AFL Draft 2021: The famous names in this year’s draft pool
You’ve heard of Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy. But there are a host of father-son prospects flying under the radar who could be drafted this year.
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You might have heard the hype around Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy, but there are a raft of other potential father-son prospects in this year’s draft pool.
And there is no shortage of other highly-rated famous names.
Here’s who your club could land this year.
THE 2021 FATHER-SON PROSPECTS
Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
The son of Magpies’ 1990 premiership player and 250-game forward Peter Daicos, the Oakleigh Chargers midfielder looks set to join his brother Josh on Collingwood’s list next year. The potential No.1 draft pick, Daicos is a prolific onballer who consistently racks up the football in the vein of Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell but also has serious polish and kicks goals.
Sam Darcy (Western Bulldogs)
The 204cm Oakleigh Chargers tall is the son of former Western Bulldogs best-and-fairest winner Luke Darcy and is an exciting prospect viewed by recruiters as a top-three draft pick this year. Darcy has great agility, a good pair of hands and kicks goals. He has played both as a key defender and key forward this year and has shown his ability at both ends. His athleticism means he can even play on a wing.
Jase Burgoyne (Port Adelaide)
The son of former Port Adelaide champion and 2004 premiership player Peter Burgoyne, Jase has been part of the NAB AFL Academy squad this year. The Woodville-West Torrens product, whose brother Trent is on Port Adelaide’s list, is a classy midfielder or forward who finds plenty of the ball and is damaging by foot. Burgoyne has also played some senior SANFL football with Port Adelaide Magpies this year and is a highly-rated prospect.
Tex Wanganeen (Port Adelaide/Essendon)
The son of former Port Adelaide and Essendon champion Gavin Wanganeen is yet to play this year after suffering a navicular stress fracture during pre-season. The Oakleigh Chargers small forward is eligible as a father-son for both Port Adelaide and Essendon, but has been more closely connected with Essendon and trained with the Bombers during pre-season. Wanganeen shapes as a promising prospect.
Taj Woewodin (Melbourne)
A midfielder from East Fremantle, Woewodin is the son of former Melbourne and Collingwood onballer and 2000 Brownlow Medal winner Shane Woewodin. Father-son eligible for the Demons, Woewodin is in the Western Australia Under-19s state squad this year and is a hard-at-it onballer who wins plenty of the ball, is strong in the clearances and loves to tackle.
Noah Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions)
A midfielder-forward who stands 184cm, the Murray Bushrangers product is the son of two-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Daniel Bradshaw. Selected in the initial Vic Country squad for trial matches, Bradshaw has displayed good power and burst speed to break clear of congestion and is strong above his head.
Ewan MacPherson (Western Bulldogs)
A 179cm midfielder, MacPherson was draft eligible in 2020 and was considered unlucky by some not to be picked up. The son of 188-game Footscray player Stephen MacPherson and brother of current Gold Coast Suns onballer Darcy MacPherson, the 19-year-old trained with the Bulldogs during pre-season and has played some VFL games for Footscray on top of his NAB League commitments with the Northern Knights this year.
Charlie McKay (Carlton)
The son of former Carlton defender and four-time All-Australian Andrew McKay, the 186cm midfielder was draft eligible last year but was overlooked. The tough nut returned to the Sandringham Dragons as a 19-year-old and has played some strong solid football in the NAB League this year, including a 26-disposal, 12 clearance and seven tackle performance against Calder Cannons in Round 12.
Nyawi Moore (Essendon)
A 183cm midfielder-forward, Moore is the son of former 145-game Essendon player Nathan Lovett-Murray. Moore is eligible to be a father-son for the Bombers but is also linked to Richmond’s Next Generation Academy. The Bendigo Pioneers product has impressive athletic qualities, some serious tricks and is a good decision maker.
William Kilpatrick (Geelong)
A defender, the 181cm Kilpatrick is the son of former Essendon and Geelong player Glenn Kilpatrick and is eligible as a father-son to the Cats. Kilpatrick is a strong interceptor who is a good reader of the play and generally uses the ball well coming off half-back. He has also featured at VFL level this year as a top-up player for Sydney. The Geelong Falcons player was draft eligible last year.
Jackson Archer (North Melbourne)
A 183cm defender, Archer has the same hot competitive streak as his father Glenn Archer, who was a two-time premiership player for North Melbourne. The Northern Knights product is lightly-framed but is good above head and has a good leap.
Alex Hird (Essendon)
Like his brother Tom – who was signed by the Bombers as a Category B rookie last year – Alex has focused a lot of his efforts on soccer and has played for NPL club Port Melbourne. The son of Essendon champion and 1996 Brownlow Medal winner James Hird, he is part of the Essendon Academy that is named after his father and is draft eligible this year.
Josh Misiti (Essendon)
The son of two-time Bombers premiership player Joe Misiti, Josh is also part of Essendon’s James Hird Academy and is draft eligible this year. Misiti played a lot of his junior football in defence but has primarily featured through the midfield for the Calder Cannons in the NAB League this year and has some nice attributes.
Tom Silvagni (Carlton)
A 187cm player who has been used as a midfielder for the Oakleigh Chargers this year, Silvagni is the son of two-time Carlton premiership player Stephen Silvagni and brother of current Blues forward Jack Silvagni. Tom, who is part of the Carlton Academy program this year, was draft eligible last year but was overlooked.
Billy Kolyniuk (Western Bulldogs)
The son of former Western Bulldogs champion Steven Kolyniuk, the 181cm defender is draft eligible this year as a father-son prospect for the Bulldogs. Kolyniuk has been playing for the Western Jets in the NAB League this season.
