AFL Draft 2021: Every pick and all the news from the second night
Limited game time due to Covid left recruiters with vastly different talent rankings on draft night, and the result was some huge bolters and sliders. Recap every pick.
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The evenness of the this year’s AFL Draft was highlighted on night two as more highly-rated prospects went sliding down the order.
WA midfielder Matthew Johnson, who was overlooked in the big surprise of the first-round, found a home very quickly on Thursday night, but a number of other big names were overlooked.
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Tyler Sonsie, Arlo Draper and Zac Taylor were taken later than expected, proving the pre-draft view that recruiters were split on many prospects after the top 10.
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Richmond recruiting boss Matt Clarke labelled Sonsie as one of the most talented players in the pool after swooping on him, along with Tasmania Sam Banks, with their consecutive second round selections, lauding his upside after Covid and injuries “stunted” his growth.
Sonsie’s Vic Metro teammate Taylor, who had some first-round interest, slid even futher, with the Crows nabbing a draft bargain of their own at pick 44, while Collingwood landed Draper with the next selection.
Father-son prospects Jackson Archer (North Melbourne), Jase Burgoyne (Port Adelaide) and Taj Woewodin (Melbourne) made their way to the clubs their fathers played at after no rival bids were lodged, while former Cat Charlie Constable was given an AFL lifeline by the Suns.
Happy household 🥰 pic.twitter.com/vTJFMfBg9T
— Richmond FC 🯠(@Richmond_FC) November 25, 2021
“Obviously Tyler (Sonsie) is one of the more talented players in the draft. He’s had some injury issues in the last 18 months that have stunted his development, obviously Covid along with that, like a lot of the boys,” Clarke told Fox Footy.
“We think Tyler has got great upside, he’s a Richmond fan so he’s pretty excited.”
Excitement machine Judson Clarke, who booted five goals in the Victorian trial match earlier in the year, then became the fifth Tiger to be drafted to the club over the two nights.
Earlier, St Kilda goalkicker Dan Butler gave his younger brother, new Hawthorn draftee Sam, a cheeky swipe, saying he is looking forward to “smashing him” when they meet in the AFL ranks.
The athletic small forward-midfielder joined the Hawks with pick 23 - one selection befre Geelong enter the draft to take ruckman Toby Conway.
“I’m really proud of him, he has worked really hard for it. Really excited to see him in action next year and I’m looking forward to smashing him,” Butler said with a laugh on Fox Footy.
This came after the younger sibling said he was quicker than the St Kilda livewire, and that he would “smash him” in a sprint.
West Coast went local again taking 189cm utility Brady Hough, who was playing country footy 18 months ago, at pick 31 before St Kilda matched Sydney’s bid for NGA prospect Mitchito Owens.
The Swans then pulled the trigger on South Adelaide midfielder Matthew Roberts.
Roberts was once touted as a first-round selection, before athleticism concerns turned some clubs off. But he is as smart as any midfielder in the draft.
Melbourne’s trade with Adelaide at pick 36 was declined by the AFL, leaving the Crows to select neat-kicking Eastern Ranges teenager Jake Soligo, who was the cleanest player on a wet, Victorian draft day last week.
The league was reported to have knocked back the deal because it was selections they had already dealt during this year’s trade period.
Adelaide then traded back into third-round soon after, in an exchange with Melbourne that was allowed this time, when, arguably, the second-best kick in the draft - behind Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera - Taylor was still on the board. Adelaide gave up its future third-round selection.
Collingwood, who orchestrated a trade of its own to move up the board, then took versatile South Adelaide teenager Draper.
With its next two picks, the Magpies welcomed another two South Australians with serious speed in Cooper Murley and Harvey Harrison.
And WAFL mature-ager Greg Clark, taken by the Eagles at pick 62, finally gets his chance at age 24.
Did the Adelaide Crows just pick up the steal of the 2021 Draft? pic.twitter.com/XOieOiXZRf
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) November 25, 2021
To kick things off in the second-round, despite new Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell’s best efforts, Fremantle knocked back several trade offers to pick talented local Matthew Johnson with the first selection on Thursday night.
The Hawks considered Johnson at pick 7 before opting for Josh Ward.
Every other club in the first-round overlooked the classy, agile teenager, but Fremantle added to its impressive draft haul at pick 21.
North Melbourne then jumped on another prospect who some thought would be picked on Wednesday, making explosive Calder Cannons defender/midfielder Josh Goater a Kangaroo.
With their third call within the first six selections of the second-round, the Hawks took no-frills midfielder Connor MacDonald at pick 26, jumping ahead of the Blues who have shown plenty of interest in the Dandenong product.
Carlton then took little time in calling out the name of the best pure small forward in the pool, Jesse Motlop, the son of former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne forward Daniel.
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The wait is finally over for Matthew Johnson ⌛ pic.twitter.com/SPq7ZbGNRo
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) November 25, 2021
Originally published as AFL Draft 2021: Every pick and all the news from the second night
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