The Pick 1 prospects up for grabs as Tigers and Roos prepare to battleMitch Keating
zerohanger.com
July 30, 2024It won't be close to the biggest game of Round 21, considering how tight this year's finals race is shaping up to be, but Saturday's meeting between North Melbourne and Richmond at Marvel Stadium will have respective fanbases on the edge of their seats.
The result is sure to have both leaving Docklands with mixed emotions too, with the victorious side likely to avoid the wooden spoon while the other will have their hands firmly on Pick 1.
No club wants to sit on the 18th rung by the end of the season, but every side would love to start the draft with the opening selection come November.
It's a situation the Kangaroos are all too familiar with, having entered Round 24 last year with a chance to either remain at the foot of the ladder or end their 20-game losing run and hand West Coast the wooden spoon while avoiding the third straight of their own.
The latter would unfold through a 35-point win over Gold Coast in Tasmania - a result that has since been met with criticism as the Roos gave up their place at the front of the queue for top draft star Harley Reid.
While this weekend's game against the Tigers won't define the draft order, it's set to have a significant say on who has first dibs on draft night.
Richmond trail the Roos by 1.7% on the ladder, with both sides stuck on two wins from their opening 19 matches in 2024. A third victory will give the successful side some breathing space and likely place them level on points with West Coast, who aren't out of the wooden spoon race either, by the end of the week.
But unlike last year's defining matches for the cellar-dwelling sides, there is no Harley Reid equivalent atop this year's draft board to fight over, with the class of 2024 offering a deep and level pool of prospects.
Richmond and North Melbourne could have their sights on the same teenager however, meaning a loss this weekend may give them the puzzle piece they're chasing and leave the other to look elsewhere.
That prospect might just be Easter Ranges bull Josh Smillie, who is one of several contenders for Pick 1 this year. Smillie, a Patrick Cripps-type ball-winner given his size and strength while stopping the tape at 194cm, was quick to place himself toward the top of the tree thanks to a dominant start to his Talent League season before stepping up to Vic Metro duties.
While the National Championships didn't bear as much fruit as his efforts at the lower level, AFL scouts are sure to have seen more than enough to have Smillie in the Pick 1 conversation if they didn't already.
The big-bodied onballer is among the midfield-heavy top end of his draft class, and he also boasts a name familiar to keen Tigers fans: Jagga Smith.
The Richmond native has suited up for the Tigers' VFL side over the past fortnight and has slotted into senior action seamlessly, adding another chapter to his draft campaign after dominant displays with the Oakleigh Chargers, Vic Metro and the AFL Academy, performing alongside Smillie with the latter two.
While Smith doesn't come close to the brute force Smillie can provide at the coalface, he does boast a ball-winning craft and cunning inside-outside nous through midfield that few others can challenge.
The Vic Metro pair are joined by teammate and Brisbane father-son prospect Levi Ashcroft in being touted as potential Pick 1 options, but the chance of the Tigers or Roos forcing the Lions to pay up with the first pick is unlikely.
Should they hold the opening selection, the Roos may lean toward the versatile Smillie over Smith given the current profile of their midfield ensemble. Koroit product Finn O'Sullivan can't be discounted either despite his interrupted year due to injury.
Both Richmond and North Melbourne are sure to have South Australian Sid Draper in their sights also, with the South Adelaide teenager a constant name among the Panthers' best performers at the state league level in recent weeks.
Larke Medal winner Harvey Langford significantly strengthened his draft stocks across the National Championships with Vic Country in the absence of the aforementioned O'Sullivan, with Gold Coast Academy member Leonardo Lombard, Western Australia captain Bo Allan and Sandringham Dragons ace Murphy Reid making up a small percentage of the starring midfield talent that has been on show in 2024.
Many may argue that the Kangaroos might need to look away from the pool of midfielders with their opening selection, with the U18s carnival-winning Luke Trainor being a suitable selection as the leading key defender this year.
The grandson of 1000-goal Geelong and North Melbourne great Doug Wade, Trainor's year has been consistently impressive, with arguably his best patch arising with the AFL Academy against VFL clubs Coburg and Footscray.
There's a chance the Kangaroos might be most keen on Trainor of all and hold the view they could attain the Old Brighton talent several spots after Pick 1. The consideration could open the door for the Kangaroos to split their selection to potentially get access to Trainor and another top prospect on the opening night.
Key forward Harry Armstrong and Whitlock twins Matt and Jack are among the best key position prospects on offer this year and will flirt with the top 10 range, while Murray Bushrangers livewire Joe Berry could be a fitting addition as arguably this year's best small forward.
Richmond's thinking at the top of the draft board should be more streamlined given they could have their hands on multiple first-round picks and wouldn't need to widen their hand through moving on Pick 1, as the futures of Liam Baker, Daniel Rioli, Dustin Martin and Jack Graham are weighed up ahead of the player movement period.
One of this year's top midfielders will find their way to Punt Road, and it could be the familiar Smith who pulls on the yellow and black next year. O'Sullivan, Langford and Vic Country gun Sam Lalor are others who could be in contention if it's not Smith or Smillie picked by the Tigers.
West Coast will play a role in unravelling this year's final draft order as they face the Kangaroos in Round 22. If the Roos fall to the Tigers this weekend before bouncing back against the Eagles, the match could level all three sides on three wins for the year.
That scenario would lead to an enticing final fortnight of the season as all three sides are separated by percentage alone, meaning the Eagles could make it back-to-back Pick 1 selections if they suffer significant enough defeats to contenders Carlton and Geelong to see out their season.
Smillie might be the kid the Eagles opt for. At the same time, Harley Reid's old teammate O'Sullivan would be a nice addition to an emerging midfield pack that also consists of locals Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett.
https://www.zerohanger.com/afl-draft-the-pick-1-prospects-up-for-grabs-as-tigers-and-roos-prepare-to-battle-153471/