Dane Whitnall (Carlton)
A 193cm defender from the Calder Cannons, Whitnall reads the play well, is a solid mark has good football smarts. The son of former Carlton captain Lance Whitnall, he has been part of the Carlton Academy program this year.
Louis Thompson (Hawthorn)
A 178cm small forward, Thompson has been playing for the Bendigo Pioneers in the NAB League this year. He is the son of former Hawthorn and North Melbourne key forward Nathan Thompson, but is father-son eligible only for the Hawks, where his dad played 119 of his 179 AFL games.
Jake Cresswell (Sydney)
The son of 1994 Sydney best-and-fairest winner Daryn Cresswell, the 180cm midfielder has been playing in the NAB League for Murray Bushrangers this season. The 18-year-old is draft eligible this year.
Thomas Gleeson (Carlton)
A 190cm midfielder-forward, Gleeson is the son of 1987 Carlton premiership player Adrian Gleeson. The Calder Cannons product was draft eligible last year but was overlooked and returned to the NAB League as a 19-year-old this season. Gleeson has been part of the Carlton Academy program.
Darby Scott (Geelong/North Melbourne)
A 178cm midfielder from the Calder Cannons, Scott is the son of 1996 North Melbourne premiership player Robert Scott. His father played more than 100 games for both the Kangaroos and Geelong, making him father-son eligible for both clubs. His older brother, Bailey Scott, was in the same boat in 2018 and nominated North Melbourne as his club of choice, joining the Kangaroos with pick 49 in the 2018 national draft.
Mackenzie Hogg (Carlton)
The son of former Footscray and Carlton tagger Matthew Hogg, the 176cm small forward was draft eligible last year but was overlooked. The Calder Cannons product is father-son eligible for only Carlton, for whom his father played 114 games. Hogg has been part of the Carlton Academy program this year.
THE ‘NOT QUITE’ FATHER-SON OPTIONS
Jesse Motlop
An exciting small forward from South Fremantle, Motlop is the son of former North Melbourne and Port Adelaide forward Daniel Motlop. His father played 130 AFL games in total but did not make 100 games for either club, meaning Jesse is not a father-son option for either the Kangaroos or the Power. The 18-year-old speedster is part of Fremantle’s Next Generation Academy though and has impressed in the west this year playing a variety of WAFL Colts, Reserves and Senior football. He is part of the WA State squad for the Under-19 national championships.
Tom Brown
The son of former Geelong hero Paul Brown, Tom is not father-son eligible to the Cats given his father played only 84 games for the club before having his career cut short by a ruptured patella tendon. Unfortunately, Tom has also been struck by injury this year, missing a chunk of the year with syndesmosis. However, the 186cm defender has shown plenty in the games he has played this season and is part of the Vic Country squad. Tom’s sister Millie plays for the Cats’ AFLW team.
Sam Breuer
A 183cm defender from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels, Breuer’s father played more than 100 AFL games but not for the one club. Shayne Breuer was a midfielder with Geelong (71 games) and Port Adelaide (54 games), but those numbers do not leave Sam as father-son eligible for either club. The Horsham product, who also has a strong basketball background, is part of the Vic Country squad this year.
Nash Reynolds
A vice-captain of the Western Jets this year, Reynolds is a 176cm midfielder with impressive running ability and leadership. He is the son of former Footscray and North Melbourne defender Keenan Reynolds, who played 86 AFL games between the two clubs. Reynolds returned to the Jets as a 19-year-old this year and did a pre-season with VFL side Werribee.
SOME OTHER FAMOUS NAMES IN THE MIX TO BE DRAFTED
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
A highly-rated South Australian talent, Wanganeen-Milera is the nephew of former Port Adelaide and Essendon champion and Brownlow Medallist Gavin Wanganeen. His father, Terry Milera, also spent two seasons at St Kilda. The Glenelg product is a silky midfielder who has played senior SANFL football this year and has also been part of both Port Adelaide’s Aboriginal Academy and Adelaide’s Next Generation Academy.
Blayne O’Loughlin
Adelaide has first access to the nephew of former Sydney Swans champion Michael O’Loughlin, who is part of the Crows’ Next Generation Academy. Also a member of the NAB AFL Academy, the 18-year-old North Adelaide rising star is a speedy and classy rebounding defender who has been racking up big numbers in the SANFL under-18s this year.
Jai Serong
The younger brother Fremantle midfielder and 2020 NAB AFL Rising Star Award winner Caleb Serong, Jai is in the mix to follow his brother and be drafted this year. The tough Gippsland Power half-forward or midfielder has had a solid season so far which has included representing Vic Country. Serong describes himself as a hardworking runner who tries to outwork his opponents.
Jye Lockett
You guessed it – this Greater Western Victoria Rebels forward is a relative of the AFL’s all-time goalkicking record holder Tony Lockett. Like his uncle, the 18-year-old has Ballarat roots but grew up in Queensland. He has moved back to Ballarat for university studies, though, and is considered a beautiful kick of the football. Lockett is not viewed as a likely draft pick at this stage but could push his case with further development this year. His awkward size at 190cm for a key forward is seen as a sticking point.
Will Papley
The brother of Sydney forward Tom Papley, the 18-year-old returned to Gippsland Power this year after missing selection in last year’s draft. He had been a midfielder in his bottom-age NAB League season in 2019 but has transformed into a small forward like his brother. Papley played for Vic Country in the Colgate Young Guns clash in May and was part of a Vic Country trial match in June ahead of the Under-19 National Championships.
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