Melbourne considering using Pick 10 to snare SA’s livewire forward Kysaiah Pickett on AFL Draft night
Those in the know in South Australia can’t rate Kysaiah Pickett highly enough. Now, the rest of Australia is taking notice and one AFL club in particular is prepared to up the ante to snare the excitement machine.
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Melbourne is circling Kysaiah Pickett with its No. 10 pick in Wednesday’s AFL National Draft as the livewire Croweater emerges as the top rated small forward in his class.
Pickett now looms as South Australia’s bolter after being invited, along with Norwood’s highly rated Dylan Stephens, to Wednesday’s first night of the draft.
The Woodville-West Torrens product is now considered one of the most exciting players in this year’s crop for his spectacular high marks and intensive tackling pressure.
SANFL talent manager Brenton Phillips said the nephew of dual AFL premiership midfielder and 2004 Norm Smith Medallist Byron Pickett was the most talented player out of the state’s draft prospects.
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“Based on pure talent and excitement, he’s the best,’’ Phillips told The Lowdown AFL Draft Podcast.
“He’s just an excitement machine - playing as that small forward, he can really turn a game upside down very quickly.
“He’s one of those players who only needs to get a slight look at it and he can rip a game apart.’’
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SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford also told The Lowdown AFL Draft Podcast he rated Pickett highly, and said there was more to his game than many see.
“One minute he’s sitting on someone’s head taking a hanger, the next minute he’s taking a crumb at full speed at the feet of a key forward and kicking a goal around the corner,” Bamford said.
“The next time he’s running at full speed to chase and tackle someone.
“The bit I love about Kozzie is he’s got a bit of a nasty streak in him, that he likes to impact physically as well.”
Pickett has drawn comparisons to Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli for his desperate defensive acts and mercurial feats inside 50m.
His SA teammates Stephens and Will Gould say Pickett is one of the most talented players in all of Australia.
Melbourne want to replace retired speedster Jeff Garlett and had one of the worst forward half retention rates in the competition last season.
But Pickett would add a razor-sharp edge to the Demons’ forward arc and would be expected to push for selection in the early part of next season.
The 171cm forward soared up draft rankings in the back half of the season and is now considered the top small forward in the draft.
Pickett is also on the Western Bulldogs’ radar at pick No. 13, but the Demons are seriously considering snapping up Pickett at pick 10.
At Melbourne he would join forces with his cousin, Neville Jetta.
West Coast’s Liam Ryan is also a cousin, while Richmond Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett is an uncle.