The Crows remain keen to get up the draft order, with two clubs holding top-10 picks the most open to dealing with them.
Plus where six bids could come on the first night of the draft, as well as the latest whispers.
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LATEST FOX FOOTY PODCAST – Mega AFL Draft Preview, including latest whispers
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THREE CLUBS CENTRAL TO FIRST-ROUND PICK SWAP CHATTER
Essendon is contemplating the value of shuffling down the order on draft night as rival clubs eye off its prized first-round pick.
Barring any dramatic late curveballs, most of the clubs holding top-10 selections are expected to hold their picks for the opening round of the draft, which will take place on Monday night (November 20) at Marvel Stadium.
Geelong will remain open to offers for its Pick 8 right up until it’s time for the club to select on draft night. The Cats also hold Pick 25 but then don’t have selections until Picks 76, 87 and 94, hence their preparedness to listen to rival club offers.
After a busy trade period that saw them attack the free agency market while also bringing in Xavier Duursma in a deal that sent Brandon Zerk-Thatcher to Port Adelaide, the Bombers hold their natural first and second-rounders (Picks 9 and 31), as well as Picks 35 and 61.
But draft sources have told foxfooty.com.au the Bombers are pondering trading its first selection and shuffling down a few spots, while also acquiring another pick in a deal to help boost their draft hand.
Essendon has been linked to Swan Districts’ Riley Hardeman – a hard-running, line-breaking 185cm defender with an improved intercept game who captained Western Australia at this year’s Under 18 national championships. Rival clubs believe the Bombers could be willing to trade with a team who has a first-round pick that would still allow Essendon to pick Hardeman.
Foxfooty.com.au understands Adelaide, which holds Picks 10, 14 and 20, remains keen to move up the draft order and would be a club well best placed to deal with Essendon. Adelaide is keen to turn its three top-20 picks into two at the top-end of the draft.
The Crows have been club linked to 198cm key defender Connor O’Sullivan, consistent 186cm winger Darcy Wilson and even 185cm utility Harry DeMattia with their current three picks, but moving up the order could help them land the likes of 193cm forward Nate Caddy, high-flying 188cm defender James Leake and speedy 184cm winger Caleb Windsor, should any of them still be on the table.
But should the Bombers hold their pick, they’re expected to consider the likes of O’Sullivan and Caddy, as well as possible top-10 bolters Leake and Windsor, with Hardeman unlikely to be taken that early.
And should the Crows hold Picks 10 and 14, they could still put Pick 20 on the table.
Adelaide has also shown interest in local product Taylor Goad – an athletic 206cm ruck who’s “got a midfield mindset in a Max Gawn body”, according to SA Under 18s coach Tony Bamford. Goad, according to sources, has ample first-round interest from clubs.
HAWKS PONDER CURTIN CALL
Exciting small forward Nick Watson and top WA prospect Dan Curtin remain the two main contenders to be taken by Hawthorn with its first pick, with the Hawks flying Curtin over to Melbourne for an interview this week.
The Hawks hold Pick 4 in this year’s draft, with the selection tipped to slide one spot after a bid on Gold Coast academy star Jed Walter.
West Coast is widely expected to take 185cm Bendigo Pioneers sensation Harley Reid with the first pick, while North Melbourne has been strongly linked to Tassie midfielder Colby McKercher and Gippsland Power medium forward Zane Duursma with its two top-five picks – although the Roos will also consider Curtin.
Should Curtin slip past North, it means the Hawks will likely weigh up taking Curtin or Watson.
While Curtin was flown over from WA to meet with the Hawks on Monday, rival clubs spoken to foxfooty.com.au expect 170cm Eastern Ranges product Watson to be picked by Hawthorn. And should Hawthorn opt for Watson, the Bulldogs would almost certainly overlook Curtin after taking several key-position prospects with early picks in recent drafts.
But there’s also a sense the Hawks need defensive depth — and while father-son gun Will McCabe is an athletic 197cm defender, he’s seen as a different type of backman to Curtin.
AFL Media reported the Hawks also met with 198cm Murray Bushrangers defender Connor O’Sullivan on Monday.
Both Melbourne (Pick 6) and Geelong (Pick 8) are expected to consider Curtin should he slip that far, although there’s speculation West Coast could be open to trading back into the top of the draft to select Curtin.
