AFL DRAFT: First round prediction
ADELAIDE
In: Eddie Betts, James Podsiadly.
Out: Ian Callinan, Nick Joyce, Graham Johncock, Bernie Vince, Aidan Riley, Richard Tambling.
Rookie upgrades: Rory Laird, Kyle Hartigan.
Draft picks: 23, 46, 75 (Laird), 83 (Hartigan).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Taylor Walker, James Podsiadly, Lewis Johnston, Shaun McKernan.
TALL DEFENDERS: Ben Rutten, Daniel Talia, Sam Shaw, Luke Thompson, Kyle Hartigan, Sam Siggins.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Eddie Betts, Tom Lynch, Jason Porplyzia, Jared Petrenko.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Rory Laird, Andy Otten, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen.
MIDFIELDERS: Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Scott Thompson, Brad Crouch, Richard Douglas, Brodie Smith, Sam Kerridge, Matthew Wright, Luke Brown, Nathan van Berlo, Ricky Henderson, Matthew Jaensch, Mitch Grigg, Brodie Martin, Rory Atkins.
RUCKS: Sam Jacobs, Josh Jenkins, Angus Graham, Jack Osborn (rookie).
DRAFT DAY: Adelaide had a disappointing season and had to negotiate the second and last year of its draft penalties, but there should be no reason to panic. The Crows have a talented, maturing squad and have moved the much-loved Vince out at just the right time, getting a good pick in return for a player whose worth would have dropped if left another 12 months. Despite sliding out of the eight they got games into some potential long-termers: Sam Kerridge, Luke Brown and Rory Laird, for starters. Betts will make them better, but while Podsiadly has come in and the mid-sized Tom Lynch had his best year, the club could still do with bringing in another key forward. That they bid for Jono Freeman (who went to Brisbane as an academy player) suggests this is on their mind, but the question is whether to do that with the Vince pick, or use that to keep bolstering the midfield. Two talls could be around the mark at that pick (Michael Apeness and Mitch Harvey) but the club might also be able to choose from a decent selection of onballers. A couple of Trent Dumont, Luke Dunstan, George Hewett, Matt Crouch and Zak Jones may sneak through, while the tall, quick and powerful Tom Cutler would be a nice addition.
BRISBANE LIONS
In: Jonathan Freeman, Jackson Paine, Trent West, Luke McGuane.
Out: Simon Black, Aaron Cornelius, Sam Docherty, Patrick Karnezis, Billy Longer, Niall McKeever, Jesse O’Brien, Jared Polec, Elliot Yeo, Todd Banfield.
Rookie upgrade: Justin Clarke.
Draft picks: 7, 22, 25, 28, 33 and 34, 62 (Freeman).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jonathan Brown, Brent Staker, Jordan Lisle, Marco Papparone, Jackson Paine, Jonathan Freeman, Michael Close.
TALL DEFENDERS: Daniel Merrett, Joel Patfull, Justin Clarke, Matt Maguire, Sam Michael (rookie), Jordan Bourke (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Rohan Bewick, Ash McGrath, Josh Green, Luke McGuane.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Pearce Hanley, Jed Adcock, Andrew Raines, Mitch Golby, Ryan Harwood, Patrick Wearden.
MIDFIELDERS: Daniel Rich, Tom Rockliff, Jack Redden, Brent Moloney, Sam Mayes, Dayne Zorko, Claye Beams, Ryan Lester, James Polkinghorne, Jack Crisp, Nick Hayes (rookie).
RUCKS: Matthew Leuenberger, Trent West, Stefan Martin.
DRAFT DAY: The Lions have been forced to rethink, thanks to their young departees, but holding six picks inside 35 gives them a chance to get up and going again. It will be interesting to see what mix of players the club goes for and it wouldn’t surprise to see them grab key forward Cameron McCarthy with their first choice. Some would see that as a fairly big reach, given McCarthy’s limited exposed form (he returned to football from cricket this year, then broke a leg) but he can jump, crash packs and do things some young forwards can’t. There should still be a good selection of onballers available through the 20s. Another option would be to grab a more proven prospect – Marcus Bontempelli, James Aish or Matt Scharenberg – at seven and try for another tall in Michael Apeness (who’d also add to the ruck stocks) at 22 or 25. The Lions could do some more succession planning for the back line, too. Darcy Gardiner, Jake Kolodjashnij and Tom Barrass are a few worth considering.
CARLTON
In: Dale Thomas, Sam Docherty, Andrejs Everitt.
Out: Eddie Betts, Marcus Davies, Shaun Hampson, Aaron Joseph, Jeremy Laidler, Patrick McCarthy, Luke Mitchell, Heath Scotland.
Rookie upgrades: Ed Curnow, Tom Bell.
Draft picks: 13, 39, 51, 67 (Curnow), 78 (Bell).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jarrad Waite, Lachie Henderson, Levi Casboult, Sam Rowe.
