2025 Draft Thread

[Mofra]

Am I weird in thinking Oskar Taylor's kicking is overrated but his handball is underrated?

He honestly looks more like an outside mid in the video footage I've been watching. I can understand why clubs view him highly and how he's bolted into late first round contention.

A real boom/bust candidate.

 

[Ash1337]

Dylan Alexander see's Phillipou more of project player than a safe bet.

 

[Ash1337]

Am I weird in thinking Oskar Taylor's kicking is overrated but his handball is underrated?

He honestly looks more like an outside mid in the video footage I've been watching. I can understand why clubs view him highly and how he's bolted into late first round contention.

A real boom/bust candidate.

Oskar is a defender with a good mix offensive and defensive qualities. I feel that players willing to defend nowadays are more likely to make it at AFL level. He also has the pace to back it up.

 

[willofwest]

Anyone have more information on key defender Thredgold than what was written up in top 30.

 

[Ash1337]

Anyone have more information on key defender Thredgold than what was written up in top 30.

Blake Thredgold Draft Profile

Sturt's Blake Thredgold has developed into a key defender who can lock down one-on-one or peel off to intercept prolifically.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Ash1337]

Zero Hanger's 2 of 3 mock draft. Got Dovaston going at dogs after blues Dean got bid on at Essendon's 2nd pick.

 

[Bald Headed Flog]

I don't think Cummings has any. He has good power, is good in a contest and is good overhead. I find it very hard to see any elite traits after pick 7 apart from athletic traits though.

Sounds a bit like Chesser, who has struggled to have an impact at AFL level (though injuries have troubled him). I’d be hesitant taking a “jack of all trades” type at the top end of the draft. Seems a prime candidate for a slider / Essendon pick

 

[Bald Headed Flog]

Honestly don’t care if we just trade out of the 1st round this year. Outside of having a shock slider like Grlj, a lot of the players likely in frame for our pick either aren’t the type we need with a 1st round pick (Farrow, Lindsay, Dovaston, Marsh) or have question marks around how much they can impact in their preferred position (Hibbins-Hargreaves lacks the foot skills to be an effective wing, and we don’t need his type up forward imo given we drafted Hynes and Dolan last year).

I’m fine seeing us live trade for a future 1st, and just taking a 2nd round pick plus Darcy, then leaving a spot open for a train on player.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Based on my extensive research (15 mins of highlight videos), my hope for the draft is:

Taylor and Barker.
Then Curtin and Darcy late.

I'd also be happy with Dovaston.

Taylor can take that other half back spot we've struggled with - Bramble's currently.

Barker for that other wing spot we've struggled to get someone elite in.

Curtin could be there with one of our 70s picks if that comes back into the 50s. Monster child that could play fullback next year. Although got a bit too good as a forward this year.

Darcy late and attach him to a feeding tube.

 

[weltschmerz]

A couple of options I'd be happy with are Dovaston, Thredgold/Avery Thomas, then Darcy late, or Taylor, Pickett/Byrne, then Darcy late and a rookie spot to Scoble.

 

[Mojorisin]

A couple of options I'd be happy with are Dovaston, Thredgold/Avery Thomas, then Darcy late, or Taylor, Pickett/Byrne, then Darcy late and a rookie spot to Scoble.

There is growing belief Darcy will get through to the rookie draft.

 

[Mofra]

Honestly don’t care if we just trade out of the 1st round this year. Outside of having a shock slider like Grlj, a lot of the players likely in frame for our pick either aren’t the type we need with a 1st round pick (Farrow, Lindsay, Dovaston, Marsh) or have question marks around how much they can impact in their preferred position (Hibbins-Hargreaves lacks the foot skills to be an effective wing, and we don’t need his type up forward imo given we drafted Hynes and Dolan last year).

I’m fine seeing us live trade for a future 1st, and just taking a 2nd round pick plus Darcy, then leaving a spot open for a train on player.

Farrow is quality and Dovaston plays "desperate" footy, both would be good gets.
I don't think Marsh is a need given we're likely to be playing Croft/Hynes throughout 2026.

 

[Mojorisin]

Based on my extensive research (15 mins of highlight videos), my hope for the draft is:

Taylor and Barker.
Then Curtin and Darcy late.

I'd also be happy with Dovaston.

Taylor can take that other half back spot we've struggled with - Bramble's currently.

Barker for that other wing spot we've struggled to get someone elite in.

Curtin could be there with one of our 70s picks if that comes back into the 50s. Monster child that could play fullback next year. Although got a bit too good as a forward this year.

Darcy late and attach him to a feeding tube.

