AFL 2021: The draftees set to debut in Round 1 for your KFC SuperCoach team

Despite a limited pre-season, several of last year’s draftees are firming to debut in the opening round of 2021. Find out who’s in the selection frame at your club.

Matt Rowell’s assured first month of AFL football last year provided outlandish expectations for the kids that followed in his footsteps.

Yet with only a single warm-up game remaining before Round 1, three of this year’s top four selections would seem unlikely to make their debut in the first week of the season.

Jamarra Ugle-Ugle Hagan would need a rash of injuries to debut, Will Phillips couldn’t crack a scratch-match game last week and Logan McDonald was quiet in conditions far from ideal for a key position tall.

Yet across the competition a host of young kids and mature-aged recruits are pushing hard.

Here are their chances of making a Round 1 or early debut in 2021.

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Riley Thilthorpe is set for an early taste of senior footy.

Adelaide

Lock in Riley Thilthorpe for an early debut, even if it doesn’t come in Round 1.

After an interrupted pre-season the No. 2 overall pick played in an SANFL trial game rather than the senior clash against Port Adelaide and was scintillating with four goals and a series of commanding marks playing forward.

Now we have to wait to see if he plays in the AFL clash against Port Adelaide on Sunday to take his chance.

Job security: Once he’s in, he’s surely staying in given Adelaide knows it needs to get him to 50 games as quick as possible as the Taylor Walker replacement.

Brisbane

The Lions took Blake Coleman at pick 24 but their maturity and star-studded list means it’s damned hard to get into the Round 1 side. Ely Smith, the No. 21 pick in the 2018 national draft, played well on the weekend while the Lions believe Jack Payne has gone to another level after his four contested marks in the preliminary final, while Zac Bailey is ready for a midfield role after a massive summer.

Job security: Go elsewhere if you are looking for KFC SuperCoach rookies.

Carlton fans will need to be patient when it comes to Brodie Kemp.

Carlton

The Blues took SANFL small forward Corey Durdin at pick 37 and he impressed in early scrimmages but wasn’t featured in the clash against Essendon. Brodie Kemp, the No. 1 selection from the 2019 national draft, is out with a syndesmosis injury.

Job security: Look for Durdin to emerge given he was perfectly drafted for needs, but he’s not ready yet.

Collingwood

Ollie Henry slipped to No. 17 in the national draft but might slip right into a Round 1 berth if he can continue his scratch match form against Geelong.

He looked right at home as a silky half forward and given the Pies want to play Jordan de Goey deeper there is a role for him against the Dogs.

Reef McInnes, the No. 23 selection, has had finger surgery while Finlay Macrae (pick 19) has done a lot right over summer but won’t play any of the senior pre-season matches.

He’s going fine, so no worries there Collingwood fans, there are just others ahead of him.

Job security: There is a spot there for Henry to slot straight into Jaidyn Stephenson’s 2020 role so don’t sleep on him despite his youth.

Oliver Henry has firmed for a Round 1 debut at Collingwood.

Essendon

Who isn’t going to play early from the Essendon batch of kids? Archie Perkins and Nik Cox should play Round 1, tall forward Harry Jones could play if he performs again in the AAMI Community Series game, while Alec Waterman was officially elevated on Tuesday and should play Round 1. The club’s No. 10 draft pick Zach Reid has had a solid summer but of that trio is the one likely to start the season in the VFL. Ned Cahill played three 2020 games but after being moved into the backline could be a smoky to play 15 games there.

Job security: Essendon wants to play Cox and Perkins early and often. Waterman is the KFC SuperCoach lock though given his price. All of Cox, Perkins and Jones could have breakout games but will be low-possession getters.

Fremantle

No. 14 draft pick Heath Chapman has already slotted into defence impressively in intra-club hit-outs while No. 7 rookie selection Josh Treacy just keeps kicking goals, slotting three in an intra-club recently and then two against West Coast. The Dockers haven’t ruled him out of a Round 1 debut.

Job security: Chapman played only a half in the clash against West Coast so look for his game time as a gauge this weekend.

Geelong

Francis Evans was plucked from nowhere by the Cats in the 2019 national draft at pick no. 41 and the 182cm midfielder got his chance to shine against Collingwood in the six-stanza scrimmage on Friday.

The former Brunswick-NOBS player in the VAFA kicked two goals alongside Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron and looked totally at home.

Cooper Stephens, taken at pick 19 in the same draft, might have to bide his time for a debut given he didn’t play last Friday.

Job security: Geelong has such depth and firepower. If Evans plays, how long can he hold his spot?

Gold Coast

Elijah Hollands is the club’s No. 7 pick but won’t be back until around April or May after an ACL tear last season. He was the club’s only national draft selection.

Job security: Steer clear.

Matt Flynn has great job security as GWS ruckman.

Greater Western Sydney

The club’s No. 12 pick Tanner Bruhn already looks at home although playing as a half forward rather than a midfielder given GWS’ welter of inside stars.

He is every chance to play Round 1 and should get another chance in the AAMI Community Series this weekend.

Uncapped ruckman Matt Flynn more than held his own as the starting ruck against Tom Hickey and Callum Sinclair so he’s an absolute lock for your KFC SuperCoach side.

Conor Stone, the club’s No. 15 pick, played the fifth and sixth periods, while pick 18 Ryan Angwin missed with concussion but both will play a seconds contest this weekend.

Job security: Flynn might be the biggest lock of all the AFL debutantes.

