Adelaide, Port Adelaide draft preview: All the key questions for both clubs are answered
Clubs at the top of the draft order want to get their hands on Finn Callaghan. But the Crows have also shown the most interest in another Vic talent.
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Who is the next top Crow?
After Riley Thilthorpe became the highest Adelaide draftee in history in 2020, going at pick 2 after the club made a bid on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, the Crows have another chance to add a top talent to their list.
Currently at pick 4, which is likely to be pick 6 once father-son bids for Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy come in, the Crows won’t be able to select South Australia’s best prospect for the second year in a row — with Jason Horne-Francis off to North Melbourne.
So, who will the Crows take to help their rebuild go to the next level?
News Corp assesses a few of the leading candidates.
Finn Callaghan, Sandringham Dragons
With Horne-Francis all but assured of being selected by North Melbourne, it is Callaghan who has become the top “live” prospect available to clubs.
So impressed are clubs with the 190cm midfielder, who boasts run, carry, athleticism and kicking, that several teams are poised to try and make a move up the order and nab GWS’ pick 2.
The Crows are understood to be one of them, after trying to get the Kangaroos to part with pick 1.
They, like most clubs have inquired about the Sandringham product who has significantly risen up draft boards this year.
Callaghan’s father Brett was the national 400m champion and represented Australia at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
Callaghan has improved his running significantly this year — he has posted a 6.12mins 2km — and has added muscle to his tall frame.
Those who know Callaghan have said that they believe he might have grown a little bit of late, which would surely add to his appeal among clubs.
He would be an ideal addition to a Crows midfield that doesn’t boast a player at his height, outside of Jackson Hately who couldn’t break into the senior side in his first season at Adelaide.
Callaghan, with his penetrating left foot, looms as an ideal modern-midfielder the Crows would love — but the question will be how can they get him.
It is understood the Crows have also asked about his Dragons teammate Josh Sinn, although he is expected to go later on in the draft.
Josh Rachele, Murray Bushrangers
Likened to GWS star Toby Greene, Rachele is one of the most talented players in the draft pool.
After turning down a scholarship to sign with Melbourne City, Rachele decided to focus on football rather than soccer.
He has quickly established himself as an excitement machine and at 180cm is widely considered as the best small forward in the draft pool.
Adelaide has a need for a small forward, especially one with the skills and tricks that Rachele has.
But small forwards don’t usually go in the top five, or top six if Adelaide’s pick slides down there after bids for Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy.
However there shouldn’t be too many complaints from Crows fans if they choose with Rachele with their first pick.
He is strong overhead for his size, and dynamic at ground level.
And he has shone as a midfielder at junior level, fuelling hope that while he isn’t the tallest he can make the adjustment at senior level.
It is understood that the Crows, along with GWS, have shown some of the biggest interest in Rachele of late.
And it is also understood that Rachele is more than happy to move interstate to play his footy, which has the interstate clubs in particular very interested in him.
All of the clubs in the top 10 after North Melbourne have shown interest in the excitement machine.
The Crows have a lot of players who will work hard, they need a player with the class, skills and tricks that Rachele has in his locker.
Ben Hobbs, Greater Western Victoria Rebels
This is very much a case of a potential best available player at the Crows current pick, especially if Rachele is off the board, as well as Callaghan.
A contested beast, the tough 181cm midfielder has emerged as one of the best prospects in this year’s crop, averaging 28.5 disposals, 5.8 clearances and 5.5 tackles from his four full NAB League games.
An extremely hard worker, Hobbs has already been labelled as a potential captain of whatever club does draft him.
Adelaide does have Tom Doedee as its captain in waiting, but Rory Sloane is 32 next year and Hobbs could be his replacement in the Crows engine room.
Hobbs is right in conversations as the best pure inside midfielder in the pool and while he doesn’t provide the height the Crows might be seeking he definitely would add to Adelaide’s contested game.
DRAFT INTEL: WHO CROWS, PORT COULD TAKE
Who can take Adelaide’s rebuild to the next level?
And who can Port Adelaide select to keep its premiership window open?
Next month’s draft looms as a big one for the two South Australian clubs, but for different reasons.
The Crows again have a high draft pick and will be looking for a top talent to ensure their rebuild isn’t a long one like Carlton’s.
As they seek to bounce back and regain trust after their preliminary final shocker, the Power have moved up the order to try and get one of the draft’s top players.
Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma all hit the ground running in their first season.
Can the Power find another young gun who can impact from day one and keep them in the premiership window?
