AFL draft first 2024: First round winners and losers rated

Richmond dominated night one of the draft — but did it emerge as one of the big winners? We rate the clubs that won and lost in the first round.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 20: Richmond's draft picks, Sam Lalor, Josh Smillie and Harry Armstrong pose for a photo during the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft at Marvel Stadium on November 20, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

There were 27 picks taken on night one of this year’s AFL Draft — and no shortage of talking points.

From the big sliders to the surprise bolters, night one of the draft delivered it all.

We’ve examined where every club sits and who were the winners and losers on Wednesday night.

Check out our verdicts and have your say below.

WHO’S LEFT? FULL PROFILES OF THE BEST DRAFT PROSPECTS

FULL NIGHT ONE RECAP: EVERY PICK AS IT HAPPENED

Sam Lalor, Josh Smillie and Harry Armstrong after being drafted to Richmond.

WINNERS

RICHMOND

The Tigers were always going to be winners, it was just a matter of how many of their swag of early picks they could nail. Sam Lalor was told on Monday he would be pick one and the Bacchus Marsh product has already been compared to superstar Dustin Martin. Josh Smillie was a chance to be taken pick one at the start of the year but got to pick six and Harry Armstrong went from a top-10 prospect to a Tiger at pick 23. Throw in long-term spearhead Jonty Faull, excitement machine Taj Hotton and swingman Luke Trainor and the Tigers ended up with an exciting crop with significant upside. Then you add North Melbourne’s future first-round pick, which could be a top-five selection next year, which iced a great night for Tigers fans.

Bo Allan receives his West Coast jumper from John Worsfold.

WEST COAST

The critics have been lining up to question West Coast since it traded pick three to Carlton. But come 10pm on Wednesday night (or 7pm in Perth), the deal made a lot of sense. Pick three, 63 and 68 for Liam Baker, Matt Owies, Bo Allan and pick 73 — effectively pick 3 for Baker, Owies and Allan — looks a lot better for the Eagles than it did after the trade period. Allan was touted as a potential top-six selection but got through to selection 16 where the Eagles pounced. They also picked up selection 45 to slide one spot back in a deal with Port Adelaide. If the offer for pick three in the trade period was Baker, Owies, Allan, pick 45 and pick 73, there would have been much less noise about West Coast’s willingness to accept it. “It was getting closer and closer to West Coast’s pick. I wasn’t getting my hopes up too much but I was crossing my fingers,” Allan told CODE Sports’ Eliza Reilly. We’re sure plenty of West Coast supporters were feeling the same as Allan slipped closer to their pick.

Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall with Lions coach Chris Fagan. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

BRISBANE LIONS

The reigning premier stockpiled picks for Levi Ashcroft and Sam Marshall, then watched on as the player rated the best talent in the draft — Ashcroft — slipped to pick five before Melbourne bid. The Lions would have had enough draft points to match a bid at pick one and draft Marshall, but got Ashcroft at a discount. Marshall, who was best on ground in the Coates Talent League Grand Final, got through to pick 25. The Lions still have a swag of late picks and several talls have slipped — could they trade up for their Joe Daniher replacement and nail a draft triple treat?

Essendon’s list boss Matt Rosa. Picture: Michael Klein

LOSERS

ESSENDON

The Bombers landed next generation academy player Isaac Kako at pick 13 — but that was always happening. The disappointment was that they fell short in their attempts to trade back into the first round and snare a second top talent. Essendon will still have that opportunity on night two after being linked with some of the draft’s sliders including key forward Jobe Shanahan. Fox Footy draft expert Mick Ablett slammed Essendon’s call to trade pick 9 to Melbourne an “absolute blunder” after no bid came for Kako before then.

Joe Berry with his new Port Adelaide teammate Zak Butters. Picture: Michael Klein

FREMANTLE

Probably harsh to call the Dockers losers after they selected talented midfielder Murphy Reid at pick 17. But their first choice was small forward Joe Berry, which partly explains why Port Adelaide was willing to part with pick 45 to move one spot up the order and ensure it landed Berry ahead of the Dockers. Fremantle reportedly explored a similar move but the Eagles accepted Port’s offer instead. Reid has a stack of talent, but the Dockers could have done with a small forward more than another on-baller. Fremantle also missed out on WA’s top talent Bo Allan, who instead became an Eagle.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Trading a future first-round pick when you’ve finished bottom two in the past five seasons is a huge risk. But the Roos rated Matt Whitlock as a top-15 talent in the draft and he was still available at 27. Whether North Melbourne ultimately ends up as a loser or a winner from that trade will come down to two factors — where the Roos finish in 2025 and whether Whitlock becomes a key part of the club’s future as a key-position talent capable of playing at either end.