2025 Draft Thread

[Mojorisin]

No question on that but the more we have the more they will ask for. Wouldn't be putting any extras into next year for that reason imo

Then we run the risk of missing out. Ideally if we made a trade we'd give up 2 firsts in 26 and one in 27 and 28 while bringing in 2x 2nd rounders to match bids. I still hope Port finish close enough to the bottom not to match though.

 

[Mojorisin]

The sprint time is fine enough, but does he use it? I haven’t watched any complete games this year but haven’t seen much real run in the highlight and involvement videos.

theres running fast and theres accurate kicking and then theres both at the same time. its OK having a laser foot, but if you have to stop to use it, then you go from bailey dale level to sam power. Which applies to lindsay?

Both good questions and I think his drop in rankings is likely related to question marks around his disposal being hampered by pressure and speed which is obviously alot higher at AFL level, he may adjust to that but the risk is certainly there.
Personally my biggest concern is his lack of defensive intent if that is anything other then being too focused on being distributor then it will be a real issue especially in our set up.

For example he is prone to run ahead for a handball receive prior to his team mate winning a contest, leaving the defence a man down if the initial contest is lost.

 

[Mofra]

I haven't seen any defensive side to his game, whether that is because he is too focused on being his sides distributor or because he lacks the defensive ability im not sure as it's often a trap u18s fall into especially when considered the drafts best kick. His speed isn't an issue running a 3 second 20m sprint, I think it just stands out more given the focus on out and out speed at his position, although his kicking at speed is a concern to me.

I think he just screams class.

We can talk about his sprint times and his deficiencies but watching him in game he's thinking better than anyone else and he runs the ball too, so I'm guessing his endurance is fine. He does seem to constantly make good position which helps him intercept as well.

 

[Mojorisin]

I think he just screams class.

We can talk about his sprint times and his deficiencies but watching him in game he's thinking better than anyone else and he runs the ball too, so I'm guessing his endurance is fine. He does seem to constantly make good position which helps him intercept as well.

I'm more then happy to have a good user out of defence and would be far from disappointed if we drafted him but everyone has their weaknesses even early in the draft, especially this year. I don’t have the same worries about his athletic profile as others do.

 

[Dav1d]

I’m thinking we trade our first out
With who we probably actually want going just a few picks prior
Trading our first and second together for two second round selections though, I’d want a little something back.

 

[goodcop badcop]

Both good questions and I think his drop in rankings is likely related to question marks around his disposal being hampered by pressure and speed which is obviously alot higher at AFL level, he may adjust to that but the risk is certainly there.
Personally my biggest concern is his lack of defensive intent if that is anything other then being too focused on being distributor then it will be a real issue especially in our set up.

For example he is prone to run ahead for a handball receive prior to his team mate winning a contest, leaving the defence a man down if the initial contest is lost.

He dropped in part because he was unable to successfully transition to the midfield. I just keep coming back to contested ball with him. The games moved more towards the quicker half backs. Whilst he's not slow, he's not quick either and I think you have to have a good contested game to make it across half back at his pace which he doesn't have. He will probably have to be a winger given his skillset I think which he might do ok at. I worry he may struggle against the taller and the high end endurance types though.

 

[JohnnySteel]

I’m thinking we trade our first out
With who we probably actually want going just a few picks prior
Trading our first and second together for two second round selections though, I’d want a little something back.

I think we’ll bid on Murray & then Kyle with our first, if they do match then perhaps look to trade it for a F1.

Then pick up Kras, Ainsworth & Darcy.
(if current rumours are on the money re: interest)

 

[grassman75]

Oskar Taylor is my preference currently. The kid is absolutely lightning quick, reminds me of a young JJ blitzing off half back and is a neat ball user.

I was watching some film of his recently, there was a moment where he turned the ball over and his effort to chase down about 50m was insane, genuinely looked like he was running in fast forward.

Lindsay would certainly be a good consolation prize, not the quickest but far and away the best ball user in the open draft.

I love Dovaston and Farrow but expect both to be off the board by our pick.

Some mock drafts have Dovaston going to bombers…that explains our cooling interest…if they want him, he must be crap

 

[Salad dog]

So before Twomey spoils all the fun, this is how I see the first 13 picks going:

ROUND ONE

1. West Coast - Willem Duursma
2. Gold Coast - Zeke Uwland
3. Carlton - Harry Dean
4. West Coast - Cooper Duff-Tytler
5. Brisbane - Dan Annable
6. Gold Coast - Dylan Patterson
7. Richmond - Dyson Sharp
8. Richmond - Sam Cumming
9. Essendon - Sullivan Robey
10. Essendon - Xavier Taylor
11. Melbourne - Jacob Farrow
12. Melbourne - Cameron Nairn
13. Essendon - Lachy Dovaston (acquired from Carlton)

Then the next few picks before ours, which I have no clue how it falls.
14. Hawthorn
15. North Melbourne (acquired from Carlton)
16. GWS
17. West Coast
18. Dogs

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Keep in mind that if Darcy isn't bidded on by a pick around late 40, all we have to do is have a live pick anywhere (even the last one in the draft) and we can use that to match any bid from that point on. Obviously we are hoping that nobody bids on him, so we can use him as a rookie which gives us very marginal benefits in terms of list flexibility/contract commitments etc for the 2026/7 offseason.

