Opinion 2023 AFL Draft Prospects

[Munnez]

Worth a shot as a late pick if still there believe his endurance is pretty good as well. Some tools to work with to develop

 

[Mojorisin]

Worth a shot as a late pick if still there believe his endurance is pretty good as well. Some tools to work with to develop

Imagine the melts if we add him to Daniel and Watson

 

[Munnez]

Imagine the melts if we add him to Daniel and Watson

Sure it would go down a treat

 

[doggies ftw]

I know it’s highly unlikely but I would personally prefer McKercher over Watson. Top 5-6 is a large investment and historically speaking the chances of success for someone around the 175cm mark are pretty low.

There are exceptions which prove the rule like Neale and Prestia but it sure as he'll makes me nervous about it. I trust the club to make a better choice than me though

I think we’d take McKercher if we get the opportunity, at least I hope we would. But I just don’t see him falling to the GC pick unfortunately

 

[Here we go dogs]

My personal view - having not seen much of this year's crop at all - is that every year people get enamoured of some new small dude who "can push into the midfield" while completely ignoring AFL history.

Here are the players 175cm and under currently in the league (sourced from ZH so maybe some slight inconsistencies): Jake Bowey, Connor Budarick, Kade Chandler, Zac Fisher, Bobby Hill, Darcy Jones, Darcy MacPherson, Dion Prestia, Willie Rioli, Will Snelling, Tyson Stengle, Dayne Zorko, Brent Daniels, Lachlan Murphy, Liam Baker, Travis Colyer, Corey Durdin, Phoenix Spicer, Charlie Spargo, Caleb Daniel, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kysaiah Pickett.

There are almost none of those I would spend a top five pick on, and even less have actually managed to spend any real, consistent time in the midfield at AFL level.

This is without even acknowledging that Watson is right at the lower end of that list as well.

Genuine question: how many 170ish-cm players from the past 10 years can you name that fill the above two criteria?

Perhaps he's an exception - I don't know him from a bar of soap - but the size, combined with our recent expenditure on small forwards makes me super nervous.

I think the game seems to be shifting to smaller midfielders. Or so teams at least have a better mix of sizes rather than just big bulls which we have seen the last 10 years.

Errol Gulden is 175. Daicos and Butters are both low 180’s. subsequently as the game evolves we should see more opportunity for smaller players in midfield roles. Potentially the recruiting team is reading the tea leaves on the direction of the game.

Saying that I don’t care if he plays midfield as long as he is an exceptional half forward. This position is important as anywhere imo. Brent Daniel and Toby Bedford are the reason GWS performed like they did.

Also a number of the players you mentioned were massive reasons their side won a premiership. Stengel, B.Hill, Prestia, W.Rioli and K.Picket they literally changed the dynamic of their respective sides and all won premierships with the support of their immediate impact. I doubt any of these sides win premierships without recruiting these players.

I think a fast/creative half forward is a major missing piece as it will change the dynamic forward of the ball. Win a premiership and it’s a bargain. I think we need to go chips in next year to a degree given libba, Treloar and Jones don’t have much longer.

 

[doggies ftw]

The brownlow top 10 is very interesting to look at.

4 of the top 5 would be considered too small for a starring midfield role 5 years ago. Then throw in Serong & Viney in the top 10 too.

I’m not necessarily saying they’re comparable to Watson, all these guys have at least 5cm on Watson and some of them 10-11cm - he’s always going to be smaller than the rest. But it’s more the way they play and some of these guys are awfully slight too.

Footys a ground ball game for the most part, and speed is king. Watson has a burst & power like few others, and his handle on the footy at ground level is next level. We’re in a good place because we’re stocked for quality talls in the front half and so long as he can tackle & break a tackle - which we won’t really know til we see him against men - then I don’t think his height will hold him back.

He will always have an advantage at ground level where Footys mostly played, Daniel would be a superstar if he had speed unfortunately he doesn’t

 

[Testekill]

Watson would be a great pick up but I'm just leery of paying 3 picks to get him. Pick 17 or whatever it's going to turn into is probably a dead pick because Croft would almost certainly be bid on by then but why not keep pick 10 and then try and turn pick 17 and our F1 into Essendon or Geelong's first pick by trading up to them and just not take Croft if he gets a top 10 bid? He looks like a good player but not a must match top 10 pick.

