Draft Intel: All the latest 2023 AFL Draft news from around Australia
A big draft bolter with a famous brother looks set to slip through the hands of Hawthorn after a blistering second half of the season. Plus, are scouts going cold on the depth in this year’s draft class?
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The AFL draft is a touch over two months away.
More bolters are emerging as some clubs begin to go cold on the depth of talent available.
Here’s all the latest draft news from around the country.
COULD HAWKS’ BROTHER FLY THE NEST?
Rival clubs believe that Hawthorn will miss out on securing Changkuoth Jiath’s younger brother as a Next Generation Academy product following a remarkable rise from the rebounding defender across the second half of the season.
Tew Jiath has starred for Gippsland Power in the Coates Talent League in recent weeks in what has been his first season of football in the talent pathways.
Like his brother was, Tew is available to Hawthorn as an NGA prospect.
However, under AFL rules the Hawks are unable to match a bid on him within the first 40 selections in the national draft.
“I think he will go inside 40 so they won’t get him,” one recruiter said this week.
“He’s certainly showing that he’s capable of playing AFL.”
Tew logged 29 disposals, 13 rebound 50s, 12 intercept possessions and six spoils for a total of 186 ranking points in a match against Dandenong Stingrays earlier this month to highlight his enormous ability.
He is an athletic player who measures 187cm and makes good decisions with the ball.
“Tew’s come along in leaps and bounds,” Gippsland talent manager Scott McDougal said.
“There’s some really fantastic bits of play and highlights. It’s exciting to see what he’s doing now off such a short preparation and to think of where he could be in two years’ time.”
Jiath played his first game for the Power in round 9, after spending the first half of the season learning what it takes to play at the level.
“He was coming in for a couple of weeks to get a taste and then he just took to it like a duck to water,” McDougal said.
“What he brought to our side with his rebound defence actions and his ability to defend, it gave us another string to our bow in defence which made us better. From there, he’s just kept going and getting better. The ceiling is so far away for Tew.”
HOW GOOD IS THIS YEAR’S DRAFT POOL?
Recruiters have gone a little cold on the depth in this year’s draft pool and expect a smaller number of selections to be made in this year’s national draft.
Some scouts said this week that they didn’t think there would “be many more than 50 picks” in November’s national draft, after 59 selections were made last year.
Multiple clubs expect to only make two selections in the national draft given list spots are tight.
Recruiters say that the renewed search for Irish talent is a reflection on the issues which exist when it comes to depth of talent in the draft pool, with particular concerns around South Australia and Western Australia.
Carlton recently made a trip to Ireland to sign two players, while the AFL is bringing out four young Irish players – James McLaughlin, Eoin McElholm, Odhran Murdock and Conor Corbett – for next month’s draft combine.
“The concern is there’s not enough local talent,” one recruiter said.
The national draft is only one avenue available to clubs to build their lists, with the rookie draft, Category B rookie listings, the Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period and the Mid-Season draft being other options.
There have been 61 players invited to October’s national draft combine, while a further 55 players have received invites to state draft combines.
SANDERS NO DONE DEAL FOR ROOS
North Melbourne has made a submission to the AFL for draft assistance, but rival clubs remain hopeful that the Kangaroos won’t get their wish of gaining priority access to Ryley Sanders.
It is understood multiple clubs have made formal submissions to the league to express their concerns over the Sanders situation.
The Kangaroos have applied to have Sanders included in their Next Generation Academy as a Tasmanian product with Indigenous heritage.
However, even if Sanders was to be ticked off as an NGA prospect, the league would have to bend its rules to allow North Melbourne to match a certain top-10 bid on the star midfielder.
Under standard rules, Victorian clubs are unable to match bids on NGA players within the first 40 selections in the draft.
Questions have been raised over why Sanders did not train with North Melbourne during pre-season as part of the AFL Academy program.
He instead joined Tasmanian teammates Colby McKercher and Jack Callinan for a week at Collingwood.
Sanders won the Larke Medal as the best player of the under-18 national championships, averaging 35.8 disposals and five clearances across four matches for the Allies.
The AFL Commission will consider North Melbourne’s submission for draft assistance in Grand Final week.
SEASON OVER FOR MANY TOP PROSPECTS
Many of this year’s top AFL draft prospects have done all they can on the field to push their cases for selection in November’s national draft.
With Victorian school football over and the Coates Talent League set to reach the preliminary final stage this season, many first-round prospects have finished their campaigns for the year.
Harley Reid’s Bendigo Pioneers side bowed out of the premiership race during the wildcard weekend a fortnight ago, while Zane Duursma’s Gippsland Power team lost its elimination final against Eastern Ranges last weekend.
Nate Caddy’s Northern Knights side was another elimination final loser, falling to Sandringham Dragons.
Injuries have also hurt the campaigns of some over the second half of the season, including Gold Coast Suns Academy forward Jed Walter (knee) and Tasmanian midfielder Colby McKercher (foot).
However, Ryley Sanders’ Sandringham Dragons side and Nick Watson’s Eastern Ranges both remain alive.
The Dragons face the Geelong Falcons in one Coates Talent League preliminary final this week, with the Ranges set to tackle Tasmania Devils in the other preliminary final.
Both preliminary finals will be played at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval on Sunday.
TASSIE PRODUCING SOME TALENT
Tasmania is beginning to produce significant football talent once again as the state prepares to field its own AFL side from 2028.
After finishing as minor premier in the Coates Talent League boys competition, the Tasmania Devils have progressed to a preliminary final this weekend.
As many as five players from the Apple Isle could be selected in November’s AFL national draft – Colby McKercher, Ryley Sanders, James Leake, Arie Schoenmaker and Jack Callinan.
Heath Ollington and Geordie Payne are also a chance of finding their way onto AFL lists after being invited to the state draft combine.
“We were really excited with where we at last year and the boys and girls have carried on this year,” Tasmanian Devils boys coach Jeromey Webberley said recently.
“It’s good that some players have some interest from AFL clubs, but more importantly we’re providing a program that players want to be involved in and they’re loving representing Tasmania.”
Two Tasmanian products were selected in last year’s national draft – Lachie Cowan (Carlton, pick 30) and Tom McCullum (Port Adelaide, pick 36).
Two more players from the state were selected in the rookie draft, with Richmond grabbing Seth Campbell and Sydney taking Cameron Owen.
STILL PLENTY TO WORK THROUGH ON DRAFT ORDER
The season might be over for 12 clubs, but the draft order is far from set.
There is a strong belief in recruiting circles that the Western Bulldogs will secure Gold Coast’s No. 4 pick through a selection swap for picks 10 and 17.
“They are pretty wedded to that pick four swap,” one recruiter said.
But a deal for North Melbourne to trade up for West Coast’s pick 1 won’t be able to be thrashed out until a potential draft assistance package and free agency compensation for Ben McKay are sorted out for the Kangaroos.
Port Adelaide is chasing picks to get planned trade deals over the line for Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, while Sydney could hand over its second selection to Melbourne to secure ruckman Brodie Grundy.
The draft order will become clearer after the trade period, but clubs can also make live trades during the draft.
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