Opinion
The home-and-away season is over and 10 fanbases are counting down the near 220 days until Round 1, 2023 and for the remaining eight, we sit in the lull of the bye and a week of emptiness fills us.
What shall we do, I hear you cry? The answer is simple: digest the best mock draft in the land.
Pick 1 (Brisbane): Will Ashcroft, midfielder
Brisbane need an outstanding midfielder to be a midfielder and not a Cam Rayner/Zac Bailey-style hybrid that didn’t work in 2022 and Ashcroft fills that spot with aplomb.
Finds the footy with ease, is a good user, has oodles of composure and takes his chances forward, unlike Lachie Neale and Hugh McCluggage.
Pick 2 (North Melbourne): Harry Sheezel, forward/midfielder
They need some spark and class do the Roos, even with Luke Davies-Unaicke taking a tremendous step forward.
Sheezel has had a few 30-plus disposal games as a mid and his forward nous is outstanding, epitomised by his four goal performance against the Allies earlier in the year.
In his most recent performances, he had 22 touches, seven tackles, six marks and kicked 4.2. Give him Alastair Clarkson and this kid could be anything.
Pick 3 (West Coast): George Wardlaw, midfielder
A hamstring injury may have dogged the Chargers midfielder but the Eagles can’t let him go anywhere.
The footy IQ is off the chain, has the power and competitiveness of a great midfielder and the Eagles’ next generation of midfielders need some toughness, which he brings in spades.
When the NAB League Academy played Collingwood’s VFL side a few months back, this man was best on ground and will be an ‘ instant impact’ style of midfielder for the Eagles.
Pick 4 (GWS): Aaron Cadman, key forward
One of the best fits, the Giants are wishing they could clone Harry Himmelberg as he’s been good down back but lacking up forward, but they could be getting the Jeremy Cameron clone.
He’s found the footy a lot in the NAB League and kicked goals, with his last performance being a 20-disposal, seven-mark and four-goal performance in a tight win over the Falcons.
His hands have been described as “vice-like” and he can be a form style of goalkicker (can kick a couple of behinds in a row and it becomes contagious) but his ceiling is enormous.
Pick 5 (Essendon): Elijah Tsatas, outside midfielder
They’ll be disappointed they miss out on Sheezel but the outside prowess of Tsatas should excite Bombers fans.
Can start his career on a wing, break lines, hits targets and needs the ball in his hands. Nik Cox on one wing, Tsatas on the other and Zach Merrett, Darcy Parish, Jye Caldwell and Dylan Shiel in the centre bounce.
His fortnight to begin the NAB League saw a 27-disposal and eight-inside 50 start and then a 36-disposal, seven-mark and seven-inside 50 performance.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/Getty Images)
Pick 6 (Adelaide): Matteas Phillipou, midfielder
At 192cm, Woodville West-Torrens local Phillipou brings a point of difference that is drastically missing from the Crows midfield.
In his eight U18 performances for the Eagles, he’s averaging 28 disposals at 78 per cent efficiency, seven inside 50s and 6.6 marks.
His ability to hit the scoreboard has also been on show at the Under 18s level, kicking a dozen goals from the eight games and a few from downtown.
Perfect fit for the Crows and although he’s only eligible for the draft by five days, he could be an impact player early in the season.
Pick 7 (Hawthorn): Cameron MacKenzie, midfielder
The Hawks’ midfield is stacked with names but not stacked with talent; the epitome of no man’s land.
Jai Newcombe is a star, Josh Ward proved himself in a big way in the backend of the year and Dylan Moore is one of the most competitive players in the league but Tom Mitchell and James Worpel present some headaches.
However, ignoring the Saints’ NGA midfield bull would be silly, given he is strong overhead, is a clearance machine and never puts in a poor performance.
Averaged 26 disposals at the Championships and with the above names and Connor MacDonald, Hawthorn’s next generation midfield is taking shape.
Pick 8 (Gold Coast): Brayden George, forward
A speculative selection to be sure as this would rely on Izak Rankine going to the Crows (but then again, the Suns would get pick 4, no wonder this is hard) but George is still a great prospect.
Has had a knee issue that’s kept him out for a while but his elite foot skills, composure, athleticism and ability to kick goals from anywhere will bring some excitement up north.
Pick 9 (Port Adelaide): Jedd Busslinger, key defender
Another who’s had their year ended by injury, Busslinger is the best key back in the draft and Port Adelaide are desperate for one.
Even they’ve recognised it, as delisting Sam Skinner shows they need a replacement and although Sam Hayes’ brother Lewis is also a key back, Busslinger is the number one on the key back chart.
Whilst it seems every tall back is judged by their ability to intercept, his ball use and opponent stopping ability are the standouts and fit Port Adelaide magnificently.
Pick 10 (St.Kilda): Elijah Hewett, midfielder
With Brad Hill potentially on the move, and the likes of Ryan Byrnes, Jarrod Lienert and Jack Bytel not looking like mainstayers, why not improve on the best draft class of 2021, with a natural leader, outside midfielder and endurance beast?
All of that is Hewett, who may have had a quieter National Championships than first expected but his WAFL Reserves debut was excellent; 31 disposals, six inside 50s and a goal.
