Draft Expert Davo-27's 2025 Draft Thread

[Davo-27]

From the HS

Will Darcy is viewed internally as a major draft smokey. Not on a Coates Talent League list, Darcy is draft eligible this year and is athletic key defender who is great in the air and at ground level. Sam rocketed up draft board in his 18th year and don’t be surprised to see Will get the attention of recruiters in APS

Sam Darcy's draft year was 2021, so his 2 junior footy years were plagued with covid nonsense, but he was identified quickly in 2021 dominating as a defender and ruck only behind Naicos imo, even though JHF went at 1, i felt JHF was 3 but fs never get bid on at 1 because theres too much media value in pick 1s and giving that freely to a fs is too much of a reward, now Sam has developed his forward craft and going from strength to strength, I have yet to see Will, but if he's good he will get identified quickly or maybe the bulldogs are willing to role the dice on family potential?

 

[Davo-27]

I don't have the time to watch a lot of junior footy this year, so I'll just add updates as I go.

 

[Haggas]

From the HS

Will Darcy is viewed internally as a major draft smokey. Not on a Coates Talent League list, Darcy is draft eligible this year and is athletic key defender who is great in the air and at ground level. Sam rocketed up draft board in his 18th year and don’t be surprised to see Will get the attention of recruiters in APS

Pretty sure I seen he will be playing his first game for Oakleigh Chargers this weekend

 

[FB19]

OK so i watched a bit of footy this weekend, i still have some catching up to do, but i think i can put out an early list for people to talk about, criticise and ponder

i think the most impressive prospect this season has to be CDT and with Sharp not at his best and a few others also having slow starts, i think he has jumped to early pick 1 favouritism, Greeves hasnt been as dominant as i would have expected, some new names have stepped up, others have fallen short, so here is my first attempt this year at some rankings, enjoy


Early Top 50 (April 21st)

1. Cooper Duff-Tytler Calder 199cm
2. Fred Rodriguez Sth Frem 184cm
3. Dyson Sharp Cent Dist 188cm
4. Zeke Uwland GCS A 178cm
5. Cody Curtin Clarem 200cm
6. Sam Cumming N Adel 184cm
7. Zach O'Keefe Gipps 177cm
8. Oliver Greeves Eastern 191cm
9. Riley Onley Murray 194cm
10. Willem Duursma Gipps 191cm
11. Blake Kelly Swan Dist 182cm
12. Daniel Annable Bris A 183cm
13. Dylan Patterson GCS A 183cm
14. Maxx King Syd A 191cm
15. Liam Hetherton Murray 197cm
16. Thomas McGuane Western 178cm
17. Aaron Sharkie Oakleigh 183cm
18. Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves Dand 186cm
19. Archie Ludowyke Sand 197cm
20. Toby Whan Sth Frem 184cm
21. Hussein El Achkar Cald 171cm
22. Louis Emmett Oakleigh 199cm
23. Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier N Adel 182cm
24. Koby Evans Perth 187cm
25. Felix Kneipp Cald 179cm
26. Rhylee McHenry Tas 179cm
27. Josh Lindsay Geel 183cm
28. Sam Swaddling West Perth 187cm
29. Aidan Schubert Cent Dist 194cm
30. Beau Addinsall GCS A 180cm
31. Hunter Holmes Oakleigh 186cm
32. Lachy Dovaston Eastern 177cm
33. Noah Chamberlain Syd A 192cm
34. Lachlan Carmichael Syd A 183cm
35. Jasper Russell Dand 176cm
36. Kobe Williams Western 185cm
37. Basil Hart Peel 185cm
38. Josh Reichelt Cent Dist 180cm
39. Wes Walley Subiaco 181cm
40. Tairon Ah-Mu Dand 198cm
41. Louis Kellaway Sturt 182cm
42. Hunter Wright Bendigo 188cm
43. Charlie Banfield Clarem 191cm
44. Adam Sweid Cald 175cm
45. Cooper Herbert Cald 189cm
46. Jack Cook WWT 179cm
47. Sam Allen Oakleigh 183cm
48. Ryder Corrigan Murray 186cm
49. Max Roney Tas 186cm
50. Rory Wright Sand 183cm

Sam Grlj and Xavier Bamert unlucky...

