The 2018 AFL draft transformation

The 2018 NAB AFL draft is complete and weren’t there some great players?

A lot of people like me thought that Sam Walsh, Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine would all be the number one pick in half of the other drafts. Although I didn’t post an article on it, today I am going to look at my draft prediction at the start of the year versus the actual draft order, to see the transformation these players have gone through.

Pick 1: Jack Lukosius
Where did he go: Gold Coast at Pick 2

Jack Lukosius has only dropped one pick since the start of the year. Realistically he hasn’t actually dropped, he only dropped because Sam Walsh went up. The former Woodville West-Torrens Eagles drew comparisons to St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt due to his height, position flexibility and kick for goal.

He joins the Suns with his best friend but will he come knocking in two years like every other Suns draftee?

Time will tell.

Pick 2: Max King
Where did he go: St Kilda at Pick 4

Max King was, at the start of the year, considered to be a possible number one pick. Disappointingly for him, he injured his ACL after just one game for the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup. The injury kind of worked in his favour though as he dropped to pick four and was selected by the club he has supported since he was a kid, St Kilda.

He can play as a key forward and I expect him to slot into the team straight away.

Pick 3: Sam Walsh
Where did he go: Carlton at pick 1

I feel that Sam Walsh got to pick one as Max King did his ACL, and then the Blues said that they preferred him over Lukosius. Personally, I think Lukosius is 0.0001 points better than Walsh but Walsh fits the Blues better. He remarkably averaged 32 disposals for the Geelong Falcons this Tac Cup season.

That is something that all Blues fans reading this should be very excited about. Other draftees have called him “Mr Perfect” and he will slot into the Blues squad immediately like the other two I have listed.

(Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Pick 4: Bailey Smith
Where did he go: Western Bulldogs at Pick 7

The former Sandringham midfielder could have easily gone anywhere from four to ten in Thursday’s draft. That position in the draft could have increased more as an Achilles injury kept him out for the last three months of the year. Once again nobody has actually decreased in this draft.

They have only decreased as other draftees have improved more. Smith is a hard-running midfielder so I expect him to slot in the Doggies side for Round 1.

Pick 5: Ben King
Where did he go: Gold Coast at Pick 6

The twin brother of Max, Ben King is a key position player that can play at both ends of the ground, which Is a rare find. Another former Sandringham boy, Ben ended up at pick five, in my opinion, as the Power preferred the SA Boy, Connor Rozee.

He stated that he wanted to stay in Victoria and that he hopes to play with Max again someday. Will he come knocking in two years? I think he will. I predict that King will go into the Suns defence for the first game.

Pick 6: Izak Rankine
Where did he go: Gold Coast at Pick 3

What a player Izak Rankine is, he is one of those match winners you just love to watch, like Eddie Betts or Chad Wingard. He is also joining the Suns with his best friend Jack Lukosius. Will he leave in two years? He has earned more and more praise every day, which I feel is how he got to pick three.

(AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

He will be a starter next season.

Pick 7: Nick Blakey
Where did he go: Sydney at Pick 10

The son of John Blakey, he has joined the Swans as an NGA selection after the Giants placed a bid for him. Blakey is a utility player so expect him to slot into the Swans side straight away. I don’t believe he decreased, I think other clubs had needs to fill and preferred others.

Pick 8: Jackson Hately
Where did he go: GWS Giants at Pick 14

A bit of a bargain for the Giants I reckon, he is a standard midfielder which GWS need after the losses of Shiel and Scully. He has a 50/50 chance, I reckon, of going straight into the GWS best 22.

Pick 9: Ian Hill
Where did he go: GWS Giants at Pick 24

Ian Hill could have gone to Fremantle at pick 17 but wasn’t chosen. He has taken an injury hit this year which is always going to slide you down the order. I don’t expect him to be a regular.

Pick 10: Curtis Taylor
Where did he go: North Melbourne at Pick 46

Taylor should not have fallen that low, he a good midfielder and an absolute steal for the Roos. I don’t think he will play in Round 1 though.

Pick 11: Bailey Williams, went to West Coast at Pick 35.

Pick 12: Connor Rozee, went to Port Adelaide at Pick 5.

Pick 13: Ned McHenry, went to Adelaide at Pick 16.

Pick 14: Isaac Quanyor, went to Collingwood at Pick 13.

Pick 15: Riley Collier-Dawkins, went to Richmond at Pick 20.

We had some real bolters this year that were not considered as top 20 players at the start of the year. These players include Connor Rozee, Jye Caldwell, Jordan Clark, and Sam Sturt. We also had players that were expected to be top 20s at the start of the year, but were not, like Bailey Williams, Curtis Taylor and Luke Foley.

We also had a lot heartbroken players that didn’t make it, but hey, don’t give up.

It would have been a long year for all these youngsters, they had their ups, they had their downs, but I would like to congratulate you all on reaching your dream of becoming a professional AFL footballer.