Mega Thread The Father-Son Mega thread - 2025 update

[HairyO]

In typical fashion the AFL even when they do something right they end up getting it wrong. You can not just make a decision like this 12 months out from the draft, you have to announce these sorts of changes in advance. However it screws over Essendon and Carlton so i am okay with it.

The problem is, some clubs will have loaded up on cheap kids (Bris and GCS the perfect examples), others then see their F&S or academy picks going to Tasmania (assuming they actually do become a team).

 

[Sonny Hayes]

The problem is, some clubs will have loaded up on cheap kids (Bris and GCS the perfect examples), others then see their F&S or academy picks going to Tasmania (assuming they actually do become a team).

Yep it is a rort, but also you keep it for 3 more years you let Essendon and Carlton exploit it just for clubs like Freo, Port etc who are still yet to benefit really miss out again.

 

[Bugs1977]

I think Kobe is the best of the lot tbh. Ill be going hard for him this year

Hopefully not too hard Chubbs

 

[StackedHunch]

Brisbane have made off like bandits, and a grand old tradition is dying as a result.

 

[kazzooka]

From his point of view, it wouldn't be wise to declare a team now. There's no guarantee that either Brisbane or Hawthorn would even take him. You wouldn't want to pick a team only for them to say no and have to crawl back to the other.

Still a long way to go to see if he's actually good enough.

He's not an Ashcroft/Daicos.

I'd say at this stage he's still just hoping he's good enough. he's still over a year away from draft day so when it get's closer he can get an idea of what picks each club will have, where he's rated in the overall pool, what each club rates him.

If he's predicted to be bid on at 25 and Hawthorn say we will match any bid after our pick 1st pick, and Brisbane said they want can't match until after their pick 30 he might say, sorry I'll go with Hawthorn cause I know they'll match and I don't want to end up at North or West Coast.

At the moment we all love the idea of Cooper and would hate to see him go to Brisbane, but end of the day, like Irving Mosquito, you need to do what's best for the club and take the best available at your pick and not match bids that come too high.

 

[kazzooka]

Yep it is a rort, but also you keep it for 3 more years you let Essendon and Carlton exploit it just for clubs like Freo, Port etc who are still yet to benefit really miss out again.

Heck Hawthorn and Stkilda are still yet to benefit from it.

 

[Dewnior]

Heck Hawthorn and Stkilda are still yet to benefit from it.

 

[big footy cyril]

View attachment 2409098

Did he get bid on as F/S? I thought we took him in the open draft at one of our picks?

 

[TONYC3163]

Did he get bid on as F/S? I thought we took him in the open draft at one of our picks?

Oh no, don’t open that can of worms.

 

[Sixpence]

Did he get bid on as F/S? I thought we took him in the open draft at one of our picks?

He nominated us as a F/S, doesn't matter if he was bid on.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Brisbane have made off like bandits, and a grand old tradition is dying as a result.

And then they've kicked the ladder out from underneath them.

Im perversely glad this F/S shake up may happen this year. Pissing off Carlton and Essendon fans might get the AFL to rethink it.

I want to see Bewick in a bombers jumper. I want to see walker in a Blues jumper. I love F/S

I hate the academy setup deep within my bones.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Did he get bid on as F/S? I thought we took him in the open draft at one of our picks?

We didnt take him as F/S, we just took hi with our pick.

Although one might argue we woudnt have even noticed him had it not been for his name...

 

[Brant]

Hodgey doesn't seem too pleased about Roughy's comments.

He seemed a little surprised that Roughy had been so direct, but in no way displeased.

 

[StackedHunch]

And then they've kicked the ladder out from underneath them.

Im perversely glad this F/S shake up may happen this year. Pissing off Carlton and Essendon fans might get the AFL to rethink it.

I want to see Bewick in a bombers jumper. I want to see walker in a Blues jumper. I love F/S

I hate the academy setup deep within my bones.

The irony that a club great's son could then be pinched by the Academy. The league manufactured the 2001-2003 dynasty with COLA, and have quietly tried to do the same with Academy allowed to be used in tandem with F/S.

 

[Flamin Joe]

We didnt take him as F/S, we just took hi with our pick.

Although one might argue we woudnt have even noticed him had it not been for his name...

