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

[sohsam]

He’s a ripper. Would have loved him at the Eagles. Won the 2km time trial even after falling over at the start, accumulates and runs all day, plays inside and outside, always overlap runs for a give and go option. Probably would have got more attention if he didn’t break both his wrists at the start of the year and miss a lot of the season.

Criticisms are his kicking, versatility and size. Absolutely killed me that another club used the pick we traded to them to select him. Great kid, leader and a hard trainer. Will show up day 1 ready to work hard and will go close to winning your 2km time trial.

if you cannot kick, cannot get a game, versatility is an issue too, but not as much as great disposal. if you are a bottom 4 team, wanting someone to have a crack is fine, but not when you are top 4 team, will cost you games. are we expecting him to handball each time? does not sound like a pick 34 player, there will be kids with better kicks in rookie draft. Anyway, everyone has their issues to work on, as long as it gets to manageable level, we already have maginness. we have a raft of mid/fwd ahead of him who have had pre seasons, he will need to earn his stripes.

 

[eaglevision]

if you cannot kick, cannot get a game, versatility is an issue too, but not as much as great disposal. if you are a bottom 4 team, wanting someone to have a crack is fine, but not when you are top 4 team, will cost you games. are we expecting him to handball each time? does not sound like a pick 34 player, there will be kids with better kicks in rookie draft. Anyway, everyone has their issues to work on, as long as it gets to manageable level, we already have maginness. we have a raft of mid/fwd ahead of him who have had pre seasons, he will need to earn his stripes.

Mitchell will have a defined role for him in mind. I suspect that will be getting from contest to contest and winning the ball on the inside or providing a first receiver option on the outside.

The Hawks love fast transition, keeping the ball in motion and will have plenty of runners that are better kicks sweeping past for the hands off.

In the meantime get to work on his kicking and hopefully it gets to level where he can pick off 30m kicks within himself. Mitchell used to kick within himself and always chose the right option which is what made his kicking dangerous.

He’s a fantastic pick, no kid arrives as the finished product and with picks in the 30s there’s always plenty to work on. Get to preseason training and watch what he can do, rather than what he can’t do.

 

[To the Hawk]

I love our list build since Sam took over as coach. We have a clear game style that the players are drilled in. It's been ahead of the game in many elements. Every recruiting and draft decision is just so lazer clear with what fits this style.

We put a huge emphasis on development. Dingley a huge commitment to that. We also reflected and recognised the need to bring Gia in to work with the numerous high upside but raw players we've brought in. We want to go quick as possible getting them ready.

It's such an exciting time to be a Hawks fan. We are arming ourselves with an elite band of endurance runners and players that can switch into multiple positions. It just means you can't keep us out of games for long periods of time.

I'll say it again, cannot wait in time to see the magnets of Day, Weddle, Nairn and potentially Leray spin across all parts of the ground. Good luck scouting for that.

 

[sohsam]

Mitchell will have a defined role for him in mind. I suspect that will be getting from contest to contest and winning the ball on the inside or providing a first receiver option on the outside.

The Hawks love fast transition, keeping the ball in motion and will have plenty of runners that are better kicks sweeping past for the hands off.

In the meantime get to work on his kicking and hopefully it gets to level where he can pick off 30m kicks within himself. Mitchell used to kick within himself and always chose the right option which is what made his kicking dangerous.

He’s a fantastic pick, no kid arrives as the finished product and with picks in the 30s there’s always plenty to work on. Get to preseason training and watch what he can do, rather than what he can’t do.

sounds good.

 

[sohsam]

Mitchell will have a defined role for him in mind. I suspect that will be getting from contest to contest and winning the ball on the inside or providing a first receiver option on the outside.

The Hawks love fast transition, keeping the ball in motion and will have plenty of runners that are better kicks sweeping past for the hands off.

