2025 AFL Draft

[Andyy]

A high pack is just wasted in a ruckman imo

Duursma will not be available with our pick
west coast will take either Duursma/sharp or Duursma/CDT

Just gotta nail the pick. Plenty of good rucks go early.

NicNat (2), Jackson (3), Kreuzer (1), Ryder (7). All top shelf.

And Jackson the only one with a flag, who played with the best ruckman ever arguably.


History will say a high pick ruckman is just not required to win a flag.

Anyway if we do end up with CDT I hope he’s a winner, just don’t see it. Time will tell !

I get your point about the premiership link and it's a good point.

I think what interests me is that he can play forward also.

[ajGreen]

A high pack is just wasted in a ruckman imo

Duursma will not be available with our pick
west coast will take either Duursma/sharp or Duursma/CDT

Thilthorpe who would be on the list of most valuable player in the league; age/talent. Rucked a third of the game in the crows final.

Darcy has played ruck too.

[ajGreen]

A high pack is just wasted in a ruckman imo

Duursma will not be available with our pick
west coast will take either Duursma/sharp or Duursma/CDT

If it is a waste. Why do you think there is a good chance of wce taking CDT?  NicNat was a very good player.

In a weak draft , with a clear top3. *

To not take him ,  if sharp and duursma are gone.

With the club holding picks 3 and 4 *   , seems like madness IMHO.

More so when you consider he can play forward and nank is cooked and there is nothing in reserve.

* Of the available draft pool

If we look at the number 1 rucks from each team only 7 out of 18 are playing for the team they were originally drafted for and the highest pick used being English at pick 19.

Not saying we should pass on CDT if he’s available but it’s why I’m hoping he’s already taken. Past history just clearly shows that using such a top end pick on a ruck very rarely works out, even moreso the current iteration of the AFL.

Adelaide - ROB - rookie draft pick
Geelong - Rhys Stanley - traded from saints for end of 1st rounder
Brisbane - Darcy Fort - traded from Geelong from 3rd rounder
Collingwood - Darcy Cameron - traded from swans for basically nothing
GWS - Briggs - drafted 2nd round
Freo - Jackson - traded from dees for 2 x 1st rounders & 2nd rounder
Suns - Witts - traded from pies for 3rd rounders
Hawks - Meek - traded from freo as steaknives in Omeara deal.
WBD - English - drafted pick 19
Swans - Grundy - basically given away first by Collingwood and then by Melbourne
Blues - Pittonet - traded from hawks for 3rd rounder
Saints - Marshall - rookie draft pick
Port - Sweet - traded from dogs for 3rd round pick.
Dees - Gawn - drafted 2nd round
Essendon - Bryan - drafted 2nd round
North - Xerri - drafted 5th round
Richmond - Nank - traded from swans for 3rd rounder.
WCE - Flynn- free agent from GWS

What is the point of listing every team when all fail bar one every season?

Ideally you'd get a superstar ruckman in the 4th round but that's very hard to do.

The saints have just given tdk one of the biggest contracts in football. Indicating some clubs are still thinking good bigs are important.

I'm not high on player rating but Jackson (very high pick) and xerri were top 5 all season.

Gawn being the best players in a flag winning season isn't an argument against a good ruck.

If you get cdt and he works out Richmond have hopefully finished the spine for the rebuild.

Fwd/ruck: CDT. Sims.
Fwd:  Faull. Armstrong.
Back: Trainor. Gibcus. Balta. Miller.

You could also argue the past doesn't matter much as much as the future. You'd much rather a Jackson. Thilthorpe. Or even xerri than not.

[Simonator]

I think you misunderstand a few points.

1. TDK is somewhat of a proven player, not a draftee. And even with that said there isn’t a person that thinks he isn’t being tremendously overpaid.

2. The point on Gawn is that yes Jackson is a high pick and a premiership ruckman, but he played with the best ruckman the game has ever seen so clearly Jackson’s impact is less meaningful, also Gawn was drafted 34th…

3. What really matters is how many premiership ruckmen are 1st round picks.. I think it’s 5 in the last 20 years and 4 of them were then traded to the team they won a flag with.. if that doesn’t speak volumes then I don’t know what does.

Fair enough to say it’s more about the future. And bloody oath id take a Xerri type,  drafted 72nd btw.

I’d be more on the CDT bandwagon if he looked a generational talent like Nic Nat, but he’s not even close IMO.

[Andyy]

I think you misunderstand a few points.

1. TDK is somewhat of a proven player, not a draftee. And even with that said there isn’t a person that thinks he isn’t being tremendously overpaid.

