Paddy McCartin is set to be the AFL Draft’s No.1 pick as St Kilda prepares to pounce
ST KILDA is set to select key forward Paddy McCartin with the No.1 pick on Thursday, passing up midfield dynamo Christian Petracca.
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ST KILDA is expected to land blue-chip key forward Paddy McCartin with its first pick in Thursday night’s national draft.
In what was a tight call for the Saints’ recruiting team, it is understood the 194cm goalkicker has got the nod over explosive midfielder Christian Petracca.
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McCartin has been likened to superstar Jarryd Roughead for his contested marking and smarts around goal while the Saints are also fans of his natural competitiveness and lead-up marking.
It is understood the gun Geelong Falcon will be unveiled as the No.1 choice at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre at 7pm Melbourne time.
It means Melbourne is poised to gleefully add the two best midfielders from this year’s pool at Nos. 2 and 3, packaging Petracca up with inside beast Angus Brayshaw.
The Demons were able to secure a prized key forward through the 2012 mini-draft, when they selected the powerful Jesse Hogan.
Another factor in the Saints’ decision-making was a lack of top-line full-forwards in upcoming drafts.
The Western Bulldogs were forced to fork over about $7 million over seven years to land spearhead Tom Boyd, while last year Sydney lured Buddy Franklin on a $10 million, nine-year deal.
The godfather contracts have inflated the marketplace for key forwards, meaning if St Kilda overlooks McCartin it could be forced to cough up huge sums for another established key forward.
Saints captain Nick Riewoldt this week signed a new two-year deal and will play a key mentoring role for Geelong Falcon McCartin.
PICK 1. ST KILDA
Patrick McCartin (Geelong Falcons)
H: 194cm W: 94kg
Key forward
The arrival of one-grab full-forward McCartin will deliver the Saints an heir to Nick Riewoldt’s goalsquare throne. A natural goalkicker with an accurate radar and a thick dollop of aggression.
The twist: It was a tight call but the Herald Sun believes the Saints have settled on McCartin over explosive midfielder Christian Petracca.
Originally published as Paddy McCartin is set to be the AFL Draft’s No.1 pick as St Kilda prepares to pounce
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