News Corp analyses the Crows and Power’s draft hands, looks at what pick moves they could make, their key areas of need and answers the talking points for each club.
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Crows
What picks they currently have
4, 33, 75, 80
What pick moves they might make
The Crows have already tried to move up to No. 1 in the draft and have the prized pick the second year in a row, but their big offer to North Melbourne for the top pick was turned down.
Gold Coast could be open to trading No. 3 if the Crows again want to try and move up the order.
Some have suggested the Crows should split their pick, but Adelaide list manager Justin Reid indicated the club would be reluctant to do so.
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Key areas of need
The Crows need some speed and class in midfield and need to improve their small forward stocks.
Finn Callaghan would suit the former need and looms as one of the top talents in the draft pool.
Small forward Josh Rachele is an interesting one.
He has been likened to Toby Greene and Alan Didak, but it is unclear where he would go in the draft and small forwards don’t usually go early.
The Crows have been strongly linked to Rachele and regardless of where small forwards usually go in the draft, he would fit what Adelaide needs perfectly.
Ben Hobbs has already been described as a future captain and is a strong-bodied midfielder. Hobbs should still be available when the Crows have their first pick.
Josh Sinn has plenty of speed, and can play several positions, but has slid in the rankings after being widely viewed as a top-five prospect this year.
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Talking points
Can the Crows get up the order?
Crows fans would love nothing more than to be able to get South Adelaide wonderkid Jason Horne-Francis, but North Melbourne isn’t going to let the player likened to Nat Fyfe and Patrick Dangerfield through its grip.
Callaghan is now the new priority on Crows fans wishlists, but it is unlikely he will still be available when Adelaide is on the board, after father-son picks for Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy are factored in.
GWS and Gold Coast are the two clubs that are above the Crows in the order, what offer can Adelaide make that will snare Callaghan?
He has been described as the best available player after Horne-Francis in the draft.
Local or interstate?
The Crows draft class of 2020 had a distinct South Australian flavour with Sam Berry the only interstate selection.
Adelaide has said whether a prospect is from SA does carry weight in its thinking but it’s always likely to choose the best talent.
For the second year in a row, Victorian prospects have had their season impacted by Covid-19.
Does this mean the Crows 2021 selections will again have a strong local flavour?
The Crows won’t nominate Next Generation Academy members Blayne O'Loughlin and Isiah Dudley, but don’t be surprised if the players they do take in the draft are options from close to home.
POWER
What picks they currently have
12, 63, 73, 74, 92
What pick moves they might make
The Power have already moved up in the draft order from 16 to 12. Like a lot of teams, who is available come draft night could impact whether they make any further moves.
Key areas of need
The Power have said they want to improve their midfield, but have backed in younger players such as Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma and Miles Bergman to do that job.
Does this mean they will have other draft priorities?
The Power seem quite well stocked for halfbacks and key-position players, and they still have a dangerous forward line.
Talking points
Why the move up the order?
It’s just four spots in the draft but Power recruiters are viewing the gap between the player Port can get at 12 rather than 16 as significant, after Peter Ladhams was sent to Sydney as part of a deal that helped them move up the order.
That puts the Power on the board when players such as tall midfielder Mitch Knevitt and South Adelaide’s Matty Roberts are expected to be available.
Knevitt stands 194cm and the Power don’t really have a midfielder like him on their list.
Roberts is considered ready to play straight away — even as a forward — after kicking six goals in seven SANFL appearances.
The other one is Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, the nephew of Port royalty and board member Gavin Wanganeen.
Port fans would be over the moon if the Power could snare the Glenelg youngster with unmatched foot skills and incredible balance.
But, so rapid has his rise been this year that he is now being spoken about as a potential top-10 talent.
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Is another Burgoyne coming to Alberton?
The Power was set to this week meet with Jase Burgoyne, the son of 2004 premiership winner Peter, to determine whether both parties would commit to him landing at Alberton.
The Power have the late picks to match any bid for the halfback/wingman, but Burgoyne said after the draft combine he is unsure what he will do and is going to weigh up his options.
Hours later, his older brother Trent was delisted by the club without playing a game, while last month his uncle and ex-Power and Hawthorn star Shaun joined Port Adelaide in an off-field role.
Burgoyne has talent and admirers, but it is hard to gauge where he would go in the draft if he made the big call to not be a Port Adelaide father-son player, or where a bid would come from him if he chose the Power.
Originally published as Adelaide, Port Adelaide draft preview: All the key questions for both clubs are answered
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