Game Day The 2025 Draft Day Thread

[UseR2006]

And a song to sing as we watch,

Hey Matty Clarke by Kevin (Random260) Wilson :

Hey Matty Clarke you campaigner, where the **** is Sharp
I’ve looked at all these other spuds and there’s no one that I like
I wrote you a ****ing letter and posted about it twice
You dopey ****ing Richmond fart, you forgot my ****ing Sharp

If I wanted a stupid ruckman type, I would’ve bloody asked
And this half back flank and temu mid, you can shove right up your arse
You’ve stuffed the bloody order up, it’s enough to make you spew
But it’s not just me who’s snakey, SGIO is dirty too

Next time I come to see ya, I’m going to punch you in the guts
And I’ll sack the other recruiting knobs and kick Toddy in the nuts
You just wait 'til next year when you go back to the draft
And me and me little GIO come stomping through the door
And we'll say, yeah, you wait for it

Hey Pyke and Woosh you smell his breath
And check his bloodshot eyes
And don't listen to him eagles fans 'cause he tells ****ing lies
He's just a ****ing useless campaigner and he's not even very bright
'Cause the stupid ****in' w***er, forgot me ****in' Sharp

Hey Matty Clarke you campaigner, where the **** is Sharp
I’ve looked at all these other spuds and there’s no one that I like
I wrote you a ****ing letter and posted about it twice
You dopey ****ing Richmond fart, you forgot my ****ing Sharp

A Quick Ai rendition: https://suno.com/s/blQP3cSnulhqYb5g
It's funny how it interrupted the lyrics XD

 

[Elite Pete]

The lads should all be flying in today and at training tomorrow. Big moment for the club.

Training reports are going to be a fun read now. It’s not just how Ginbey and Hewett look like a few years ago. We now have a lot of top quality 1-4year players, how the msd are developing and where they are playing (McCarthy and Hutch especially) the SSP….

 

[shooshka]

The lads should all be flying in today and at training tomorrow. Big moment for the club.

Training reports are going to be a fun read now. It’s not just how Ginbey and Hewett look like a few years ago. We now have a lot of top quality 1-4year players, how the msd are developing and where they are playing (McCarthy and Hutch especially) the SSP….

If we can find a spot for Maric to settle, and Lindsay can force his way into the backline, that is 3x seriously elite kicks in the side.

If/when the gameplan starts to click those 3 can absolutely slice sides open and hopefully create a large number of high probability scoring opportunities.

Midfield is a little harder to judge, but assuming in a couple of years some of the draftees progress - those elite kickers will often be in possession at wing or HF (rather than HBF/BP). Should be pretty exciting!


Also on a completely unrelated side note/open-question - what happened with NHH?

Some had him in late 1st conversations. Went undrafted. Seems a huge surprise?

 

[Joeban]

I know its early but I love who massey has picked the last 2 years. Picks the best available talent. His drafting will get us back up the top. The pieman speculative picks like burgiel and chesser are hopefully a thing of the past.

Just gonna ignore the Sam Allen pick then?

 

[Wooshaaaa]

The lads should all be flying in today and at training tomorrow. Big moment for the club.

Training reports are going to be a fun read now. It’s not just how Ginbey and Hewett look like a few years ago. We now have a lot of top quality 1-4year players, how the msd are developing and where they are playing (McCarthy and Hutch especially) the SSP….

For me early in season, Tmac starts back and on occasion rolls into the midfield. It will be a little horses for courses now that mini has some magnet flexibility. If Hough has go into the middle to do a run with tag role. How quick does Lindsay get up to speed with game style and fitness. I can see him more full time mid later in the year. But his rebound and meters gained out of defence is hard to replace. Lastly, with any luck the midfield win some more contests, resulting in less game time in our defensive half. This might allow him to push up more.


Hutch is a high half forward. It's what he was draft for - I hark back to his VFL days and first WAFL game when he kicked 5. His high pressure, marking and goal kicking will allow him to play tall or small in the forward line. He isn't a wing or midfielder IMO. Davis and duursma on the wings using there running prowess.

 

[Farmer Lister]

The lads should all be flying in today and at training tomorrow. Big moment for the club.

Training reports are going to be a fun read now. It’s not just how Ginbey and Hewett look like a few years ago. We now have a lot of top quality 1-4year players, how the msd are developing and where they are playing (McCarthy and Hutch especially) the SSP….

