Player Watch 2025 AFL Draft Thread (Welcome to our new Central Districts overlords!)

[MasterSamurai]

Oskar Taylor reminds me of Jordan McMahon in style.
There's definitely a lot to like, especially his willingness to run hard, create the receiving option and break lines.
His kicking looks pretty good to me. Not sure about where he lands though.

Some real awful turnovers there. Rushed everytime he has the ball and fair bit of hospital loopy kicks as well. High footy IQ is what we should be aiming for.

 

[CHUBBSS]

View attachment 2476538

They looked shocked at how shit it is

 

[ReturningHawk]

That’s great, but to my eyes Sharp just looks like another Cooper Stephens.

I think it’s a fair concern. His highlights show a really intelligent player who lives in the contest and has an innate ability to win the ball, potentially making him an elite player. But then, if you packaged up Matt Crouch’s clearance highlights maybe you’d get the same impression.

The main difference I think just lies in consistency. His teammates say that he is nearly always the team’s best player. His attitude is clearly excellent (aside from supporting a crap club). Another difference that I can see is the power in his legs, which makes him so hard to tackle, and it’s also what makes him a marking target. Lastly it’s his vision. The ability to make decisions quickly and fashion a lightning handball or kick looks to me very Newcombe-esque. That’s the kind of player I feel he will become. Doubt I’ve changed your mind, but worth a try.

 

[ReturningHawk]

he has limitations too, you cannot have too many of those players, or maybe none, he has defensive concerns, lacks size and speed for dangerous forwards, lacks contested game, his only weapon is his kicking. Alittle too one dimensional.

I just like the look of Josh Lindsay. I like the cut of his jib.

 

[Bugs1977]

View attachment 2476538

They all look absolutely petrified at the thought of ending up there

 

[The Chad and I]

Some real awful turnovers there. Rushed everytime he has the ball and fair bit of hospital loopy kicks as well. High footy IQ is what we should be aiming for.

You're being overly harsh.
Also many excellent kicks under pressure hitting leading targets too.

 

[sohsam]

I think it’s a fair concern. His highlights show a really intelligent player who lives in the contest and has an innate ability to win the ball, potentially making him an elite player. But then, if you packaged up Matt Crouch’s clearance highlights maybe you’d get the same impression.

The main difference I think just lies in consistency. His teammates say that he is nearly always the team’s best player. His attitude is clearly excellent (aside from supporting a crap club). Another difference that I can see is the power in his legs, which makes him so hard to tackle, and it’s also what makes him a marking target. Lastly it’s his vision. The ability to make decisions quickly and fashion a lightning handball or kick looks to me very Newcombe-esque. That’s the kind of player I feel he will become. Doubt I’ve changed your mind, but worth a try.

Just say it, he is a class act. As others have said, we are unlikely to get him with our first pick.
He has sublime skills from his video clips, not super quick, but smart player, his one hand mark, reading of the play and getting between two to three players to mark in the forward line, his accurate field kick and goal kick, his side way and backward accurate handpasses, he loves a goal too, reminds me alittle about J Lewis. How about his one grab mark while up and handballing while up to a player, he seems to have the full set of tricks in his bag, his low down mark, maybe they just put together the best of him, but very impressive video. His side way kick to advantage, getting into right positions, reading of the play. I better stop there.

 

[The Chad and I]

I think it’s a fair concern. His highlights show a really intelligent player who lives in the contest and has an innate ability to win the ball, potentially making him an elite player. But then, if you packaged up Matt Crouch’s clearance highlights maybe you’d get the same impression.

The main difference I think just lies in consistency. His teammates say that he is nearly always the team’s best player. His attitude is clearly excellent (aside from supporting a crap club). Another difference that I can see is the power in his legs, which makes him so hard to tackle, and it’s also what makes him a marking target. Lastly it’s his vision. The ability to make decisions quickly and fashion a lightning handball or kick looks to me very Newcombe-esque. That’s the kind of player I feel he will become. Doubt I’ve changed your mind, but worth a try.

He could become an elite player at the stoppages.
You're banking on him being able to transition to senior footy and excel at the fundamentals.
Not an unlikely prospect, but I am not excited by him.


Jude Bolton had a similar profile, and was taken at pick 8.
Had a solid career. Good character and leadership.

If we picked a player with that profile, I'd hope it was long after the first round.

 

[Tomohawks]

Oskar Taylor reminds me of Jordan McMahon in style.
There's definitely a lot to like, especially his willingness to run hard, create the receiving option and break lines.
His kicking looks pretty good to me. Not sure about where he lands though.

He is super clean with his grab of the loose ball to go along with his elite speed and kicking. I haven't seen anything of him outside of his highlights though. Interesting potential prospect for us.

 

[sohsam]

He could become an elite player at the stoppages.
You're banking on him being able to transition to senior footy and excel at the fundamentals.
Not an unlikely prospect, but I am not excited by him.


Jude Bolton had a similar profile, and was taken at pick 8.
Had a solid career. Good character and leadership.

If we picked a player with that profile, I'd hope it was long after the first round.

I must be watching a different player then, I would have him ahead of Cumming and Grlj, the other two seem to rush their kicks at times, especially Grlj, Sharp has got more tricks up his sleeve and the body shape to do more inside mid work. He is meant to be more AFL ready too. Grlj seems more an outside runner to me like I Smith. Even if Sharp does not become a burgoyne, Mitchell or Hodge, but say a J Lewis, pick 7 is about right, I would have thought. As long as you are not too slow, speed is not everything, execution is probably more important. I doubt that it is a coincidence that the others look rushed whereas he does not. He has such a neat kick, apparently outside of Lindsay he is best kick in draft but that is all Lindsay has. The comparison stops there.

