Grading the 2023 Draft

[Demonland 65,974]

MELBOURNE

Picks (at start of the draft): 6, 11, 42

Selections: Caleb Windsor (7), Koltyn Tholstrup (13)

This is the ultimate ‘drafting for the present’. They know what their problem is – forward 50 entries and scoreboard conversion – and tried to fix it with their two selections. Caleb Windsor is an exciting winger and one of the most penetrating inside-50 kick in the draft class, while Koltyn Tholstrup is a high score involvement half-forward. If they can slot straight into Simon Goodwin’s line-up and play those roles, this could be a huge win, because the Demons’ premiership window is clearly open right now. And it’s not only about the present, because these two could be good for a while. But the risk when you draft for need, rather than picking the best available, is that you reach. Windsor was a slight reach at Pick 7 on pure talent — though someone would’ve taken him right after the Dees’ pick if they ignored him, which speaks to the lack of top-end prospects in this class.

Grade: B

ALL TEAMS GRADINGS:

ADELAIDE CROWS: A-

BRISBANE LIONS: C

CARLTON: C+

COLLINGWOOD: B-

ESSENDON: A-

FREMANTLE: B-

GEELONG: B

GOLD COAST SUNS: A

GWS GIANTS: C+

HAWTHORN: B

MELBOURNE: B

NORTH MELBOURNE: A-

PORT ADELAIDE: C+

RICHMOND: C-

ST KILDA: B+

SYDNEY SWANS: C+

WEST COAST EAGLES: B-

WESTERN BULLDOGS: B

[adonski 9,231]

Too much Windsor slander 

[The heart beats true 16,450]

Media the day before the draft - ‘meet the gun draftee who plays like Pendles/Buddy/Judd/Ablett’

Media the day after the draft - ‘I guess they did ok, but only if these players end up being good’

🤷‍♂️

Edited November 22, 2023 by The heart beats true

[demoncat 642]

2 minutes ago, adonski said:

Too much Windsor slander 

Also assumes that we didn’t see him as best available - which, from everything JT has said, we did

[Deemania since 56 6,205]

5 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Also assumes that we didn’t see him as best available - which, from everything JT has said, we did

JT's words and deeds are worth listening to and supporting. He knows what he is doing and does it with aplomb.  On reflection of the draft itself, I'd see our selections (albeit these were into the 'what's available' category), as powerful team building opportunities. Very happy with the outcomes, just a little sad we didn't have the pick to nab Duursma, too. 

[roy11 2,994]

ESPN had us as C-, the same as Richmond.

2 Picks first round picks vs 2 picks in the 40s? 

[SPC 2,879]

Most irrelevant article of all time. Rating players before they even play and rating clubs, not on their performance, but the draft currency they held. Well done GC on your academy picks and to North for adding top end talent with AFL concessions.. blah blah blah 

Edited November 22, 2023 by SPC

[Little Goffy 12,727]

An interesting feature of this draf is just how many clubs were in the 'also attended' category, with very little going on. Only half a dozen clubs did anything that I think was a 'winning move' or would have a major impact on their club.

Adelaide needed and wanted Curtin and got him at a reasonable price.

I think GWS will be happy to have grabbed their preferred bolter and then still selected Leake all the way down at 17, but I don't think either will have a particularl dramatic impact.

Gold Coast are just doing Scrooge McDuck dives into drafts these days. We're all very lucky that club has been a hot mess for a decade. Hopefully Hardwick does a full Malthouse, overcooking the stew and alienating the young players. It is the moral responsibility of all other AFL clubs to probe Gold Coast players with offers that cumulatively squeeze the Suns salary cap.

For Melbourne, Windsor and Tholstrup will over time transform the way we go inside 50 - I have an uncanny confidence in that. Hopefully sooner than later but they will certainly be a part of our 2028 changing-of-the-guard premiership which opens our renewed window. I'm a little anxious about our tall defender succession plan but other than that we probably targeted our biggest immediate weakness and surely between McAdam, Billings, Windsor and Tholstrup we've transformed our options forward of centre.

North must be thrilled to have their captain in place ready for when they move to Tassie. That's good planning. (I'm out of symparthy after the amount of bonus picks they've been handed for their wilful self-destruction). But seriously, I think they now have 5 mids taken in the top 4 picks, plus Simpkin, and I'm not counting Duursma.

One thing that is really noticable is how little draft impact there is for West Coast. To be fair, they went for bulk in 2021 and 2022 and put a lot of games into their first year players in 2023, but young ruck Bailey Williams is their only existing clearance winner under 28 years. Reid will be expected to be their best midfielder in his first season, and after that it will only get harder!

[Demon Disciple 11,081]

2 hours ago, roy11 said:

ESPN had us as C-, the same as Richmond.

2 Picks first round picks vs 2 picks in the 40s? 

It’s a Knightmare move of old to just dismiss our draft haul. He must still be their draft ‘guru’, only from afar.

And we must take their opinions as gospel, because when I think AFL footy I think ESPN 🤪

[leave it to deever 16,013]

I'm not sure if this grading includes interstate games

Collingwood's interstate travel is as usual as soft as it gets.

Joke.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,501]

Grading the draft in isolation of other list management decisions, such as trading and making use of free agency, is a bit pointless. Grading the whole shooting match from go to whoa is far more interesting...albeit we need to see how the individuals actually play. In other words, wait three years.