With the trade period behind them, AFL clubs have turned their attention to this year’s national draft – and some will be utilising it more than others.
While clubs must use at least three picks at the national draft – which will be held across two nights on November 28 and November 29 – some will be upgrading rookies to their senior list, which will help them form part of their count.
Others, though, will throw lots at the draft.
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As reported by AFL Media on Wednesday, the Giants, Essendon, Hawthorn and West Coast could all use up to five picks at the draft, while North Melbourne, Carlton and Fremantle are set to use four selections.
The Giants will arguably have the biggest say in this year’s draft. After the recent trade period – which saw them compensated for losing four players while acquiring Pick 1 from the Kangaroos as part of the four-club mega trade – the Giants now hold four selections inside the top 20, plus the second-round selection tied to Richmond (Pick 31).
Both the Bombers and Hawks have so far retained their natural first-round and second-round selections. In an ideal world for Essendon list boss Adrian Dodoro, the Bombers would select two players with those picks before a rival club bids on father-son prospect Alwyn Davey Jnr, who has been touted as a late first-round or early second-round prospect.
While the Eagles parted with Pick 2 during the trade period, they still hold Picks 8 and 12 as two of four selections inside the top 30 – the first time they’ve held such a strong early draft like that since 2007.
North Melbourne took the Eagles’ Pick 2 – and the Giants’ Pick 3 – as part of the mega-trade, but consequently relinquished Pick 1. While the Kangaroos could take Pick 3 to next month’s draft, foxfooty.com.au understands that selection is up for grabs, with the club open to splitting the pick to help it land more high-end talent.
Carlton, like Essendon and Hawthorn, still holds its natural first-round and second-round picks. However the club has indicated it’s keen to move up the draft order if possible.
The Dockers, at one stage this month, looked like they’d almost completely traded out of this year’s draft. But the deals involving new arrival Luke Jackson and departing forward Rory Lobb helped the club land Picks 30, 44 and 67 to go with Geelong’s fourth-round selection they acquired last year as part of the Jordan Clark trade.
These are the list needs of all seven clubs – and the young guns they can target at the draft to fill them.
GWS’ loaded draft hand explained | 02:02
GWS GIANTS
Draft picks (as of October 21): 1, 15, 18, 19, 31, 57, 61
The list needs they must address: There’s a few. They’ve got Jesse Hogan, but there still seems to be a key forward chasm at the Giants after the departures of Jeremy Cameron and Jeremy Finlayson in the past two off-seasons. A hybrid defender would also be handy, considering the Giants conceded a lot of goals to small forwards this season. They were also among the bottom six teams for contested possession differential and clearance differential this season – and the recent exits of Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto to Richmond won’t help.
The ideal draft prospects: The Giants’ bold play to trade up to Pick 1 all seems to point to GWV Rebels forward Aaron Cadman being their No. 1 target. In a draft stacked with midfielders and hybrid types, Cadman has emerged as the clear best key-position prospect. A left-footer renowned for his goal sense, athleticism, swagger and ability to win the ball up the ground, Cadman has been compared to Jeremy Cameron – the player he models his game on. And two years after losing Cameron, the Giants are primed to pounce on a Cameron clone. There should be a stack of inside midfielders available for the Giants in the latter stages of the first round and at the start of the second round, such as Mitch Szybkowski (Dandenong Stingrays), Elijah Hewett (Swan Districts) or Darcy Jones (Swan Districts). But the Giants also have rights to a ripper Academy prospect in Harry Rowston – a shrewd inside midfielder with an improving kick that can push forward to hit the scoreboard. Rowston won the Allies’ MVP award at this year’s national championships. Small defenders Lachie Cowan (Tasmania Devils), Jakob Ryan (Glenelg) and Sam Gilbey (Claremont) might be in the Giants’ mix with their later second-round pick.
ESSENDON
Draft picks (as of October 21): 4, 22, 54, 62, 68, 72
The list needs they must address: Overall, the Bombers’ list is reasonably well balanced with decent ruck and defensive depth, while there’s no shortage of players to rotate through the midfield. The common knock is the list lacks star factor, but having Pick 4 means they’ll get a high-end talent. From a needs perspective, they really need to bolster their forward line, particularly in the pressure smalls department. The retirement of Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has left a chasm in the small forward brigade, plus the Bombers ranked 16th for pressure applied in the forward half in 2022. They could also look to add some key-position depth in defence, especially after losing Aaron Francis to Sydney and Michael Hurley to retirement.
