Player Watch 2025 AFL Draft Thread

[hawkinoz]

You aren't giving up those picks for what Harley is now. You're giving them up because he has all the tools to not only be the best player in the comp but quite possibly the best player of his generation.

Three firsts, I'd do it in a heartbeat. He's that ****ing good.

yeah I would do that too for 15,16 & 17.. That's 3 first..

Some one will give up those picks for pick 4 too. I back flinchfree's take and will want MM to start chats at that spot, not to mention the monstrous $$$ we will have to give up that will torpedo team dynamics from every guy whose current output is double that of Harley.

 

[SSSSSS]

Yeah, no I get that.
It's why I want to trade.
But, tell me........you say 'he's that ****ing good'. Based on what games has he ripped apart in Senior football?
I kind of agree on the potential, but has not even sniffed being what you describe.
Aaaaaaand you aren't giving up three picks inside 5 are you, coz no one in their right mind would do so.
It's the relative value of high draft picks, leveraged against a player who looks for all the world like he wants to return to his home state, and who if doing so may make it hard to lever out the picks you THINK he's worth.
Again, if someone has three first rounders they're at best going to look like 10, 11, and 15.
Coz he's not going to accept going to North, Richmond, Melbourne, St Kilda, etc etc.
I think pick #4 for a wanting-to-move-forward-and-rebuild-Eagles-team might be acceptable, plus some add on players like Ned, Serong and Hust.
Anyway, happy to have shared my thoughts and happy for you to think differently.

21 touches and 2 goals in a BOG performance against the Dees. Left Petracca eating dust.

There would be maybe 10 players in the comp who could do what Harley did in that highlight.

That's why you're paying three first rounders (and likely 2 top 10, if not 3) for the hope that he can do that every week rather than every 10 games.

 

[flinchfree]

21 touches and 2 goals in a BOG performance against the Dees. Left Petracca eating dust.

There would be maybe 10 players in the comp who could do what Harley did in that highlight.

That's why you're paying three first rounders (and likely 2 top 10, if not 3) for the hope that he can do that every week rather than every 10 games.

I respect your love for the guy.
No chance I'd give 2 top 10 picks, let alone 3.
If the draft from his year were re-done, and we had first pick AFTER seeing his output the first 2 seasons.....I'd take Colby, Wizard, Sanders and maybe even Curtin before him.
All those players have shown more AFL elite traits.
Harley is far more a projection. Zero guarantee he gets there.
3 picks under 10????
No way.

 

[SSSSSS]

I respect your love for the guy.
No chance I'd give 2 top 10 picks, let alone 3.
If the draft from his year were re-done, and we had first pick AFTER seeing his output the first 2 seasons.....I'd take Colby, Wizard, Sanders and maybe even Curtin before him.
All those players have shown more AFL elite traits.
Harley is far more a projection. Zero guarantee he gets there.
3 picks under 10????
No way.

I can guarantee you there would be 17 other clubs who would hand over the capital required if Harley was made available to them.

Of course there is zero guarantee he gets there but you're not paying for what he is now, you're paying for what he could be.

And what he could be is THE best player in the comp for a very long period of time. I don't see that potential for Colby or Sanders. I can see it maybe for Curtin/Wiz but I can't envision it as clearly as I do for Harley.

You back your talent identification and development systems in everyday of the week if a talent of Harley's ilk is made available.

 

[flinchfree]

I can guarantee you there would be 17 other clubs who would hand over the capital required if Harley was made available to them.

Of course there is zero guarantee he gets there but you're not paying for what he is now, you're paying for what he could be.

And what he could be is THE best player in the comp for a very long period of time. I don't see that potential for Colby or Sanders. I can see it maybe for Curtin/Wiz but I can't envision it as clearly as I do for Harley.

You back your talent identification and development systems in everyday of the week if a talent of Harley's ilk is made available.

Not sure he'll ever have the tank or the disposal to be the best player in the league, but ok.
He's a wonderful explosive athlete who I like inside far more than outside. Would be killer with us and Sam directing his positioning and first intent.
Look forward to seeing what the trade looks like with any Club if it does happen.

 

[tommyk72]

Not sure he'll ever have the tank or the disposal to be the best player in the league, but ok.
He's a wonderful explosive athlete who I like inside far more than outside. Would be killer with us and Sam directing his positioning and first intent.
Look forward to seeing what the trade looks like with any Club if it does happen.

Would you give up pick 1 for Luke Hodge? Ask the question on draft night, after 1 year, after 3 years and after the career.

 

[play2win]

Would you give up pick 1 for Luke Hodge? Ask the question on draft night, after 1 year, after 3 years and after the career.

