Opinion 2023 AFL Draft Prospects

[weltschmerz]

Surely Croft is going to being bid on in the first round?

Yep, Croft being one of those five. JUH, Darcy, Busslinger, Croft in four successive years, adding Curtin to that feels a bit excessive given our midfield deficiencies.

 

[ummmbont]

Do you meet Bevo there at this time every year?

I'm sure you've posted this before... or maybe you've forgotten?

His there every Thursday afternoon offseason

Yep, Croft being one of those five. JUH, Darcy, Busslinger, Croft in four successive years, adding Curtin to that feels a bit excessive given our midfield deficiencies.

Saunders
Croft
Wilson
Velenti

 

[weltschmerz]

His there every Thursday afternoon offseason

Saunders
Croft
Wilson
Velenti

Which Wilson? Darcy Wilson will be gone somewhere around pick 12.

 

[Mr. Walker]

Haven’t been able to keep up with this thread so apologies if this has been posted earlier. Yesterday on SEN Cane Cornes said, for what it’s worth that he “ would never use a top 10 draft pick on a player only 170 cm in height”.
I guess the Bulldogs draft crew are as we speak redrafting their plans for the draft.
I tend to agree as a general rule but if the player has some truly elite areas of his game he moves out of “general rule” territory

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Haven’t been able to keep up with this thread so apologies if this has been posted earlier. Yesterday on SEN Cane Cornes said, for what it’s worth that he “ would never use a top 10 draft pick on a player only 170 cm in height”.
I guess the Bulldogs draft crew are as we speak redrafting their plans for the draft.
I tend to agree as a general rule but if the player has some truly elite areas of his game he moves out of “general rule” territory

Combined with elite skills, smarts and pace that 170 could be just as much an advatage. The staffy of the bulldogs. His ground work and cleaness at pace looks incredible. He's aggressive and tackles hard too. I'm completely 50-50 with Sanders.

 

[weltschmerz]

Haven’t been able to keep up with this thread so apologies if this has been posted earlier. Yesterday on SEN Cane Cornes said, for what it’s worth that he “ would never use a top 10 draft pick on a player only 170 cm in height”.
I guess the Bulldogs draft crew are as we speak redrafting their plans for the draft.
I tend to agree as a general rule but if the player has some truly elite areas of his game he moves out of “general rule” territory

Cornes is also an idiot, so there's that. Most recent article of his was entirely dreamed up to s**t on the Naughton contract.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Cornes is also an idiot, so there's that. Most recent article of his was entirely dreamed up to s**t on the Naughton contract.

I actually like a lot of what Kano does, the Naughton stuff is weird though. Aaron will be 32 (I think) when the deal is up, unless he gets hurt he will continue to perform up until then. You can’t group him in with some of the other crap long deals given out.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

The last two players sub 170cm that were drafted in CD and Libba Snr would go close to being Pick 1 in a revised draft.

Cornes is an A Grade f**k wit.

 

[weltschmerz]

I actually like a lot of what Kano does, the Naughton stuff is weird though. Aaron will be 32 (I think) when the deal is up, unless he gets hurt he will continue to perform up until then. You can’t group him in with some of the other crap long deals given out.

I think what gets to me about Cornes is his hypocrisy. Can you imagine the headlines he'd be writing if JUH had gotten homesick and asked for a trade after a year? There'd be articles every week about how draftees these days are weak and compromise the draft and need four year contracts, with a big slant against Indigenous guys in particular. But since it was JHF and he went to Port, he was "brave" and "doing the right thing".

 

[weltschmerz]

Cal Twomey's Phantom Draft: Top 30, late picks, whispers

Who will your club take in this year's AFL Draft? Our guru makes the call

www.afl.com.au

Twomey saying Sanders, and a Croft bid at 15.

Picks: 5, 48, 50, 52, 53, 56, 67 (likely to use four live selections)


The Dogs' top pick and then father-son acquisition of Jordan Croft will shape their draft haul, but they will likely use another two live selections at the national draft. They have looked at the mature-agers available and having strongly considered Werribee gun Shaun Mannagh at this year's mid-season draft, could again look at him after his blistering end to the season as best afield in the VFL Grand Final. Wingman Joel Freijah would be in the mix when their third pick comes in, while midfielder Will Lorenz and half-back Joe Fonti could be in contention late. They will wait to see if Next Generation Academy prospect Luamon Lual is available past pick 40 but could also nab him, while the Dogs may need to bolster their ruck stocks, with Gippsland's Lachie Smith a potential later option.

 

[ossie_21]

Cal Twomey's Phantom Draft: Top 30, late picks, whispers

Who will your club take in this year's AFL Draft? Our guru makes the call

www.afl.com.au

Twomey saying Sanders, and a Croft bid at 15.

