AFL Draft: Your club’s picks and who you should be barracking against
The Bombers had a 2022 from hell and haven’t won final since 2004, but, with a top five pick from last year and a strong 2023 draft hand, they are masters of their own destiny.
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The 2023 AFL National Draft isn’t until November, but already plenty of picks have changed hands.
Four clubs hold no first-round picks, with four others holding two of the first 18 selections in what is being tipped to be a bumper draft pool.
Here are the picks your club currently holds – and why.
ADELAIDE
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x linked to North Melbourne, 1 x linked to Gold Coast
Round 3: None
Round 4: None
The Crows look well-placed for a draft they are quite keen on. If North Melbourne and Gold Coast both finish in the bottom half of the ladder again next season – as they did this year – Adelaide would hold three top-30 selections.
BRISBANE
Round 1: None
Round 2: 1 x linked to Geelong
Round 3: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Geelong
Round 4: 1 x linked to Fremantle
The Lions’ first and second-round picks next year is in the hands of the Western Bulldogs as part of the trade which saw gun midfielder Josh Dunkley move north. If reigning premier Geelong records another top-four finish – as it has in each of the past four years – Brisbane won’t enter the draft until the mid-30s.
CARLTON
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: None
Round 3: None
Round 4: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Essendon
The Blues gave up their second-round pick next year to grab pick 30 off the Magpies in this year’s draft and pick up classy rebounding defender Lachlan Cowan. Their third-round pick went out the door during the trade period to secure wingman Blake Acres from Fremantle.
COLLINGWOOD
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x linked to Carlton
Round 3: None
Round 4: 1 x Own
The Magpies gave up pick 30 to Carlton in this year’s draft to get hold of the Blues’ second-round pick next year. Their own second-round pick headed to GWS during the trade period as part of the deal to get small forward Bobby Hill to the club, while their third-round pick was exchanged for former Adelaide utility Billy Frampton.
ESSENDON
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x Own
Round 3: 1 x Own
Round 4: 1 x linked to Sydney
At this stage, the Bombers’ draft hand next year will largely be determined by their own finishing order given they hold their own first, second and third-round selections. Their own fourth-round selection went to Carlton to secure midfielder Will Setterfield, but they got a fourth-round selection back from Sydney during the trade period for swingman Aaron Francis.
FREMANTLE
Round 1: None
Round 2: 1 x linked to North Melbourne
Round 3: 1 x linked to North Melbourne, 1 x linked to Carlton
Round 4: 1 x linked to North Melbourne
The Dockers gave up their first-round pick this year, as well as their first and second-round selections in 2023 as part of the trade to lure former Melbourne ruckman Luke Jackson back to Western Australia. They will be hoping this year’s wooden spoon winner North Melbourne finishes lowly on the ladder once again given they hold three of the Kangaroos’ picks, as part of the trade which sent Griffin Logue and Darcy Tucker to Arden St.
GEELONG
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: None
Round 3: None
Round 4: None
The Cats have their own first-round pick next year but not much else at this stage. Geelong’s third-round pick is with Gold Coast as part of the Jack Bowes trade, while the club’s second and fourth-round selections effectively secured it young Collingwood forward Oliver Henry.
GOLD COAST
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x linked to GWS, 1 x linked to Adelaide
Round 3: 1 x linked to Adelaide, 1 x linked to Collingwood
Round 4: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Adelaide, 1 x linked to St Kilda
The Suns have loaded up on picks for next year, where they will be hoping to match bids on a raft of highly-rated Academy prospects. Three players from the Gold Coast Suns Academy – Jed Walter, Jake Rogers and Ethan Read – have been included among 30 players in the AFL Academy squad for next year. Suns fans will be barracking against Adelaide next year, given the club holds three picks linked to the Crows, two of which came back as part of the Izak Rankine trade.
