AFL Draft 2021: St Kilda believes a return to finals football next year will be spearheaded by its young talent
St Kilda says it has no concerns about the go-home factor after drafting a South Australian talent over a junior star who grew up on its doorstep, a call which drew criticism from an AFL legend.
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St Kilda believes a return to finals football next year will be spearheaded by its young wave of talent and justify a barren trade period for Brett Ratten’s side.
The Saints strongly backed their draft rankings to secure the silky Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, despite criticism from Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy that they should have taken local boy Josh Sinn.
On the second night of the draft, they were thrilled to secure NGA academy picks Mitch Owens, a 191cm fearless wingman, and Marcus Windhager, a powerful onballer, before nabbing 198cm Glenelg key defender Oscar Adams.
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The Saints failed to make a deal across the trade period, after missing on North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri, and eventually added ex-Roo Tom Campbell for ruck depth as a free agent.
But St Kilda list boss James Gallagher made clear the club’s improvement after a poor 2021 was always going to come from within.
“We know our improvement is coming from the young players on our list,” he said.
“We know there is a significant amount of improvement.
“(Jade) Gresham will come back and play this year, but (Rowan) Marshall has still only played 70 games and missed half the year, (Max) King has only played 40, (Cal) Wilkie hasn’t played a lot of footy. (Ben) Long, (Hunter) Clark, (Nick) Coffield, (Josh) Battle, all these boys who are only scratching the surface in their own careers who have played 40, 50, 60 players.
“That is where the large portion of our improvement will come from. If we get a fair run with injury that will help.
“But we know it’s primarily about growth. We tried to do a little bit in the trade period, very selective and we managed it really well with a focus on the draft and as you will hear from 17 other clubs we are very happy with how it went.”
Gresham’s torn achilles is fully healed but he will be eased back into training pre-Christmas to ensure he is ready for Round 1.
Healy said St Kilda should have weighed the flight risk of selecting South Australian Wanganeen-Milera at pick 11 when Vic Metro captain Sinn was available at the same time.
Sinn went to Port Adelaide with the next pick, after the Power traded up ahead of West Coast.
“Why would you take a wingman from interstate, with all the issues associated with it, when you have a kid in your own heartland – Josh Sinn – who is captain of Sandringham Dragons, captain of Vic Metro, and still available,” Healy told 3AW.
Gallagher said the club backed in its capacity to keep interstate players despite Healy’s critique.
“He wasn’t too far away, Josh, but geography doesn’t play a big role in our recruiting,” Gallagher said.
“We have got a club that people want to stay at. History has shown if they come to our club they don’t want to leave.
“Josh is a really talented player. Good kid, he has some upside, but we need to bring in elite talent to our club and we have done it.
“It is best available. We had (Nasiah) inside (pick 11). He is exceptionally talented, he is a beautiful mover, very light on his feet, very comfortably the best kick in the draft.
“That is something we need. Max King is pretty happy to have him at the club. He is a pretty skinny kid. There is enormous growth in him.”
Is Tigers’ Cotchin clone the steal of the draft?
Richmond believes it has stockpiled the elite talent to launch its next generation of premiership success after nailing its best national draft hand since 2004.
The Tigers’ attempt to defy gravity and the AFL’s punishing equalisation measures got off to a perfect start after a second straight night where the picks fell Richmond’s way.
Richmond recruiting manager Matthew Clarke said the Tigers considered trading up in the draft order to secure both Trent Cotchin clone Tyler Sonsie and Tasmanian medium defender Sam Banks but instead secured them with late 20s picks.
Lightning quick midfielder Sonie went at pick 28, with Banks (pick 29) joining Jack Riewoldt in debuting for Tasmania’s Clarence football club at the age of 15, before battling a wrist injury this year that pushed him down draft boards.
East Ringwood’s Judson Clarke (pick 30) is a lethal left-footed small forward coming off an ACL tear who Richmond believes could follow in the footsteps of high half forward Kane Lambert.