And Sydney bidding on anyone and everyone, the pack of flogs

 

[Mantra]

Combined with elite skills, smarts and pace that 170 could be just as much an advatage. The staffy of the bulldogs. His ground work and cleaness at pace looks incredible. He's aggressive and tackles hard too. I'm completely 50-50 with Sanders.

I remember hearing the exact same things 10 years ago about Lewis Taylor; one of the best players from that age group, and supposedly would've gone much higher if he wasn't so short.
Even with Caleb Daniel, for all the good he brings, he is clearly a defensive liability. Modern game requires all players on the field to be able to defend so playing small forward makes little difference.

From the highlights videos, one of Nick Watson's strengths seems to be his marking ability, and ability to compete in the air. I doubt this will translate to AFL level.

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Usually, how accurate is Twomeys phantom draft?

 

[weltschmerz]

Usually, how accurate is Twomeys phantom draft?

Very. He has intel. Does say that that Hawks pick is still 50-50 but named Watson.

 

[Mantra]

Cornes is also an idiot, so there's that. Most recent article of his was entirely dreamed up to s**t on the Naughton contract.

The problem with the Naughton contract is that we can't sign everyone on big money.
If I had to pick a player to let go between Bontempelli, English, Ugle-Hagan and Naughton, I'd be letting go of Naughton.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Sanders
Mannagh
Freijah / Lual / Fonti / Lorenz

I'd be very happy with that lot. Mannagh and Sanders really adds another dimension to our HFF/Midfield.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

The problem with the Naughton contract is that we can't sign everyone on big money.
If I had to pick a player to let go between Bontempelli, English, Ugle-Hagan and Naughton, I'd be letting go of Naughton.

Naughton contract was barely a bump up from what he was on (Boyd money) - It was recently reported that our cap is actually in pretty damn good shape at the moment.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Even with Caleb Daniel, for all the good he brings, he is clearly a defensive liability. Modern game requires all players on the field to be able to defend so playing small forward makes little difference.

I think Daniel tackles fine, it's catching them that's the problem. Not an issue for Watson.

 

[olimauldon]

I wish we were into Connor O'Sullivan more. I know our pick is a bit of a reach but that would sure up our spine for 15 years

 

[Mantra]

Naughton contract was barely a bump up from what he was on (Boyd money) - It was recently reported that our cap is actually in pretty damn good shape at the moment.

Well, if he was already on big money to begin with, the question still remains: can we hold onto all of Bontempelli, Naughton, English and Ugle-Hagan? The former two are locked on. There is no doubt the latter two will be getting offers similar to what Sydney offered Naughton.

I think Daniel tackles fine, it's catching them that's the problem. Not an issue for Watson.

AFL level is a big step up from kids level. I think people underestimate the jump in physicality and fitness. There is also a lot more to defensive contribution than just chasing and tackling.

I literally cannot think of a single AFL player around 170cm who could be described as strong defensively. They will always be unreliable in 1v1 physical contests in the air and on the ground.

 

[weltschmerz]

I wish we were into Connor O'Sullivan more. I know our pick is a bit of a reach but that would sure up our spine for 15 years

If we hadn't brought on JOD this year I'd be more inclined to take another KPD alongside Croft (who we'll apparently be developing down back) this year. For my money though, JUH, Darcy, Busslinger, O'Sullivan/Curtin, and Croft all with first round draft picks is just a bit excessive, especially with JOD looking promising, and with glaring needs elsewhere.

 

[Nat Fyfe]

The last two players sub 170cm that were drafted in CD and Libba Snr would go close to being Pick 1 in a revised draft.

Cornes is an A Grade f**k wit.

Two current shortest players in the AFL are Caleb Daniel and Kozi Pickett. Baker isn’t much taller than them. Watson is 1cm shorter than them. The height “issue” is way overblown

 

[weltschmerz]

Two current shortest players in the AFL are Caleb Daniel and Kozi Pickett. Baker isn’t much taller than them. Watson is 1cm shorter than them. The height “issue” is way overblown

CD is long established as 168cm, I think he was on his tiptoes for this year's measurements.

 

[Libba39]

So everything seems to point to us taking Sanders. Is anyone else fining it hard to get excited about this, or is it just me?

He's obviously a decent player but I'm not seeing too many tricks. Solid ready-to-play mid, not super quick, or evasive, handballs a lot.

 

[adogsfan5]

So everything seems to point to us taking Sanders. Is anyone else fining it hard to get excited about this, or is it just me?

He's obviously a decent player but I'm not seeing too many tricks. Solid ready-to-play mid, not super quick, or evasive, handballs a lot.

He’s had a ridiculously good season statistically. Just doesn’t have the X factor that Watson has. You could argue we are getting the third best mid in the draft.