HeraldSun
30 October 2023
The AFL draft is only weeks away. Who is your club circling? See how the opening round will play out, with a whopping 27 picks expected.
1. West Coast - Harley Reid
Bendigo Pioneers, 187cm Midfielder/Forward
The Eagles don’t look like giving up the prized No.1 pick unless they get a ‘knock your socks off’ offer – like picks two and three from North Melbourne in return. Reid has repeatedly said he is happy to move west, where he would be capable of having immediate impact through the midfield next year. As Essendon coach Brad Scott said in August, “the hype is real” with Reid. He is a serious talent with power, sublime skills and a signature fend-off.
2. Gold Coast - Jed Walter - matching North Melbourne bid
Gold Coast Suns Academy, 197cm Forward
Rival clubs believe it would be “highway robbery” for the Suns if Walter doesn’t get a bid from the Kangaroos here. Some believe the power forward – who looks up to Carlton’s Charlie Curnow – would be in the conversation for pick 1 if he was not a Suns Academy player. Walter has overcome a knee injury which ended his season early and will be ready to attack pre-season.
3. North Melbourne - Colby McKercher
Tasmania Devils, 180cm Midfielder
If the Kangaroos keep these picks, lock in the gun Tasmanian midfielder for one of them. Recruiters label McKercher a “superstar” and many have had him pegged as a top-three pick all year. He has speed, agility, sees the game well and makes good decisions. McKercher was a consistent performer across the season, including producing some stunning games for the Allies in the national championships.
4. North Melbourne - Zane Duursma
Gippsland Power, 189cm Forward
The Kangaroos could probably do with West Australian key defender Daniel Curtin, but it will be hard to pass up this mid-sized X-Factor forward. Duursma had an up-and-down start to the season as he battled injury and illness, but ticked every box in the second half of the year. He was a clear best-on-ground for Vic Country in the biggest game of the year against Vic Metro, standing out with his skills, creativity and ability to win the ball in the air and at ground level.
5. Hawthorn - Nick Watson
Eastern Ranges, 170cm Forward
If Duursma was to be overlooked by the Kangaroos, he wouldn’t get past Hawthorn. There is also a school of thought that the Hawks could look to West Australian key defender Daniel Curtin with this pick. However, livewire small forward Watson looks the most likely option. The player who has become known as ‘The Wizard’ can make something out of nothing inside-50 with his smarts, quick reflexes and wicked goal sense.
6. Western Bulldogs - Ryley Sanders
Sandringham Dragons, 185cm Midfielder
The Bulldogs have also been linked to Watson, but expect it to be Sanders if The Wizard is gone. An old-fashioned onballer, Sanders is a bull in the contest and improved his fitness to become more damaging on the spread this year. He was Mr Consistent across all levels of football this season and averaged 35.8 disposals and five clearances for the Allies to win the Larke Medal as the best player of the national championships.
7. Gold Coast - Ethan Read – matching Melbourne bid
Gold Coast Suns Academy, 202cm Ruck
He’s listed as a ruckman and has been likened to Dean Cox in that role, but some say that Read could develop into a versatile everywhere man like Geelong’s Mark Blicavs given his size and running ability. Read finished third in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine to stamp what was already known about his athletic abilities. Some clubs rate him a top-five talent and he would be a good fit for a Demons side which has lost Brody Grundy and Luke Jackson over the past 13 months, so a bid here would not surprise.
8. Melbourne - James Leake
Tasmania Devils, 187cm Defender/Forward
There was a serious spike in interest around Leake in the second half of the season and all 18 clubs interviewed him at the national draft combine. There is now a feeling that the Tasmanian utility has pushed up into top-10 calculations and the Demons could be the first to pounce ahead of other interested parties in GWS and Geelong. Leake played as an intercept defender for the Allies at the under-18 national championships, before spending time forward and through the midfield with the Tamanian Devils in the back half of the Coates Talent League season. He is strong in the contest, has great athletic attributes and has proven his flexibility.
9. GWS - Daniel Curtin
Claremont, 197cm Defender/Midfielder
A West Australian who has been likened to Fremantle great Matthew Pavlich, Curtin was discussed as a top-three prospect earlier in the year. However, expectations now are that he could slide a few spots, leaving the Giants as a potential beneficiary. Curtain has said he is happy to move interstate, but West Coast is known to be a big fan. With live trading available to clubs, could the Eagles could offer up something juicy to the Giants to take this pick and Curtin? If not, GWS would be pretty happy to snag a player who shines as a key defender but also showed plenty as a big-bodied midfielder this year.
