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.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Where do the keen draft watchers see Will Day’s mate Ashton Moir going in Nov? His highlights are amazing (appreciating they’re curated and the oppo quality mightn’t be great). Is he in the mix for No.2 or 3?

Has slid a little with a lack of output to match his talent this year. Is a watch during the champs.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

we are after someone else: was played to entice the 2 sides before us.

Do you happen to know who? Yes/no.

 

[TylerDurden]

we are after someone else: was played to entice the 2 sides before us.

Tucker.

 

[TDS7]

Alright, I'm still work sick so I've wasted a day watching footy. Here's my take on Zane Duursma:

Zane Duursma - Gippsland Power (VC)
H: 189cm
W: 79kg
CTL Role: Midfield and Forward Target
AFL Starting Role: Wing or Half Forward

Stats: 3.3 - 25d (17k 8h) - 7 tackles - 6 marks - 8 inside 50s

The Good:
Attack on the footy
Workrate while on the ball
Positioning and stoppage craft
Forward craft
Defensive pressure
Damage per possession.

The Improvements:
Disposal
Composure under pressure
Contested Possessions


Duursma's game really pops on the stat sheet. 3 goals (which really should have been 5), 25 disposals while spending significant time as a deep forward, and 7 tackles with plenty of extra pressure acts. There's no doubt he won Gippsland this game, but there's still plenty Zane would look to work on through champs and in an AFL system.

First, his disposal by foot needs to be refined. His ball drop is very high and he seems to imbalance himself as he swings his weight to the left when he kicks. I'd imagine this is a byproduct of a rapid growth spurt, it's almost as if he's a hundredth of a second ahead of where the ball is at the drop. Certainly, not anything you can't work on, but it is a vital point of difference if he wants to move more into the midfield. There's a strange duplicity in Duursma's midfield work. On the one hand, his stoppage work, positioning, and running patterns are some of the best you'll see. It's not even a question of superior athleticism, though he does have brilliant agility and straight-line speed. This understanding of a stoppage is rare, and combined with his height and reach he is almost always in a position to get his hands on the footy. That's when you start to see where he needs to develop as a mid. When he gets his hands to the footy his arms get pinned and he can't get a disposal out easily. You can see him try and lift his arms to get a kickoff when tackled, and the ball getting dislodged or a tiny handball out to the pack tackling him. When you watch good stoppage midfielders, they are at their best when they get their hands free and either wait for the right disposal or hold the footy in and take another stoppage. It's what Will Day, Oliver, and Macrae really excel at and why they can be elite contested midfielders despite a rather slender frame. Again, this is an area of improvement that can be built upon, but it shows that he will need a few years to regularly run through the midfield. I'd much rather him spend his time learning as a forward and a wing, where his reading of the play and penetrating disposal can be utilised.

As a forward Duursma presents strong out the goalsquare and has tantalizing leap and reach. He reads the ball in flight well, presenting strongly in packs and protecting space in one-on-one contests. He collects the ball really well on the deck and makes good decisions, but his disposal can let him down in front of goal. He stands up through pressure better as a forward than a midfielder, but he still drops the footy up around his chest on snaps and is a bit prone to stabbing at it around the ground. His set shots are a lot better but are still a bit loopy and swings as his body leans left. This is all rather nitpicky, his craft around goals are exceptional, and his positioning, running patterns, and leading get him a ton of great opportunities. He spent quite a bit of time as a deeper forward and it'll be a key reason any team will draft him, it's his best position and where he looks the most natural.

Duursma's disposal count speaks for itself as he racked up 27 possies (including 17 kicks and 8 i50s) in spite of his decent stays as a deep forward. This is a reflection of an incredible workrate and attack on the footy. Zane's presence was felt at every contest he showed up in, and he'll often get possessions for his teammates simply by applying pressure and repeatedly impacting opposition possessions. He's the target coming up the ground for Gippsland, he's usually the one they'll look toward up the line and he works hard to get himself free. Sicily would love him on the side, just as he works as a forward on a lead he finds a way to present for defenders as a link down the line and in the corridor. He brings a deadly threat of a player who both gets plenty of the ball and does plenty of damage when he has it. While he needs to work on his field kicking in close, he can roost it far and gives his forwards plenty of opportunity. He seems perfect for Sam's playstyle of aggressive movement and being a threat with your workrate.

