2023 AFL National Draft prospects: The next batch

[spirit of norm smith 13,281]

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Yeah I think I'm leaning towards McKercher.

Just watched his highlights and he's everything we're missing in our midfield mix.

 

Agreed. If we can land either Sanders or Mckercher, classy young Mids,  it’s a huge win.
I thought Duursma was the priority but during the championships, whilst he’s showed good polish, he’s been cold in long patches. 

[dazzledavey36 49,162]

Just now, spirit of norm smith said:

Agreed. If we can land either Sanders or Mckercher, classy young Mids,  it’s a huge win.
I thought Duursma was the priority but during the championships, whilst he’s showed good polish, he’s been cold in long patches. 

Yeah I've gone off Duursma purely just think others have overtaken him. 

He'll still be a talent at AFL level no doubt.

[manny100 1,040]

McKercher is a gun and will adjust to AFL quickly IMO. A bit of elite midfield depth would not go astray.

Watson would also be a good pickup IMO. Elite junior, fast, evasive, kicks goals. Would boost our forward line.

We will likely go in hard to trade for GC's first round pick (likely pick 6 to 9). Drafting 2 high probability elite players better than going for a higher number of less probability players at this stage with our list.

We might even consider getting GC 1st rounder plus one of their early pick mids not getting a regular game if we think we can develop him, eg Hollands.

 

[Demon Disciple 11,089]

Mids mids mids

[spirit of norm smith 13,281]

Love to have Freo finish 15th. Pick 4 (pick 5 after suns choose to match bid for Jed Walter) would be a huge win as part of the Jackson trade (together with a late 1st rd pick 15-18).  
 

Top 4- likely Reid, Walter , Curtin, Caddy - then we’d have a choice of Mckercher or Sanders. Big result if that was the outcome.  

[JimmyGadson 3,455]

The more I think about it, the more I think drafting tassie talent could be a great long term investment which is why I'm all in on McKercher. Sanders looks great too, but McKercher is just exactly what we need. Zach Merrett/Eroll Gulden eat your heart out except neither of them had the impact this guys is having. 

You've got time to develop a gun and best case scenario is that he fulfils his potential and becomes a jet, stays long term. 

Worst case scenario is that he leaves for Tassie in 2028 by which time most of our core will be entering their twighlight. But we'd receive overs in the way of picks given the draft concessions the club will receive. 

I can see the club looking at this strategy and I just don't see the risk given the picks we'd receive. Nothing like drafting a WA kid and worrying about a go home factor. Tasmania being a new club will need and want to pay overs for established players. Especially ones born and bred from Tassie. To be the face of the club.  And they'll have endless picks to get it done. 

It's genuinely unbelievable that Freo are sitting fourth bottom atm. And we will have so much time and wiggle room to get another top 10 pick in. 

Given Duursma's underwhelming National Champs, there's a chance we could end up with a combo of McKercher/Duursma. Which would be incredible if we make a deep run into September. 

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by JimmyGadson

[manny100 1,040]

18 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

The more I think about it, the more I think drafting tassie talent could be a great long term investment which is why I'm all in on McKercher. Sanders looks great too, but McKercher is just exactly what we need. Zach Merrett/Eroll Gulden eat your heart out except neither of them had the impact this guys is having. 

You've got time to develop a gun and best case scenario is that he fulfils his potential and becomes a jet, stays long term. 

Worst case scenario is that he leaves for Tassie in 2028 by which time most of our core will be entering their twighlight. But we'd receive overs in the way of picks given the draft concessions the club will receive. 

I can see the club looking at this strategy and I just don't see the risk given the picks we'd receive. Nothing like drafting a WA kid and worrying about a go home factor. Tasmania being a new club will need and want to pay overs for established players. Especially ones born and bred from Tassie. To be the face of the club.  And they'll have endless picks to get it done. 

It's genuinely unbelievable that Freo are sitting fourth bottom atm. And we will have so much time and wiggle room to get another top 10 pick in. 

Given Duursma's underwhelming National Champs, there's a chance we could end up with a combo of McKercher/Duursma. Which would be incredible if we make a deep run into September. 

 

I would go McKercher.  Also i hope we get GC s 1st rounder and a player we want may slip through.eg, Watson.

Whether we go a tall eg O'Sullivan if we get GCs 1st rounder depends on how we see Jefferson, Adams and Turner work out.