The ideal draft prospects: As aforementioned, the Bombers will be hoping father-son prospect Alwyn Davey Jnr receives a bid after Pick 22 to allow them to take other players with their natural first two selections. While Davey, the son of Alwyn Sr who played 100 games exactly and kicked 120 goals for Essendon, would need time to develop at the top level, he looms as a terrific small forward acquisition. He’s clean below his knees, has a nimble sidestep and knows where the goals are. Pick 4 – which will become Pick 5 after the Will Ashcroft bid, likely at Pick 1 – looms as a case of ‘best available’ for the Bombers. It appears one of George Wardlaw or Elijah Tsatas – two midfielders from the Oakleigh Chargers but different types of players – will be available at that selection, but most likely Tsatas. A speedy mover that can break lines with clean hands and an efficient kick, Tsatas is a prototype athlete and everything a club is looking for in a wing/midfield prospect. Other midfield prospects in the top-five mix include Geelong Falcons co-captain Jhye Clark, Sandringham Dragons on-baller Cam Mackenzie and Gippsland Power’s Bailey Humphrey – but many view Tsatas as the best player of that group. As for key defensive prospects, the Bombers could get lucky and see Eastern Ranges prospect Lewis Hayes slip to the second round, but the likes of James Van Es (GWV Rebels), Josh Weddle (Oakleigh Chargers) or Max Gruzewski (Oakleigh Chargers) are more likely to be available.
HAWTHORN
Draft picks (as of October 21): 6, 24, 41, 48, 50, 52, 65
The list needs they must address: With the Hawks ranking 16th for contested possession differential and 18th for clearance differential this year, they were already in need of on-ballers before the trade period. Now two of their most senior midfielders in Tom Mitchell (Collingwood) and Jaeger O’Meara (Fremantle) have joined rival clubs. Overall, coach Sam Mitchell told members last week: “Getting the best young talent to the club also remains a priority.”
The ideal draft prospects: At Pick 6 – which will become Pick 7 – the Hawks will be well placed to pick up a midfielder to help them address their contested ball and clearance issues. Oakleigh Chargers on-baller George Wardlaw would be ideal, but it’s hard to see him getting past Essendon or Gold Coast. This is more likely when the likes of Bailey Humphrey (Gippsland Power), Reuben Ginbey (East Perth), Cameron Mackenzie (Sandringham Dragons) and Jhye Clark (Geelong Falcons) will come into the mix. Humphrey has been linked to the Suns at Pick 5, while the Eagles appear to have confidence Ginbey will still be available at Pick 8. Geelong has Pick 7 and been heavily linked to Clark, but could the Hawks pounce on him with the selection before? Renowned as an inside, competitive beast with a thirst for the contest and great leadership traits, Clark would be ideal for the Hawks. With its later picks, Hawthorn could look to target players with a bit more outside pace and skill. Swan Districts’ Darcy Jones, Gippsland Power’s Coby Burgiel, Tasmania’s Lachie Cowan or even Claremont’s Ed Allan – the son of former Hawk Ben Allan – would fit the bill.
WEST COAST EAGLES
Draft picks (as of October 21): 8, 12, 20, 26
The list needs they must address: While there’s still some big names in the guts, many of the Eagles‘ midfielders are closer to the end of their careers than the start. They were comfortably the worst contested possession team this year and the second-worst clearance side. Josh Kennedy’s retirement also leaves a key forward chasm, while another key defender to help eventually replace Jeremy McGovern and Shannon Hurn could be handy. Overall, this looks like a draft to target home-grown talent – even though the club will rightly back its development capabilities should it draft interstate prospects.
The ideal draft prospects: The Eagles gave up Pick 2 and moved down the order to Picks 8 and 12. Despite what the club will say publicly, the sense among rival recruiters is the Eagles believe their draft targets should still be available with those selections. East Perth’s Reuben Ginbey – one of the big bolters of this year’s class – has been heavily linked to West Coast and should be the first WA prospect taken. The 189cm product had been playing in defence at WAFL colts level, but thrived in a move to the midfield for WA in the national champs, averaging 20.8 disposals and 9.8 contested possessions to win the state’s MVP award. Ginbey impressed recruiters with his consistency, attitude and grit at the contest, with AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan telling Fox Footy Ginbey was “the AFL prototype with his size, strength and power”. If Ginbey is off the board, fellow WA midfielder Elijah Hewett – a competitive, explosive midfielder with a strong workrate and contested ball-winning ability – could be another option. If the Eagles want to add another key defender, 196cm East Perth product Jedd Busslinger would be in the range where their second first-rounder is. The Eagles already have key defenders like Tom Barrass, Harry Edwards and Rhett Bazzo, but the addition of Busslinger – a rangy backman who reads the ball superbly in the air and has great defensive nous and composure – would be tempting. Versatile Claremont duo Harry Cole and Sam Gilbey might also be considered.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Draft picks (as of October 21): 2, 3, 40, 43, 59, 70
The list needs they must address: Club list boss Brady Rawlings told a North Melbourne members Q&A session this week his club was “looking for good characters and competitors” at this year’s draft. Rawlings also hinted from a positional perspective, the Roos are after “skill level, speed, agility and cleanliness”. The Roos are also already stacked with young on-ballers, using their past six top-13 draft picks on midfielders. What they really need is some firepower forward of centre – specifically a smaller forward to support Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar – after ranking 18th this year for points scored and scores per inside 50.
