2023 Mid Season Draft - Wednesday May 31 2023

Football Discussion Trade week Duursma head in
384

The Tigers and Essendon also reportedly have interest in Perth forward Jaiden Hunter , who’s exploded into mid-season draft calculations after a stunning three-game stint at WAFL league level. He kicked 4.3 against West Coast, followed by hauls of 2.1 against West Perth and, most recently, 5.1 against South Fremantle.

Essendon is expected to select at Pick 9, but not open up a second spot. It reportedly has interest in Hunter, but don’t be surprised if former Geelong midfielder Quinton Narkle, who was overlooked by Richmond as an SSP recruit during the summer, gets a look-in.

Narkle has booted 8.4 and averaged 20.0 disposals from nine games for Essendon’s VFL side. Clubs wouldn’t be surprised if the Bombers simply upgraded Narkle from their VFL list to their AFL list — although they could do the same with Narkle’s teammate Jack Cleaver — a 188cm defender.

385

Narkle adds nothing to our list.

15 Likes
386

Maybe he adds something offield?

I would prefer bringing in another player from another side as it will strengthen our VFL list, picking Narkle won’t do that (unless he is picked up elsewhere). (preferably someone with upside)

3 Likes
387

Luke Teal
Richmond, VFL
DEF/MID, 189cm, 80kg

Teal was unlucky in his 2022 draft year, dealing with appendicitis and a collarbone injury that curtailed his year. The speedy half-back has hit the ground running in the VFL this year and is on recruiter radars with his burst and agility catching the eye. He racked up 32 touches against Vic Country for the Young Guns two weeks ago and has shown some positional versatility as an inside midfielder. There’s AFL-quality traits to work with in the recently-turned 19-year-old, who has nominated with an 18-month contract.

AFL Mid-season Draft latest - who will get drafted, best prospects, names to watch and more - ESPN

3 Likes
388

Im saying other than Tippa the rest aren’t genuine small forwards.

1 Like
389

I could see the Tiges choosing him out of fear that we might swoop again and whisk away another Duzza type in the rough. I hope that we do manage to stampede them into a choice for the above reason. That would then open up the rest of the draft for us to pick from, with a good chance for us to swoop again and make of like bandits with Tresize, the other Tiger reserve player. Even if we don’t the Tiges will be nervous, and off balance.

390

Cal Twomey firing off a few names in the Gettable segment on the AFL site:

Names he mentions as linked to Essendon:
Jaiden Hunter
Lachie Burrows
Rye Penny
Clay Tucker

1 Like
391

Just repeating the bios posted above on 3 of them

Clay Tucker
Eastern Ranges (Coates League)

H: 204cm, W: 99kg, DOB: 9/8/2004
Nominated Contract Term: 18 months
A towering tall, Tucker covers the ground well with his mobility and agility and has good ruck craft. He has continued to develop as the year has progressed, both in the ruck and also with his ability to go forward and impact the scoreboard. Across his first five games for the Ranges, Tucker averaged 10.4 disposals, 3.4 marks, 21 hitouts and 0.8 goals. He featured in both Young Guns games earlier this month, particularly catching the eye in the second game against Vic Country at Ikon Park. In that match, Tucker gathered 13 disposals, 14 hitouts and kicked two goals. He has spent time training with Hawthorn in recent weeks.

Rye Penny

Calder Cannons (Coates League)

H: 186cm, W: 82kg, DOB: 1/3/2004
Nominated Contract Term: 6 months
An athletic running defender or wingman, Penny’s speed and natural leap stood out during pre-season testing. He ran a 20m sprint time of 2.89 sec and recorded a running vertical jump result of 101cm to be among the best performers across all testing. He continues to improve with his decision making and ball use and his unique athletic abilities have continued to shine. During the Young Guns series he was among the better players in matches against Vic Metro and Country and logged 21 in the second of those matches.

Jaiden Hunter

Perth (WAFL)

H: 196cm, W: 93kg, DOB: 20/4/2002
Nominated Contract Term: 6 months
A goalkicking forward, Hunter was overlooked in his draft year in 2020 before having a horrid run with injury. An elbow injury prematurely ended his 2021 season and he went on to rupture his ACL during a practice match at the start of last year, wiping out his entire 2022 campaign. Hunter returned to the field for Perth’s reserves side in Round 1 this year and booted four goals, before earning a senior WAFL opportunity a month later. He kicked four goals in his first senior game of the year against West Coast, catching the eye of AFL recruiters. Hunter is a competitor, has good aerial ability and reads the play well. The apprentice electrician previously played as a defender and ruckman during 2020 and 2021, showing his versatility.