Thanks Davo-27 doing the lords work as usual! Agree Sam Grjl outside 50 would be a steal!
As a Hawk if we hold blues first who would you take out of interest? Given a stable list now with minimal changes and assuming we would take Kobe Williams as a later bid match, who do you think we need?

 

[Davo-27]

Thanks Davo-27 doing the lords work as usual! Agree Sam Grjl outside 50 would be a steal!
As a Hawk if we hold blues first who would you take out of interest? Given a stable list now with minimal changes and assuming we would take Kobe Williams as a later bid match, who do you think we need?

Right now I'd take Xavier Taylor as a Sicily successor in a couple years, I don't know if I even had him top 50 start of the year, I liked Sam Grlj off his trials for the u16s champs, which he missed, I called him early and again didn't have him top 50 start of season, but I like those Travaglia/XTaylor types, so I'd take Taylor.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Right now I'd take Xavier Taylor as a Sicily successor in a couple years, I don't know if I even had him top 50 start of the year, I liked Sam Grlj off his trials for the u16s champs, which he missed, I called him early and again didn't have him top 50 start of season, but I like those Travaglia/XTaylor types, so I'd take Taylor.

Just looked and Xave is in your long shortlist.

 

[HAWKS2016]

Davo-27 what are your thoughts on Adam Sweid and what pick do you roughly seeing him get bid on?

 

[Davo-27]

Davo-27 what are your thoughts on Adam Sweid and what pick do you roughly seeing him get bid on?

Good movement, agile, competitive, bit short and stocky, but oozes class, it's a hard 1 too gauge, probably around 20-40 range on talent at a rough guess

 

[The_General#1]

Hey Davo-27 hows Xavier Bamert tracking? I haven’t seen much of him this year. Pre draft year he had been very good. He’s had his fair share of injuries. As it stands now what do u think his draft range is?

 

[Davo-27]

Hey Davo-27 hows Xavier Bamert tracking? I haven’t seen much of him this year. Pre draft year he had been very good. He’s had his fair share of injuries. As it stands now what do u think his draft range is?

I have not watched much u18 footy this year so idk

 

[Davo-27]

Looks like from all reports Dyson Sharp is back in the race for pick 1, now that he is fit and firing he should go very early, but if clubs want to allow the Hawks with Carltons pick to get him I won't complain.

 

[FB19]

Hey Davo good to see you back mate. I would think the top 6 untied at the moment would be CDT Duursma Sharp NHH Greeves Lindsay so who after that maybe Schubert, Rodriguez or Grlj? How would you rank them specifically for us if we keep blues pick and it’s pick 7 say?

 

[Yoda_]

Hey Davo good to see you back mate. I would think the top 6 untied at the moment would be CDT Duursma Sharp NHH Greeves Lindsay so who after that maybe Schubert, Rodriguez or Grlj? How would you rank them specifically for us if we keep blues pick and it’s pick 7 say?

I think CDT slides,

Right now Duursma (1), Sharp (2) and even Josh Lindsay (3) are the standouts.

CDT was restricted in the first Champs game so he is a big watch for me

 

[Yoda_]

Looks like from all reports Dyson Sharp is back in the race for pick 1, now that he is fit and firing he should go very early, but if clubs want to allow the Hawks with Carltons pick to get him I won't complain.

His outside game has improved exponentially this year. A fit and firing Dyson Sharp should firmly be in pick 1 calculations

 

[Davo-27]

Hey Davo good to see you back mate. I would think the top 6 untied at the moment would be CDT Duursma Sharp NHH Greeves Lindsay so who after that maybe Schubert, Rodriguez or Grlj? How would you rank them specifically for us if we keep blues pick and it’s pick 7 say?

I have not been watching much this season, but I hope to see the main games at some point and post my ranking/ thoughts prior to the draft.

My view on those guys is my memory from their u16s or under-age years and things usually change in their draft year.

 

[mattyc75]

His outside game has improved exponentially this year. A fit and firing Dyson Sharp should firmly be in pick 1 calculations

Can't see the eagles not taking sharp

 

[I got the outside word]

Hey Davo, how’s Koby Williams traveling? I think he is playing school footy at the minute but I haven’t heard much, no one seems to have an opinion.

 

[Davo-27]

Hey Davo, how’s Koby Williams traveling? I think he is playing school footy at the minute but I haven’t heard much, no one seems to have an opinion.

