Port Adelaide set to pounce on academy duo Lachie Jones, Taj Schofield on draft night
Port Adelaide father-son hopeful Taj Schofield and Academy jet Lachie Jones are the names on every Power fan’s lips right now. But, with Orazio Fantasia also on the way, one Victorian club is looming as a thorn in Port’s side.
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Port Adelaide can afford to trade its first pick to secure Orazio Fantasia and still be able to achieve its major draft goal – acquiring potential top-10 academy prospect Lachlan Jones.
Jones, a strongly-built, long-kicking and quick defender, has been highly touted for more than 12 months, but has climbed further up draft boards this season after impressing in Woodville-West Torrens’ run to the SANFL premiership.
The Power are already talking publicly as if the 18-year-old, who is in the club’s Next Generation Academy, will be at Alberton next season and that is because they have positioned themselves to grab him.
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Port Adelaide is speaking similarly about father-son midfielder Taj Schofield, whose dad Jarrad is a Power premiership wingman and current assistant at the club.
After adding a total of seven top-30 choices in the previous two years – and in contrast to its cross-town rivals the Crows – Port Adelaide will have a much more straightforward draft in December because it has effectively committed to its academy duo and will unlikely have the list spots for much else.
This is an analysis of how it may unfold and what Power fans can expect:
LACHIE JONES
Last year, Port Adelaide traded out of the 2020 first round and stocked up with an extra second-round choice to bank points so it could match an early bid for Jones and bring in an extra young gun 12 months ago.
It is expected that Jones will be the second South Australian chosen next month, behind Riley Thilthorpe, and will have his name called between picks eight and 15.
As it stands, Essendon, which holds the sixth selection – and could gain another two top-10 picks – is understood to be a huge fan of Jones and will consider him if it keeps a pick around that spot.
The Crows, who have a history of bidding on rivals’ academy prospects, have the eighth choice, but they are yet to meet with Jones.
Wherever a bid comes, the Power can match it.
They have the 26th, 31st, 41st, 51st, 53rd and 89th calls, although that will change by draft night.
Pending free agency compensation and NGA bids will push their selections back several spots.
Even if Port Adelaide swapped its first pick to Essendon for small forward Fantasia, it could, for example, reach the 1116 draft points needed to match a rival bid at No. 10 for Jones.
That would require coughing up its later selections and either swapping a future pick for one this year or going into deficit in 2021.
Twelve months ago, the Power went into 115.9 points deficit to match a bid for father-son prospect Mead at No.25, while giving up selections 55, 60 and 65.
Port Adelaide will get Jones, it is just a matter of how much he costs it.
The Bute product played all 16 league matches for the Eagles this year, averaging 12.1 disposals, 3.8 rebound 50s and boasting a disposal efficiency of 82 per cent.
Standing 184cm and 87kg, he played on key forwards and goalsneaks, and was rarely beaten.
The 18-year-old registered 18 possessions and four tackles in the club’s grand final win over North Adelaide.
He also won the SANFL’s Mark of the Year for a brilliant grab against Glenelg in Round 12.
Woodville-West Torrens talent manager Darren Hams said Jones had an extraordinary season and could play AFL immediately next year.
“He came straight into league footy and pretty much got one of the top opposition forwards and did a sensational job,” Hams told The Advertiser.
“His strengths are his initial speed, his versatility because he can play on a tall or small and his vertical leap … and he’s obviously a long, penetrating kick.
“I reckon once he gets fitter, he’s got the capabilities of being a very good midfielder.”
Jones would join Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma, Miles Bergman, Mitch Georgiades, Dylan Williams and Mead as Power top-25 choices in the past two years.
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TAJ SCHOFIELD
Like Jones, Schofield is expecting to be a Power player in 2021.
Last week, when asked about how its squad would look different next year, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said on SEN “we’ve got Lachie Jones … who’s talked around the 10s to 12s type picks in the draft and we’ve got Taj Schofield, Jarrad Schofield’s son, coming in”.
Schofield, a wingman, has had enough interest to attend the AFL Draft Combine a month ago but he appears likely to slide.
The Power will be hoping he is overlooked in the national draft entirely, so it can land him as a rookie, a year after doing the same with fellow father-son selection Trent Burgoyne.
Schofield is coming off an injury-affected campaign with the Eagles’ under-18s and Henley High.
He gathered at least 25 touches twice during the SANFL under-18s minor round then had a mixed finals series.
Schofield chalked up 19 and kicking 1.2 in the club’s semi-final win before a hamstring issue restricted him to just three possessions in a losing preliminary final.
Hams described Schofield as a neat, skilful footballer.
“His ball use by foot is good and his decision-making is good,” he said.
“He probably played his best footy towards the back half of the year but it was interrupted.”
Schofield (hamstring) and Jones (managed) were sidelined for the AFL SA All-Stars game at Thebarton Oval last Friday night, featuring the state’s best available draft prospects.
It will not hurt their draft chances because in a little more than a month, they are primed to officially become Power players.
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