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.

 

[Topiary]

A better version of Gunners

If he is as good, he will be a big moment player. If we get the right forward structure he will be very, very good if we get him. He and Watson ………oh please!

 

[Hawthorn2023]

If still available at Hawks pick, has to be Colby McKercher.

Otherwise Duursma/Watson, flip of a coin for me at this stage.

 

[hawkguru]

Couple of statlines from this week. I'll admit I didn't get to watch any, but when the replays go up I'll watch through them.

Christian Moraes
1.0 - 30d 9k 21h - 3m 4t - 2r50 7i50
He's playing his way out of our NGA zone, would expect him to be trying for the first round next season. Reminds me of Impey.

Will Lorenz
1.1 - 21d 11k 10h - 5m 3t - 1r50 4i50
He hasn't set the world on fire, but the work he does on the run is still enough for me to be interested. Might be on where we trade into the late 30s onward after the McCabe bid, but I wouldn't count on it. Not really a player of need either, just someone I think we'd get the best out of.

Nate Caddy
4.1 - 15d 8k 7h - 5m 2t - 1i50
Back to kicking bags, it's hard to deny his production. Just off the pack for me though, I've noticed he's a tad more reactive than other forward targets. Can get away with it at this level using his athleticism, but he'll need to sharpen up his leading patterns if he's going to be more than a third tall in the AFL.

Archer Reid
3.1 - 12d 9k 3h - 6m 3t - 3i50s - 21HO
Still geting used in the ruck, but if he's kicking goals he's doing his job. I wouldn't be suprised if he still ends up a first round pick, he seems like a great system player who just couldn't click with the VC forwardline setup.

Zane Duursma
6.1 - 12d 10k 2h - 6m 3t - 2i50s
Zane Duursma the forward might just be the best player in this draft. This is a game I'll have to watch to see where he got his goals from, but his productivity in the forwardline outpaces pretty much everyone. Get him in.

I'll get the Murray lads stats up when their game goes up.

Glad to see A.Reid back in form after a quiet start to the year would be great value at 15-25 range. Caddy is still my preferred pick, can easily see him kicking 35+ as that 3rd tall along side Lewis and Ryan.

 

[MasterSamurai]

If still available at Hawks pick, has to be Colby McKercher.

Otherwise Duursma/Watson, flip of a coin for me at this stage.

We need forwards mate, not just one.

 

[Hawthorn2023]

We need forwards mate, not just one.

This is true, we need tall key forwards, but we need the best available.

Jed Walter is that guy, and he will go pick 2 to GC.

Duursma is next best key forward.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

This is true, we need tall key forwards, but we need the best available.

Jed Walter is that guy, and he will go pick 2 to GC.

Duursma is next best key forward.

Jed Walter would be brilliant, but as you say, we're not getting him as the Gold Coast will almost certainly match a bid for their Academy prospect.
Nate Caddy is the next-best key forward. He's nearly the complete package. Except he doesn't quite have the physique of Walter, and his off-field mishaps are well known. He is a true key forward, despite his lesser height, but he is very versatile, which would allow him to play alongside both Lewis and Ramsden and one of Brandon Ryan or Jacob Koschitzke.
Also, Zane Duurmsa isn't a key forward. He is a third tall/general forward. Yes, his aerial presence and athletic capabilities allow him to play taller than his height, but he isn't a key forward.
In my opinion, it is down to Watson, Duursma, or Caddy for our pick. Of course, who knows what Mark McKenzie and Sam Mitchell have in mind? They could select Ethan Read or Connor O'Sullivan for all we know (both are very good players that I enjoyed watching at the championships)! O'Sullivan is a versatile key defender who can play up forward. I have seen somebody on Bigfooty rank him as the second-best player in this draft, but I think he's not quite what we need.

 

[The Chad and I]

Big Game Zane is on some kind of hot streak, starting with the final Champs game and seemingly sparked by his move back to a full time forward. He was unstoppable in this game, booting a big bag of 6 goals as his Gippsland Power team dominated a Harleyless Bendigo Pioneers.

Natural forwards like this are hard to find.
We have to get him.

 

[FB19]

Natural forwards like this are hard to find.
We have to get him.

Watson and Duursma would transform our forward line quickly with natural forward talent.

 

[Bugs1977]

We need forwards mate, not just one.

The Wiz and Duursma would be glorious

 

[MasterSamurai]

Unfortunately with Melbourne currently having pick 4, I don’t think we’ll be able to get Watson and Duursma even if we managed to get pick 5 from the Suns.

But we may end up with Watson and caddy! Not shabby.

 

[naysayer]

A better version of Gunners

Zane Duursma?

A long long way to go on that call. Gunston was an excellent goal-kicker, but his real weapon was his smarts and teamwork. Haven't seen it so much with Duursma. I see him as a bit more of a Bailey Fritsch/Isaac Heeney hybrid forward who has beautiful touch and great marking but doesn't necessarily bring others into the game. He's a good option but he doesn't quite have Watson's consistency week to week.

 

[Hawk the Talk]

Yeah I’d be bloody stoked if he turned out to be as good as Gunston… but I do see some Gunston traits, that’s for sure.

We take Watson and hope we can get back in and snap up Duursma, Caddy or O’Sullivan.

 

[lethalselbow]

Watson. Looks quite a talent.

 

[Davo-27]

I agree with a lot of people's sentiments, our midfield is deep now, so deep some can't even get a spot in the team, we need forwards, I reckon we look into Duursma and Watson at our 1st pick like many in this thread have already said.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Fair bit of chatter that clubs aren’t too enamored with Caddy’s attitude.

Reckon he slides into the teens.

 

[dermott]

We always say we will take the best available talent with a first round pick and trade/free agency for need. This year the best available at our pick will also almost certainly fill a list need.
It is interesting to note that we have been linked to forwards such as Ryan, Ricciardo and Gresham in trade free agency speculation so obviously we are doing due diligence on all means of improving our list.
Whilst some are critical of “Sleepy Mark” I believe our talent selection recently has been outstanding.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Fair bit of chatter that clubs aren’t too enamored with Caddy’s attitude.

Reckon he slides into the teens.

Trying to get to Richmond?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Trying to get to Richmond?

Doubt it.

 

[SSSSSS]

Fair bit of chatter that clubs aren’t too enamored with Caddy’s attitude.

Reckon he slides into the teens.

Some real Curnow/Darling vibes.

Someone is getting a steal.

 

[Mojo]

Some real Curnow/Darling vibes.

Someone is getting a steal.

Or maybe they're getting Mitch Thorp.

 

[noobermensch]

It was back to the forward line full time this week for Caddy and he responded with an excellent display of contested marking and sharpshooting on goal.

 

[noobermensch]

Full highlights of McKercher's huge champs carnival.

 

[buddy2fernando]

Fair bit of chatter that clubs aren’t too enamored with Caddy’s attitude.

Reckon he slides into the teens.

Purely from a culture perspective I am a pass on Caddy. This is based on being from the same area as the Caddy family and knowing a few of them personally.

 

[daniel23]

Full highlights of McKercher's huge champs carnival.

Freak!

 

[HawthornHawk]

I agree with a lot of people's sentiments, our midfield is deep now, so deep some can't even get a spot in the team, we need forwards, I reckon we look into Duursma and Watson at our 1st pick like many in this thread have already said.

I don't understand this attitude. There's every chance whoever we draft will reach his peak once our current mids are in the twilight of their careers.

We have to select best available talent regardless of the position they currently play in.