2. The point on Gawn is that yes Jackson is a high pick and a premiership ruckman, but he played with the best ruckman the game has ever seen so clearly Jackson’s impact is less meaningful, also Gawn was drafted 34th…

3. What really matters is how many premiership ruckmen are 1st round picks.. I think it’s 5 in the last 20 years and 4 of them were then traded to the team they won a flag with.. if that doesn’t speak volumes then I don’t know what does.

Fair enough to say it’s more about the future. And bloody oath id take a Xerri type,  drafted 72nd btw.

I’d be more on the CDT bandwagon if he looked a generational talent like Nic Nat, but he’s not even close IMO.

TDK's wage is irrelevant though. He's a good player but was taken at P30. I'm mostly focused here on the top 5-10 picks/year.

Jackson is a dead set gun player and ruck. Playing with Gawn is irrelevant also. We'd instantly be a better team if we swapped Nank for him.

Regarding point 3...proportionally how many rucks are playing or picked vs mids and other positions? We often play with 1-2/23 players. So if there's 5 in the last 20 years I still think that's a good return given how few ruck positions there are in the AFL.


I think the ultimate example though is Darcy as a forward/ruck. No idea if CDT has that ceiling though?

[Simonator]

I think you misunderstand a few points.

1. TDK is somewhat of a proven player, not a draftee. And even with that said there isn’t a person that thinks he isn’t being tremendously overpaid.

2. The point on Gawn is that yes Jackson is a high pick and a premiership ruckman, but he played with the best ruckman the game has ever seen so clearly Jackson’s impact is less meaningful, also Gawn was drafted 34th…

3. What really matters is how many premiership ruckmen are 1st round picks.. I think it’s 5 in the last 20 years and 4 of them were then traded to the team they won a flag with.. if that doesn’t speak volumes then I don’t know what does.

Fair enough to say it’s more about the future. And bloody oath id take a Xerri type,  drafted 72nd btw.

I’d be more on the CDT bandwagon if he looked a generational talent like Nic Nat, but he’s not even close IMO.

TDK's wage is irrelevant though. He's a good player but was taken at P30. I'm mostly focused here on the top 5-10 picks/year.

Jackson is a dead set gun player and ruck. Playing with Gawn is irrelevant also. We'd instantly be a better team if we swapped Nank for him.

Regarding point 3...proportionally how many rucks are playing or picked vs mids and other positions? We often play with 1-2/23 players. So if there's 5 in the last 20 years I still think that's a good return given how few ruck positions there are in the AFL.


I think the ultimate example though is Darcy as a forward/ruck. No idea if CDT has that ceiling though?

My post was referring to ajGreen who mentioned tdks contract.
And the Gawn thing is relevant because Jackson is one of the few first round picks who is a premiership ruckman, but he played with Gawn who at the time was a far better player and is arguably the best ruckman the game has ever seen who was also ironically drafted late. It’s a hypothetical but you’d have to think without Gawn, Jackson wouldn’t be a premiership ruckman.

That’s true the ruck pool is a lot smaller, but still the stats show basically 25% of premiership ruckman are 1st rd picks and 80% of those 1st round picks won at a team that did not draft the.

Of course all this doesn’t matter if CDT turns out to be a gun

[Andyy]

I think you misunderstand a few points.

1. TDK is somewhat of a proven player, not a draftee. And even with that said there isn’t a person that thinks he isn’t being tremendously overpaid.

2. The point on Gawn is that yes Jackson is a high pick and a premiership ruckman, but he played with the best ruckman the game has ever seen so clearly Jackson’s impact is less meaningful, also Gawn was drafted 34th…

3. What really matters is how many premiership ruckmen are 1st round picks.. I think it’s 5 in the last 20 years and 4 of them were then traded to the team they won a flag with.. if that doesn’t speak volumes then I don’t know what does.

Fair enough to say it’s more about the future. And bloody oath id take a Xerri type,  drafted 72nd btw.

I’d be more on the CDT bandwagon if he looked a generational talent like Nic Nat, but he’s not even close IMO.

TDK's wage is irrelevant though. He's a good player but was taken at P30. I'm mostly focused here on the top 5-10 picks/year.

Jackson is a dead set gun player and ruck. Playing with Gawn is irrelevant also. We'd instantly be a better team if we swapped Nank for him.

Regarding point 3...proportionally how many rucks are playing or picked vs mids and other positions? We often play with 1-2/23 players. So if there's 5 in the last 20 years I still think that's a good return given how few ruck positions there are in the AFL.


I think the ultimate example though is Darcy as a forward/ruck. No idea if CDT has that ceiling though?

My post was referring to ajGreen who mentioned tdks contract.
And the Gawn thing is relevant because Jackson is one of the few first round picks who is a premiership ruckman, but he played with Gawn who at the time was a far better player and is arguably the best ruckman the game has ever seen who was also ironically drafted late. It’s a hypothetical but you’d have to think without Gawn, Jackson wouldn’t be a premiership ruckman.

