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.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

I don’t get people suggesting we could eventually trade Curtin for Reid. If Reid hypothetically wanted out in a few years, he will just nominate any club he wants, as will Curtin.

Spot on. Reid nominates Geelong. Curtin WCE

 

[RoughysMullet]

Our two biggest needs are a key defender and small/medium/key forward talent…

Is Curtin a genuine KPD at AFL level? If so we would be all over it… kinda worry he ends up wanting to play midfield or 3rd tall at AFL level which doesn’t fill a need for us…

Forward line needs some young talent - Watson might be the guy or Duursma if he doesn’t end up at the beggers…

 

[westhawk]

He isn't a genuine key defender. He's more a Jordan Dawson type.

We're also guaranteed to already be drafting a 197cm defender about 10 picks later.

He’s 195cm, can easily hold down CHB. Same height as Weitering.

 

[TylerDurden]

He’s 195cm, can easily hold down CHB. Same height as Weitering.

So is DGB and is far from a KP Defender.

 

[Turly]

He’s 195cm, can easily hold down CHB. Same height as Weitering.

Just because he’s tall doesn’t mean he is a KPP. See Connor Nash, Cripps etc.

 

[Blackhawk42]

He’s 195cm, can easily hold down CHB. Same height as Weitering.

That doesn't mean he's suddenly going to become the centre half back we need. It's not what he's been doing at under 18 level. He's more versatile than that.
I doubt we'd we drafting him to simply stay at home in the defensive end.

 

[ahhhhhh]

We will be stupid not to take Watson

 

[JaegarTime]

my gut says after watching the Duursma highlights is that he is a bust. Just won't win enough ball or be creative enough as a forward to make it.

Any of the other targets (Curtin, Watson, McKercher, Sanders) i'd be happy to roll with.

I have this strange fear too

 

[westhawk]

So is DGB and is far from a KP Defender.

Is bigger than DGB already, so can’t compare. Plus he reads the play better than DGB and is cool under pressure.

 

[Bugs1977]

my gut says after watching the Duursma highlights is that he is a bust. Just won't win enough ball or be creative enough as a forward to make it.

Any of the other targets (Curtin, Watson, McKercher, Sanders) i'd be happy to roll with.

Yep. A lot here are against taking Watson because he's only 170cm BUT are all for taking Duursma who's 189cm but only 79kgs. IMO if you're worried about Watson's height then you should also be worried about Duursma's weight and if he'll be able to add enough size to his frame to battle it out with the big boys. FWIW I think both will be guns and the worry for both in height and size respectively won't stop either at the top level. Watson has that same mongrel that Will Day has which lets him punch above his weight and I'd love to see him crumbing at the feet of Lewis and Chol.

 

[westhawk]

Just because he’s tall doesn’t mean he is a KPP. See Connor Nash, Cripps etc.

And none of those player spent their junior careers playing as key defenders either. All I am saying is that people think he can’t play kpd because of height, but his height is fine and is also over 90kg already, plus has elite kicking skills and reads the play better than most.

 

[westhawk]

That doesn't mean he's suddenly going to become the centre half back we need. It's not what he's been doing at under 18 level. He's more versatile than that.
I doubt we'd we drafting him to simply stay at home in the defensive end.

We will not be drafting him as a midfielder. Not saying he will be permanently back, but he is more than capable of playing CHB, mid and CHF. He did play a lot of CHB in colts over here, plus played there at league level. The reason he played all over at under 18 national champs, was because the WA team was so bad, he had to play everywhere.

 

[KeeperLeaguer]

My personal opinion is that Watson is the far greater natural talent than Curtin, almost par with Duursma but in admittedly different areas.
I've watched both Curtin & Watson live in a couple of games (and I mean specifically monitored them) and Watson has an awareness off the ball that most don't have. He reads where the incoming ball will go and he'll decide whether to go for it or if he thinks he wont make the contest he'll automatically position himself for tackling their defenders.
Most of that you don't see on highlights but it's there.
And that's not to take anything away from Curtin who has an authority (let's call it that) when he's going for the ball so that his teammates will peel off him even before he takes the mark or creates the contest. His work in the middle has really lifted his game too.
Again, this is just my personal opinion and on draft night our club will do what our club thinks best.