TALL DEFENDERS: Michael Jamison, Matthew Watson, Simon White, Andrew McInnes.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Jeff Garlett, Chris Yarran, Troy Menzel, Dennis Armfield.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Andrew Walker, Zach Tuohy, Andrejs Everitt, Sam Docherty, Josh Bootsma, Nick Duigan, Tom Temay.
MIDFIELDERS: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Dale Thomas, Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Carrazzo, Kade Simpson, Mitch Robinson, Brock McLean, Ed Curnow, Kane Lucas, Tom Bell, Jaryd Cachia (rookie), David Ellard, Dylan Buckley, Nick Graham, Ciaran Byrne (category B international rookie).
RUCKS: Matthew Kreuzer, Robert Warnock.
DRAFT DAY: Carlton’s trade period was interesting: after hinting at huge changes, the club brought in three players who should all have plenty of footy left in them, and (Betts aside) shed mostly their fringe. The Blues could do with a few things, but most obviously need to bolster their group of young midfielders. They’re in luck: this draft is dominated by them and the player they end up with may simply depend on who reaches their pick. Nathan Freeman – an energetic, explosive player – would be a nice fit, given they could do with a bit more pizzazz around the ball – but it would be hard to overlook the super-reliable Dom Sheed, and players like Trent Dumont, Luke Dunstan and even Lewis Taylor, who also has real speed. The one thing that could potentially unsettle those plans would be the availability of Cameron McCarthy, a key forward from Western Australia. He’s the second-best key tall after Tom Boyd and in the mix for Brisbane and Collingwood’s earlier picks. But that Mitchell was moved on, and that neither Casboult nor Rowe truly grabbed their chance this year, suggests the Blues could also do with another tall forward. This just might not be a great draft for it.
COLLINGWOOD
In: Taylor Adams, Patrick Karnezis, Jesse White, Tony Armstrong.
Out: Ben Johnson, Dale Thomas, Jackson Paine, Heath Shaw, Alan Didak, Darren Jolly, Andrew Krakouer, Jordan Russell, Corey Gault.
Rookie upgrades: Sam Dwyer, Adam Oxley.
Draft picks: 6, 10, 65 (Dwyer), 76 (Oxley).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Travis Cloke, Jesse White, Quinten Lynch, Tyson Goldsack.
TALL DEFENDERS: Ben Reid, Nathan Brown, Lachie Keeffe, Jack Frost (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Jarryd Blair, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Ben Kennedy, Patrick Karnezis, Caolan Mooney (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien, Alan Toovey, Paul Seedsman, Ben Sinclair, Marley Williams, Tony Armstrong, Martin Clarke, Jackson Ramsay, Peter Yagmoor (rookie).
MIDFIELDERS: Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Dayne Beams, Steele Sidebottom, Taylor Adams, Luke Ball, Sam Dwyer, Brent Macaffer, Clinton Young, Josh Thomas, Tim Broomhead, Adam Oxley, Kyle Martin (rookie).
RUCKS: Brodie Grundy, Jarrod Witts, Ben Hudson (rookie).
DRAFT DAY: Collingwood has stripped its list in the past year or two and is well placed for a mini-rebuild. The club took three first-rounders at last year’s draft and the job this time around seems simple – to pick the two best players, knowing Taylor Adams is also sitting there as a ready-to-go, 20-year-old ball winner. The Pies have fairly good coverage in defence but might look at a couple of tall rebounders or even consider a young, marking forward. If they go that way it will be Cameron McCarthy, who played some really exciting games before breaking his leg. He’s a chance at pick six, though it’s worth remembering that, all going well, Darcy Moore will arrive as a father-son pick this time next year as a ruck/forward prospect. There are plenty of other options at six and 10: Marcus Bontempelli’s big body would complement the Pies’ slightly small midfield group, Nathan Freeman has pace, Christian Salem has speed and skill, and James Aish, Jack Billings or Matt Scharenberg could fall. An Aish-Scharenberg combination is, believe it or not, a slight chance, and the dynamic Ben Lennon will be looked at too.
ESSENDON
In: Paul Chapman, Shaun Edwards, Kurt Aylett, Johnny Rayner (alternative talent rookie).
Out: Scott Gumbleton, Stewart Crameri, Alwyn Davey, Luke Davis, David Hille, Nathan Lovett-Murray.
Rookie upgrade: Lauchlan Dalgleish.
Draft picks: 26, 55, 64 (Dalgleish).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Michael Hurley, Joe Daniher.
TALL DEFENDERS: Dustin Fletcher, Jake Carlisle, Cale Hooker, Tayte Pears, Ariel Steinberg (rookie), Sean Gregory.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Paul Chapman, Jason Winderlich, Jackson Merrett, Nick Kommer, Leroy Jetta, Cory Dell’Olio (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Michael Hibberd, Courtenay Dempsey, Mark Baguley, Kyle Hardingham, Lauchlan Dalgleish, Kurt Aylett.
MIDFIELDERS: Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard, David Zaharakis, Brent Stanton, Dyson Heppell, Jake Melksham, Ben Howlett, David Myers, Heath Hocking, Travis Colyer, Alex Browne, Elliott Kavanagh, Will Hams, Jason Ashby, Nick O’Brien, Shaun Edwards, Martin Gleeson, Johnny Rayner (rookie).
