Josh Dunkley must decide whether to nominate as father-son for Sydney

COMMIT to Sydney as a father-son pick or roll the draft dice and hope to get picked by a Victorian club — which way will midfield gun Josh Dunkley go?

Josh Dunkley son of former Swans Andrew Dunkley at Sydney Swans this week. Picture. Phil Hillyard

CRANK up the thinking music at the Dunkley farm in Yarram.

Young Josh will head to Melbourne on Friday, where he must choose which set of papers to sign — one enrolling him in the national draft or one nominating to join Sydney as a father-son selection.

It is a complicated decision laced with risk. The son of 217-game Swans star Andrew wants to stay close to family in Victoria.

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But with heavy interest from interstate clubs the tough half-back flanker — who will develop into an aggressive inside midfielder — would prefer to join the Swans if he has to move.

Richmond is keen and Dunkley would love to play at Punt Rd after lining up in six VFL games for the club this season.

But the Tigers have told Dunkley that is unlikely, given pick 12 is considered too early and Dunkley will be gone by their next pick, No. 51.

“That was a kick in the guts,” Dunkley said last night after he was medically examined by most clubs and asked to complete sprinting, agility and jumping tests.

Carlton likes the meticulous leader and Gippsland Power captain at pick 19 — the selection the Blues received from Richmond in the Chris Yarran trade — but only if their preferred players are gone.

He would also like to play for the Blues, alongside close friend Jacob Weitering, the likely No. 1 pick.

The Western Bulldogs hold picks 20, 21 and 30 and are also Dunkley fans, as is St Kilda although the Saints don’t have a suitable selection.

Josh Dunkley has a tough call to make about his footy future. Picture: Colleen Petch

But so are Adelaide, Gold Coast and West Coast. And then it really gets complicated.

If Dunkley inks the father-son papers and Swans academy star Callum Mills receives an early bid, they might not even have enough draft points to take Dunkley.

The Swans don’t want to go into points deficit and Melbourne is expected to bid pick three for Mills.

Enough to make your head spin? It is for the 18-year-old, and vastly different to 1991 when his dad received an unexpected phone call telling him he was a Swan.

“It’s really hard, I just don’t know,” Dunkley said.

“I’d like to stay in Victoria but you can’t say, ‘Yeah, they’re definitely going to take me’.

“If I was to go interstate I’d like to go to Sydney because I’ve been there four times over the last 12 months, so knowing the coaching staff and the players would help with my transition.

“At the end of the day you’re just guessing. That’s why I’ve left it to the last minute because I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Whoever drafts Dunkley will land a ripper.

He stands 189cm, is a strong overhead mark — think Luke Parker — and a brilliant contested-possession and clearance winner.

Clubs say he is one of the most mature and professional talents available and Power talent manager Pete Francis believes if Dunkley develops an outside game he could evolve into a Nat Fyfe-type.

Josh Dunkley, son of former Sydney star Andrew Dunkley, at Swans training. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Dunkley’s pre-season was effectively wiped when stress fractures in his back flared and while some recruiters knock his kicking, he has battled a nasty foot problem this year.

Dunkley said his back was healed and he resumed running two weeks ago.

But Parker isn’t the only comparison Dunkley sees.

“I’m not really like anyone in particular,” he said.

“I see my hands and vision inside like Scott Pendlebury, body-size I’m similar to Jobe Watson and then marking and as a target up forward it’s Parker. And then my inside game is a little bit like Josh Kennedy as well.”

But which set of papers will Dunkley sign?

“I’ll probably finalise it (today) but I’m still not that close to making a decision,” he said.

“There’s a few late changes that have come about, it’s sort of what interest I get, so we’ll see how it goes.”

PICK ME: JOSH DUNKLEY

AGE: 18

HEIGHT: 189cm

WEIGHT: 86kg

CLUB: Gippsland Power

POSITION: Half-back/inside midfielder

SUPERCOACH AVG: 101 (TAC Cup)

PLAYS LIKE: Luke Parker

PREDICTED DRAFT RANGE: 12-40

IN THE MIX: Richmond (12), Adelaide (13), Carlton (19), Western Bulldogs (20, 21, 30), West Coast (23), Gold Coast (16, 29), Sydney (father-son)

Originally published as Josh Dunkley must decide whether to nominate as father-son for Sydney