Draft Intel: All the latest news from around the country

Essendon has revealed its draft plans, while a midfielder in the sights of North Melbourne says he watches seven AFL games a week and the Western Bulldogs have moved to dispel a myth.

The AFL trade period is over and November’s national draft is now coming into sharp focus for clubs.

Here’s the latest draft news from around the country.

THE ‘FOOTY HEAD’ IN KANGAROOS’ SIGHTS

Top-five draft prospect Colby McKercher raised eyebrows when he said at a press conference during the draft combine that he didn’t have a favourite AFL team anymore.

However, that is not to say that the 180cm Tasmanian midfielder does not watch much footy.

Quite the opposite is the case for the self-proclaimed “footy head”.

“I’ve been pretty busy with travelling this year so I’ve probably only watched probably three or four games (a week) but when I was playing footy at home or had a week off I’d probably watch nearly seven,” McKercher said.

“I kind of take bits out of Nick Daicos’ game, Zac Butters, Connor Rozee, Errol Gulden, Chad Warner – those kind of guys. They’re quite dynamic midfielders and I watch them quite closely.”

McKercher sat out testing at the national draft combine earlier this month due to minor foot injury, but clubs already knew just want an athlete he is with his speed and agility.

The left-footer has firmly sat as a top-five prospect since the start of the year given his athletic attributes, elite decision making and ability to be damaging inside and outside of the contest.

“Whoever gets their hands on him is going to have a beauty,” one recruiter said.

McKercher is believed to be firmly in the frame for North Melbourne, if the Kangaroos hold onto picks two and three in this year’s draft.

“I’m not too bothered about destinations or picks or anything like that,” McKercher said.

“I’m just going to go with the flow and keep training and wherever I end up, I end up. I’m going to be over the moon.”

Colby McKercher doesn’t support a single team but loves watching AFL footy. Picture: Michael Klein

SUNS HOPEFUL OF AVOIDING POINTS DEFICIT

Gold Coast believes its work during the trade period will ensure it does not have to go into deficit to secure four Suns Academy stars in next month’s national draft.

The club will likely need to match first-round bids on key forward Jed Walter, ruckman Ethan Read and onballer Jake Rogers, while midfielder Will Graham could attract a second-round bid.

The Suns have been left with 3877 draft points after shuffling selections around during the trade period, including moving their pick 4 to the Western Bulldogs.

Matching bids on Academy prospects within the first round of the draft comes with a 20 per cent discount, giving the Suns a little more wiggle room.

Gold Coast list manager Craig Cameron said while the club was excited by their Academy prospects, they did not expect too much from them immediately next year.

“They’re only going to be babies, so we don’t want to put so much pressure on them,” Cameron said.

“Tall boys always take a little bit longer. Jed’s physically capable, but he’s still coming as an 18-year-old.”

In addition to this year’s bounty of high-end picks, the Suns currently hold three first-round selections in the 2024 national draft.

CAN BULLDOGS FIT ANOTHER GIANT IN?

Western Bulldogs list manager Sam Power says it is a myth that the club has any more talls on its list than other clubs as it prepares to welcome another giant in next month’s national draft.

Jordan Croft, who is a 200cm key forward, officially nominated as a father-son for the Bulldogs earlier this month.

He is set to join a Bulldogs’ attack which already includes key forwards Aaron Naughton (196cm), Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (197cm), Rory Lobb (207cm) and Sam Darcy (208cm).

“There’s clearly a bit to play out with the draft, but we feel we’ve positioned ourselves well from a points perspective, which was a focus,” Power said after the close of the trade period.

“Jordan’s clearly another tall coming through, but we don’t have any more talls than other clubs. There’s a lot of talk about it, but from a numbers perspective (it’s wrong). It’s just that we’ve got some real high-end young ones. But we feel there’s some others who have had really good careers that are probably in the latter stages of their career and by the time Jordan and some others are really ready to play consistent AFL football, then it will work really well from a transition point of view.”

Power said the club would consider playing some of the talls in defence if necessary.

“They’re all different with the attributes they bring, the areas of the ground that they play,” he said.

“We’re open-minded what end of the ground that is as well.”

Croft is the son of former Western Bulldogs defender Matthew, who played 186 AFL games for the club.

Jordan Croft tested well at the AFL draft combine. Picture: Getty Images

COULD LLOYD PROVE A HIDDEN GEM?

