Player Watch 2023 AFL Draft Pool Discussion Thread

[Strapping Young Lad]

Same rule applies to this thread as other years, keep it on topic about the kids.
Don’t get bogged down on what other teams might do or where they will finish.

Trade speculation belongs here.
That's also where you can discuss your mock drafts or pick trades.

Any McCabe, Dear or Maginness talk belongs here.

 

[TylerDurden]

Yeah that's simply not correct, draft watchers and scouts don't rank based on Hawthorn's needs.

Rookie Me Central
3) Duursma
4) McKercher

Cal Twomey
3) Duursma
4) McKercher

They are North's picks. Based on Walter at 2.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

They are North's picks. Based on Walter at 2.

That was their rankings, not phantom drafts.

 

[TylerDurden]

That was their rankings, not phantom drafts.

Curtin at 2?

 

[H00t]

Yeah that's simply not correct, draft watchers and scouts don't rank based on Hawthorn's needs.

Rookie Me Central
3) Duursma
4) McKercher

Cal Twomey
3) Duursma
4) McKercher

Can only assume they’ve put a lot of weight on potential upside. McKercher has been a lot more consistent and better performed.

 

[projectdingley]

Zane Duursma’s stats against a 0-18 Coburg side and the Box Hill Hawks. Concerning. Drafting an inside mid in McKercher would mean 3 top-10 selections as mids from 3 consecutive drafts.

Nick Watson by far the stand out prospect. Hand him the #33.

 

[FB19]

Watching the Coates league GF now First quarter only. Watson does nice things but doesn’t seem to offer much defensively. Sanders is very good see why he is top 10. Might not be X factor but will be a solid 200 gamer who you can rely on for high production and can kick the footy. Dear has great upside i hope we rookie him. Dis is see that Moraes is NGA for us? Like the look of him but can’t see how he would get past pick 40. Windsor shown some good acceleration if we wanted a wingman.

 

[rei154]

Watching the Coates league GF now First quarter only. Watson does nice things but doesn’t seem to offer much defensively. Sanders is very good see why he is top 10. Might not be X factor but will be a solid 200 gamer who you can rely on for high production and can kick the footy. Dear has great upside i hope we rookie him. Dis is see that Moraes is NGA for us? Like the look of him but can’t see how he would get past pick 40. Windsor shown some good acceleration if we wanted a wingman.

Moraes already has people talking him up as a first rounder- would need him to sleep until the second round of the draft next year for him to make it through sadly

 

[TDS7]

Zane Duursma’s stats against a 0-18 Coburg side and the Box Hill Hawks. Concerning. Drafting an inside mid in McKercher would mean 3 top-10 selections as mids from 3 consecutive drafts.

Nick Watson by far the stand out prospect. Hand him the #33.

I thought Duursma's VFL games were great showcases of the role he'd be playing at AFL level. He's playing out of a forwardline where he's the fifth option, working up the ground and getting involved in some great scoring chains. He didn't finish in front of goal well, but hit some good short options and flew for some big grabs in the Coburg game. If you were expecting a 17 year old general forward to waltz into one of the best VFL teams with six AFL listed forwards and rack up 3 goals off 25 touches you were shooting a bit too high. He's coming into that Brockman role with more upside and some flexibility to play taller or move into the midfield. The end of his season at 18s level was outstanding, he puts himself in positions to score better than anyone in the draft.

 

[Howe Amazing]

To me Caddy even at our first pick is becoming a necessity. Can play 3rd tall until he develops more. Our midfield is looking pretty strong

 

[westhawk]

To me Caddy even at our first pick is becoming a necessity. Can play 3rd tall until he develops more. Our midfield is looking pretty strong

Yeah, 1 month ago, I had him as my 4th favourite. Now I think he is nearly the player we need the most.

