Review Winners and Losers 2025 draft

[txbyhull]

Yes he’s a heart and soul player, puts his body on the line, sets standards, but as an actual player, C grade.

Shockingly enough, exactly what he was brought in for. Didn’t have anyone over the age of 21 doing that. Teams never gonna improve without it. Jack Graham the same. Just an honest battler.

(Had Yeo and Gov but obviously injury prone and medically retired respectively)

 

[Andronicus]

I feel this was a very big draft for the clubs it was big for, but also rather insignificant for a bunch of others.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Problem is that virtually all of West Coast's older more experienced guys are perennially injured, underperforming, or at the end of the road (or a combination of all three). They needed to at least try something out of the box to bring quality experienced talent in there.

Baker won the BNF and has already being appointed co-captain despite being there only one season. Which says a lot about (a) the value he provides to the team, and (b) the dearth of other quality leadership candidates at this point.

Can argue Allen <> Smith is a miss if you like, but to treat Baker as some sort of C-grade journeyman that was just steak knives in the deal is a bit unfair.

There were lots of ways to get Baker without giving that pick though they had psd leverage after all.

 

[WilloTree]

One interesting thing to note, unsure if you watched it, but when they played Claremont at the end of the season, Banners ran absolutely riot off of him. Something to take note of this season for fans of Robinson's. Can't be making that a habit when you already perfectly fit the archetype of the unaccountable big accumulator of the past

Robinson didn't play the game v Claremont. Actually, I'm not sure Banfield played that game either. Might be thinking of a different game but neither played the game around mid year. I just remember Whan/Rodriguez getting a million possessions and we struggled up forward.

They were both good in the GF. I thought Banfield was exceptional. Bit surprised Eagles didn't draft him to be honest. Did they take him Cat B/Rookie?

 

[txbyhull]

Robinson didn't play the game v Claremont. Actually, I'm not sure Banfield played that game either. Might be thinking of a different game but neither played the game around mid year. I just remember Whan/Rodriguez getting a million possessions and we struggled up forward.

They were both good in the GF. I thought Banfield was exceptional. Bit surprised Eagles didn't draft him to be honest. Did they take him Cat B/Rookie?

Referring to the grand final. Banfield was exceptional. Can’t say I’ve watched enough of Robinson to say whether or not it was a one off or happened multiple times.

We did not draft him, we rated Sam Allen ahead of him with the final list spot, which by all regards is pretty fair given what we knew pre-draft. Hindsight will be fun over the next few year though of course I wish the kid all the best

 

[WilloTree]

Referring to the grand final. Banfield was exceptional. Can’t say I’ve watched enough of Robinson to say whether or not it was a one off or happened multiple times.

We did not draft him, we rated Sam Allen ahead of him with the final list spot, which by all regards is pretty fair given what we knew pre-draft. Hindsight will be fun over the next few year though of course I wish the kid all the best

Awesome. Hope he has a belting start and gets an MSD spot.

 

[bzparkes]

Awesome. Hope he has a belting start and gets an MSD spot.

Hope who gets an MSD spot?

 

[WilloTree]

Hope who gets an MSD spot?

Banfield. It's nice to see the Claremont boys go well. He could end up over east like Blakiston and Sellwood last year. That would be a pretty good result for him.

 

[bzparkes]

Banfield. It's nice to see the Claremont boys go well. He could end up over east like Blakiston and Sellwood last year. That would be a pretty good result for him.

He's at St Kilda?

 

[WilloTree]

He's at St Kilda?

Oh cool. I didn't know that. Hope he goes well. I assume Eagles didn't match bid. I just assumed as he wasn't at Eagles (and tied to them) he went undrafted. Cheers. I think my brain went to sleep over cricket season.

 

[bzparkes]

Oh cool. I didn't know that. Hope he goes well. I assume Eagles didn't match bid. I just assumed as he wasn't at Eagles (and tied to them) he went undrafted. Cheers.

As txbyhull said earlier, we opted for Sam Allen instead.

