AFL Draft 2024: The father-son and academy guns the Power and Crows will be targeting
Both the Power and Crows have plenty of exciting father-son prospects to target in this year’s draft, but one academy player is getting recruiters talking. Matt Turner analyses the draft targets.
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Port Adelaide has four sons of guns on its draft radar this year, but its best academy prospect may be a speedster of Papua New Guinean heritage.
Some recruiters rate South Adelaide’s Benny Barrett higher than the club’s father-son candidates Rome Burgoyne, Louie Montgomery, Ky Burgoyne and Oliver Francou.
Barrett, who is part of the Power’s Next Generation Academy, has caught the eye in the Panthers’ reserves and under-18s because of his X-factor.
The 174cm left-footer was the fastest player tested at the SANFL’s centre of excellence combine in February, clocking 2.87sec in the 20m sprint and a blistering 0.97 over 5m.
Born in Australia to Papua New Guinean parents, Barrett is viewed as a potential small forward at AFL level and has also played through the midfield.
He won the SANFL under-16s best-and-fairest in 2022.
Woodville-West Torrens halfback Rome Burgoyne (Peter), North Adelaide utility Louie Montgomery (Brett) and West Adelaide defender Ky Burgoyne (Shaun) are the sons of 2004 Power premiership players.
Roosters midfielder Oliver Francou’s dad, Josh, was runner-up in the Brownlow Medal while at Port Adelaide in 2002.
Barrett, Rome Burgoyne and Montgomery are among 14 SA players invited to the state draft combine in October, along with Crows father-son prospect Tyler Welsh.
A recruiter, who wanted to remain anonymous, believed Barrett had the most potential of the Power academy players.
“Benny Barrett is their best out of the five,” the recruiter told this masthead.
“He’s got what you look for in a small forward.
“His power for his size is really good, he’s hard to tackle at times, he can burst from congestion and push the pace.”
Clubs can match bids from rival teams on father-son prospects.
Under a rule change this year, teams will again be able to do so on NGA players from pick 1.
If Barrett’s name is not called during the national draft, the Power can automatically add him as a rookie.
Adelaide was able to recruit NGA duo James Borlase and Tariek Newchurch that way in 2020.
“I think someone will take Barrett late, but if he gets through to the rookie draft … Port would be pretty happy,” the recruiter said.
Another club scout rated Rome Burgoyne – the brother of Power wingman Jase Burgoyne – as Port’s best prospect.
“He’s not overly combative but he reads the game really well and has got skills,” the scout said.
“I see him in the back half of the draft, maybe even as a rookie.”
But a third recruiter believed Montgomery was the pick of the Port bunch.
“He’s got some power, a good footy brain and some upside,” he said.
“I’m not sure where he gets drafted, probably 30 onwards.
“Benny Barrett has got some tricks, but I think he needs another year in a SANFL program before he pushes for a spot on an AFL list, but that’s where the NGA might be in his favour.”
Adelaide’s two father-son prospects are Welsh, the son of ex-Crows sharpshooter Scott Welsh, and Jack Michalanney, whose dad is Norwood great Jim.
Touted as a potential top-30 prospect after booting five goals as an underager in SA’s under-18 win over Vic Country, Welsh looks likely to slide due to an inconsistent season.
“He’s a good competitor who can really mark and kick it,” one recruiter said of the 191cm forward.
“But Adelaide will definitely get him cheaper than they thought this time last year.”
Welsh has played eight SANFL games for the Crows this season.
Rome, Ky and Montgomery have played seven between them for Port Adelaide.
Ky is tied to both the Power and Hawthorn, where his dad is a three-time premiership player.
Montgomery, whose dad played 78 games for the Western Bulldogs and was now a senior assistant coach at GWS, was only eligible at the Power.
South Adelaide talent manager Mark Clayton was hopeful Barrett would find an AFL home.