What this means for draft night itself is that clearly if we hadn't made another trade, we'd live trade out our pick in the 50s for a future 3rd (even if 2027 or whatever) plus that team's last pick in the draft. There'll be a couple of clubs who still have a player high on their draft board not yet drafted.

Just as an aside I think it's a very reasonable chance through one or a combination of trades we're only going to take one player other than Darcy in the draft. SSP flexibility, and draft pick flexibility for Butters next year.

There's two competing benefits for late draft pick vs SSP player. Draft pick - you get to take a player you rate ahead of another team. SSP benefit - you're more likely to project a player's performance when they train a pre-season with you, plus you get to pick a player in response to how your list depth emerges over the course of pre-season (injury, players trialling new positions, players training/not training well changing our strength of list depth in different positions).

I tend to lean more toward the SSP option but there's always a balance. Some years we've gone McNeil, Cleary, Charlie Parker, etc. that may not have been drafted by any club and we could have invited them to our SSP pre-season. We must have been spooked a bit into thinking another club might have taken them?

 

[Doggy]

Zero Hanger has us picking Dovaston and Krasnadamskis and of course Will Darcy

 

[JohnnySteel]

Zero Hanger has us picking Dovaston and Krasnadamskis and of course Will Darcy

That would be a great result imo. Can’t see Dovaston lasting though.

 

[Bulldogs85]

 

[Mofra]

We had ITKs a few weeks ago were mentioning we were looking to bid on academy-tied rebounding defenders, that articlejust linked us to Lindsay after potential bids on academy-linked rebounding defenders.

Hafl expecting us to bid on both Kyle & Murray at our first pick now. I'm one of the few here who would be very happy to end up taking Lindsay.

 

[Testekill]

I dunno, I'm kinda on the same side as GCBC with Lindsay. These days you need genuine pace coming off the HBF and Lindsay doesn't really have that and his contested game isn't good enough for someone with average pace.

He's got time and space in the juniors that won't be there in the seniors.

 

[JohnnySteel]

Lindsay certainly doesn’t look slow. Perhaps he hasn’t needed to use his top speed in games, as like others have mentioned he finds time & space to deliver without needing to put the jets on.

 

[Mofra]

Lindsay certainly doesn’t look slow. Perhaps he hasn’t needed to use his top speed in games, as like others have mentioned he finds time & space to deliver without needing to put the jets on.

Bont was in the bottom 10% for the 20m sprint at the draft combine in his year. If you understand space you can make time.
I have more concerns about Oskar Taylor making the transition to AFL football than Lindsay.

 

[DiamondDogs8]

Bont was in the bottom 10% for the 20m sprint at the draft combine in his year. If you understand space you can make time.
I have more concerns about Oskar Taylor making the transition to AFL football than Lindsay.

Concerns over Lindsay’s pace are definitely overblown.

 

[Pencil case]

Concerns over Lindsay’s pace are definitely overblown.

Busslinger 2.0

 

[DiamondDogs8]

Busslinger 2.0

Lazy comparison

 

[Pencil case]

Lazy comparison

I’m saying concerns over their pace are overblown. Not comparing them speed-wise.

FWIW Lindsay’s speed doesn’t worry me at all; it’s more the defensive side to his game.

 

[DiamondDogs8]

I’m saying concerns over their pace are overblown. Not comparing them speed-wise.

FWIW Lindsay’s speed doesn’t worry me at all; it’s more the defensive side to his game.

Fair play, my bad

 

[Bulldogs85]

We had ITKs a few weeks ago were mentioning we were looking to bid on academy-tied rebounding defenders, that articlejust linked us to Lindsay after potential bids on academy-linked rebounding defenders.

Hafl expecting us to bid on both Kyle & Murray at our first pick now. I'm one of the few here who would be very happy to end up taking Lindsay.

Going by this Article we have also been linked with Lachlan Carmichael another Sydney Academy player

 

[Dav1d]

I think we’ll bid on Murray & then Kyle with our first, if they do match then perhaps look to trade it for a F1.

Then pick up Kras, Ainsworth & Darcy.
(if current rumours are on the money re: interest)

Ideally if we trade the picks for two second round picks
I’d want something for next year
Chuck a couple of bids out with those picks for good measure
Don’t expect anything for Butters ammunition through the trade just points and getting our hands on the draft for next year
Keep our age list profile turning over

 

[Bulldogs85]

Michael Regan will be on Gettable Draft Countdown show tomorrow