AFL Draft news: Essendon ponder play to get back into the 2024 draft after Isaac Kako bid
The scenario that would most likely see Essendon trade back into the top 20 of this year’s draft can be revealed. Plus the reason for the club’s inactive trade period.
Essendon’s list team will spend a full day this week war-gaming the draft prospects they would be prepared to hand over a future first-rounder to secure as they ponder trading back into the 2024 draft.
Essendon is expected to a bid for Next Generation Academy small-forward Isaac Kako in next week’s draft as long as as rival bids for him come for him close to where he falls in their established draft order.
Yet the Herald Sun reported last week the Dons will likely only offer up that future first-rounder if a player in their top 10 on their draft board tumbles down the order, where the Dons could strike to secure a second player in the top 20 of the draft.
Essendon traded away its No.9 draft pick for the Demons’ future first-rounder and more 2024 points for Kako, aware that rival clubs would likely make the Dons use that pick to match a bid for Kako.
Clubs across the industry remember the example of Gold Coast academy player Jack Bowes, who Sydney bid on at pick 10 to ensure the Suns used an early pick.
Now that the Dons do not have a top 10 pick Kako could slide down the draft order but the club would still feel justified in trading out that selection.
Essendon plans to take four selections in the national draft and will have room for a rookie pick and two summer rookie slots, likely to trial an experienced player and a young player who misses the national draft.
The Dons traded out Jake Stringer to GWS for pick 53.
The Herald Sun understands Essendon will not pay any of his new two-year deal going forward despite the Giants pushing hard during trade talks for the Dons to top up his salary.
While fans were dismayed Essendon was so quiet during the trade period, the club believes bringing in B- or C-graders would only have lessened opportunities for exciting kids like Archie Roberts, Ben Hobbs, Elijah Tsatas, Zach Reid and Saad El-Hawli.
The Dons took El-Hawli – a 23-year-old mid-season pick last year – and he will get chances to play early after being injured almost as soon as he got to the Hangar last year.
Free-agency ruckman Sam Draper is likely to want to prove he can become one of footy’s elite ruckmen next year before signing a new deal. He told the Herald Sun in July he was “definitely” staying at Essendon, pledging his future to the club.
But he has played only 30 games in the past two seasons given injury issues.
With Adelaide circling and Draper sure to want to maximise his value, he will want to get the season underway with excellent form before giving away his free agency rights.
The early indications are he will not sign an early deal.
“I love this club. They took a chance on me when no one else did,” Draper said in July.
“I was just some soccer player from Adelaide; they took a chance on me in the rookie draft, they put their faith in me at the time. I didn’t play my first game until about four years into my career. I love this club, I love the boys.”
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