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

 

[Astro7]

Just a nitpick but Clay Hall is actually the same age as Harley Reid. Will enter his 3rd season in 2026! Putting that into perspective makes his inside mid performances (especially in the WAFL) particularly impressive. Hopefully both him and Harley can enjoy a traditional '3rd Year Breakout' season and if so combined with the organic growth of such a young list and draftees this year will be exciting.

Not expecting too much more from Hall Tbh. But to be fair he can still improve his craft and skills. If he does show significant improvement as a midfielder, great for all.
Really need Hewett to improve and see what Gross and Allan can offer now.

 

[Astro7]

Have the draftees even landed in Perth yet? Unusually they're in the city by now and make the players who pick them up the airport take pics with them to post on socials, but nothing yet

Every other year they'd be at the club by Monday doing a lighter session off to the side of the main group.

Clarke said it's a big move, they'd give them some extra time to spend with family and friends.
Maybe Wednesday?

 

[Elite Pete]

Clarke said it's a big move, they'd give them some extra time to spend with family and friends.
Maybe Wednesday?

Duursma said Sunday during an interview.

Only like a 4 week block before they are back in vic anyway for Xmas break

 

[bzparkes]

Or maybe they really are complete fools? Which is it?

Clearly the former. The only fools insee here are people losing their minds over a pick in the 40s.

 

[bzparkes]

You have to blame the board for this... that's essentially their job. The amount of nepotism and boys club hires has been embarrassing for a while. No real success since cransberg was on the board

You complain about nepotism yet sook that the club didn't find a way to put Banfield on the list.

Which one is it?

 

[Shuestar13]

You complain about nepotism yet sook that the club didn't find a way to put Banfield on the list.

Which one is it?

Oh dear, I had to click on show ignored content. No “real success” since Cransberg was on the board? A good laugh for sure

I see they are using the footy_basis account, will revert soon to one of their other accounts, likely FootyOutlier.
Very sad.

 

[ArdentEagle]

We can bring him back in 2 yrs time if he shows a bit of talent but doesn't get much opportunities to play ..

Fair but we'll no doubt have to pay a high price for the privilege of doing so.

 

[eaglesnutcase]

You complain about nepotism yet sook that the club didn't find a way to put Banfield on the list.

Which one is it?

Your on fire!!

 

[frenchconnection]

Fair but we'll no doubt have to pay a high price for the privilege of doing so.

No different than when we bought Cripps back when he was picked up by St Kilda the year he was originally drafted.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

No, name someone.

Said it for a while now but I’d take a mid like Tom Blamires as well as NHH and say Tom Burton and add them to the WAFL team. Try to get some guys capable of being selected in the mid season draft and not potatoes who are finisher at this level

 

[eaglevision]

Said it for a while now but I’d take a mid like Tom Blamires as well as NHH and say Tom Burton and add them to the WAFL team. Try to get some guys capable of being selected in the mid season draft and not potatoes who are finisher at this level

Good idea but none of those guys are going to leave the VFL/overage system.

 

[ArdentEagle]

No different than when we bought Cripps back when he was picked up by St Kilda the year he was originally drafted.

Different time, different club and most likely a different situation.

Brisbane player retention is also very good but flags do that I suppose.

Not a bad location either

 

[Eastern Rangers]

So your contention is that GWS specifically would have taken Evans at 24?

GWS would have traded into a pick if they wanted him, as they’ve done many times before, when they like a player they do whatever possible to take them.

No serious draft watcher would rate either Banfield or Evans in the top 50 of last draft.

You’ve got no clue.

No.

Unfortunately for you there isn't anything close to objective draft rankings. Clubs have highly divergent lists and the best way of knowing how players are on average rated is by how many clubs speak to players.

GWS rating Angove high last year has nothing to do with where players fall in 2025 draft or visa versa. GWS liked him and reached for him in that draft and that draft alone. Most clubs wouldn't have touched him until the third round if at all.

Given commentary from the Adam Jones and his exposed Colts form. Evans would have attracted a high bid had he played the whole year and he would have challenged Farrow as the top WA prospect.

There was around 11 clubs taking selections who didn't take a shot at either Evans or Banfield in the 2nd round this year. Both these players got selected straight away in the 3rd round once other clubs were in a position to bid. We can't know what clubs like Brisbane, Port, GWS, StKilda, North etc... would do with picks in the up the draft order.

Lots of "serious" draft watchers didn't have either of them in the top 50 this year. Those people aren't credible observers of WA talent.

