AFL draft 2015: The bolters, sliders and shock picks
ONE former star junior basketballer shot up the draft order, while another took a big slide. We list the shock moves and selections of the 2015 draft.
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IT WAS a funny old night at the 2015 AFL national draft.
One former star junior basketballer shot up the draft order on Tuesday night, with the Crows landing the first big surprise of the night.
But as one ex-baller bolted, another slid to the end of the second round, after many predicted him to go in the first round.
Plus eight mature-age players were given lifelines throughout the night.
We list the shock moves and selections of the 2015 draft.
DRAFT TRACKER: EVERY PICK
FULL ANALYSIS: HOW YOUR CLUB FARED
THE SHOCK — Tom Doedee (Adelaide)
Most draft pundits thought Doedee would make his way onto an AFL lost at some stage during Tuesday night’s draft — but not as early as pick No. 17.
Adelaide pulled arguably the biggest draft shock of the night when it selected the former talented junior basketballer with its second first-round pick.
Doedee represented country Victoria at the under-18 Australian basketball championships in 2014, but rapidly impressed recruiters and enhanced his draft prospects during his stint at the Geelong Falcons. He’s a versatile defender at 187cm with a powerful leap and soft hands.
The other big shock of the night was when Hawthorn took 174cm ball magnet Kieran Lovell with pick No. 22. Despite his excellent numbers throughout 2015, Lovell wasn’t expected to go in the first round.
THE BOLTER — Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
Midfielder Oliver was clearly this year’s draft bolter, going to Melbourne with its first pick at No. 4.
After unsuccessfully bidding on Sydney academy prospect Callum Mills at pick No. 3, the Dees pounced on this year’s winner of the Morrish Medal — the best and fairest of the TAC Cup competition.
A big-bodied on-baller, Oliver averaged 24 disposals — most of them contested — and booted 20 goals from 16 matches with the Murray Bushrangers this year.
Interestingly, no player has been selected so early in the draft without playing in the national under 18 carnival earlier in the same year.
THE SMOKEY — Blake Hardwick (Hawthorn)
The Beverley Hills junior who lives out in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs won’t have to travel too far for training in 2016.
Hardwick was taken by the Hawks with pick No. 44, following an excellent 2015 campaign. He kicked more goals than any other TAC Cup player, finishing with 56 goals from 16 games, including two bags of 10 or more.
A small forward, Hardwick has drawn comparisons to Western Bulldogs young gun Jake Stringer, as he has the ability to play as either a lead-up player or small crumbing forward.
Hardwick grew up supporting Essendon — but that’s about to change very quickly.
THE SLIDER — Harley Balic (Fremantle)
The Dockers couldn’t believe their luck when Balic was still available for selection at pick No. 38 on Tuesday night.
Balic was expected to be taken by a club during the first round — possibly as early as Richmond’s first selection at pick No. 12 — yet slid to the final pick of the second round.
A common knock on Balic — which might have turned some clubs off from selecting him — was his wayward kicking — something Balic himself admitted he needed to work on to improve his overall game.
However the former star basketballer oozes class, using his time and awareness to find teammates via hand or foot. He’s a high half-forward who is just as able to rotate through the midfield.
THE MATURE-AGER — Marcus Adams (Western Bulldogs)
Remarkably, Adams was one of eight mature-age players — four from the WAFL and four from the VFL — that were taken during Tuesday’s national draft.
However Adams was the first of the group, with the Bulldogs adding the quick, talented key defender to their list.
Adams starred for West Perth in 2015, finishing fourth in the club’s best and fairest count and averaging 17 disposals and six marks per game.
Strong overhead with a lovely long kick and excellent ability to read the play, Adams firmly believes he can seamlessly transition into the AFL,
Other mature-age players to be selected included Shane Yarran (Fremantle), Sam Collins (Fremantle), Nathan Broad (Richmond), Rupert Wills (Collingwood) and Michael Hartley (Essendon).
THE RECYCLED GUN — Mitch Brown (Essendon)
It was a case of second-time lucky for Brown, who was picked up by Essendon with pick No. 54.
After being delisted by Geelong 12 months ago and playing a few games as an Essendon top-up player during the NAB Challenge, Brown signed with Sandringham.
He starred in 2015 at both ends of the ground. He started — and ended — the VFL season as a stellar key forward, finishing with four-goal hauls against Essendon (Round 1) and Box Hill (preliminary final) and three goals against Collingwood (semi-final) to be named at centre half-forward in the VFL team of the year. In between those rounds, Brown showed off his versatility and starred in a tall defensive role, taking seven marks or more in 13 of his 21 games.
With Jake Carlisle now at St Kilda, Brown could be ushered in to the Bombers’ 22-man line-up quickly in the new year.
Also, it was third-time lucky for Sam Menegola, who was given a lifeline by Geelong after a dominant WAFL season for Subiaco that saw him average 27 disposals per game and power home to nearly steal the Sandover Medal.
THE LEFT-OF-CENTRE PICK — Brayden Sier (Collingwood)
“Brayden who?”
That was the instant reaction from most footy followers when the Pies read out Sier’s name at pick No. 32 on Tuesday night.
A solid, big-bodied on-baller, Sier did enough to impress Collingwood this season, despite only featuring in the Northern Knights’ final two TAC Cup games of this season and not attending either the national or state combine.
Blessed with good vision, hands, size and kicking ability, Sier spent most of 2015 representing his high school Marcellin and won the best and fairest award, while he also played six senior games for Northern Football League club Banyule.
THE BIGGEST OMISSION — James Parsons
The Norwood junior was arguably the unluckiest draftee on Tuesday night, with no club selecting him during the draft.
The Eastern Ranges and AFL academy midfielder was overlooked, despite a solid season with the Ranges that saw him average 18 disposals and kick 14 goals from 14 matches.
An outside midfielder with incredibly precise foot skills, Parsons will be one of an array of players hoping for a final lifeline in Friday’s pre-season and rookie drafts.
Calder Cannons ball magnet Nick O’Kearney, who averaged 27 disposals in the TAC Cup and represented Vic Metro this year, was another unlucky man to miss out.
Originally published as AFL draft 2015: The bolters, sliders and shock picks
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