Aaron Cadman draft: The GWS Giants plan which landed key forward prospect

Critics laughed at GWS Giants when they traded up to make Aaron Cadman the first pick in 2022 — but, it was all part of the master plan to land the club’s long-term spearhead. Lachlan McKirdy finds out more.

When the Giants looked at their board ahead of the 2022 AFL draft, it immediately became clear that Aaron Cadman was at the top of their list.

With pick three in hand, it was more likely enough to land the budding superstar. But it was a risk they weren’t willing to take.

Led by recruiting manager Adrian Caruso, the club were part of a four-way trade that saw them land the first pick in exchange for picks three, 12 and a future second-rounder.

It was a move many recruiters labelled as a “mistake”, but as Cadman prepares the play his 50th AFL game fresh off a career-best five-goal haul against the Lions, it’s a bold play that the rest of the competition might be wondering why they didn’t make.

‘WE WANTED A KEY FORWARD’

The Giants had a clear plan going into the 2022 AFL Draft. They wanted a young key forward who could lead their list for the next decade or longer.

After two seasons at the club, Jesse Hogan had yet to have the impact they had hoped with season goal tallies of 20 and 35, meaning future planning became a priority. And throughout the year, Cadman’s name was the one that quickly rose to the top of their list.

“When we drafted him, that was his first year of playing key forward,” Adrian Caruso, GWS’ national recruiting manager said.

That kick from Cadman 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/qr0BISPMIH

— GWS GIANTS (@GWSGIANTS) March 17, 2025

“The game (against Brisbane), he probably didn’t even play as dominant a game at under-18 level as what he did on the weekend. It was more the traits that we liked that we thought, well, in time, he’s going to develop into the type of player we want.

“At the time, Jesse was not the player that he ended up being. We probably had some concerns about Jesse’s body and the longevity that he might have had. No one would have predicted he would be a Coleman Medallist two years later.

The Giants wanted a key forward in the 2022 draft, and Cadman was the one name that stood out. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We sat with pick three, and we thought clearly we want Aaron because all the other players in that top six to eight were mids. And we didn’t want another high-end mid. We wanted a key forward, and Aaron was a clear standout. He fit everything we wanted in a person as well.

“I suppose in the end, the pick 12 to us wasn’t a big give. We had other picks in the teens, and we thought were going to get the same player anyway. So why not put the 12 into the deal and get it done so we knew we were getting Aaron Cadman?”

While other teams were satisfied taking the best players available, the Giants identified a clear hole on their list and moved heaven and earth to fix it. And considering the trajectory Cadman went on in his upper-age year, it wasn’t a surprise to draft expert Kevin Sheehan.

Cadman only moved into the forward line a year before being drafted as he impressed for Greater Western Victoria in the NAB League. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Ten goals in four matches for Vic Country helped his strong progression up draft boards in 2022. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“You look at that top 12, he was the only tall forward in it, the only key position player in it,” Sheehan said. “If he was your target, well, why not try and take him? When the Giants had their picks, it’s pretty logical.

“He had a wonderful draft year. Right from the first game, I remember Bendigo he kicked four and wow. He had come on very dramatically over the summer, grown in confidence. And he was then added very quickly to the Australian under-18 team.

“Everyone was saying he’s a mark two Jeremy Cameron. The left footer, the tall forward and the laconic type of nature of the young fella. Similarities in the way he played, too, all those things meant that he had that tag on him of a young Jezza.

“So, he went with a rocket, not being in the top 25 at the start of the year from those picking the national academy, and then he was added.”

Most recruiters felt by draft night that Cadman was, at best, potentially a top-five selection. And although on reflection it appears neither North Melbourne or West Coast, who originally had the number two pick, would have selected Cadman, the Giants didn’t want to leave that up to chance.

“We didn’t know what clubs at one and two might have done,” Caruso said. “We just wanted to eliminate the risk.

“Maybe they would have seen it how we saw it, and if his name got called out at two and we had three, we’d be kicking ourselves for the next 15 years, because we know how hard it is to find these guys.”