In the meantime get to work on his kicking and hopefully it gets to level where he can pick off 30m kicks within himself. Mitchell used to kick within himself and always chose the right option which is what made his kicking dangerous.

He’s a fantastic pick, no kid arrives as the finished product and with picks in the 30s there’s always plenty to work on. Get to preseason training and watch what he can do, rather than what he can’t do.

as you said it is a team sport, everyone playing to their strengths, yes Mitchell will know what he is doing and purpose for him. if the issue has been winning at the contest, fast transition, we have plenty of players on the outside, may very well be the missing piece. it is interesting point re mitchell himself.

 

[big lad skips]

Greeves has cooked feet

 

[Rowie6]

Well my initial feelings is I don’t think this draft could have gone any better for us than it has.
If Grlj had of got through to us we would not of received the 2x F2 picks and The Kid LeRay seems like the cherry on top.
But early days and hoping for a successful career for all these lads going forward.

Well done to the Hawks on a crucial draft period going forward.

Holy Moly I this club!

 

[Sturty]

Sleepy with a great haul for our great club IMO

 

[matey]

From his playing days sleepy mm probably has more eyes and ears on the ground than most other recruiters/clubs outside of Crows/Port which has maybe helped us snag these central district boys!

 

[RobHawk]

The big news is Essendon are draft champions again!

So foxfooty gave Gold Coast the only A plus mark
Feels a bit like the school kid that cheated got the best marks

 

[HeHateMe]

Its not always like for like but this is how it's mapping out in my head.

Out - In
Breust - Nairn
Gunston* - Schubert
Worpel - Dalton
Jiath - LeRay
Frost - Blanck(RE)
Serong - RD?
Mitchell - SSP?

* Potential Gunston replacement, but fills Scaifes list spot.
(RE) Rookie elevation, spot on rookie list opens up.

I think we should still have 1 spot free for MSD due to (RE).

 

[hfc70]

So foxfooty gave Gold Coast the only A plus mark

Fox Footy gave them a B- but with compensation that pushed them upto an A+

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I feel like Dalton and Nairn are a chance of a debut next season.

Nairn has the Connor Macdonald luxury of being dynamic enough to play multiple roles, so he can be eased in to the senior side in any position.

I agree, I think those two lads have a decent crack at getting a debut in 2026.

Nairn could be a good choice as a 5th player on the bench with his versatility. I think this kid has a bit of X factor about him as.

And we have been lacking a high possession midfielder ever since Tom Mitchell left so there is a spot there for the taking for Dalton if he can get his kicking to the required level.

 

[Back Pocket Rocket]

Its not always like for like but this is how it's mapping out in my head.

Out - In
Breust - Nairn
Gunston* - Schubert
Worpel - Dalton
Jiath - LeRay
Frost - Blanck(RE)
Serong - RD?
Mitchell - SSP?

* Potential Gunston replacement, but fills Scaifes list spot.
(RE) Rookie elevation, spot on rookie list opens up.

I think we should still have 1 spot free for MSD due to (RE).

Schubert is the Mitch Lewis replacement in case he never gets his body right.

 

[Atch]

Greeves has cooked feet

Yep not one club chose to draft him somethings up.

 

[SSSSSS]

I think it's just a brilliant idea to draft forwards while we have Gunston still with us.

I don't think it's a coincidence how quickly our forward group has developed with unc on the training track.

 

[Atch]

I think it's just a brilliant idea to draft forwards while we have Gunston still with us.

I don't think it's a coincidence how quickly our forward group has developed with unc on the training track.

Imagine calsh this is year if he has a good pre season! And the Ramstein!

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I think it's just a brilliant idea to draft forwards while we have Gunston still with us.

I don't think it's a coincidence how quickly our forward group has developed with unc on the training track.

Look I'm not suggesting this for a moment but if brain transplants ever become a thing the club could keep drafting young forwards and do a little bit of experimental brain surgery in one of the hidden rooms at the KCC every ten years or so and hey presto we have Jack Gunston the 2nd/3rd/4th/etc/etc playing for us for the next two hundred years.......

