Jayden first past the post
Hume Star
By Stuart Teather
2nd December 2008
WESTERN Jets over-aged footballer Jayden Post was the first player from his club to get picked up at the AFL draft on Saturday, with the lanky centre-half-back taken by Richmond in the second round.
Nineteen-year-old Post, who was a rock in the Jets’ backline all year in the TAC Cup, was grabbed at pick 26, before big-name talls such as Shaun McKernan and Jordan Roughead.
Richmond recruiting manager Francis Jackson said people should not be surprised he went so early.
“I think if people sat back and watched his performances - he won the Jets’ best and fairest, took 15 marks in their last semi-final, so I think a lot of clubs rated him highly, he had nine or 10 interviews so there was plenty of interest,” he said.
Indeed, Post was outstanding in the Jets’ semi-final match against Dandenong, where he picked up 33 possessions and took 15 marks in a best-on-ground display.
“It was outstanding, he played at both ends, but he was on our radar from the start of the year and we followed his progress,” Jackson said.
Jackson said the Tigers were considering him as a versatile key position player, and would not restrict him to centre-half-back.
“I think he can play both ends, he pinch-hit at both ends this year. With his ability to read the play and his overhead marking skills, he’s able to play at both ends.”
Jackson said the Tigers had focused on talls in this year’s draft, with the club using its first pick on Sandringham giant Tyrone Vickery.
“If everything goes to plan with the Gold Coast and West Sydney coming in, we’ve got our structure right with having those talls with Tyrone (Vickery) and Jayden ... just to get those quality talls in was very important,” he said.
