Western Australia has enjoyed its most successful draft result in more than a decade, after producing five first-round picks on Monday night.
Despite managing just one win at this year’s National U18 Championships, the State’s footy program enjoyed its best draft result since 2007 – where five players plus priority selection Alex Rance found homes in the AFL.
It was no surprise Victorian talent dominated the first 21 selections at the 2022 AFL Draft, after both Vic Metro and Vic Country reached the championships final in September.
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He was expected to be picked early, alongside teammate Jedd Busslinger – who went to the Western Bulldogs at pick 13.
Some recruiters had predicted Hewett would slip to the second round, where West Coast now holds picks 23 and 29 after the father-son and academy selections on Monday night.
But the Eagles’ decision to go for Hewett saw Collingwood swoop on Allan, who draft expert Kevin Sheehan labelled the “big bolter”.
“After one game of colts footy, they put him straight in the State side,” Sheehan said on Fox Footy.
“He was the quickest kid in Australia and at 194 (centimetres tall) at the speed he did, everyone took notice.”
Jones was also labelled a bolter when the Giants jumped in to snare the Swan Districts junior in a surprise move with the last pick of the first round.
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“He broke a 14-year record that Stephen Hill had in agility (at the Draft combine),” Sheehan explained.
“He blew them away.
“He’s an elite player with speed to boot.”
Jones was ranked as the 31st in the Draft Power Rankings, but had impressed by finishing the Combine with the best agility and vertical jump test scores.
In total, seven players were snapped up from Vic Metro, five from Vic Country, five from Western Australia and two from South Australia with Queensland and NSW each producing one first round draft pick each.
