Because one has dominated all before him as an inside mid, and the others are capable, but not at that level.

 

[twadds]

So trade down 13 BC their will be so many options for what exactly. 2nd round half back flankers with midfield potential.

So who are the midfield options you elude to?

Allude

 

[dinnaz]

Allude

 

[boondy]

With all the lodgement today Gossage said yesterday he would know what NGA father sons we were gonna take .
I listened to his morning segment . He didnt say anything .

 

[amazingjoshy]

With all the lodgement today Gossage said yesterday he would know what NGA father sons we were gonna take .
I listened to his morning segment . He didnt say anything .

Gossage said something that didn't happen?

 

[Chris_6678]

With all the lodgement today Gossage said yesterday he would know what NGA father sons we were gonna take .
I listened to his morning segment . He didnt say anything .

Its been delayed till Friday.

 

[Chris_6678]

Owen Leonard

@owenleonard_
·
20h


This has been pushed back -
@WestCoastEagles
now to meet with their NGA prospects by the end of the week.
Quote


Owen Leonard

@owenleonard_
·
Oct 28
Can reveal westcoasteagles NGA prospects will tomorrow find out whether the club is committed to taking them in next month’s draft. They include Tylah Williams, Koby Evans and Wes Walley, as well as father-son Charlie Banfield.

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Sucks the Eagles have only had a week to know who was eligible for the draft, no wonder they've had to push this back, some all-nighters being pulled.

 

[Schtinker]

I'm dreaming of a Warner, Reid, Duursma, Sharp & Hewitt midfield combo

Lleyton or Bec

 

[eaglevision]

It would not surprise me if we only commit to taking Banfield and Williams as NGA/FS in the national draft. I think we are more likely to take a Tom Blamires type 23 year-old mature player or a genuine slider than more speculative 18 year-olds at the back end of the draft.

 

[Peptide Pig]

I labeled you stubborn, because you have been insistent that sharp will not be taken pick 2. You sighted the experts as a reason why, yet the same experts still have sharp in their top 5 in the open pool. October last year, many of these experts had lalor around 5 or later in their rankings, and yet he ended up the first pick in the draft.

Cal has amazing intel and whatever he puts out the night before the draft will most likely be bang on. But what will change is his guide from october to then. A lot can change, he may get intel that sharp goes higher then currently expected. But you have refused this as a possibility, in fact you said wes walley was as much chance to be #2 as sharp.

ergo stubborn.

There are plenty on here insistent that we should take Sharp at 2, ignoring the changing factors over the year. You haven’t labeled them stubborn because you want Sharp too. Hypocritical.

You said you are “all in on Duursma/Sharp” but are now repeatedly stating that you don’t care and are “not invested” while commenting on here as much as anyone, seems like you’re pretty invested, and are clearly still hoping we get Sharp.

Trying to play it safe and sit on the fence now is a bit of a limp-wristed position to adopt. No need to be scared of judgement from strangers on an anonymous forum. If no one shared an opinion due to fear of being labeled ‘stubborn’ or ‘obtuse’ or whatever other lame labels you wish to use, then it would be a pretty boring discussion.

I didn’t say Walley was as good of a chance to be taken pick 2 as Sharp, below average comprehension from you. I was pointing out the meaningless nature of the poorly worded hypothetical that you posed.

I’ll leave it there as these personal back-and-forths drain the life out of these threads. I’ll stick to my ‘stubborn’ position that Sharp won’t go at pick 2, you stick to the safety of your soft position being that you “aren’t invested” (while secretly barracking that we take Sharp), and we will see the outcome on draft night.

 

[Peptide Pig]

Have posted on here in clear favouritism of Sharp so do acknowledge am coming in with that bias, and will agree that as an armchair punter I don't know anywhere near as much about these prospects as the actual pros so in line with what you're saying should preface this with it being just my opinion and that I don't claim to know better than even many on here let alone the employed experts.

