AFL Draft 2024: Which clubs are set to cash in on top-end midfield talent
The pointy end of the 2024 AFL draft is full of top young midfielders. Find out which clubs are best placed to have a stab at the pick of the bunch here.
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The 2024 AFL national draft is shaping as one which is stacked with top-end midfield talent.
Some clubs could cash-in as they head into next year holding as many as three first-round picks.
However, other clubs will have to do some wheeling and dealing if they want access to those at the pointy end of the draft.
Collingwood, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs are all currently without a first-round pick in next year’s draft.
Here’s an early look at how your club is shaping, after a large number of future picks changed hands during this year’s trade and draft period.
ADELAIDE
The lower Melbourne finishes on the ladder, the better for Adelaide. The Crows hold the Demons’ second-round pick, which they received in the trade for forward Shane McAdam. Adelaide’s own second-round pick was given up as part of the live trade to secure pick 8 in the national draft, which was used on West Australian Daniel Curtin. The selection was traded to Greater Western Sydney, but was then later on-traded to St Kilda.
BRISBANE LIONS
The Lions gave up their second-round pick to Hawthorn as part of the trade which saw emerging tall forward Brandon Ryan head north and veteran goalkicker Jack Gunston return to Waverley Park. Brisbane got back Hawthorn’s fourth-round pick as part of that deal. Gold Coast holds the Lions’ own fourth-round pick.
CARLTON
Blues fans don’t have a lot to worry about, with their club holding its own first and second-round picks in 2024. The club also holds three fourth-round picks linked to other clubs, which came about through the trade of Paddy Dow and pick swaps.
COLLINGWOOD
The reigning premiers will be hoping there is no sizeable rise up the ladder from Sam Mitchell’s side, given their first two drafts are likely to be linked to Hawthorn. Collingwood’s own first-round pick is with Fremantle as part of the Lachie Schultz trade, while there were some second, third and fourth-round picks change hands as part of the deal which sent fellow small forward Jack Ginnivan to Hawthorn. The young Hawks finished third-last on the ladder in 2023, but are widely tipped to rise in 2024.
ESSENDON
Bombers fans need not barrack against any opposition teams in 2024, given they hold no picks linked to rival clubs. Essendon holds its own first and second-round picks. The club’s third-round pick went out the door after a four-club trade deal involving a range of pick swaps, while the Bombers’ fourth-round pick was moved on as part of the Xavier Duursma trade.
FREMANTLE
The Dockers currently hold the best hand of any club entering the 2024 national draft, with three first-round picks. Two of those are linked to Collingwood (Lachie Schultz trade) and Port Adelaide (pick swap). So the lower those two 2023 top-four teams finish, the better. Fremantle also has two picks linked to St Kilda, which were obtained through the Liam Henry trade.
GEELONG
The Cats’ draft haul in 2024 is entirely in their own hands as things stand, with the club holding all of its own picks. Geelong kept all of its trading in the present during the 2023 trade period.
GOLD COAST
The Suns are sitting pretty as one of only two clubs – alongside Fremantle – to currently hold three first-round selections in the 2024 national draft. The club picked up the Western Bulldogs’ first-round selection through a pick swap, while they gave up pick 18 in the 2023 draft for North Melbourne’s 2024 end of first round selection. The Suns also hold two of Brisbane’s picks – one of which was received in Hawthorn’s trade for Mabior Chol – and a future third-round pick linked to Essendon which was received from Carlton as part of the Elijah Hollands trade.
GWS GIANTS
The Giants are another club who need not worry too much about where rival clubs finish on the ladder in 2024. GWS holds only one third-round pick linked to Carlton, which was received from St Kilda in exchange for pick 50 in the 2023 national draft.
HAWTHORN
The Hawks would prefer that reigning premier Collingwood does not go back-to-back in 2024, given they hold the Magpies’ second-round pick in the draft. That selection was received as part of the trade that made Jack Ginnivan a Hawk. Hawthorn also holds two fourth-round picks linked to Carlton and Sydney.
MELBOURNE
The Demons hold their own first-round pick, but their next three selections are all linked to other clubs. They received a second-round pick from Sydney as part of the Brodie Grundy trade, while they picked up a third-round pick from the Western Bulldogs for midfielder James Harmes and also hold a third-round selection linked to St Kilda through a live trade during the draft.
NORTH MELBOURNE
The Kangaroos did almost all their wheeling and dealing during the trade and draft period with 2023 draft picks - and some extra end of first-round compensation picks for 2024. Therefore, they hold all of their own standard picks entering the 2024 draft, along with a fourth-round selection linked to Essendon which came about through a live pick trade with
Port Adelaide.
PORT ADELAIDE
Port Adelaide’s first pick in the 2023 national draft was Tom Anastasopoulos at No. 48 and next year’s first selection might not be much higher in the order. The Power’s first-round pick is in the hands of Fremantle, after being traded for two second-round selections which helped Port land ruckman Ivan Soldo and defender Esava Ratugolea. The Power’s fourth-round pick is with Richmond, also handed over as part of the Soldo trade.
RICHMOND
The Tigers will be hoping that the two West Australian sides again finish lowly on the ladder as they eye what could be a big draft haul in 2024. Richmond holds second and third-round selections linked to Fremantle, one of which was received from Port Adelaide in the Ivan Soldo trade and the other which came along as part of a pick swap. If Richmond, Fremantle and West Coast were to all finish in the same ladder positions in 2024 as they did in 2023, the Tigers would head to the next national draft with six of the first 44 selections.
ST KILDA
The Saints’ own second-round pick is with Fremantle, after being moved on in the trade for Liam Henry. However, St Kilda picked up a second-round selection linked to Adelaide as part of a live pick swap with Greater Western Sydney during the 2023 draft. The Saints also snagged a third-round pick from Melbourne in the Jack Billings trade, before giving up their own third-round pick to the Demons in a live pick swap.
SYDNEY
The Swans look well-placed with two first-round picks in 2024 and won’t be fussed if North Melbourne climbs the ladder given they hold an end of first round compensation pick that was received from the Kangaroos. That selection arrived in the trade which sent Dylan Stephens south. Sydney’s own second-round pick is held by Melbourne, handed over in the trade for Brodie Grundy trade.
WEST COAST
The Eagles’ draft destiny is in their own hands in 2024, with the club holding no picks linked to other clubs. West Coast is only missing its own third-round selection, which it gave up in a live pick swap with Richmond.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs enter 2024 without a first-round draft pick, but did snag two top-15 picks in the 2023 national draft in gun midfielder Ryley Sanders and key forward Jordan Croft. They traded their future first-round pick to Gold Coast to allow them to move up the order and snag Sanders. The Bulldogs did get back a future third-round pick from Gold Coast in that deal, but their own third-round pick was traded to Melbourne for midfielder James Harmes.
Originally published as AFL Draft 2024: Which clubs are set to cash in on top-end midfield talent
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