This constant linking Melbourne with Key Forwards is lazy journalism. Do some research.

He’s a more natural forward than Schubert, much better set shot action too.

Missed a lot with injuries and somewhat underperformed after a strong bottom age year and being the star of under 16’s.

At times you see the talent, at other times he looks like a chest marker who doesn’t always launch and isn’t a huge threat on the deck.

The interview and off the field stuff is always super important (as with every player) for a talented APS kid to work out if they really have the competitive juices for afl footy. And a medical too to see that he’s over his injuries.

But I’m not surprised the recruiters aren’t scared away by a down year. Certainly GWS who have a super list and a lot of other talent in reserve makes a lot of sense.

We don’t need to draft another young key forward but we better be kicking the tyres on every option because we do need a star key forward and the drafts the best place to look.

6 hours ago, Petracca said:

Been mentioned in the sun we have interest in him

KEY FORWARD NOT FORGOTTEN

A knee injury meant Sandringham Dragons key forward Archie Ludowyke played limited football this year, but he remains in the frame as a top-15 pick.

Ludowyke is understood to have been included on an initial invite list to attend the first night of the draft on November 19, indicating strong interest from clubs with top-12 selections.

Rival clubs have linked Ludowyke to Melbourne (picks seven and eight), while there is also late mail around Greater Western Sydney (pick 12) being very keen on the athletic forward who flies for his marks and has high footy IQ.

With Hogan, Cadman, Riccardi, Gruzewski, Stringer and Brown, that would surprise me if the Giants were looking at another big forward.

What does it mean when 'rival clubs link' a player with us?

I can't think there's a positive, supportive motive?!

25 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

What does it mean when 'rival clubs link' a player with us?

I can't think there's a positive, supportive motive?!

They've bugged our interview rooms!

2 hours ago, Redleg said:

With Hogan, Cadman, Riccardi, Gruzewski, Stringer and Brown, that would surprise me if the Giants were looking at another big forward.

Hogan will be 31 soon and aside from Cadman those other guys are all 3rd tall options at best.

Would be an ideal time to get a Hogan replacement

1 hour ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

What does it mean when 'rival clubs link' a player with us?

I can't think there's a positive, supportive motive?

Journos probably into them everyday. Probably throwing them a bone rather than give away their own position. They'd be chatting to players and managers regularly gauging other clubs interest. Would explain why Twomey is generally so accurate with Phantom

Edited October 31Oct 31 by shakeandbake

At least he looks better than that Adelaide giraffe

I would prefer us not draft a key tall but it is no surprise that we still might if we spot value. Our forward half keys outside of Mihochek as the interim veteran are no sure thing. Kentfield showed good first full year development, Jefferson at best will be a third tall if he makes it at all, JVR more your second hard working forward foil. With Petty and Disco likely to settle back, Melksham likely in his final year as an undersized stop gap and Fritsch out of contract it is far from set for the future years at this point.

26 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I would prefer us not draft a key tall but it is no surprise that we still might if we spot value. Our forward half keys outside of Mihochek as the interim veteran are no sure thing. Kentfield showed good first full year development, Jefferson at best will be a third tall if he makes it at all, JVR more your second hard working forward foil. With Petty and Disco likely to settle back, Melksham likely in his final year as an undersized stop gap and Fritsch out of contract it is far from set for the future years at this point.

I could live with taking a tall if we split pick 8

Not keen to take one straight up at 8 though

7 minutes ago, adonski said:

I could live with taking a tall if we split pick 8

Not keen to take one straight up at 8 though

Tend agree that top 10 on a tall feels a reach on exposed form but JT generally does not go with the grain.

This feels like a draft where you don't necessarily draft best available or for needs but maybe for best 23 highest confidence which is a touch between the two and leans on attributes to play required roles. Key forwards are generally speculative and come with risk and it doesn't feel like the best potential bang for our buck at 7/8

Scouting Notes 30/10/2025

19 - Archie Ludowyke

Forward

He was struck down by injury mid-year, but this key forward has still shown some exciting signs

Club Sandringham Dragons / East Sandringham

State VIC

Height 197cm

DOB 19/11/2007

Endurance / Mobility / Overhead Marking / Leadership

Touted as one of the very top prospects coming into the year, 2025 didn’t quite go to plan for Ludowyke. He booted five goals for the Dragons in round 2 of the Coates Talent League and four more against the Calder Cannons in round 13. However, he had a quiet first two matches for Vic Metro in the under-18 national championships before suffering a PCL knee injury after flying for a mark in the second quarter of the side’s third match against the Allies. That injury sidelined Ludowyke for the rest of the year, including the national draft combine in October. But scouts still know what he offers. An athletic forward who looks up to GWS young gun Aaron Cadman, Ludowyke presents well on the lead, works up the ground like a good modern-day AFL key forward, flies for his marks and has high footy IQ. His leadership also grew to help instruct teammates and set up the forward structure for his side.