Our pick 70 is likely the last pick of the draft and falls early to mid 50s.
Curtin is a monster child in the same way Collins was, treacle slow. He has alot of teenage puppy fat so could potential improve on that but he isn't going to get away with out wrestling guys at AFL level.
Baker I like but he will miss alot of next season with an ACL, it's always a risk picking a draftee off an injury like that but even more so one whe relies so heavily on his athleticism.
Taylor is my preference at our first after we traded back, he will cover JJ's list spot well. Dovaston is the most likely of the ones mentioned to feature next year and is the one I'd say has the highest floor but i cant see him being available at our pick.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Our pick 70 is likely the last pick of the draft and falls early to mid 50s.
Curtin is a monster child in the same way Collins was, treacle slow. He has alot of teenage puppy fat so could potential improve on that but he isn't going to get away with out wrestling guys at AFL level.
Baker I like but he will miss alot of next season with an ACL, it's always a risk picking a draftee off an injury like that but even more so one whe relies so heavily on his athleticism.
Taylor is my preference at our first after we traded back, he will cover JJ's list spot well. Dovaston is the most likely of the ones mentioned to feature next year and is the one I'd say has the highest floor but i cant see him being available at our pick.

Yeah Curtin is definitely a risk being a man child but it's a 70s pick we might not even use.

And Barker a risk too, but an absolute steal at our second if he recovers fine. I'd take the chance at elite if it's there at our second.

 

[Mofra]

I'd be happy to go for the best available running type at our first pick - small forward or defender, inside or outside mid.

Second pick we take something we didn't take with our first pick, perhaps lean less towards a small forward given El Souki is ours the following year. There are a couple of "low production" mids who should be around our second selection and I'm more interested in what they can do rather than disposal numbers as an 18 year old.

Will Darcy with our 3rd pick.

 

[Wizard17]

Just looked at the State combine results and Krasnadamskis put together a lot of very good numbers for a ruckman. 2.88 20m sprint is ridiculous for a guy at 200cm

 

[Mojorisin]

I'd be happy to go for the best available running type at our first pick - small forward or defender, inside or outside mid.

Second pick we take something we didn't take with our first pick, perhaps lean less towards a small forward given El Souki is ours the following year. There are a couple of "low production" mids who should be around our second selection and I'm more interested in what they can do rather than disposal numbers as an 18 year old.

Will Darcy with our 3rd pick.

My current preference (which changes weekly) is Dovaston/Taylor at our first
Byrne/Thomas at our second.
If the above aren't availble at our second then either Kickett or Sumner-Pickett (both over-agers).
If Darcy doesn't get bid on before our last last pick (likely the last pick of the night) I'd be taking a mature-ager be it Blamires, scott or weltschmerz suggestion of Scoble.

 

[Mojorisin]

Just looked at the State combine results and Krasnadamskis put together a lot of very good numbers for a ruckman. 2.88 20m sprint is ridiculous for a guy at 200cm

I Don't envy the commentators having to pronounce that.

 

[Wizard17]

I Don't envy the commentators having to pronounce that.

Was looking to see if there was any late rucks in the draft as we were linked to one late in the draft last year plus we tried out Crossley in the preseason. So we are probably still hunting around for one which considering we only have two no1 rucks on our entire list probably makes sense.

 

[Mofra]

I Don't envy the commentators having to pronounce that.

I'm still waiting for Caro to talk about Riley Thilthorpe

 

[Bald Headed Flog]

Farrow is quality and Dovaston plays "desperate" footy, both would be good gets.
I don't think Marsh is a need given we're likely to be playing Croft/Hynes throughout 2026.

I don’t doubt Farrow’s ability. I just don’t think it’s necessary to spend a first on him when we’ve got Freijah and Richards long term. Seems a little more of the same. Definitely wouldn’t hate the pick, just wouldn’t be excited by it as I feel we have more pressing needs.

Dovaston is another small forward after spending the majority of our draft capital of the last 5 drafts on forwards. I am very bullish on Dolan, so don’t see it as such a need any more.

 

[Bald Headed Flog]

A couple of options I'd be happy with are Dovaston, Thredgold/Avery Thomas, then Darcy late, or Taylor, Pickett/Byrne, then Darcy late and a rookie spot to Scoble.

Pickett or Byrne are the ones I’m hoping for with our 2nd. I’m not convinced that Dovaston is that much better of a prospect to justify spending a 1st on him if one of the other two could be there at our 2nd.

Really like Avery Thomas and think he’s exactly what we need down back. Being Tasmanian has me concerned about retaining him long term though

 

[House_of_Dahl]

12 to 30 feels really even this draft. Which is I guess why we dropped back. 33 will end up in the 20s too.

 

[Mojorisin]

12 to 30 feels really even this draft. Which is I guess why we dropped back. 33 will end up in the 20s too.

Funnily enough in my rough mock draft our second pick falls at exactly 33.

 

[maddog37]

Just looked at the State combine results and Krasnadamskis put together a lot of very good numbers for a ruckman. 2.88 20m sprint is ridiculous for a guy at 200cm

Pick him just for the name!!