I guess just from a bigfooty argument perspective, I think a team's needs often get underrated in favour of purely 'best available' - particularly in the top 10 when you'd kind of assume everyone has the talent to make it to some degree given the right circumstances. Was having this discussion with a mate who works in the stats department for a Vic club who was admitting that, whilst if you get a slider in the third round best available is often the obvious choice, when it comes to top 10 he reckoned even the professionals at clubs are still divided/unsure on needs vs overall talent and its a debate that will probably rage forever.

From that perspective I'd argue needs would need to come into consideration for whether we can best develop that player to get maximum value out of them.

North were shocking IMO at consistently picking mids who were essentially the same player and wouldn't get a go in their preferred role - picked Powell and Phillips who are like the same player and both were underneath Simpkin and then Parker who they traded in so Powell ended up being a waste of pick 3. They lacked exploders and focused on toilers and couldn't fit them all in.

Sometimes it's easy to go "ah well they picked wrong" but Twomey had Phillips at 6, with Elijah Hollands at 3 and DGB at 4 so you kinda go "ah alright". Were those three secretly always going to be duds all along or were there development reasons based on where they ended up? I'd argue it's always at least some mix of both either way. Draftees obviously have a big year in their final underage year but at top 10 level they're almost always dominating either way, think a lot gets underrated about how much they're still developing the players they'll become in their first or second year in the AFL system.

Should we go Robey, would he be in line to be doing the same thing as Reid and Hewett, and as a result either play in an unbalanced midfield with an over-reliance on Jack Graham, or have to play other roles or develop in our WAFL black hole, or reinvent his game with less of his strengths emphasised like Phillips did?

Based on our side I'd at least be confident there's an immediate spot for Sharp, and a clear vibe of how he'd fit in with our most important pieces going forwards. That might mean he becomes a 8/10 player and Robey gets picked later by someone else and becomes a 9/10 player, which I'd still take over us having a 7/10 Robey and another team having a 7/10 Sharp. Not fussed at all about how the pick after ours does if I knew we'd extracted our maximum value ourselves.

Should we take Duursma (seems likely) we'll have an elite transition athlete, as well as two elite burst players in Reid/Hewett, and IMO would be best balanced with an elite contested beast like Sharp.

That being said if we can trade down and still get Sharp, sure, or if our more-knowledgeable-than-me draft team rates someone like Robey significantly higher, then sure absolutely. But Twomey's rankings at this stage would be mostly based around chatter of who clubs like generally - if we see Sharp as within 5% of Robey talent wise but far more suitable then I'd hope we'd take him and couldn't care less about the players considered 1-2% higher or lower than him on the overall AFL consensus draft boards.

Probably the most well articulated and balanced assessment I’ve seen on here in favour of Sharp.

The game is always changing and the inside mid ‘toilers’ that you refer to have been going out of fashion and getting pushed out of clubs at a record rate.

Sharp has been viewed as the ‘safe’ option with a higher floor and lower ceiling, but the early picked inside mids that have gone before him (Phillips/Hobbs) do raise concerns, and they were drafted when game styles favoured pure inside mids far more than now. Unless it’s the absolute best like Tom Green or Rowell, I can see one-dimensional inside mids getting phased out even more in favour of the run and gun mids that can also play other positions.

In the modern game, and particularly the way Mini wants us to play, the explosive types are the highest need and far more damaging. Yes we need an extractor but do we need to spend pick 2 on one in a weak draft? We have clearly targeted some mature inside mids as rookie role players that could plug and play to an acceptable level.

We need balance in the mids but with our attacking style and the flexibility of Harley/Elijah/Robey to rotate forward, you could easily have two attacking mids and one more defensive option in the starting CBAs then rotate more guys through stoppages with versatility. Have one of the three start forward at each CBA to create match up headaches with the option also of some HB rotations like Duursma/Tmac/Allan into the mids.

Not every draft has a Dusty/Danger/Petracca prototype, last year Lalor rose late as that type of player. This year doesn’t have the level of talent as some drafts but IF there was a player that could become that damaging mid bull that can play as a genuine forward, then Robey looks the most likely. I wouldn’t want to miss out on that in favour of an honest toiler in Sharp.