10. Geelong - Nate Caddy
Northern Knights, 193cm Forward
The Cats have also been linked to hard-running wingman Darcy Wilson, but marking forward Caddy would be hard to pass up if he’s still on the board. Melbourne also has interest in Caddy, but if it takes Leake then there’s every chance Caddy gets through to the Cats. Given Geelong’s ageing key forward stocks – Jeremy Cameron is 30 and Tom Hawkins is 35 – it makes sense to bring in some new blood. Recruiters believe Caddy has the potential to be a Charlie Curnow-type in time given his aerial abilities, power and strength.
11. Essendon - Connor O’Sullivan
Murray Bushrangers, 198cm Defender
Given they lost Brandon Zerk-Thatcher during the trade period and they have been unable to get Zach Reid’s body right to this point, the Bombers are expected to address their defensive woes with O’Sullivan at this pick. The backman has a body that is ready-built to step up to the AFL and has the height to play on the monster forwards in the game. While most comfortable in defence, the Albury product has also shown an ability to hit the scoreboard when he has been used at the other end of the ground on occasion in recent years.
12. Adelaide - Darcy Wilson
Murray Bushrangers, 186cm Midfielder
The Crows need a key defender most of all, but if O’Sullivan is gone then they might look to address a different list need here. Adelaide is a side that has plenty of inside grunt, but adding some line-breaking run on the outside would not hurt. Wilson – who has been labelled a better runner than Carlton’s Oliver Hollands – could bring that. He can play on a wing or as a half-forward, has good football IQ, is a thumping kick and can hit the scoreboard.
13. Melbourne - Caleb Windsor
Eastern Ranges, 184cm Midfielder
The mail is that Melbourne is just about set on selecting Windsor with its second selection here. The Eastern Ranges product is another player to have shot up draft boards in the second half of the season, even more so after a strong showing at the national draft combine. The wingman had a big under-18 national championships with Vic Metro and is seen as a player with real weapons with his speed, foot skills and decision making. He is a modern-day wingman who most clubs would love to have.
14. Gold Coast - Jake Rogers – matching Sydney bid
Gold Coast Suns Academy, 170cm Midfielder
The Swans aren’t afraid to make a bid on draft night and if Rogers fell much further than this it would be a steal for the Suns. The midfielder has been likened to Touk Miller as a tough, quick, agile and efficient inside midfielder who has clean hands and brings great leadership. Having finished school last year, he has already been treated like a first-year player at Gold Coast this year. A back injury ended his season early, but Rogers should be ready to go for pre-season and will push to break into a strong midfield group at the Suns next year.
15. Sydney - Will Green
Northern Knights, 204cm Ruck
The Swans are believed to be having a good look at Green for this pick, and while it appears somewhat of a surprise it is not much of a stretch. The towering young ruckman could be anything after showing plenty of development this year. His tap-work stands out, but he is also aerobically strong to cover the ground and has good fundamentals with his kicking and marking. Green was a member of the All-Australian team this year, following a big under-18 national championships with Vic Metro.
16. Western Bulldogs - Jordan Croft – matching St Kilda bid
Calder Cannons, 200cm Forward
If a bid doesn’t come earlier for Croft, don’t be surprised if the Saints place one here. St Kilda is one of a number of clubs who have very much liked what they have seen from the mobile key forward this year, but he will find his way to Whitten Oval after being nominated as a father-son by the Bulldogs. The Calder Cannons graduate – who is the son of former Dogs defender Matthew – finished fourth in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine but sees his marking and ability to create a contest in the air as his biggest strengths.
17. St Kilda - Riley Hardeman
Swan Districts, 185cm Defender
Will the stars align for the West Australian, who grew up as a St Kilda supporter and loved watching Stephen Milne? Hardeman spoke to 16 clubs at the draft combine, where he showed his strong athletic traits – including some real speed which the Saints could use more of. He captained Western Australia at the under-18 national championships, playing primarily off half-back. However, he also looked good through the midfield for Swan Districts in the WAFL Colts at stages this year.
18. Hawthorn - Will McCabe
Central District, 197cm Defender
A key defender from South Australia, there’s no doubt the Crows would love to get their hands on McCabe. However, the Hawks are certain to match a first-round bid on the father-son prospect, whose father Luke is the current football director at Waverley Park. McCabe is exactly what Hawthorn needs, with the club being desperate to bolster its backline. He is athletic, can play a little taller or smaller, is very good one-on-one and can provide some rebound by foot off half-back.
