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.

 

[boratsagdiyev]

If we draft Watson and don't have him recreate this commercial as part of his intro to fans id be shattered!! Sell crowns at the merch booth!

 

[I got the outside word]

If we draft Watson and don't have him recreate this commercial as part of his intro to fans id be shattered!! Sell crowns at the merch booth!

We can get Twomey and his sidekick to direct it.

 

[eldorado]

We can get Twomey and his sidekick to direct it.

That "Need For Reid" snippet remains the low point of AFL football media...if not western civilisation itself...

 

[cryptor]

That "Need For Reid" snippet remains the low point of AFL football media...if not western civilisation itself...

I raise you...

 

[eldorado]

I raise you...

You win.


I made it to the 15 second mark...

 

[I got the outside word]

That "Need For Reid" snippet remains the low point of AFL football media...if not western civilisation itself...

Mail is someone had their families hostage. I can’t think of any other reason they would allow it to be released.

I raise you...

As bad as this is ‘Need for Reid’ takes the choccies I reckon. It wasn’t even funny-bad.

 

[Brishawk]

So as can be seen Watson is more than just a forward pocket.

If you want a wingman who can play forward, Darcy Wilson is the player. He is the absolute prototype AFL wingman. Has kicked 14 goals in 10 Coates league games so has a higher GPG average than Watson too (at that level).

 

[TheFourPillars]

If you want a wingman who can play forward, Darcy Wilson is the player. He is the absolute prototype AFL wingman. Has kicked 14 goals in 10 Coates league games so has a higher GPG average than Watson too (at that level).

I am still taking Watson because he is not just wingman but he can play there. He can play Hb too and of course as a forward pocket.

 

[naysayer]

If you want a wingman who can play forward, Darcy Wilson is the player. He is the absolute prototype AFL wingman. Has kicked 14 goals in 10 Coates league games so has a higher GPG average than Watson too (at that level).

Geez mate, will Watson even get drafted?

 

[noobermensch]

If you want a wingman who can play forward, Darcy Wilson is the player. He is the absolute prototype AFL wingman. Has kicked 14 goals in 10 Coates league games so has a higher GPG average than Watson too (at that level).

I wouldn't be reading too much into Watsons numbers in the Talent League. He's primarily played APS, his Talent League campaign has been a disjointed and strange one. He's played mostly off wing and black flank, and has spoken about how he and the coaches at Eastern planned for him to play up the ground so that he didn't get pigeonholed as a forward.

 

[dermott]

Geez mate, will Watson even get drafted?

He may not even last to our pick if North get Mackay compo band 1.

 

[TheFourPillars]

I wouldn't be reading too much into Watsons numbers in the Talent League. He's primarily played APS, his Talent League campaign has been a disjointed and strange one. He's played mostly off wing and black flank, and has spoken about how he and the coaches at Eastern planned for him to play up the ground so that he didn't get pigeonholed as a forward.

Yes I think that has been happening on here quite a bit because of his height. Ppl compare him to other small players in Pickett and Daniel but he is different he is actually combo deal quicker than Daniel and is endurance machine compared to Pickett can lead can mark knows where the goals are. I am biased because i have seen a lot more of him than any of the others in the draft but he is fricken awesome as far as i am concerned

 

[TDS7]

Yes I think that has been happening on here quite a bit because of his height. Ppl compare him to other small players in Pickett and Daniel but he is different he is actually combo deal quicker than Daniel and is endurance machine compared to Pickett can lead can mark knows where the goals are. I am biased because i have seen a lot more of him than any of the others in the draft but he is fricken awesome as far as i am concerned

We are in such a great position. Either Watson or Duursma, or if North show interest in both and have two picks, we might work something out for Harley. We're in a great position, and I imagine one of our top 3 will be there at our pick. Imagine if we could get both.

 

[cryptor]

I am still taking Watson because he is not just wingman but he can play there. He can play Hb too and of course as a forward pocket.

Can play ruck too. Just needs to sit on the oppo rucks head

 

[Brishawk]

Geez mate, will Watson even get drafted?

Not as a half back

 

[TheFourPillars]

Can play ruck too. Just needs to sit on the oppo rucks head

I wouldnt put it beyond him. I mean after all he is the wiz lol

 

[Platten44]

I wouldn't be reading too much into Watsons numbers in the Talent League. He's primarily played APS, his Talent League campaign has been a disjointed and strange one. He's played mostly off wing and black flank, and has spoken about how he and the coaches at Eastern planned for him to play up the ground so that he didn't get pigeonholed as a forward.

What’s happened to Will Lorenz this year?

 

[cryptor]

What’s happened to Will Lorenz this year?

Engaging in a form of tanking.

 

[noobermensch]

What’s happened to Will Lorenz this year?

None of us know what the recruiters are thinking so there's a decent chance that he's still in the frame to be drafted. He got an invite to the national draft combine so there are clearly plenty of teams with an eye on him.