RUCKS: Patrick Ryder, Tom Bellchambers.
DRAFT DAY: The Bombers have some thinking to do. Their group looks fairly well placed to survive this and next year’s draft penalties, but a lot will depend on whether Merrett, Kavanagh, O’Brien, Browne, Colyer and Hams can become influential contributors next year, and whether Bellchambers and Ryder kick more goals. Losing Gumbleton hits their depth and losing Crameri will hurt, although trading a former rookie for a second-round pick gives them a shot at a decent replacement. The trick is deciding which way to go, particularly given the club is making only two live picks. The Bombers could do with another ruckman, but it would be difficult to justify doing this early unless Michael Apeness, who can play both as a marking forward and in the ruck, reaches 26. There should be more onballers around and that’s probably the way they’ll go, with the crafty Zach Merrett a chance at this pick and some of Trent Dumont, Luke Dunstan, Matt Crouch, Tom Cutler and George Hewett a chance to make it through through. Rory Lobb, Toby Nankervis and Ben Brown are the best ruckmen on offer but the Bombers may instead take an older rookie.
FREMANTLE
In: Scott Gumbleton, Colin Sylvia.
Out: Jesse Crichton, Peter Faulks, Alex Forster, Josh Mellington, Viv Michie, Jayden Pitt.
Rookie upgrades: Matt Taberner.
Draft picks: 17, 37, 58, 70 (Taberner).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Matthew Pavlich, Scott Gumbleton, Matt Taberner, Kepler Bradley.
TALL DEFENDERS: Luke McPharlin, Zac Dawson, Michael Johnson, Alex Silvagni, Tanner Smith.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Hayden Ballantyne, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters, Colin Sylvia, Max Duffy.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Paul Duffield, Lee Spurr, Nick Suban, Garrick Ibbotson.
MIDFIELDERS: Nathan Fyfe, David Mundy, Stephen Hill, Michael Barlow, Ryan Crowley, Matt de Boer, Danyle Pearce, Hayden Crozier, Tendai Mzungu, Clancee Pearce, Lachie Neale, Tom Sheridan, Cameron Sutcliffe, Anthony Morabito, Sam Menegola (rookie).
RUCKS: Aaron Sandilands, Zac Clarke, Jon Griffin, Jack Hannath, Craig Moller (rookie).
DRAFT DAY: Fremantle has crafted one of the best-shaped lists in the competition and is well positioned to be an even better team next year. Sylvia could make a difference and it will be interesting to see what moving so far from his comfort zone brings. He has promised plenty for a long time without finding any consistency, but in such a good team could be a 30-plus-goal forward. The club effectively swapped Michie for Gumbleton, and having resisted reaching for a tall forward with its recent early picks it would have been encouraged by both Taberner and Jack Hannath this year. Funnily enough there might be a good one available this year: Cameron McCarthy may be gone, but Michael Apeness should be on the board at 17. There will be a bit of wait-and-seeing at that pick, but some of the players who’ll come into the frame there will be midfielder Dom Sheed and the taller, versatile Blake Acres. The club has been linked to Zak Jones, whose competitive streak will appeal, and Lewis Taylor, whose pace and creativity would work well on Subiaco. Jonathon Marsh, a key-position-sized half-forward, could be considered at the Dockers’ first pick as well, while drafting Tom Barrass or Darcy Gardiner would give them another tall back to develop with Smith.
GEELONG
In: –
Out: Josh Hunt, James Podsiadly, Paul Chapman, Joel Corey, Trent West.
Rookie upgrades: Josh Walker, George Burbury.
Draft picks: 16, 36, 41, 54 (Burbury), 63 (Walker).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Tom Hawkins, Josh Walker, Shane Kersten, Mitch Brown.
TALL DEFENDERS: Harry Taylor, Tom Lonergan, Andrew Mackie, Jared Rivers, Joel Hamling.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Steve Johnson, Steven Motlop, Allen Christensen, Mathew Stokes, Daniel Menzel, Lincoln McCarthy, George Burbury, Brad Hartman.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Corey Enright, Jordan Murdoch, Jackson Thurlow, Jed Bews.
MIDFIELDERS: Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Mitch Duncan, Travis Varcoe, Josh Caddy, Billie Smedts, Taylor Hunt, Cameron Guthrie, George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Schroder, Jesse Stringer, Josh Cowan, Jackson Sheringham (rookie).
RUCKS: Nathan Vardy, Mark Blicavs (rookie), Hamish McIntosh, Dawson Simpson.