 

[Rowan18]

You have to blame the board for this... that's essentially their job. The amount of nepotism and boys club hires has been embarrassing for a while. No real success since cransberg was on the board

Lol - what about the 2018 Flag? Russell Gibbs was chair and Cransberg had retired from the board.

 

[BSD]

100% this, great post.

The list management decisions are from all of the men in the room that matter, Clarke, McQualter, Massey, Woosha & Pyke.
Its clear from overall list decisions, trade targets, draft targets that Woosha an Pyke have taken an over arching list management plan/strategy from last year and implemented a plan to execute this.

A clear plan going forward and a major shift from the past, we forget easily there has been a massive change in strategy over the last 15 months or so.

Clarke, while I don't have inside knowledge to his attributes it seems this is a collaberative approach by him Woosha and Pyke.
He is obviuosly not a media performer of the highest order but at the end of the day he doesn't have to be if he gets the list right!

I think internally at WC both Woosha and Pyke have stepped in and arrested some skill deficiencies with our recruiting/list management/football department and stepped back those that are not performing at the highest level.

Massey, seems to have a good handle on talent and the drafting the last 2 years I would rate VERY highly, takes a talent view, character view, and able to identify players that McQualter wants in his system without prejudice.

Gavin Bell, what is your job??

Get rid of him, we don't need a director of football and Bell as a general manager of football. Money saved should be put into junior development. South Australia had a lot more players drafted than W.A. , they have a smaller population than W.A.

 

[WCE777]

Get rid of him, we don't need a director of football and a general manager of football. Money saved should be put into junior development.

Agree but he must have a contract for next year and we are already spending a lot over the soft cap for footy department spending according to Pyke recently.
Also just finished paying Simpson this year, so I can see significant change coming next year around our football department, personel, resources etc.

Again the biggest problem is we have to overpay to get the best to WA.
I think we will need lots of different skill sets and personel to finish out the group around McQualter and co.

I would suspect Clarke will have/need some more help and expertise around him so Woosha can be the actual head of football across all programs and create an elite program and implement the WC goals with our club.

This last 2 years has seen massive change across all parts of the club and the same will happen going forward imo.

Some may have different views about Pyke & Woosha but the have both been around AFL clubs for a long time and different clubs and successful programs and I think they know what they want and what is needed.

 

[CountryLad]

Duursma said Sunday during an interview.

Only like a 4 week block before they are back in vic anyway for Xmas break

CDT flew in this morning

 

[InTheWings]

CDT flew in this morning

This was recorded on Thursday. It almost looks like he still has his jumper on underneath the polo. Good sign if so!

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

So what's the deal with Wes Walley and still having access for a few years? If he goes well next year we can still match at the 26 draft. But if he goes super well and a team wants him at the msd can we match there? Or have the afl just not considered the possibility yet?

 

[pantskyle]

Gonna say, still absolutely stoked with our draft, can't wait to see all the new players training.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

You complain about nepotism yet sook that the club didn't find a way to put Banfield on the list.

Which one is it?

The boys club is never about nepotism though

All it means is Drew Banfield isnt part of the boys club

 

[Elite Pete]

Not bad by Sharp

 

[squashface]

Feels like there has been the least amount of fanfare after this draft ever. I remember post-Reid draft the noise was huge and then even last year with Lalor we had so much "Oh gee Richo, he's the next Dusty!!"

This year there's almost nothing. I guess with the draft crop being perceived as not as good this year coupled with a West Australian side having the top two picks means nobody seems to care. On the other hand I consume next to 0 footy media these days so maybe there is more noise than I am seeing.

In any case, I feel that Duursma is going to prove a lot of the "this draft sucks" camp wrong pretty quickly.

 

[Jeremy McLovin]

Not bad by Sharp

But everyone told me he's an unathletic plodder?

 

[BSD]

Agree but he must have a contract for next year and we are already spending a lot over the soft cap for footy department spending according to Pyke recently.
Also just finished paying Simpson this year, so I can see significant change coming next year around our football department, personel, resources etc.

Again the biggest problem is we have to overpay to get the best to WA.
I think we will need lots of different skill sets and personel to finish out the group around McQualter and co.

I would suspect Clarke will have/need some more help and expertise around him so Woosha can be the actual head of football across all programs and create an elite program and implement the WC goals with our club.

This last 2 years has seen massive change across all parts of the club and the same will happen going forward imo.

Some may have different views about Pyke & Woosha but the have both been around AFL clubs for a long time and different clubs and successful programs and I think they know what they want and what is needed.

Maybe Bell has got a hold of the Jeppstein files .