Port Adelaide secures Jackson Mead with father-son selection, and forward Dylan Williams at draft

Two famous Port Adelaide names - Mead and Williams - will continue on at Alberton following the Power’s haul on night two of the 2019 AFL Draft.

11/11/19 - AFL Draft hopeful Jackson Mead at The Advertiser to record the podcast with Andrew Capel and Jordan Pinto. Picture SIMON CROSS

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The son of a former Port Adelaide star and a forward some footy experts rated as a top-10 talent 12 months ago.

That was Port Adelaide’s business on night two of the AFL national draft, when it grabbed Oakleigh Chargers medium forward Dylan Williams with pick 23 and finally snared Woodville-West Torrens midfielder Jackson Mead two selections later.

AFL talent guru Kevin Sheehan was among those who considered Williams a top-10 talent 12 months ago but stress fractures in his back ruled the 18-year-old out of action mid-year. Mead, whose dad is Darren Mead, became Port Adelaide’s second father-son recruit after the club matched Sydney’s bid at pick 25.

Williams and Mead were the Power’s only players taken on night two.

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Jackson Mead Darren Mead

🤝
Port Adelaide
AFL Players pic.twitter.com/UTkUTA2tk7

— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) November 28, 2019

Port Adelaide selected medium forward/wingman Miles Bergman (pick 14) and athletic forward Mitch Georgiades (18) on Wednesday night.

Power national recruiting manager Geoff Parker told The Advertiser the club was thrilled to add Williams and Mead to its first-night haul.

“They all play in the forward half of the ground but they’re different sizes, have different skillsets,” Parker said.

“Mitch is a bit taller and comes from a bit deeper, Miles can get up and down the ground and Dylan’s got that forward craft where he can find space.

“(Power coach) Ken (Hinkley) is pretty excited about the talent we’ve been able to bring in.”

Port had been in line to select first on night two but moved one spot down the order – from 22 to 23 – after a deal with Brisbane netted it a 2020 second-round pick and handed the Lions its future fourth-round choice.

New recruit Dylan Williams gets the call from Ken Hinkley ☎️#weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/WXYcPUh1Fd

— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) November 28, 2019

In a separate move before night two kicked off, the Power also exchanged pick 61 to Sydney for selections 65 and 68.

That deal – and Port’s pre-draft trade of 29 and its 2020 first-round pick for Brisbane’s pick 16 – helped the Power match the Swans’ bid for Mead.

“Dylan was a target of ours and we did the trade and thought he’d still be there, which he was, and trades we’d done previously for Jackson worked well, so it all went to plan for us,” Parker said.

Mead joins the club where his dad is a triple SANFL premiership player and inaugural AFL best and fairest.

“Jackson’s skillset is something we haven’t got a lot of – his ability to win the contested ball and hit targets on either side of the body,” Parker said.

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Dylan Williams looking good in his new colours 🍐❤️ #weareportadelaide pic.twitter.com/JGzhGpEjlF

— Port Adelaide FC (@PAFC) November 28, 2019

Williams kicked bags of six, four and four goals as a bottom-ager last year.

But he battled injuries in 2019, like Bergman and Georgiades, and stress fractures in his back cut short his 2019 season in July.

That did not concern Parker, who liked the X-factor, goal sense and contested marking of Port’s recruit.

Before Mead, Port’s only other father-son selection was Brett Ebert – son of four-time Magarey Medal winner Russell Ebert – in 2002.

Today, Trent Burgoyne – son of Power premiership player Peter Burgoyne – will become the third when he arrives in the rookie draft.

Port has also committed to redrafting small forward Boyd Woodcock and defender Riley Grundy as rookies and will likely add one new player.

Originally published as Port Adelaide secures Jackson Mead with father-son selection, and forward Dylan Williams at draft