By Roy Ward, Marc McGowan and Claire Siracusa
All the picks from the 2023 AFL draft.
1. Harley Reid, West Coast
What Reid said: “It’s a big relief, good luck to all the other boys out there tonight,” he told Fox Footy. Asked how he handled the hype that came with the talk that he would be taken with pick one, he said: “I was pretty laid back with it all to be honest, I was just super grateful for the people around me … I appreciate all you guys.”
2. Colby McKercher, North Melbourne
What McKercher said: “The future’s bright [at North Melbourne] and I’m excited to be a part of it,” McKercher told Fox Footy.
3. Jed Walter, Gold Coast
The Suns matched North Melbourne’s bid for Walter.
What Walter said: “Couldn’t be more pumped,” he told Fox Footy. He said Carlton star Charlie Curnow was one of his idols.
4. Zane Duursma, North Melbourne
What Duursma said: He told Fox Footy he didn’t barrack for any of the AFL teams as a kid.
“Relieved, really, and looking forward to everything to come,” he said of being drafted.
5. Nick Watson, Hawthorn
What Watson said: “When I was younger I had a lot of people saying I was too small to play AFL … got into my head,” he told Fox Footy. But said advice from North Melbourne great Brent Harvey had given him confidence.
6. Ryley Sanders, Western Bulldogs
What Sanders said: “Had a good inkling [that I would end up at the Bulldogs] … stoked to be there,” he told Fox Footy.
He was a Gold Coast supporter as a kid, and said Gary Ablett jnr was his hero.
7. Caleb Windsor, Melbourne
What Windsor said: “Grateful for the opportunity”, he told Fox Footy after getting the biggest cheer of the night when his name was read out.
8. Daniel Curtin, Adelaide
What Curtin said: “Big surprise,” he said of his move to Adelaide. He told Fox Footy he modelled his game on Fremantle great Matthew Pavlich, with versatility in multiple positions.
9. Ethan Read, Gold Coast
The Suns matched a big bid from Geelong.
What Read said: “I can play other positions, so I guess that’s why they call me ‘the Unicorn’,” he told Fox Footy.
10. Nate Caddy, Essendon
What Caddy said: “I’m so excited,” he told Fox Footy. “I’m a bit undersized as a key forward so I call myself a power forward.”
11. Connor O’Sullivan, Geelong
What O’Sullivan said: “It’s amazing, Joel’s a legend of the game. To be presented a jumper from him is pretty special,” he told Fox Footy after being presented the No.14 by retired Cats great Joel Selwood. His dad’s advice? “Say yes to everything.”
12. Phoenix Gothard, GWS
13. Koltyn Tholstrup, Melbourne
Tholstrup was invited to the draft in person, according to Fox Footy, but declined to spend the night with his family in Western Australia.
14. Jake Rogers, Gold Coast
The Suns matched a bid from Sydney.
What Rogers said: “It’s so special,” he told Fox Footy of being selected in front of family on draft night. He said he would have to convert them from Collingwood supporters to Suns fans.
15. Jordan Croft, Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs matched a bid from Sydney.
What Croft said: “He’s definitely quite involved with my footy, which I’ve absolutely loved,” Croft told Fox Footy of his father, former Bulldog Matthew.
16. Will Green, Sydney
17. James Leake, GWS
What Leake said: “Very grateful to be in the position I am,” Leake told Fox Footy. “I go all right,” he said of his cricketing skills, adding that it had been his priority from age 13-16.
18. Darcy Wilson, St Kilda
What Wilson said: “Love the way Sam Walsh plays,” Wilson told Fox Footy. He also said he modelled his game on Connor Rozee.
19. Will McCabe, Hawthorn
The Hawks matched a bid from North Melbourne for the father-son prospect.
What McCabe said: “Lost for words,” he told Fox Footy about joining the club his father played for. “You could say he’s pretty direct,” he said of his dad’s feedback on McCabe’s game. He said it was special to celebrate with family on the night.
20. Taylor Goad, North Melbourne
What Goad said: “If someone said to me last year I would be here, I wouldn’t have believed them,” he told Fox Footy.
21. Charlie Edwards, Adelaide
What Edwards said: “I know you don’t go straight into the AFL and play as a midfielder, but I hope to develop towards that,” he told Fox Footy.
22. Will Dawson, North Melbourne
23. Riley Hardeman, North Melbourne
24. Caiden Cleary, Sydney
The Swans matched a bid from Collingwood.
25. Harry DeMattia, Collingwood
What DeMattia said: “I feel like I’m in a dream … so grateful for the opportunity … can’t wait to get stuck into it,” DeMattia told Fox Footy. He was already dressed in a Collingwood jumper for his TV interview – courtesy of some Pies supporters in the room watching the draft with him.
“I want to be a part of going back-to-back.”
26. Will Graham, Gold Coast
27. Oscar Ryan, Adelaide
What Ryan said: “Massive shock to me … so grateful,” he told Fox Footy. He came as a plus-one and had to quickly borrow a Bushrangers shirt before heading up on stage. “Bloody oath, can’t wait.”
28. Lance Collard, St Kilda
29. Ashton Moir, Carlton
30. Archer Reid, West Coast
31. Logan Morris, Brisbane Lions
32. Mitchell Edwards, Geelong
What Edwards said: “Over the moon,” he told Fox Footy. He said Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson had been a big influence on him, given he was a Fremantle academy player.
