Essendon has settled on who it will select with the top pick in the national draft
ESSENDON has now met with the three candidates for the number one draft pick and the Bombers know who they will select as intrigue hits fever pitch.
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ESSENDON has settled on its No. 1 pick — the day after chief executive Xavier Campbell sat in on a final interview with goalkicking midfielder Hugh McCluggage.
The Bombers have now met with their three candidates — McCluggage, Andy McGrath and Will Setterfield — this month as intrigue on who they will select hits fever pitch.
In the most even draft on record, McCluggage’s X-Factor is clear.
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He combines an unprecedented goalkicking knack with the ability to glide through congestion in a Scott Pendlebury manner.
“I didn’t grow up playing too much basketball or anything, I know Pendlebury and others have grown up like that,” McCluggage said.
“I’m just lucky enough to be able to create a bit of time and space for myself and teammates.”
The South Warrnambool midfielder who grew up on a 650-cow dairy farm averaged 24 disposals and two goals in 17 games this year, a feat Champion Data has never recorded in the AFL.
McCluggage also won the TAC Cup’s Morrish Medal from just 10 games, an award won in similar style by superstar Bomber Dyson Heppell.
And North Ballarat Rebels talent boss Phil Partington has urged the Dons to “take the Luggage and go — do not leave it on the carousel”.
If they don’t, Hugh is likely to land a Lion as Brisbane’s No. 3 pick.
That outcome could see the Lions pair McCluggage and his North Ballarat-Vic Country teammate Jarrod Berry at pick 16, hoping to lessen the chance of homesickness.
A straw poll of AFL clubs last week suggested McCluggage was the man atop of most talent boards.
And a straw poll of the best prospects in the land at the draft combine showed most of McCluggage’s peers ranked him No.1.
The inside-outside midfielder said he grew up with a Sherrin in the hands and while returning to the 600-acre family farm was a joy, it was never full-time plan.
“I liked sitting on the tractor and doing that sort of thing,” McCluggage said.
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“I don’t know what it is about it, but I used to have toy tractors in the lounge room playing with them all day.
“But I don’t like milking. It’s not much fun to be honest, it’s pretty painstaking — long hours and it’s the same thing over and over again.
“It’s not what people think where you pull the teets and the milk comes out, you’ve got to hook them up with machines and it’s a long two or three hours where you walk up and down hooking machines up.”
HUGH McCLUGGAGE
AGE: 18
HEIGHT: 186cm
WEIGHT: 76kg
CLUB: North Ballarat Rebels
POSITION: Goalkicking midfielder
SUPERCOACH AVERAGE: 143pts (TAC Cup)
PLAYS LIKE: Scott Pendlebury/Trent Cotchin
PREDICTED DRAFT RANGE: 1-4
IN THE MIX: Essendon (1), Brisbane Lions (3), Gold Coast (4)
Originally published as Essendon has settled on who it will select with the top pick in the national draft
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