When I look at this draft class, I could see us taking any 10 players if we aren't selecting number one. Duursma, while not a key forward, is a perfect player for our gameplan and would be well suited to learning from our leaders. I'd hesitate to call him a midfielder, but both the player he is now and the player he could become are well worth any pick we'll have. I'd have him somewhere around 5-10, but with plenty of scope push up into the top 3 given a strong champs.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Alright, I'm still work sick so I've wasted a day watching footy. Here's my take on Zane Duursma:

Zane Duursma - Gippsland Power (VC)
H: 189cm
W: 79kg
CTL Role: Midfield and Forward Target
AFL Starting Role: Wing or Half Forward

Stats: 3.3 - 25d (17k 8h) - 7 tackles - 6 marks - 8 inside 50s

The Good:
Attack on the footy
Workrate while on the ball
Positioning and stoppage craft
Forward craft
Defensive pressure
Damage per possession.

The Improvements:
Disposal
Composure under pressure
Contested Possessions


Duursma's game really pops on the stat sheet. 3 goals (which really should have been 5), 25 disposals while spending significant time as a deep forward, and 7 tackles with plenty of extra pressure acts. There's no doubt he won Gippsland this game, but there's still plenty Zane would look to work on through champs and in an AFL system.

First, his disposal by foot needs to be refined. His ball drop is very high and he seems to imbalance himself as he swings his weight to the left when he kicks. I'd imagine this is a byproduct of a rapid growth spurt, it's almost as if he's a hundredth of a second ahead of where the ball is at the drop. Certainly, not anything you can't work on, but it is a vital point of difference if he wants to move more into the midfield. There's a strange duplicity in Duursma's midfield work. On the one hand, his stoppage work, positioning, and running patterns are some of the best you'll see. It's not even a question of superior athleticism, though he does have brilliant agility and straight-line speed. This understanding of a stoppage is rare, and combined with his height and reach he is almost always in a position to get his hands on the footy. That's when you start to see where he needs to develop as a mid. When he gets his hands to the footy his arms get pinned and he can't get a disposal out easily. You can see him try and lift his arms to get a kickoff when tackled, and the ball getting dislodged or a tiny handball out to the pack tackling him. When you watch good stoppage midfielders, they are at their best when they get their hands free and either wait for the right disposal or hold the footy in and take another stoppage. It's what Will Day, Oliver, and Macrae really excel at and why they can be elite contested midfielders despite a rather slender frame. Again, this is an area of improvement that can be built upon, but it shows that he will need a few years to regularly run through the midfield. I'd much rather him spend his time learning as a forward and a wing, where his reading of the play and penetrating disposal can be utilised.

As a forward Duursma presents strong out the goalsquare and has tantalizing leap and reach. He reads the ball in flight well, presenting strongly in packs and protecting space in one-on-one contests. He collects the ball really well on the deck and makes good decisions, but his disposal can let him down in front of goal. He stands up through pressure better as a forward than a midfielder, but he still drops the footy up around his chest on snaps and is a bit prone to stabbing at it around the ground. His set shots are a lot better but are still a bit loopy and swings as his body leans left. This is all rather nitpicky, his craft around goals are exceptional, and his positioning, running patterns, and leading get him a ton of great opportunities. He spent quite a bit of time as a deeper forward and it'll be a key reason any team will draft him, it's his best position and where he looks the most natural.

Duursma's disposal count speaks for itself as he racked up 27 possies (including 17 kicks and 8 i50s) in spite of his decent stays as a deep forward. This is a reflection of an incredible workrate and attack on the footy. Zane's presence was felt at every contest he showed up in, and he'll often get possessions for his teammates simply by applying pressure and repeatedly impacting opposition possessions. He's the target coming up the ground for Gippsland, he's usually the one they'll look toward up the line and he works hard to get himself free. Sicily would love him on the side, just as he works as a forward on a lead he finds a way to present for defenders as a link down the line and in the corridor. He brings a deadly threat of a player who both gets plenty of the ball and does plenty of damage when he has it. While he needs to work on his field kicking in close, he can roost it far and gives his forwards plenty of opportunity. He seems perfect for Sam's playstyle of aggressive movement and being a threat with your workrate.

When I look at this draft class, I could see us taking any 10 players if we aren't selecting number one. Duursma, while not a key forward, is a perfect player for our gameplan and would be well suited to learning from our leaders. I'd hesitate to call him a midfielder, but both the player he is now and the player he could become are well worth any pick we'll have. I'd have him somewhere around 5-10, but with plenty of scope push up into the top 3 given a strong champs.

Spot on and a phenomenal write up.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

Where do the keen draft watchers see Will Day’s mate Ashton Moir going in Nov? His highlights are amazing (appreciating they’re curated and the oppo quality mightn’t be great). Is he in the mix for No.2 or 3?

