Preview 2024 AFL Draft General Discussion

[eaglevision]

Yeah Wilson, Mckercher, Watson, Reid, Curtin, Rogers etc just had a bit of xfactor made them look like untapped talents and you could see that translating to AFL level once they got some pre season gym work into them.

To me a lot of the mids in this crop look like pick 10-20 mids from other years, good users and decision makers but nothing that stands out amongst the rest.

Using 2023 Wilson and Rogers were really the only pure mids taken in that bracket so small sample size, not sure I’d say guys at the top this year are no better than them but you’re definitely right about the lack of X factor. A lot of them will get their 25-30 possessions but aside from glimpses of Smillie none of these guys look like they’d make the opposition s**t the bed if they were running through the middle with the ball under their arm.

Hopefully at the champs there’s a directive to run the ball up the corridor to CHF and we see who’s going to hurt teams.

 

[JasRulz63]

Levi Ashcroft - his stoppage work was good, his tackling excellent. His propensity to demand the football in bad positions is frustrating. Really needs to be more team oriented at times.

I was watching this match with a biased lens as to who I was paying attention to (Ashcroft and Marshall for obvious reasons) but I agree with the assessment.

Will wasn't dissimilar in his junior years in terms of demanding the ball, but it's something that improved once he was at AFL level and stopped trying to do too much. I reckon Levi will benefit from AFL level the same way.

 

[noobermensch]

Agree with this. Harley tore Port ressies a new one last year in corresponding game. Nothing to massively seperate top half dozen mids

But Harley also was fairly quiet in the second Academy game against the blues.

I feel like making too many definitive judgements from the limited sample size of the Academy games is a mistake myself.

Also, Ryley Sanders wasn't great in either academy game last year and you can see what a year and an AFL pre-season can do for a kid from his dominance today.

 

[noobermensch]

One thing I dont understand is the midfield rotations. It felt like every player other than Levi Ashcroft had to take a very brief moment on ball, but Levi played the entire game in there. For instance, Smillie played the first term onball, then moved into the forward in Q2 and played the entire second half in defense.

No knock on Levi, I thought he was solid. Just weird.

 

[eaglevision]

But Harley also was fairly quiet in the second Academy game against the blues.

I feel like making too many definitive judgements from the limited sample size of the Academy games is a mistake myself.

Also, Ryley Sanders wasn't great in either academy game last year and you can see what a year and an AFL pre-season can do for a kid from his dominance today.

My comments were based purely on observation of this game which probably wasn’t clear. The champs are what I really want to see.

 

[Toffee Lion]

I was watching this match with a biased lens as to who I was paying attention to (Ashcroft and Marshall for obvious reasons) but I agree with the assessment.

Will wasn't dissimilar in his junior years in terms of demanding the ball, but it's something that improved once he was at AFL level and stopped trying to do too much. I reckon Levi will benefit from AFL level the same way.

It also helps that the likes of Neale & Dunkley cause the opposition to gravitate towards them, putting Will/Levi in better positions to receive the ball in better positions.

WAshcroft was never getting a lot of attention prior to his injury because how could you with the other two prime midfielders to deal with first.

Levi will be similar I feel, although expecting a bit more grunt work (And time at HF) compared to Will.

 

[Profop]

Quick question. What is Smillie’s over head marking like? I always have severe concerns on the bigger mids who don’t have solid mitts when it comes to contested marking

 

[Tivva29]

Quick question. What is Smillie’s over head marking like? I always have severe concerns on the bigger mids who don’t have solid mitts when it comes to contested marking

It’s pretty good in juniors as he’s so big he’s able to hold his position in packs. Would that translate to AFL surrounded by monsters?

 

[TDS7]

It’s pretty good in juniors as he’s so big he’s able to hold his position in packs. Would that translate to AFL surrounded by monsters?

He seemed very settled against Footscray, and just from the eye test he seems like he'll go well with larger opponents. He's not going to marking up Tom Hawkins every week, but playing as a half back a la Dawson in his first few seasons with the swans or Scrimshaw in his current role I reckon he'll go alright. (Not to mention Dawson's top end skill set, just his work as a defender early on).

 

[eaglevision]

Anyone catch the young guns match today? Keen to know how Hopkins and Uerata went

 

[PMBangers]

Champs can't come soon enough to separate that top 25ish into their groupings, currently think the top 8 (FOS, Smith, SMillie, Ashcroft, Moraes, Trainor, Draper, Lombard in no particular order) is pretty clear above the pack as it stands, but 9-30 is, as always, difficult to order currently.

