Draft Intel: Latest draft news after trade period reshapes club selections
The trade period reshaped the draft order and the pick swaps aren’t over yet. Plus, the Essendon target inspired by Hawthorn and the ‘born leader’ with a connection to Patrick Cripps.
The AFL trade period is over and just over a month remains until the 2024 national draft.
Here’s the latest draft news from around the country.
HOW THE TRADE PERIOD HAS RESHAPED THE DRAFT
It wasn’t just players that changed club during the AFL trade period.
A stack of draft picks were also moved around, with some clubs now holding a vastly different set of selections to what they were a fortnight ago.
As expected, Richmond made some strong additions to its trade hand as it got deals done for Dan Rioli, Liam Baker and Shai Bolton.
The Tigers now hold eight of the first 24 picks in what has been labelled an “extraordinary” draft.
But they weren’t the only winners from a draft perspective.
Carlton was keen to climb up the order from pick 12 and did, landing West Coast’s pick 3.
Melbourne already had pick 5, but were able to also secure pick 9 off Essendon.
Port Adelaide was set to enter the draft at pick 39, but now holds three of the first 36 selections as a result of the Dan Houston trade.
Similarly, the Western Bulldogs’ first draft pick before the trade period was a second-round selection at pick 35.
The Bulldogs now picks 17 and 25, after agreeing to trade Bailey Smith, Jack Macrae and Caleb Daniel.
However, on the flip side, some clubs which landed key trade targets have seen their draft hands significantly diminished.
Collingwood’s first pick was selection 36 but is now 52, with the Magpies also being without a first-round selection in 2025 after securing Dan Houston.
“I know it looks bad at number 52 but the way the bidding system works, it comes back down at the end of the draft,” Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch said.
“We did know we were risking sliding back a few but we still think there are some quality players in this draft there that we can look at. You can’t get everything you want, can you? You can’t bring in the best player in the trade period and also think you can get the perfect draft hand as well. It’s just not logical.”
Fremantle had hold three of the top 18 picks heading into the trade period, but now have only pick 14 remaining as a result of the Shai Bolton trade.
Hawthorn’s first selection sits at 33, after pick 14 was given up as part of the deal to secure West Coast key defender Tom Barrass.
MORE PICKS TO CHANGE HANDS
The trade period might be over, but don’t expect that to be the end of pick swaps.
Almost every club has publicly stated that it is open to doing further trades to improve its draft hand in some way, either for this year or next year.
Clubs can still trade picks up to and during the draft, which will be held over two nights on November 20 and 21.
Richmond hasn’t ruled out trading at least one of its eight top 24 picks, potentially into next year’s draft.
GWS holds picks 15, 16 and 21 and the Giants are confident of finding three quality players in that range.
However, they could also look to package up at least two of those picks and move up the board.
The Western Bulldogs are another club who would like to climb into the very pointy end of this draft if they can.
“To have 17, 25 and 35 is really positive and all our future picks as well,” Bulldogs list manager Sam Power said on Thursday.
“So it gives us flexibility or might open up opportunities with live trading and being able to do different things on the night potentially, depending on how it plays out in front of us.”
North Melbourne has also indicated it is open to a “slight slide” from pick two, if the price is right.
Melbourne has picks five and nine and says it is “open to everything”.
WHY THE BOMBERS COULD LOOK LIKE HAWTHORN IN 2025
Essendon draft target Isaac Kako says he wants to bring a bit of arch rival Hawthorn to Tullamarine, declaring that AFL players need to show “more personality”.
The best small forward in this year’s draft pool, Kako is destined for the Bombers after the club completed a pick swap with Melbourne during the trade period on Tuesday.
Essendon handed over pick 9 to the Dees, but still has sufficient points to match a bid on Next Generation Academy member Kako, which could come inside the top 10 on draft night.
A 176cm livewire, Kako models his game on the likes of Izak Rankine, Shai Bolton and Kozzy Pickett as a goalkicking forward who can also provide an occasional spark through the midfield.
However, he also kept a close eye on the Hawthorn forwards this year as a player who enjoys a goal celebration himself.
“I love watching them play and their forward line’s doing something pretty special,” Kako said of the Hawks.
“We definitely need a bit more personality, I feel. You look at the other sports like the NBA and the NFL and they’re always getting around each other with their celebrations. It’s good to see what Hawthorn is doing and hopefully we can implement a bit more of it.
