Alastair Clarkson meets with top draft prospect Daniel Curtin in Perth

Alastair Clarkson has ‘fallen in love’ with draft gun Daniel Curtin, spending more than two hours with the WA prospect at his home in Perth.

Alastair Clarkson spent more than two hours at draft prospect Daniel Curtin’s home in Perth on Sunday as the North Melbourne coach makes one final push for the key defender.

Clarkson spent months scouting this year’s draft prospects during his mental health absence from coaching and has fallen in love with the polarising key defender from Claremont.

The Curtin call holds the key to the top 10 with the prospect of a dramatic live trade on draft night the biggest curveball in years.

The Kangaroos hold picks No.2 and No.3 and are still expected to secure midfielders Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma.

But the draft decisions shape as a test of the power balance at Arden St.

The Roos have made clear that despite Clarkson’s intricate knowledge of this year’s talent that new recruiting boss Will Thursfield and football boss Brady Rawlings would be the final arbiters of the cherished early picks.

Clarkson was in Perth for James Brayshaw’s wedding to Lisa Christie on Friday and used the visit to conduct a final assessment of Curtin’s go-home factor.

Alastair Clarkson is a big fan of Daniel Curtin. Picture: Getty Images

They have been texting each other regularly since the draft combine.

Rivals still expect Curtin to be overlooked by the Kangaroos, and reach Greater Western Sydney’s first pick (currently No.7.)

The Giants will not draft Curtin – they have a stacked backline – and will spend Monday afternoon assessing offers for that pick should Curtin remain on the board.

Concerns over Curtin’s consistency and the position he would play at AFL level are why he is slipping down the order.

West Coast has offered its future first-round selection while Adelaide has thrown up a swap of first-round picks, but the Giants would also want collateral from the Crows in next year’s draft.

The Eagles’ offer appears the most lucrative, particularly with a suite of elite midfielders at the top of next year’s draft.

If the Eagles finish last again next season and the Curtin trade is completed then the Giants would have turned Jacob Hopper into the No.1 pick at the 2024 draft.

That would mean the Eagles would miss out on access to a gun midfielder in 12 months time as the star power of Luke Shuey (retired), Elliott Yeo and Tim Kelly fades.

The conundrum for the Giants is they are in the premiership window and so it would be a bold call to pass up the opportunity to secure a ready-made gun who could help unlock a flag next year.

But the strong expectation in recruiting circles on Sunday night was that Curtin would land at the Eagles via a bold trade with the Giants, as the Herald Sun revealed on Friday.

Daniel Curtin is so close to knowing where his AFL career will begin. Picture: Getty Images

Curtin’s manager, Jason Dover, believes he can be a genuine key defender and was one of the best West Australian prospects in a long time.

Dover has made clear to clubs that Curtin is a generational talent who could wind up like Jeremy McGovern.

But the brutal truth on Curtin is that some recruiting experts believe he picks and chooses his moments on the field.

Curtin played as an inside midfielder and a key defender this year and some have likened him to Matthew Pavlich.

Others say he looks a nice type … and also point out as did Jarrod Brander who was drafted by West Coast at pick 13 in 2017 and delisted 22 games later.

There are fears Curtin is not capable of being a key defender or an inside midfielder at AFL level.

The Claremont kid would need to be an elite intercept mark, hard to beat one-on-one and a great kick – much like Darcy Moore is – to guarantee top-10 selection for one club.

Instead some clubs view him more as a third tall defender, and taking that player with an early pick appears risky.

But one expert said as much as they would not draft Curtin in the top three, North Melbourne needed Curtin more than another midfielder.

Hawthorn flew Curtin to Melbourne last week for a tour of its headquarters in what must be a whirlwind experience for the 18-year-old.

Originally published as Alastair Clarkson meets with top draft prospect Daniel Curtin in Perth