And footy centrel profile on Burrows

Lachlan Burrows

Height: 195cm

Weight: 95kg

D.O.B: 24-11-2000

Leagues: Under 18s Championships

MISSING out on being drafted last year, Sturt’s Lachlan Burrows received an extra year of development in the SANFL Reserves competition, where he rotated in various key position roles across the ground to good effect. Averaging just 6.7 disposals per game, Burrows is one of the more mobile rucks going around, with an 8.3-second agility test and 3.08-second 20m sprint proving his athletic worth. While he can cover the ground well in that sense, Burrows still needs to build his endurance in order to have a greater output and better stamp his authority in the air. His work when in disposal is quite sound for a big man though, going at 63 per cent disposal efficiency this year at Reserves level. Overlooked talls are often brought into the AFL after a base of solid form at state level, but Burrows’ mobility could see a club roll the dice on him.

STRENGTHS: Vertical leap, mobility, strength, defensive work
IMPROVEMENTS: Endurance, accumulation

4 Likes
392

I disagree with this. Guelfi and Snelling are pure pressure small forwards, and I’d argue have failed elsewhere. Tex, J Davey, Walla and Menzie are all small forwards.

I’m not sure how anyone can say that with a straight face. I mean, these guys aren’t midfielders and they’re not medium sized or tall!

2 Likes
393

IMG_1590
IMG_15901170×1113 133 KB

3 Likes
394

That’s sort of my point, they are small and we play them forward so they are small forwards. However none of them are goalkickers in the way the best small forwards are. None of them seem natural small forwards, they seem like they are eking a career as a small forward as they don’t have the size or capability to make it as mids.

2 Likes
395

So in your view pressure small forwards are really all want-to-be midfielders. As was most of the premiership Richmond small forward line presumably?

And Menzie, J Davey and Tex aren’t small forwards despite one of their main qualities being goal kicking and crumbing.

If you argued Hobbs or Caldwell I’d be fine with that; they are definitely not small forwards. And I agree A Davey isn’t one. But the others all are.

1 Like
396

Well duh

Guelfi, Snelling, Davey all played midfield in their junior careers, the first two were playing midfield in state leagues when we drafted them.

If Guelfi or Snelling exited the AFL and went back to state league now do you think they would be pressure forwards or main midfielders?

Now of course you need a mix. Some pressure forwards and hopefully a genuine star or two legit goal kicker. I’m saying we might have 7 or so “small” forwards on our list but none look like a bone fide goal kicker in future years. It would be nice to have one.

397

Snelling had 38 disp and 15 tackles the week before we drafted him.

1 Like
398

IMG_8620
IMG_86201170×2532 242 KB

Contingency plan if Jones doesn’t work out?

7 Likes
399

Its interesting that at VFL level Snelling gets 100% midfield minutes, whereas Guelfi played forward.

Id like to see ADJ in the VFL midfield roation.

Jayden Davey and Wanganeen are the out and out guys who know where the goals are like Walla.
I think Jayden Davey wins most of the kicking contests at training.
Interesting hearing walla talk about their mini games trying to kick the unrealistic goals. He said most of the boys won’t even try it. But for them it making the impossible look easy by practicing them.

1 Like
400

Looks more like big Stuza being replaced by a younger brother

1 Like
401

i agree with your premise, but also the others that there’s technically a few players who can play the forward role.

the problem i see is, half of them are miles away from remotely being able to play afl (wanga, munkarra J davey) tippa is cooked but is still getting games cos warm fuzzies.

so that leaves menzie, guelfi, snelling and davey as the only actual viable small forwards. menzie is the only one out of them that is seemingly a true forward and he’s being expected to do a lot of defensive work and running.

and then you add in sooner or later caldwall and hobbs will be pushed back to hff’s so while I agree we probably do need a genuine forward who could come in now and impact
A i dont’ think there are any out there
B it’s like every other position, who’s this msd pick going to be replacing ? in the coaches eyes i mean not ours.

1 Like
402

Menzie, Wanganeen and J Davey are the small forwards you are looking for. Maybe Wanganeen ends up elsewhere, but Menzie is definitely a small forward, and J Davey has been a small forward previously, and would be expected to play that role when he’s fit

2 Likes
403

Have you really looked at Munkara. I query your description of small forward.

1 Like