AFL Draft: Every club’s recent recruiting rated
Some clubs have nailed the draft in recent years. Others not quite so much. We’ve rated every team’s recruiting since 2019 – and now it’s your turn to vote.
Draft news
Don't miss out on the headlines from Draft news. Followed categories will be added to My News.
No AFL club recruiting team gets every decision right, but some make very few blunders.
With this year’s AFL national draft on the horizon, we’ve taken a look back at who your club has drafted over the past three years — and how they are going.
Some clubs have set themselves up for success over this period, while others have some work to do at this year’s draft to get back on track.
Only untried talent has been included, with trades acquisitions and players who have featured at AFL level for other clubs not part of the lists.
The Crows have had hits and misses in the drafts in recent years. Riley Thilthorpe and Josh Rachele look like they will be stars for the Crows, while Sam Berry and Jake Soligo have been fantastic finds. But Fischer McAsey, selected at No. 6 in 2019, hasn’t played an AFL game since his debut season and Luke Pedlar has only managed five games, although the two of them have had to deal with injuries. The Crows did raise eyebrows by not bringing in a tall midfielder in the last draft, so that will be something to look out for again this year with their limited picks.
Rating: 7/10
Given the performances of the Lions in the past few seasons, Brisbane hasn’t really needed to call on many of its draftees from recent years. But Keidean Coleman looks at home in the Lions defence and Darcy Wilmot showed promise in his limited appearances. No real busts for the Lions over this period, even though six players won’t be at Brisbane in 2023.
Rating: 6/10
Not a lot of action for the Blues at the top end of the last couple of drafts. While they will be disappointed that top 20 picks Brodie Kemp and Sam Philp haven’t made their marks in the team yet, the Blues would be rapt as to how later picks Corey Durdin and Jesse Motlop have boosted their small forward arsenal.
Rating: 6/10
Father-son gun Nick Daicos headlines a talented crop of youngsters that the Magpies have been able to bring in but there are other gems taken outside of the national draft spotlight. Getting Jack Ginnivan, who is coming off a 40-major season and has quickly become one of the league’s best goalsneaks, in the rookie draft is a steal, Ash Johnson and Josh Carmichael are promising mid-season selections and Beau McCreery has filled a defensive forward role beautifully since being taken late in 2020. Losing Oliver Henry and delisting Caleb Poulter and Liam McMahon after two years are Collingwood’s only glaring knocks. The Magpies will be hoping for Finlay Macrae and Reef McInnes to take another step next year. Daicos could become of one of the best players in the competition in coming seasons.
Rating: 8/10
Some shrewd drafting by the Bombers over the past couple of years. The 2020 haul of Nik Cox, Archie Perkins and Zach Reid could be huge for them for years to come but it is some of their drafting with later picks that stands out. Harrison Jones has shown glimpses, they would be delighted by the performances of mid-season draftees Sam Durham and Massimo D’Ambrosio while Nick Martin as an SSP signing was a masterstroke piece of recruiting. This gives new coach Brad Scott some decent young talent to work with.
Rating: 8/10
An influx of young talent has arrived at the Dockers during the past three off-seasons, aided by the club having six first-round picks. And they have helped the club return to the finals. Hayden Young, Caleb Serong and Heath Chapman are all potential stars in the making, while Jye Amiss, Nathan O’Driscoll and Neil Erasmus have shown early glimpses of how good they can become. Michael Frederick is one of the hardest working young forwards in the competition, while Brandon Walker has become a first-choice player. Injuries hurt Matt Johnson in his first season and he did not feature at AFL level. Liam Henry is set to enter an important campaign – the last year of his contract – after just seven games in 2022.
Rating: 8/10
They haven’t had many picks in the last couple of drafts but the Cats have struck gold on some absolute gems especially what they have had to work with. Cooper Stephens didn’t have an impact at the Cats but they don’t make too many wrong picks as shown by the fine piece of recruiting in selecting Sam De Koning at 19. Bradley Close at pick 14 of the rookie draft is an absolute steal and Geelong continued its fine recruiting with Max Holmes at Pick 20 in 2020. The rest of the players still on the list from Holmes’ draft are young tall forwards, midfielders or rucks – which should form part of the Cats continued success, in the face of all that is thrown at them
Rating: 9/10
They’ve been helped considerably but the Suns have done pretty well at the draft in the last couple of years, headlined by the Rowell/Anderson draft in 2019. Those two figure to be linchpins for the Suns for years to come. Gold Coast fans will also be keeping a close eye on whether Elijah Hollands and Mac Andrews can make strides in the coming season. Outside of the high picks, the Suns have had impacts from players such as Jeremy Sharp, Jy Farrar, Malcolm Rosas Jr, Alex Davies and Joel Jeffrey. The Suns might have some list trouble, but they do have some talent on there.
