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Player Watch 2023 AFL Draft Pool Discussion Thread

Who would you prefer we pick with our first pick?

  • Nick Watson

    Votes: 157 37.6%
  • Zane Duursma

    Votes: 135 32.3%
  • Colby McKercher

    Votes: 51 12.2%
  • Daniel Curtin

    Votes: 51 12.2%
  • Nate Caddy

    Votes: 11 2.6%
  • Conor O'Sullivan

    Votes: 7 1.7%
  • Ryley Sanders

    Votes: 4 1.0%
  • Darcy Wilson

    Votes: 2 0.5%

  • Total voters
    418

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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.
 
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I reckon we might’ve been standing next to each other at that preseason training when we noticed the young fella with the frizzy hair that was half as big as everyone else but moving twice as fast, and we wondered who he was?
He really is a jet
 

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I reckon we might’ve been standing next to each other at that preseason training when we noticed the young fella with the frizzy hair that was half as big as everyone else but moving twice as fast, and we wondered who he was?
Doing it as a 17 year old against AFL players! Just give him the #33 already!
 
Here’s an in-depth interview with Watson.



Some great insights in here. Of note:

1. When asked who he wants to play for, the first club he says is Hawthorn, even before the club he supports - Collingwood. He’s followed by a lot of the hawthorn boys on Instagram and follows the hawks as well.

2. When asked to rank his top 5 players in the draft (EXCLUDING himself). He ranks Reid 1, Walter 2, Curtin 3, Mckercher 4, Duursma 5. I find this quite telling because he has played these guys quite a few times.

3. When asked about his hardest opponent ever. He says Cooper Vickery. Cooper was in Hawks next gen last year. Very interesting.
 
Today proves why we need Watson. Electric, livewire forwards can be the difference between victory and pain. That's what Watson can bring. Don't get me wrong, he certainly has to improve. I think he needs to have a greater appetite for the ball and turn his pressure levels up to the next level. I think the Collingwood smalls today set a good blueprint for him to follow, as the likes of Elliott and Hill never stopped chasing the ball until it was fully out of their grasp. And Watson certainly doesn't have as many facets to his game as Duursma does, but he's very, very good at what he does, and I think that he would be the A-Grade general forward we need.
 
I just want to make this clear again. Watson is more than a forward pocket. He has elite athletic traits including endurance. His height being the only attribute against him. Elite attributes are what Sam is about as a coach
 
We see this most years with a Hill, Martin, Rioli or even Darling having a great grand final then everyone wanting the same type of player.

What’s much more important is quality. The more quality you get in a team the more it lifts the role players to the next level.
 
Would love to try to get another pick before the McCabe pick.

Could completely transform our forward line overnight with a Watson/Duursma + Delean/Collard combo.

Speed and X-factor with our quick ball movement will cut teams up.
 
I just want to make this clear again. Watson is more than a forward pocket. He has elite athletic traits including endurance. His height being the only attribute against him. Elite attributes are what Sam is about as a coach
I hear you mate, question is whether he'll be there at our pick. A lot of water to go under the bridge with trades and FA compensation.
 

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I just want to make this clear again. Watson is more than a forward pocket. He has elite athletic traits including endurance. His height being the only attribute against him. Elite attributes are what Sam is about as a coach
We aren’t drafting him as a wing or mid. If we don’t rate his forward work in the top 4 players then I hope we don’t take him. If we have to build a forwardline around him I hope we don’t take him
 
We see this most years with a Hill, Martin, Rioli or even Darling having a great grand final then everyone wanting the same type of player.

What’s much more important is quality. The more quality you get in a team the more it lifts the role players to the next level.
Darling is a terrible GF player. He played one decent 15 minute burst. He dropped the ball running into an open goal at the end of the 2018 GF and gave Collingwood a chance to snatch it and his 2015 GF helped us greatly.
 
We aren’t drafting him as a wing or mid. If we don’t rate his forward work in the top 4 players then I hope we don’t take him. If we have to build a forwardline around him I hope we don’t take him
No reason to put limitations on what he could be.

I think he'll be hard to go past because he has so many traits we are in short supply of.
 