Might be a bit difficult to tell who's who at training initially with so many new faces.

Does anyone know if the draftees have their new numbers yet, and what they are?

 

[Jootube]

Sure, let’s include Harley then.

I’d say we have “nailed” 4 picks since 2021: Harley, Ginbey, Hough, Shanahan.

Find me even 4 clubs that have “nailed” more, or even 4 clubs you believe have drafted better than us in that period (excluding academy/FS) as matching a clear top 5 pick with 3 picks 30+ does not constitute good drafting imo, it’s common sense.

To be fair, picking Harley at 1 when he was considered a generational talent is not really "nailed".
It's like you said, common sense.

Will definitely give credit for the other 3

 

[Elite Pete]

Might be a bit difficult to tell who's who at training initially with so many new faces.

Does anyone know if the draftees have their new numbers yet, and what they are?

Duursma was offered number 1,5 and 12 in the meeting before the draft. Sounds like he picked 1 (really wanted 4 but Starcevich already selected it.

 

[Snowball81]

I’m just glad we didn’t do a North and trade a F1 for a pick in the late 20’s and a F2. Still can’t believe they did it

Let’s not forget that Brisbane were being offered a future 2nd and 3rd from Adelaide for ah chee and they let him go for free.

Shows how highly they rate those type of picks…

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Having passed on Walley for the Cat B rookie spot, do we have any options to fill the spot?

 

[Keys]

Having passed on Walley for the Cat B rookie spot, do we have any options to fill the spot?

Not that I’m aware of

We can add an international rookie if we find someone suitable or maybe someone from a different code - so a kid who’s been off playing cricket or basketball and decides to come back to football

I don’t think we can now add another NGA player or change our mind on Walley

Most likely is that spot sits vacant for 2026 - I guess the hope was Evans getting through the draft so we could add him as a Cat B rookie. And we had to delist Livingstone to create the opening so it’s a bit of a shame there’s no mechanism to add him back on

 

[TheNewAnchor]

That's a good assessment. Didn't get very creative, clearly fumbled with the Hawks trade and we didn't address our list needs.

I see what you mean, our draftees are a sad collation of talent and missed opportunity. What were WC thinking......take off those concrete glasses, there not helping you.

 

[Obeanie1]

Few have suggested we didn't do well with our top 2 picks or even Allen. Some have suggested we could have created 2 more spots in the worst list in the afl. Also the only players selected that are likely to play next year will most likely be backs (Dursma and Lindsay). After training for to back, I can't see us improving much next year, unless Yoe steps up.

We will continue to improve.

Harley into his 3rd season with Hall after having a poor start to their 2nd. Ginbey, Hewett and season 4.

Full season from McCarthy.

Yeo and Waterman hopefully contribute more.

And we are adding 3 x 24 25 yr old mids to add experience and depth straight away into the midfield group. None are superstars but last season we literally ran out of mids late due to injuries.

Our depth and quality has improved. That should lead to improvements across the board.

 

[Obeanie1]

Not that I’m aware of

We can add an international rookie if we find someone suitable or maybe someone from a different code - so a kid who’s been off playing cricket or basketball and decides to come back to football

I don’t think we can now add another NGA player or change our mind on Walley

Most likely is that spot sits vacant for 2026 - I guess the hope was Evans getting through the draft so we could add him as a Cat B rookie. And we had to delist Livingstone to create the opening so it’s a bit of a shame there’s no mechanism to add him back on

So a Cat B rookie can't be added as a SSP?

That seems counter productive since those spots often are taken by indigenous draftees as a means of increasing participation.

Why wouldn't the AFL allow indigenous SSP train on spots if a Cat B spot was still open?

Weird if that's the case.

So if we cant use it we basically delisted Livingston for no gain or advantage. That isnt a good outcome.

Evans could have used it but was drafted elsewhere.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

In reality, were we not better off keeping Coen Livingstone and simply not picking up Ash Johnson in the Beagles team?

Feels like a easy decision that one.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

In reality, were we not better off keeping Coen Livingstone and simply not picking up Ash Johnson in the Beagles team?

Feels like a easy decision that one.

No.

 

[CountryLad]

We will continue to improve.

Harley into his 3rd season after having a poor start to his 2nd. Ginbey, Hewett and Hall season 4.