Rating: 8/10
It has been a bit of a mixed bag over the past three years for the Giants, who have had seven top-20 selections in that time. Tom Green has blossomed into a star-in-the-making, Lachie Ash and Jake Riccardi have had some nice moments, Finn Callaghan looks very promising if he can stay on the park and James Peatling has been a handy mid-season recruit, but several others are yet to make their marks. GWS has not been helped by a homesick Tanner Bruhn being traded or Callaghan’s foot injuries. Injuries have meant we have not seen much of top-20 picks Conor Stone and Ryan Angwin, who have featured in just seven games between them in their two seasons. Ash was taken ahead of the likes of Fremantle duo Hayden Young and Caleb Serong, as well as Kysaiah Pickett, but had been solid, rather than influential. There is plenty of promise but not a lot of output at AFL level so far, making it tough to judge.
Rating: 6/10
Hawthorn has brought in seven top-30 selections, including three first-rounders, since the end of the 2019 season. All three of those early picks – rangy defender Will Day, key backman Denver Grainger-Barrass and midfielder Josh Ward – look like they will be very good players for the Hawks for years to come. One of the club’s best choices has been plucking hard-nosed on-baller Jai Newcombe from Box Hill. He won the AFL Coaches Association’s Best Young Player Award this year and was runner-up in Hawthorn’s club champion polling. Have to question if the Hawks should have traded some of their older stars earlier to accelerate their rebuild and add more top-end selections. Finn Maginness was eighth in the club’s best-and-fairest this season and it would be hoping he could grow his game even further in 2023.
Rating: 7/10
Four players the Demons have drafted in the past three years played in the club’s breakthrough 2021 premiership. Luke Jackson helped to turn the game in the ruck, Kysaiah Pickett kicked 40 goals throughout the flag campaign, while Trent Rivers and Jake Bowey showed poise beyond their years across half-back. That in itself ensures a high mark for Melbourne. Jackson left via trade last month, returning home to WA to join Fremantle, but the Demons were well compensated with two early picks. The only question marks over the recent draftees come from that lack of games beyond that group. None of last year’s selections have featured at AFL level, although there a high hopes for West Australian swingman Jacob van Rooyen and Bailey Laurie has impressed in the VFL. The club’s picks outside the national draft are also yet to bear fruit at the elite level.
Rating: 8/10
While North Melbourne’s list clearly needs work overall, it’s hard to fault too many of the new additions. Next year is a big one for Comben, a 199cm key forward who has been severely restricted by injury in recent years but has shown some seriously exciting glimpses of his potential. He looks capable of holding down centre-half forward for the foreseeable future if he can get his body right. The 2020 draft – which was heavily invested in – yielded some handy players, most notably Powell and Lazarro who are developing nicely. A No. 3 pick, Phillips came with big wraps as a Lachie Neale-type midfielder but was struck down with two bouts of glandular fever this year. The good news is the professional Phillips returned to the track early for pre-season and is building his training loads, with the Kangaroos holding high hopes about what he can do next year. Horne-Francis was not the 10-year poster boy North had hoped for, but they were fairly compensated for his trade home to Port Adelaide.
Rating: 7/10
The Power has added six top-25 prospects over the past three years, on the back of its highly-successful 2018 draftees Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma. Forward Mitch Georgiades has star quality, though needs to improve his wayward goalkicking, half-back/wingman Miles Bergman shows promise but is coming off an inconsistent season and injuries have hampered defender/forward Lachie Jones. Jase Burgoyne looks like being a terrific father-son acquisition as a smooth-moving, unflustered half-back flanker. The club also has high hopes for the dashing Josh Sinn, untried intercept defender Jake Pasini and ruckman Dante Visentini, whom are all tied down beyond 2023. A groin issue restricted Sinn to just one game in his debut campaign. Dylan Williams has struggled to build his endurance and has featured just once at AFL level in three seasons.
