Draft Intel: No. 1 pick options for Tigers and Dees, Port’s pick woes, Dees father-son, combine invites
It’s not quite ‘The Kreuzer Cup’, but a likely wooden spoon decider awaits on Saturday. We break down the best options for both clubs. Plus, why Port might struggle to get back in the draft’s first round.
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Draft combine invites are out and the team which receives the No. 1 draft pick could be decided this weekend.
Here’s the latest AFL Draft news and views from around the country.
WHAT TIGERS, ROOS COULD DO WITH NO. 1 PICK
It’s not quite ‘The Kreuzer Cup’, but Saturday’s match between North Melbourne and Richmond could well decide who wins the wooden spoon and therefore receives the No. 1 draft pick this year.
Just 1.4 percentage points separates the two teams on the bottom of the ladder, with only four rounds remaining in the home-and-away season.
Here’s where the race for the No. 1 pick sits – and what the Kangaroos or Tigers could do with that selection.
WHO IS IN THE HUNT TO BE PICK NO. 1?
Talk to recruiters and most of them will give you a list of six or seven names.
There’s no clear standout like Harley Reid this year.
Josh Smillie and Finn O’Sullivan entered the season as the early No. 1 fancies, but haven’t quite lived up to expectations due to form and fitness.
That said, both are still firmly in the mix to be the first player picked in November if they can finish the season strongly.
On form this year, Jagga Smith and Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions father-son) have arguably been standouts, while Sid Draper, Sam Lalor and Luke Trainor also have plenty of fans.
IF RICHMOND HAS PICK ONE:
Chris says: The Tigers have only had one top-10 draft pick in the past 11 years, that being Josh Gibcus (pick 9, 2021). So, new recruiting boss Chris Toce will need to nail this one. Smith – who has been starring in VFL games with the Tigers in recent weeks – oozes class and has begun doing more damage with ball in hand in the second half of the year. He’s on the smaller side for a midfielder at 181cm, but that won’t hold him back. Errol Gulden’s only 175cm. Standing 194cm, Smillie offers a big-body midfield option in the mould of Patrick Cripps which would suit Richmond nicely, while Lalor has Christian Petracca-like traits.
Verdict: I still think the Tigers would be keen on Smillie. Like all young players, he’s got some areas of his game to work on, but the strengths are clear with his ability to win clearances, contested possession and ground ball.
Dan says: Richmond is crying out for talented young midfielders and fortunately the top-end is stacked with them. Smith has dominated at VFL level for Richmond and would probably be playing in their depleted AFL side if he was on their list, while Smillie’s contested ball-winning and monster frame would fill a glaring need. O’Sullivan has the competitive streak and evasiveness that can break a game open, while Lalor has shown he can be a matchwinner in the midfield and up forward.
Verdict: Tough choice between Smith and Smillie but if I was the Tiges, I’d be leaning towards Jagga. He’s not only bankable but also has shades of Zak Butters with his ball-winning ability and elusiveness in traffic. Some might say he’s got the moves like Jagga.
IF NORTH MELBOURNE HAS PICK ONE:
Chris says: If the Kangaroos finish with the No. 1 pick, I suspect they might look to trade it and move a few spots down the order. But will there be any buyers? We saw GWS trade up the No. 1 pick in 2022, handing North Melbourne back picks 3 and 12 and swapping some later selections. But with so much uncertainty around the top picks this year, clubs are unlikely to be desperate to move up. If the Roos were able to split the pick and move back to say No. 5, reliable 194cm intercept defender Luke Trainor would be an ideal fit.
Verdict: It’s time to start addressing some other areas of the ground outside of the midfield for the Kangaroos. Hence, Trainor might be the man even if they don’t trade the No. 1 selection.
Dan says: The golden rule of drafting is to pick on talent rather than positional needs early, but North Melbourne can afford to be a little picky given they are well stocked with smaller midfielders. At 194 centimetres, Smillie can complement the likes of Luke Davies-Uniacke, George Wardlaw and Harry Sheezel and can be a marking presence up forward. There isn’t many talls at the very top-end, but Trainor has proven he is a worthy top-10 prospect, while his Sandringham Dragons teammate Harry Armstrong is coming with a rush.