[Cheney 38]

Don’t touch anyone from Tassie. They’d want to go back home in 2029. 

[Stiff Arm 4,415]

1 hour ago, Cheney said:

Don’t touch anyone from Tassie. They’d want to go back home in 2029. 

Or maybe they can't wait to get out of there...

[Demon Disciple 11,089]

1 hour ago, Cheney said:

Don’t touch anyone from Tassie. They’d want to go back home in 2029. 

That’s a problem 5 years away. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest atm.

[old55 21,539]

10 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

That’s a problem 5 years away. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest atm.

I think with where our list is at and the likely early picks we get from Freo this year it would NOT be a good idea to target the Tasmanians, however talented.

We'll need already established young stars to replace Petracca (who will be 32) and Oliver (who will turn 31) in 2028, not more fresh draftees in the 2027 crop.

It'd be like 2019 draftees, like Serong, Anderson, Tom Green or Kossie, leaving at the end of this year just when they're really reaching their potential.  We'll need players like that already primed to take over from Trac and Oliver if we want to continue at the top.

[layzie 29,539]

12 hours ago, Cheney said:

Don’t touch anyone from Tassie. They’d want to go back home in 2029. 

Why completely ignore a very good segment of the draft market just because they might want to go home in 5 years? 

[Lord Travis 10,246]

According to Cal Twomey, clubs love McKercher and he has firmed for the second live pick behind Reid, so will likely go before our pick unless we trade up.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Lord Travis

[whatwhat say what 19,507]

watching bits and pieces of vic metro vs vic country under 18 championship game in between exciting things like doing the washing

kynan 'pup' brown doesn't look as small as per previous highlights, and his defensive workrate is good, he hits targets going i50, and wins clearances

looks a prospect to me - gotta love a father-son

[dazzledavey36 49,162]

10 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

watching bits and pieces of vic metro vs vic country under 18 championship game in between exciting things like doing the washing

kynan 'pup' brown doesn't look as small as per previous highlights, and his defensive workrate is good, he hits targets going i50, and wins clearances

looks a prospect to me - gotta love a father-son

I've been watching the Vic Metro game.

Brown looks a great prospect imo.

[Nascent 7,406]

Jagga Smith and Finn O'Sullivan fighting for the early #1 mantle for next year. Smillie has got good wraps on him but not as prolific as those two.

[whatwhat say what 19,507]

3 minutes ago, Nascent said:

Jagga Smith and Finn O'Sullivan fighting for the early #1 mantle for next year. Smillie has got good wraps on him but not as prolific as those two.

levi ashcroft should be at #1, just like his brother should've been called out ahead of cadman too

reid looks like a clearance machine; be interesting to see if he can execute the fend-off as easily at afl level

duursma excellent second half of the second quarter - got moved on ball and was heaps more influential; a little bit like patrick cripps around stoppages

[Clintosaurus 6,621]

Duursma been good so far. Levi Ashcroft going to be a gun too.

[Clintosaurus 6,621]

I'd ask GC about trading our first and Freo's second for the Suns first.

[whatwhat say what 19,507]

Just now, Clintosaurus said:

I'd ask GC about trading our first and Freo's second for the Suns first.

they'll get better offers than that

would love to go into this draft with two picks in the top 10

[Nascent 7,406]

2 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

levi ashcroft should be at #1, just like his brother should've been called out ahead of cadman too

reid looks like a clearance machine; be interesting to see if he can execute the fend-off as easily at afl level

duursma excellent second half of the second quarter - got moved on ball and was heaps more influential; a little bit like patrick cripps around stoppages

Yes Ashcroft will be in the conversation as well. It's O'Sullivan for me at this stage though. What he was doing last week against the Allies was freakish.

[Jeremy 639]

Duursma showing a fair bit after a quiet championships, sounds like he may have been injured previously anyway

[whatwhat say what 19,507]

27 minutes ago, Lewis said:

Duursma showing a fair bit after a quiet championships, sounds like he may have been injured previously anyway

much better since going on-ball

[Lord Travis 10,246]

On limited viewing, Sanders looks the goods and would fit into our midfield nicely over the coming years. He seems like a perfect mix of inside and outside with game changing abilities and decent size. If we finish with pick 4, he'd be the perfect target there.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,313]

On 7/16/2023 at 12:28 PM, whatwhat say what said:

much better since going on-ball

I disagree. He dominated the weekend playing high half forward. Has played midfield in some of the other games.