Very impressed with Lalor's return recently as well, and really keen to see how Faull goes coming back soon

 

[Ctl]

Are the talls good enough where clubs might be tempted to take them early to fill positional needs?

 

[PMBangers]

Are the talls good enough where clubs might be tempted to take them early to fill positional needs?

Trainor is probably the only one that's shown enough at this point to warrant that, however Faull ended last season extremely well so if he kicks on when he returns he may join that group.

The others in the top 40 discussions have the tools to do so, just about showing it more consistently

 

[Slackjaw]

Champs can't come soon enough to separate that top 25ish into their groupings, currently think the top 8 (FOS, Smith, SMillie, Ashcroft, Moraes, Trainor, Draper, Lombard in no particular order) is pretty clear above the pack as it stands, but 9-30 is, as always, difficult to order currently.

Very impressed with Lalor's return recently as well, and really keen to see how Faull goes coming back soon

PM is Lalor just an inside mid feeding out to others or can he burst from stoppage, get some outside ball? Would he fit the Crows?

 

[PMBangers]

PM is Lalor just an inside mid feeding out to others or can he burst from stoppage, get some outside ball? Would he fit the Crows?

Has a decently well developed outside game and can hit the scoreboard pretty well when afforded opportunities forward of centre. Burst speed from stoppage is one of his main appeals, so doesn't quite fit the mould of the current Crows midfield crop

 

[Slackjaw]

Has a decently well developed outside game and can hit the scoreboard pretty well when afforded opportunities forward of centre. Burst speed from stoppage is one of his main appeals, so doesn't quite fit the mould of the current Crows midfield crop

Cheers for that. If you had to pick a mid for the Crows this draft, who would you lean towards currently?

 

[PMBangers]

Cheers for that. If you had to pick a mid for the Crows this draft, who would you lean towards currently?

O'Sullivan or Smith for mine would suit nicely given they're probably going to be better as receivers at the next level and bring a touch of speed and class by foot that'd compliment the current inside brigade you guys have. Smillie of course has to be considered but I wonder if his development would be stunted if he doesnt get to be the main inside guy at a club within the first 2 or 3 years of his career

 

[Slackjaw]

O'Sullivan or Smith for mine would suit nicely given they're probably going to be better as receivers at the next level and bring a touch of speed and class by foot that'd compliment the current inside brigade you guys have. Smillie of course has to be considered but I wonder if his development would be stunted if he doesnt get to be the main inside guy at a club within the first 2 or 3 years of his career

Thanks mate. Would Draper suit the Crows?

 

[PMBangers]

Thanks mate. Would Draper suit the Crows?

I don't love Draper over the others, I'd probably take Moraes over him as well tbh. He'd be a minor point of difference from your existing mids given his speed and agility, but doesn't have the footskills to be as impactful on the outside as others

 

[Mister_Football]

Where can one find a replay of the Academy versus Footscray game? Does the AFL realise people like to watch these things? Why does it make them impossible to find?

 

[Mutineer]

Anyone catch the young guns match today? Keen to know how Hopkins and Uerata went

Uerata caught the eye with his dash and hard at it gamestyle, the most impressive I thought from a MSD prospective was Oskar Snartt.

 

[eaglevision]

Uerata caught the eye with his dash and hard at it gamestyle, the most impressive I thought from a MSD prospective was Oskar Snartt.

Thanks mate, that was what I got from reading about it but couldn’t watch it. Any thoughts on Hopkins?

 

[Mutineer]

PM is Lalor just an inside mid feeding out to others or can he burst from stoppage, get some outside ball? Would he fit the Crows?

He would do me, big bodied with good burst speed, excellent overhead, loves to lay a hard tackle and most certainly not a one dimensional inside mid at all, very capable when resting forward to hit the scoreboard in bunches as well.

 

[Mutineer]

Thanks mate, that was what I got from reading about it but couldn’t watch it. Any thoughts on Hopkins?

I thought his Falcons teammate Liam Kershaw was easily the pick of Falcons lads as that taller wing/running back type that are favoured in the AFL these days, a definite 2 way runner, worked as hard off the ball as when in possession.

Edit, just realised Hopkins is a Dandy Stinger.

 

[TylerDurden]

I don't love Draper over the others, I'd probably take Moraes over him as well tbh. He'd be a minor point of difference from your existing mids given his speed and agility, but doesn't have the footskills to be as impactful on the outside as others

Where do you have Jobe mate? Some are saying top 5 now.