SA draft wrap: Sydney select Glenelg premiership defender Will Gould
In October, the Swans challenged Will Gould on his skinfolds. On Thursday, they drafted him at No. 26. Plus the SANFL bolters, sliders and rookie chances in our SA wrap.
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After telling Will Gould he needed to lose weight at the national combine in October, Sydney selected the Glenelg premiership defender with its first pick — No. 26 — on Thursday night.
The Swans struck a deal with Adelaide to jump two spots from pick No. 27 to 25 in the draft in order to secure Gould, who has drawn comparison to West Coast skipper Shannon Hurn, following a bid on Jackson Mead.
The South Australian captain weighed in at the combine at 106kg and recorded skinfold measurements of 78 a week after celebrating the Bays’ drought-breaking SANFL premiership.
With pick number 26 we welcome the South Australian skipper Will Gould to the Sydney Swans! #ProudlySydney pic.twitter.com/RakgVIibRX
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) November 28, 2019
“There was a little bit of feedback from clubs at the combine,’’ the powerful 18-year-old told The Lowdown AFL Draft Podcast.
“The Swans just said in black and white that I needed to lose a bit of weight and get my skinfolds down to about 55, they were pretty direct with their instructions to get working.”
The Lucindale product, who delivered with precision from the back-half and knocked around some of his more senior opponents in the SANFL, wasted little time and had his skinfolds back down to 60 two weeks later.
And he continued to work in the lead up to the draft, training at the gym of Crows’ tackling coach Warrick Raymond and deciding against attending Glenelg’s off-season trip.
The back-to-back under-18 All-Australian boasts one of the best junior football CVs in the country but it’s the way he responded to Sydney’s challenge which would of helped convince the Swans he was their man.
Gould will join South Australia teammate and close friend Dylan Stephens in Sydney.
An elite mark with great goal sense ðŸ‘
— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) November 28, 2019
Cameron Taheny joins the club with pick 50.
Norwood’s highly-talented, yet inconsistent, 18-year-old Cam Taheny, who booted 11 goals in his first three SANFL matches this year, slid further than expected with Geelong taking the Jack Gunston-like forward at pick No. 50
But the biggest surprises of the night came in successive selections late in the fourth-round.
With Pick 60 we select exciting mature-age prospect Jy Farrar ☀ï¸#ChallengeAccepted #AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/MAAWU7vNnh
— Gold Coast Suns (@GoldCoastSUNS) November 28, 2019
At No. 61, Gold Coast took a punt on Adelaide SANFL development player Jy Farrar, while the Dockers swooped on Eagles wingman Michael Frederick, the twin of Power rookie Martin.
Farrar, the 22-year-old cousin of Crow Shane McAdam, who hails from the Kimberley township of Halls Creek in WA, played just two matches for Adelaide’s state league side in the SANFL, spending the rest of the year in division 2 of the Adelaide Footy League with Scotch Old Collegians.
He’s raw but boasts eye-catching athleticism and speed, which was on show at the state draft screening in October.
Frederick, a skilful wingman, look a long shot to be drafted 12 months ago but rocketed into calculations after winning the Alan Stewart Medal as best afield in the SANFL under-18 grand final this year.
Welcome to Freo, Minairo! #AFLDraft #foreverfreo pic.twitter.com/E9kDGMOVAN
— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) November 28, 2019
Speedy midfielder/forward Tom Hutchesson (GWS - No. 65) made it two draftees from the Crows’ SANFL side, while no player was taken from Sturt, North Adelaide, Central District or South Adelaide.
Forward Josh Morris (Hawthorn, No. 57) was one of five Eagles selected, among 11 in all from SA.
Highly-touted North talls Karl Finlay and Dyson Hilder and Sturt wingman Josh Shute went undrafted.
But all three remain a chance to find an AFL home in today’s rookie draft.