2025 Coates League 104 ranking points, 9.3 disposals, 5.3 marks, 1.3 contested marks, 0.7 tackles, 5.3 score involvements, 3.3 goals, 1.0 behinds (3 games)

2025 National Champs 32 ranking points, 4 disposals, 1.0 marks, 0.7 contested marks, 1.7 score involvements (3 games)

Be pretty funny if Taylor picked up a key position player with 7 or 8.

The melts on here

We have no gilded young prospect at either end so I don’t know where this is emanating from

3 minutes ago, rpfc said:

Be pretty funny if Taylor picked up a key position player with 7 or 8.

The melts on here

We have no gilded young prospect at either end so I don’t know where this is emanating from

MFCSS after Cook, Weid and (potentially) Jefferson

Personally I’m just not a fan of taking KPF’s in the early first round unless they are absolute standouts like Walter or Cadman in recent years

6 minutes ago, demoncat said:

MFCSS after Cook, Weid and (potentially) Jefferson

Personally I’m just not a fan of taking KPF’s in the early first round unless they are absolute standouts like Walter or Cadman in recent years

cadman was a bolter almost on par with robey, grew 20cm in a short period of time

7 minutes ago, demoncat said:

MFCSS after Cook, Weid and (potentially) Jefferson

Personally I’m just not a fan of taking KPF’s in the early first round unless they are absolute standouts like Walter or Cadman in recent years

Cadman wasn't a standout. He was a player who was part of a broad group of good players (behind Ashcroft) and he played himself into mid top 10 consideration through a productive draft year. He wouldn't have been pick 1 except that GWS traded for pick 1 with the intention of taking him (with a lot of Vic Metro boys they weren't comfortable with selecting in that range).

There's nothing to say that Ludowycke wouldn't have had a similar year and played himself into that position had he been healthy. He certainly has some excellent traits that I think make him a reasonable possibility at our picks. He certainly would bring a level of athleticism that we don't have in our mix of key forwards on our list.

Edited November 5Nov 5 by Axis of Bob

28 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

Cadman wasn't a standout. He was a player who was part of a broad group of good players (behind Ashcroft) and he played himself into mid top 10 consideration through a productive draft year. He wouldn't have been pick 1 except that GWS traded for pick 1 with the intention of taking him (with a lot of Vic Metro boys they weren't comfortable with selecting in that range).

There's nothing to say that Ludowycke wouldn't have had a similar year and played himself into that position had he been healthy. He certainly has some excellent traits that I think make him a reasonable possibility at our picks. He certainly would bring a level of athleticism that we don't have in our mix of key forwards on our list.

I mean that’s sort of my point though - none of the key forwards in this year’s crop did what either Cadman (playing himself into top 10 consideration) or Walter (being the dominant forward from the start of the year) did

I just personally think taking KPFs early in the draft is a much bigger risk than just about any other position

That’s not to say that he or Shubert won’t become good players - it’s just that I feel there are far more bankable options at 7 and 8 that I hope we take (that still fill a need for us and are likely to impact more in the short term)

Edited November 5Nov 5 by demoncat

10 minutes ago, demoncat said:

I mean that’s sort of my point though - none of the key forwards in this year’s crop did what either Cadman (playing himself into top 10 consideration) or Walter (being the dominant forward from the start of the year) did

I just personally think taking KPFs early in the draft is a much bigger risk than just about any other position

There is a higher risk for key forwards because they is much more projection required for them. The ones that go high tend to be the ones who are athletically gifted or physically dominant at that age because it's easier to see the pathway to success for them. Cadman falls into this category because he was much more of an athlete than a footballer as a key forward, with Walter being the same. Van Rooyen has done well as a physical key forward despite his lack of class. Jefferson has a heap of class but his physical traits needed time to develop, which creates a wide variance of what that player looks like when/if that happens. The variation for contested ball winning smalls is much, much smaller because the traits required for that role are much more obvious at an earlier age.

The flip side of that (and there's always a flip side!) is that it is incredibly difficult to get good key forwards with ordinary picks. Have a look at the top 10 key forwards in terms of goals: Cameron, Gunston, King, Thilthorpe, Naughton, Georgiades, Morris, Darcy, Hogan, Cadman. That's 4 top 5 picks, 2 first round picks, 2 second round picks and 2 pre-listed 17 year olds (who would have been top 2 picks). So effectively, the overwhelming majority of good key forwards need early picks to get and almost nothing outside the top 30 players drafted. So yeah, you're going to miss on a decent number of key forwards drafted early but if you don't do that then you're almost no chance of picking up a decent key forward to build around.

Ludowyke played 3 CTL games this year and kicked 10 goals. Kicked 3 in the Academy game. A full year and I don't think these same conversations are being had about him being a reach at that pick. Athletically he looks like a future AFL player and he certainly has the class and size. I'd be happy to take him early (albeit just as some rando on the internet).

Edited November 5Nov 5 by Axis of Bob