That’s true the ruck pool is a lot smaller, but still the stats show basically 25% of premiership ruckman are 1st rd picks and 80% of those 1st round picks won at a team that did not draft the.

Of course all this doesn’t matter if CDT turns out to be a gun

Only if 'premiership ruckman' is your sole or primary measuring stick.

As for the 80% of 1st round rucks who were traded out...not sure that's relevant although I can appreciate the point that we should target a ruck via trade/FA

It doesn't really change the fact that out of say 20 years, 5 premiership rucks came out of the 1st round of the draft. I think that's actually quite a strong representation given how few are actually drafted in the first round?

[Simonator]

Fair view, I just look at it differently that the overwhelming majority of teams win the flag without a 1st round ruckman.

Anyway this isn’t a hill I’ll die on and if we draft CDT I’ll be hoping I’m completely wrong

[Tiger Khosh]

I’m on the same page as you Simonater.

History and current AFL team makeups suggest your more likely to recycle your ruckman from other clubs then to keep one that you’ve drafted, even less so drafted with a 1st round pick, even less so with a top5 pick.

[one-eyed]

Draft Watch

Ben Waterworth
Foxsports
12 Sep 2025

CLEAR TOP SIX EMERGE

While the likes of Sullivan Robey and Oskar Taylor have worked their way into draft night one calculations, they’re still considered by AFL clubs a level below this year’s top draft prospects.

Most AFL club sources surveyed by foxfooty.com.au this week suggested a gap between the top six prospects and the rest of the draft pool had opened up.

Four of those players are already club-tied: Gold Coast academy duo Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson, Brisbane academy midfielder Daniel Annable and Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean. Annable’s post-champs form for Brisbane’s VFL side has been particularly striking, averaging 25 disposals across an impressive five-game stretch.

The other two players are Calder Cannons forward-ruck Cooper Duff-Tytler and Gippsland Power utility Willem Duursma, who’ve only enhanced their standing in the pool since the champs.

A potential AFL unicorn at 200cm, Duff-Tytler has impressed draft watchers with his unique athleticism, aerial ability, competitiveness, speed, strong overhead marking skills and cleanliness with ball in hand, especially below his knees for a player of his size. Yet clubs in recent weeks have been particularly pleased with his forward 50 craft, booting 2.5 from 21 touches and 11 marks against Oakleigh before kicking 1.2 from 13 disposals and four marks against the Ranges. It came after he booted 3.2 from 13 touches for Essendon’s VFL side against the Zebras.


Willem Duursma of the Power. Picture: Craig Dooley/AFL Photos
Source: Herald Sun

And Duursma has surely quashed any doubts over him since his excellent national carnival campaign where he took out Vic Country’s MVP award. Playing more midfield-forward for Gippsland, Duursma has kicked 7.8 and averaged 21.5 disposals and 6.5 tackles from his past four Talent League outings. It came after two VFL games for Casey Demons where he had 17 touches and 10 marks against Sandringham then 20 disposals and six marks against Brisbane. He plays with edge and intensity, while his versatility to play in any third of the ground appeals to AFL clubs.

Rival teams, at this stage, believe if West Coast received Pick 2 as free agency compensation for losing Oscar Allen, the Eagles would use the first two picks to draft Duursma and Duff-Tytler, possibly amid bids on club-tied talent.

AND BEYOND THAT?

This is where it gets tricky – because for many clubs, you could throw a blanket over the next group of players when it comes to ranking them.

Central District duo Dyson Sharp and Aidan Schubert, Geelong Falcons defender Josh Lindsay, big-bodied Eastern Ranges midfielder Ollie Greeves, West Adelaide forward Mitch Marsh and North Adelaide mid-forward Sam Cumming are all in the top-10 mix after strong draft years.

But what’s important to note about this area of the 2025 draft is after West Coast’s selections, Richmond and Essendon hold the next four picks with two back-to-back selections each. And in a draft where the top-end isn’t as sharp as previous years, sources wouldn’t be surprised if the Tigers and Bombers were more selective, brave and prepared to pick on a needs basis.

It’s why one club said they wouldn’t be shocked if the Tigers used one of their top picks to take a player like Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Sam Grlj – a well-rounded prospect with a great combination of speed, power and endurance. The 182cm prospect has had a strong finish to his 2025 campaign, with hauls of 18 and 15 disposals playing predominantly off half-back in two eye-catching VFL outings for, coincidentally, Richmond.

“His leadership, his exuberance and his excitement to be part of our program, and to be himself, was outstanding,” Tigers VFL coach Jake Batchelor told the club’s website after Grlj’s debut against Gold Coast.

“And we saw on the track out there today he’s got speed, he’s got ‘smarts’, he’s got sidesteps and agility.

