2023 AFL National Draft prospects: The next batch

[manny100 1,557]

2 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

No way Ben McKay is worth a first round draft pick (let alone pick 3). Frawley was a much better player than Ben could ever dream of being.

Agree, Frawley was a very good player. A couple of flags at the Hawks.

[dazzledavey36 54,944]

4 minutes ago, manny100 said:

Agree, Frawley was a very good player. A couple of flags at the Hawks.

*One flag

[spirit of norm smith 16,459]

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Of course they will..

 

It’s sickening how biased Barrett (Kangas supporter) is. Pick 3 for Ben Mckay.  Ffs that laughable!!! 

[Left Foot Snap 2,403]

1 hour ago, Demon Disciple said:

No way Ben McKay is worth a first round draft pick (let alone pick 3). Frawley was a much better player than Ben could ever dream of being.

Frawley was an All Australian. What has McKay done?

[Lord Travis 10,730]

7 minutes ago, Left Foot Snap said:

Frawley was an All Australian. What has McKay done?

100%. Ben McKay has played 65 games across 7 seasons and is 26 years old soon. Frawley at the same point in his career had played 139 games and was All Australian, and won a premiership with the Hawks at 26. So more than twice as many games and achieved both individual and team success. 

McKay is injured more often than not, and when he does get on the park he’s not exactly lighting it up. He’s essentially a less durable and less successful taller version of Tomlinson at this point. If he didn’t share genes with Harry, he probably wouldn’t be on a AFL list anymore. It’s blatant corruption if AFL grants first round compo for him. 

[Sydney_Demon 1,175]

59 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

100%. Ben McKay has played 65 games across 7 seasons and is 26 years old soon. Frawley at the same point in his career had played 139 games and was All Australian, and won a premiership with the Hawks at 26. So more than twice as many games and achieved both individual and team success. 

McKay is injured more often than not, and when he does get on the park he’s not exactly lighting it up. He’s essentially a less durable and less successful taller version of Tomlinson at this point. If he didn’t share genes with Harry, he probably wouldn’t be on a AFL list anymore. It’s blatant corruption if AFL grants first round compo for him. 

I sort of get the idea of compensation for departure of free agents. If they weren't free agents and just out of contract you get whatever the other club is prepared (or able in the case of Jacko to Fremantle) to give you. But another argument is that if a player has been with you that long you've got the service out of him that your original drafting of him entitled you to. Of course the main reason for compensation is in recognition that it's difficukt for less successful clubs / clubs based in non-AFL States (Gold Coast fall into both categories) to retain free agents.

Of course Ben Mackay's not worth a first-round pick based on known AFL criteria, especially when that pick would be Pick 3, but the AFL is deliberately non-transparent on this. I don't understand though why the rule is that the compensation pick has to be after the side concerned's usual draft pick or at the end of the round. Why couldn't it be for a particular draft position? 

[Sydney_Demon 1,175]

5 hours ago, Turner said:

it's two if they make finals 3 if they miss 

Thanks for that. I couldn't find anything on this scouring the internet. Say their 3 adademy players go at 2, 6 & 10. After the 20% discount they would need about 4,500 points to secure them. Currently they have 3,973 but that would increase if they traded out 6, so could conceivably do that without going into too much deficit 🙁

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

*One flag

Frawley's flag doesn't count. Clearly that happened after the compensation pick went to Melbourne.

[Turner 1,514]

3 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

No way Ben McKay is worth a first round draft pick (let alone pick 3). Frawley was a much better player than Ben could ever dream of being.

accolades have nothing to do with it tho, its purely financial and the dons have the coin and the roos will let him walk, if the roos were top 4 and the pick was 15 people would be far less, not entirely but far less up in arms its just the way the system works at the moments and thats the fact of it

[godees 863]

2 hours ago, Turner said:

accolades have nothing to do with it tho, its purely financial and the dons have the coin and the roos will let him walk, if the roos were top 4 and the pick was 15 people would be far less, not entirely but far less up in arms its just the way the system works at the moments and thats the fact of it

Financial and age. He needs a contract over 800k/yr, at least 3 years. Are the dons really doing that? Paying him in top 5% of players, really?!

[godees 863]

And if the AFL give them Sanders it’s an absolute farce.

End of first round compo for McKay.

End of first round priority pick.

Done!