I'm a big fan of Moir. He's top 4 in this class based on talent, in my opinion (Reid, Curtin, Moir, and Watson). The issue with him this year has been a lack of workrate, consistency, and overall attitude. When he's turning it on, there's no one in the AFL who's comparable to him. I'd say he's Jamarra Ugle-Hagan if Ugle-Hagan was 188 cm tall, and he reminds me of Isaac Heeney in some ways. But there lies the issue. When he's not turning it on, he may as well be sitting on a lounge chair, taking in the April Sun In Cuba. His work rate and attitude when things aren’t going his way are not great. And he certainly doesn’t have the workhorse capabilities of Dylan Moore, even when he's playing his best football. I'd say he's still in the top 10, but he's underperforming, and some people here on BigFooty have him dropping out of their top 10s. That said, when it's all said and done, I think he's still going to go top 10 in the draft, or as high as pick 3, as he simply has too much talent to pass up on. He does need to impress at the national championships, as he did last year.

 

[FB19]

I'm a big fan of Moir. He's top 4 in this class based on talent, in my opinion (Reid, Curtin, Moir, and Watson). The issue with him this year has been a lack of workrate, consistency, and overall attitude. When he's turning it on, there's no one in the AFL who's comparable to him. I'd say he's Jamarra Ugle-Hagan if Ugle-Hagan was 188 cm tall, and he reminds me of Isaac Heeney in some ways. But there lies the issue. When he's not turning it on, he may as well be sitting on a lounge chair, taking in the April Sun In Cuba. His work rate and attitude when things aren’t going his way are not great. And he certainly doesn’t have the workhorse capabilities of Dylan Moore, even when he's playing his best football. I'd say he's still in the top 10, but he's underperforming, and some people here on BigFooty have him dropping out of their top 10s. That said, when it's all said and done, I think he's still going to go top 10 in the draft, or as high as pick 3, as he simply has too much talent to pass up on. He does need to impress at the national championships, as he did last year.

Emerson Jeka went to rookie for similar reasons didn’t he? I don’t see us drafting him based on that write up when compared to the earlier write up on Duursma for example

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

we are after someone else: was played to entice the 2 sides before us.

I had wondered that, we do not normally show our hand like that.....

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

I'm a big fan of Moir. He's top 4 in this class based on talent, in my opinion (Reid, Curtin, Moir, and Watson). The issue with him this year has been a lack of workrate, consistency, and overall attitude. When he's turning it on, there's no one in the AFL who's comparable to him. I'd say he's Jamarra Ugle-Hagan if Ugle-Hagan was 188 cm tall, and he reminds me of Isaac Heeney in some ways. But there lies the issue. When he's not turning it on, he may as well be sitting on a lounge chair, taking in the April Sun In Cuba. His work rate and attitude when things aren’t going his way are not great. And he certainly doesn’t have the workhorse capabilities of Dylan Moore, even when he's playing his best football. I'd say he's still in the top 10, but he's underperforming, and some people here on BigFooty have him dropping out of their top 10s. That said, when it's all said and done, I think he's still going to go top 10 in the draft, or as high as pick 3, as he simply has too much talent to pass up on. He does need to impress at the national championships, as he did last year.

Mior reminds me of Richard Tambling ( A hard PASS).

 

[hawkguru]

Duursma Wilson Caddy and A.Reid would be the ones to keep a close eye on at champs

 

[chopflop]

Where do the keen draft watchers see Will Day’s mate Ashton Moir going in Nov? His highlights are amazing (appreciating they’re curated and the oppo quality mightn’t be great). Is he in the mix for No.2 or 3?

Isn't living up to the hype apparently

 

[Davo-27]

here is Zane Duursma's Game against the Western Jets, if you watch the game he makes a few errors, looks fantastic as a forward with strong leads, moves so well for a medium forw/ tallish mid, has good stats in this game, he is the number 9 for Blue/Red - Gipps

1. gets a handball receive and a good chip kick
2. runs into f50 gets caught, handballs it away
3. tackle where he gets holding the ball free kick
4. lunges for tackle, misses
5. gets a push in the back free, (turnover) kicks to opponent 30m away
6. nice mark on half back, chips it to a team mate
7. 60m out no pressure, kicks on the full, nowhere near a teammate
8. strong tackle on a player trying to run past
9. wins a ground ball, loose handball
10. running forward handballs it to a guy inside 50
11. nice deft handball to teammate on 50m line, follows up with tackle
12. mark 30m out from goal on boundary, kicks a goal
13. flies for a mark, over his head
14. takes a mark on the lead, kicks a goal
15. wins the ball, hands it to opponent
16. handball is intercepted, runs past looking for a loose ball, opponents take it away
17. wins a loose ball, hands it off to a running teammate
18. smothers ball
19. kicks long into forward line, tall teammate marks it
20. nice lead from forward pocket, mark and miss
21. run and carry, but awkward kick
22. handball
23. long kick that gets turned over
24. ruck taps straight to him, misses from 30m out straight in front with a snap
25. tackles a guy standing next to him
26. tries to run past but gets tackled and it looks like he missed the ball, but it might have touch his leg? mystery as to whether thats a poss or not?
27. taps a loose ball and runs into open goal, for his 3rd
28. wins the ball forward, banana kick for a behind
29. kicks the ball forward into the pocket where a team mate takes a mark
30. fumbles the ball
31. tackles an opponent and makes him drop the ball

it looks like a very scrappy game, which tends to happen when half the squads play private school footy, also the Western Jets are one of the worst teams in the CTL, gathered mid 20's disposals, he moves well for a med forw/tall mid and is a lovely kick at goal, i just think his forward craft is so much better than his midfield craft.