Or similarly, if Harley was in this years draft he would still be the number 1 pick. There is no way he will be traded for 1 top 10 pick.

 

[VandoHawk]

Jacob Farrow is a 188cm defender from WA who has really impressed me. Good speed and a booming kick but also strong defensive efforts. Drawn some comparisons with Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

24

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

CL

0.2

2star

.

If we keep Carlton's first I'm looking for speed and skill and he ticks those boxes. Could easily be developed on a wing.

 

[Brant]

Jacob Farrow is a 188cm defender from WA who has really impressed me. Good speed and a booming kick but also strong defensive efforts. Drawn some comparisons with Hayden Young.

If we keep Carlton's first I'm looking for speed and skill and he ticks those boxes. Could easily be developed on a wing.

Is he in the Top 5 range?

A hard running, big kicking, defensively competent wingman would come in handy the next 15yrs.

 

[VandoHawk]

Is he in the Top 5 range?

A hard running, big kicking, defensively competent wingman would come in handy the next 15yrs.

Not yet. It's a hard draft to read.

Sharp (inside mid) and Duursma (utility) seem to be considered locks for 1-3. From there, it's an open pool of Greeves (inside mid), Duff-Tytler (ruck), Lindsday (HBF), and Schubert (fwd). Plus the Academy prospects for GC, Sydney, Brisbane etc.

Few players have risen after the Champs. Farrow, Marsh, Cumming all performed well while others like Rodriguez and Hibbins-Hargreaves were highly touted but disappointed a bit.

I'd personally have Farrow in that 10 - 15 range currently, which may align with our pick after Academy prospects.

Other potential options I like for the wing are Harley Barker and Hunter Holmes (brother of Max). Barker would be in the same range as a speedy wingman with good skills. Holmes would be a reach because he hasn't had a big standout game but has the exact same athletic profile as his brother and is tough at the contest.

 

[flinchfree]

Would you give up pick 1 for Luke Hodge? Ask the question on draft night, after 1 year, after 3 years and after the career.

I would, after seeing his career.
After seeing year 2, I certainly wouldn't have traded 3 of Wiz, McKercher, Sanders and Curtain for him.

 

[FB19]

Not sure he'll ever have the tank or the disposal to be the best player in the league, but ok.
He's a wonderful explosive athlete who I like inside far more than outside. Would be killer with us and Sam directing his positioning and first intent.
Look forward to seeing what the trade looks like with any Club if it does happen.

His trade value especially with the reported $ figures is far more than 1 first. His output is largely irrelevant if any club accepts that $1.8 a year type valuation it’s 2 good firsts minimum and likely quite a bit more, perhaps a player or another second round pick. You can make your argument but it doesn’t align to how the system works especially for younger players where the trade is on potential much more than output. Only Nick Daicos bucks that trend as an elite junior who stepped straight into AFL and played at a high level the rest take time. Compare Reid to Dusty Petracca etc a similar athlete highly touted and you will see he’s on a perfectly fine upward trajectory and will spike soon when his fitness gets where it needs to be.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Keen on Hibbins-Hargreaves or Grlj if we keep the Blues 1st rounder. Both would add a little x-factor to our midfield/ high half forward mix. Happy to trade away that pick and future 1st/s if a midfield gun comes the other way!

 

[FB19]

Keen on Hibbins-Hargreaves or Grlj if we keep the Blues 1st rounder. Both would add a little x-factor to our midfield/ high half forward mix. Happy to trade away that pick and future 1st/s if a midfield gun comes the other way!

HH will be in that range. I like Grlj but he’s more 15-20 I think but things can change. It’s a good spot to be to take best available early or trade back or for a need.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

HH will be in that range. I like Grlj but he’s more 15-20 I think but things can change. It’s a good spot to be to take best available early or trade back or for a need.

Grlj is ranked 7th in the Rookie Me Central June rankings and 8th in the ESPN May rankings but at 182cm can’t see him going right at the pointy end. Has serious wheels, takes the game on, has good composure and would slot in to our fast brand of footy on the right wing perfectly.

 

[Rowie6]

Harley's stats so far in his career.

18 disposals per game. (160th ranked AFL player by disposals per game)
2 marks p/g
0.5 goals p/g
3.5 tackles p/g
2 frees for, 2.5 frees against
1st in total clangers, 2nd in clangers per game in 2025

Struggles to play a team first game, can get lost in general play, not a huge tank, hasn't had NEAR the influence forward one might have imagined - even if struggling as a young player in AFL footy, has not displayed much leadership quality, no left side........
This is where I'd have Sleepy Mark start in negotiations.

Tell him your dreaming!