Phantom Draft txbyhull's Phantom Draft 2025

[txbyhull]

Put together a little something something during my day off today. Tried my best to account for open list spots and intentions re: elevating rookies, SSP train ons, DFAs etc. Won't pretend I have any itk word, just a fella that enjoys following the draft and having NFI what other clubs need as an arm-chair expert.



I aim to write out my thoughts re picks and fits. Like I said I'm no genius, just a fun exercise for discussion and my own enjoyment.

Notable players to slip through:

Dahlitz
Banfield
Coulson
Mellor
Whan
Atkins
Swadling
Kellaway
Harding
Kelly
Raso (VFL)
Riley (VFL)

I did genuinely forget some players during the drafting itself, and so had to fit them in at awkward positions unfortunately

Here's my ranking as well to use for reference to the draft itself, which also points out who I missed (pretty sure its Jack Ison only but he would have fit into the Tier 6):

 

[txbyhull]

For those curious

Edit: Just realised I forgot to draft Josh Lindsay somewhere. Probably goes to GWS after their bidding spree, really low on him. Rest of the board would be shuffling down obviously and Nairn probably goes to the next team that needs a hybrid forward or can afford to take a punt on him as a defender

 

[blueiris]

Who the fuzz is Mikunda

 

[mattyc75]

Would prefer sharp over CDT but like the barker and Ainsworth picks

 

[Calcium Man]

View attachment 2471320
View attachment 2471321

For those curious

That Richmond Essendon trade is woeful.

Essendon paid 31 to get from 11 to 10 for caddy, port paid 45 (in a deep draft) to get from 16 to 15. But tigers will let pick 3 become 5 effectively to upgrade our f3 to an f2??

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Pretty consistent with other phantoms for north.

 

[danielG]

View attachment 2471320
View attachment 2471321

For those curious

Hawks drop 6 spots in the first round to claim the coverted pick 39…which we likely don’t use..

 

[Calcium Man]

Hawks drop 6 spots in the first round to claim the converted pick 39…which we likely don’t use..

Thats actually worse than the Richmond Essendon trade.

 

[Blackhawk42]

What happened to Hawthorn's first pick?

Also I'll be be pretty mad if we took Phillipou if NHH was still on the board.

 

[txbyhull]

Who the fuzz is Mikunda

Google exists, wanted to just pass the pick however and leave them with an extra rookie spot. Don’t rate other academy boys enough to want them on the main list

 

[txbyhull]

That Richmond Essendon trade is woeful.

Essendon paid 31 to get from 11 to 10 for caddy, port paid 45 (in a deep draft) to get from 16 to 15. But tigers will let pick 3 become 5 effectively to upgrade our f3 to an f2??

Simply just maximising assets in a much better draft when they’re fully set on Grlj and Taylor. Realistically not the case but that’s just how I wanted to do it.

 

[txbyhull]

Hawks drop 6 spots in the first round to claim the coverted pick 39…which we likely don’t use..

Which they do use in the mock… had Phillipou and NHH both available later in the first round so had them getting a second bite at the cherry. If I really had it my way I’d just have them pick absolute plodders and waste their draft hand.

 

[txbyhull]

What happened to Hawthorn's first pick?

Also I'll be be pretty mad if we took Phillipou if NHH was still on the board.

Fair play, I see more scope for Phillipou to play midfield sooner, and think Hawks have accelerated their timeline significantly in the last 18 months. Hence the Blamires pick up later on as well. And the Marsh pick up if the appetite is there to play him in defence

 

[txbyhull]

Thats actually worse than the Richmond Essendon trade.

You clearly don’t care for discussion instead of ridicule, but if you really want to know as I said above I have them taking a second bite at the cherry since I had multiple of their highly ranked talent still available in the late first. If it wasn’t that I’d have had them trading in proper for Marsh or Nairn as I feel they have good scope to play in defence once all the oh my god I forgot to draft Josh Lindsay somewhere

 

[Calcium Man]

You clearly don’t care for discussion instead of ridicule, but if you really want to know as I said above I have them taking a second bite at the cherry since I had multiple of their highly ranked talent still available in the late first. If it wasn’t that I’d have had them trading in proper for Marsh or Nairn as I feel they have good scope to play in defence once all the oh my god I forgot to draft Josh Lindsay somewhere

lol… you literally said the trade was probably not realistic and just what you wanted, so I’m not sure what kind of discussion you’re expecting beyond that.

 

[txbyhull]

lol… you literally said the trade was probably not realistic and just what you wanted, so I’m not sure what kind of discussion you’re expecting beyond that.

If I hadn’t forgotten Lindsay the trade probably doesn’t happen and they take him with their first. I don’t rate Lindsay though, so in that case if it were me I’d still be moving capital or trading some picks around to get a double bite late first and secure Blamires as a ready made option after missing out on a few this off season.

 

[4tune8]

That Richmond Essendon trade is woeful.

