Adelaide
Pick 11 Wayne Milera, 17 Tom Doedee
Milera was an obvious choice for the Crows, a player who will add some spark and skill to their forward line and midfield. The club then pulled two of the draft's big surprises. First, they bid for GWS Academy player Harrison Himmelberg, at an early enough point for them to have a genuine chance of getting the tall forward. Instead, the Giants matched. The Crows' next choice, Doedee, came in reasonably high, but Adelaide took only two picks and the second-rounder they gave up as part of the Troy Menzel deal might not have been enough to get him. When you consider the Crows brought in some "outside" types during the trade period, there is some logic in them complementing that with a competitive, one-on-one type. Doedee is reasonably new to football having played a lot of basketball, and plenty of kids this year found him a really tough opponent.
Brisbane Lions
Pick 2 Josh Schache, 14 Eric Hipwood, 24 Ben Keays, 39 Rhys Mathieson, 47 Sam Skinner
The Lions had easy calls to make on Hipwood and Keays, graduates of their academy. And it's hard to imagine any club being upset with who they had access to at pick No. 2. There's two key talls, and an energetic midfielder. The value for the Lions came a bit later on. Keays and Hipwood lasting as long as they did meant the club was able to hold onto 39, using it on an honest ball-hunter in Mathieson. The Lions then opted not to match North's bid of pick 43 for Wagner, knowing that to do so would knock their next pick from 47 down to around 62. They would have been unlikely to get Skinner, a key defender on his way back from a knee reconstruction, at that pick. They'd be extremely happy with how things panned out.
Carlton
Pick 1 Jacob Weitering, 8 Harry McKay, 11 Charlie Curnow, 19 David Cuningham, 53 Jack Silvagni
Carlton's first four picks were very well placed, and their approach interesting. The hardest players to find are good talls and they got what looks an extremely sure bet in Weitering at pick 1 followed by some huge potential in the athletic McKay and Curnow. McKay doesn't turn 18 for another few weeks and only made this draft by a week, and some clubs saw Curnow in the best one or two. He has done more as a forward than a midfielder, but has the capacity to play in there as he develops. At pick 19 the Blues had a look at Kieran Collins, who teamed up so well with Weitering in defence for Vic Country and Dandenong this year. But with Silvagni, another marking player, coming in, they added the pacy Cuningham to their midfield. With so many talls going in the first round, they really got their choice of the second batch of mids. This draft was a re-start for the Blues. To sort your spine out is an understandable first priority, particularly given the players on offer.
Collingwood
Pick 32 Brayden Sier, 58 Tom Phillips, 63 Rupert Wills, 65 Ben Crocker
Collingwood made the first truly left-field selection, and had Sier ranked inside its top 20 given his clean hands, power off the mark and ability to make things happen. He was exposed just two times at TAC Cup level. Could have tried leaving him there until 58? Maybe, but he was the one they wanted and they were wary of others knocking him off, or of him improving as a 19-year-old next year and becoming much more sought-after. Phillips is a versatile type who does his job without much fuss and Crocker was good value late. He had an up and down season and didn't really progress into the midfield, but knows how to win the ball and kick goals. When he's on, he's on and can dominate parts of games. Throw in Treloar, Aish and Howe, and the Pies have improved their list this off-season.
Essendon
Pick 5 Darcy Parish, 6 Aaron Francis, 29 Alex Morgan, 30 Mason Redman, 54 Mitch Brown, 64 Yestin Eades, 68 Michael Hartley
The Bombers invested heavily in this draft, and were able to address a number of problem areas. They got a good group: a few midfield types, some pace in Morgan and a bit of toughness in Redman. Francis could play a part anywhere on the ground for them and Parish is a pure-and-simple midfielder, who will help address perhaps their most significant need. Eades is someone they see as a pressure forward. Their interesting call was not to take Sam Weideman, or even Charlie Curnow, given that Joe Daniher could do with some help. But those who have watched Brown and Hartley closely say they have improved since their first stints, at Geelong and Collingwood. They'll come in as ready-to-go key position support.