 

[projectdingley]

I thought Duursma's VFL games were great showcases of the role he'd be playing at AFL level. He's playing out of a forwardline where he's the fifth option, working up the ground and getting involved in some great scoring chains. He didn't finish in front of goal well, but hit some good short options and flew for some big grabs in the Coburg game. If you were expecting a 17 year old general forward to waltz into one of the best VFL teams with six AFL listed forwards and rack up 3 goals off 25 touches you were shooting a bit too high. He's coming into that Brockman role with more upside and some flexibility to play taller or move into the midfield. The end of his season at 18s level was outstanding, he puts himself in positions to score better than anyone in the draft.

I’ve watched both Watson and Duursma in person multiple times.

Without any bias, I can hands down say Nick Watson does things you just don’t see on a football field. You are guaranteed something crazy every time you watch him.

The only reason he is not a top 2 pick is because of his size. However if you’ve ever watched him play in person, you know this is simply not an issue.

Zane may turn out to be a good player, but nothing suggests he is anything special. At least, that is what I’ve seen with my own eyes. In my opinion, he is a replaceable player, and players like him will come and go.

Putting yourself in a position to score won’t cut it at AFL level, and I’m not sure I’ve seen anything that suggests Duursma’s under 18 form will correlate into goals at the highest level.

 

[hawker79]

I have been thinking alot about who do we need most, what type of player would benefit the current list we have moving forward and fit a need we are lacking the most. To me my gut keeps telling me, its a Nate Caddy type. I see him more of a spearhead contested mark in the forward line and up the ground, which is such a crucial role in having a dependable target to kick too and can do more than hold their own in contested marking contests. Watching him in his BOG performance of the talent league round 16 he had 10 marks and 4 goals from 9 attempts, with more focus on his set shot and kicking for goal he could have easily kicked 6 or 7. He also ran through the midfield and had a presence about him, something with the right development could be reminescent of De Goey in a forward/mid type role and he has been likened to Curnow even. He looks like to me the type of player that could be a bull and be a real target up forward and play in bursts through the midfield also. There are things that need work, especially kicking can be quite wayward, but every junior player needs work and is never the finished product. From what I have seen of Duursma, there is alot to like also, and similarities with Caddy. Maybe to me its just that Durrsma seems more lightly framed and maybe could get bullied abit more in marking contests and around the ground, although in the round 15 talent league game he looked really good. It just seems to me he would be more of the type to deliver the ball into F50 rather than being more of a natural target up forward and partner to Mitch Lewis. I just think that perhaps Caddy has the frame that could bulk up and still have speed, and fill that need up forward that we need so bad. To me the spine is always what needs to be filled out first and im just leaning a little towards Caddy in that regard. Either way getting either Nate or Zane would be a great get and I see either of them as much more of a need than eg. McKercher or Watson. And having Zane or Nate develop along with McCabe as a KPD would mean alot overall to the team. Im not sure we really were serious about Ben McKay

32

Ben Mckay

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.5

2star

K

3.7

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.7

4star

MG

77.2

1star

D

7.5

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

88.5

2star

D

7.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

67.8

1star

or Esava (hopefully not) but I really think we dodged a major bullet with both of them. Im not adverse to bringing in a few more older more experienced players but they need to be the right fit and not take up a major chunk of salary, even we have money to spend better not to waste on players who are average at best and want 700k plus per year like McKay. Happy for the bombers to take him and we take D Ambrosio who looks a good decision maker and quality kick.

 

[The Chad and I]

I think caddy will play as close to Gunston as we will see from any of the draftees. He won’t be a big target KPF. Just doesn’t look like one to me but I don’t care.

I’d love him at Hawthorn.

 

[Billyc]

We would be best to trade down a couple spots if Caddy is preferred and get something back. Can make a very good case for any of Dursma, Watson, Mckercher and Caddy.

 

[Dewnior]

Good point re- Hird/Sicily. Feel better about him already. It's just that both the Morton boys were highly touted back in the day and turned out busts.

You've obviously forgotten about 2012. I wish I could

 

[Dewnior]

Zane Duursma’s stats against a 0-18 Coburg side and the Box Hill Hawks. Concerning. Drafting an inside mid in McKercher would mean 3 top-10 selections as mids from 3 consecutive drafts.