“I think he’s got just as much potential as any of the father-sons involved at the Power at the moment,” Clayton, a 1999 Port Adelaide premiership player, told this masthead.
“I think he’s improved enormously this year and someone will give him an opportunity, even if Port don’t.”
Port Adelaide has drafted five father-son players: Brett Ebert (son of Russell), Trent Burgoyne (Peter), Jackson Mead (Darren), Taj Schofield (Jarrad) and Jase Burgoyne (Peter).
The Crows have added three: Ben Jarman (Darren), Jackson Edwards (Tyson) and Max Michalanney (Jim).
PORT ADELAIDE
Benny Barrett
■ Next Generation Academy (Papua New Guinean heritage)
■ Midfielder/small forward
■ SANFL club: South Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: Four reserves games (15.5 disposals, five tackles, 3.3 clearances, 61.5 ranking points); 10 under-18 matches (17.9 disposals, 5.4 tackles, 4.9 clearances, 80.2 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He’s nimble, agile and has that burst of speed over 20m, which is what makes him appealing for a lot of clubs. His 5m sprint was absolutely elite. He showed at the championships level he has the ability to crumb and get in the right areas, so you see the evidence, it’s about drawing it out.”
Ky Burgoyne
■ Son of: Port Adelaide and Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne
■ Half-back
■ SANFL club: West Adelaide/Port Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: Two league games for Port (7.5 disposals, 4.5 tackles, 43 ranking points); 15 under-18 matches for West (15.2 disposals, 4.3 tackles, 1.3 clearances, 68.2 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He plays predominantly as a shutdown defender and he tested very well athletically this year. He was the second-fastest guy in the SA under-18 testing. Ky doesn’t have his dad’s skill but he does have some really good athletic attributes.”
Rome Burgoyne
■ Son of: 2004 Power premiership star Peter Burgoyne
■ Half-back/midfielder
■ SANFL club: Woodville-West Torrens/Port Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: Three league matches for Port (12 disposals, 3.3 rebound 50s, 51.3 ranking points; seven under-18 games for the Eagles (22.3 disposals, 5.6 rebound 50s, 75.4 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He’s really improved his footy this year. He doesn’t really crash in, but neither did Jase and Jase has got the footy chip and so does Rome. He sees the game really well.”
Oliver Francou
■ Son of: Port’s three-time Showdown medallist Josh Francou
■ Midfielder
■ SANFL club: North Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: 11 under-18 matches (24.2 disposals, 4.9 tackles, 6.4 clearances, 85.8 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He was in consideration for the SA under-18 program and was unlucky to miss. He’s been playing well and has gone between school (St Peter’s College) and club this year.”
Louie Montgomery
■ Son of: 2004 Power premiership defender Brett Montgomery
■ Utility
■ SANFL club: North Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: Two league matches for Port (12.5 disposals, five marks, 51 ranking points); eight under-18 games for North (21 disposals, 3.8 inside 50s, 74.8 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He’s got some upside. He looked pretty good at league level and I think he’s a pretty good player. He’s got flexibility with good halfback stuff and in time he could develop as a forward as well.”
ADELAIDE
Tyler Welsh
■ Son of: Former Crows leading goalkicker Scott Welsh
■ Forward
■ SANFL club: Adelaide
■ 2024 statistics: Eight league matches for Adelaide (five goals total, 3.6 marks, 41.9 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He’s a see ball, jump at the ball type of forward. He’s a good competitor who can really mark and kick it.”
Jack Michalanney
■ Son of: Norwood premiership forward Jim Michalanney
■ Defender
■ SANFL club: Norwood
■ 2024 statistics: 13 under-18 matches for Norwood (15.2 disposals, 3.7 marks, 3.8 tackles, 59.7 ranking points)
■ Recruiter says: “He’s about 10cm shorter than his brother but has got a bit of mongrel and grunt about him. He’s had a solid year and shown flashes.”
Originally published as AFL Draft 2024: The father-son and academy guns the Power and Crows will be targeting
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