Speaking for myself only, I don't think he's a guy that's going to wow you with his size, elite athleticism or sublime talent (although he has above average disposal), so he really needs to dominate and post big numbers which he really hasn't this season. He's had all the opportunity. Academy participation, played champs for metro. Just never really stood out from the pack to me. Got shifted out of the midfield at the Chargers for a bottom aged cohort, which was an eyebrow raiser.

 

[Brishawk]

I wouldn't be reading too much into Watsons numbers in the Talent League. He's primarily played APS, his Talent League campaign has been a disjointed and strange one. He's played mostly off wing and black flank, and has spoken about how he and the coaches at Eastern planned for him to play up the ground so that he didn't get pigeonholed as a forward.

I get that but to my eye he is not a top prospect in any position than forward. He isnt a dominant wingman or half back and afl is a lot more congested than coates league and his weaknesses will be more exposed. Im not trying to diminish him as a forward prospect but i think there is some serious exaggeration of his capabilities elsewhere given only moderate performances playing those roles at coates league. Eye catching moments for sure but his production is exclusively as an outside player, which comes with risks at afl level.

Watson can be an offensive weapon coming up the ground, turning his opponent and getting back into fifty. He will be dangerous in broken play and on the counter. He wont just camp in the forward fifty. But trying to defend in any part of the ground will be challenging and his ball use under pressure is a concern.

Ps love your videos!

 

[Dewnior]

Greene was drafted in 2011 which includes:
Lachie Neale, Dayne Zorko, Chad Wingard, Tom Mitchell, Elliot Yeo, and Rory Laird who have all had similar or better careers.

You obviously haven't watched Greene's career. He's clearly the best of that lot.

 

[PLATTS44]

Dursma is taking multiple pack marks a week at the moment...he is much better in the air than just about everyone in the draft!

Why not both

 

[Platten44]

None of us know what the recruiters are thinking so there's a decent chance that he's still in the frame to be drafted. He got an invite to the national draft combine so there are clearly plenty of teams with an eye on him.

Speaking for myself only, I don't think he's a guy that's going to wow you with his size, elite athleticism or sublime talent (although he has above average disposal), so he really needs to dominate and post big numbers which he really hasn't this season. He's had all the opportunity. Academy participation, played champs for metro. Just never really stood out from the pack to me. Got shifted out of the midfield at the Chargers for a bottom aged cohort, which was an eyebrow raiser.

Thanks!

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Duursma would be a better wingman and most certainly a better backman than Watson - taller, better contested mark, stronger, better reader of the ball in the air.

Watson isn't getting drafted because he could play in the backline at School Footy level. Has anyone watched Caleb Daniel

5

Caleb Daniel

Age

29

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

try and defend a forward? Doggies do their best to hide him when he's in the backline, but when he has to actually defend a forward, never mind a mismatch (which teams love to try and exploit), he gets beaten the vast majority of the time.

Duursma has kicked more goals, took more marks and had more touches than Watson during the Coates league.

Coates Talent League:
Duursma - 10 games, 29 goals and 8 bests
Watsons - 5 games, 6 goals, 1 best

Vic Metro:
Duursma - 4 games, 7 goals, 2 bests
Watson - 5 games, 14 goals, 2 bests

Duursma doesn't have the obvious height concern and he will realistically be much a more versatile at AFL level.

Plus his weaknesses are things that can be worked on and overcome at AFL level - tank, and midfield accumulation (if that's even something you want him to work on at all).

Watson may have more endurance than Duursma currently. But if that's the one real comparative strength then it's case closed.

 

[naysayer]

Duursma would be a better wingman and most certainly a better backman than Watson - taller, better contested mark, stronger, better reader of the ball in the air.

Watson isn't getting drafted because he could play in the backline at School Footy level. Has anyone watched Caleb Daniel try and defend a forward? Doggies do their best to hide him when he's in the backline, but when he has to actually defend a forward, never mind a mismatch (which teams love to try and exploit), he gets beaten the vast majority of the time.

Duursma has kicked more goals, took more marks and had more touches than Watson during the Coates league.

Coates Talent League:
Duursma - 10 games, 29 goals and 8 bests
Watsons - 5 games, 6 goals, 1 best

Vic Metro:
Duursma - 4 games, 7 goals, 2 bests
Watson - 5 games, 14 goals, 2 bests

Duursma doesn't have the obvious height concern and he will realistically be much a more versatile at AFL level.

Plus his weaknesses are things that can be worked on and overcome at AFL level - tank, and midfield accumulation (if that's even something you want him to work on at all).

Watson may have more endurance than Duursma currently. But if that's the one real comparative strength then it's case closed.

You're talking about Duursma, a player who doesn't yet have the tank to play out a Coates league game on-ball. He's clearly not going to be a wingman at AFL level.

They are different players, and I won't be surprised if Watson gets picked before Duursma. He's an elite small forward, and the fact he has a second position and elite endurance only adds to his value, which is why he's playing on the wing.

The Watson-bashing in here is getting a bit much. Top scorer in the championships, plug-and-play goalkicker, brings energy and defensive pressure. Would be a great get.