Banfield had a good hitout in the unofficial practice game for Saints. Only came on in the last qtr of the weekend's game though. Had 4 disposals and kicked a goal with his first.

He'll be a workhorse who can run all day, but we already have multiple blokes who are already vying for the role he'd be likely playing(Hall/Davis/Hutchinson/Allen/Allan/Duursma/Rodriguez), so adding one more probably didn't make a great deal of sense.

The we just brought in Macrae, Robertson and Shoenberg.

Not saying all those guys will be stars, in fact probably only a couple may, but we had to back in what we've already got instead of add more of the same, even if Banfield ends up the best of the lot.

Evans was the one we may regret missing out on. Would fit nicely on a HFF and rotate mid.

 

[txbyhull]

Oh cool. I didn't know that. Hope he goes well. I assume Eagles didn't match bid. I just assumed as he wasn't at Eagles (and tied to them) he went undrafted. Cheers. I think my brain went to sleep over cricket season.

Yeah I forgot to mention that in my reply, he was taken in the 40’s right around the same sort of areas that one of our other boys Koby Evans got bid on by the Lions.

Banners looks a good sort, but we’ve got a few that already fit the mould. Sam Allen would occupy the same position on-field in name only, being able to come off a wing and roll through the centre and the forward line.

Sam is an elite athlete in even more ways that Charlie which is hard, he runs an unofficial sub 6 2km and a 100+ cm vertical. Also has much better ball use. Hopefully a star, think he has more scope to be an elite midfielder than Banfield does who I think could end up a very good winger

 

[Luxor]

Baker is garbage when he plays midfield. Undersized, slow and a turnover merchant.

Yes he’s a heart and soul player, puts his body on the line, sets standards, but as an actual player, C grade.

Liability off the half back, liability on forward flank, and almost a liability in the midfield.

And I’ve read your game day threads, so I know these sentiments are expressed regularly by your own fans.

What's with the GoSGIO levels of exaggeration?

Saying Baker is garbage when he plays midfield is just rubbish, he's good in there but doesn't have the tank to play a full game as you'd expect and plenty of midfielders in the comp are effective in their role but have poor disposal.

Why do those attributes just get ignored and are not counted to his rating as a player? They're pretty important.

I'd argue the complete opposite is true, he's able to play effectively off all 3 lines whenever he's moved around.

Again, the sentiment that is expressed regularly by our fans is frustration with his disposal by foot and that's about it. I'd say he's a B+ level player with his poor disposal by foot probably stopping him pushing into A. I'd imagine most of our fans would have a similar view of him.

 

[Luxor]

Yeah I forgot to mention that in my reply, he was taken in the 40’s right around the same sort of areas that one of our other boys Koby Evans got bid on by the Lions.

Banners looks a good sort, but we’ve got a few that already fit the mould. Sam Allen would occupy the same position on-field in name only, being able to come off a wing and roll through the centre and the forward line.

Sam is an elite athlete in even more ways that Charlie which is hard, he runs an unofficial sub 6 2km and a 100+ cm vertical. Also has much better ball use. Hopefully a star, think he has more scope to be an elite midfielder than Banfield does who I think could end up a very good winger

Brisbane seem to have taken some potential high upside late picks from WA recently.
Zakostelsky, Koby Evans and Cody Curtin could all be great value pickups for them, or from a WCE point of view, hopefully they can't get in their stacked side and ask to come home for cheap in a couple of years.

 

[txbyhull]

Brisbane seem to have taken some potential high upside late picks from WA recently.
Zakostelsky, Koby Evans and Cody Curtin could all be great value pickups for them, or from a WCE point of view, hopefully they can't get in their stacked side and ask to come home for cheap in a couple of years.

Been on ZZ about a 6 months now, both happy and annoyed that he made the senior side now. Do hope at least Koby makes his way back home.

 

[briztoon]

What's with the GoSGIO levels of exaggeration?

Saying Baker is garbage when he plays midfield is just rubbish, he's good in there but doesn't have the tank to play a full game as you'd expect and plenty of midfielders in the comp are effective in their role but have poor disposal.