“When your opponent’s giving you a bit of grief then you’ve got to give it back to them when you kick a goal.
Hopefully I’ll get a few more celebrations under my belt and get a signature one going.”
Kako booted 12 goals in one game for Pascoe Vale’s under-16s in the Essendon District Football League in 2022 and regularly hit the scoreboard throughout this year.
He booted eight majors across four games for Vic Metro during the under-18 national championships, along with averaging 18.7 disposals, 7.7 score involvements and 1.7 goals in 12 games for the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League.
The 18-year-old’s season was ended early after he suffered a syndesmosis injury which required surgery in August, but Kako expects to be fully fit to attack an AFL pre-season.
“Everything’s on track,” he said earlier this month.
“It’s the game we play. You’re always going to get all these little niggles and injuries.”
Kako grew up an Essendon supporter, with Leroy Jetta being his favourite player.
He has been part of the Bombers’ Academy since age 12 and spent two weeks training at Tullamarine last summer.
“It would be nice to end up anywhere. AFL football is AFL football,” Kako said.
“But I’ve had a soft spot for them (the Bombers) my whole life so it would be special to end up there.”
THE ‘BORN LEADER’ LEANING ON ADVICE FROM CRIPPS
Big-bodied midfielder Josh Smillie has revealed he leant on advice from a two-time Brownlow Medal winner this year as he battled “some challenges” after entering the season as a highly-touted No. 1 draft pick contender.
Smillie met with Carlton star Patrick Cripps earlier in the year and made notes from the conversation, which he continually went back and reflected on.
A 195cm onballer, the 18-year-old has drawn comparisons to Cripps and Greater Western Sydney midfielder Tom Green, two players who he watches closely.
“I’d want to be half the player Patrick Cripps is now,” Smillie said.
“He’s the best player in the game at the moment. I really look up to those two (Cripps and Green) just because they’re big-bodied midfielders and I watch all the work that they do and try and implement it in my game.”
Smillie’s form was a little up and down at times this year, not helped by some minor injuries and illness.
He was required to spend significant time outside of the midfield during the under-18 national championships with Vic Metro, including roles in attack and defence.
“I’m very versatile so I can play any position and I grew up playing any position,” Smillie said.
“I can go forward or play across half back, but the midfield is my primarily position.
“The year’s done and you reflect on your year. You take out some negatives but you also want to look at the positives. If you said last year I’d be in the position I am now, I’d be pretty proud of this year so far.”
Smillie captained the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League this year as well as serving as skipper of the AFL Academy team in two exhibition matches earlier this season.
Alongside his power and ball-winning abilities, leadership is another key trait that he prides himself on.
“I was raised from my parents being a real leader and a careful person to others,” Smillie said.
“Leadership is something I take pretty seriously. I’m a very caring person that likes to put others before me and see them succeed. It’s just something I’ve grown up with and it just comes natural.”
RISING WA PROSPECT’S CARLTON CONNECTION
Hardworking West Australian half-forward Hamish Davis grew up a Collingwood fan, idolising Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan.
However, he has a small connection to Carlton.
Davis’ uncle, Damien Hampson, was selected by the Blues at No. 7 in the 1990 national draft.
Hampson did not play a senior game in two years with Carlton, but went on to make six AFL appearances for West Coast after being offloaded to the Eagles at the end of 1992.
Davis’ grandfather, the late Reg Hampson, did not play AFL but was a star rover for Subiaco in the WAFL, playing 224 matches for the club.
Davis has been a draft riser this year on the back of an eye-catching second half of the season, during which he has drawn comparisons to dual Brownlow Medal winner Nat Fyfe.
The 190cm forward – who can also rotate in the midfield – racked up 21 disposals, seven score involvements and kicked four goals in Claremont’s elimination final win over East Fremantle in the WAFL.
After the Tigers were eliminated from the premiership race the following week, he went back to the club’s under-18 side and gathered 30 disposals, eight clearances and 12 score involvements to win the best-on-ground medal in a Grand Final triumph.
AFLW run home: Roos go unbeaten, who makes the eight?
The race for the AFLW finals is heating up, but it looks to be smooth sailing for the Roos after a dominant season. ELIZA REILLY predicts the final games and the end-of-season ladder.
Trade grades: How Eagles flunked Barrass, Baker deals
West Coast fans were livid with their club’s efforts at the trade table - and rightly so, writes JOSH BARNES, with the Eagles fleeced. See every trade graded.