As it happened: Cadman, Ashcroft, Sheezel, Wardlaw and Tsatas this year’s AFL draft top five

Thanks for following our coverage tonight of the first round of the 2022 AFL national draft.

And it turned out to be a bit of a dramatic night.

GWS opted against bidding for Will Ashcroft, making Aaron Cadman this year’s No.1 selection.

Essendon resisted numerous offers for their fourth pick, instead electing to keep it and draft Elijah Tsatas.

And the Swans wreaked havoc with some earlier-than-expected bids, forcing GWS and Adelaide to take Harry Rowston and Max Michalanney with picks 16 and 17 respectively.

Sydney then traded pick 18 to the Hawks who selected Josh Weddle.

Be sure to join us tomorrow night when the remaining 65 picks of the draft are settled.

Until then, good night.

Whatever Harry Sheezel encounters in his first year as an AFL player it’s unlikely to be more challenging than the 24 hours leading up to the moment he was picked at No.3 by North Melbourne in the national draft.

Sheezel showed maturity beyond his 18 years when he became, simply because of the attention he generated through being the first Jewish player drafted since 1999, the target of online antisemitic abuse that will be investigated by the AFL.

Called out by the Kangaroos after Aaron Cadman and Will Ashcroft went to GWS and Brisbane, respectively, Sheezel expressed his gratitude and said he was excited to be part of the rebuild at North Melbourne.

Click here to read more.

Harry Sheezel.Credit: Getty Images

Essendon general manager of list management Adrian Dodoro told Fox Footy that discussions around trading pick four were “pretty intense”.

“It (the offers for pick four) just weren’t [sic] compelling,” said Dodoro.

The Bombers decided to keep pick number four, which became five after the Lions’ matched North’s bid for Will Ashcroft, and drafted Elijah Tsatas with the selection.

“At the end of the day we really rated Elijah. He’s a beautiful size and he moves really well,” said Dodoro.

Looking ahead to the second night of the draft tomorrow, Dodoro said: “We’ve got three or four more really good options for tomorrow night.”

Hollands meets the coach...

It’s fair to say new St Kilda draftee Mattaes Phillipou is excited to be an AFL player.

Click here to check out all the picks from the first night of the AFL national draft.

No.2 pick Will Ashcroft with family and friends.Credit: Getty Images

The million-dollar question on AFL draft night had nothing to do with the first pick. It had nothing to do with the second pick. And in fact, a million dollars is selling the question short. It was the $1.6 million question.

The big question of the night was who Geelong would take with pick eight, the one they effectively bought in the trade period.

Click here to read more.

Jhye Clark had been linked to Geelong a long way out from the draft.Credit: Getty Images

The Giants have earmarked Aaron Cadman as the AFL’s next young star, anointing the teenage key forward as the No.1 pick in this year’s draft.

On Monday night, Cadman became the first Greater Western Victoria Rebels player to be selected at the top of the AFL draft after an outstanding season where he led the NAB League goalkicking.

He joins the exclusive company of players such as Nick Riewoldt, Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard and Sam Walsh in becoming the dux of his draft.

Click here to read more.

Aaron Cadman.Credit: Justin McManus

Potential Geelong 2023 midfield partners-in-crime Cam Guthrie and Jhye Clark share a moment.