Essendon is keeping the AFL world in the dark over who it will draft with No.1 pick
ESSENDON has sworn its brains trust to secrecy after finally settling on which midfielder it will crown the club’s first ever No.1 draft pick.
ESSENDON has sworn its brains trust to secrecy after finally settling on which midfielder it will crown the club’s first ever No.1 draft pick.
The Bombers’ search recently narrowed to Will Setterfield, Hugh McCluggage or Andy McGrath and all three will enter Friday night’s draft unsure if they are about to become the game’s newest poster boy.
Essendon is unfazed at the prospect of being relegated to the No.2 pick should it choose Setterfield and Greater Western Sydney match the bid for its academy star.
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That scenario would see Albury’s Setterfield become a Giant at No.1 and Essendon then claim McGrath or McCluggage.
Rivals, headed by GWS at pick two, are unsure of Essendon’s plans and will arrive at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion prepared for all three scenarios.
But Essendon footy chiefs have already inked the name of its No.1 in the future line-up they hope can challenge for the club’s 17th flag.
In an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun, list manager Adrian Dodoro revealed the Bombers’ age and games profile suggested they could become a force in two or three seasons.
The wooden-spooner’s forecast is based on forensic studies of proven premiership models.
GET ADRIAN DODORO’S VIEW ON THE No.1 CONTENDERS AND DRAFT STRATEGY ON SUPERFOOTY FROM 8PM OR IN THURSDAY’S HERALD SUN
The No.1 was chosen at a meeting inside Essendon’s “War Room” on Tuesday, although Dodoro warned it could still change.
“It’ll be final when the player walks in 100 per cent healthy and fit on the night,” he said.
“Out of respect for the game it’ll be kept in-house. We won’t be declaring who we’re taking.
“Only the list management team at the football club know the direction we’re heading, and it won’t be escaping that.
“The decision is really tight, it really is.”
Dodoro said the AFL was “rapt” with the mystery after a long history of leaks.
Coach John Worsfold helped eliminate concerns the 179cm McGrath would be too short to share an engine room with fellow smalls Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish.
“John had great midfielders in (Ben) Cousins and (Daniel) Kerr and (Michael) Braun and (Dean) Kemp at West Coast, who were around that 180cm as well,” Dodoro said.
The star recruiter said McGrath was an “elite athlete” who could “speed the game up” and a “brilliant prototype for the modern game”.
Dodoro praised McCluggage’s “classic football brain” and said his running patterns were “as good as any junior I have seen”.
The 189cm Setterfield battled injuries this season, but Dodoro said he boasted “enormous” scope.
“He’s a different type — he’s a taller mid, he can play forward, he plays inside and he’s got a huge engine,” Dodoro said.
Essendon will draft five players at picks 1, 20, 29, 41 and 67 and expect two to debut in 2017.
Former Bombers will then return through Monday’s rookie draft, where they hold three picks.
Essendon met its three No.1 prospects this month with chief executive Xavier Campbell and senior recruiter Merv Keane sitting in on Monday’s final interview with McCluggage.
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