He was nominated as a father son and taken by us in that same draft, so he is father son selection as per the rules.

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Literally all reporting by the AFL and the club on Dear's drafting states he is a father son selection.

 

[StackedHunch]

I feel like people are being harsh, he is in a tough situation.

His son is in the academy at the moment and he is a club legend at the Hawks and ultimately the decision will be Coopers. I feel he is just being a supportive dad and trying to stay as out of it as he can.

I certainly don't envy Cooper. Last night Hodgey gave the reason for the odd attachment to the cameo team - lifestyle basically. Now he's in the position of either staying with family or continuing a legacy. I suspect he'd be keener on continuing the legacy if his old man hadn't gone native, though.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Apropos of nothing, but we’re the only club not to have a debutant this year.
First time in many a year apparently.
Is this something we should be concerned about or did we do most of the “blooding’ last year or two, and it’s more about list profile etc.

 

[HairyO]

Brisbane have made off like bandits, and a grand old tradition is dying as a result.

Yep. The AFL all along should have made a pick in the round required to match. GCS got 3 players in the 1st round and only had a single 1st round pick, didnt they?

 

[cryptor]

I have zero doubt in my mind that Hodge would prefer to see his boys play for Hawthorn. His connection to Brisbane is mostly Fagan.

While Hodge is living up there the two real options for ensuring his sons get the right development opportunities are a Victorian boarding school or the Lions academy. Obviously he’d prefer to keep his family close at least while they’re children so the Lions academy is the best solution.

But the Lions academy has limited resources so they aren’t going to want to invest it into the Hodge boys unless they think they’re a genuine shot of retaining them. And he’s got to keep that up for another 3 boys.

 

[Dewnior]

Every time the AFL change something clubs find a way to exploit it. They already 'hide' kids they have targeted with the hope that they slip to one of their later picks. Mandating no bid matching in the 1st round will just exacerbate this.

 

[Hawk1986]

HAWTHORN​

FUTURE HAWKS?​

2025
Kobe Williams (Father-Son)
2026
Cooper Hodge (Father-Son)*
2027
Percy Burgoyne (Father-Son)

The Hawks have some father-son prospects available to them over the next three years – but they are also available to other clubs.

Kobe Williams – the son of 2008 premiership player Mark – is a 186cm prospect who has played across all three areas of the ground for the Western Jets and at school football for Scotch College.

But Williams is also linked to the Western Bulldogs’ NGA program and debuted for Footscray at VFL level last weekend.

Cooper Hodge is the big watch for next year after an impressive bottom-age season.

The son of four-time premiership player Luke, the midfielder has trained with the Hawks this year but is also linked to the Brisbane Lions Academy and has played for the Lions’ VFL side in recent weeks.

Percy Burgoyne is the son of former Port Adelaide and Hawthorn premiership star Shaun and is father-son eligible for both the Power and Hawks in 2027.

Burgoyne featured for South Australia at this year’s under-16 national championships.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl-draft-guide-every-clubs-top-fatherson-and-academy-prospects-over-the-next-three-years/news-story/e6a5369fabdde4290cdb1ac5511f3da8

I thought the scariest part about the article was we were one of only a few clubs not to have any potential academy players listed

 

[The hands of stone]

Apropos of nothing, but we’re the only club not to have a debutant this year.
First time in many a year apparently.
Is this something we should be concerned about or did we do most of the “blooding’ last year or two, and it’s more about list profile etc.

Its a concern if your an old team/list , but we arent .

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Hodge is a bit full of it there. The AFL put the money in and the Lions take the credit. Cooper would have developed just as well if not better playing in Victoria.

Oh of course, how would Hodge know anything about how his son has been developed.

I have it on good authority that Hodge is quite torn with the whole thing, would love Cooper to play for Hawthorn, but will not make the decision for him.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

He was nominated as a father son and taken by us in that same draft, so he is father son selection as per the rules.

I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Literally all reporting by the AFL and the club on Dear's drafting states he is a father son selection.

Because he was taken with a regular pick. No discount. No bid.

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

Because he was taken with a regular pick. No discount. No bid.

only because we were in a weird list position tbh. We had one senior spot left over. If we didn't pick him and picked up someone else. We wouldn't have had a spot for him. Couldn't run that risk