The ideal draft prospects: Hello, Harry Sheezel. Skilful? Tick. Quick? Tick. Agile? Tick. Clean? Tick. After the Giants moved up to Pick 1 – almost certainly with a view to draft key forward Aaron Cadman – Sheezel now looms as a high priority for the Kangaroos at Pick 2 – and rightly so. Arguably the best pure hybrid forward prospect in the draft class at 184cm, Sheezel can conjure goals in many ways — be it from a set-shot, a ground-level crumb or a quick snap — and set up teammates. Considering the Kangaroos’ plight, Sheezel would bring great excitement and a point of difference. Should the Roos hold Pick 3, they’d likely choose between Oakleigh Chargers duo Elijah Tsatas and George Wardlaw. They’re very different players, with Tsatas silky and smooth-moving and Wardlaw dynamic and explosive. Considering the Roos were among the bottom four clubs for contested possessions and clearances this year, Wardlaw — a powerful, competitive and combative inside midfielder who models his game on Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver — might be the better option over Tstatas. One of the club‘s four picks is also likely to be used on Cooper Harvey, the son of legendary Kangaroo and VFL/AFL games record-holder Brent Harvey.
CARLTON
Draft picks (as of October 21): 10, 29, 49, 66
The list needs they must address: A key defender – and foxfooty.com.au understands that’s high on the Blues’ priority list. An intercept backman that can play higher up the ground would be ideal. A bit of speed through the midfield might be handy too.
The ideal draft prospects: The top two key defensive prospects in this year’s draft are East Perth’s Jedd Busslinger (196cm) and Eastern Ranges’ Lewis Hayes (197cm). Both players made the Under 18 All-Australian team, are brilliant interceptors yet just as adept one-on-one, have great decision-making skills and possess awesome athleticism for players of their size. Who the Blues take could largely depend on whether the Eagles prefer Busslinger over fellow WA prospect Reuben Ginbey with their first pick, which may prompt the Blues to push hard up the order. Gippsland Power duo Jacob Konstantey and Coby Burgiel, as well as Tasmania’s Lachie Cowan, would give the Blues some dash. They’d sit in the Blues’ second-round draft pick range.
FREMANTLE
Draft picks (as of October 21): 30, 44, 67, 76
The list needs they must address: They picked up Luke Jackson and Josh Corbett during the trade period, but are those two players the answers to their biggest lingering issue? Fremantle’s forward line has been the big problem since Matthew Pavlich in 2016, with recruitments of Cam McCarthy, Shane Kersten and Jesse Hogan not paying off and this year’s leading goalkicker Rory Lobb recently joining the Western Bulldogs. The Dockers also had some issues this season with their ability to transition the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50, so some strong between-the-arcs players would be handy.
The ideal draft prospects: If the Dockers want players with run that can help the team with its transition issues, there’s an array of players to consider. Local Swan Districts product Darcy Jones — a quick, skilful midfielder with a high footy IQ — might fall into mid second-round calculations. He made the All-Australian Under 18 team after kicking four goals and averaging 19.7 disposals, 5.0 score involvements per outing for WA. Another option could be Ed Allan, the son of former Fremantle midfielder Ben Allan, after his strong back-end to the 2022 season. Victorian trio Charlie Clarke, Jaxon Binns and Jakob Konstantey would also help connect the Dockers between the arcs, with Clarke and Konstantey particularly damaging closer to goal. Should the Dockers opt for a tall, exciting North Adelaide prospect Isaac Keeler would be a bold pick. A key forward-ruck in the Paddy Ryder mould at 197cm that has ample talent upside, Keeler is one of the most exciting and talented key-position prospects in the draft class.