Not against picking him up all together, he seems like a very solid character, but doesn’t look like having the weapons to have a high impact in the modern game.

If we pass on CDT at pick 2 and want a midfielder to address needs, I would be surprised if we didn’t take Robey over Sharp. Thankfully I’m finally seeing some posts coming around to the idea of Robey. If we split and landed Sharp and Cumming I would also be okay with that. But not Sharp at pick 2.

I would still be 60/40 that we take CDT over Robey but I could see it being 50/50 come draft night. Maybe that is a ploy to dangle the pick 2 carrot in a trade or maybe (hopefully) we will go the best available mid at pick 2 and take Robey. If we get Carlton’s pick 9 and Sharp slides to there then even better.

 

[Obeanie1]

To be fair not that different to people on here comparing Sharp to Mundy because of their appearance, despite them having different skill sets from what I can gather

How are their skillsets different?

 

[RustyShacklefordFalcon]

I'd like to see Harry Kyle get to us somehow but I don't think we have the pick in the correct range to bid, and Sydney will match anyway. Kids going to be very good I reckon

 

[FatPizza]

Lleyton or Bec

Jennifer Love.

 

[Astro7]

There are plenty on here insistent that we should take Sharp at 2, ignoring the changing factors over the year. You haven’t labeled them stubborn because you want Sharp too. Hypocritical.

You said you are “all in on Duursma/Sharp” but are now repeatedly stating that you don’t care and are “not invested” while commenting on here as much as anyone, seems like you’re pretty invested, and are clearly still hoping we get Sharp.

Trying to play it safe and sit on the fence now is a bit of a limp-wristed position to adopt. No need to be scared of judgement from strangers on an anonymous forum. If no one shared an opinion due to fear of being labeled ‘stubborn’ or ‘obtuse’ or whatever other lame labels you wish to use, then it would be a pretty boring discussion.

I didn’t say Walley was as good of a chance to be taken pick 2 as Sharp, below average comprehension from you. I was pointing out the meaningless nature of the poorly worded hypothetical that you posed.

I’ll leave it there as these personal back-and-forths drain the life out of these threads. I’ll stick to my ‘stubborn’ position that Sharp won’t go at pick 2, you stick to the safety of your soft position being that you “aren’t invested” (while secretly barracking that we take Sharp), and we will see the outcome on draft night.

 

[WCE777]

It would not surprise me if we only commit to taking Banfield and Williams as NGA/FS in the national draft. I think we are more likely to take a Tom Blamires type 23 year-old mature player or a genuine slider than more speculative 18 year-olds at the back end of the draft.

I can see the option of committing to Banfield and Williams in the ND and only taking Evans as a CatB rookie.
Walley is sitting in the Dewar range of talent for me on whether he is worth picking over others or upcoming NGA talent in 2026.

Kenh HB, McGlade SF, Farmer SF are probably more talented than Walley in 2026

His shoulder surgery after dislocating his shoulders all season would have hampered his progression considerably imo.
Is he better thaan what we have coming or are we better to let him progress through our WAFL with a chance to pick him up if he proves an AFL talent.

Blamires while looks a likely type and probably is a HF at AFL level for his size if WC are keen probably means another HF/SF is not getting a list spot.

Definately would make good list sense to take a KP player or genuine slider at picks 34 or 41 if not needed for matching bids.

 

[Coasters7]

BC they're all very different players!

They all still play predominantly midfield and the main argument for Sharp over other higher rated talent is his position.

We have access to the two best players in the draft, Sharp isn’t one and we can upgrade the midfield through other avenues.

