The first day of the 2025 AFL National Draft is over and I have some mixed feelings about Melbourne’s selections to date. Xavier Taylor is a dream selection for the club but Latrelle Pickett is something of an unknown quantity for such a high pick. If he can translate his form at SANFL level into AFL standards then his selection will go down as another inspired Jason Taylor selection. If not, the risk is that it could well and truly bite the club in the rear end given the players who were overlooked, notably Dyson Sharp, Lochy Dovaston, Cameron Nairn and a handful of others who staked their claims at the elite Under 18 National Championships level.

The pointy end of the draft is where you go for best available and not necessarily your needs but given the club has just parted ways with two of its best midfielders, it was expected that the Demons would pick up some midfield talent on day one.

The good news is that there’s still some very talented midfield potential left out there. The other good news is that the club is five picks away from its next selection so the possibility remains that its need to fill midfield spots can still be satisfied.

Not only that but Melbourne has two later selections left in the draft. One of them will no doubt be held to take Kalani White as a father/son, the other to possibly pick up a value selection or a smokey.

Here are some of the players left in the field. I’m sure the list can be added to over the next 20 hours or so;-

Jack Ison* 191cm Fwd/Mid VIC

Blake Thredgold 194cm Def SA

Oliver Greeves 191cm Mid VIC

Archie Ludowyke 197cm Fwd VIC

Jevan Phillipou 183cm Mid/Fwd SA

Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves 186cm Fwd/Mid VIC

Tylah Williams* 175cm Fwd WA

Max King* 192cm Fwd NSW

Louis Emmett 199cm Fwd/Ruck VIC 

Rory Wright 182cm Def/Mid VIC

Riley Onley 195cm Mid VIC

 Matthew Leray 188cm Utility SA

Zac McCarthy 199cm Ruck/Fwd VIC

Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier 181cm Mid SA

Sam Swadling 189cm Mid/Fwd WA

Fred Rodriguez 184cm Mid WA

* nga

It seems to me that the opportunity is definitely there to snaffle a couple of players to add to the mix. Thredgold who is thought of highly by many is not too far away and there are some good midfielders still out there.

I like the idea of taking two picks and using the last available place to take White, possibly as a rookie. There might not then be any space available for Toby SInnema.

add Sam Allen to the list

@Whispering_Jack Agreed. Good list very similar to mine in the AFL draft thread. Thinking that JT might use the next pick on a midfielder to help with the continued refresh and the post Trac /Clarry midfield. There’s some talent still there

Not sure we will use pick “56” but it’s perhaps tempting. If there’s a young gun who slipped through, JT might stake a claim. Taj Hayes might be one to watch at this draft range as he has the pace to really add to our future midfield plus his kicking is very very good

(retain rookie spot for Kalani White)

Pickett was most likely getting picked around the 14-20 mark by the sounds of it.

In what they have called a poor draft I’m not surprised we took a risk with him. The fact we could still get someone like HH or Greeves at our next pick is pretty decent for us.

In a different draft maybe he is a later pick and maybe in this draft recruiters rated him higher compared to follow draftees.

Let’s back him and show support, he is one of us now.

Nothing surer than JT selecting some bloke from obscurity, without a media profile photo.

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

@Whispering_Jack Agreed. Good list very similar to mine in the AFL draft thread. Thinking that JT might use the next pick on a midfielder to help with the continued refresh and the post Trac /Clarry midfield. There’s some talent still there

Not sure we will use pick “56” but it’s perhaps tempting. If there’s a young gun who slipped through, JT might stake a claim. Taj Hayes might be one to watch at this draft range as he has the pace to really add to our future midfield plus his kicking is very very good

(retain rookie spot for Kalani White)

interestingly if we do go the Taj Hayes path it does actually circle back to JT and co not rating this draft, 4 picks 2 overagers and 1 FS meaning only 1 maybe a second as a rookie live pick