 

[Bugs1977]

So that’s the weirdest I’ve ever felt about a draft I don’t know what to make of it. I can’t believe that NHH wasn’t drafted. I am at a total loss how we go from trying to get Ollie Greeves into our NGA at the start of the year to not picking him at pick 56. That doesn’t intuitively make sense.

Note: if somehow either of those 2 get rookied by us tomorrow then I take it all back and our list mgt team are elite poker playing geniuses. They are well on the way with taking 4 picks and having 3 f2s.

I'm not saying it has infiltrated in to AFL circles just yet but in the NBA a lot of the time when it's getting towards the end of the draft players managers will sometimes tell teams not to draft them because they already have a promise from another team that they will be signed to a two way deal which would be the AFL equivalent of a player joining via the rookie draft.

This happened in 2021 when my Detroit Pistons were going to draft Austin Reaves in the second round but his manager told them not to so he could sign with the Los Angles Lakers on a two way deal where he was quickly able to prove himself and sign a guaranteed deal the next season.

Anyways like I mentioned above something like this likely hasn't worked it's way into the AFL just yet but I won't be surprised once it does. In the case of someone like Greeves who was touted to be a top 10 prospect a couple of months ago who as mentioned a million times has questions over his speed defensively he might prefer to get to a team needs an inside ball winner that doesn't play super fast (think Ned Long – Collingwood).

 

[Lord_Espos]

Apologies for the late message, wasn't able to log in and comment.

IMO great draft by the Hawks and work to get those extra draft picks in 2026.

Pretty happy with the draft haul and our wheeling and dealing.

Interesting write up on West Coast and how poorly they handled their trades and missed out on a number of their academy players. I love this sort of analysis and insight.

May have already been covered above but here is the link.

Grading every club's selections at the AFL Draft

The 2025 AFL Draft has been run, but which team won? ESPN's draft expert Jasper Chellappah has cast his eye over every club and handed down a grade. Who takes out the lone A+?

www.espn.com.au

 

[Lord_Espos]

I'm not saying it has infiltrated in to AFL circles just yet but in the NBA a lot of the time when it's getting towards the end of the draft players managers will sometimes tell teams not to draft them because they already have a promise from another team that they will be signed to a two way deal which would be the AFL equivalent of a player joining via the rookie draft.

This happened in 2021 when my Detroit Pistons were going to draft Austin Reaves in the second round but his manager told them not to so he could sign with the Los Angles Lakers on a two way deal where he was quickly able to prove himself and sign a guaranteed deal the next season.

Anyways like I mentioned above something like this likely hasn't worked it's way into the AFL just yet but I won't be surprised once it does. In the case of someone like Greeves who was touted to be a top 10 prospect a couple of months ago who as mentioned a million times has questions over his speed defensively he might prefer to get to a team needs an inside ball winner that doesn't play super fast (think Ned Long – Collingwood).

Are we a chance to get Grieves in the Rookie Draft?

 

[Bugs1977]

Are we a chance to get Grieves in the Rookie Draft?

I have no idea but with Sam's emphasis on speed I'd say the chances are slim even if he was available to us

 

[badgrill]

a bit like ollie from freo, did the draft combine and did ass just war previuosly a top pick but drafted and greeves didnt get drafted though

 

[MrPremiership]

How obvious that Mick Ablett is on the AFL pay roll.

Must have said 100 times how good the academy system was and that it didn't compromise the draft

 

[badgrill]

Interesting

PROFILED | 2025 AFL Under 18 All-Australian team

The 2025 AFL Under 18 All-Australian team was revealed last week, and we profile the 23 prospects rewarded for their representative feats.

central.rookieme.com

We got 2 U18 AA's - LeRay and Schubert and could have had three if we had picked Greeves. There must be something very amiss with him.

He's not from Central Districts?