Hawthorn

Denver Grainger-Barras has shown his intercept marking powers as the No. 6 overall pick but only got a half of scratch match action against the Dogs. Watch out for his performance against North Melbourne this weekend to see if he gets a full contest.

The club’s No. 35 draft pick Connor Downie slotted in effortlessly on a wing after a huge summer and is still very much in line to debut against Essendon.

Job security: The Hawks need to stockpile the kids but Downie seems in front of Granger-Barras right now.

Kobe Farmer is trying to win a spot on Melbourne’s list. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne

Rookie contender Kobe Farmer played against Richmond last week and again showed his class, with the son of Jeff Farmer firming for one of the three vacant list spots.

Last year’s draftees Jake Bowey (pick 21), and Bailey Laurie (pick 22) have already impressed with exquisite disposal but played in the VFL game last week and will do so again this weekend. Majak Daw is still working towards full fitness so the club is tossing up whether he is ready against the Western Bulldogs, while Werribee player Kye Declase has been invited to train with the club but has only a week to impress so might be up against it.

Job security: The Demons have three list spots up for grabs and could have another given Aaron Neitschke’s ACL tear this week. No one is making an absolutely compulsive case to be drafted.

North Melbourne

The Roos would be a little worried that No. 3 overall pick Will Phillips couldn’t crack it for a game while Tom Powell, Charlie Lazzaro and Eddie Ford, all drafted after him, got a run against St Kilda.

Powell is clearly ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Roos play Hawthorn this weekend so watch this space given inside mid Lazzaro and versatile utility Ford didn’t do their chances any harm either.

Job security: You might have to bide your time until Phillips cracks into the side, given he was seen as that hard-running midfielder who would immediately slot into the Roos side.

Port Adelaide

As Dan Houston said on Tuesday of Round 1 aspirants Lachie Jones and Miles Bergman, both would be stiff to miss out given their summers of toil.

Jones has it all as an attacking half back while Bergman missed out on playing for most of 2020 given COVID but has a beautiful mix of high marking and long kicking.

Both impressed assistant coach Brett Montgomery in the clash with Adelaide and they should play again this weekend.

Job security: Competition for spots is at a premium, but the Power won’t be afraid to throw Jones and Bergman into the fray after their history with Connor Rozee and co.

Richmond

The elusive debut of Riley Collier-Dawkins might continue given he missed the scratch match against Melbourne with concussion.

Maurice Rioli played in the last three of seven periods — ostensibly the VFL game — and kicked a couple of lovely goals but despite being described as “breathtaking” by captain Trent Cotchin he’s very much a work in progress.

But halfback Hugo Ralphsmith was excellent in patches as the No. 46 pick in the 2019 national draft and Will Martyn showed flashes of his potential as the pick 44 in the same draft.

Job security: Good luck breaking into the Richmond line-up. Thomson Dow will push hard as well but by Round 1 the stars might all be ready to return except for Bachar Houli (calf).

Tom Highmore has been compared to fellow SANFL product Callum Wilkie.

St Kilda

Mature-aged SANFL pick Tom Highmore was the new Cal Wilkie until he only got a late glimpse of the action against North Melbourne. He will be desperate for more match time against Carlton to push his Round 1 claims. Wilkie, James Frawley and Dougal Howard might all be ahead of him, but with Jarryn Geary and Ben Paton out it’s a big week to push his claims. Pick 26 Matt Allison is a 194cm tall but is just a baby in footy terms.

Job security: The jury is out on Highmore but until last week he couldn’t have done more to impress.

Sydney

Errol Gulden (pick 32) went behind Logan McDonald (pick 4) and Braeden Campbell (pick 5) in last year’s draft but has already shown he is mighty accomplished with another strong midfield performance against GWS.

In a Sydney side keen to keep bringing through the youth, the 175cm mid might not be as eye-catching as Campbell but has been more consistent in his junior career.

McDonald didn’t get near it often in poor conditions, so would need a good showing against GWS again this weekend.

Campbell has a lethal foot and is still every chance of a Round 1 debut with another good showing this weekend.

Job security: The Swans won’t mind blooding McDonald in the new-look VFL but lock in McDonald and Campbell from early in the year.

West Coast

The Eagles haven’t had a pick inside 48 in the past two drafts so will again go in with a mature-aged squad that has added Alex Witherden and Zac Langdon.

Jamaine Jones has had the kind of pre-season to put himself in contention after nine games with Geelong and the Eagles as a small forward.

Job security: Look elsewhere.

Western Bulldogs

The AFL’s No. 1 overall pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan won’t make his debut in Round 1 unless there are a rash of injuries for the Dogs this weekend.

Aaron Naughton, Josh Bruce and ruck-forward Tim English will all start ahead of him, but that’s no issue given he has already shown his gifts with an impressive seconds display last week.

He needs to get used to the rigours of training and is being pushed off the ball in marking contests, but otherwise has still shown glimpses of magic.

First-year forward Lachie McNeil played in the senior side against Hawthorn and put in a polished display that shows he could take on the Pies in Round 1 as a half forward-wingman.

New rookie elevation Anthony Scott also played a forward, so watch out to see if he gets a crack at it this weekend.

Job security: McNeil has been seriously impressive, but remember how deep the Dogs bat when considering if he can keep his spot.

Originally published as AFL 2021: The draftees set to debut in Round 1 for your KFC SuperCoach team