2025 Draft Thread

[Tommy Wigs]

Not sure Jonty has any club intel - assume he’s largely player focused. I still figure the “Saints won’t match an early bid” has mayo on it, but it’s an interesting comment.

 

[dudeintheswamp]

Draft expert names two mature-aged AFL draft smokeys

“He is certainly one that will bob up at some stage.”

www.sen.com.au

 

[stavro#4]

Fox footy

St Kilda isn’t due to enter the draft until Pick 50 — a selection that will clearly come in significantly due to bids — but rival clubs wouldn’t be shocked if the Saints traded back into this year’s draft. They had been linked to a move into the first round for Jevan Phillipou — the brother of young gun Saint Matteas Phillipou — in recent weeks.

However, it’s understood the Saints also have interest hard-running Oakleigh Chargers winger Sam Allan — who’s 2025 campaign was ruined by an ACL rupture — while they’ll also consider matching a bid on NGA prospect Kye Fincher. Sources suggest the Saints would be less likely to match for Fincher if his name was called before Pick 35.

 

[BrutThough]

Not sure Jonty has any club intel - assume he’s largely player focused. I still figure the “Saints won’t match an early bid” has mayo on it, but it’s an interesting comment.

They seem to be expecting a bid much earlier then any other outlet is reporting it to come - late 20s/early 30s.

Cal Twomney on SaintsTV didnt sound that worried about an early bid coming.

 

[gringo2011]

They seem to be expecting a bid much earlier then any other outlet is reporting it to come - late 20s/early 30s.

Cal Twomney on SaintsTV didnt sound that worried about an early bid coming.

It's a real speculator's draft. He could go anywhere. He's not really a massive standout but there aren't many that do in this draft. I'd be picking some of the mature talent if I was a team outside the top 10 picks and then a couple dice rolls. Latrelle Pickett looks pretty exciting to me.

 

[BrutThough]

It's a real speculator's draft. He could go anywhere. He's not really a massive standout but there aren't many that do in this draft. I'd be picking some of the mature talent if I was a team outside the top 10 picks and then a couple dice rolls. Latrelle Pickett looks pretty exciting to me.

His academy link should see him side down the rankings a bit as well. All linked players tend to go later then expected.

Given the weakness of this draft, I expect to see more clubs leave spots for summer train on's and test that mature talent out first.

 

[gringo2011]

His academy link should see him side down the rankings a bit as well. All linked players tend to go later then expected.

Given the weakness of this draft, I expect to see more clubs leave spots for summer train on's and test that mature talent out first.

I suggested that Dalrymple wouldn't be sentimental if he sees a better option. He let a lot of academy kids slide past last year. If he does get a bid and a player he rates is behind him, I won't be shocked if he doesn't get taken by us.

 

[BrutThough]

I suggested that Dalrymple wouldn't be sentimental if he sees a better option. He let a lot of academy kids slide past last year. If he does get a bid and a player he rates is behind him, I won't be shocked if he doesn't get taken by us.

No room for sentimentality in the draft. But it will be interesting to see how well the Said over Hoffman decision ages since early trajection isn't great for Said.

Is there a chance our pick comes in enough that we can take a pick before needing to match a bid? That would be the best case scenario.

 

[saintmike65]

Interesting if it plays out like this. Means our pick 50 comes in 15 spots. Could squeeze I pick in before fincher

Our pick 50 will come in to around 45...what needs to be taken into account is when clubs match bids the excess points they give gains them a pick further down the draft board

 

[stavro#4]

Our pick 50 will come in to around 45...what needs to be taken into account is when clubs match bids the excess points they give gains them a pick further down the draft board

It will come in much more than 5 spots Mike.

The second round could be as small as 10 picks with the rest used in bid matching.

GC and Brisbane have 4FRP between them that will disappear to bid matching.

 

[stavro#4]

No room for sentimentality in the draft. But it will be interesting to see how well the Said over Hoffman decision ages since early trajection isn't great for Said.

Is there a chance our pick comes in enough that we can take a pick before needing to match a bid? That would be the best case scenario.

It could come in to the late 30s if I’ve worked it out right.

Which then poses the question.

Could we trade down to the 20s and grab Jevan using our 2027 hand and that pick

 

[bergholt]

Not sure Jonty has any club intel - assume he’s largely player focused. I still figure the “Saints won’t match an early bid” has mayo on it, but it’s an interesting comment.

"Fincher, who has an interest in project management"

Clearly the whole article is made up, no 18 year old says they have an interest in project management

 

[saintmike65]

It will come in much more than 5 spots Mike.

The second round could be as small as 10 picks with the rest used in bid matching.

GC and Brisbane have 4FRP between them that will disappear to bid matching.

If the pick comes in more than 5 spots that's a bonus!

