2025 Draft Watch

[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?

[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]

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?

[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]

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.

[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 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