Essendon paid 31 to get from 11 to 10 for caddy, port paid 45 (in a deep draft) to get from 16 to 15. But tigers will let pick 3 become 5 effectively to upgrade our f3 to an f2??

I get the rationale, just the mechanics are a bit off.

Trade 4 for 5 and F2 is a bit more palatable.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Richmond supporters would blow a casket if that's the trade, try and f1 for Essendon then maybe, and even then it's maybe.

Richmond should just take Robey and then take offers for 4

 

[nineteen eighty]

I won't jump into the discussion side of things in this thread but I will say that if the Tigers / Essendon trade goes ahead as listed above, I will walk from Sydney to Melbourne backwards and naked over Christmas. That trade simply won't go ahead. At a minimum, it simply just doesn't make sense for the Tigers to accept that.

I've said this numerous times already but here goes again...clubs have historically not traded high end live picks. Very few (maybe one???) has occurred. Why do posters on BF think this year they will start to happen? In a shallow draft of all years. Clubs will keep their high picks this year...like almost every other year.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I won't jump into the discussion side of things in this thread but I will say that if the Tigers / Essendon trade goes ahead as listed above, I will walk from Sydney to Melbourne backwards and naked over Christmas. That trade simply won't go ahead. At a minimum, it simply just doesn't make sense for the Tigers to accept that.

I've said this numerous times already but here goes again...clubs have historically not traded high end live picks. Very few (maybe one???) has occurred. Why do posters on BF think this year they will start to happen? In a shallow draft of all years. Clubs will keep their high picks this year...like almost every other year.

What is worse is that posters are recommending a 'fair' trade with points and stuff...um no, you always have to pay significant overs, why on earth is a future second significant overs. Try a future 1 and that's at best. Even that would probably be rejected by Richmond, a future 2 would be laughed at

 

[Westlo]

I won't jump into the discussion side of things in this thread but I will say that if the Tigers / Essendon trade goes ahead as listed above, I will walk from Sydney to Melbourne backwards and naked over Christmas. That trade simply won't go ahead. At a minimum, it simply just doesn't make sense for the Tigers to accept that.

I've said this numerous times already but here goes again...clubs have historically not traded high end live picks. Very few (maybe one???) has occurred. Why do posters on BF think this year they will start to happen? In a shallow draft of all years. Clubs will keep their high picks this year...like almost every other year.

Yeah this trade is trash for you guys but if you're taking Taylor and Sizzler anyway why would you not exploit Essendon for a 2026 second which will probably give you a better player next year than some of the picks in the teens this year?

Geelong did it to us a few years ago and picked up a handy player with the second...

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah this trade is trash for you guys but if you're taking Taylor and Sizzler anyway why would you not exploit Essendon for a 2026 second which will probably give you a better player next year than some of the picks in the teens this year?

Geelong did it to us a few years ago and picked up a handy player with the second...

They would want more than a second to get up to 3. It's nowhere near enough. It's not even in the ballpark of what it would take. Try a future 1 with a slide, even that's a 'maybe'. Richmond are nuts selling 3 unless it involves a future first along the way, it's just not going to happen

 

[nineteen eighty]

They would want more than a second to get up to 3. It's nowhere near enough. It's not even in the ballpark of what it would take. Try a future 1 with a slide, even that's a 'maybe'. Richmond are nuts selling 3 unless it involves a future first along the way, it's just not going to happen

Even then, I don't see there is any way that we would swap out3. Possibly 4 for a F1 IF we knew that we still get our man a little later. But Essendon would never offer up a F1 knowing where they will likely land next year.

There's a lot of posting on these drafts on swapping of high end picks but historically, it just doesn't happen. And for people to think that this will be the year where high picks are even more valuable because of the shallow pool. There will likely be swaps happening outside the top 10. Won't happen within though...imo.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Even then, I don't see there is any way that we would swap out3. Possibly 4 for a F1 IF we knew that we still get our man a little later. But Essendon would never offer up a F1 knowing where they will likely land next year.

There's a lot of posting on these drafts on swapping of high end picks but historically, it just doesn't happen. And for people to think that this will be the year where high picks are even more valuable because of the shallow pool. There will likely be swaps happening outside the top 10. Won't happen within though...imo.

I agree, to be honest the pick swaps tend to start forget the bidding from 12 ish onwards. At that level it may cost a f2, it's going to cost a future 1 plus more to get from 5 to 3, can people stop looking at points, it has zero to do with Richmond in 2025, and you don't have a Cody Walker like Carl next season.

I can't see how Essendon satisfy Richmond unless it's a f1 involved. You only have to look at what Melbourne gave up in pick trades to get up over the last few years at the pointy end.

 

[danielG]

Which they do use in the mock… had Phillipou and NHH both available later in the first round so had them getting a second bite at the cherry. If I really had it my way I’d just have them pick absolute plodders and waste their draft hand.

Interesting. It might have been easier to put an asterix next to the Hawks and note they’ve been excluded due to the fact you don’t like how they keep stealing Eagles players..