AFL Draft 2022: All the latest news on the Crows, Power and SA’s best prospects
The Crows are considering a play to move back into the top 20 of this year’s AFL Draft. Here’s how and when a trade could happen, plus the latest on Max Michalanney.
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Adelaide is considering a play to move into the top-20 of next week’s AFL national draft.
The Crows are understood to be reluctant to part with their 2023 first-round selection in any deal but are potentially eyeing Greater Western Sydney’s No. 19 and have put North Melbourne’s future second on the table.
As the opening pick of both the second round and night two, 19 has in recent years become highly sought by clubs looking to grab a player they like that has slipped through.
Adelaide holds No. 46, 56 and 59 this year, as well as its own 2023 selections in the first two rounds and the Kangaroos’ future second-rounder.
GWS, which also has 15 and 18, will strongly consider trading one of its three selections in the teens, eyeing a future first.
The Giants are expecting better offers from other clubs than North’s 2023 second selection for No. 19 so the Crows may need to part with their 2023 first-rounder to be in the conversation for one of those three picks.
If a deal was to be struck, Adelaide might look to grab under-18 All-Australian Harry Barnett if he was still available.
The West Adelaide product is considered the best ruckman in this year’s draft pool and the Crows are understood to be fans.
Barnett is believed to have interest from GWS, Collingwood (16) and Sydney (14, 17) so may be gone by the start of the second round.
The Crows have also tracked Glenelg’s Jakob Ryan closely but the peroxide blond defender is expected to be taken by the Magpies with their first pick.
There is some suggestion Adelaide has had the state’s best prospect, Mattaes Phillipou, in their sights but unless he slides, a selection swap to nab the big-bodied, Woodville-West Torrens midfielder is highly unlikely.
Essendon at pick 4 or Hawthorn at 6 appear his likeliest landing spots.
Adelaide’s first night business on Monday is now a decent chance to include a rival bid on father-son prospect Max Michalanney.
The Western Bulldogs, West Coast, Sydney, Collingwood and North Melbourne are looming as the likeliest clubs to call the Norwood defender’s name.
Although a bid with their first pick, No. 11, may be a stretch, the Dogs are understood to rate Michalanney highly and will have short memories of the Crows making them cough up the maximum points for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at No. 1 in 2020.
The Bulldogs also hold selection 21, while the Eagles have 12, 20 and 26, the Swans have 14 and 17, Collingwood has 16, 25 and 27.
If the Magpies bid at 16, the Crows would lose their first two selections and their third would slide back several positions.
It is believed Michalanney – the son of 211-game Norwood great Jim Michalanney – will not get past the Kangaroos at 23.
Michalanney is expected to land at Adelaide but a bid for him inside the first round makes for an interesting conversation among the Crows’ recruiting team.
Port Adelaide has been tipped to take a key defender with either its first pick (33) or second (60).
But who it chooses with its top selection will ultimately come down to what players slip through so may instead take a different type of prospect that it rates higher.
It is believed to be eyeing Greater Western Victoria Rebels tall defender James Van Es but St Kilda is also interested and, at 32, chooses one spot ahead of the Power.
Van Es is 197cm, 99kg, known for his intercept marking and his strength in one-on-one contests.
While rival recruiters thought the Power could swoop on West Adelaide swingman Harry Lemmey at 33, some clubs did not expect him to get there, tipping Collingwood to snare him at 25 or 27.
West Australian backman Jed Adams, who is 194cm and 89kg, may be an option at that later pick.
The Power’s lack of draft capital after trading for Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli means it will not trade up the order from 33.
It has interest in both North Adelaide small forward/wingman Frank Szekely or Norwood forward/ruck Phoenix Foster but is not expected to snare either of them.
Next Generation Academy half-back/midfielder Nathan Barkla is set to go undrafted on the first two nights, allowing the Power to grab him as a Category B rookie.
The national draft will be held on Monday and Tuesday, before the pre-season and rookie selections are done on Wednesday.
AFL GREAT’S NEPHEW TO PUSH DRAFT CASE WITH CROWS
By: Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Adelaide has signed the nephew of Sydney great Michael O’Loughlin to its SANFL team for 2023.
Blayne O’Loughlin will join the Crows state league side for next season.
The arrangement is through the SANFL’s Rookie Program, which means O’Loughlin will spend a year at West Lakes and if he isn’t selected by an AFL club, he will return to state league side North Adelaide.
The 19-year-old defender was a member of the Crows’ Next Generation Academy, and trained with their AFL side, but won’t be drafted by Adelaide.
The nephew of Swans 300-gamer and AFL Indigenous Team of the Century great Michael O’Loughlin, he was named as an emergency for North Adelaide’s SANFL grand final team this year.
He was also judged the best on ground in the South Australia against Western Australia match before the 2021 AFL grand final at Optus Stadium. As part of the arrangement O’Loughlin will train with the Crows SANFL team during the week and if he is not selected in the state league team he will return to play with North Adelaide’s reserves.
The Crows have also signed former Essendon and Collingwood VFL players Hugh Haysman and Stephen Tahana to their state league team for 2023.
PORT’S ACADEMY PROSPECT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
Matt Turner
Port Adelaide has nominated Woodville-West Torrens player Nathan Barkla through the Next Generation Academy process ahead of this month’s national draft.
Barkla, a halfback/midfielder, trained with the Power at times last season, played three SANFL league games for the Magpies and also represented SA at the under-18 titles.
AFL clubs had until November 2 to decide whether to nominate their NGA prospects.
The 18-year-old is eligible through that system due to his mum being born in the Philippines.
Under the rules this year, clubs cannot match bids on nominated NGA players until after pick 40, giving other teams the chance to draft them.
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The Power will automatically be able to rookie-list Barkla if no one selects him.
He is considered likely to slip through the national draft.
Port Adelaide has picks 33 and 60.
The national draft will be held on November 28 and 29, while the rookie and pre-season calls will be the following day.
Adelaide opted not to nominate North Adelaide and SA under-18s ruck/forward Isaac Keeler under NGA rules last week.
Keeler, who has been likened to retired former Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda star Paddy Ryder, will instead be in the open draft pool.
Essendon nominated mercurial West Adelaide forward Anthony Munkara.
Munkara, who hails from the Tiwi Islands, has not played since July but some recruiters rate him highly, so it will be intriguing to see if he gets past pick 40.
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Originally published as AFL Draft 2022: All the latest news on the Crows, Power and SA’s best prospects
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