Yeo and Waterman hopefully contribute more.

And we are adding 3 x 24 25 yr old mids to add experience and depth straight away into the midfield group. None are superstars but last season we literally ran out of mids late due to injuries.

Our depth and quality has improved. That should lead to improvements across the board.

Hall was in the same draft as Reid.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

No.

What was the harm or loss in that one? We all know Livingstone massively outperformed Harry Barnett last season who we kept....

 

[Elite Pete]

The draft gradings are so stupid either way. It’s something you judge in 5 years time. The strategy is another thing and hopefully Cals article might have some intel into why we did certain things because there are plenty of questions and we ain’t going to get answers out of the club.

The Addinsall play.
Why didn’t we just bid on Paterson earlier? Makes zero sense not to do that if we wanted to make a points play to gain Addinsall later. Only reason was we didn’t have him that high in our rankings but they were always going to match him.

Why did we trade F2 to swap picks with the Hawks when they were unlikely to pick Lindsay (according to ESPN bloke who clearly doesn’t have great intel Giants bidding on Williams if Pickett and Dov are gone and they were yet nothing). Very happy with Lindsay but would’ve been even happier with Lindsay and Saints F2 but was that possible? We likely thought there might’ve been a play for Lindsay here from WB or Cats or the Hawks might’ve selected him. Hard to know and this is the one hopefully Cal can answer.

Sam Allen knew little about him but very happy with that selection at this stage from what I’ve heard and seen. Seems our team is an auto pick draft team over the last 2 years besides the Grego and Allen picks and liked what I’ve seen from Grego.

Now the main and rookie list issue. From the outside looks a clear error and only explanation is we rated Banfield and Evans outside the top 60 and were unlikely to match anyway. Even then we should’ve made the move
Of Cripps to the rookie list and would’ve given flexibility on the night.

 

[Keys]

In reality, were we not better off keeping Coen Livingstone and simply not picking up Ash Johnson in the Beagles team?

Feels like a easy decision that one.

What an odd post

Ash Johnson being recruited to the WAFL side has zero to do with list management decisions for the AFL side

Livingstone was delisted to open up a Cat B spot which has unfortunately gone unfilled after Evans was bid on by Brisbane and Walley proved unworthy of a list spot

Johnson adds some experience and a mature body to our WAFL side and we could have kept Livingstone whether or not we signed Johnson

 

[chaddy22]

come-on Chad , let Drew get it out of his system ..Pyke and Woosha not picking up the phone ..

The one thing we know is that very few posters were happy after the draft.
It will be Carke's fault or Massey's fault or Woosha's fault or Pykes fault.
I get we have had a terrible four years but i want some positivity.
It is one thing to have an opinion on who we should have picked but after seeing hundreds of opinions which vary greatly
many think they know better than those who who get paid.
If this were the old days we would have had Clarke strung up on a light post.
By the way did we mistakes and could we have done better.Most probably.
I suspect most teams will be thinking that in the near future
Happy with our haul and it is up to the club to develop some Afl players.

 

[chaddy22]

Just gonna ignore the Sam Allen pick then?

Apart from his injury concerns Cal twomey mentioned on draft night when he was asked who would be coming into calculations that Allen should be their in the next few picks and hey presto we pounce.I am not so concerned unlike Chesser who was our first pick and we needed to get right

 

[ArdentEagle]

Clarke feels like Mr Bean to me.

Bumbles and fumbles his way though but he always lands back on his feet

 

[chaddy22]

Not that I’m aware of

We can add an international rookie if we find someone suitable or maybe someone from a different code - so a kid who’s been off playing cricket or basketball and decides to come back to football

I don’t think we can now add another NGA player or change our mind on Walley

Most likely is that spot sits vacant for 2026 - I guess the hope was Evans getting through the draft so we could add him as a Cat B rookie. And we had to delist Livingstone to create the opening so it’s a bit of a shame there’s no mechanism to add him back on

What about the MSD should one of our NGA's like Caton all of a sudden show some promise.

 

[bzparkes]

Clarke feels like Mr Bean to me.

Bumbles and fumbles his way though but he always lands back on his feet

And at the end end of it all...

 

[Carbine Chaos]

And at the end end of it all...

If someone with editing skills could change Whistler's Mother to Charlie Banfield in this scene...chefs kiss.