If North doesn’t take Curtin near the top of the draft, the club is expected to target tall players with its three late first-round selections (Picks 15, 17 and 18), with mobile Northern Knights ruck Will Green and rebounding Tassie defender Arie Schoenmaker linked. Green has also been linked to the Swans and Magpies.
WHERE BIDS COULD COME ON DRAFT NIGHT
It could be a long opening night of the draft, with as many as 28 picks to be used as a fourth Suns academy prospect bolts into first-round contention.
As a result of a busy trade period, there are 22 first-round picks in according to the current draft order. North Melbourne was handed two compensation picks – one for losing Ben McKay to Essendon (Pick 3) and an end-of-first-round selection as part of an AFL assistance package (Pick 22) – while Adelaide (Pick 20) and St Kilda (Pick 21) were also given end-of-first-rounders for losing free agents Tom Doedee and Jade Gresham respectively.
But with two father-son prospects and as many as four Suns academy products in the mix to attract first-round bids, the first round now looms as a busy night.
Rival clubs would be shocked if North Melbourne didn’t bid on powerful Suns academy forward Jed Walter with one of its two top-three picks. Melbourne (Pick 6) then looms as the first club that could bid on gun 202cm Suns ruck Ethan Read, but the Suns will be hoping he’ll slip to either Geelong or Essendon’s selection.
Mobile key defender Will McCabe (Hawks father-son), athletic key forward Jordan Croft (Bulldogs father-son) midfielder Jake Rogers (Suns academy) are then all expected to attract bids in the teens. Adelaide could bid on SA product McCabe first, while Croft isn’t expected to get past the Saints’ pick.
Rival clubs, though, are wary Sydney, which holds Pick 12, could go on a “bidding frenzy” again and potentially force the Hawks, Dogs and Suns to pay up for all three players. The Swans in last year’s draft bid on Harry Rowston at Pick 16 and Max Michalanney at Pick 17, asking the Giants and Crows respectively to match in the first round. While the Swans were unsuccessful in landing Rowston and Michalanney, they pulled a shock on night two and took Hawthorn NGA prospect Cooper Vickery, meaning the Hawks couldn’t match a bid on him as it came before the Pick 40 threshold.
The sixth player who could receive a night one bid this year is Will Graham, who’s the fourth young gun out of the Suns academy. He’s also expected to be in attendance at the first night of the draft.
Multiple sources have told foxfooty.com.au Collingwood is considering launching a bid on Graham with its first-round selection, which is currently Pick 19.
Quick and powerful, yet also clean and composed with ball in hand, Graham averaged 16.5 disposals and 5.0 marks while going at 79.5 per cent efficiency by foot for the Allies during the national championships playing primarily as a defender with a few midfield stints. He also had VFL exposure, playing four games for the Suns.
The Suns have already prepared for an array of early bids on their academy prospects as they hold six second-round selections: Picks 24, 26, 27, 32, 36 and 38. However it’s understood the Suns are open to splitting Pick 24 – the second pick of the second round of the draft – in order to gain more points. The Brisbane Lions are one of several clubs exploring ways to get their hands on Pick 24.
OTHER DRAFT WHISPERS
– Powerful Subiaco prospect Koltyn Tholstrup is widely expected to be taken in the first round, with Melbourne considering taking him with its second first-rounder. Sydney, St Kilda and Collingwood have also been linked to Tholstrup, who was invited to the first night of the draft in Melbourne but will instead remain in WA where he’ll watch the event with family and friends.
– Exciting medium defender and Bulldogs NGA prospect Luamon Lual looms as a possible first-round chance. Lual, who was runner-up in the GWV Rebels’ best and fairest and earned selection in the Coates Talent League Team of the Year, has been linked to the Giants’ second first-round pick, but also has interest from clubs with early second-round picks.
– Fellow Subiaco product Lance Collard continues to be heavily linked to both WA clubs. While Richmond has also shown ample interest in the speedy goalkicker, rival clubs don’t expect Collard to be on the board by the Tigers’ first selection, with the Eagles to strongly consider taking Collard with their natural second-rounder – the first pick of night two of the draft. Glenelg forward Ashton Moir also continues to be linked to the Eagles.
– Werribee’s Shaun Mannagh – widely regarded as the best mature-age state league prospect in this year’s class – has been heavily linked to Fremantle, which holds Picks 34, 46, 60 and 64.