“He’s going to be a heck of a player.”

There’s also lots of hype around Ranges medium defender Xavier Taylor, who’s only enhanced his draft prospects since his eye-catching national carnival with Vic Metro. Taylor has been a picture of consistency for Eastern, averaging 19.1 disposals and 5.8 marks across his past six games and 18.4 disposals across his entire 15-game season. Some scouts have likened him to three-time premiership Tiger Nathan Broad as a hybrid third defender who has the athleticism and versatility to either lock down or intercept while playing on forwards of different sizes.

Throw exciting small forward Lachy Dovaston – who’s kicked 34 goals for Eastern this season, including seven in its two finals wins so far – in with Xavier Taylor, Oskar Taylor and Greeves and the Ranges loom as one the big draft winners among Coates Talent League clubs this season.

The other possible top-10 watch is West Perth defender Jacob Farrow, who’s now widely seen as WA’s best 2025 draft prospect.

Likened to Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson for his strength, composure, kicking, running and rebounding ability, Farrow averaged 19.0 disposals and 4.8 marks and went at an impressive 87 per cent efficiency by foot from his four carnival matches for WA. Upon return, Farrow played three WAFL league matches for West Perth and impressed with an average of 17.7 disposals before returning to colts.


Jacob Farrow of Western Australia. Picture: Paul Kane/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Farrow has fans at clubs that hold early picks and is now rated well ahead of fellow WA prospects Sam Swadling, Fred Rodriguez, Toby Whan and Cody Curtin.

The wildcard remains Dandenong Stingrays prospect Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves, who has top-10 talent yet continues to split scouts with his game-to-game consistency.

The silky 186cm prospect’s best is brilliant. It was on display at the national carnival in Vic Country’s tight loss to WA, booting four goals from 18 disposals as he hit the scoreboard when the game was up for grabs. Hibbins-Hargreaves then had a strong finish with the Stingrays, highlighted by a breathtaking five-goal, 29-disposal, eight-mark display against the GWV Rebels.

In what has been a rollercoaster, injury-impacted year for Hibbins-Hargreaves, some scouts believe they’ve seen more ‘highs’ from the Stingray across the back-half of the season. But whether they’d be prepared to invest in him with a top-end pick remains unclear.

One source suggested Hibbins-Hargreaves would suit a club that has multiple picks close together. Teams like West Coast, Richmond and Essendon all have multiple selections close together within the top 25.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-latest-news-2025-date-order-of-picks-sullivan-robey-a-clayton-oliverlike-bolter-willem-duursma-and-r-dufftytler-west-coast-sam-grlj-richmond-latrelle-sumnerpickett/news-story/e5915f190bdc29c19fdf77435386b66a

[the claw]

Just get the best older ruckman available for now. A bit like Naismith just don't get one thats so injury prone.

Essendon with Goldstein did  similar. theres your ruck back up for big Toby and rather than investing in a duff tyler type go and actually look at all the 18 thru 22 year olds running around that have the right frames will definately be the right size and have enough good attributes to succeed and take him late or rookie..

Big  Caleb May 208cm from sth australia will probably have a club look at him late and why not.

Sam Ainsworth around 200cm has a big leap may be about at pick 30 -40.For me going into year two of rebuild with just two nd picks is ludicrous
.

[ajGreen]

Fox sports saying - Sullivan Robey rise has been largest since Clayton Oliver. Who went at 4

[ajGreen]

Just get the best older ruckman available for now. A bit like Naismith just don't get one thats so injury prone.

Essendon with Goldstein did  similar. theres your ruck back up for big Toby and rather than investing in a duff tyler type go and actually look at all the 18 thru 22 year olds running around that have the right frames will definately be the right size and have enough good attributes to succeed and take him late or rookie..

Big  Caleb May 208cm from sth australia will probably have a club look at him late and why not.

Sam Ainsworth around 200cm has a big leap may be about at pick 30 -40.For me going into year two of rebuild with just two nd picks is ludicrous
.

The Jasper Algar recruitment was excellent work and the other pick was required for the north future 1st.

Both sound moves even if it leaves ha short currently.

[Francois Jackson]

Updated combined #AFLdraft Power Rankings from @CalTwomey, @zerohanger, @RookieMeCentral, @Jasperc53, @FOXFOOTY, @codesportsau
 
Rise or fall from last month included.


https://x.com/Snrubthoughts/status/1963434636014714975

Surely you have to take who ever is left of duursma, sharp, CDT (?)

this was in the HUN today

Hawthorn could give the Bombers pick eight (from Carlton) for Merrett which could be used to secure one of this year’s big draft bolsters, 192cm ballwinner Sullivan Robey.

any good?

[ajGreen]

Ollie Greeves 35 disposals and 4 goals