thanx to noobermensch

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

here is Zane Duursma's Game against the Western Jets, if you watch the game he makes a lot of errors, looks fantastic as a forward with strong leads, has good stats though, he is the number 9 for Blue/Red - Gipps

1. gets a handball receive and a good chip kick
2. runs into f50 gets caught handballs it away
3. tackle where he gets holding the ball free kick
4. lunges for tackle, misses
5. gets a push in the back free, kicks to opponent 30m away
6. nice mark on half back, chips it to a team mate
7. 60m out no pressure, kicks on the full looking for a pass to a forward
8. strong tackle on a player trying to run past
9. wins a ground ball, loose handball
10. running forward handballs it to a guy inside 50
11. nice deft handball to teammate on 50m line, follows up with tackle
12. mark 30m on boundary, kicks a goal
13. flies for a mark, over his head
14. takes a mark on the lead, kicks a goal
15. wins the ball, hands it to opponent
16. handball is intercepted, runs past looking for a loose ball, opponents take it away
17. wins a loose ball, hands it off to a runner
18. smoothers ball
19. kicks long into forward line, big guy marks it
20. nice lead from forward pocket and miss
21. run and carry, but awkward kick
22. handball
23. long kick that gets turned over
24. ruck taps straight to him, misses from 30m out straight in front with a snap
25. tackles a guy standing next to him
26. tries to run past but gets tackled and it looks like he missed the ball, but it might have touch his leg? mystery as to whether thats a poss or not?
27. taps a loose ball and runs into open goal
28. wins the ball forward, banana kick for a behind
29. kicks the ball forward into the pocket where a team mate takes a mark
30. fumbles the ball
31. tackles an opponent and makes him drop the ball

thanx to noobermensch

Unlucky not to kick 5, the 2 posters both looked good. I still think we will take best available and he is definitely in the mix at picks 2-4. We haven’t really got that taller midfielder/ forward hybrid type on our list so he would be a good fit.

 

[KermitJagger]

No one chooses to use Yasmin over Jasmine unless they're persian-adjacent or trying something on. Considering Duursma is a Dutch surname (which has never appeared in any persian speaking areas) I'd say they senior Duursma's were trying to be clever.

Isn't Willem the youngest? Must have only been planning for XYZ but had a happy little accident with W.

 

[Alite]

Here is a look at Nate Caddy (17yrs)

 

[chopflop]

Here is a look at Nate Caddy (17yrs)

Lacks some polish but has speed, pressure, aggression, sticky hands and very mobile. A glove-like fit for us and looks to have high-upside.

 

[Alite]

Some more

 

[Alite]

The bloke creating YouTube channel “Footy Stuff” is churning out video supercuts of prospective National Draft players. Consider subscribing.

Footy Stuff

I make compilation videos of AFL draft prospects. Email: footystuffbiz@gmail.com for any inquiries or to discuss commissions If you're feeling generous you can buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/footystuff Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/FootyStuffYT

www.youtube.com

 

[I got the outside word]

I want Watson. It’s based on absolutely nothing but a gut feel and the fact Wizards are ****ing cool.

“Fly you fools!”

#gotnerdy

 

[kenneje]

Here is a look at Nate Caddy (17yrs)

Caddy looks awesome. For the more well informed, does he play similar to Charlie Curnow did in his draft year?

Noticed Curnow was listed at 191cm at the start of 2015, and they share a lot of similar traits in their draft writeups.

 

[Hodgey 15]

Here is a look at Nate Caddy (17yrs)

Hope he's not a dick like his uncle.

 

[hawkguru]

Some more

He plays taller than his height suggests thx to his long wing span. Clean when it hits the deck and looks a good build even in vfl level. Shades of Curnow and Gunston and should tear it up in the tac champs

 

[MasterSamurai]

Nate looks more like a third tall half Frwd who will need a good match up to deal with. Seems to have good mobility around the ground. Not sure about his speed off the mark though.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Hope he's not a dick like his uncle.

Oh god I can tell a hell of a story here

 

[smish]

Oh god I can tell a hell of a story here

Go on Dom.