The last-minute draft whispers about which locals Adelaide, Port Adelaide are eyeing and possible new homes for SA prospects
Adelaide appears keen on an Eagles youngster with its picks in the 20s, while Port has shown interest in an athletic mature-age SANFL forward. Here are the latest draft whispers from SA.
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The fates of South Australia’s draft prospects will be determined over the next three days, starting tonight with the first round in Melbourne.
Adelaide has been linked with Victorian tall defender Fischer McAsey and Norwood running machine Dylan Stephens with its first selection at pick six, while Port Adelaide is reported to be eyeing a handful of interstate and local prospects with its opening choice, No. 12, including Sandringham on-baller Miles Bergman and Woodville-West Torrens small forward Kysaiah Pickett.
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But plenty can change over today’s remaining hours, between the drafts and even during live selections, when clubs can trade future picks or switch spots in this year’s order.
The three-day draft extravaganza will conclude on Friday morning with the pre-season and rookie picks.
This is what we are hearing from SA as we count down towards tonight’s opening round.
CROWS WHISPERS
■ SA under-18 MVP Harry Schoenberg has been drawing the attention of four clubs lately, including the Crows. The Woodville-West Torrens midfielder and likely second-round selection has also spoken to Essendon, Sydney and Brisbane, which interestingly has the 21st pick, one before Adelaide’s second choice.
■ Adelaide showed interest in hard-running Woodville-West Torrens midfielder Luke Beecken in the middle of the season, although it cooled after that. His form dropped away in the second half of the SANFL under-18 campaign but he impressed at the state draft combine, where he won the yoyo test, and might be an outside chance for a rookie spot.
POWER WHISPERS
■ Port Adelaide really likes Will Day, the skinny West Adelaide half-back flanker with a high footy IQ. Day – grandson of Bloods champion Robert Day and cousin of Gold Coast forward Sam Day – has shot up draft boards but he may be gone before the Power’s first selection, let alone their second, because the Suns and Geelong are also believed to be really keen on him.
■ Don’t be surprised if Port takes a punt on one of Sturt’s Lochowiak brothers, Mihail and Anzac, who catch the eye due to their athleticism and sheer talent. The Power were rumoured to have had a good look at Mihail, 19, last year but he went undrafted. He kicked nine goals in a reserves game this past season and could shape as a late national or rookie option.
■ North Adelaide defender Karl Finlay looms as a possible later target for the Power, which are among the four clubs that have shown the most interest. The other are Essendon, Geelong and Hawthorn.
SA PLAYER WHISPERS
■ Glenelg Magarey medallist Luke Partington has spoken recently with Essendon and Hawthorn, which have several late national draft picks between them, starting with the Hawks’ No. 50. The former West Coast Eagle was linked to Port Adelaide over the weekend.
■ Some phantom drafts have Kysaiah Pickett in the mix to land at Port Adelaide with its second pick, but Melbourne (pick 10) and Western Bulldogs (13) remain the ones to have spoken with the Woodville-West Torrens small forward most.
■ North Adelaide mature-age small forward Frank Szekely has generated some late interest and Brisbane is understood to have led the way. Szekely, who is 20 and a 177cm, 68kg pocket rocket, looms as more of a rookie selection if he is taken.
■ Gold Coast appears to be the club most likely to take a swing at Glenelg’s former baseballer Callum Park at the back end of the national draft. Essendon is also believed to be considering the 18-year-old utility.
■ Late-blooming Glenelg defender Jordan Moore is generating serious interest and has had eight to 10 interviews with clubs. West Coast is in the frame, while Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong and Richmond have also spoken to him.
■ Noah Hannagan’s name has barely rated a mention as a draft prospect in media chatter but the West Adelaide forward may be an outside chance.
■ Several clubs have spoken to former swimmer turned Norwood ruckman Henry Crauford, who is 22, 202cm, 99kg and a smoky to be a late national or rookie selection because of the lack of ruckmen available.