[Whispering_Jack 30,140]

Today’s Herald Sun published its Draft Top 30 (July Edition at pp 64,65)

1. Harley Reid (BENDIGO PIONEERS/VIC COUNTRY): Mid-Fwd, 185cm. U18 National C’ships Ave: 19.5 disp (12.5 con), 4.3 marks, 6.5 clearances, 3.8 I50s, 2.5 tackles, 6.3 score inv, 1.3 gls, 112 rank pts (4 games) 
2. Jed Walter (GC SUNS ACADEMY/ALLIES): Fwd, 195cm
U18 Ave: 13 disp, 7 marks, 2.8 cont marks, 7.5 score inv, 2.8 goals, 104 pts (4 games)
3. Colby McKercher (TASMANIA DEVILS/ALLIES):  Mid, 182cm
U18 ave: 32.8 disp (9.3 cont), 5.8 marks, 5 I50s, 7.8 g-ball gets, 4 tackles, 8.3 score inv, 0.8 gls, 1.8 score assists, 150 pts (4 games)
4. Ethan Read (GC SUNS ACADEMY/ALLIES): Ruck, 200cm
U18 ave: 21.5 disp, 7.5 marks, 13 hitouts (3 to adv), 2.5 clearances, 5.5 score invs, 3 tackles, 0.5 score assists, 0.3 gls, 119 pts (4 games)
5. Zane Duursma (GIPPSLAND POWER/VIC COUNTRY): Mid-Fwd, 189cm. U18 ave: 15.3 disp (7.3 cont), 3.8 marks, 4 I50s, 2.8 clearances, 3.5 tackles, 6.3 score inv, 1.5 score assists, 1.8 gls, 115 pts (4 games) 
6. Daniel Curtin (CLAREMONT/WA): 
Mid-Def, 195cm U18 ave: 23.5 disposals, 6.5 marks, 
5.8 int possessions, 
3.3 I50s, 3.5 clearances, 4.5 tackles, 3.5 score 
inv, 0.3 goals, 137 pts (4 games)
7. Ryley Sanders (SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/ALLIES): Mid, 186cm
U18 ave: 35.8 disp (14.5 cont), 6.3 marks, 5.8 I50s, 5 clearances, 4 tackles, 8.3 score inv, 1.5 score assists, 1 gl, 170 pts (4 games)
8. Nick Watson (EASTERN RANGES/VIC METRO):  Fwd, 170cm
U18 ave: 12.3 disp, 3.3 marks, 1 clearance, 7.3 score inv, 1 tackle, 1 score assist, 3.5 goals, 97 pts (4 games)
9. Connor O’Sullivan (MURRAY BUSHRANGERS/ALLIES):  Def, 198cm U18 ave: 17.8 disp, 8.3 marks, 2.5 intercept marks, 6.8 intercept poss, 4 spoils, 3 rebound 50s, 99 pts (4 games)
10. Jake Rogers  (GC SUNS ACADEMY/ALLIES):  Mid, 172cm
U18 ave: 22.5 disp, 5.5 clearances, 4.8 I50s, 2.3 marks, 6.3 g-ball gets, 5.3 tackles, 5 score inv, 1.3 score assists, 0.3 goals, 108 pts (4 games)
11. Darcy Wilson (MURRAY BUSHRANGERS/VIC COUNTRY):  Mid, 185cm. 
U18 ave: 16 disp, 2.8 marks, 1.8 clearances, 4.3 I50s, 3 tackles, 6 score inv, 1 goal, 79 ranking points (4 games) 
12. Mitchell Edwards (PEEL THUNDER/WA): Ruck, 205cm. U18 ave: 10 disp (7 cont), 2 marks, 23 hitouts (8.7 to adv), 2 clearances, 3.7 tackles, 0.3 goals, 94 pts (3 games) 
13. Nate Caddy (NORTHERN KNIGHTS/VIC METRO): Fwd, 192cm. U18 ave: 11.7 disp (6 cont), 3.7 marks, 1.3 cont marks, 4.7 tackles, 6 score inv, 2 goals, 78 pts (3 games) 
14. Koltyn Tholstrup (SUBIACO/WA):  Fwd, 184cm. U18 ave: 18.7 disp, 6 marks, 1.3 cont marks, 2 tackles, 6.7 score inv, 1.3 score assists, 0.3 goals, 88 pts (3 games)
