Peter Bell Would Draft Nick Watson No. 1 Ahead of Harley Reid
Peter Bell would take nick watson No. 1 in a 2023 draft redo, ahead of Harley Reid. The former Fremantle captain’s view lands as Watson heads west for Hawthorn’s clash with Fremantle on Thursday night.
Bell puts Watson first
Bell said he would elevate Watson to top spot in that draft, backing the Hawthorn forward over the high-profile Eagle in a straight do-over of the 2023 national draft. Watson was drafted behind Harley Reid, Colby McKercher, Zane Duursma and Jed Walter, but Bell’s call redraws that order after the first two seasons of scrutiny and form.
The comparison has sharpened because Watson has kept producing the sort of moments that force a reset. He kicked goals either side of half-time against Collingwood last week and set up Calsher Dear for a goal in the third term with a passage of play along the boundary.
Watson’s rise in numbers
Champion Data rated Watson the No.1 general forward in the competition after eight rounds. That sits alongside his draft-year record, when he represented Vic Metro in the national under-18 carnival and finished as the top goal scorer in the APS competition.
Those markers explain why the draft redo conversation has moved beyond simple hindsight. Bell’s view is not based on one flash of form, but on a player whose role and output have already shifted the way he is judged against the top end of the class.
Reid and the draft debate
Reid remains part of the same argument after kicking two goals from 26 disposals in West Coast’s loss to Richmond last Saturday. The numbers are strong, but Bell’s ranking puts Watson above the player who went first in 2023 and above the rest of the class that followed him.
Jack Riewoldt added to the momentum on Monday night, calling Watson the best crumber of the footy since Eddie Betts and praising his pace, craft and ability to hit the pack. Hawthorn’s trip west on Thursday night now carries a sharper edge: Watson arrives with a fresh No. 1 endorsement, and the draft order debate goes with him.