DRAFT DAY: The Cats don’t seem to have any urgent needs, and not all clubs who have farewelled the quality of players they have in the past few years would be able to say that. Their job now is to continue finding out which of their promising youngsters will keep them up around the mark, and they’ll find out plenty next year about Walker and Kersten, as well as Smedts, Caddy, Horlin-Smith, Schroder, Stringer and others. Geelong has a well-balanced, flexible squad and will have the choice of some good players at pick 16. They do like is big bodies, and that gives Dom Sheed, the competitive Zak Jones and the powerful Tom Cutler a chance, while Trent Dumont and Luke Dunstan could also come into the mix. At pick 36, it will be interesting to see who slips through. It could be another midfielder – Darcy Lang perhaps; could Matt Crouch slide? – but the club has never minded carrying a lot of ruckmen. It wouldn’t surprise to see them add another, maybe late or as a rookie, to start work on.
GOLD COAST
In: Jack Martin.
Out: Jacob Gillbee, Kyal Horsley, Liam Patrick, Maverick Weller, Joel Wilkinson, Jared Brennan.
Draft picks: 5, 20, 27
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Tom Lynch, Sam Day, Charlie Dixon, Josh Hall (rookie).
TALL DEFENDERS: Rory Thompson, Steven May, Nathan Bock, Seb Tape, Matthew Warnock, Tom Murphy, Jack Hutchins, Jeremy Taylor, Henry Schade, Clay Cameron.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Brandon Matera, Aaron Hall, Timmy Sumner.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Jarrod Harbrow, Trent McKenzie, Greg Broughton, Danny Stanley, Campbell Brown, Jackson Allen, Leigh Osborne (rookie).
MIDFIELDERS: Gary Ablett, Harley Bennell, David Swallow, Jaeger O’Meara, Dion Prestia, Luke Russell, Matt Shaw, Jesse Lonergan, Jack Martin, Michael Rischitelli, Karmichael Hunt, Alex Sexton, Andrew Boston (rookie).
RUCKS: Zac Smith, Tom Nicholls, Daniel Gorringe.
DRAFT DAY: The Suns have been trimming their list back, and by this time next year will be back to a 38-player senior squad (with some extra rookies). They had a quiet off-season, keeping the players they wanted to keep and trading a pick they had no plans to use for a compensation pick in the third round next year, which will help them keep spreading the age of their group. They’ll take three picks, and add the excellent Jack Martin, and there’s nothing they desperately need. Expect Tasmanian Kade Kolodjashnij (a running back/midfielder) to be around the mark for pick five, as well as James Aish, Jack Billings, Matt Scharenberg and Marcus Bontempelli, who like Kolodjashnij could fill a role at half-back. It’s harder to predict who’ll be around at 20 and 27, but if one or two clubs do something funny in the teens then the Suns could get a nice surprise, a la Collingwood and Brodie Grundy last season. The zippy Lewis Taylor might be there, and would be a great fit. Tom Cutler is a powerful runner who could play out of the back line, and Jarman Impey would add pace to the forward line and midfield. Another to consider is Kolodjashnij’s twin brother, Jake, a key defender. The Suns have have a few developing backs but Jake would give them another option
GWS
In: Heath Shaw, Shane Mumford, Josh Hunt, Dylan Addison, Jake Barrett (zone selection).
Out: Taylor Adams, Dom Tyson, Sam Darley, Josh Bruce, Shaun Edwards, Kurt Aylett, Dean Brogan, Chad Cornes, Bret Thornton, Sam Reid, Anthony Miles, Josh Growden, Setanta O’hAilpin, Gerald Ugle, Sam Schulz.
Rookie upgrade: Zac Williams.
Draft picks: 1, 2, 15, 29, 48, 72 (Barrett), 83 (Williams).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jeremy Cameron, Jon Patton, Adam Tomlinson, James Stewart.
TALL DEFENDERS: Phil Davis, Kristian Jaksch, Tim Mohr, Sam Frost, Aidan Corr, Lachie Plowman, Nick Haynes, Stephen Gilham, Tim Golds.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Curtly Hampton, Devon Smith, Dylan Addison, Nathan Wilson.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Heath Shaw, Matthew Buntine, Zac Williams, Josh Hunt, Adam Kennedy, Jacob Townsend, Mark Whiley.
MIDFIELDERS: Callan Ward, Adam Treloar, Dylan Shiel, Stephen Coniglio, Lachie Whitfield, Tom Scully, Toby Greene, Tom Bugg, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Liam Sumner, Rhys Palmer, Jono O’Rourke, Jake Barrett.
RUCKS: Shane Mumford, Jonathan Giles, Andrew Phillips, Tom Downie.
DRAFT DAY: The Giants had a good October. Not only did they get some senior bodies in, they got two very good ones in Shaw and Mumford. Jed Lamb, due to arrive via the pre-season draft, is younger and not proven but plays as a more genuine half-forward than most of the club’s young midfielders. The Giants improved their position in the draft considerably. After a few years of concessions they had to give (Tyson and Adams), to get (Shaw and pick two) for the first time but they started to spread the age of their list. Getting 21 from Melbourne as part of the Tyson deal turned out to be hugely helpful, because it helped them move up to 14, and they maximised Tyson’s value. It’s no surprise GWS has drafted so many Victorians in the past few years: if and when they lose more, they’ll get high picks back in return and be able to replace them with more top-rated talent. This year, Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly will be picks one and two. Lewis Taylor and Luke Dunstan will appeal at 14, and they’re a big fan of Rory Lobb.