15. Ollie Murphy (SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/VIC METRO): Def, 200cm
U18 ave: 11.3 disp, 4.5 marks, 2.3 int marks, 5.3 int poss, 4 rebound 50s, 3.8 spoils, 1.5 tackles, 74 pts (4 games)
16. Riley Hardeman (SWAN DISTRICTS/WA): Def, 185cm. U18 Ave: 18.5 disp, 5.8 marks, 2.3 int marks, 4.5 int poss, 6.3 rebound 50s, 1.8 tackles, 90 pts (4 matches) 
17. Will McCabe (CENTRAL DISTRICT/SA): 
Def, 197cm. U18 Ave: 11.3 disp, 3.3 marks, 4.3 int poss, 2.3 rebound 50s, 3.3 tackles, 7.3 spoils, 95 pts (3 games)
18. Joel Freijah (GWV REBELS/VIC COUNTRY):  Mid, 191cm. U18 ave: 12.3 disp, 2.8 marks, 0.8 clearances, 1.8 tackles, 3.8 score inv, 0.8 goals, 60 pts (4 games) 
19. Archer Reid (GIPPSLAND POWER/VIC COUNTRY): Fwd, 203cm. U18 ave: 8.8 disp, 4.5 marks, 1 cont mark, 1 tackle, 5.5 score inv, 1 goal, 63 pts (4 games) 
20. Archie Roberts (SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS/VIC METRO): Def, 182cm. 
U18 Ave: 20.8 disp, 3.8 marks, 1 int mark, 4.3 int poss, 6 rebound 50s, 3.5 score inv, 1.5 tackles, 87 pts (4 games) 
21. Cooper Simpson (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/VIC COUNTRY): Mid, 182cm. 
U18 ave: 8 disp, 2 marks, 1 clearance, 2 I50s, 2 score inv, 33 pts (4 games) 
22. Nathan Philactides (OAKLEIGH CHARGERS/VIC METRO): Def, 181cm. U18 ave: 17.8 disp, 3 marks, 4.5 rebound 50s, 3 int poss, 1.5 tackles, 0.5 spoils, 74 pts (4 games) 
23. Jordan Croft (CALDER CANNONS/VIC METRO):  Fwd, 200cm
U18 ave: 9.3 disp, 3.3 marks, 1.7 tackles, 6 score inv, 1.3 goals, 68 pts (3 games) 
24. Koen Sanchez (EAST FREMANTLE/WA): 
Mid-Fwd, 176cm. U18 ave: 17.8 disp, 4.8 marks, 3.5 clearances, 2 I50s, 3.5 tackles, 6 score inv, 1.5 goals, 102 pts (4 games) 
25. Ashton Moir (GLENELG/SA):  Fwd, 188cm 
U18 ave: 9.8 disp, 3.3 marks, 3.3 score inv, 1.5 score assists, 0.8 goals, 66 pts (4 games)
26. Logan Morris (WESTERN JETS/VIC METRO):  Fwd, 192cm
U18 ave: 12.3 disp, 5.3 marks, 1.3 cont marks, 0.5 tackles, 4 score inv, 1 goal, 70 pts (4 games) 
27. George Stevens (GWV REBELS/VIC COUNTRY):  Mid, 189cm. U18 ave: 19.3 disp, 2.3 marks, 3.8 clearances, 3 I50s, 6.3 tackles, 4.5 score inv, 0.5 goals, 115 pts (4 games) 
28. Will Patton (WEST ADELAIDE/SA): Def, 193cm. U18 ave: 17 disp, 4.8 marks, 1.3 int marks, 5.5 rebound 50s, 1.5 tackles, 4 spoils, 91 pts (4 games)
29. Harry De Mattia (DANDENONG STINGRAYS/VIC COUNTRY): Mid-Fwd, 184cm. U18 ave: 14.3 disp, 2 marks, 5 I50s, 2.3 clearances, 4 tackles, 3 score inv, 73 pts (4 games) 
30. Clay Hall (PEEL THUNDER/WA): Mid, 188cm. U18 ave: 27.3 disp, 43.5 marks, 4.5 I50s, 6 clearances, 5.3 tackles, 3.5 score inv, 111 pts (4 games)