Recruiters are big fans of his leadership as well, which the Saints need more of in spades; as it looks like it’s Jack Steele or no one.
Pick 11 – Trade
Collingwood receive: Pick 11
Carlton receive: Pick 16 and 2023 2nd Round Pick
Collingwood: Matthew Jefferson, key forward
The Pies need to dodge Richmond wanting a Riewoldt replacement, the Lions replacing Dan McStay and developing a young key tall behind Daniher and Hipwood, as well as Fremantle needing a key tall, to pick up Jefferson.
Kicked plenty of goals at the National Championships, kicked four in his last NAB Laague game and even if Dan McStay comes to the Pies, how many drafts can you really ignore a tall forward in before you develop some help for Brody Mihocek?
Great on the lead, very good overhead and has one of the best set shot techniques in the draft, according to the experts.
Pick 12 (Western Bulldogs): Henry Hustwaite, midfielder/defender
Yes, the Dogs don’t necessarily need a midfielder but even they don’t know what they’re doing with defenders so why not take a guy who can do both?
At 194cm, “Double H” has seen great results off half back and through the guts, with his big frame, ball hunting ability and elite foot skills the big standouts.
Brayden George would be the perfect fit if he slides down to this spot but Hustwaite is certainly no slouch. When he returned to NAB League, he had 29 touches and nine clearances, whilst having 27 touches and six tackles last week for the Stingrays.
Pick 13 (Richmond): Mitch Szybkowski, midfielder
Have fun pronouncing this one, BT!
When Tom Mitchell trade rumours circulated in 2020 and 2021, Richmond were telling the world they wanted a workhorse midfielder who in the next generation can find the ball, can feed the ball to the likes of Shai Bolton and be ultra consistent.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Well, that’s what you’re getting from the Caulfield Grammar gun who averaged 26 touches at the Carnival, is averaging around 25 at NAB League and for the incredible Caulfield Grammar side, is continually in their best.
An elite fit for an elite footy club.
Pick 14 (Fremantle): Jhye Clark, midfielder/wingman
This pick will be gone from the Dockers if they acquire Luke Jackson but for this exercise, they pick up Clark, a tough as nails mid whose inside game has always been a strength but outside work has been a real development this year.
With Andy Brayshaw and Caleb Serong needing more midfield help post-Nat Fyfe and David Mundy (even though Fyfe hasn’t retired), Clark will join Neil Erasmus and Matthew Johnson as part of that depth, with Erasmus able to play forward and Clark can go outside at the centre bounce.
Ultra consistent and ultra professional, Freo are on to a winner with the Falcons gun.
Pick 15 – Bid matched
Brisbane: Jaspa Fletcher, midfielder
This kid has more class than a high school and the Lions’ perfect draft haul is complete, with the Academy gun looking like being a Lion.
Ultra classy with a good leg and crafty in front of the goals, the Lions’ midfield woes in the back half of 2022 could be solved rather quickly, with he and Ashcroft coming into the mix.
Pick 16 (Carlton): Lewis Hayes, key defender
The Blues may be interested in Fischer McAsey but Hayes would be a really nice get here, as he has time to develop with Mitch McGovern and Lewis Young would be ahead of him in the depth chart.
The Blues don’t really need a lot and can draft for an outside player and a dangerous mid-sized forward back in the later rounds.
Hayes beats his opponents and even if he isn’t the best interceptor in the world, Carlton have Sam Docherty and Adam Saad to rebound.
Pick 17 – Bid matched
Essendon: Alwyn Davey Jr
The Swans getting another small forward would be frightening but the Dons should match the bid.
Davey finds the goals and is such a crafty user of the ball, always being a threat in the forward half.
Needs to develop the defensive side of his game, which he absolutely can and along with Tsatas, ends a successful first round for the most tumultuous club at the moment.
Pick 18 (Sydney): Olli Hotton, midfielder/forward
Taken higher than any mock draft I’ve seen so far, Hotton’s smarts in the forward half gives him a starting spot for his career as he fights for midfield minutes from (not including Luke Parker) Callum Mills, James Rowbottom, Tom Papley, Chad Warner, Errol Gulden and Justin McInerney.
His sidestep is outstanding and his 24-disposal and three-goal performance against South Australia showed the country what he’s capable of.
This pick could be traded as the Swans don’t have a lot of list needs, but Hotton is a gun who’s hard to let go.
Pick 19 (Sydney): Jackson Broadbent, ruckman
If the Swans trade one of their first round picks, the other needs to be used on a ruckman and the West Australian is the best of the lot.
At WAFL Colts level, he’s averaging 37.25 hit-outs in his last four games and kicked three goals against South Fremantle two weeks ago.
The Swans have got Sam Naismith and Tom Hickey who are aging and with just Peter Ladhams with senior experience, Broadbent is a really good prospect for the Swans.
Pick 20 (Geelong): Oliver Hollands, midfielder
How the Cats can have a great prospect at pick 20 is just unfair, yet here we lie.
Hollands is the younger brother of Gold Coast’s Elijah and has had some insanely good performances.
His game against Western Australia proved his worth: 34 disposals, seven marks and four clearances. Also is a Geelong Grammar boy so won’t be going too far.
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