The Giants didn’t want to risk a mistake they’d regret for “15 years” and traded up to the No.1 pick to secure Cadman. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

HOGAN’S RISE GIVES HIM TIME

Cadman was always set to be afforded the time to grow into an elite-level AFL prospect once he joined the Giants. It’s part of their drafting philosophy and the success of their recruitment over the years; they rarely need to select players who have to have an immediate impact.

However, there are two major contributing factors to the patience they’ve been afforded with Cadman.

Firstly, he was less of a flight risk. Born in Bacchus Marsh and attending school in Ballarat, Cadman was always prepared to leave Victoria to play his footy. Unlike other number-one picks of late, such as Jason Horne-Francis and Harley Reid, who left their home state and have since explored ways to go back, Cadman thrived after relocating.

Cadman only played 12 games in his first season in a Giants side still establishing its game style under new coach Adam Kingsley. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“There were a lot of other boys in that draft that we thought wouldn’t probably have bought into what we’re about as much as much as someone like Aaron did,” Caruso said.

“Being a country boy who had the drive and the passion to succeed, but also didn’t care where he played, he just wanted to play footy. He ticked all those boxes.”

But the second thing that has helped Cadman find a home at the Giants is Hogan’s resurgence. Since Cadman was drafted at the end of 2022, Hogan has kicked 164 goals in 59 matches, culminating in last year’s incredible Coleman Medal-winning season.

It meant that Cadman could develop at his own pace and regularly play on the second or third defender.

His early returns had some doubting his progression. He kicked just six goals in 12 games in 2023, before 30 goals last season highlighted his potential.

But the Giants were happy with the slow and steady method, particularly because he was learning off one of the best forward minds in the competition.

Hogan and Cadman quickly formed a close bond on and off the field. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“We’ve got a really close relationship,” Hogan said. “My partner, Chloe, is close with his partner Ali, and they kind of always joke and call us mum and dad.

“I was once his age. I had a lot of pressure on myself as well. So, for him, I think he knows he can do that now. He’s known for a little bit, but to have the evidence and a really dominant performance against a top-four side is really exciting for him, for me and our team.

“His timing stuff was really good, but he just wasn’t always finishing his work. I said to him before the Brisbane game that there isn’t a key forward in the comp marking the ball better than him, without the reward of kicking four or five. But that’s the hardest part, so it’s awesome to see him get that reward (against Brisbane). To have that game, he’ll take a lot of belief out of that.”

Cadman’s development this year has seen him living up to his potential. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Caruso added: “We’re happy with Aaron, it was always going to be a slow burn and a couple of years to develop.

“He’s on track to be the player we need. But we also feel lucky that Jesse has given him that buffer where he hasn’t had to be the main man. So, he can build into his career without that added pressure because Jesse’s there next to him, and I think it’s just going to end up being a really great transition for us.”

The recent surge in confidence from Cadman isn’t new either. It’s something he’s felt from the Giants ever since they traded up to the number-one pick to select him.

And as he finds more and more consistency on the field, he admits he has been able to shake the pressure that is often attached to being the top selection of his class.

His five-goal haul against the Lions was his career-best tally. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Cadman continues to grow in confidence, but it’s something he’s never lacked since being at the Giants. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“In Sydney, it is a little bit different,” Cadman said. “There’s a bit less attention, and you can kind of get away a bit more playing not as well as you would in Melbourne.

“But once you come to the club here, it doesn’t matter if you’re pick one or the last pick, everyone’s treated the same. Everyone here’s got my back, it stemmed from day one when the club traded up to get me, which is unbelievable to be honest.

“Having Jesse here is massive, not only for me, but I feel like having me there is big for him. It’s a great relationship we have down there. Half the time, we don’t even have to say anything; it’s just our movement, and we know what the other is doing. It works really well.

“I feel like I’ve kind of forgotten about (the number one pick) in a way. In my first two years, that was something that weighed on me, but now I know what I am capable of.

“I’m just continuing to show that, and at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where I was picked. I know that I can hopefully be one of the top players in the league, I’ve just got to keep on showing that.”

Originally published as Aaron Cadman draft: The GWS Giants plan which landed key forward prospect