[Redleg 40,925]

8 hours ago, Left Foot Snap said:

Frawley was an All Australian. What has McKay done?

Ben McKay came from the same womb, on the same day, as Harry Mc Kay, but I can’t really think of anything else.

Edited July 19, 2023 by Redleg

[Demonland 72,193]

 

[Jibroni 5,003]

Cant blame the kid, maybe Eagles will end up trading the Pick:

AFL Draft news 2023: Harley Reid would prefer to not play for West Coast, reaction, wants to stay in Victoria, No.1 pick (foxsports.com.au)

Greats fume as top prospect’s Victorian preference means ‘draft falls over’

A number of AFL greats have reacted with frustration to top draft prospect Harley Reid’s reported preference of staying in Victoria over being picked at No.1 by West Coast.

Reid, the consensus top pick in the 2023 draft pool, has not said he wouldn’t be drafted by the Eagles; but it has been reported he would prefer to stay in his home state. Other players, including the Bulldogs’ Bailey Smith, have shared this with clubs during the draft process before.

But the fact Reid is the No.1 prospect - one of the best ever seen by at least one recruiter - has sparked concerns about whether the draft could become further compromised by his preference. (The draft is already somewhat compromised by academy, father-son and next generation academy players.)

Eagles list manager Rohan O’Brien said neither Reid nor his management had told the club they didn’t want them to select him.

“I did start to hear this yesterday, which was a bit surprising because we’ve had nothing along those lines. I did touch base with his management out of courtesy but we were both a little bit bemused how it came about,” O’Brien told Ten Perth.

“No player or no player’s management team in this year’s draft pool has indicated any reluctance to us to come to Western Australia, or any other state than their home state, it’s all been fine.

“We assess the boys individually and we’ll pick whoever we think is best for our footy club, and back our club to do the right thing and eventually keep them.”

Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy is concerned what it could mean if players are able to reject being drafted by certain clubs, whether due to their location or the likelihood of them continuing to struggle.

“It’s going to be the same with pick two, pick three, pick five,” he said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“Whoever turns up there (at West Coast) is going to be faced with the same issue.

“What about if everybody in the first round said the same thing? Then the draft just falls over.

“If you’re saying the number one pick doesn’t want to go, what about the number two, three, four, five pick? All their managers are saying, ‘no, no, you’ll be better off. It’s going to be a hard rebuild over there, it’ll be a hard rebuild at North Melbourne.

“It’s the same for every other kid. You can’t distinguish between what’s good for him and what’s good for every other kid coming up in the first round. Someone’s got to go to the bad clubs.”

Harley Reid's reported preference to remain in Victoria has rankled many.Source: FOX SPORTS

But Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes believes he’s right to try and avoid the Eagles because of just how terrible they are.

“I’d be doing everything I can to avoid the Eagles for him,” he said.

“Sometimes you are unlucky with the situation you are drafted to and that can really hurt you. Considering the Eagles are going backwards again and not forwards, not an ideal scenario to find yourself in.

“Perth’s a long way away from his home town.

“You’ve got to understand how bad the Eagles are. This is all-time bad.

“They’ve said, ‘we’re getting younger, we’re going to get worse’ and the instability of that, he could take five years before he is at a club that wins five-six games a year. How is that good for your development?

“He is the marquee guy. (Jason) Horne-Francis, his decision to get out of that joint at North and go to the club he’s in now (Port Adelaide) is what I’d be looking at. Harley Reid can essentially do that and avoid going to West Coast just by planting the doubt that he’s going to leave after a year or two. Just by planting that doubt, it means he could stay at home.

“It’s happened before, it’s happened in all sports - Archie Perkins said the same thing and because he wasn’t the number one pick, it wasn’t the profile around it that happened with Horne-Francis.

“I’m purely focused on that kid and what is the best situation for him to be put into and that’s not the West Coast Eagles.

“Not everyone’s like that (not wanting to leave their home state) – Rory Sloane was happy, Travis Boak … it depends on the player a little bit. Rachele, Soligo just signed until 2029… it’s not every player. But this is unprecedented how bad West Coast are.”

Many players have gone the other way, remaining in Victoria despite their links to Western Australia, such as Carlton gun Patrick Cripps.

But Bulldogs games record holder Brad Johnson also rejected the idea of players having their say in where they’re drafted.

“I’m not a big fan of it (declaring a club you don’t want to go to) because you just don’t know what you don’t know,” he said.

“Matty Pavlich didn’t want to go to Freo and he becomes an all-time superstar at that football club.

“I understand the aspect around the West Coast Eagles, but are you saying a similar thing going to North Melbourne? Or is it up to West Coast now to make a deal with a club to get pick one away from them?

“All the clubs at the bottom of the ladder aren’t great at the moment and will be for years.

“What if he goes to another club for example and they’re in a (premiership) window and he doesn’t play?

“You may as well just draft by state. What do we do around the country then?

“West Coast have to just focus on WA talent at this particular point of where we’re at and the same with South Australia and I don’t agree with that.”

“Now it’s going to be put on the kid or his management to say something now… the next people we’ve got to hear from is either Harley or his management.”

Eagles premiership player Will Schofield, who grew up in Victoria and made the move west after being drafted by West Coast, delivered an impassioned message for Reid to reconsider his feelings.

“You don’t get to do that. That’s draft tampering. You don’t get to say where you want to go - I’m guessing, where do you want to go? Collingwood? Melbourne? Good luck with that,” Schofield said.