HAWTHORN
In: Ben McEvoy.
Out: Max Bailey, Xavier Ellis, Lance Franklin, Brent Guerra, Michael Osborne, Shane Savage.
Rookie upgrades: Jon Ceglar, Will Langford.
Draft picks: 24, 38, 56, 59 (Ceglar) 71 (Langford).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston, Sam Grimley, Kaiden Brand, Tim O’Brien, Shem Tatupu (international rookie).
TALL DEFENDERS: Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Ryan Schoenmakers, Ben Stratton, Matt Spangher, Jordan Kelly, Angus Litherland.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Cyril Rioli, Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Grant Birchall, Matthew Suckling, Taylor Duryea, Kyle Cheney, Will Langford, Kurt Heatherley (international rookie).
MIDFIELDERS: Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Brad Sewell, Liam Shiels, Shaun Burgoyne, Isaac Smith, Brendan Whitecross, Jonathan Simpkin, Mitch Hallahan, Bradley Hill, Jed Anderson, Alex Woodward.
RUCKS: David Hale, Ben McEvoy, Jon Ceglar, Luke Lowden.
DRAFT DAY: The Hawks have prepared themselves well for life without Franklin, including the experience picked up by Anderson, Duryea and others. The club’s patience in developing Grimley could pay off nicely. Eleven players have played little or no senior footy, which is natural for a top-of-the-ladder team, but at the same time there seem to be no gaping holes on their list so it will be interesting to see which members of the current group become regular, good senior players, and what the club decides to prioritise at this draft. The Hawks could do with bringing in some more young midfielders, just to keep things ticking over for life after Sewell, Hodge and Mitchell, but at 24, they really have to wait and see who gets through. Someone like the hard, tough Matt Crouch or Trent Dumont would make them think, and of all clubs they’d would be best placed to take on Dayle Garlett. They have a strong senior group that would demand a lot of him. At the moment he’s a highly skilled small forward but he should be able to spend more time in the middle should his endurance and defensive habits improve.
MELBOURNE
In: Bernie Vince, Dom Tyson, Viv Michie, Jesse Hogan, Daniel Cross, Aidan Riley.
Out: James Sellar, Troy Davis, Tom Gillies, Josh Tynan, Rory Taggert, Colin Sylvia, Aaron Davey, David Rodan, Joel Macdonald, Neville Jetta.
Rookie upgrade: Mitch Clisby.
Draft picks: 9, 40, 57, 80 (Clisby).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Mitch Clark, Chris Dawes, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts, Jack Fitzpatrick.
TALL DEFENDERS: James Frawley, Colin Garland, Tom McDonald, Lynden Dunn, Cameron Pedersen.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Jeremy Howe, Luke Tapscott, Shannon Byrnes, Rohan Bail.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Dean Terlich, Jack Grimes, Daniel Nicholson, Mitch Clisby, James Strauss.
MIDFIELDERS: Nathan Jones, Jack Trengove, Dom Tyson, Bernie Vince, Jack Viney, Jordie McKenzie, Michael Evans, Jimmy Toumpas, Daniel Cross, Viv Michie, Sam Blease, Aidan Riley, Dom Barry.
RUCKS: Mark Jamar, Max Gawn, Jake Spencer.
DRAFT DAY: Speed. The Demons need some, and despite handing over pick two as part of the Tyson trade, they should be able to pick from the three quickest players in the top group of draftees. The shame is they gave pick 21 to the Giants; had they kept it, they could possibly have landed Christian Salem or Nathan Freeman, as well as Lewis Taylor, with their first two picks. But when you think about where Tyson would have slotted into an uncompromised draft (maybe around eight), they’ve effectively handed over picks two and 20 for eight and nine, which isn’t bad, as long as Tyson develops. The alternative way of looking at their trade period is that they’ve backed almost completely out of this draft, preferring to trade in Tyson, Michie and Riley, who won’t need multiple summers to get going. Salem and Freeman should be available at nine; if we’re splitting hairs, Salem is arguably the sharper kick and Freeman more explosive. It’s difficult to predict who will be around at 40, though you’d think the club would keep adding to its midfield or consider a small forward. Hogan would probably have been a top-three pick in this draft, and the club’s trading needs to be analysed with that in mind.
NORTH MELBOURNE
In: Nick Dal Santo, Robin Nahas.
Out: Will Sierakowski, Jordan Gysberts, Ayden Kennedy, Ben Mabon, Luke Delaney.
Draft picks: 8 (Luke McDonald, father-son), 30, 47.
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Drew Petrie, Robbie Tarrant, Aaron Black, Tom Curran, Mason Wood.
TALL DEFENDERS: Scott Thompson, Lachlan Hansen, Nathan Grima, Cameron Delaney.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Lindsay Thomas, Sam Wright, Kieran Harper, Robin Nahas, Taylor Garner.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Aaron Mullett, Michael Firrito, Scott McMahon, Jamie Macmillan, Taylor Hine, Mitch Wilkins, Max Warren (rookie).
