‘He is going to be an absolute star’ — and rising Bomber Nate Caddy could haunt North Melbourne
What Nate Caddy did against the reigning premiers at the Gabba warrants a closer look at the 2023 national draft — and it shines the spotlight on North Melbourne, among some other clubs.
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Did North Melbourne miss the big kahuna?
Re-writing the history of AFL drafts is fraught with danger, particularly after just 18 months. But what Nate Caddy did against the reigning premiers on Thursday night at the Gabba warrants a closer look at the 2023 national draft.
Essendon traded up a spot with Geelong — and gave the Cats a second-round pick to sweeten the deal — to select Caddy at No.10. Right now, he is arguably the second-best player to come out of that draft.
Harley Reid was a clear No.1 and while there have been some inconsistencies, the good is very, very good so no argument there.
But after that the Caddy debate is a legitimate exercise.
The Kangaroos had the next two picks, electing to go with midfielders Colby McKercher (No.2) and Zane Duursma (No.4) — Gold Coast matched a bid on their Academy player Jed Walter at No.3.
Nick Watson went to Hawthorn at No.5, Ryley Sanders to the Bulldogs at No.6, Caleb Windsor to Melbourne at No.7 followed by Daniel Curtin to Adelaide at No.8.
Another Gold Coast Academy player, Ethan Read, went at No.9 before the 193cm Caddy found his way to the Bombers.
On the night Essendon’s recruiting boss Adrian Dodoro said of Caddy: “We were really looking to improve our front half this year. We wanted an extroverted guy up forward who could attract the ball and we’ve done that tonight. We targeted him (and) we wanted him.
“The thing about Nate is he’s a boy who won’t die wondering. He’s a big solid young man, he wants the moment and just talking to him, he’s got that enthusiasm to play straight away.”
Extroverted, wanting the moment and won’t die wondering. All of those things were played out against Brisbane with Caddy threatening to lead the Bombers to the biggest upset of the year.
Matched up against All-Australian defender Harris Andrews and his premiership buddy Jack Payne, the 19-year-old took over the third quarter as Essendon surged. He took a big pack mark in the opening minute to kick his first goal.
Two minutes later a brain fade after another big mark cost him an easy goal. In a moment of madness he played on straight away and then was pushed as he kicked from three metres out and somehow managed to miss the goal.
But he made up for it later in the term when he kicked what Kane Cornes declared in the Channel 7 commentary box the “goal of the year so far”.
After competing for the mark, Caddy ran onto a clever centring dribble kick by Jade Gresham and then kicked the ball straight over his head which left everyone, including the Lions players, shaking their heads in disbelief.
“The kid is going to do this for so many more years,” Lions defender Dayne Zorko said.
“He is going to be an absolute star.”
Essendon coach Brad Scott said it was the best game he’d seen Caddy play given the calibre of opposition.
“He is a really impressive athlete, he can do things others can’t,” Scott said.
“Not many 19-year-olds can hold up a forward line ... I think there is so much upside, it’s very exciting.”
So did North make a blunder going for two more midfielders, rather than an understudy for Nick Larkey at full-forward?
With Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw already locked in as the future of the midfield from the 2022 draft, you could make a case for splitting the picks — one mid and one tall — 12 months later.
Caddy was playing his 21st game against the Lions, and has now kicked 14 goals for the season with his athleticism having him compared to Carlton superstar Charlie Curnow.
The North pair are still finding their feet. McKercher has suffered a bout of the second-year blues after an impressive first year off half-back. He has taken time to adjust to a move up into the midfield/forward this season.
Duursma is still a work in progress. He has only played six games this year with three as the sub.
But it won’t just be the Kangaroos who wouldn’t have overly enjoyed last night’s game, the four other clubs who let Caddy slip would have put their heads on the pillow and also been wondering what might have been.
Essendon fans would have had that feeling but not about Caddy, more on how close they got to toppling the Lions given they hit the front early in the last quarter.
Ultimately the experience of the home team got them home thanks mainly to a career-best night from Hugh McCluggage with 41 disposals, 17 contested possessions and 12 score involvements.
His partner in crime was Norm Smith Medallist Will Ashcroft who had 12 touches in the last quarter on his way to 30 for the night (14 contested and seven clearances).
But as Brian Taylor asked in commentary: “Can your best game of the year be a loss?”
It can be and Scott certainly thought so given how undermanned his side was — the Bombers had six teenagers in the team for the first time since 2005, including their seventh debutant for the year — and he proudly described the 18-point loss as a “huge step forward for us”.
Originally published as ‘He is going to be an absolute star’ — and rising Bomber Nate Caddy could haunt North Melbourne
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