A “naturally talented” mid-sized forward who is said to have one of the best pairs of hands in Victoria is being closely assessed by clubs in the lead up to the national draft.

Luke Lloyd has drawn comparisons to current Brisbane Lions player Jack Gunston and former Adelaide goalkicker Tom Lynch, as a hard-working 193cm half-forward who can be a key connector between the midfield and forward line.

However, Lloyd also has the ability to play deeper forward and kick goals.

He booted 19 majors in a single game for school side De La Salle back in May.

“I had lots of fun out there,” Lloyd said of that match against Mazenod.

“All the boys noticed early on so kept on kicking in to me, which was nice. It was a successful day. I missed a couple easy ones late, so that was a bit of a shame. But I’ll take 19.”

Lloyd missed the early rounds of the season with a quad injury and consequently missed selection in the Vic Metro squad for the under-18 national championships.

However, along with his school football commitments he played 11 games for Sandringham Dragons in the Coates Talent League, averaging 13 disposals, 5.6 marks and 1.9 goals.

“He’s got as good a hands as any player in the Coates League,” Dragons coach Rob Harding said.

“He’s a great mark and athlete so he’s an exciting talent.

“I think he’s one of the most naturally talented footballers on our list this year.”

Lloyd also featured in two VFL games for Frankston late in the year, where he played alongside his older brother Joe.

‘I hadn’t played in a game with him before, so it was great to play alongside him,” Lloyd said.

“He’s a great role model for me and provides lots of feedback to me and helps me through my game.”

HAWKS SET TO LAND FATHER-SON

Hawthorn is set to nominate Will McCabe as a father-son ahead of next month’s national draft, following a trade period which provided the Hawks with some added flexibility to match an early bid.

The Hawks currently hold picks 4, 44, 47, 49, 62, 63 and 83.

They will be able to use pick No. 4 on a high-end talent and will have plenty of draft points to match a bid on McCabe, who is considered a late first-round or early second-round selection.

Father-son nominations must be officially lodged by October 31.

“We’ll put that nomination in,” Hawthorn list manager Mark McKenzie said this week.

“The picks that we came up with this year has us with some flexibilities for those types of players, but there’s still a bit of a process that goes on with that over the next few weeks.

“We like Will and how he’s developed. We hope he’s at the football club, but there’s a lot to play out before that happens.”

The South Australian is the son of Luke McCabe, who played 138 games for the club between 1995 and 2004 and is currently serving as Hawthorn’s football director.

Will is an athletic 197cm key defender who is strong one-on-one, is a good interceptor and can provide some rebound going the other way out of defence.

Hawthorn could also secure another father-son this year in Calsher Dear, a 195cm forward who is the son of the late Paul Dear and emerged late in the season with the Sandringham Dragons.

William McCabe (right) is set to be nominated by Hawthorn as a father-son. Picture: Getty Images

ESSENDON READY TO ATTACK THE DRAFT

Essendon believes that “organic growth” will be what climbs it up the ladder in coming years as it sets its sights on bringing in some further high-end draft picks over coming years.

Outgoing Bombers list manager Adrian Dodoro said this week that the club was confident in the group of players it had drafted in recent years but would continue to “go back to the draft” for “the next few years”.

Essendon holds picks 9, 31 and 35 heading into November’s national draft and never considered parting with the first of those selections during the trade period.

It will attempt to move further up the draft order if possible.

The Bombers have already managed to secure significant top-end talent from the draft over the past three years and aim to add to that as part of their longer-term strategic plan.

Essendon has snagged Elijah Tsatas (pick 5, 2022), Ben Hobbs (pick 13, 2021), Nik Cox (pick 8, 2020), Archie Perkins (pick 9, 2020) and Zach Reid (pick 10, 2020) over the past three years alone and is “very bullish” about those players.

Nic Martin, Sam Durham and Harrison Jones are also still all under the age of 23.

“I don’t think people understand just how young these guys are, but if they can just keep building and growing … then we’ve got a really nice blend now of more experience with a nice blend of youth,” Dodoro said.

Along with going to the draft, the Bombers will continue to explore the free agency market.

The club added a trio of free agents this year in key defender Ben McKay, small forward Jade Gresham and veteran ruckman Todd Goldstein.