2023 Draft Watch

[The Doctor]

2023 AFL Academy announced

https://www.afl.com.au/news/866451/no-1-contender-brother-of-port-star-headline-2023-academy-intake

POTENTIAL 2023 No.1 pick Harley Reid has been rewarded for his impressive bottom-age junior campaign, leading the intake of prospects included in next season's NAB AFL Academy program.

Reid, who demonstrated his immense potential playing across all three lines for the Bendigo Pioneers and Vic Country this season, is the standout player among a 30-man squad announced on Friday.

The Academy program, which is coached by Tarkyn Lockyer, is due to meet for an induction camp in December and will reconvene again for further camps and matches throughout April and May next year.

It features an exciting crop of talent and some familiar names from across the country including Zane Duursma, the gifted Gippsland Power key forward and younger brother of Port Adelaide star Xavier.

Northern Knights key forward Nate Caddy, the nephew of two-time Richmond premiership player Josh, and 201cm Gippsland Power key forward Archer Reid – who is the younger brother of Essendon defender Zach – are also included.

Will Lorenz, the grandson of 232-game Hawthorn great and 1961 Hawks premiership captain Graham Arthur, is also featured in the squad after an impressive season playing as a goal-kicking midfielder for the Oakleigh Chargers.

Meanwhile exciting 194cm key forward Jed Walter, who earned a place in this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships All-Australian team, is one of three Gold Coast Academy members included in the program alongside Ethan Read and Jake Rogers.


2023 NAB AFL ACADEMY

Lachlan Cabor (New South Wales/Sydney Swans Academy)

Nate Caddy (Vic Metro/Northern Knights)

Jack Callinan (Tasmania/Tasmania Devils)

Caiden Cleary (New South Wales/Sydney Swans Academy)

Daniel Curtin (Western Australia/Claremont)

Jack Delean (South Australia/South Adelaide)

Zane Duursma (Vic Country/Gippsland Power)

Mitchell Edwards (Western Australia/Peel Thunder)

William Green (Vic Metro/Northern Knights)

Riley Hardeman (Western Australia/Swan Districts)

William Lorenz (Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers)

Kane McAuliffe (South Australia/North Adelaide)

Colby McKercher (Tasmania/Tasmania Devils)

Ashton Moir (South Australia/Glenelg)

Connor O'Sullivan (New South Wales/Murray Bushrangers)

William Patton (South Australia/West Adelaide)

Nathan Philactides (Vic Metro/Oakleigh Chargers)

Ethan Read (Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy)

Archer Reid (Vic Country/Gippsland Power)

Harley Reid (Vic Country/Bendigo Pioneers)

Archie Roberts (Vic Metro/Sandringham Dragons)

Jake Rogers (Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy)

Ryley Sanders (Tasmania/Sandringham Dragons)

Cooper Simpson (Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays)

George Stevens (Vic Country/Greater Western Victoria Rebels)

Koltyn Tholstrup (Western Australia/Subiaco)

Orlando Turner (Northern Territory/West Adelaide)

Jed Walter (Queensland/Gold Coast Suns Academy)

Nick Watson (Vic Metro/Eastern Ranges)

Darcy Wilson (Vic Country/Murray Bushrangers)

[The Doctor]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

A few articles about the 2023 Draft class

https://www.afl.com.au/news/848570/2023s-draft-guns-on-show-u17s-futures-game-live-from-925am-aest

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/11/04/the-ultra-exciting-prospects-headlining-potential-2023-super-draft/

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/10/13/the-dustin-martin-like-prospect-headlining-very-exciting-2023-draft/

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-2022-future-draft-picks-2023-draft-future-trades-who-owns-which-picks-gold-coast-suns-academy-analysis/news-story/7f6e8fb75bd1825e8d60df2a965f6546

[FrediKanoute]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

No Crofty! That could be a good thing.

[Mofra]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

No Crofty! That could be a good thing.

Fingers crossed - although Sam Darcy wasn't on many radars until Oakleigh started actually playing games

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

Ashton Moir is a star

[The Doctor]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

One of my fave's for next year Nick Watson

https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1595959149405253633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1595959149405253633%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

[Grantysghost]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

One of my fave's for next year Nick Watson

https://twitter.com/AFL/status/15959...5Es1_&ref_url=

He looks like a proper small forward.

Part of my want to wait and not go Clarke but we can have both!

Imagine Watson, Clarke and Weightman.

[The Doctor]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

He looks like a proper small forward.

Part of my want to wait and not go Clarke but we can have both!

Imagine Watson, Clarke and Weightman.

we need another genuine small forward especially with pace who can sniff out a goal.

[Bornadog]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

AFL Draft - The top 10 prospects for 2023

ESPN's AFL Draft expert Chris Doerre looks ahead to next year, predicting the top 10 talents for the 2023 draft.


Note: This list is in alphabetical order and not a ranking.


Nate Caddy
The nephew of former Richmond forward Josh Caddy, Nate is an athletic and aggressive tall forward. Strong on the lead, Caddy is a high-leaper who is a strong aerial marking threat and a dangerous one-on-one mark. Just short of key position height at this stage, Caddy can hit the scoreboard in bunches and will be looking to spend more time pushing up through the midfield in 2023.