 

[LRobbo]

We will be sorry if we don’t draft Watson. The kid could legit be anything and he uses his size as ammunition because he’s always been overlooked due to it.
Ginnivan and Watson as small forwards for the next decade.
Sign me up

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

My personal opinion is that Watson is the far greater natural talent than Curtin, almost par with Duursma but in admittedly different areas.
I've watched both Curtin & Watson live in a couple of games (and I mean specifically monitored them) and Watson has an awareness off the ball that most don't have. He reads where the incoming ball will go and he'll decide whether to go for it or if he thinks he wont make the contest he'll automatically position himself for tackling their defenders.
Most of that you don't see on highlights but it's there.
And that's not to take anything away from Curtin who has an authority (let's call it that) when he's going for the ball so that his teammates will peel off him even before he takes the mark or creates the contest. His work in the middle has really lifted his game too.
Again, this is just my personal opinion and on draft night our club will do what our club thinks best.

I think anyone of the top 5 will add talent to our list and we should be excited about them!

 

[HedgeFund]

Noticed in the combine one player was top 10 in 4 of the 5 tests ie) 2km time trial, agility, standing vertical jump and running jump he’s a forward/mid and good size. What do people think/know about Darcy Wilson?

He’s really athletic.

 

[spudmaster]

Noticed in the combine one player was top 10 in 4 of the 5 tests ie) 2km time trial, agility, standing vertical jump and running jump he’s a forward/mid and good size. What do people think/know about Darcy Wilson?

He’s really athletic.

 

[perrdan86]

Our two biggest needs are a key defender and small/medium/key forward talent…

Is Curtin a genuine KPD at AFL level? If so we would be all over it… kinda worry he ends up wanting to play midfield or 3rd tall at AFL level which doesn’t fill a need for us…

Forward line needs some young talent - Watson might be the guy or Duursma if he doesn’t end up at the beggers…

He's said he sees himself as a mid. I wouldnt draft as a KPD if that's where he wants to play.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Two pix in the top 7-8 would make it all the more easier for us to just grab the wiz at 4 and one of whoever falls through. Even better would be a another top 5-6 but can't see that happening as clubs are not quite buying into us been bottom four next year. NEED to talk ourselves DOWN from now till the draft.
Let's start:
I reckon we're bottom two trash in 2024. The rebuild is broken.

 

[Flukey!]

Yep. A lot here are against taking Watson because he's only 170cm BUT are all for taking Duursma who's 189cm but only 79kgs. IMO if you're worried about Watson's height then you should also be worried about Duursma's weight and if he'll be able to add enough size to his frame to battle it out with the big boys.

Duursma can put on size and get bigger and stronger.eg....Will Day. He is only a kid still.
Watson can't get taller.

 

[Alite]

We will be sorry if we don’t draft Watson. The kid could legit be anything and he uses his size as ammunition because he’s always been overlooked due to it.
Ginnivan and Watson as small forwards for the next decade.
Sign me up

Watson is a gun. I hope he becomes a Hawk… …. as are the other 5 in the super-six. I’d be happy if any of them becomes a Hawk. But for me Watson is the likely available certainty. A 200 game likely 500+ goal player.

Clearly Reid is the dream but there is something about the energy that Watson brings that cannot be defined. Cody Weightman is the best comparison but not even he seems to have the gravity of control of a forward line like Watson.

Put simply, if the ball is in his sphere of influence all eyes are on what Watson will do.

If the Hawks Take The Win that is Watson, I will be most pleased.

 

[Alite]

Duursma can put on size and get bigger and stronger.eg....Will Day. He is only a kid still.
Watson can't get taller.

Watson’s height is a strength… he does not have to duck to get free kicks like some… the increasingly taller AFL players will just tackle him badly and gift him goals for his entire career.

Poppy was a user of the system. He was short and fast and got a lot of head high tackles. Poppy also used the shoulder shrug. Watson plays short and plays low. He will get free kicks for head high tackles like Kim Jong-Un gets votes in an election: it is certain.

 

[I got the outside word]

Duursma can put on size and get bigger and stronger.eg....Will Day. He is only a kid still.
Watson can't get taller.

17-18 year olds have never grown taller. Fact.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Watson’s height is a strength… he does not have to duck to get free kicks like some… the increasingly taller AFL players will just tackle him badly and gift him goals for his entire career.

Poppy was a user of the system. He was short and fast and got a lot of head high tackles. Poppy also used the shoulder shrug. Watson plays is short and plays low. He will get free kicks for head high tackles like kim Jong-Un gets votes in an election: it is certain.

His height is not a strength. How many 170cm shorties are running around in the AFL? Two?

 

[Flukey!]

17-18 year olds have never grown taller. Fact.

I will put a note on the fridge to remind myself.