Why do those attributes just get ignored and are not counted to his rating as a player? They're pretty important.

I'd argue the complete opposite is true, he's able to play effectively off all 3 lines whenever he's moved around.

Again, the sentiment that is expressed regularly by our fans is frustration with his disposal by foot and that's about it. I'd say he's a B+ level player with his poor disposal by foot probably stopping him pushing into A. I'd imagine most of our fans would have a similar view of him.

Slow. Poor tank. Small. Poor disposal by foot.

Maximises what he does, by being hard at it.

C grade player.

 

[WilloTree]

Yeah I forgot to mention that in my reply, he was taken in the 40’s right around the same sort of areas that one of our other boys Koby Evans got bid on by the Lions.

Banners looks a good sort, but we’ve got a few that already fit the mould. Sam Allen would occupy the same position on-field in name only, being able to come off a wing and roll through the centre and the forward line.

Sam is an elite athlete in even more ways that Charlie which is hard, he runs an unofficial sub 6 2km and a 100+ cm vertical. Also has much better ball use. Hopefully a star, think he has more scope to be an elite midfielder than Banfield does who I think could end up a very good winger

I remember the Evans bid because it was just before Freo's pick and were pretty keen on him from memory. He certainly has upside, I just worry if his body will hold up.

 

[Mostyn]

Slow. Poor tank. Small. Poor disposal by foot.

Maximises what he does, by being hard at it.

C grade player.

I think the vast majority of footy watchers would agree with you. Baker maybe pushes up to B- through his effort, but he's really just bog average impact.

 

[txbyhull]

I think the vast majority of footy watchers would agree with you. Baker maybe pushes up to B- through his effort, but he's really just bog average impact.

No Eagles fan with a brain thinks that Baker's impact is in his actual footballing ability. I have said this before and it is an unpopular opinion but the only position he should be playing in the side is as a small pressure forward. The reason we brought him in is for pressure, standards, effort, character, leadership, premiership experience etc. A lot of intangibles that are never really going to be quantified outside of Pressure Acts, and I suppose games he plays as captain could be one.

Baker as a whole is a quality character that takes a low B rating on a list, just not on the field every game. For our side with the age profile and attitude/quality of some of the veteran players, he is exactly what the list needs. Starcevich another one in the same bracket. Not being brought in for his on field impact even if he is a good player. He's brought in for a myriad of other reasons.

 

[ep2018]

There were lots of ways to get Baker without giving that pick though they had psd leverage after all.

We had a board ITK who claimed that Baker would only agree to a trade to us if we gave Richmond a first rounder.

I'd have walked away but I imagine there was a big pull with how we had just hired his bestie McQualter as coach.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Wtf does Liam Baker

3

Liam Baker

Age

28

Ht

173cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.7

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.7

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

7.9

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.8

3star

CL

0.5

3star

D

14.4

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

8.2

5star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

CL

1.2

4star

have to do with the 2025 Afl draft?

 

[Farang83150]

Baker is garbage when he plays midfield. Undersized, slow and a turnover merchant.

Yes he’s a heart and soul player, puts his body on the line, sets standards, but as an actual player, C grade.

Liability off the half back, liability on forward flank, and almost a liability in the midfield.

And I’ve read your game day threads, so I know these sentiments are expressed regularly by your own fans.

You are SFOS

 

[Old navy]

We had a board ITK who claimed that Baker would only agree to a trade to us if we gave Richmond a first rounder.

I'd have walked away but I imagine there was a big pull with how we had just hired his bestie McQualter as coach.

Whoever that poster is sounds like they’re full of it, I can’t see any player making a specific demand like that to the club he’s actually going to, I could see a player saying he wants a fair trade to go through to their old club, but as far as demanding to be traded for a 1st rounder sounds like BS.

 

[Old navy]

Sam Grlj looks like an absolute jet, going to be a gun player in a few years.

 

[Wild Bill]

Sam Grlj looks like an absolute jet, going to be a gun player in a few years.

Yeah most thought they would go Robey. Only early but looks like a great pick.