GWS
Round 1: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Richmond
Round 2: None
Round 3: 1 x Own
Round 4: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Brisbane
The Giants picked up five players in the first 34 selections in this year’s draft and currently hold another strong hand next year. They are one of only four clubs with two first-round picks, having got hold of Richmond’s first selection in 2023 as part of the Jacob Hopper trade. GWS’ own second-round pick was shifted as part of the four-way mega trade which saw the club move up to secure the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
HAWTHORN
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x linked to Western Bulldogs
Round 3: 1 x linked to Western Bulldogs
Round 4: None
The Hawks will be hoping the Bulldogs don’t bounce back up the ladder next year, given they hold two picks tied to Luke Beveridge’s side. Hawthorn’s own second and third-round picks were traded to Sydney as part of a pick swap which saw the Hawks secure pick 18 in this year’s draft and select athletic key defender Josh Weddle.
MELBOURNE
Round 1: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Fremantle
Round 2: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Fremantle
Round 3: None
Round 4: None
The Demons currently hold the best draft hand of any side next year, with four picks in the first two rounds. Not only do they still have their own selections for those rounds, but they also have Fremantle’s as part of the trade which saw young ruckman Luke Jackson join the Dockers. Melbourne’s third-round pick went to the Western Bulldogs in exchange for Lachie Hunter, while their fourth-round pick also found its way to Whitten Oval in a swap for utility Josh Schache.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Round 1: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Round 2: None
Round 3: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Melbourne
Round 4: 1 x linked to Hawthorn
The Kangaroos had two top-10 draft picks this year and might have another two top-10 picks next year if them and Port Adelaide don’t finish in the top half of the ladder. They hold Port’s pick next year as part of the Jason Horne-Francis mega trade. North Melbourne traded its second-round pick next year to Adelaide in a pick swap which saw it get hold of pick 26 in this year’s draft. The Kangaroos used that pick on power forward Brayden George.
PORT ADELAIDE
Round 1: None
Round 2: 1 x linked to Collingwood
Round 3: 1 x linked to Fremantle
Round 4: 1 x Own
Port’s first and second-round picks next year were moved on as part of the mega trade which landed it Jason Horne-Francis and Junior Rioli. If Collingwood records another top-four finish, the Power won’t enter the draft until the 30s for the second year in a row.
RICHMOND
Round 1: None
Round 2: 1 x Own
Round 3: 1 x Own
Round 4: 1 x Own
The Tigers don’t currently have a first-round pick next year, having traded that to GWS as part of the deal to get big-bodied midfielder Jacob Hopper to the club. The Tigers used only picks 49 and 55 in this year’s draft, but did nab five top-30 picks in the 2021 national draft.
ST KILDA
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x Own
Round 3: 1 x Own
Round 4: None
Pretty simple for the Saints at this stage, with the club holding its own first, second and third-round draft picks in 2023. St Kilda’s fourth-round pick went to Gold Coast along with Ben Long, with the Saints getting back a second-round pick in this year’s draft in return. They used that selection on small forward Olli Hotton (pick 35) to make for four selections in the first 44 picks this year.
SYDNEY
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Hawthorn
Round 3: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Hawthorn
Round 4: None
The Swans are nicely placed again next year after playing a smaller than expected role in this year’s draft. They traded their first selection (pick 18) this year to Hawthorn, getting back pick 27 and the Hawks’ second and third-round picks in 2023. A bottom-out by a young Hawthorn side next year would be a dream result for Sydney.
WEST COAST
Round 1: 1 x Own
Round 2: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Round 3: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Round 4: 1 x Own
The Eagles are the only club who have not traded out any of their own draft picks next year. In addition to that, they hold second and third-round selections which are tied to Port Adelaide. Those picks arrived as part of the four-way mega trade which sent forward Junior Rioli to the Power.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Round 1: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Brisbane
Round 2: 1 x linked to Brisbane
Round 3: None
Round 4: 1 x Own, 1 x linked to Melbourne, 1 x linked to Geelong
The Bulldogs made the most of Josh Dunkley’s move to Brisbane during the trade period. They got a second-round selection in this year’s draft which they used on small forward Charlie Clarke (pick 24). They also got hold of the Lions’ first and second-round selections next year as well as a fourth-round pick which is tied to Geelong. The Bulldogs gave up two future third-round picks alongside Dunkley as part of that deal.
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