Nick Watson by far the stand out prospect. Hand him the #33.

#33 is for Naughton

 

[Platten44]

We would be best to trade down a couple spots if Caddy is preferred and get something back. Can make a very good case for any of Dursma, Watson, Mckercher and Caddy.

Then someone takes Caddy before us and we are left with none of the so called best prospects

 

[FB19]

We would be best to trade down a couple spots if Caddy is preferred and get something back. Can make a very good case for any of Dursma, Watson, Mckercher and Caddy.

Yep you dont pick him at 3 you trade with gws and take him at 6 and Murphy at 15 for example if that’s what you want. If we were smart we would accumulate picks in the 40s after all the bid matching they will come into second round picks!

 

[Platten44]

Yep you dont pick him at 3 you trade with gws and take him at 6 and Murphy at 15 for example if that’s what you want. If we were smart we would accumulate picks in the 40s after all the bid matching they will come into second round picks!

Melbourne would take Caddy

 

[FB19]

Then someone takes Caddy before us and we are left with none of the so called best prospects

If we trade for gws 6 then Reid mckercher duursma curtin caddy Watson are the open pool we get one of those.

 

[Platten44]

If we trade for gws 6 then Reid mckercher duursma curtin caddy Watson are the open pool we get one of those.

Remember 2 and 3 for North pushes GWS back to 7.

 

[Big Hotdog]

Big sleeve to hand ratio could be problematic

Now you have done it...Big sleeve will be his nickname

 

[TDS7]

I’ve watched both Watson and Duursma in person multiple times.

Without any bias, I can hands down say Nick Watson does things you just don’t see on a football field. You are guaranteed something crazy every time you watch him.

The only reason he is not a top 2 pick is because of his size. However if you’ve ever watched him play in person, you know this is simply not an issue.

Zane may turn out to be a good player, but nothing suggests he is anything special. At least, that is what I’ve seen with my own eyes. In my opinion, he is a replaceable player, and players like him will come and go.

Putting yourself in a position to score won’t cut it at AFL level, and I’m not sure I’ve seen anything that suggests Duursma’s under 18 form will correlate into goals at the highest level.

You're watching the wrong Duursma if you don't think Zane is special. His marking, aerial presence, and follow through at ground level are brilliant and when he is pushed up the ground he both works hard to keep involved and breaks lines out of packs.

Watson isn't perfect either. As a forward he seems more comfortable one-out than playing off his teammates, and while he is ferocious in the forward line his work around the goals is volatile and his general disposal at speed or through contact isn't up there with the best smalls. He doesn't have the stamina to play a Walsh-like role on a wing where he can outwork his opponent into getting space for clear kicks in the backline, then be a persistent threat as ball is worked up the ground. If he were the player you thought he was, he'd be coming up on Nick Daicos as the most productive 18s player ever.

You've said that getting in positions to score isn't enough at AFL level. I'd say that's the most important part of being a forward, and Duursma is a player built to get goals. Where Watson creates brilliant opportunities at ground level with some insane agility and game sense, Duursma brings some of the best aerial craft I've seen along with great ground skills. It's not the easiest call, and they're two players that will be taken very close to each other, but Duursma's value is definitely right up there with Watson.

 

[Mitchell19]

If we trade for gws 6 then Reid mckercher duursma curtin caddy Watson are the open pool we get one of those.

Remember 2 and 3 for North pushes GWS back to 7.

Is Riley Sanders (now we know he's available to the open pool) possibly in that top group also?

I'd still prefer pick 3(4) if it was up to me though.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

To me Caddy even at our first pick is becoming a necessity. Can play 3rd tall until he develops more. Our midfield is looking pretty strong

Of all the players he's the one that fits our needs the most, I've been banging this drum all year.

But I think Duursma and McKercher in particular have separated themselves from him in the pecking order.

Ideally we somehow get another first rounder and take Caddy or Watson, to compliment Duursma. We'd suddenly go from a forward line fairly thin on talent (especially established talent) to having Butler, Duursma, Caddy/Watson developing for the future.