AFL Draft 2014: GWS Giants strike rich with Jarrod Pickett, Caleb Marchbank, Paul Ahern

EXCITEMENT machine Jarrod Pickett is the standout pick for the GWS Giants after Thursday night’s AFL National Draft.

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EXCITEMENT machine Jarrod Pickett is the standout pick for the GWS Giants after Thursday night’s AFL National Draft on the Gold Coast

The Giants had three picks in the first seven and secured the speedster from Western Australia with their fourth selection, Caleb Marchbank with number six and Paul Ahern with number seven.

As expected, St Kilda claimed power forward Patrick McCartin from the Geelong Falcons with the number one pick, leaving Melbourne to draft midfielders Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw with the second and third picks.

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Pickett has been compared to Hawks superstar Cyril Rioli and, like the Hawthorn triple premiership player, has explosive speed and a high leap which are sure to grab the attention of fans.

While there have been question marks over the teenager’s endurance, he has worked hard to improve in that area.

GWS recruits (from left) Paul Ahern, Jarrod Pickett and Caleb Marchbank.

The Giants met with Pickett earlier this year to confirm he would be happy to make the trip east and not be drawn to a premature move back to WA.

Pickett is related to former Magpie Leon Davis and will give GWS the X-factor all clubs desire.

“I’ve been waiting for this for my whole life,” Pickett said. “I’ve been preparing myself for the AFL for a while now and I just can’t wait to start pre-season.”

Marchbank is a tall defender with a strong overhead mark who can play up forward as well. He is mobile and reads the play well.

“It’s such an amazing feeling,” Marchbank said. “I’ve grown up my whole life dreaming of playing in the AFL and now it has happened.”

Ahern is a very clever midfielder who had two outstanding games for Victorian Metropolitan at the National Championship.

Paul Ahern was picked up by the GWS Giants. Picture: Colleen Petch

He will bolster the Giants’ already outstanding stock of on-ballers.

“There are some class players in the Giants midfield and I can’t wait to learn from them,” Ahern said. “I wasn’t sure where I was going to go and now I’m ­really excited to be a Giant.”

It was the fourth draft the Giants have participated in and the first in which they haven’t had the number one pick.

In 2011 they snared Jonathon Patton, in 2012 Lachie Whitfield and last year it was Tom Boyd, who was traded to the Western Bulldogs for their skipper Ryan Griffen, pick six and almost $1 million in salary-cap relief.

The Swans used pick 37 to secure South Australian medium forward James Rose. He is a Jack Gunston type who is strong overhead, leads up at the ball and is physically aggressive.

After committing most of their key picks to their academy players — Isaac Heeney (pick 18), Jack Hiscox (No. 38) and Abe Davis (No. 70) — the Swans had only two live selections in the draft.

Originally published as AFL Draft 2014: GWS Giants strike rich with Jarrod Pickett, Caleb Marchbank, Paul Ahern