MIDFIELDERS: Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell, Daniel Wells, Nick Dal Santo, Brent Harvey, Ben Cunnington, Ryan Bastinac, Shaun Atley, Leigh Adams, Sam Gibson, Brad McKenzie, Levi Greenwood, Ben Jacobs, Liam Anthony, Tim McGenniss (rookie).
RUCKS: Todd Goldstein, Majak Daw, Daniel Currie, Eric Wallace (international rookie).
DRAFT DAY: North’s list is quite well balanced, and looks in good shape. Nick Dal Santo should complement the club’s inside onballers, and help make Daniel Wells an even more damaging player by demanding some opposition attention. If the Roos can get Harper running on a wing and keep moving Atley up the ground they will have evened out their midfield group, bearing in mind that Atley is more than capable of winning his own ball. It’s difficult to tell who will reach their second and third picks, but they could look for a tall – Mitch Harvey as a marking forward to keep preparing for life after Petrie? Jake Kolodjashnij or Tom Barrass as a key back? – or look at someone like Jay Kennedy-Harris, who would add even more acceleration around the midfield and forward line after Nahas’ arrival. He’d be worth a look considering there won’t be a huge amount of speed available after the first 15 or so. In Luke McDonald, North has a bold, energetic, come-with-me type player who might start on the half-back line and move into the middle. At pick 8 he’ll be the highest-priced father-son recruit ever, but he’s worth it. With a VFL season under his belt, he could help improve North’s team as early as next year.
PORT ADELAIDE
In: Jared Polec, Matt White.
Out: Nathan Blee, Matt Thomas, Nick Salter, Daniel Stewart, Brett Ebert, Brent Renouf.
Draft picks: 21, 45, 52, 68.
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jay Schulz, Justin Westhoff, John Butcher, Paul Stewart, Mason Shaw.
TALL DEFENDERS: Alipate Carlile, Jackson Trengove, Jack Hombsch, Tom Clurey.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Robbie Gray, Angus Monfries, Aaron Young, Jake Neade, Cameron Hitchcock.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Tom Jonas, Tom Logan, Jasper Pittard, Cameron O’Shea, Campbell Heath, Lewis Stevenson, Ben Newton, Daniel Flynn (international rookie).
MIDFIELDERS: Travis Boak, Brad Ebert, Hamish Hartlett, Chad Wingard, Oliver Wines, Kane Cornes, Matthew Broadbent, Dom Cassisi, Andrew Moore, Jared Polec, Sam Colquhoun, Kane Mitchell (rookie), Brendon Ah Chee.
RUCKS: Matthew Lobbe, Brent Renouf, Jarrad Redden.
DRAFT DAY: The Power has a lot of first-round picks on its list, and this year found a coaching team able to draw out their talent. Their progression isn’t guaranteed, but sliding their first choice down to 21 wasn’t a terrible move, given the club was able to bring in Jared Polec while holding onto a decent selection. Polec is a risky addition in the sense that he did very little in three years at Brisbane. But he also has huge potential. Who will be there at 21? There should be a bigger group of onballers than key talls to choose from. Could the zippy Lewis Taylor or Billy Hartung be there? Jarman Impey is another big chance, and some of the inside onballers Trent Dumont, Luke Dunstan, the versatile Blake Acres and George Hewett, the crafty Zach Merrett or the competitive Matt Crouch or Zak Jones may slide. The Power could also look at drafting another young tall back to develop alongside Clurey, given he, Hombsch and Jonas (who has done very well on bigger opponents) are a touch undersized. Darcy Gardiner, Jake Kolodjashnij, Tom Barrass and Daniel McStay are worth a look and while they have no desperation for marking forwards (provided Butcher comes on as anticipated), Michael Apeness may also be considered.
RICHMOND
In: Shaun Hampson.
Out: Luke McGuane, Robin Nahas, Tom Derickx, Shane Tuck, Matt White.
Rookie upgrade: Ricky Petterd.
Draft picks: 12, 50, 66, 77 (Petterd).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Jack Riewoldt, Tyrone Vickery, Liam McBean, Todd Elton.
TALL DEFENDERS: Alex Rance, Dylan Grimes, Troy Chaplin, David Astbury, Ben Griffiths, Ben Darrou (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Jake King, Chris Knights, Matthew Arnot, Brett O’Hanlon, Matt McDonough.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Chris Newman, Steven Morris, Jake Batchelor, Bachar Houli, Ricky Petterd, Kamdyn McIntosh, Matt Dea.
MIDFIELDERS: Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin, Nick Vlastuin, Brandon Ellis, Reece Conca, Daniel Jackson, Shaun Grigg, Shane Edwards, Nathan Foley, Brad Helbig, Cadeyn Williams (rookie).
RUCKS: Ivan Maric, Shaun Hampson, Orren Stephenson (rookie).