Darling is a terrible GF player. He played one decent 15 minute burst. He dropped the ball running into an open goal at the end of the 2018 GF and gave Collingwood a chance to snatch it and his 2015 GF helped us greatly.
Has had some poor moments but his and Kennedy’s marking mainly in the third quarter was the reason the eagles ended up winning.
 
My latest rankings of this year's talent, in our range for our 1st pick

Colby McKercher - Tas - mid - plays like Zach Merrett
Zane Duursma - Gipps - forw - plays like Bailey Fritsch
Dan Curtin - Claremont - kpd/mid -
Ryley Sanders - Tas/Sand - mid - plays like JHF with less aggression
Nick Watson - Eastern - forw - plays like Caleb Daniels with goal sense
Connor O'Sullivan - Murray - kpd - plays like a taller more kpd Josh Weddle
Nate Caddy - Northern - kpf -
Curtin is a Dawson type in the middle imho
 
We see this most years with a Hill, Martin, Rioli or even Darling having a great grand final then everyone wanting the same type of player.

What’s much more important is quality. The more quality you get in a team the more it lifts the role players to the next level.


No coincidence that both Gunston and Fritsch have played key roles in winning GF sides. If Dursma has the same quality, he seems a slam dunk imo.

The former are high quality, smart and highly skilled footballers who can beat their opponent regularly and find space or separation on the lead when there is none to be found for anyone else.

Yesterday Hill was most damaging when he was finding space, though he took that cracking mark as well. Collingwood found space and spread much better than Brisbane did all day save for a patch when the Lions looked like pulling away. That's why the Pies won.

Charlie Cameron was at least as talented at the other end, but couldn't break away and got frustrated into wrestling.

If Watson is at the same level as either one of the above, he too seems a slam dunk.

If he has attributes that either of them don't, it becomes more compelling. Same for Dursma. My question would be, who has the ability to find space in the tightest, high pressure games played?

That would be the difference maker imo.
 
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I think I’m going to be happy with whoever we take.

We’re in a good spot.

Would love it if the Wizard gets to us.

I am leaning back and forward with The Wizard and Duursma.
I am back leaning towards Duursma now ?
I see more upside with Duursma and also I am a little concerned with The Wizards finishing?
For peoples who have actually watched The Wizard are my couple of concerns warranted ?


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I am leaning back and forward with The Wizard and Duursma.
I am back leaning towards Duursma now ?
I see more upside with Duursma and also I am a little concerned with The Wizards finishing?
For peoples who have actually watched The Wizard are my couple of concerns warranted ?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
Wiz can kick them from anywhere…but ive also seen him miss sodas. Also not even make the distance from 35m (set shot) despite also seeing him kick them from 50m. I honestly dont know what to make of that and would defer to others for a more general statement on his goal kicking.
 
No coincidence that both Gunston and Fritsch have played key roles in winning GF sides. If Dursma has the same quality, he seems a slam dunk imo.

The former are high quality, smart and highly skilled footballers who can beat their opponent regularly and find space or separation on the lead when there is none to be found for anyone else.

Yesterday Hill was most damaging when he was finding space, though he took that cracking mark as well. Collingwood found space and spread much better than Brisbane did all day save for a patch when the Lions looked like pulling away. That's why the Pies won.

Charlie Cameron was at least as talented at the other end, but couldn't break away and got frustrated into wrestling.

If Watson is at the same level as either one of the above, he too seems a slam dunk.

If he has attributes that either of them don't, it becomes more compelling. Same for Dursma. My question would be, who has the ability to find space in the tightest, high pressure games played?

That would be the difference maker imo.
Players who can create their own space are invaluable. So many ways to do it, yet it’s so difficult to do.
 
Would love to try to get another pick before the McCabe pick.

Could completely transform our forward line overnight with a Watson/Duursma + Delean/Collard combo.

Speed and X-factor with our quick ball movement will cut teams up.
Agree but as long as we protect our future first. Next years draft looks very strong, and we can’t afford to go into the draft with nothing. Especially if we are a bottom 6 side, which is more than likely.
 

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Player Watch 2023 AFL Draft Pool Discussion Thread


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