On 11/10/2025 at 17:26, Pink Freud said:

I would definitely keep pick 24 which is currently the first pick on the second night of the draft and usually highly sought after by the clubs.

Excellent point. Would be disappointed if we gave this up under the Trac trade, would be opportunity lost.

i think we split 7/8 to become 5 and 13

so for me grjl and dovaston would be the targets

On 15/10/2025 at 07:56, Turner said:

i think we split 7/8 to become 5 and 13

so for me grjl and dovaston would be the targets

Is there really a need to move up 2 spots? I can see us moving up if we can potentially get pick 2 or 3. I see us trying ti deal with WC to get 2 and 13 and we give them 7 and 8.

If I was West Cost, I’d only give up pick 2 for both 7 & 8

Spending a top 10 pick on a small forward makes me nervous.

If Dovaston is the eighth best available player, so be it. If we're picking for need, he'd want to have some tricks.

9 minutes ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Spending a top 10 pick on a small forward makes me nervous.

If Dovaston is the eighth best available player, so be it. If we're picking for need, he'd want to have some tricks.

Well, as per the Combine, he has elite agility, which is a good start.

Small forwards are becoming the most important players in the modern game.

Kozzy, Watson are just two stars taken in the top 15.

1 hour ago, Adam The God said:

Kozzy, Watson are just two stars taken in the top 15.

If he's anywhere close to Pickett, we should scream his name out.

Watson... maybe I don't watch enough Hawthorn, but I'm not totally convinced.

2 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Spending a top 10 pick on a small forward makes me nervous.

If Dovaston is the eighth best available player, so be it. If we're picking for need, he'd want to have some tricks.

Narrow distro small forwards, imo almost never worth drafting high (ala running backs in the NFL)

B.O.Bster, wonder if he's there at 37?

3 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

Spending a top 10 pick on a small forward makes me nervous.

If Dovaston is the eighth best available player, so be it. If we're picking for need, he'd want to have some tricks.

Which he doesn’t. Not even close to Kossies league

8 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

Which he doesn’t. Not even close to Kossies league

Bit stiff. His hands are quick and very creative and he has good goal sense.

I agree he isn't a Kozzie level guy though, clearly a tier below

25 minutes ago, adonski said:

Bit stiff. His hands are quick and very creative and he has good goal sense.

I agree he isn't a Kozzie level guy though, clearly a tier below

Kozzy is not a particularly fair yardstick. He's an A grader, I'd argue and A+ grader.

I think Dovaston could well become an A grader. He has some elite traits and I love his energy and game sense.

Just now, Adam The God said:

Kozzy is not a particularly fair yardstick. He's an A grader, I'd argue and A+ grader.

I think Dovaston could well become an A grader. He has some elite traits and I love his energy and game sense.

Yes, the defensive pressure seems high level, and that would be more highly rated by the recruiters than us

Wondering for those who watch more closely would Robey be an inside mid as an Oliver replacement? To replace McVee would you look at Josh Lindsay or Aaron Sharkie (who possibly has more versatility as could play across half back, outside mid and wing?). Hopefully allowing Langford more midfield minutes? I'd really like Fincher as a bigger body recruit who could play R1. Thoughts of Dovaston up forward in conjunction with Pickett also allowing him to run through the middle?

Edited Monday at 06:055 days by Rebuild now

Here’s an interesting article from Jonty Ralphsmith on some draft prospects who have been injured or otherwise unexposed with projected draft positions -

Out of sight, out of mind: Nine draft prospects on AFL Draft radar

• Zeke Uwland (Gold Coast Academy, utility) - projected # 1

• Koby Evans (Perth, forward/midfielder) - late rookie

• Jevan Phillipou (Woodville-West Torrens, midfielder) - 15 to 20

• Liam Hetherton (Murray Bushrangers, key forward) 25 to 45

• Sam Allen (Oakleigh Chargers, midfielder) - late rookie

• Felix Kniepp (Calder, halfback) - late rookie

• Will Darcy (Oakleigh Chargers, tall defender) - late rookie

• Harrison Bridge (Brisbane Academy, defender) - late rookie

• Tom Matthews (Gippsland Power, small forward) - late rookie

Possibly of limited use for the MFC because a few are academy or father/son which is where we already have our own prospects.

Had forgotten about Tom Matthews. Looked very impressive late last year and certainly has a lot of tricks for a small forward. Wonder what injury has kept him out for most of this year.

Riley Onley interests me. Not sure where in the draft he goes. Under 18s clips are horrible to watch - play is so scrappy.

Cal Twomey’s October Phantom Form Guide came out today. Worth looking at - especially in the range 10 - 15 where our picks could come from in November.

afl.com.au

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' Oct...

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey delivers his fourth Phantom Form Guide ahead of the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft

Harry Kyle looks like he could be absolutely anything once he gets to a club. That combination of athleticism, size and will to run is a good base for a player.

Cam Nairn is one of my favourites in the draft. Super clean hands. How often do you see a forward take 16 marks in a game? Just knows where to go to the get the footy.

I’m hopeful we might pick up Harry Dean, just so we can give him the nickname of ‘Stanton’.

I’d be happy for us to get Grlj, if for no other reason than to see what BT does with his name, and Dovaston… if we missed Grlj, I’m starting to like the look of Oliver Greeves. I haven’t seen any footage of him playing, but I like what I’ve read in Twomey’s Phantom Form Guide…

“Greeves was unavailable to test at the Draft Combine through illness, with the midfielder ruled out of participating. The midfielder has put up some very good performances this season, and it's his capacity to go forward and be a threat that has clubs considering him early on as well. He kicked 4.2 from 35 disposals in Eastern's preliminary final, and also had 24 disposals and a goal in the Ranges' Grand Final win. A bigger-bodied midfielder who can easily shift forward and be a marking target.”

I note a few of the players who look like they'd test poorly were ill for the combine. A bit of NFL style combine avoidance creeping into the AFL?

I think there is a net over the players in this draft. Excluding the priority academy guns for the Suns & Lions… from pick 3 to 33 are young players with good AFL quality. It’s an even draft with only CDT & Duursma being standouts in my view. I reckon the most guaranteed player in the draft is Xavier Taylor. Absolutely looks and plays like a footballer. Smart. Composed. Aggression. Excellent judge of a mark. He is a lock for 200 games in my view. Think “Disco Turner” type.