It came after Richmond selected intercept defender Josh Gibcus as a draft bargain at pick nine as well as clever Murray Bushrangers defender Tom Brown (pick 17) in the first round of the draft.
Not since the Tigers had five picks within the first 20 selections in the 2004 national draft have Richmond had a chance to dominate the early parts of the draft.
Clarke told the Herald Sun the Tigers had found the right blend of needs and elite talent as the club’s triple premiership stars eventually left the club.
“There are a couple of guys in Sonsie and Banks in particular who we were thinking about making enquiries about moving up the draft and the way things unfolded we got them both,” he said.
“Sonsie has had some injury issues and Covid hasn’t been good for him in terms of the structure in his footy and he slipped through. When he came out of the Under-16s he was potentially in the top five in the country, so he’s really talented and he’s a mad Richmond boy, so he’s super stoked.
“We addressed our needs with Gibcus and we don’t just see him as a back, we believe he and Noah Balta can be swingmen and Brown and Banks have genuine running power with aerial ability. We are really excited to fill some needs early and then get some good players in the 20s.”
Richmond and Hawthorn both launched concerted bids to secure brilliant young Subiaco midfielder Matthew Johnson at pick 21 after he was the slider of night one of the national draft.
But the Dockers eventually secured him after considering their offers to nail a trio of local talents in the wake of Adam Cerra’s departure back to Melbourne.
The draft unfolded amid another Covid curveball after a club staffer tested positive for Covid after being at both Marvel Stadium and the London Tavern function with the young draftees.
All club staff and officials at the second night of the Marvel Stadium draft were forced to return a negative rapid antigen test before being allowed entry.
Carlton coach Michael Voss and football boss Brad Lloyd were permitted to attend the second night of the draft after being close contacts of chief executive Brian Cook, who has tested positive for Covid.
The three-day draft process finishes on Friday with the pre-season and rookie drafts, with ex-Carlton swingman Levi Casboult expected to be taken by the Suns after committing to being vaccinated.
TIGER BARGAIN’S WARNING TO COMPETITION
Josh Gibcus has issued an ominous warning for the Tiger Army and the new-age key-forward monsters of the competition.
“Watch out guys, I’ll take down any player,” Gibcus told the Herald Sun moments after being drafted.
The high-leaping key-defender also wants to propel Richmond to its next premiership.
This confidence isn’t for show.
Gibcus, who became a Tiger with the ninth selection in the AFL Draft, walks the talk on the field.
And he is up for any challenge, highlighted by his shut-down job on the leading key-forward in the draft, Western Bulldogs father-son and No. 2 selection Sam Darcy.
Coming off a dominant six-goal haul in a Victorian trial which saw him rocket up draft boards, the red-hot Darcy was restricted to six disposals and two goals by Gibcus in the Under-19 Victorian Challenge clash in July.
The 197cm draftee attacks the ball in the air like his life depends on it, resembling All-Australian Demon Jake Lever in the NAB League for the Greater Western Victoria Rebels this season with his intercept marking prowess, remarkable spring, and speed off the mark.
The traits that can stop athletic goalkicking machines Harry McKay, Ben King and Max King in the future.
The East Point product led the NAB League for intercept marks and intercept possessions and shapes as an exciting replacement for retired three-time premiership Tiger David Astbury, another graduate from the Rebels program.
A Brisbane supporter after living in Queensland during his early life, Gibcus has kept a watchful eye on the Tigers, with members of his family following the club.
While key-position players generally take time to develop, the St Patrick’s College graduate is eager to help the Tigers win their next flag.
“I’ve been following them for quite a bit … got to watch them win a couple of flags and hopefully when I get there, I can help them win a flag,” he said.
“I have had a dream to be in the AFL since about five years old when I started Auskick up in Queensland, and honestly just to be called out tonight by Richmond at pick nine … I’m stoked.
