AFL draft 2015: Carlton and Essendon should be able to cash in on their bounty of early selections
TONIGHT’S draft will be a tactical affair with Essendon and Carlton holding eight top-25 picks combined. Plus, who’ll win the race for young Rioli?
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ESSENDON and Carlton’s rebirths start in the City of Churches on Tuesday night.
Supporters are praying their combined eight top-25 selections produce the goods as both clubs accelerate their long climb back to respectability.
The Bombers are recovering from draft penalties, the Blues starting again after plenty of pain.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick believes players picked in the first round should be ready to debut in Round 1, meaning there should be some fresh teenage faces at these foundation clubs.
PHANTOM DRAFT: SAM LANDSBERGER PREDICTS THE TOP 30
NEED TO KNOW: AFL DRAFT ULTIMATE GUIDE
At 7pm at the Adelaide Convention Centre when Stephen Silvagni types “Jacob Weitering” into the AFL’s new computer software and new coach Brendon Bolton hands his No.1 draft pick a size large Carlton guernsey, the future will suddenly seem a lot brighter at Ikon Park.
What Bolton will love about Weitering is his instant ability to make the Blues more competitive.
He will play Round 1. He will also want to arrive at the club before the sun is up and be the bloke turning the lights off on the way out.
RE-LIVE SAM’S LATE MAIL ON YOUR CLUB’S TARGETS AND FOLLOW OUR COVERAGE OF THE DRAFT FROM 6PM
Bombers list chief Adrian Dodoro won’t have to wait long for his turn, and premiership coach John Worsfold will have a pair of red sashes on hand to present.
One should be for Aaron Francis, the strong utility who will start as a third defender and spend powerful bursts in the middle.
The second? It could be Charlie Curnow, the key forward with a large motor but who was arrested at about 3am on Friday for refusing a breath test.
It could also be a size smaller jumper for Darcy Parish, an inside-outside midfield jet.
A blond country kid who can run and carry? Worked for Dodoro when he called Dyson Heppell’s name.
Or it could be an XL for Harry McKay, a 200cm athletic forward who is still just 17.
The Bombers desperately need a big forward because if Joe Daniher goes down their scoring woes will drag on after the club’s leanest year in front of the sticks since 1967.
Worsfold was adamant the Dons needed scoring power and the draft could provide.
“There has to be a big focus on scoring more,” Worsfold said.
“It would nice to be able to reel off three or four, maybe five, guys that you just say that’s our forward line and they’re going to kick winning scores.”
If the Bombers baulk, any of those players — Francis, Curnow, McKay, Parish — could join Weitering with Carlton’s No. 8 and 11 picks.
Some believe the Bombers can’t possibly get it wrong.
“My mother could pick two players at four and five and not stuff it up. They’re all good players there,” a chief recruiter said.
McKay at No.5 would fill a desperate need but it would be a big call for Essendon to twice pass up Parish.
The Blues also like McKay and both clubs are also interested in twin brother and lockdown defender Ben at pick 19 (Carlton) and 24 or 25 (Essendon).
That’s no surprise, given the pair of traditional powerhouses will dominate this draft.
Their portion of early picks has been reserved for Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney at the past five drafts.
The Bombers have picks four, five, 24 and 25 — the first time they’ve had four selections inside 25 since 1998.
In fact, the Bombers have mobilised just five top-25 picks since 2009.
“It’s a really important draft for the club,” Dodoro said.
Worsfold was even stronger declaring the needed talent to set up the club “for a really strong period for the next 12 years”.
“It’s a great opportunity for the futrue of trhe footy club,” he said. Bolton is singing the same tune.
“If you want sustained success you have to get into the draft,” Bolton said.
“We have four picks in the top 20, which has never happened before.”
This is Essendon’s first proper hit at the draft since 2012, owing to those sanctions.
They are making up for lost ground.
Still, Dodoro has drafted very well. In 2013 he recouped pick 26 for Stewart Crameri and shrewdly used it on Zach Merrett, then jagged speedster Orazio Fantasia late.
Re-rank that draft and Merrett would probably be top 10 while Fantasia’s last five quarters of 2015 were his best yet.
Last year Dodoro swapped Paddy Ryder for Adam Cooney and a pick which he used on Kyle Langford and then drafted Jayden Laverde.
“It’s a critical draft for both clubs, but for different reasons,” recruiting and list expert Chris Pelchen said.
“Carlton are coming from a very low base and they’ve made it very clear they’re in a rebuilding phase, which is likely to take somewhere between 4-6 years.
“Their supporter base needs to be very patient and they’ve definitely done the right thing by attacking this draft with so many high-end selections.”
In Silvagni’s first off-season the Blues waved goodbye to 15 players.
After taking Weitering the Blues will activate picks eight, 11, 19 and snag Silvagni’s boy Jack late.
With four clubs holding multiple picks in the first 13 it shapes as a tactical draft.
But Pelchen is convinced there is only one way to play the Blues should play it.
“Because of the fragility of that list they can afford to pick the best available player on every selection,” he said.
“It’s like GWS and Gold Coast when they were establishing their initial lists. Carlton has made such dramatic changes they just need to add talent to their list.”
And the Bombers?
“Essendon can be slightly more specific,” Pelchen said. “They genuinely need another forward to support Joe Daniher and they need more midfielders.
Originally published as AFL draft 2015: Carlton and Essendon should be able to cash in on their bounty of early selections
Hall’s long-distance Gallen plan
Barry Hall has revealed how he plans to beat his shorter but more experienced opponent in their much-anticipated bout.
Hall gets kick from little masters
Andrew Moloney is the hot favourite to become Australia’s only current world boxing champion when he battles Brooklyn’s Elton Dharry on the same night that his mate Barry Hall fights Paul Gallen.