 

[saxond74]

If the pick comes in more than 5 spots that's a bonus!

Cal Twomey used 42 as his hypothetical in his chat with Saints TV, so read into that what you will, but I rate Cal’s info & if he is saying 42, even hypothetically, I’ll take it as a marker.

 

[saintmike65]

Cal Twomey used 42 as his hypothetical in his chat with Saints TV, so read into that what you will, but I rate Cal’s info & if he is saying 42, even hypothetically, I’ll take it as a marker.

That would be a nice outcome

 

[BrutThough]

It could come in to the late 30s if I’ve worked it out right.

Which then poses the question.

Could we trade down to the 20s and grab Jevan using our 2027 hand and that pick

I'm not convinced anyone would be as keen to trade down for Jev if he's brother wasn't Mattaes.

 

[beside the seaside]

It's kind of nice not spending hours of time looking into draftees, potential pick swaps etc. Having such a crap hand has literally saved days of my time this year. It's a little concerning actually.

 

[stavro#4]

I'm not convinced anyone would be as keen to trade down for Jev if he's brother wasn't Mattaes.

He is appealing as he has very little coverage mainly due to injury and still held a high enough ranking as a prospect.

Really he is only slipping now as others are spiking off the back of combines and clubs rewatching the same footage they have seen 100 times already.

Let’s be honest, anyone we take not named Fincher are sliders due to injury or just the complete unknown.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Sources suggest the Saints would be less likely to match for Fincher if his name was called before Pick 35.

In other words, Saints actually warning off other clubs who try to cause trouble for us - if you bid on him, you'd better actually be prepared to take him.

I'm guessing its a "smoke and shadows behind the windows" - style move from our guys.

 

[beside the seaside]

In other words, Saints actually warning off other clubs who try to cause trouble for us - if you bid on him, you'd better actually be prepared to take him.

I'm guessing its a "smoke and shadows behind the windows" - style move from our guys.

That is exactly what it is.

Having said that we've passed on our NGA guys before so it wouldn't be a total shock.

 

[Yabadoo22]

Who would we all hypothetically want if we didn't trade our 1st for Flanders this year?
Assuming all of duursma, CDT, robey, cumming, x.taylor will have been off the board, plus all the academies and father sons. It is genuinely a poor looking draft, there isn't many that I like from my little knowledge.
Sam grlj would nearly be my pick, but there's also a chance he could be gone by Melbourne's pick as well. After that maybe a Dovaston or farrow?

 

[saintmike65]

In other words, Saints actually warning off other clubs who try to cause trouble for us - if you bid on him, you'd better actually be prepared to take him.

I'm guessing its a "smoke and shadows behind the windows" - style move from our guys.

Fincher is required, however not to the detriment of going into points deficit

 

[stfan]

In other words, Saints actually warning off other clubs who try to cause trouble for us -

I really do not understand this argument.

Why would any club risk picking a player that they do not really want? Or at least at a possible pick cost above where they would rate him.

Especially someone like Fincher who is well back in the draft order.

Equally, why would St Kilda be that desperate to get Fincher. Yes he is a nice pick up but, if a club bid him at well unders the small points advantage we get for him is not that much.


The big value with NGA/FA/Academy has been when the Club has been able to be grab a player well up the draft order from where their pick is. (Ie Lions with the Aschcrofts), or in the past when teams were able to trade out good picks for junks picks etc. Plus that also used to be at 20% discount which with early picks meant you also go another decent player lower down the order. But the biggest advantage was just being able to get access to top end talent.

Soldiers are easy to trade in. Guns are hard to trade in.

 

[gringo2011]

No room for sentimentality in the draft. But it will be interesting to see how well the Said over Hoffman decision ages since early trajection isn't great for Said.

Is there a chance our pick comes in enough that we can take a pick before needing to match a bid? That would be the best case scenario.

Geelong was talking Hoffman up after last preseason saying that he had massive potential to be special.

 

[ThomasR]

Is there a chance our pick comes in enough that we can take a pick before needing to match a bid? That would be the best case scenario.

spitballing... if Fincher does get past 36, but is bid on before our first pick, there are a bunch of clubs where we could potentially stash our first couple of picks before matching with our "next pick". noting you can't trade a pick straight back to someone... but you could always trade similar-ish picks

eg swap 50+65 to Adelaide for their F4
match Fincher with our next pick (86)
swap our own F4 for their 55+64

Crows move up a few spots for a swap of F4s. our first two picks roughly maintain their position while we get Fincher for nothing. AFL might look grimly on the trades but AFAIK no rule against it? Pies/Port might also be in that mix.

IMO you shouldn't be allowed to trade back into a draft to get a pick earlier than one you have used to match a bid. but until they close that loophole, it's there to be exploited