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Is there anything more exciting than the draft? It’s the AFL’s answer to Christmas – a night full of the excitement of adding new faces to the league and to our clubs.
Like any excited kids around Christmas, we might not be able to unwrap our presents just yet, but we can shake them a bit and take a guess at what they might be.
In that spirit I bring you my phantom draft. I’ll be building it out over the next three weeks – today it’s just a top ten, but next week it will expand out to a full first round, and on the day of the draft, a top 25.
Let’s get down to business.
Pick 1 – Essendon Bombers – Hugh McCluggage
185cm, 75kg
Unlike years past, there’s not necessarily a clear No.1 pick this year and if you asked the eighteen AFL clubs who they would take with the first pick overall, you’d probably get at least two or three different answers – a far cry from for example 2013, when Tom Boyd was earmarked to be the No.1 pick months ahead of the draft.
In the absence of any dominant tall players in this year’s draft, a super classy goal-kicking midfielder like McCluggage seems the most likely way for Essendon to go. He’s had an excellent year and would add another quality kick to Essendon’s midfield. He’s a bit on the lean side at the moment, but that’s really the only concern.
Pick 2 – GWS Giants – Andrew McGrath
180cm, 75kg
The Giants’ interest in McGrath is well known, and unless Essendon decide to send the league a curveball by taking McGrath at the No.1 pick, GWS will certainly get their man after trading up to this selection.
McGrath is a speedy, athletic player with a quality kick who could fit in just about anywhere on the ground, but the Giants are targetting him as their long-term replacement for Heath Shaw, who turns 31 later this year.
Pick 3 – Gold Coast Suns – Jack Bowes
187cm, 78kg
A Gold Coast academy player, the Suns have the right to match any bid for Bowes and the current talk around town is that Brisbane, who hold pick No.3, will make a bid for him – forcing the Suns to match with pick No.4, and move up in the order.
HOW ACADEMY AND FATHER-SON BIDDING WORKS, AND WHO WILL GET BID ON
It’s pretty understandable why both Queensland clubs would want to get Bowes. He’s a versatile midfielder with quality inside and outside game, and as a Queensland native – hailing from Cairns – would be unlikely to leave either club via the homesickness epidemic.
Pick 4 – Brisbane Lions – Ben Ainsworth
179cm, 74kg
The Lions would move down to this selection if they do launch a bid at Bowes and see it matched by the Suns, and at this position small forward Ben Ainsworth could be their choice, adding some excitement and X-factor to their forward mix.
The only concern would be that the top five is pretty early to draft a specialist forward pocket – the Lions would want to be very confident that Ainsworth can eventually develop into a midfielder, or at least a high half-forward.
Pick 5 – GWS Giants – Will Setterfield
190cm, 80kg
This could be the place where another bid comes in – in this case, Carlton continuing their love affair with anything GWS by offering up pick No.5 for Giants academy player Will Setterfield.
The Giants are well-placed to match, and will be very happy to land Setterfield. At 190cm he’s a great size for a midfielder and combines dominant contested ball ability with quality disposal.
Pick 6 – Carlton Blues – Tim Taranto
186cm, 82kg
The Blues could shape how the rest of the top ten plays out with this pick. Many think they will go with clearance-machine Will Brodie, but I’m taking a bit of a punt and saying that Brodie’s questionable kicking will see him slide out of the top ten.
Instead, Tim Taranto looks a great choice here. He’s a midfielder who has it all – inside game, outside game, a bit of pace, and elite finishing skills.
Pick 7 – Gold Coast Suns – Sam Petrevski-Seton
181cm, 76kg
The Suns have four picks inside the top ten this year (before the draft order is affected by bidding), so they can afford to be a little tactical. If they want to draft Western Australian Sam Petrevski-Seton, this is the pick to do it, before Fremantle has a chance.
Petrevski-Seton is an elite kick on either foot and would add a touch of class for the Suns through the midfield and across half-forward. His talent is worth picking, the only concern for the Suns would be that they already have several players of his type.
Pick 8 – Fremantle Dockers – Tim English
203cm, 86kg
If Petrevski-Seton and English were both available at this pick, the Dockers would face a difficult choice. Both call Western Australia home, and both are elite – but in very different ways.
English is a ruckman, but really he’s a midfielder who has gone through a massive growth spurt. He’ll need to improve his tap work, but he has the potential to be a Dean Cox type, and the long-term successor to Aaron Sandilands.
Pick 9 – Gold Coast Suns – Jack Scrimshaw
193cm, 80kg
Scrimshaw may have the height of a key position player, but he’s a more of a half-back or midfielder, one with quality ball-use and who moves well through traffic.
He’d be a good fit at the Suns – they’ll have plenty of opportunity for him to develop into a midfielder, whereas at other clubs he might wind up in utility-limbo. At his height, he could be an absolute beast in the middle if it all comes together.
Pick 10 – Sydney Swans – Griffin Logue
193cm, 92kg
The Swans made a big deal on the final day of the trade period to move up into the top ten, which suggests they’ve got their eye on someone in particular – my gut says that player could be Griffin Logue, the best key defender in the draft.
Logue has great athleticism and speed for a big man, not to mention a hairdo that will make him an instant cult figure. He’d be an eventual replacement for Heath Grundy who can slot in alongside Aliir Aliir for the next five to ten years.
Be sure to check back over the coming weeks as I expand and update this phantom draft, and let me know in the comments below who you think will go in the top ten.