Scythe94
Moderator
- Moderator
- #1
It's time to look towards the draft.
The presumed 'locks' to be taken before our pick (if we don't trade up):
Daniel Curtin
Ryley Sanders
Connor O'Sullivan
Nate Caddy
Nick Watson:
Please vote for your favourite two selections, bearing in mind that at least one of these players will be off the board before our pick.
Pick 11* thread will follow over the next day when I have the time.
The presumed 'locks' to be taken before our pick (if we don't trade up):
- Harley Reid
- Jed Walter
- Zane Duursma
- Colby McKercher
Daniel Curtin
- Position: Tall defender/midfielder
- Size: 195cm, 94kg
- From Fox Sports: If Harley Reid is the draft prospect who’s attracted the most media attention this year, Curtin isn’t far behind him. That’s because of West Coast’s interest in the local WA product. The professional Curtin showed great versatility across his four carnival games to win WA’s MVP award, averaging 24 disposals, nine contested possessions and five tackles while going at 82 per cent by foot. Most clubs see him developing into a composed intercept defender at AFL level. They were thrilled they got to see him take on Jed Walter when WA faced the Allies, while he played behind the ball in his six WAFL league games for Claremont. But Curtin showed in two carnival games against SA and Vic Metro that he can be a damaging tall midfielder as he covered the ground with a Marcus Bontempelli-like presence.
- AFL.com.au highlights:
Ryley Sanders
- Position: Inside mid
- Size: 186cm, 85 kg
- From Fox Sports: Few players in this year’s pool showed metronomic consistency across all levels like Sanders did in 2023. The Tasmanian product, who’s boarding at Melbourne Grammar and playing for the Sandringham Dragons, barely plays a bad game, thanks to his competitiveness, inside-outside balance and clean hands. He took out the prestigious Larke Medal for the best player of the championships, averaging a whopping 36 disposals, 15 disposals, six inside 50s, six marks and five tackles for the Allies. A brilliant goal against WA — where he sharked a hit-out off WA’s Mitch Edwards, sprinted forward, took a bounce and nailed a kick from just inside the centre square — showcased his burst, power, class and composure in the one passage of play. He also averaged 31 disposals for the Dragons, racking up at least 25 touches in all of his nine games.
- AFL.com.au highlights:
Connor O'Sullivan
- Position: KPD
- Size: 198cm, 92 kg
- From Fox Sports: There’s a long queue of clubs interested in O’Sullivan, whose remarkable rise across 2023 has put him in the top-10 mix. He was named the Allies’ MVP – a big honour considering his team’s famous undefeated carnival campaign – after averaging 18 disposals and a competition-high eight marks. O’Sullivan started the Coates Talent League season as a forward but quickly settled down back, averaging 20 disposals and seven marks across nine games. A competitive and hard-working beast with a terrific set of hands – both in the air and at ground level – O’Sullivan is a genuine tall utility who can play inside either arc or even in the midfield – although he’s thrived this year playing predominantly as a key defender. He knows when to stay on his man and when to peel off and intercept – and he’s equally adept at both arts.
- AFL.com.au highlights:
Nate Caddy
- Position: KPF/part-time mid
- Size: 192cm, 91 kg
- From Fox Sports: Caddy – the nephew of dual premiership Tiger Josh Caddy – is a unique goalkicker in that he has strong high-marking ability and plays with key-forward like power, dynamism and presence, but isn’t as tall as some of other key forwards in this year’s draft class. To make up for that, he’s shown ominous explosiveness when pinch-hitting at centre bounces. There were three Coates Talent League games this year where he kicked at least four goals from 20-plus disposals. He competed hard without much scoreboard reward for effort for Vic Metro, kicking six goals from three national carnival games.
- AFL.com.au highlights:
Nick Watson:
- Position: Small forward
- Size: 170cm, 68 kg
- From Fox Sports: Aka ‘The Wizard’ — and for good reason, for he’s as fun and dynamic a prospect as we’ve seen for a while. And he’ll bring AFL fans through the turnstiles for many years. Watson finished as the leading goalkicker of the national carnival, booting 14.6 for Vic Metro. He also showed he could play further up the field during several games for the Eastern Ranges, including some impressive performances behind the ball. Watson describes himself as an “Energizer Bunny”, in that he likes to apply defensive pressure and get under the skin of his opponents. Unsurprisingly, he’s a big Tom Papley fan. With the ball, he has unbelievable goal sense, speed, finishing ability and cleanliness at ground level.
- AFL.com.au highlights:
Please vote for your favourite two selections, bearing in mind that at least one of these players will be off the board before our pick.
Pick 11* thread will follow over the next day when I have the time.
