Player Watch 2021 AFL National Draft - NOT FOR TRADE DISCUSSION

[Strapping Young Lad]

Let’s stick with a basic rule for this thread, that it’s for draft watch and discussion only.

It’s not for trade hypotheticals, who you think needs to be delisted or traded, how many games you think we will win, some other team will win, how many picks you want in the 1st round or discussion of current HFC players.

It’s about youngsters who are eligible for the draft in 2021.


Key dates to look out for:

• NAB AFL Draft Combine: TBC
• NAB AFL Draft: Wednesday November 24 - Thursday November 25
• NAB AFL Pre-season and Rookie Drafts: Friday November 26

 

[chopflop]

Is there anyone who ended up sliding last year that ended up playing really well this year? I've lost track!

Not really any last year. Oli Henry ended up at around 17 and showed great signs.

In will days year a few notable sliders were sam Flanders, Brodie Kemp and will gould. But none of those blokes have shown much at all.

There are usually a few most drafts

 

[The Chad and I]

Not really any last year. Oli Henry ended up at around 17 and showed great signs.

In will days year a few notable sliders were sam Flanders, Brodie Kemp and will gould. But none of those blokes have shown much at all.

There are usually a few most drafts

I was very much against drafting Will Gould iin the top 20 or so.
The other two I quite liked.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[Alite]

A few things. Sounds like the Johnson train is legit. Whoever suggested him a few weeks ago, kudos. I have felt that Freo would be a threat for Johnson and could easily be their preferred option over Erasmus who just hasn't had as much exposed form or athletic testing. Johnson has a more AFL type skillset imo.
I know everyone is thinking that certain names will go in the 20s but I am super confident we will see a repeat of last year, where names like Bowey, Holmes, our own Seamus Mitchell, seemingly came from the clouds into the top 30. Don't be shocked when the popular name goes in the 50s and players like
Hough and A. Jones go far higher based on traits and potential upside.
Would love Johnson at our first, but hopefully, we can get some mail about Freo's plans and perhaps do a pick slide and still grab him.

Your statement of providing kudos to the first person to mention Johnson struck a cord with me … as I am well and truely on the Johnson train ... with the hope we can trade back our 1st while trading up our 2nd for other enticing options.

Credit where credit is due… this is my best guess of where the kudos resides...

What does everyone think about Matthew Johnson at pick 5(7)? He's a 192cm classy midfielder with a great balance between his offensive and defensive game, he's a bit Pendlebury-esque.
Personally I'm not as keen on Erasmus because I'm not sure his traits will stand out enough at AFL level (if only he wasn't so slow), and while Hobbs is a good prospect I'm so hesitant to draft a purely inside midfielder with limited athletic upside considering the glut of inside mids we currently have at Hawthorn. I like Ward but I'm not sure if he's a difference maker, if he turns out to be a Merrett type of player though I guess you couldn't complain.
I'm really looking for guys with upside who can move the needle for us, I'm looking for the next Bont, Petracca, Oliver, Fyfe, Cripps etc. and I think with Johnson's height and skillset he could be a high-ceiling prospect.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

how?

Select him with a pick in the draft.

 

[The Chad and I]

Select him with a pick in the draft.

yeah, OK.
Are you suggesting he's worth pick 5 or that he will be around at pick 21.
Both seem unlikely.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

yeah, OK.
Are you suggesting he's worth pick 5 or that he will be around at pick 21.
Both seem unlikely.

I’m suggesting that we pick him in the draft, but I’m not saying how we get that pick or when because it’s not the thread for it.

 

[Soaring Hawk]

I’m suggesting that we pick him in the draft, but I’m not saying how we get that pick or when because it’s not the thread for it.

Do you see him as a mid / winger, rather than another HBF? I think his speed, leadership and kicking have significant appeal, and if we picked him, I hope he could turn into an Omith type winger. Does he have that type of endurance?

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Hobbs is more flexible than Ward. If we are picking Ward over Hobbs it's because he is a better mid, which I believe he is. Honestly, you could split the two down the middle for me at this point. Both accumulate well, both can be serviceable up forward, both have parts of their game that stand out and both are top blokes by all accounts.

I'm planning on doing a bit of an in-depth analysis on Ward vs Hobbs (and others) for this weekend. Not sure the rules to linking to outside sites on the board, might just make it a thread/post itself.

Interested to know what makes him more versatile? Ward has already proven himself as a wingman and a midfielder. He seems to have a sense around goals, similar to Hobbs. Hobbs seems to be a solid mark for his size, which could translate to him being able to rest forward, but has he shown that he can at TAC level?

 

[Millsie69]

Pick 5: Ward / Erasmus
Pick 21: Chesser / Taylor / Wilmot
Pick 24: Taylor / Wilmot / Clarke

https://www.afl.com.au/news/686801/how-dashing-darcy-is-hoping-to-follow-in-his-father-s-footsteps

Sounds like the kid's heart is set on Collingwood.

Things can obviously change, but there'd always be that pull in the back of his mind.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[The Chad and I]

If he fixes his kicking he could become quite a good player.
But there's no way I'd want us to use a top 10 pick on him with that risk hanging over him.

