2025 Draft Thread

[Ads734]

Pre draft I made the call that he has to make it as a midfielder or he was going to struggled to find a spot at afl level because of his kicking. I thought he was more speculative than taking the Viking.

He will make it as a mid.

 

[mad-saint-guy]

Pre draft I made the call that he has to make it as a midfielder or he was going to struggled to find a spot at afl level because of his kicking. I thought he was more speculative than taking the Viking.

Yep I don't see his kicking being good enough to be a half back or wing, but surely if he had genuine midfield ability then he would have primarily been a mid in the juniors. He seems pretty good at winning a ground ball in defensive 50 but I'm not sure about midfield clearances. Maybe with a lot of added muscle he could become more capable in contested situations.

I found the pre draft footage to be very underwhelming. It was mostly "collect ground ball in defensive 50, give hands or hack a sky ball out of defensive 50"

 

[OxSaint]

Yep I don't see his kicking being good enough to be a half back or wing, but surely if he had genuine midfield ability then he would have primarily been a mid in the juniors. He seems pretty good at winning a ground ball in defensive 50 but I'm not sure about midfield clearances. Maybe with a lot of added muscle he could become more capable in contested situations.

I found the pre draft footage to be very underwhelming. It was mostly "collect ground ball in defensive 50, give hands or hack a sky ball out of defensive 50"

There was a bit of that. I liked the way he used his legs out of congestion in his draft year but the kicking is acceptable as an inside mid but not a modern flanker or outside player. Lockdown defender might be his fallback position if he can strengthen the body and doesn’t transition tot he midfield.

Certainly not writing him off. Is a better contested player than Wilson at the moment and only one season in. I still feel he is more likely a mid than Wilson is.

 

[borderbarry]

You are talking about Darcy Wilson I take it. 5 goals in the last game I will take every week.

 

[OxSaint]

You are talking about Darcy Wilson I take it. 5 goals in the last game I will take every week.

Billings has kicked 5 early in his career. Not exactly a guarantee is it. He wasn’t playing in the midfield either. I just think Tobie has more scope as a mid due to a being more prepared to contest ground ball and apply pressure around the contest.

Darcy has shown glimpses to become a very good flanker/wing though.

 

[gringo2011]

You are talking about Darcy Wilson I take it. 5 goals in the last game I will take every week.

Travaglia.

 

[gringo2011]

Billings has kicked 5 early in his career. Not exactly a guarantee is it. He wasn’t playing in the midfield either. I just think Tobie has more scope as a mid due to a being more prepared to contest ground ball and apply pressure around the contest.

Darcy has shown glimpses to become a very good flanker/wing though.

Funny enough Billings only kicked over 14 goals once in his career (fourth season). Darcy has kicked 15 in both of his seasons. Not bad considering he's never played as a camped forward.

 

[crasha301]

My 2 cents on trav is he probably played 6-8 games to many in his first year. Not his fault we didn't have depth and injuries were high.

Still 18 years old, still a baby. I said through out the year I just don't see the IT factor with him. Probably unfairly judged because of age and experience.

If he'd been picked up by the cats, lions, Hawks, he'd have spent the entire year in the 2s working on his craft.

I believe we now have enough depth that trav can play in the 2s leaning his craft, the correct way now that we have a real 2s team.

 

[CursingFijian]

I rate Travaglias handball above lots of our more established players, and that’s an underrated skill in my opinion, especially in the modern high pressure matches. Coupled with a strong contested / loose ball game can result in a very handy player that stands up in big games.

Agree that his kicking is underwhelming, but so is Tauru’s. I think he’s starting from a nice base point…it’s all about the improvement now.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I rate Travaglias handball above lots of our more established players, and that’s an underrated skill in my opinion, especially in the modern high pressure matches. Coupled with a strong contested / loose ball game can result in a very handy player that stands up in big games.

Agree that his kicking is underwhelming, but so is Tauru’s. I think he’s starting from a nice base point…it’s all about the improvement now.

I worry about kids that thin, with small frames as they are not going to fill out or put on a lot of size. As a result they have to excel in a lot of the game as they dont have the size to hold their own. I am not his biggest fan, but at VFL level his handballing in congestion was elite. There is no doubt he knows how to win the ball, he just needs improvement in other parts of his game.

Above all he is a competitor, so hopefully that drives him to become the player we wished for.

 

[gringo2011]

I rate Travaglias handball above lots of our more established players, and that’s an underrated skill in my opinion, especially in the modern high pressure matches. Coupled with a strong contested / loose ball game can result in a very handy player that stands up in big games.

Agree that his kicking is underwhelming, but so is Tauru’s. I think he’s starting from a nice base point…it’s all about the improvement now.

The Country v Metro game last year was where he really stood up. He just moves to attack as soon as the ball gets in his possession. I really liked his drive. In modern footy players who stop and think too long get found out really fast.

Trav is a bit messy with his kicking at times but there is a bit of James Siciliy in him where he just starts moving the ball immediately. It's like there is zero doubt filter in either of them.

As I've said before I watched him warming up with the backline guest Marvel before a match and he looked the best skilled of the back line boys including Nas and Sincs. Was picking up ground balls one touch, ripping in high marks and moving like he was in a glide. And as you said long raking handballs.

I think Trav is a safe bet type at least be a good player. There are always spots for runners.