Verdict: Smillie is a worthy No. 1 pick in his own right, and he shapes as the missing piece of the puzzle for North Melbourne’s midfield.
THIS YEAR’S PICKS HOT PROPERTY
Clubs looking to get back into the first round of this year’s draft face a tough task as excitement continues to grow about the top-end talent on offer.
Collingwood, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs are all currently without a first-round pick in what shapes as a strong draft in November.
Scouts are particularly excited about the top-25 prospects, but do believe the depth runs deeper than that.
The Power’s first selection currently stands at pick 32 – the latest of any side.
“We would like to be in this upcoming draft’s first round, but there’s multiple ways of getting back into that,” Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies said on 3AW radio.
“You’re talking about the AFL potentially allowing two years of (pick trading) into the future, you can trade your first-round pick for the following year into this year. There are many ways to get into the first round.
“This upcoming draft, we think, has a fair bit of depth. We’ll just have to look at ways we can get up the draft order if that’s the case.”
The idea of trading first-round picks for 2025 back to get back into the pointy end this year could be made more difficult by the fact that clubs are said to be “nervous” about next year’s draft pool, which appears to lack the depth enjoyed this year.
DRAFT COMBINE INVITES LAND
Preparations are in full swing for October’s draft combines, with 65 players from across the country being invited this week to three days of testing in Melbourne.
Club recruiting teams were each asked to submit a list of 50 nominations last week, which were used to determine the final invites.
Of the 65 invited players, 39 hail from Victoria.
There were 10 players invited from each of South Australia and Western Australia, along with six players from the Allies.
The national draft combine will be held from October 4-6, while state-based combines will also take place during October for players who did not receive enough nominations to be invited to the national combine.
DEES FATHER-SON CATCHES EYE IN VFL
Melbourne father-son prospect Noah Yze showed his class as he kicked his first VFL goal for Casey last weekend.
The son of Richmond coach Adem Yze kicked truly on his right foot while on the run on the 50m line, in what was just his second game at state league level.
Described as a “really versatile player” who can feature forward or back, Yze measures 190cm tall.
He has impressed for the Oakleigh Chargers in the Coates Talent League this year, as well as at school football with Caulfield Grammar.
Yze finished with eight disposals, seven tackles, two marks and one goal in a seven-point loss to the GWS Giants.
Meanwhile, Jagga Smith’s second VFL game for Richmond was on par with his first as he racked up 27 disposals, four clearances and five score involvements in the Tigers’ 11-point loss to Collingwood last Sunday.
FAMOUS NAMES IN UNDER-15s
Some top draft prospects for 2027 have been putting their talents on show on the Gold Coast this week during the School Sport Australia under-15 championships.
Victoria’s boys’ team went undefeated from its three matches in Pool A, winning games over South Australia, Queensland and the ACT.
Victoria’s team included some famous names who will be on the radars of clubs in coming years.
Louis Salopek is a future father-son prospect for Port Adelaide, as the son of 121-game Power midfielder Steven.
Salopek kicked goals in each of the first two pool matches, as well as being named in the best in the second game against Queensland.
The Power also had a second father-son prospect playing for Victoria in Tevita Rodan, the son of former Port Adelaide, Richmond and Melbourne midfielder David.
Rodan kicked three goals in the match against the ACT, as well as one against South Australia.
Koby Bewick — the son of two-time Essendon premiership player Darren — also featured for Victoria.
So to did Tom Steinfort, whose father Carl played for Geelong and Collingwood.
Finals were to begin on Thursday, with the championships wrapping up on Saturday.
PAIR MAKE WAFL LEAGUE DEBUTS
Two of Western Australia’s top draft prospects made their senior WAFL debuts in fine fashion last weekend.
West Coast Academy member Malakai Champion – a dangerous small forward with a family connection to Eddie Betts – booted three goals for Subiaco to go with nine disposals and four tackles.
Champion showed great evasive skills to step around an opponent and kick the first of those goals in the opening term, while his tackling pressure created a set shot snap in the final quarter.
Midfielder-forward Hamish Davis also showed good signs in his first senior game with Claremont, recording 16 disposals, three marks and seven score involvements in a win over East Perth.
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Originally published as Draft Intel: No. 1 pick options for Tigers and Dees, Port’s pick woes, Dees father-son, combine invites
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