Rating: 7/10
The Tigers have continued to discover some draft gems in recent years, none more so than two-time premiership player Pickett who was snapped up in the 2019 mid-season rookie draft. Speedy outside defender or wingman Ralphsmith also looks a bargain buy, as does Cumberland who kicked 19 goals from eight games in the second half of this year. The Tigers have been impressed by the faster than expected development of Rioli and were thrilled with their haul of five top-30 picks in last year’s draft. Gibcus looks capable of holding down a key post in defence for the next decade, while Sonsie and Clarke showed glimpses of their sizeable talent last year and Tom Brown is rated very highly internally despite not being seen yet at AFL level. The Tigers have secured two developing ruckman in Colina and Ryan in recent years, but haven’t picked up any young key forwards outside of the 192cm Bauer. That is why a key forward is a priority at this year’s draft.
Rating: 8/10
The Saints have only had two picks inside the top 30 of the national draft over the past three years, but have still managed to find some players. Byrnes fell out of favour a little this year but produced a solid 2021 season. Highmore was in a similar boat but has shown some good signs as an intercepting defender. Allison is being given time as a young 195cm key forward, as is Heath as a young ruck. Sharman started his AFL career with a bang – kicking 10 goals from his first four games – but wasn’t able to replicate that this year. The Saints were impressed with the debut seasons of last year’s draftees Wanganeen-Milera, Owens and Windhager and are confident they will drive the club forward. Hayes was firmly on St Kilda’s radar for a few years before finally being given an opportunity and grabbing it with both hands. He is recovering nicely from his ACL injury and has bulked up in the gym during his time off his legs. The Saints believe they have a solid list and hope that new coach Ross Lyon can squeeze a lot more out of it next year.
Rating: 6/10
With recruiting like this, it is little wonder the Swans are contenders almost every year. You can’t get them all right, but veteran list manager Kinnear Beatson and his team often go close. A third-round draft pick three years ago, Warner finished second in Sydney’s best and fairest this year in a breakout campaign. He was one of four players from the 2019 and 2020 drafts – alongside Stephens, Campbell and Gulden – who featured in the Swans’ Grand Final team this year, while McDonald was part of the club’s qualifying and preliminary final sides. Gould hasn’t been able to get a senior game yet but did have a much-improved year in the VFL where he was named the Swans’ Player of the Year. A 191cm key defender, he will need to show he can step up to the next level next year after recently being handed a one-year contract extension.
Rating: 9/10
The Eagles sold the farm to lure midfielder Tim Kelly across from Geelong in 2019, which left them with very thin draft hands in 2019 and 2020. From those two draft years, only two of eight players remain on West Coast’s list for 2023. The Eagles had some more high-end picks last year and got games into them this season, with the exception of first-round selection Chesser who hurt his ankle in a pre-season practice match and was sidelined for the rest of the year. Hough played the majority of his debut year on a wing, while Bazzo showed some promise as a key defender late in the year and mature-age recruit Clark contributed. There is something to work with in regards to Culley, who is a tough and big-bodied inside midfielder who excited on debut late in the season. However, West Coast really needs to nail this year’s draft if it does not want its woes to continue.
Rating: 4/10
It’s hard to fault the Bulldogs’ drafting over the past three years, with five players from this list – Gardner, Weightman, Ugle-Hagan, McComb and Darcy – having featured in the club’s elimination final side this year. Ugle-Hagan was always going to take time but looks a serious talent who is growing in confidence, while the 205cm Darcy showed late in the season that he is going to be a star of the future. Gardner is not perfect but the key defender was picked up for nothing as a mid-season rookie, while Scott hasn’t missed many games since he was secured through the Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period and rookie McComb had an impact in a number of games this year. Weightman kicked the second-most goals for the Bulldogs this year with 36, finishing only behind Aaron Naughton.
Rating: 9/10
Originally published as AFL Draft: Every club’s recent recruiting rated
Join the conversation
Draft Intel: 10 players to watch in Coates Talent League decider
Brisbane Lions father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft is vying for a historic feat as he prepares to lead the Sandringham Dragons to another Grand Final. But he’s not the only top draft prospect who will be in action.
Read more
AFL Draft 2024: Full order, latest intel and the top prospects
The off-season is in full swing for most clubs and that means the 2024 AFL Draft is just around the corner. Get the latest intel on who your club could pick plus full indicative draft order.
Read more