11 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

where'd they get this quote from, that we're targeting lachy dovaston and aidan schubert?

The video vaguely said from Tim Lamb (he thought bur could noy fully remember) 🤷‍♂️

Schubert? Sucks if we have to go to the draft again to find a key forward. Another 2-3 years of development before they impact AFL level. We spent two first rounders on key forwards in 21’ and 22’ and they should be ready to explode for us, but instead they look like busts, frustrating as we tried to fix this glaring Issue then and it hasn’t worked, because we didn’t get the selections right

got a bit of nick watson about him

Good for a 'When A Doves Cry' headline after we lose in disastrous circumstances.

1 hour ago, Supermercado said:

Good for a 'When A Doves Cry' headline after we lose in disastrous circumstances.

Nah, think positive. He'll kick seven in a half and the headline will be 'Absolute Dovastation'

Reading that his running and standing vertical leap was good (top 5 in both) as well as being 4th best ALL TIME in the agility test, I’m a fan. That’s small forward traits.

U18 numbers suggest he tackles well and regularly as well as hits the scoreboard.

Would be happiest if we had a pick above him for someone like Lindsay, but wouldn’t be disappointed if he was on our list

lindsay/grlj (dons should take one of them) and then dovaston is best non humphrey scenario imo

1 hour ago, adonski said:

Some good highlights in there - he definitely has a bit of Nick Watson/Tom Papley in him

I like that he can get possessions up the ground and some of his hand balling in close was impressive for someone not playing midfield

I don’t know if he’d be a reach at 7 or 8 but he would definitely fill a need for us and it never hurts to bring in a player with a bit of attitude 😈

9 minutes ago, demoncat said:

Some good highlights in there - he definitely has a bit of Nick Watson/Tom Papley in him

I like that he can get possessions up the ground and some of his hand balling in close was impressive for someone not playing midfield

I don’t know if he’d be a reach at 7 or 8 but he would definitely fill a need for us and it never hurts to bring in a player with a bit of attitude 😈

His handballing is his best trait imo

Quick & creative

More like Lachy Deeveston

He's the one I want in our forward pocket next year.

Great agility, good recovery from contests and keeps his feet. Has athletic traits as well. Not as explosive and dual sided as Watson but not many are and if he was he'd be going top 5.

I'm on board.

Seems to be outside of most peoples top 15 but dont really care about that. It may even present an opportunity for us to slightly downgrade pick 8 for an earlier 2nd or an extra future pick. Similar to the Pickett trade that netted as Rivers as well.

1 minute ago, Random Task said:

Great agility, good recovery from contests and keeps his feet. Has athletic traits as well. Not as explosive and dual sided as Watson but not many are and if he was he'd be going top 5.

I'm on board.

Seems to be outside of most peoples top 15 but dont really care about that. It may even present an opportunity for us to slightly downgrade pick 8 for an earlier 2nd or an extra future pick. Similar to the Pickett trade that netted as Rivers as well.

My very simplistic view having watched 5 mins of highlights on a lot these guys (lol) is that most of the mids available at our picks are duds so I'm not sure he'll end up being a reach

Not impressive IMO. I’d say in a normal draft he is 2 nd round stuff.

He is agile but looks heavy and slow at top speed.

Gives off a handball too easily rather than using his agility to go inside to out.

For a top 10 pick to likely spend a year at Casey is saying something. If not who does he replace? Kolt? Chin?

6 minutes ago, adonski said:

My very simplistic view having watched 5 mins of highlights on a lot these guys (lol) is that most of the mids available at our picks are duds so I'm not sure he'll end up being a reach

The mids do look a bit underwhelming this year but what do I know.

If there's one thing I do know, it's that our recruiters will pick who they want and it won't be a reach despite what the phantoms say.

He rarely fumbles or goes to ground and has a nice handball but he seems to lack that step of acceleration that high quality small forwards have.

Does remind me a touch of young Papley. I would not think we would take at 7/8.

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by Lil_red_fire_engine

11 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

For a top 10 pick to likely spend a year at Casey is saying something. If not who does he replace? Kolt? Chin?

I think this is a question we should be asking of all of any Draft picks, not just this guy, especially for a top ten pick, who will they replace Or replace in three years time

1 hour ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

He rarely fumbles or goes to ground and has a nice handball but he seems to lack that step of acceleration that high quality small forwards have.

Does remind me a touch of young Papley. I would not think we would take at 7/8.

Whilst he probably moves more like a Watson or Papley, I feel like his role probably ends up more like Gryan Miers as a half forward connector. He’s a nice kick and can work some odd angles, plus he seems to have a bit of flair for talking risks with the ball to create scores.

We’ve struggled to find players that operate in that soft spot forward of the midfielders and in front of the big forwards. He works that space pretty naturally and it’ll be super important if we play the way King is hoping we will.

2 hours ago, Adam The God said:

He's the one I want .......