 

[dergert]

GC have said that pick 4 is all about securing future picks.

 

[Here we go dogs]

The brownlow top 10 is very interesting to look at.

4 of the top 5 would be considered too small for a starring midfield role 5 years ago. Then throw in Serong & Viney in the top 10 too.

I’m not necessarily saying they’re comparable to Watson, all these guys have at least 5cm on Watson and some of them 10-11cm - he’s always going to be smaller than the rest. But it’s more the way they play and some of these guys are awfully slight too.

Footys a ground ball game for the most part, and speed is king. Watson has a burst & power like few others, and his handle on the footy at ground level is next level. We’re in a good place because we’re stocked for quality talls in the front half and so long as he can tackle & break a tackle - which we won’t really know til we see him against men - then I don’t think his height will hold him back.

He will always have an advantage at ground level where Footys mostly played, Daniel would be a superstar if he had speed unfortunately he doesn’t

Agree with pretty much everything. However, It is a big if on the tackling for 170 cm guy going from 18’s to league footy.

I think the sling tackle rules have made things much harder for small statured players. It’s very hard for small players to tackle bigger players without sling tackling.

That’s my biggest concern about any unproven sub 175cm player going up against men.

 

[doggies ftw]

GC have said that pick 4 is all about securing future picks.

If that’s the case for them they can have 10 & F1. Not 17.

Then we ship 17 to Norf for F19, that would be my ideal move if F1 was required

 

[doggies ftw]

Agree with pretty much everything. However, It is a big if on the tackling for 170 cm guy going from 18’s to league footy.

I think the sling tackle rules have made things much harder for small statured players. It’s very hard for small players to tackle bigger players without sling tackling.

That’s my biggest concern about any unproven sub 175cm player going up against men.

Yeah 100% that’s the question, unfortunately it’s just hard to measure until you actually see it at the next level.

I will say though I think it’s more speed & technique than outright size - Kossi is an elite tackler because he hits guys at pace, doesn’t matter how small you are when you’re hitting guys at that speed you can wrap them up. Whereas Daniel doesn’t he’s usually coming up against bigger opposition moving faster than him and it’s near on impossible for him to stick that tackle.

So I have hope that Watson falls into the Kosi category rather than Daniel category. But it is a concern for sure, he’s absolutely going to come up against guys he just cannot tackle.

 

[TiAn_]

My personal view - having not seen much of this year's crop at all - is that every year people get enamoured of some new small dude who "can push into the midfield" while completely ignoring AFL history.

Here are the players 175cm and under currently in the league (sourced from ZH so maybe some slight inconsistencies): Jake Bowey, Connor Budarick, Kade Chandler, Zac Fisher, Bobby Hill, Darcy Jones, Darcy MacPherson, Dion Prestia, Willie Rioli, Will Snelling, Tyson Stengle, Dayne Zorko, Brent Daniels, Lachlan Murphy, Liam Baker, Travis Colyer, Corey Durdin, Phoenix Spicer, Charlie Spargo, Caleb Daniel, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kysaiah Pickett.

There are almost none of those I would spend a top five pick on, and even less have actually managed to spend any real, consistent time in the midfield at AFL level.

This is without even acknowledging that Watson is right at the lower end of that list as well.

Genuine question: how many 170ish-cm players from the past 10 years can you name that fill the above two criteria?

Perhaps he's an exception - I don't know him from a bar of soap - but the size, combined with our recent expenditure on small forwards makes me super nervous.

Yeah I tend to agree that he’ll never be a full-time centre bounce mid at that size. But there are general “forward half” roles that incorporate a bit of everything, which Watson is very suited to. Think Shai Bolton, Zac Bailey, Izak Rankine or Tom Papley.

Another comfort with Watson is there’s genuine application of his attributes in-game, as opposed to being a player with attributes that they theoretically should be able to use or learn to apply. For example, when deployed at half back or in the midfield he uses his acceleration to cut through and zip out of congestion after winning the ball. He’s not just a quick player that you hope will learn to use it to “burst from stoppages”, he already does it.

 

[MrChristo]

Imagine the melts if we add him to Daniel and Watson

It might mean another flag is out of reach...

 

[Ash1337]

GC have said that pick 4 is all about securing future picks.

Still makes dogs offer the best at the moment. I doubt North would even dare add their own future first to the deal with either supplemental picks.

