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.

 

[naysayer]

Once again, Sam was 180cm.

180cm is still on the shorter side for an AFL player, but it's not too much shorter than 185 - 190cm to make a huge difference.

170cm isn't too much shorter than 175 - 180cm, but it is a hell of a lot shorter than 185 - 190cm. It's like saying "well this guy jumped one weight class and won a championship, so this guy can definitely jump 3 weight classes and do the same".

I know how numbers work. My post was referring to the fact that everybody thought Sam was too short and slow to be an AFL midfielder. If you're that good, you make it work.

 

[The Chad and I]

Kosi Pickett's height is more a limitation than a weakness, he's a great small forward but he is also just a small forward and will only ever be a small forward. It's why he started his career with a bang and has been good, but stagnant for the past 3.

I feel like this argument has happened a tonne of times on this board, but it's 100% accurate to say that a 170cm player has more limitations than a 190cm player. That's why bullocking but not altogether skilful players like Wines and Cripps have Brownlow Medals, and why there are barely a handful of players as short as Watson in the AFL. They need to be that much quicker, that much more skilful, that much more talented to make up for it.

If football ability is indiscriminate of height, and a short guy has just as good a chance of having natural football talent as a tall guy, that the AFL average height (even controlled for position) is so much taller than the national average of 175cm speaks volumes to the advantage height gives.

Taller players with running ability gained an advantage when afl playing surfaces improved.
Smaller players lost an advantage for the same reason.

 

[KermitJagger]

I know how numbers work. My post was referring to the fact that everybody thought Sam was too short and slow to be an AFL midfielder. If you're that good, you make it work.

Sam making it work at 180cm is still completely different to Watson making it work at 170cm.

Regardless, going back to the point this is all in response to - that Watson's height is a strength, or at least not a limitation or a weakness. It clearly is because he needs to be that much better to compete at the same level.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Watson is 1cm shorter than Pickett

He will be fine

 

[Bugs1977]

Sam making it work at 180cm is still completely different to Watson making it work at 170cm.

Regardless, going back to the point this is all in response to - that Watson's height is a strength, or at least not a limitation or a weakness. It clearly is because he needs to be that much better to compete at the same level.

For the postion that he'll be playing (small forward) no I don't think his height will matter. Where his lack of height will play a factor is when / if he is put on ball but that's not a position he'll be spending the majority of his time playing but rather just spot rotation minutes.

 

[SSSSSS]

I can see the Wizard making us a 4 goal better side next year. Completely improves our forward pressure, our creativity going inside 50 and adds an additional outlet to goals.

I don't see any other draftee outside of Reid making that immediate impact.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

What's the Wizard's pressure like compared to Pickett?

 

[smish]

The thing about the Wizard's height is that we know for sure how this will affect his game at AFL level because we've done training/match sim with him over last preseason.

 

[Philhawk]

The thing about the Wizard's height is that we know for sure how this will affect his game at AFL level because we've done training/match sim with him over last preseason.

When he trained with us as an underaged, undersized (physically) kid - he was absolutely brilliant in training simulations in our forward line.

Just imagine what he'd do once he puts on muscle.

 

[TheFourPillars]

The thing about the Wizard's height is that we know for sure how this will affect his game at AFL level because we've done training/match sim with him over last preseason.

Last two preseasons

 

[KermitJagger]

Watson is 1cm shorter than Pickett

He will be fine

No one is saying he won't be a good player!

People are, on the other hand, saying his height is a strength or that he could be anything, which is pretty unreasonable. He will be a gun but he will be limited by his height.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

The thing is you just don't know. Case in point DGB. In Watson's case he'll always be short but I feel that could end up being his strength as long as he plays hard and doesn't resort to ducking.

For every DGB, Ellis and Thurgood there are hundreds of other players that seamlessly put on weight and adjust physically.

 

[SSSSSS]

What's the Wizard's pressure like compared to Pickett?

I'd say Pickett is stylistically comparable to Cyril.

Wizard IMO I see a lot more Sonny Walters.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

No one is saying he won't be a good player!

People are, on the other hand, saying his height is a strength or that he could be anything, which is pretty unreasonable. He will be a gun but he will be limited by his height.

Talking about his height without including his athletic attributes is unreasonable, because its only providing commentary on one aspect

This "could be anything" debate is horrendously disingenuous, noone says he could be anything in terms of being a ruckman, its in regards to skill level and career prospect

People refer to Ramsden as "he could be anything", noone is saying he will be a half back flanker

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

I'd say Pickett is stylistically comparable to Cyril.

Wizard IMO I see a lot more Sonny Walters.

Bit of this?

 

[SSSSSS]

Bit of this?

Thought Wizard played well in the champs.

Likewise I thought Walters has shown up in almost all of his finals. Actually has a pretty good record for a small forward.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Heard this morning that it will be Hawthorn or the Bulldogs for the Wiz as these two clubs have been courting him the hardest. We are extremely keen as others here have states from very early on. And he is keen to join us.

So we might see the Dogs try and entice us

 

[SSSSSS]

I would be over the moon with either Curtin or Watson. If somehow Duursma or McKercher falls to us I'd be rapt.

My heart says Wiz but my head says Curtin.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Heard this morning that it will be Hawthorn or the Bulldogs for the Wiz as these two clubs have been courting him the hardest. We are extremely keen as others here have states from very early on. And he is keen to join us.

So we might see the Dogs try and entice us

Get Bucky to invite the Wiz to stay with him for a while!

 

[Mercy Seat]

Reckon North will eventually get something done with WC for 2 + another top 10. They seem confident on Reid.

1 - Reid - NM
2 - Curtin - WC
3 - Duursma - NM
4 - Watson or McKercher

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[KermitJagger]

Talking about his height without including his athletic attributes is unreasonable, because its only providing commentary on one aspect

This "could be anything" debate is horrendously disingenuous, noone says he could be anything in terms of being a ruckman, its in regards to skill level and career prospect

People refer to Ramsden as "he could be anything", noone is saying he will be a half back flanker

I made one comment that Curtin could literally be anything because of his ability to be almost positionless, it was just a way to drive home that point. I get that it's silly to judge Watson by his ability to play in a key position role, but the point still stands that when someone says that a player "could be anything" it does need to mean that they have raw untapped potential. That isn't the case for Watson who, yes due to his size, is probably closer to a finished product than other players who are taller, less coordinated and have much more filling out and developing to do.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

I made one comment that Curtin could literally be anything because of his ability to be almost positionless, it was just a way to drive home that point. I get that it's silly to judge Watson by his ability to play in a key position role, but the point still stands that when someone says that a player "could be anything" it does need to mean that they have raw untapped potential. That isn't the case for Watson who, yes due to his size, is probably closer to a finished product than other players who are taller, less coordinated and have much more filling out and developing to do.

Finished product physically- perhaps

Skill level - no

 

[Kuuz]

Feel like Wiz would fit in with a lot of the lads too based on what Moorey said earlier in the year - where a lot of players have points to prove as they had all been overlooked at points due to things "they didn't have".

Dyl was on the rookie list, Jai brought in during MSD, and so on. Seemed like a big driver of the group & feel Wiz would fit that well, considering all the knocks against his height.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

I will be happy with any of the top 5!

But I would really love to have Ginni and Wiz team up and get under the oppositions skin and kick bags of goals as a team.

It really would make me go GiWiz how lucky are us Hawk fans!

If McKercher falls to us I am not sure we will pass on him. Especially if we consider him to be at least equally as talented as Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

.

Bring on the draft, the anticipation is killing me already !!