A Herald-Sun article by Chris Cavanagh  “DID YOUR NUMBERS COME UP?” (pages 76 & 77 yesterday) examined which club has the strongest draft hand going into the 2023 National Draft. Of course, it’s a long way off till November and the draft picks are dependent upon how each individual team fares in the coming season but the verdict has Melbourne ahead of the pack. 

Here are the picks each club holds – and why.

ADELAIDE

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: 1 x linked to North Melbourne, 1 x linked to Gold Coast
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: None

BRISBANE

Rd 1: None
Rd 2: 1 x linked to Geelong
Rd 3: Own, 1 x linked to Geelong
Rd 4: 1 x linked to Fremantle

CARLTON

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: None
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: Own, 1 x linked to Essendon

COLLINGWOOD

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: 1 x linked to Carlton
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: Own

ESSENDON

R 1: Own
Rd 2: Own
Rd 3: Own
Rd 4: Linked to Sydney

FREMANTLE

Rd 1: None
Rd 2: 1 x linked to North Melbourne
Rd 3: 1 x linked to North Melbourne, 1 x linked to Carlton
Rd 4: 1 x linked to North Melbourne

GEELONG

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: None
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: None

GOLD COAST

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: 1 x linked to GWS, 1 x linked to Adelaide
Rd 3: 1 x linked to Adelaide, 1 x linked to Collingwood
Rd 4: Own, 1 x linked to Adelaide, 1 x linked to St Kilda

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

Rd 1: Own, 1 x linked to Richmond
Rd 2: None
Rd 3: Own
Rd 4: Own, 1 x linked to Brisbane

HAWTHORN

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: 1 x linked to Western Bulldogs
Rd 3: 1 x linked to Western Bulldogs
Rd 4: None

MELBOURNE

Rd 1: Own, 1 x linked to Fremantle
Rd 2: Own, 1 x linked to Fremantle
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: None

“The Demons hold the best draft hand of any club with four picks in the first two rounds. Not only do they still have their own selections for those rounds, but they also have Fremantle’s as part of the trade that sent young ruckman Luke Jackson to the Dockers. Melbourne’s third-rounder went to the Western Bulldogs in exchange for Lachie Hunter, while their fourth-rounder also found its way to Whitten Oval in a swap for utility Josh Schache.”

NORTH MELBOURNE

Rd 1: Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Rd 2: None
Rd 3: Own, 1 x linked to Melbourne
Rd 4: 1 x linked to Hawthorn

PORT ADELAIDE

NNRd 1: None
NNRd 2: 1 x linked 
to Collingwood
NNRd 3: 1 x linked 
to Fremantle
NNRd 4: Own

RICHMOND

Rd 1: None
Rd 2: Own
Rd 3: Own
Rd 4: Own

ST KILDA

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: Own
Rd 3: Own
Rd 4: None

SYDNEY SWANS

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: Own, 1 x linked to Hawthorn
Rd 3: Own, 1 x linked to Hawthorn
Rd 4: None

WEST COAST EAGLES 

Rd 1: Own
Rd 2: Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Rd 3: Own, 1 x linked to Port Adelaide
Rd 4: Own

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Rd 1: Own, 1 x linked to Brisbane
Rd 2: 1 x linked to Brisbane
Rd 3: None
Rd 4: Own, 1 x linked to Melbourne, 1 x linked to Geelong

Plenty of talls in this draft, be interesting to see if we go with a tall defender with 1 of those first 4 picks, which I think we will to allow for development over a few seasons 

4 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Plenty of talls in this draft, be interesting to see if we go with a tall defender with 1 of those first 4 picks, which I think we will to allow for development over a few seasons 

We already have Jed Adams & Disco in the reserves as potential long term tall defenders

11 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

Plenty of talls in this draft, be interesting to see if we go with a tall defender with 1 of those first 4 picks, which I think we will to allow for development over a few seasons 

This would be in support of Turner and Jed Adams already on our list for development. JVR can always be added depending upon our Forward KP successes. 

Add in FS selection that will most likely fall outside our first 4 picks, we have a strong hand to trade and draft

Really think we need to start looking at life after Petracca, Oliver's etc.

A genuine power inside mid would be top priority for me. 

 

Thinking the same thing dazzle, I am hoping that we look at a power inside mid, tallish mid and small fwd / defender. It will depend on whether Kozzie re-signs, if he does focus on defender. Really hoping that Kozzie stays.!!!

I agree we need another power mid but we cant just keep them in the 2's waiting for Trac and Oli to finish. If we draft a mid we need to get them in quickly.  Bailey Laurie has spent 2 years in the 2's, yes he's had injuries but its far too long not play someone.  Fraser Rosman is another that didn't get an opportunity, he may have been a much better AFL player than in the VFL.

I'd like to see us get some more speed out of defence and across the wings.  These players generally can also eventually play mid minutes as well.  As far as mids go every draft there are strong mids so i'm not too fussed if we go for a power mid in 2023 or 2024.

Agree TL now that we have our list better balanced we can be very selective in 2023 / 2024 but yes need to get them into the team as soon as they are match ready we need to keep improving our bottom eight players. If we want to win more flags and stay at the top. !!!!

Edited January 15, 20233 yr by DeeZone
Added win more flags, etc

Obviously, plenty to play out, but there's definitely room to manoeuvre into one or even two top ten picks. 

 

 

1. Best available mid
2. Dangerous small/medium sized forward (bonus points if could push into the midfield rotation)
3. Speedy half back

Edited January 15, 20233 yr by adonski