It would be hilarious is clubs chose Goater + Hobbs before our first pick.

 

[hawkheart]

Draft over two nights - is Wednesday night Top 10 only? cheers

 

[Millsie69]

Draft over two nights - is Wednesday night Top 10 only? cheers

Top 20 I believe?

Edit: First Round

What time does the NAB AFL Draft start? And other key dates

Check out all the key dates for draft and list lodgement

www.afl.com.au

 

[TheFourPillars]

Draft over two nights - is Wednesday night Top 10 only? cheers

I think its the first round

 

[hawkheart]

I think its the first round

Thanks mate.

 

[chopflop]

Docker's pick 19 is night two

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Do you see him as a mid / winger, rather than another HBF? I think his speed, leadership and kicking have significant appeal, and if we picked him, I hope he could turn into an Omith type winger. Does he have that type of endurance?

I think at the very least he’s a wingman, but looking at those shoulders, the height and the way he moves, I could definitely see him rotating through the centre square.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

2 weeks to go, it's taking an eternity but we're edging closer than ****.

 

[eldorado]

Draft over two nights - is Wednesday night Top 10 only? cheers

yep, first round Wednesday, all others Thursday

More AFL f*ckwittery

 

[HODGEYROAD]

yep, first round Wednesday, all others Thursday

More AFL f*ckwittery

Amateur hour competition.

 

[Brishawk]

Interested to know what makes him more versatile? Ward has already proven himself as a wingman and a midfielder. He seems to have a sense around goals, similar to Hobbs. Hobbs seems to be a solid mark for his size, which could translate to him being able to rest forward, but has he shown that he can at TAC level?

I know his reputation is that he can play forward and he seems to read it beautifully in flight to take over head marks. He also kicked 5 goals in an open age grand final as a 15 year old. Not elite level game but it shows some ability. I think he would be a hard match up as a forward for small defenders as he would be stronger and is able to read it well in flight. But not sure how much he has shown it at that level. Seems to spend most of his time in the middle so exposed form is probably limited. Be good if one of our junior watchers has seem more of him at that level

 

[SuperSic]

Your statement of providing kudos to the first person to mention Johnson struck a cord with me … as I am well and truely on the Johnson train ... with the hope we can trade back our 1st while trading up our 2nd for other enticing options.

Credit where credit is due… this is my best guess of where the kudos resides...

Thanks Alite, I've definitely been a Johnson fan from the moment I saw his highlights and I'm thrilled to hear that we're interested in him.

I think sometimes we can get too caught up with production at junior level instead of looking at traits. I'm sure Ward and Hobbs will be good players but the more I think about it, the more I think we need to focus on players with higher upside and take a risk with our top pick. Johnson, Rachelle, Andrew and even Erasmus or Sinn are players I'd prefer to take a punt on. Solid midfielders can generally be found in any area of the draft, but the Bonts, Petraccas, Dustys, Greenes, Olivers, Pendleburys, Franklins and Nic Nats of the world are usually taken right at the top end.

To me neither Ward or Hobbs have the traits to become absolute superstars, but they may prove me wrong. We have so many B & C grade players on our list at the moment but we need to find a couple more genuine A+ gamebreaking players. Just imagine our team with Petracca slotting in, he'd almost single handedly elevate us to a competitive side.

Melbourne has been drafting for traits over production for a number of years now and it's paying absolute dividends for them. Thankfully Hawthorn appears to be recruiting in a similar fashion the past few years with inspired selections like Will Day due to his class, agility and courage.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

I know his reputation is that he can play forward and he seems to read it beautifully in flight to take over head marks. He also kicked 5 goals in an open age grand final as a 15 year old. Not elite level game but it shows some ability. I think he would be a hard match up as a forward for small defenders as he would be stronger and is able to read it well in flight. But not sure how much he has shown it at that level. Seems to spend most of his time in the middle so exposed form is probably limited. Be good if one of our junior watchers has seem more of him at that level

A few things..
Not sure why we would try and upgrade our pick 5 to pick 2 to nab Callaghan. GWS would expect a premium in return for starters but more importantly seems like a very similiar player to Sinn who will most likely still be there at our first pick

Would much prefer Hobbs over Ward. If he can genuinely can play as a small forward effectively, he is our man for pick 5 If we jagged Hobbs I would really hope that we could nab Sonsie or Chesser with our second pick somehow

 

[Chioli]

A few things..
Not sure why we would try and upgrade our pick 5 to pick 2 to nab Callaghan. GWS would expect a premium in return for starters but more importantly seems like a very similiar player to Sinn who will most likely still be there at our first pick

Would much prefer Hobbs over Ward. If he can genuinely can play as a small forward effectively, he is our man for pick 5 If we jagged Hobbs I would really hope that we could nab Sonsie or Chesser with our second pick somehow

Just listened to the road to the draft podcast and they had Sonsie and Taylor still available at the hawks second pick. If somehow we got Ward, Sonsie and Taylor I think we would be delighted