Earlier in the season I thought he stood out as 1 of Western Jets best, I liked how he moved in contests, seemed smart with disposal and was developing some midfield and half back play style that was impressive, since then he has done well in school footy, in his u16s year he was more a lead up forward like his dad but seems to have gotten fitter and more agile this season, he isn't a certainty to be drafted which means most draft watchers won't talk about him, because they only try and back the certainties, which I understand, they fear taking risks, which I also understand or they don't rate him because they like other aspects of footy more which I also understand, but half the other draft watchers i dont listen to because i think they make bad calls, you never see them talk on u16s footy because they need others to put their ideas out first.

 

[Warhorse]

hey Davo is Mellor looking draftable at this stage?

 

[Yippy Yi Yeo]

Hey Davo, normally I follow the draft fairly closely but have been busier this year so as far as draft prospects go where would you rank the top few this year compared to the top few in the previous couple of drafts?

Also what players do you think Sharp is most similar to?

Cheers

 

[Davo-27]

Hey Davo, normally I follow the draft fairly closely but have been busier this year so as far as draft prospects go where would you rank the top few this year compared to the top few in the previous couple of drafts?

Also what players do you think Sharp is most similar to?

Cheers

I find comparisons to different years difficult to assess as a lot depends on the mental drive, composure, determination ect and that is something you can only assess with interviews with the player and those that know them best, which as a draft watcher I won't get access to

Sharp has been a dominant force for SA for 3 years, atm he excells at the defensive aspects like tackling and following his man, accumulation of poss on the inside(averages over 30 at every level I believe?) quality handballing skills and good positioning and movement, he is usually a goal kicking mid, he is only an average kick of the footy and doesn't have great speed (he is quick enough and seems to have good endurance) which are his weaknesses (closest comparison would be Rowell off the top of my head)

 

[Davo-27]

hey Davo is Mellor looking draftable at this stage?

I have not seen enough of him to comment, sorry

 

[Davo-27]

Hunter Holmes impressed me earlier this year, put him at pick 31 in my early season rankings, find out he is Max Holmes brother, I'm guessing Geelongs first pick is dedicated to Hunter Holmes?

 

[Thunderstruck]

Hey Davo, normally I follow the draft fairly closely but have been busier this year so as far as draft prospects go where would you rank the top few this year compared to the top few in the previous couple of drafts?

Also what players do you think Sharp is most similar to?

Cheers

Sharp for me I've always seen him a similar type to Ryan Griffen from the dogs of yesteryear but a more combative mid than him, just a less damaging kick. He's got a bit of Jai Newcombe about him as well. His leadership though is what stands out, he'll make his own mark there fairly quickly once he settles in. His only two weaknesses that I see are his kicking when under pressure out of congestion when he's not balanced, he will blaze it or try and kick it off to the side and sometimes make a bad blue. Kicking consistency is the other one where he can try and overkick when running and hits it wrong for short to medium passes. But other time he can kick it from 55m and it sails through well behind the goals.

The other weakness is top end speed, it's probably just standard pace. He's got good acceleration and power when he needs it, he hides that but his agility in tight is good, he changes direction with power and has good drive from his legs.

 

[Davo-27]

Sharp for me I've always seen him a similar type to Ryan Griffen from the dogs of yesteryear but a more combative mid than him, just a less damaging kick. He's got a bit of Jai Newcombe about him as well. His leadership though is what stands out, he'll make his own mark there fairly quickly once he settles in. His only two weaknesses that I see are his kicking when under pressure out of congestion when he's not balanced, he will blaze it or try and kick it off to the side and sometimes make a bad blue. Kicking consistency is the other one where he can try and overkick when running and hits it wrong for short to medium passes. But other time he can kick it from 55m and it sails through well behind the goals.

The other weakness is top end speed, it's probably just standard pace. He's got good acceleration and power when he needs it, he hides that but his agility in tight is good, he changes direction with power and has good drive from his legs.

His build and look are similar to Ryan Griffen you're right and i think he has a similar impact/playstyle to Matt Rowell for the Suns in modern footy

I think there's a top 6 forming, I would have them in this order from my PoV
1. Dyson Sharp
2. Cooper Duff-Tytler
3. Zeke Uwland (GCS)
4. Dan Annable (Bris)
5. Josh Lindsay
6. Willem Duursma



Other top 10 possibles

Oliver Greeves
Sam Cumming
Harley Barker
Max King (Syd)
Archie Ludowyke
Aiden Schubert
Ect