DRAFT DAY: The Tigers will be reasonably minor players this year, taking just three live picks. That’s not a bad thing, depending on how soon we see more of their ”next layer” players. If McBean, Arnot, O’Hanlon, Dea, McIntosh, Elton and others start to put pressure on for spots, they’ll improve. If they can get Griffiths going, even better. And if the inclusion of Hampson helps Vickery kick more goals, better again. The club was very encouraged by McBean’s progress last season, and he could play a part in the forward line and in the ruck. The Tigers can probably still get better in the midfield, simply by adding another good player to the mix, and for that reason Christian Salem would be an ideal first pick. Like recent draftees Ellis and Vlastuin, he is capable in more than one spot – whereas those two were drafted having played in the midfield and across half-back, he’d add a bit of class to the half-forward line too. Ben Lennon will appeal for similar reasons – he’s more forward than midfielder, at this point – and Richmond’s pick may simply be a case of which player is still on the board, with Nathan Freeman also to be considered. If all those three are gone they’d be unlucky, but it may happen, bringing another onballer- perhaps Zak Jones – into the frame.
ST KILDA
In: Shane Savage, Josh Bruce, Luke Delaney, Billy Longer.
Out: Ben McEvoy, Nick Dal Santo, Jason Blake, Justin Koschitzke, Tom Ledger, Jay Lever, Stephen Milne, Ahmed Saad.
Rookie upgrade: Tom Curren.
Draft picks: 3, 18, 19, 81 (Curren).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Nick Riewoldt, Tom Lee, Rhys Stanley, Beau Wilkes, Spencer White.
TALL DEFENDERS: Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert, Tom Simpkin, Josh Bruce, Luke Delaney.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Arryn Siposs, Ahmed Saad, Adam Schneider, Terry Milera, Trent Dennis-Lane, Daniel Markworth, Cameron Shenton (rookie), Darren Minchington (rookie).
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Sean Dempster, Jarryn Geary, Jimmy Webster, Brodie Murdoch, James Gwilt, Nathan Wright.
MIDFIELDERS: Leigh Montagna, Jack Steven, Lenny Hayes, David Armitage, Jack Newnes, Josh Saunders, Shane Savage, Seb Ross, Farren Ray, Clinton Jones, Tom Curren, Sam Dunell.
RUCKS: Tom Hickey, Billy Longer, Lewis Pierce, Jason Holmes (international rookie).
DRAFT DAY: The Saints have blown a few drafts in recent years but are back on track and would have felt buoyed by several of their youngsters last year. The club traded heavily, and well, if with some risk: the McEvoy trade made sense from a footballing perspective, particularly given they got Longer cheaply, but McEvoy was a leader and given the age gap in their group the Saints need all the next-generation leaders they can get. Still, three picks inside 20 has left them in a very good position. The club’s still light on for talls at either end, but there should be no urgency on that front: there are some very good talls on the way next year, and if the Saints finish in the bottom few clubs again they’ll have access to one of the best.There should will be more midfielders to pick from, at each pick. Zach Merrett’s foot skills will appeal, they’ve been linked to Jarman Impey, a super-quick small forward/midfielder, and Billy Hartung and Lewis Taylor could come into play. Pick three is a tough one, too. Jack Billings could end up the best player from this group; he’s a game-shaper. Matt Scharenberg sets games up, James Aish would give them poise, while Kade Kolodjashnij and Marcus Bontempelli can run.
SYDNEY SWANS
In: Lance Franklin, Jeremy Laidler.
Out: Tony Armstrong, Jude Bolton, Alex Brown, Andrejs Everitt, Martin Mattner, Mitch Morton, Shane Mumford, Jesse White, Jed Lamb.
Rookie upgrades: Brandon Jack, Dane Rampe.
Draft picks: 15, 32, 35, 44, 53, 69 (Jack), 79 (Rampe).
Depth charts
Tall forwards: Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett, Sam Reid, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Tommy Walsh.
Tall defenders: Ted Richards, Heath Grundy, Alex Johnson, Jeremy Laidler, Xavier Richards (rookie).
Small/medium forwards: Ben McGlynn, Tim Membrey.
Small/medium defenders: Nick Smith, Nick Malceski, Dane Rampe, Rhyce Shaw, Jordan Lockyer, Matthew Dick, Harry Marsh.
Midfielders: Adam Goodes, Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Ryan O’Keefe, Dan Hannebery, Lewis Jetta, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird, Luke Parker, Gary Rohan, Tom Mitchell, Harry Cunningham, Dean Towers, Brandon Jack, Shane Biggs (rookie).
Rucks: Mike Pyke, Sam Naismith (rookie), Patrick Mitchell (international rookie).
DRAFT DAY: Sydney’s depth has taken a hit, partly because Franklin’s enormous contract caused a few players look for better contracts elsewhere, but also because Bolton and Mattner had decided to retire. Given a choice between one of the best players in the competition and three or four fringe players, most clubs would find a new fringe. The Swans have a few areas that need boosting and while Jed Lamb’s departure could create opportunities for Membrey, it also means the club could bring in a medium forward. Whether there is one worth pick 15 is the question, with the quirky Jonathan Marsh one to consider. That said, there’s likely to be a selection of onballers available at that pick. Lewis Taylor and Zach Merrett are smart, speedy players, while inside midfielders such as Dom Sheed, Luke Dunstan, Zak Jones and Trent Dumont would need to be considered on talent. The other area needing attention is the ruck. The Swans need someone who can play immediately, if required, but of the younger ruckmen on offer, former basketballer Rory Lobb might demand their No.15 pick.