 

[Keys]

So everybody is clear with respect to Banfield and our NGAs

We have to lodge our nominations for them by tomorrow as a Father/Son or NGA player which the respective players must then accept prior to the draft. Nominating the player allows the club to match any bid from an opposition club, but does not compel them to do so

It also allows the club to automatically add the player to the rookie list if no bid is forthcoming in the primary draft

What I’m not certain of is whether the club has to add the player to the rookie list if there’s no bid - I don’t think it’s mandatory and if they decide not to add the player then he would be available to other clubs in the rookie draft

TLDR: Nominating the players tomorrow does not necessarily mean they’ll be Eagles next year - all it does is give us the right to match a bid during the draft. Right of first refusal effectively

 

[boondy]

I did read NGA eligibility had been raised to 21 yrs . So if I am correct and it this case Wes Walley can be listed as an NGA next years draft , gives him more time to hone his skills

 

[Keys]

So everybody is clear with respect to Banfield and our NGAs

We have to lodge our nominations for them by tomorrow as a Father/Son or NGA player which the respective players must then accept prior to the draft. Nominating the player allows the club to match any bid from an opposition club, but does not compel them to do so

It also allows the club to automatically add the player to the rookie list if no bid is forthcoming in the primary draft

What I’m not certain of is whether the club has to add the player to the rookie list if there’s no bid - I don’t think it’s mandatory and if they decide not to add the player then he would be available to other clubs in the rookie draft

TLDR: Nominating the players tomorrow does not necessarily mean they’ll be Eagles next year - all it does is give us the right to match a bid during the draft. Right of first refusal effectively

Per Cal Twomey

 

[Keys]

I did read NGA eligibility had been raised to 21 yrs . So if I am correct and it this case Wes Walley can be listed as an NGA next years draft , gives him more time to hone his skills

Correct. I’ve posted before that we could talk to Walley and tell him we don’t believe he’s quite ready for AFL and there might not be a spot for him

Instead, get him to play in the WAFL side whilst training with the AFL team over preseason and once a week in season to help him develop and learn the training habits required. Give him a role in community development to supplement his income and an undertaking that he’d be considered as an addition in the 2026 draft (or possibly in the MSD)

 

[ROYAL EAGLE]

I can see the option of committing to Banfield and Williams in the ND and only taking Evans as a CatB rookie.
Walley is sitting in the Dewar range of talent for me on whether he is worth picking over others or upcoming NGA talent in 2026.

Kenh HB, McGlade SF, Farmer SF are probably more talented than Walley in 2026

His shoulder surgery after dislocating his shoulders all season would have hampered his progression considerably imo.
Is he better thaan what we have coming or are we better to let him progress through our WAFL with a chance to pick him up if he proves an AFL talent.

Blamires while looks a likely type and probably is a HF at AFL level for his size if WC are keen probably means another HF/SF is not getting a list spot.

Definately would make good list sense to take a KP player or genuine slider at picks 34 or 41 if not needed for matching bids.

Walley was the pick of the kids at preseason training at start of year
In there preseason training Walley was incredibly good and got a lot praise from McQualter and
Marco Bello
That was before he hurt his shoulder
I think he did enough for them to want him his pressure and tackling was manic then
His shoulder injury meant he couldn't tackle during the main season

 

[Knifey Spoony]

Is there a down side to nominating them if you don't have to select them? Or is it a matter of list spots and they automatically join the list if they slip through?

 

[boondy]

This gives our NGA a chance for us to develop them hopefully not jus Wes Walley but many other as years goes on

Correct. I’ve posted before that we could talk to Walley and tell him we don’t believe he’s quite ready for AFL and there might not be a spot for him

Instead, get him to play in the WAFL side whilst training with the AFL team over preseason and once a week in season to help him develop and learn the training habits required. Give him a role in community development to supplement his income and an undertaking that he’d be considered as an addition in the 2026 draft (or possibly in the MSD)

AFL cracks down on player eligibility in NGA revamp

Clubs must spend more time with Next Generation Academy prospects and register their interest earlier in order to get priority draft access

www.afl.com.au

It reads
.... "an expansion of age eligibility from 19 to 21 years to allow clubs to have more time to access players if they are late developers;"