49 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

Whilst he probably moves more like a Watson or Papley, I feel like his role probably ends up more like Gryan Miers as a half forward connector. He’s a nice kick and can work some odd angles, plus he seems to have a bit of flair for talking risks with the ball to create scores.

We’ve struggled to find players that operate in that soft spot forward of the midfielders and in front of the big forwards. He works that space pretty naturally and it’ll be super important if we play the way King is hoping we will.

I'm sold.

But then again i was sold as soon as i heard his nickname.

What team doesn't want a player called The Dove.

Edited 17 hours ago17 hr by binman

New player/club sponsorship incoming?

I wonder who if anyone would be willing to trade up and how much currency we could extract.

Hawks have pick 10 and 22, unlikely to trade for 8 and 37

Carlton to save a bid? Not very likely and the currency would have to come from 2026 where they need every point they can get.

Also can’t trade picks back to Gold Coast, just one of those rules.

If we knew he’d still be on the board at 17 then Brisbane would throw in 23 but that seems a huge gamble.

21 minutes ago, The end is nigh said:

I wonder who if anyone would be willing to trade up and how much currency we could extract.

Hawks have pick 10 and 22, unlikely to trade for 8 and 37

Carlton to save a bid? Not very likely and the currency would have to come from 2026 where they need every point they can get.

Also can’t trade picks back to Gold Coast, just one of those rules.

If we knew he’d still be on the board at 17 then Brisbane would throw in 23 but that seems a huge gamble.

I mentioned this in another thread but if the Hawks wanted to move up two spots in the first round then 10 and 22 for 8 and 37 is reasonable and about what you'd expect to get it done.

Teams have used 2nd round picks to move up just one spot in the first round with nothing coming back the other way in recent drafts.

SNAPSHOT: “A dangerous small forward who plays with swagger and speed, capable of impacting the scoreboard and applying heavy pressure.” – James Bell

Coming into his draft year, Lachy Dovaston had already established himself as one to watch. He was exceptional for Vic Metro at the Under 16 National Championships in 2023, and was named on the interchange of the All-Australian team. After surprisingly being left out of the National Academy for 2025, the talented small forward clearly had a point to prove and ended up producing a year full of highlights.

Dovaston was named in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year after his consistent season for the Eastern Ranges. He averaged 16 disposals and kicked 38 goals across his 16 games, building upon his solid bottom-age campaign in 2024. His 24 disposals and two goals in the Grand Final was crucial as his side ran out 15-point winners against three-time reigning champion, Sandringham. 

For Vic Metro, he was similarly damaging, averaging more than two goals a match and 13 disposals across the four games. His standout performance came in the seven-goal victory over the Allies, where he drilled four majors and had 18 disposals. He was subsequently included in the National Championships All-Australian side for 2025. 

Dovaston also featured at VFL level for the Box Hill Hawks where his tenacity translated successfully. He finished the Round 20 clash against eventual premier, Footscray, with 18 disposals and 1.3, showcasing his ability to impact at the next level. Late in the year, he proved his athletic potential, testing impressively at the National Draft Combine to register the event’s fourth-best ever agility test time of 7.794 seconds.

STRENGTHS:

+ Agility
+ Consistency
+ Defensive pressure
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Speed
+ Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Goalkicking accuracy
- Size

Despite what his goalkicking record would suggest, Dovaston is not just a stay-at-home small forward. The speedy small goes out of his way to impact contests, provide overlap run, and regularly serves as a release option up around the ground. He can dart away from traffic and drill low-trajectory passes to leading teammates, making him a threat across half-forward.

Dovaston’s willingness to impact outside of the forward 50 arc is a feature of his game that aided him when he stepped up to the VFL. When forward 50 entries were coming infrequently, Dovaston was able to create turnovers and help in transitioning the ball from end to end. That kind of work rate will hold him in good stead as a multi-dimensional prospect who can hurt the opposition in different ways.

Dovaston added another string to his bow this year, further developing his midfield craft and proving a stoppage threat around the ground. He still has a relatively light frame and stands at 178cm, which could limit his potential to play on the ball at the senior level, although his agility and tenacity make him hard to get a hold of when in possession. He has the evasiveness of classic small forwards.

But what he lacks in mass, he makes up for in sheer doggedness. Dovaston largely makes up for his diminutiveness through an unrelenting willingness to impose himself on games. He has a never-say-die attitude and a solid endurance base that means he is dangerous to the final bell, as evidenced by his match-winning final-minute goal against the Young Guns for Vic Metro.

Despite presenting as a viable option on the ball, there will be some expectation that he spends most of his time forward where his scoreboard impact is undeniable. In the 2025 season of the Coates Talent League, Dovaston was the second most prolific goal scorer for the year - an impressive feat for a small forward. It could have been an even more spectacular haul; Dovaston has some work to do on his finishing in front of goal, but more importantly, he finds a way to rack up scores.