Daniel Curtin
Winning the NAB Medal for best afield in the annual NAB AFL Futures Grand Final curtain raiser match, Curtin is a prolific intercept marking key defender. A wonderful reader of the ball in flight, Curtin regularly gets into position for intercept marks and is a strong contested mark. He also regularly turns one-on-one situations in marks. For a key defender, Curtin displays rare agility and evasion to avoid tackles and a real dare and want to take on the game with his run. He is also a strong kick and hits up targets reliably with precision from defence.

Jack Delean
A talented forward who made a name for himself in 2021, Delean is a small marking forward who hits the scoreboard heavily, averaging more than a goal per game in 2022 in the SANFL Under-18s. A high-leaping, strong aerial marking threat, Delean is also a talented finisher around goal and is a reliable set shot converter. He can set up teammates inside 50m with his clever work by foot and is also adept at ground level.

Zane Duursma
The younger brother of Xavier Duursma, Zane is a talented and high-leaping forward, who does his best work taking marks inside 50m. He's also a marking threat on the lead and one-on-one. A talented finisher around goal in general play who can hit the scoreboard heavily, Duursma is a reliable set shot goalkicker with a good approach. A good ground ball winner, Duursma can push up through the midfield and win first possession. He will also take on the game with his pace when given the opportunity.

Will Lorenz
The Grandson of Hawthorn premiership captain Graham Arthur, Lorenz is an offensively talented and damaging midfielder and strong ball winner. He's exceptional taking on the game with his speed and agility, stepping through traffic and looking natural with ball in hand. He's a great ball user, takes his time with ball in hand and hits meaningful targets by foot. He also likes a goal and is dangerous whenever there is an opportunity.

Ashton Moir
A talented and dangerous forward, Moir is a match-winner who does a lot of his best work inside 50m but can also impact games through the midfield. Moir is dangerous overhead, one-on-one and aerially inside 50m. He is also strong at ground level, often making something happen. With ball in hand, it feels like he can finish from anywhere. A gifted athlete, Moir is a high leaper and possesses explosive pace and good agility.

Harley Reid
Reid displays the versatility to isolate one-on-one deep in the front half, intercept and generate meaningful rebound from defence or play through the midfield and win the ball and explode forward. A blend of Dustin Martin and Luke Hodge, Reid is the early favourite to be the first selected in next year's draft. Reid's performance for Victoria Country against Victoria Metro will remain in the minds of recruiters as one of 2022's most influential.

Koltyn Tholstrup
A damaging and speedy forward who can push up through the midfield, Tholstrup takes on the game with his run and is a good kick that can find targets around the ground and inside 50m. A capable contested ball winner, Tholstrup is dangerous at ground level, a strong mark and can hit the scoreboard in bunches when playing forward.

Jed Walter
A Gold Coast Academy product, Walter was one of two 2023 eligible prospects to feature in the Under-18 All-Australian team. A strong-bodied and powerful key forward, Walter possesses unbelievable straight-line speed whether leading up at the ball and generating separation or when in a footrace for a groundball. There would be no one in the junior ranks who can outrun him when he has a direct path at the ball. Walter is also a big body who throws his size and weight around in contested situations and is a strong pack and one-on-one mark. His aggression also comes through with his pressure and tackling, chasing at high speed and burying opponents with force when he mows them down.

Nick Watson
A small forward, Watson is as ready to impact games at AFL level as any prospect in the pool. Despite standing at less than 170cm, Watson plays much taller than his height and is both an overhead marking threat and dangerous at ground level. He often serves as his team's primary avenue to goal. He possesses exceptional skills and can set up teammates inside 50m for shots on goal, finishes around goal at will and converts his set shot attempts.

[kruder]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

Interesting that not many names are mids, it's time we add a few to the list.

Harley Reid looked easily the best player at the champs in the few games I watched.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

From the HUN

Jordan Croft (Calder Cannons) – A 199cm key forward who kicked three goals on two separate occasions in the NAB League this year. A father-son prospect for Western Bulldogs, as the son of Matthew Croft who played 186 games for the Bulldogs between 1991 and 2004. Part of the Vic Metro squad for 2023.

[Grantysghost]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

From the HUN

Jordan Croft (Calder Cannons) – A 199cm key forward who kicked three goals on two separate occasions in the NAB League this year. A father-son prospect for Western Bulldogs, as the son of Matthew Croft who played 186 games for the Bulldogs between 1991 and 2004. Part of the Vic Metro squad for 2023.

Wow we've gone from never having tall forwards to an insane glut.
Are we odds on to take him G or is it a watch and see during the champs/nab league?

[Go_Dogs]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

Another 199cm forward, gee whiz.

Hopefully he has a good year, and has his eyes on an AFL list spot. Assume he’s been coming through our academy and spending time at the club already.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

Wow we've gone from never having tall forwards to an insane glut.
Are we odds on to take him G or is it a watch and see during the champs/nab league?

I'd say that unless an early bid comes we will add him to the playing list. He will take a while to develop.
I think the aim would be to get two early picks done and then add Croft.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2023 Draft Watch

Another 199cm forward, gee whiz.

Hopefully he has a good year, and has his eyes on an AFL list spot. Assume he’s been coming through our academy and spending time at the club already.

Who knows if his best position might actually be as a key defender. What we might need to part with to bring him in is interesting.
I would imagine our 2023 2nd round pick would be around the mark or better still all those 4th rounders we banked.