Why the Gold Coast could become every South Aussie’s second AFL team

Carlton’s 1986 raid on SA’s brightest footy talent — Kernahan, Bradley and Motley — looks set to be replicated by the Suns in 2018 with Lukosius, Rankine and Rozee.

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Gold Coast is set to become every South Australian’s second team, as they manoeuvre to secure a swag of South Australian youngsters at Thursday’s AFL National Draft.

Carlton created a soft spot for most in this state in 1986 when they swooped on Stephen Kernahan, Craig Bradley and Peter Motley.

It marked the beginning of a successful era for the club with all three having a major impact on the culture of the organisation.

The Suns look certain to read out the names Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine with picks two and three come Thursday. Speculation swirled late last week about the possibility of a deal also being done with Saints to swap their pick six for St Kilda’s pick four, thus giving them the opportunity to take another highly rated South Aussie, Connor Rozee.

Henley High School students Jack Lukosius, school football coach Ben Kane and Izak Rankine. Picture: Matt Turner

West Adelaide mature age recruit Chris Burgess has already been secured by the Suns with the special AFL priority picks. Luke Valente and Jez McLennon have also figured in Gold Coast’s thoughts and could be taken with picks 24 and 29. For a team struggling to retain talent could this tactic of bringing together a group of great mates from the one state be a way of insulating against this?

Why would the Saints swap pick four for pick six? First and foremost there will be a sweetener, either an early second round pick (Gold Coast hold pick 24 and 29) or some are even suggesting a swap of next years first round picks, which if the two teams mirrored their ladder position, would see the Saints advance from four to two with the very real opportunity that it could be the coveted number 1.

The other very plausible reason they may decide to do the deal is because they believe the player they want at pick four will still be there at pick six. Which means any inducements garnered from the Suns is like getting something for nothing.

North Adelaide AFL draft prospects Boyd Woodcock and Connor Rozee with the SANFL Premiership Cup. Picture: Matt Loxton

If Max King is the player they want the only way they lose is if Port Adelaide were to take him with pick five. With the arrival of Scott Lycett, the expected development of Todd Marshall and other tall forwards in Charlie Dixon, and Jack Watts, not to mention Paddy Ryder spending more time forward, at 204cm, Max King doesn’t appear to be a pressing need.

Port Adelaide may very well take King as he is a prodigiously talented player. But they didn’t bundle a bunch of picks together, wheel and deal to finally end up with pick five, without having a specific player in mind.

I don’t believe that player is King. My understanding is that the player is Connor Rozee.

Although Rozee wasn’t used in the midfield at the National Championships and played mainly across half back for North Adelaide during the finals series, he is an outstanding midfield prospect. Rozee tested second fastest for speed over 20 metres at the draft combine and has elite kicking skills.

Coupled with the loss of Jared Polec and Chad Wingard, the Power has an absolute need for classy midfielders with speed to replace them. Rozee fits that brief perfectly.

If the Suns were to usurp Port by dealing with St Kilda to get in first, or if the Saints themselves, who are short on quality midfielders, took Rozee, that would leave the Power with a decision to make.

King is the next most talented player in the draft, but the logical thing in my head would be to take the next most talented midfielder.

If the Power chose a key position player with their first selection it gives the four clubs with picks six, seven, eight and nine access to the cream of the midfield talent before Port’s next pick at 10. Several of those clubs (Adelaide being one of them) having similar needs to Port.

If Rozee is not there at five, midfielders Bailey Smith and Jye Caldwell would fit the Power’s needs.

With the next two picks at 10 and 15, players like Jackson Hately, Jordan Clarke and Ian Hill would be value choices, but as the draft the continues the selection process becomes much more subjective.

Adelaide will be hoping one of Smith or Caldwell make it through to pick eight. Anyone of Hately, Chayce Jones, Zack Butters, Curtis Taylor or Xavier Dursma would look likely with picks 13,16 and 21.

Whatever the Crows and Power do on Thursday and Friday, it can’t truly be judged for at least a year or two.

For Gold Coast even longer. Will they try and create a satellite group of South Aussies living, training and playing together? And can that reverse the revolving door of players coming and going to what has become the Bermuda Triangle of Australian sport.