2025 Draft Watch

[Willow18]

Scrap Xavier Taylor as a watch. Can’t see him getting passed Essendon’s picks after that game.

Dovaston was electric. Maybe I’m team Dovaston over Hibbins-Hargreaves atm

[GVGjr]

The Coates League Grand Final is today at 1pm at IKON park

EASTERN RANGES
B: 37. R. Ali – 22. X. Taylor – 31. A. Barker
HB: 11. M. Gillan – 42. O. McKenzie – 25. O. Taylor
C: 38. H. Chapman – 7. J. Knapp – 1. B. Chambers
HF: 55. S. Robey – 8. L. Dovaston – 14. Z. Antonellos
F: 4. B. Lloyd – 16. T. Swainston – 29. R. McConnell
FOL: 59. M. Krasnadamskis – 9. J. Landy – 26. O. Greeves

INT: 15. M. Buckland, 34. A. Spencer, 36. J. Lawrence, 41. S. Devers, 51. C. Nash
EMG: 5. D. Jamieson, 24. C. Sizer

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
B: 20. H. Thomas – 16. T. Bradley – 59. J. Noorbergen
HB: 9. R. Wright – 41. B. Martin – 30. D. Heelis
C: 29. P. Hanover – 60. S. Levine – 49. J. Hayter
HF: 75. W. Reidy – 34. K. Fincher – 33. G. Dimer
F: 32. M. Tyrer – 15. O. Griffin – 6. A. Butler
FOL: 4. J. Galbally – 27. X. Bamert – 2. J. Dalton

INT: 8. S. Buck, 10. G. Teixeira, 12. K. Nadji, 13. A. Lambert, 63. F. Brayshaw
EMG: 17. L. Burrows, 70. K. Watt, 73. J. Davies

VIC METRO SQUAD MEMBERS
Eastern Ranges (6): Andrew Barker, Blake Chambers*, Lachie Dovaston, Oliver Greeves, Bailey Lloyd*, Xavier Taylor,
Sandringham Dragons (6): Xavier Bamert, Arki Butler, Jack Dalton, Kye Fincher, Miles Tyrer*, Rory Wright

* Injured players

[GVGjr]

Does anyone have some players in mind that might be worth reviewing?

Lachy Dovaston and Xavier Taylor have a few of our supporters interested. Also I've seen Jevan Phillipou mentioned as well so perhaps start there.

Two players with really good left foot kicking skills appeal to me.
Oskar Taylor (which I think you previously mentioned) and Rory Wright
Taylor is a 182cm defender with plenty of pace. Really takes the game on.
Wright is a 183cm midfielder who has moved to the half back line in recent weeks. Strongly built and a really nice kick

Tom Burton was mentioned a while back and he is a 178cm defender and midfielder.

[Dogs 24/7]

Does anyone have some players in mind that might be worth reviewing?

[GVGjr]

Our first round picks for the last few years have been Hynes, Sanders and Croft, Busslinger, Darcy, Jamarra, Weightman, Smith, Naughton and Richards.

To my eye only two of them (Sanders and Smith) were drafted as pure mids, with Ed and Hynes hybrids.

Our issues in first round recently have not been our choices, but our access to three tall fs/academy picks. We haven't been picking enough elite mids.

I tend to agree that we haven't targeted midfielders like we probably should have. That said, losing Smith (and Dunkley before that) has weakened our depth. We have probably been fortunate to get Freijah through the door who has contributed nicely to our midfield.
We seem to be desperate to find half forwards who take turns in the midfield and smaller forwards.

I wonder what our focus will be for this draft given we will only use 2 or 3 picks at the National Draft

[Uninformed]

Our first round picks for the last few years have been Hynes, Sanders and Croft, Busslinger, Darcy, Jamarra, Weightman, Smith, Naughton and Richards.

To my eye only two of them (Sanders and Smith) were drafted as pure mids, with Ed and Hynes hybrids.

Our issues in first round recently have not been our choices, but our access to three tall fs/academy picks. We haven't been picking enough elite mids.

It is a pretty good mix really. Hybrid, Mid. Key forward, key back, key forward/ruck, key forward, small forward, insta star, key back, half back. More key forwards than other because of father/sons. Gotta be pretty happy with recruitment having so few misses.

I would love us to have recruited a Warner and a Gulden, but maybe trading in Butters will make up for it. (Not to mention scoring with Freijah.)

[jazzadogs]

Our first round picks for the last few years have been Hynes, Sanders and Croft, Busslinger, Darcy, Jamarra, Weightman, Smith, Naughton and Richards.

To my eye only two of them (Sanders and Smith) were drafted as pure mids, with Ed and Hynes hybrids.

Our issues in first round recently have not been our choices, but our access to three tall fs/academy picks. We haven't been picking enough elite mids.

[Uninformed]

A lot of clubs essentially follow that best available approach but also modify it when it makes sense to do so.
If you have an early pick then you should go for the best player but a bit later there is probably a bit more flexibility.

GWS certainly reach for players and go in with a specific shopping list.

The percentages favour a mid to be best available at most stages. Tim and Naughts. the obvious exceptions for us. Would it be good to allocate our best pick, say, every third year to a position of obvious need?

[GVGjr]

I was wondering about our 'best available' policy for the first round picks. Does it lead to the situation of too many of similar type and we can't find the position they want leading to losing such as Smith, Dunkley and Lipinsky, even MacCrae and Daniel. Too many high picks for the positions available in the team.

If it is a deliberate approach, the upside would be trading them out for what we need to trade in or renewal with fresh picks.

Not sure it has worked that way so would we be better identifying need, say defence/small forward/wing, and picking for that instead?

A lot of clubs essentially follow that best available approach but also modify it when it makes sense to do so.
If you have an early pick then you should go for the best player but a bit later there is probably a bit more flexibility.

GWS certainly reach for players and go in with a specific shopping list.

[Uninformed]

There should be a few others in the mix as well but that's a good start

I was wondering about our 'best available' policy for the first round picks. Does it lead to the situation of too many of similar type and we can't find the position they want leading to losing such as Smith, Dunkley and Lipinsky, even MacCrae and Daniel. Too many high picks for the positions available in the team.

If it is a deliberate approach, the upside would be trading them out for what we need to trade in or renewal with fresh picks.

Not sure it has worked that way so would we be better identifying need, say defence/small forward/wing, and picking for that instead?

[The_Bont]

Must be getting close to draft season - these guys are doing top 50 draftees countdown with pretty detailed profiles:

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2025/09/17/2025-draft-power-rankings-31-40/

[GVGjr]

Xavier Taylor, Lachy Dovaston, or Oskar Taylor for our first pick?

There should be a few others in the mix as well but that's a good start

[meenies]

Xavier Taylor, Lachy Dovaston, or Oskar Taylor for our first pick?

[lemmon]

Do we think Lachy Dovaston will last to our pick as we have really nailed a small zippy crumbing forward.

I'm far from an expert, but he feels like the favourite for us, considering none of the teams below have a real need for a small forward. I like the little I've seen of him - he seems like he can play the modern high half-forward role of getting right up the ground and linking play. Looks like quite a nice field kick too - almost places the ball on his foot the way Aker used to.

[Hotdog60]

Do we think Lachy Dovaston will last to our pick as we have really nailed a small zippy crumbing forward.