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

[5minutes_of_Dew]

I find butters pretty good at getting things loose.

He's going to the Doggies my guy.

 

[kazzooka]

IMO that's a drafting master-class by us, being able to adapt on the run.
There was talk pre-draft that we were considering moving our pick 22 into the teens, whilst being open to sliding our pick 10 back a couple of spots.

The pick 22 upgrade to 17 with Brisbane was an exceptional deal, especially for a future 3rd. That manoeuvre was to get ahead of Geelong and Freo, with a clear target in mind... Aidan Schubert.

As for our pick 10, it was clear that our original targets had already been selected. (Grlj, Farrow, Sharp)
We then had opportunities to take either Dovaston or Lindsay outright, but we opted to secure 2x future 2nd round picks instead by pushing our pick further back. In the end we took an athletically gifted forward-mid, who would've been a good selection at pick 10 anyway, whilst banking two bonus future 2nd rounders.

A seriously good draft that has also strengthened our 2026 trade collateral.

Well done, Hawks!

The fact that our upgrade from 22 to 17 only cost a 3rd rounder (ours will be late too) and West Coast and GWS paid mid F2 for 1 and 2 pick upgrades says a lot.

 

[VandoHawk]

So where are these midfielders we needed?

Nairn will be a midfielder.

 

[kazzooka]

He's going to the Doggies my guy.

Never give up.

 

[PenAndPaper]

Our questionable trade with Blues when we dropped from 9 to 10 came back to bite us.. Could’ve taken Sharp.. From then we did as well as we could..

I'm absolutely not sold on Sharp at all. Glad he didn't end up with us anyway.

 

[brew]

Schuberts kicking style is hard to watch.. Not sure that’s fixable..

Seemed to hit the desired targets though from the highlights.

I just don’t understand how he’s taking so many uncontested marks? Is he blowing his opponents up?

 

[VandoHawk]

Schuberts kicking style is hard to watch.. Not sure that’s fixable..

Mraz was worse.

 

[ppphawk]

Catch me up. How did we go from picks 10 and 22 to 20 and 22?

 

[seysearles]

Me logging in to see the 2 gun mids we drafted.

 

[matey]

Both picks top 10 in 2km time trial!

 

[TheFourPillars]

So where are these midfielders we needed?

Me logging in to see the 2 gun mids we drafted.

This was never happening drafting is about the future not about now

 

[ppphawk]

So, we traded:

• Pick 21 and a Future Third to Brisbane for Pick 18
• Pick 14 to GWS for 16 and their 2026 Second (linked to GWS)
• 16 to West Coast for 17 and a 2026 Second (linked to St. Kilda)

Lindsay and Nairn are both still on the board too.

Found it!

 

[2008wasoverDEW!]

Catch me up. How did we go from picks 10 and 22 to 20 and 22?

I think it's called 'Jedi mind tricks'.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

Catch me up. How did we go from picks 10 and 22 to 20 and 22?

We only slid back 3 spots, first trade was when it was Pick 12 to GWS for their pick 14 + their 2026 2nd round.

Then when it was Pick 16 we traded with West Coast for 17 and St Kilda's 2026 2nd rounder.

We made out like absolute bandits imo.

I think GWS are a lock for top 8 and West Coast probably predict the saints will make finals too thus not placing a high value (28-36) on the picks we got.

 

[Brant]

View attachment 2475555

Really poor look I thought, and one that will affect his drafting.

Soooo....

 

[ppphawk]

We only slid back 3 spots, first trade was when it was Pick 12 to GWS for their pick 14 + their 2026 2nd round.

Then when it was Pick 16 we traded with West Coast for 17 and St Kilda's 2026 2nd rounder.

We made out like absolute bandits imo.

I think GWS are a lock for top 8 and West Coast probably predict the saints will make finals too thus not placing a high value (28-36) on the picks we got.

Thank you!

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Schuberts kicking style is hard to watch.. Not sure that’s fixable..

Dont fix what works

 

[mustang]

At least we will have the points if Cooper Hodge chooses us over Brisbane.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Seemed to hit the desired targets though from the highlights.

I just don’t understand how he’s taking so many uncontested marks? Is he blowing his opponents up?

Shifter compared his endurance to N.Riewoldt - there's your answer.

 

[HeHateMe]

Just shows how compromised this draft was.

Pretty chuffed with the outcome 2 central district boys.

 

[Harper_Hawk]

I like the look of this Nairn kid. Good set of hands and a cheeky left foot.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Gold Coast finish top 8 and land 4 draft picks in top 18.

Move along

Ye, and that's AFTER they traded out pick 7 AND pick 8.

Been a similar story for them the last few drafts too.

Footy is now the #1 sport in that part of Qld and they can get them in an elite environment early, turn them into top 10 prospects and then get them for cents on the dollar.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Gold Coast finish top 8 and land 4 draft picks in top 18.

Move along

And Petracca

 

[killerspud]

View attachment 2475555

Does nobody help these kids?

Look at Aiden Schubert's draft board which the kid had to hold up in front of selectors.

He can't spell his club or position.

Surely someone has the kids back and goes 'hey mate, let me help you with your spelling'...instead he puts this up.

Clubs now have to wonder about his attention to detail, or if he will understand 'class-room' coaching sessions - it raises a red flag.

Really poor look I thought, and one that will affect his drafting.

The AFL needs to do better preparing these kids for the 'big dance'

As someone with three university degrees can I tell you to go **** yourself? I don't care how a 17 year old footballer spells - I care how he kicks, marks and plays the game - that is some elitist bullshit right there. Red flag? for me there's a red flag everytime I see that you've posted

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Schuberts kicking style is hard to watch.. Not sure that’s fixable..

Mraz's was no good either. But they can work on it.