19. Adelaide - Ollie Murphy
Sandringham Dragons, 200cm Defender
The Crows need to address their backline, after losing Tom Doedee through the free agency period and losing Nick Murray to an ACL injury late in the season. They weren’t able to prise Harrison Petty out of Melbourne during the trade period, but look a good chance to grab Murphy here. Playing as a key defender for the first time this year, Murphy showed plenty as he won Vic Metro’s MVP award following a big under-18 national championships campaign. He looks up to St Kilda intercepting king Callum Wilkie.
20. North Melbourne - Lance Collard
Subiaco, 180cm Forward
West Coast had hoped earlier in the year that they would be able to pick up Collard as a Next Generation Academy player outside the top-40 selections. However, there is no way that is happening now. Clubs believe the small forward – who has been described as a Bobby Hill clone – is very likely to be taken in the first 20 picks on draft night given his match-winning abilities and athletic traits. Carlton and Fremantle have also shown interest, but their first picks are likely to fall too late. Adding a livewire small forward is an area the Kangaroos clearly want to address.
21. GWS - Charlie Edwards
Sandringham Dragons, 191cm Midfielder
A late-season bolter, there are suggestions that Edwards could be snapped up even earlier than this. But what looks certain is that he won’t be any later given the interest from a number of clubs in this range, including the Giants. Edwards started the season across half-back for the Sandringham Dragons but moved into the midfield to great effect in the second half of the year. He can drive his legs through traffic, is a penetrating kick and is a great size for a modern-day midfielder.
22. North Melbourne - Archer Reid
Gippsland Power, 203cm Forward
The younger brother of Essendon defender Zach, Reid does his best work at the other end of the ground as a towering key forward who can take a nice mark and also added another string to his bow by going into the ruck later in the year. He’s not the complete package just yet, but the potential upside is sizeable and he fits a need for North Melbourne. The Kangaroos have to provide Nick Larkey with some help in attack. The Callum Coleman-Jones experiment hasn’t worked yet and Charlie Comben has barely been available in his four years at the club due to injury.
23. North Melbourne - Wil Dawson
Gippsland Power, 200cm Defender
When it comes to key defenders, the cupboard is fairly bare at Arden St. The Kangaroos lost Ben McKay to Essendon through free agency, after losing Griffin Logue to a 12-month ACL injury late in the season. It is an area they need to bolster and some clubs believe that Dawson is a first-round smoky for the Kangaroos given they are set to overlook Arie Schoenmaker, while Zane Zakostelsky will be off the board by the time the club’s next pick comes around. Dawson has met with just about every club and attended the national draft combine. He was a once a skinny onballer who turned into a ruckman and key forward before finding his niche down back for Gippsland Power this year.
24. Collingwood - Koltyn Tholstrup
Subiaco, 186cm Forward
Some rate the West Australian as a top 15 to 20 prospect, but there’s a chance he could slide just a touch and find his way to the reigning premiers. Collingwood is believed to have done some recent work on Tholstrup, a dynamic forward who can also pinch-hit in the midfield and have an impact with his agility and running power. The boy from Esperance in regional WA had a strong national championships for his state and played 10 games of senior WAFL football with Subiaco, suggesting that he is very much capable of making the step up to AFL football in the not-too-distant future.
25. Adelaide - Arie Schoenmaker
Tasmania Devils, 194cm Defender
Adding some defensive depth looks key for the Crows in this draft and Schoenmaker is another player the club will need to seriously consider at this pick, even if they do land Murphy with their second selection. Schoenmaker is a versatile prospect from Tasmania and can break the play open was the back-half with his penetrating left-foot kick. He also spent some time in the ruck at the tail end of the Coates Talent League season and hit the scoreboard with some long goals from outside 50.
26. St Kilda - Harry DeMattia
Dandenong Stingrays, 185cm Midfielder
The Saints want to bolster their midfield and while next year looks like being a better draft for that, they could get started early with DeMattia. The former junior cricket star has explosive breakaway speed from the contest – something the Saints are lacking – along with nice agility, clean hands and a good pressure game. Unsurprisingly, DeMattia finished in the top-10 in the 20m sprint at the national draft combine. He is a player with plenty of fans within the first round of the draft.
27. Carlton - Luamon Lual
GWV Rebels, 182cm Defender
The first round of the national draft does not usually stretch this far, but the Blues are likely to find themselves at pick 27 for their first-round selection given the earlier bids. Lual is linked to the Western Bulldogs through the club’s Next Generation Academy, but is little chance to make it past pick 40 for the Bulldogs to be able to match a bid on him. The athletic small defender added some more offensive rebound to his game this year, after primarily playing a lockdown role in his bottom-age season. The Blues will have another selection just a few picks later in the second round, but if they want Lual they might have to take him here given other interest in the 30s.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...l/news-story/eb45a8723e3d6c19ad92013c2ddec713
