Analysis Which team out of Essendon, Adelaide, North and Hawthorn has the better youth?

Which team has the best youth?

  • Essendon

  • Adelaide

  • Hawthorn

  • North


Results are only viewable after voting.

Kreuuuzeurns

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 25, 2013
14,331
27,965
AFL Club
Carlton
you'll regret letting fisher go when he dominates at hbf with sheezel both racking up ball and run and carry

80% of the comp can do what Fisher did as a loose half back for half the year. He is fine offensively but very poor defensively.

North should try and get him back to his HFF form of 2022, then we’ll have something to miss.
 
Aug 6, 2021
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AFL Club
North Melbourne
Logue is a pretty solid FB, but it would be nice if Comben could be competent down there so someone can take the big dogs.
Defence is our most speculative line for the medium term.

Long term hopefully Wil Dawson becomes a best 22 lock. Surely he'll need a year or two to fill out properly though.

I wouldn't be surprised if Riley Hardeman makes an appearance in the first half of 2024 at HBF.

Archer Jnr has come back in ripping nick. It could be that he usurps McDonald's spot at some point.

Also, if Pink can take the step up from being the best key defender in the SANFL to AFL standard, then happy days.

But yeah, there are still going to be a few speculative selections in our D50 for a little while.
 
Aug 31, 2008
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Hawthorn
Other Teams
Nuggets
Midfields for the future in no particular order:

Hawks
Newcombe, Day, Nash, Worpel, Ward, Mackenzie + Moore, MacDonald

* Hustwaite is another I'd include, he looks very clean, especially for someone that is 195cm, he is a smooth mover and has great skills. However he's only played 2 senior games to date

North
LDU, Wardlaw, Phillips, McKercher, Powell
+ Scott, Stephens, Thomas, Sheezel (?)

* Simpkin will also be around for years to come, but just sits outside that arbitrary 25 year old mark

Essendon
Caldwell, Hobbs, Tsatas, Perkins
+ Martin, Duursma, Durham

Essendon's strength obviously lies in their experienced midfielders: Zerrett (28), Parish (26), Setterfield (26). Plus the experienced options that could run through there, like Gresham (26). All of which have plenty of years left in the tank.

Adelaide
Rachele, Soligo, Sholl, Berry, Schoenberg, Nankervis, Cook (?), Taylor (?),
+ Hinge, Rankine, Pedlar, Jones

Even moreso than Essendon I believe Adelaide's strength clearly lies in their more experienced midfielders. Dawson is a star and as he will only be 27 next season he has years left. Keayes (27) and Crouch (28) will also have years left.

* Curtin is another that could be added to the list once he starts getting some games.

* Don't know enough about Cook or Taylor. We haven't seen enough yet.

Right now I don't particularly like the look of Adelaide's up and coming midfielders in comparison to North and Hawthorn's.

Having said that Rachele would be one of the first four players I'd pick out of anyone on this entire list - Rankine is a star (bur predominantly a forward) and Sholl, Hinge and Soligo all look like promising players to me.

Though at the end of the day my opinion is mostly based on the fact we haven't seen enough of Berry (4 games after a promising 2022), Pedlar (played forward), Cook (1 game), Nankervis (4 games) and Shoenberg (11 games and for whatever reason has regressed from 2021 to date) to date. So my opinion is subject to change after watching them play some more this season.
 
Midfields for the future in no particular order:

Hawks
Newcombe, Day, Nash, Worpel, Ward, Mackenzie + Moore, MacDonald

* Hustwaite is another I'd include, he looks very clean, especially for someone that is 195cm, he is a smooth mover and has great skills. However he's only played 2 senior games to date

North
LDU, Wardlaw, Phillips, McKercher, Powell
+ Scott, Stephens, Thomas, Sheezel (?)

* Simpkin will also be around for years to come, but just sits outside that arbitrary 25 year old mark

Essendon
Caldwell, Hobbs, Tsatas, Perkins
+ Martin, Duursma, Durham

Essendon's strength obviously lies in their experienced midfielders: Zerrett (28), Parish (26), Setterfield (26). Plus the experienced options that could run through there, like Gresham (26). All of which have plenty of years left in the tank.

Adelaide
Rachele, Soligo, Sholl, Berry, Schoenberg, Nankervis, Cook (?), Taylor (?),
+ Hinge, Rankine, Pedlar, Jones

Even moreso than Essendon I believe Adelaide's strength clearly lies in their more experienced midfielders. Dawson is a star and as he will only be 27 next season he has years left. Keayes (27) and Crouch (28) will also have years left.

* Curtin is another that could be added to the list once he starts getting some games.

* Don't know enough about Cook or Taylor. We haven't seen enough yet.

Right now I don't particularly like the look of Adelaide's up and coming midfielders in comparison to North and Hawthorn's.

Having said that Rachele would be one of the first four players I'd pick out of anyone on this entire list - Rankine is a star (bur predominantly a forward) and Sholl, Hinge and Soligo all look like promising players to me.

Though at the end of the day my opinion is mostly based on the fact we haven't seen enough of Berry (4 games after a promising 2022), Pedlar (played forward), Cook (1 game), Nankervis (4 games) and Shoenberg (11 games and for whatever reason has regressed from 2021 to date) to date. So my opinion is subject to change after watching them play some more this season.
Crows have the experience of Dawson, Laird & Crouch... & only need to replace Laird within a few years.

Don't count Keays as we have moved him out of the midfield as a forward to start transitioning the younger guys.

Of those those who have played, Pedlar, Rachele & Soligo are the ones ready to take the next step next year to play more midfield minutes. Schoenberg unfortunately injured for much of the year, so opportunity for Berry to fight his way back & having a better preseason.

Jones, Nankervis & Hinge more through wings/HBF with the more experienced Milera & Smith... with Curtin & Edwards likely to get games next season, particularly Curtin from round 1.

Cook is being trialled as a forward to replace McAdam.

Taylor is the one I wanted to see this year & was injured... & on modified duties preseason so he might be a little way off unfortunately.
 
Jan 31, 2009
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New Highton
AFL Club
Adelaide
Crows have the experience of Dawson, Laird & Crouch... & only need to replace Laird within a few years.

Don't count Keays as we have moved him out of the midfield as a forward to start transitioning the younger guys.

Of those those who have played, Pedlar, Rachele & Soligo are the ones ready to take the next step next year to play more midfield minutes. Schoenberg unfortunately injured for much of the year, so opportunity for Berry to fight his way back & having a better preseason.

Jones, Nankervis & Hinge more through wings/HBF with the more experienced Milera & Smith... with Curtin & Edwards likely to get games next season, particularly Curtin from round 1.

Cook is being trialled as a forward to replace McAdam.

Taylor is the one I wanted to see this year & was injured... & on modified duties preseason so he might be a little way off unfortunately.
Good summary for us. I do hope Curtin develops as a midfielder eventually.

Rachele, Pedlar, Curtin, Soligo youth
Dawson experience

Rankine wild card could be a Shai Bolton type (50/50).
The club hopefully will be throwing its massive salary cap space at an established midfielder to help that younger core and Dawson out as Laird ages.
 
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