WEST COAST
In: Xavier Ellis, Elliot Yeo.
Out: Bradd Dalziell, Brad Dick, Andrew Embley, Ashton Hams, Daniel Kerr, Cale Morton, Mark Nicoski, Adam Selwood, Murray Newman.
Rookie upgrades: Jamie Bennell, Jeremy McGovern, Simon Tunbridge.
Draft picks: 11, 31, 43, 49, 61 (Bennell), 73(McGovern), 82 (Tunbridge).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Fraser McInnes, Jeremy McGovern, Brant Colledge.
TALL DEFENDERS: Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie, Will Schofield, Mitch Brown.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Mark LeCras, Josh Hill, Simon Tunbridge, Jamie Bennell.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Beau Waters, Shannon Hurn, Jacob Brennan, Sam Butler, Ashley Smith, Blayne Wilson, Adam Carter.
MIDFIELDERS: Andrew Gaff, Matt Priddis, Scott Selwood, Luke Shuey, Sharrod Wellingham, Chris Masten, Patrick McGinnity, Brad Sheppard, Matt Rosa, Jamie Cripps, Elliot Yeo, Mark Hutchings, Xavier Ellis.
RUCKS: Dean Cox, Nic Naitanui, Scott Lycett, Callum Sinclair (rookie).
DRAFT DAY: West Coast took a chance moving its No.6 pick down to 11 during the trade period, knowing the deal would help it get the quick and versatile Elliot Yeo through the door and believing it would get a player it was happy with at No.11 anyway. Talk was that it was keen on midfielder Dom Sheed, and that may end up being the case, but the club has put plenty of other options. Ben Lennon is one, and would fit in nicely as a dynamic half-forward who can shape games, and move through the midfield once he improves his engine. Cameron McCarthy, a key forward, will come into the Eagles’ thinking too. That said, the Eagles’ midfield could do with more revamping and that’s why Lennon and Sheed would appeal. Sheed doesn’t have the burst of pace, but he just keeps getting the ball and playing well at every level. Blake Acres may appeal as a taller, quicker player and so would Lewis Taylor, who has speed, skill and lots of energy. They’ll have some good players reach pick 31, too, with the enigmatic Jonathan Marsh one that may, as well as onballers like George Hewett, Matt Crouch and James Battersby or tall back, like local Tom Barrass.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
In: Stewart Crameri, Sam Darley.
Out: Daniel Cross, Nick Lower, Lukas Markovic, Patrick Veszpremi, Dylan Addison.
Rookie upgrade: Brett Goodes.
Draft picks: 4, 42, 60 (Goodes).
DEPTH CHARTS
TALL FORWARDS: Ayce Cordy, Liam Jones, Stewart Crameri, Tom Williams, Jack Redpath (rookie).
TALL DEFENDERS: Jordan Roughead, Dale Morris, Michael Talia, Mark Austin (rookie), Fletcher Roberts.
SMALL/MEDIUM FORWARDS: Shaun Higgins, Daniel Giansiracusa, Tory Dickson, Jarrad Grant, Lachlan Hunter, Jake Stringer.
SMALL/MEDIUM DEFENDERS: Bob Murphy, Easton Wood, Jason Johannisen, Jason Tutt, Daniel Pearce, Tom Young, Brett Goodes.
MIDFIELDERS: Ryan Griffen, Matthew Boyd, Mitch Wallis, Luke Dahlhaus, Liam Picken, Adam Cooney, Tom Liberatore, Clay Smith, Koby Stevens, Christian Howard, Alex Greenwood (rookie), Lin Jong (rookie), Nathan Hrovat, Jackson Macrae, Josh Prudden, Sam Darley.
RUCKS: Will Minson, Tom Campbell.
DRAFT DAY: The Dogs finished the season in encouraging form. But they still landed 15th and have ground to make up. They’ve punched games into a lot of promising players in the past few seasons and turned Roughead into a genuine defender. Only Prudden, Redpath and Greenwood haven’t played a senior game, so the club knows a lot about what it’s working with, and the Dogs’ progression from here will come down to how well their many kids develop. Crameri was a good get, if a pricey one for a second or third forward: his value might not be in how many goals he kicks, but in how much easier he is able to make life for Jones, Cordy and Grant. Pick four should come down to a selection from four or five players – Jack Billings, James Aish or Kade Kolodjashnij would all be excellent pick-ups, though Marcus Bontempelli is the sort of big-bodied midfield option that would appeal to their coach. Billings and Aish have more proven form, and elite composure. Add either, and suddenly their midfield group would look a bit more poised, and a bit more layered. Kolodjashnij is a runner, as is Bontempelli, though he found some late form in the centre square. He would be a big call at four, but a bold one.