33. Angus Hastie, St Kilda
34. Billy Wilson, Carlton
A defender, Wilson played for the Dandenong Stingrays. He averaged almost 27 disposals, plus double-digit contested possessions, in his last month of footy this year. Spent some time in the midfield, too.
35. Cooper Simpson, Fremantle
36. Shaun Mannagh, Geelong
A 26-year-old forward who played in the VFL with Werribee, who went down to Gold Coast in the grand final this year. Mannagh was best on ground in the decider.
37. Tew Jiath, Collingwood
What Jiath said: “I can’t even really articulate how I feel at the moment,” Jiath told Fox Footy, adding that he was a Collingwood supporter – which should explain his emotions. He said South Sudanese representation in the AFL meant a lot, not just for his family but the entire South Sudanese community.
38. Clay Hall, West Coast
Hall is a midfielder from Western Australia.
39. Luamon Lual, Essendon
40. Kane McAuliffe, Richmond
McAuliffe is a midfielder who played for North Adelaide in the SANFL.
41. Ollie Murphy, Fremantle
What Murphy said: “Had a good feeling that I was a chance [to be picked up] today, so I slept all right,” he told Fox Footy of how he felt after missing out on being selected in the first round. A St Kilda supporter, he looked up to Nick Riewoldt as a kid.
42. Luke Lloyd, Brisbane Lions
Lloyd is a medium-sized forward who played for the Sandringham Dragons.
43. Liam Fawcett, Richmond
Fawcett is a key forward from Central District in the SANFL and Pooraka in the Adelaide Footy League.
44. Joseph Fonti, GWS
Fonti is 189 centimetres and played for Claremont in the WAFL.
45. Joel Freijah, Western Bulldogs
Freijah is a midfielder from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.
46. Bodie Ryan, Hawthorn
Ryan is a South Australian defender who performed well in the last two SA games at the national championships.
47. Lachlan Smith
Smith is a ruckman who played for Gippsland Power.
48. Thomas Anastasopoulos, Port Adelaide
From Geelong Falcons in the Talent League, Anastasopoulos is a 176 centimetre forward.
49. Harvey Johnston, West Coast
A 185 centimetre midfielder from the Sandringham Dragons.
50. Hugo Garcia, St Kilda
A midfielder from the Calder Cannons.
51. Zane Zakostelsky
52. Lachlan Charleson, Port Adelaide
The Greater Western Victoria Rebels forward is 177 centimetres tall.
53. Patrick Snell, Sydney
A key defender from the Northern Territory.
54. Archie Roberts, Essendon
55. Aiden O’Driscoll, Western Bulldogs
56. Calsher Dear, Hawthorn
A father-son pick-up for the Hawks. The key forward is the son of the late Paul Dear.
57. Will Lorenz, Port Adelaide
Lorenz is a midfielder from the Oakleigh Chargers.
58. George Stevens, Geelong
Stevens is a midfielder who played for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.
59. Harvey Thomas, GWS
A forward from the GWS academy.
60. Jack Delean, Fremantle
A forward from South Adelaide in the SANFL.
61. Oliver Wiltshire, Geelong
Wiltshire is a forward from Barwon Heads who played in the Bellarine League.
62. Arie Schoenmaker, St Kilda
What Schoenmaker said: “I thought it was just about done then,” he told Fox Footy, adding he had hugged his mum not long before his name was called out as he thought his draft dream might be over. He had been tipped to go much earlier in the draft. “To get the moment now, I’m really excited to get going next year,” he said.
63. Lawson Humphries, Geelong
A defender from Western Australia.
64. Reece Torrent, Brisbane Lions
Torrent is a midfielder from Peel Thunder in the WAFL.
PRE-SEASON DRAFT
1. Chad Wingard, Hawthorn
Wingard was re-listed by the Hawks.
2. Sam Day, Gold Coast
Day was re-listed by the Suns.
3. Riley Bonner, St Kilda
Bonner was delisted by Port Adelaide.
ROOKIE DRAFT
1. Loch Rawlinson, West Coast
(Sturt, SANFL)
2. Finnbar Maley, North Melbourne
(Northern Bullants, VFL)
3. Cooper Stephens, Hawthorn
(Re-listed)
4. Sam Clohesy, Gold Coast
(Werribee, VFL)
5. Odin Jones, Fremantle
(West Perth, WAFL)
6. Pass – Richmond
7. Emerson Jeka, Geelong
(Hawthorn)
8. Vigo Visentini, Essendon
(Sandringham Dragons)
9. Will Hamill, Adelaide
(Re-listed)
10. Lachie McNeil, Western Bulldogs
(Re-listed)
11. Sam Reid, Sydney
(Re-listed)
12. Jake Melksham, Melbourne
(Re-listed)
13. Xavier Welsh, Port Adelaide
(East Perth, WAFL)
14. Adam Kennedy, GWS
(Re-listed)
15. Matt Carroll, Carlton
(Sandringham Dragons)
16. Pass – Collingwood
17. Pass – North Melbourne
18. Will Rowlands, Gold Coast
(Norwood SANFL)
19. Pass – Fremantle
20. James Borlase, Adelaide
(Re-listed)
21. Taylor Duryea, Western Bulldogs
(Re-listed)
22. Kynan Brown, Melbourne
(Father-son, Category B rookie)
23. Pass – Collingwood
24. Jack Mahony, Gold Coast
(North Melbourne)
25. Pass – Western Bulldogs
26. Pass – Melbourne
27. Pass – Collingwood
28. Pass – Gold Coast
29. Pass – Gold Coast
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