 

[g_TRAIN]

I worry about kids that thin, with small frames as they are not going to fill out or put on a lot of size. As a result they have to excel in a lot of the game as they dont have the size to hold their own. I am not his biggest fan, but at VFL level his handballing in congestion was elite. There is no doubt he knows how to win the ball, he just needs improvement in other parts of his game.

Above all he is a competitor, so hopefully that drives him to become the player we wished for.

On the contrary sometimes the skinny ones go to a new level once they bulk up. Not all are genetically doomed to always be skinny.

Nat Fyfe for example.

 

[Ads734]

Billings has kicked 5 early in his career. Not exactly a guarantee is it. He wasn’t playing in the midfield either. I just think Tobie has more scope as a mid due to a being more prepared to contest ground ball and apply pressure around the contest.

Darcy has shown glimpses to become a very good flanker/wing though.

You need to watch his VFL games.

 

[Ads734]

I worry about kids that thin, with small frames as they are not going to fill out or put on a lot of size. As a result they have to excel in a lot of the game as they dont have the size to hold their own. I am not his biggest fan, but at VFL level his handballing in congestion was elite. There is no doubt he knows how to win the ball, he just needs improvement in other parts of his game.

Above all he is a competitor, so hopefully that drives him to become the player we wished for.

Kade Simpson
Nate Fyfe
Will day
Bont

Just to name a few

 

[TheJackal]

Watching Max Holmes live over these last 2 weeks, I wonder if Tobie will end up being a similar player. Max isn't a perfect kick either but the other stuff he does makes up for it.

I know Will Day is the obvious comp but Holmes might be a better one.

 

[MrFoster]

There was a bit of that. I liked the way he used his legs out of congestion in his draft year but the kicking is acceptable as an inside mid but not a modern flanker or outside player. Lockdown defender might be his fallback position if he can strengthen the body and doesn’t transition tot he midfield.

Certainly not writing him off. Is a better contested player than Wilson at the moment and only one season in. I still feel he is more likely a mid than Wilson is.

Travaglia’s hands are better than Wilson. But he doesn’t seem to know how to play midfield. I see more potential in Fischer’s VFL game than Travaglia. Didn’t really want us to draft another half back in Travaglia like Clark and Coffield, wanted Langford or Reid, but now he is our player, I really hope we develop him properly as a mid in the VFL, he just looks lost in the AFL.

 

[Ads734]

Travaglia’s hands are better than Wilson. But he doesn’t seem to know how to play midfield. I see more potential in Fischer’s VFL game than Travaglia. Didn’t really want us to draft another half back in Travaglia like Clark and Coffield, wanted Langford or Reid, but now he is our player, I really hope we develop him properly as a mid in the VFL, he just looks lost in the AFL.

Where is this idea that Trav can’t play midfield coming from ?

Honestly

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Where is this idea that Trav can’t play midfield coming from ?

Honestly

Where's the idea that he can play midfield from?

 

[CursingFijian]

Where is this idea that Trav can’t play midfield coming from ?

Honestly

Where's the idea that he can play midfield from?

 

[Ads734]

Where's the idea that he can play midfield from?

Watching him play in under 18s, watching him play vfl. Assessing his attributes not just where he’s been named to play.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

Watching him play in under 18s, watching him play vfl. Assessing his attributes not just where he’s been named to play.

He hardly played any midfield in the U18s ..... maybe a game or 2 ..... Billings played more games through the midfield in his U18 year

Trav mainly played across Half Back and he definitely played as a defender in the Nat Champs

 

[Ads734]

He hardly played any midfield in the U18s ..... maybe a game or 2 ..... Billings played more games through the midfield in his U18 year

Trav mainly played across Half Back and he definitely played as a defender in the Nat Champs

4/5 games as under 18 and he performed well. Most importantly it’s the traits he showed.

Driving of legs !!!!!! (This is essential)
Elite tackling
Elite hands

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Kade Simpson
Nate Fyfe
Will day
Bont

Just to name a few

Day, Fyfe and Bont have big frames incl shoulders. Travaglia is leggy, but his upper body is more like Blakey. Simpson was an outside wingman with elite kicking and running, he was the exception rather then the norm.

Travaglia has a long way to go with his kicking, body positioning and movement to become anything more than just another back flanker. He has time to develop and might be the exception, but his kicking and lack of penetration will be what really holds him back.

 

[gringo2011]

He hardly played any midfield in the U18s ..... maybe a game or 2 ..... Billings played more games through the midfield in his U18 year

Trav mainly played across Half Back and he definitely played as a defender in the Nat Champs

I think he ends up playing HB or wing but his game looks like he could easily transition into a mid. Guys that play running roles get plenty more chances of being in the best 22 but only the absolute best end up playing as a main-driver centre square mid. His skill set definitely makes him a potential mid. Last year's draft was stacked with mids so no shame in being a HB in a year where others get first crack.

 

[gringo2011]

Day, Fyfe and Bont have big frames incl shoulders. Travaglia is leggy, but his upper body is more like Blakey. Simpson was an outside wingman with elite kicking and running, he was the exception rather then the norm.

Travaglia has a long way to go with his kicking, body positioning and movement to become anything more than just another back flanker. He has time to develop and might be the exception, but his kicking and lack of penetration will be what really holds him back.

He's got a big gangly frame. He could easily fill out. It's really hard to tell without looking at his genetics and hoping that they land the right way.