 

[James Colorado]

I've always said Sic is sneaky quick over 10 - 20m.

For me being quick over 20m is just as important than being quick over 100m when playing AFL.

Hey, being surprisingly quick over 5-10m was part of what made Dunstall an all-time great.

Agree with Sic though, it's why he's so good at reading the drop of the ball to intercept.

 

[unitedhawk2]

They all look absolutely petrified at the thought of ending up there

Not sure whether or not you were just joking but upon closer inspection, it does indeed seems true.

Robey looks the most relaxed, perhaps because he's confident the Tigers will pick him before the Bombers have a chance to - but Dovaston's pursed lips are a dead give-away and Taylor doesn't seem to be enjoying himself either.

 

[Dewnior]

Maybe we part with future first of our own for a straight swap with either
Gold coast pick 15 or
Bulldogs pick 14 or
Lions pick 17!

No way would I be doing that.

 

[MasterSamurai]

No way would I be doing that.

Why not ? You expecting something better next year?

 

[DrAbs]

If the Uwland bid comes at Pick 2, and Patterson at 5, what are the chances GC can't match an Addinsall bid at Pick 10?

"Beau Addinsall hopes to get to Gold Coast but would be happy at any club."

If they match, why not have a crack at Coulson or Murray?

Some of these boys seem much better than most options we have at Pick 10.

We have to break the Academy cycle, it's getting ridiculous how much talent they get access to each draft with clubs seemingly afraid to be ruthless.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Inside the brains trust: Meet the team building your club's future

Josh Gabelich looks at who's shaping your club's list, from national recruiting bosses to the scouts working to find the next big thing

www.afl.com.au

Some interesting tidbits about MM and his team. Didn’t know MM had won five BnFs in the SANFL - we can safely say he wasn’t sleepy as a player.

 

[Dewnior]

Why not ? You expecting something better next year?

If we are still committed to picking up bonafide stars, then yes I'm expecting something better.

Even assuming we don't need the F1 to trade for the star, the quality of talent available at that pick in 2026 will be far greater than what we will get in the mid 20s this year which is where the picks you suggest we trade our F1 for land after bids.

 

[FB19]

View attachment 2476538

No wonder they call it the Hangar, there are 3 young men realising they professionally speaking are standing on a trap door with their heads in a metaphorical noose…

 

[FB19]

Not sure whether or not you were just joking but upon closer inspection, it does indeed seems true.

Robey looks the most relaxed, perhaps because he's confident the Tigers will pick him before the Bombers have a chance to - but Dovaston's pursed lips are a dead give-away and Taylor doesn't seem to be enjoying himself either.

Robey is a mad scum supporter that’s why he’s relaxed.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I think it’s a fair concern. His highlights show a really intelligent player who lives in the contest and has an innate ability to win the ball, potentially making him an elite player. But then, if you packaged up Matt Crouch’s clearance highlights maybe you’d get the same impression.

The main difference I think just lies in consistency. His teammates say that he is nearly always the team’s best player. His attitude is clearly excellent (aside from supporting a crap club). Another difference that I can see is the power in his legs, which makes him so hard to tackle, and it’s also what makes him a marking target. Lastly it’s his vision. The ability to make decisions quickly and fashion a lightning handball or kick looks to me very Newcombe-esque. That’s the kind of player I feel he will become. Doubt I’ve changed your mind, but worth a try.

I think he’ll be a good player, but I don’t think he’s what we need.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Inside the brains trust: Meet the team building your club's future

Josh Gabelich looks at who's shaping your club's list, from national recruiting bosses to the scouts working to find the next big thing

www.afl.com.au

Some interesting tidbits about MM and his team. Didn’t know MM had won five BnFs in the SANFL - we can safely say he wasn’t sleepy as a player.

Yes, it’s not well known by Hawks supporters that he was a SANFL gun.

 

[rei154]

Inside the brains trust: Meet the team building your club's future

Josh Gabelich looks at who's shaping your club's list, from national recruiting bosses to the scouts working to find the next big thing

www.afl.com.au

Some interesting tidbits about MM and his team. Didn’t know MM had won five BnFs in the SANFL - we can safely say he wasn’t sleepy as a player.

Interesting that it specified that Roughie has focused on WA this year- I wonder if that's a sign of the interest we've had in Farrow?

 

[number23]

Interesting that it specified that Roughie has focused on WA this year- I wonder if that's a sign of the interest we've had in Farrow?

More likely Harley Reid as he's a player for trade while Farrow is a player for drafting.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Interesting that it specified that Roughie has focused on WA this year- I wonder if that's a sign of the interest we've had in Farrow?

Rodriguez intrigues me a bit.

His work rate is insane.

Has deficiencies, but reminds me a bit of Jake Soligo. Could wind up being a bargain like him as well. I'd read his name out in 2 seconds if he was atill available at our third pick.

 

[Davo-27]

My perfect draft for us would be

Pick 10 Dyson Sharp (more likely gone to Cals Ess, Cal has done a lot of work to get the best player to Ess, so Josh Lindsay)
Pick 22 Aidan Schubert (might be gone by then, Ollie Greeves would be a good pick up here for his versatility as med forw and mid)
3rd Pick Fred Rodriguez (Blake Kelly also good as a mid, forced to play half his champs as a forward, but as a mid performed similarly to Annable imo, if Annable played forw it would hurt his rep too, bad coaching by playing players out of position is becoming the norm in WA u18s teams recently)