 

[spinningmagnets]

Darcy Wilson came second in the 2km time trial at the draft combine today.

He also came first in the running vertical jump today.

 

[Mojorisin]

Collard did well in testing aswell.
4th in the 20m sprint (0.05 Seconds behind 1st) and then 1st in the agility test.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Collard did well in testing aswell.
4th in the 20m sprint (0.05 Seconds behind 1st) and then 1st in the agility test.

I'd love to get Collard. We're reported to have scouted him, but guess it depends on if we have a pick in that range.

 

[Highlander]

Have the 2023 draft combine results been posted anywhere yet? I can't seem to find any.

 

[goodcop badcop]

Have the 2023 draft combine results been posted anywhere yet? I can't seem to find any.

This is all I've come across, I'm sure we'll get the top 10's at some stage.

COMBINE STARS TAKE SHAPE​

A NUMBER of draft hopefuls pushed their stocks over the weekend with excellent testing results in front of club recruiters at the Draft Combine.

Gold Coast Academy talent Will Graham, who could be the fourth Suns Academy prospect to land at the club this draft, was a standout across three tests, finishing second in the 20-metre sprint (2.915 seconds), equal second in the standing vertical jump (78cm) and equal third in the running vertical jump (95cm).

Small forward Aiden O'Driscoll blitzed the 20-metre sprint, claiming the top result with a run of 2.87 seconds ahead of Graham and Caleb Windsor (2.916 seconds). Lance Collard also ran a 2.92-second 20-metre sprint before winning the agility test.

Collard, who is tied to West Coast's Next Generation Academy, ran 8.157 seconds in the agility ahead of fellow WA product Koltyn Tholstrup (8.194 seconds) and Angus Hastie (8.204 seconds).

Zane Zakostelsky claimed top honours in the standing vertical jump (80cm) ahead of Graham, Phoenix Gothard and Mitch Edwards (78cm), while Darcy Wilson was the standout in the running vertical jump.

The Murray Bushrangers midfielder/forward, who finished second overall in the 2km time trial, jumped 98cm to finish ahead of top-five talent Zane Duursma (97cm), Graham and Kane McAuliffe (both 95cm).

Wilson was beaten in the 2km time trial by Sandringham Dragons wingman Tarkyn O'Leary, who stormed home with a run of 5:48 minutes before Wilson came through in 5:52. Ruckman Ethan Read, who could attract a top-10 bid for the Suns, was in third place with a run of 5:56 minutes. – Callum Twomey

Roos' offer for Blue, Swans load up, stars emerge at Combine

Check out all the latest trade news from around the League ahead of the start of the 2023 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period

www.afl.com.au

 

[Dav1d]

A ruckman that can run all day, oh s**t

 

[hatescaptcha]

Would be interested to know how Croft tested?


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Kiama Chris]

My personal view - having not seen much of this year's crop at all - is that every year people get enamoured of some new small dude who "can push into the midfield" while completely ignoring AFL history.

Here are the players 175cm and under currently in the league (sourced from ZH so maybe some slight inconsistencies): Jake Bowey, Connor Budarick, Kade Chandler, Zac Fisher, Bobby Hill, Darcy Jones, Darcy MacPherson, Dion Prestia, Willie Rioli, Will Snelling, Tyson Stengle, Dayne Zorko, Brent Daniels, Lachlan Murphy, Liam Baker, Travis Colyer, Corey Durdin, Phoenix Spicer, Charlie Spargo, Caleb Daniel, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Kysaiah Pickett.

There are almost none of those I would spend a top five pick on, and even less have actually managed to spend any real, consistent time in the midfield at AFL level.

This is without even acknowledging that Watson is right at the lower end of that list as well.

Genuine question: how many 170ish-cm players from the past 10 years can you name that fill the above two criteria?

Perhaps he's an exception - I don't know him from a bar of soap - but the size, combined with our recent expenditure on small forwards makes me super nervous.

Errol Gulden is 175cm.

 

[Testekill]

A ruckman that can run all day, oh s**t

Gold Coast are going to have an embarassment of riches this draft haul.

 

[Doggy]

Gold Coast are going to have an embarassment of riches this draft haul.

They will for the next 3 drafts

But they can't keep everyone and they'll start falling out

 

[Cuzz09]

And it's a Gold Coast sporting side.

Nothing will come from it

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