The top prospects, future trade hurdle and clubs who could have the most impact: AFL draft state of playBen Waterworth
Fox Sports
September 15th, 2021 2:40 pmWhile clubs will soon hit the trade table, the national draft set to be held later in the year is also front of mind.
The ‘fab four’, the future trade hurdles, the tricky new rule and the clubs who could do the most damage come November.
Foxfooty.com.au analyses the state of play on the 2021 AFL draft.
HOW DOES THIS TALENT POOL STACK UP – AND WHO ARE SOME OF THE TOP PROSPECTS?Despite so many prospects’ seasons being interrupted by Covid-enforced pauses, clubs are genuinely excited by this year’s pool and the evenness across potentially three rounds.
Six of the young guns taken within the first 10 picks of last year’s national draft were key-position prospects. This year, however, it’s more of a hybrid draft, with the top of the pool to almost certainly feature more on-ballers, small forwards and rebound defenders.
There are four clear standouts — a ‘fab four’, if you like. Star Collingwood father-son candidate
Nick Daicos and South Adelaide midfielder
Jason Horne-Francis have been ranked in the top two from start to finish this year, while Bulldogs father-son prospect
Sam Darcy and Sandringham Dragons on-baller
Finn Callaghan have moved into top-five contention as their excellent 2021 campaigns have progressed.
From there, some recruiters believe you could “throw a blanket” over as many as 50 players, such is the evenness of the players on offer.
Others say there’s a peloton of four to six players chasing the top four. GWV Rebels defender
Josh Gibcus and versatile Dandenong Stingrays ruckman
Mac Andrew have roared into top-10 calculations, while GWV inside midfielder
Ben Hobbs and Northern Knights ball magnet
Josh Ward are also in the top-10 mix.
WA should also be well represented in the first round.
Subiaco midfielder
Neil Erasmus is his state’s leading prospect at this stage, while teammate Matthew Johnson is also in the first-round mix after playing in all three WAFL grades this season. East Perth’s
Jye Amiss is arguably the best key forward in the open draft after booting a WAFL colts season-high 51 goals — and just 14 behinds. He’d be perfect for Essendon at Pick 11, but he might be off the board by then.
Murray Bushrangers half-forward
Josh Rachele looms as one of the most fascinating prospects. Uber talented, confident and electric around goal, the 180cm goalsneak is one of the most exciting players in this year’s pool. But recruiters are also wary of taking a punt on a small forward so early in the order.
Some prospects, like Eastern Ranges’
Tyler Sonsie, Sandringham’s
Josh Sinn and Northern Knights’
Campbell Chesser, possess talent that’s worthy of being taken in the top 10, but a lack of continuity this year – either due to injury and Covid-enforced interruptions – might see them taken later in the first round.
WHICH CLUBS WILL HAVE THE BIGGEST SAY IN THE DRAFT?There’s a lot of recruiters jealous of Richmond’s draft hand – and rightly so.
Compared to the past five years, the Tigers are now in unfamiliar territory. Not only did they miss finals this year, they have a stacked draft hand that includes two picks in each of the first, second and third rounds – and that’s before any possible trade involving Callum Coleman-Jones. As it stands, that’s Picks 7, 15, 26, 28, 40 and 44.
It gives Richmond ample scope at the trade table to add players to a list still seen by experts as flag contenders next year. At the same time, it’s a golden chance for the Tigers to add top-end talent via the draft.
If they went down the path of the latter, they’d then have the option of packaging up those selections and offering them to a rival club in a bid to move up the draft order.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-2021-order-news-top-prospects-future-trade-selections-new-bidding-rules-mac-andrew-melbourne/news-story/3f9c57e3ca550bbc86b0fc21bfa5bed0