“And if you don’t go to West Coast, you’re going to North Melbourne ... look at those two lists. Just think to yourself, who’s further away from a premiership? Where do you want to be to win a flag?

“At the end of your career when it’s all said and done, nobody cares how many kicks you’ve had, no-one cares what your hair looks like, how many goals you’ve kicked, how many games you’ve played - that [censored] doesn’t matter mate. Winning flags does.”

He added: “And just think of Perth as a place. I’ve done this - interstate draftee, from Geelong, went to Perth, I’ve never left mate. Wife and two kids, best state in Australia, and that hurts me to say as a Victorian but it’s a fact.

Schofield told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight he was initially unsure about leaving his home state.

“I was a little bit like Harley, I was unsure about getting over the West Coast or anywhere,” he said.

“But once that moment happens and your name gets read out, you get on an AFL list and you get to a place like Perth, it’s the best place in the country and that hurts me. I am a Victorian. Perth’s a special place.

“I know I was no number one draft pick but I was pretty happy to get anywhere. I think most kids around the country would be the same.”

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Jibroni

[Sydney_Demon 1,175]

No-one's going to come out and openly say they won't go to a Club for obvious reasons but I have no problem with Harley Reid letting it out (if he has) that he'd prefer not to move. to WA It doesn't compromise the draft. West Coast can still take the risk and pick him. Surely North Melbourne would have preferred it if Horne-Francis had told them he didn't want to go there, rather than force his way out of the Club the next season.

If West Coast have good intel Harley Reid isn't for them for whatever reason they trade out of that spot and focus elsewhere.   

[whatwhat say what 22,757]

5 minutes ago, Sydney_Demon said:

No-one's going to come out and openly say they won't go to a Club for obvious reasons but I have no problem with Harley Reid letting it out (if he has) that he'd prefer not to move. to WA It doesn't compromise the draft. West Coast can still take the risk and pick him. Surely North Melbourne would have preferred it if Horne-Francis had told them he didn't want to go there, rather than force his way out of the Club the next season.

If West Coast have good intel Harley Reid isn't for them for whatever reason they trade out of that spot and focus elsewhere.   

archie perkins, now at the peptides, was clear in his pre-draft interviews that he had told clubs he didn't want to move states

[old55 23,576]

16 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Yep, they want him, but also Reid, not sure how they can get both

Trade Barrass to Sydney and trade that pick up a bit if necessary?

[rjay 24,928]

6 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

30. Clay Hall (PEEL THUNDER/WA): Mid, 188cm. U18 ave: 27.3 disp, 43.5 marks, 4.5 I50s, 6 clearances, 5.3 tackles, 3.5 score inv, 111 pts (4 games)

Averaging 43.5 marks a game...impressive.

Expect him to rocket up the rankings.

[Demonstone 22,526]

8 minutes ago, rjay said:

Averaging 43.5 marks a game...impressive.

The knock on him is what he does with the footy.  Averaging 27.3 disposals.

[Sydney_Demon 1,175]

12 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

archie perkins, now at the peptides, was clear in his pre-draft interviews that he had told clubs he didn't want to move states

If you're Harley Reid it's fine because every Club is after you but it's a brave move for most potential draftees. Limiting potential draft clubs means you might not get drafted at all as in general there's a limited number of clubs interested (or they're genuinely interested but make a last minute  switch because of unexpected availability of a more highly-regarded player.

[Demon Disciple 12,127]

28 minutes ago, rjay said:

Averaging 43.5 marks a game...impressive.

He must get done HTB on average 16 times a game too then. Stay away 😁

[Pennant St Dee 13,173]

1 hour ago, old55 said:

Trade Barrass to Sydney and trade that pick up a bit if necessary?

If I’m Sydney I’m keeping the draft pick and taking Ratagolia as a free agent. 

[Wells 11 5,401]

16 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

It’s sickening how biased Barrett (Kangas supporter) is. Pick 3 for Ben Mckay.  Ffs that laughable!!! 

this is the self SAME guy who was outraged the dees were getting pick 3 for Frawley. frikn hypocrisy of the highest order.

[spirit of norm smith 16,459]

2 hours ago, Wells 11 said:

this is the self SAME guy who was outraged the dees were getting pick 3 for Frawley. frikn hypocrisy of the highest order.

And Frawley had been an All Australian.  Ben Mckay not even a certainty each week in a cellar dweller team.  

[spirit of norm smith 16,459]

If we were to hold our picks across 1st and 2nd round, we’d have picks 4,15,22,33.  That’s 4 excellent opportunities to reset and grab quality youngsters.