“I’m an athletic key-defender, I’m pretty much an intercept marking defender. I’ll bring my vertical leap, my marking ability and my ability to read the play.”
Considered by Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast with its early selections, Gibcus looms as a value pick-up for the Tigers.
Rebels coach David Loader said Gibcus is the modern prototype key defender.
“He’s the new-age defender. If you look forward to what the gun up and coming forwards of the competition are like – Harry McKay, the two King boys, we are looking at guys who are 200cm but incredibly athletic,” Loader explained.
“He’s 197cm, he’s quick, he’s got good endurance, he’s quite agile and he’s got a massive leap. He is the perfect prototype to play on the up and coming gun forwards of the competition.
“Athletically, Josh is really, really gifted and a super exciting player.”
Draft tears: One Zoom call enough for Bombers
Draftees Josh Ward and Ben Hobbs had polar opposite paths to their new AFL clubs, but their stress levels on draft night were equally as high.
Reliable midfielder Ward had undertaken three interviews with Hawthorn in the lead-up to the draft, with his name joining the likes of Hobbs and Western Australian midfielder Matthew Johnson, who was left on the board on the first night.
In stark contrast, Hobbs had been interviewed just once by the Bombers earlier in the year – over Zoom – with the tough contested ball-winner linked to the Hawks (pick 7), Fremantle (8 and 10) and Richmond (9) among others before the Bombers were up at 13.
That was until the phone rang hours before he became a Bombers player, with the club revealing they would be eager to draft him, if he was still available.
The Greater Western Victoria midfielder had tears in his eyes when his name was called, overcome with emotion after the agonising wait on the night.
“It was a very nervous week, today as well. I probably thought I was a chance for a few clubs earlier on but it worked out perfectly and I was quite emotional when Essendon picked me up. It’s fantastic,” Hobbs told the Herald Sun.
“When the camera came over to our table I was just so happy and all the hard work throughout the year has paid off. I just can’t wait to get started.
“I had one Zoom meeting with them halfway through the year and then a phone call this afternoon and it’s worked out like this, so I couldn’t have asked for a better result.
“They just said that there’s talk that I might be still available and, ‘We’d be happy to have ya.’”
Meanwhile, Ward had been given no assurances by the Hawks, who told the Northern Knights star that they would see how the draft played out.
He conceded he had “no idea” what was going to happen on the night.
“It’s been a stressful week, my name has been floating around that mark but you never really know until it happens,” Ward said after being drafted.
“Even just before they called my name out there was that pause and I had no idea what was going to happen. I thought they might have traded the pick or something so it’s been stressful but I’m thrilled to be going to the Hawks.
“I heard from them three times, and built a great relationship with (recruiting boss) Mark McKenzie, Nathan Foley and (coach) Sam Mitchell. They are all great people and I really enjoyed speaking to them but at the same time all the clubs are great and didn’t give me any idea of what was going to happen.
“I spoke with (Hawthorn in the lead-up) but they said themselves ‘we don’t know what is going to happen and we’ll make the decision on the night.’ I’m glad it turned out how it did.”
Both are among the best midfielders in this draft, with Hobbs a contested animal on the inside and Ward a well-rounded on-baller likened to Zach Merrett.
The two highly-regarded prospects are renowned for their strong characters and on-field consistency, with Hobbs touted as a future captain.
Asked what he can bring to the Bombers, Hobbs said leadership was one of his major strengths.
“I think just my leadership, my hard working mindset and competitiveness. I just want to get better and help the team get better as well,” Hobbs said.
Ward said he will be a reliable asset for his teammates and the club.
“I think I’m just someone my teammates will be able to rely on week in, week out. Whether that’s playing round 1 which is obviously my aim, but in any team, any round, I think when I get that chance, I will put in the work and learn as much as I (can) over pre-season. I’ll be someone they can rely on to make the right decisions,” he said.
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