AFL draft: How Essendon plans to get back into the draft after Isaac Kako bid

They traded out of the draft to dodge eating points on an Isaac Kako bid, but JAY CLARK reveals the Bombers’ plan to get back into the first round, and the clubs willing to move down the order.

Essendon is weighing up a move to off-load Melbourne’s future first-round choice for a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

However the move will have to come after a bid for Essendon small forward and next generation academy prospect Isaac Kako.

It means if a bid comes around pick 10 for Kako, Essendon could trade Melbourne’s future first-round pick for something in the teens of this year’s draft.

The Bombers’ first pick is otherwise slated to be number 28, but Essendon will eagerly eye a jump into this year’s crop if a trade partner can be secured.

A pending bid on Isaac Kako will shape how Essendon manages the AFL draft. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

St Kilda has told clubs it is open to splitting one of its top-10 selections in this year’s draft as part of a strategy to capitalise on the depth in this year’s talent pool.

The Saints have picks seven and eight in this year’s draft and have indicated they could be interested in trading one of them for two picks later in the first round.

The two clubs best-placed to do a deal with the Saints are Richmond (which has 18, 20 and 23) and GWS Giants (15, 16 and 21).

It means the Saints could take a top-line midfielder at pick seven and then snare two players in the back-end of the first-round with its Josh Battle compensation selection.

It would be a bold call from the Saints but recruiters are excited about the level of talent on offer through the back end of the first-round.

The move would effectively see the Saints take three players potentially inside the top-20 of a draft scouts are calling the strongest in several years.

St Kilda’s GM of football David Misson during the trade period. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

St Kilda may also pull the trigger on draft night, depending on what players are available at pick seven and eight and what deals the Giants and Tigers are prepared to complete.

Richmond has picks 1, 6, 10, 11, 18, 20, 23 and 24 and are keen to swap some of the choices into next year’s draft pool to help diversify its draft assets.

That will allow the Tigers to balance its draft capital across two draft pools after losing four players in the trade period – Shai Bolton, Liam Baker, Jack Graham and Daniel Rioli.

Former Richmond national recruiting manager Matt Clarke has taken over the list management at West Coast and has come under extreme fire for swapping pick three to Carlton in the trade period.

The Eagles dealt pick three to Carlton for picks 12 and 14, giving the Blues a chance to land a star draft prospect including highly-rated midfielder Finn O’Sullivan.

Former West Coast great Peter Sumich said the deal for pick three was “the wrong move” and was adamant the Eagles gave up overs for ex-Tiger Liam Baker, saying “no way is he worth pick 14”.

“Pick three has been a gold nugget. Are we idiots?” Sumich said on WA radio 91.3FM.

Originally published as AFL draft: How Essendon plans to get back into the draft after Isaac Kako bid