Fremantle
Pick 27 Darcy Tucker, 38 Harley Balic, 55 Sam Collins, 61 Shane Yarran
The Dockers had to wait a while to get started, and see who the other clubs let through to them. A tall would have been nice, but there really weren't any there, or who were worthy of that pick, after Ben McKay was taken by North Melbourne in the first round. They were always likely to have to choose between some running types and went for Tucker. Both he and Balic, whose wrist injury frightened some clubs off, were good value and Yarran also brings speed, agility and movement. Looking at this and last year's draft (plus the traded-in Harley Bennell), the club has got some good run ready to go. Fremantle had some interest in Mitch Brown but after he went to Essendon grabbed 21-year-old Collins, who should be ready to play if needed in defence.
Geelong
Pick 59 Ryan Gardner, 66 Sam Menegola, 69 Wylie Buzza, 70 Matthew Hayball
The Cats had a very long wait, and it was interesting that they opened up four spots despite their very busy trade period pushing them so far down the order. They went for a few different types: a key defender in Gardner, a mature-aged midfielder in Menegola and a marking forward in Buzza, who creates a lot of energy. Both he and Gardner played some good footy during the under-18 championships and would possibly have made it through to the rookie draft had the Cats not been sitting there waiting to see who made it to them, whereas Hayball was the more speculative pick. He'll add to the midfield that lost two youngsters in Dean Gore and Jarrad Jansen.
Gold Coast
Pick 8 Callum Ah Chee, 20 Brayden Fiorini, 34 Josh Schoenfeld, 52 Mackenzie Willis
Brandon Matera and Touk Miller (who progressed into the midfield late in his first season) were really the only small forwards on the Suns' list before they called Ah Chee's name. He is classy, quick and a player who can make things happen and draw eyes towards him. Getting him meant passing up on a few tall options, but having drafted Peter Wright this time last year they weren't in desperate need there. From there, the club's approach was to add to their midfield in different ways. Fiorini will bring skill, Schoenfeld runs and runs and Willis is a 20-year-old drafted out of the Tasmanian state league who could play in a few different spots around the ground.
GWS
Pick 7 Jacob Hopper, 13 Matthew Kennedy, 16 Harrison Himmelberg, 41 Matthew Flynn
The only potential problem facing the Giants ahead of this draft was whether they would be able to match bids for all the academy players they wanted without having to go into deficit. Kennedy making it outside the top 10 meant Adelaide calling Himmelberg at 16 wasn't the issue it might have been. The club suspected a club could bid for Flynn as early as the 20s, so getting him at 41 was a great result. All up, the club had two elite midfield talents (either Hopper or Kennedy could end up being the best in the draft), a key forward and a ruckman basically fall in their lap.
Hawthorn
Pick 19 Ryan Burton, 22 Kieran Lovell, 44 Blake Hardwick
The Hawks were the beneficiaries of Adelaide (and others), not taking Burton, who hasn't played in more than a year because of a leg injury. He was well worth it at 19, particularly when they had a second early pick coming in so close behind. Hardwick plays a similar position, as a mid-sized forward, but Burton has ambitions to get into the footy and the confidence to persist at it. Lovell is small but a big ball-winner. Not everyone would have taken him so early but the club is at a point where they need to add more numbers to their midfield. He's quick, and knows how to get involved and stay there.
Melbourne
Pick 4 Clayton Oliver, 9 Sam Weideman, 42 Mitch King, 46 Liam Hulett
Melbourne made a big effort to get to the pointy end of this year's draft, and got what they needed. They will love the thought of the powerful Oliver doing his thing alongside Brayshaw, Viney and Petracca. The Demons' midfield has some good young numbers now, and plenty of size. Weideman's had significant injury issues but having traded out of next year's first round it made sense for Melbourne to go for him. Getting him to 7 was a really good result. He will need time to get his body conditioned, but he is a natural leading forward who attacks the ball so they won't need to teach him that side of things. Hulett comes in as another key position prospect (he's also endured some injuries) while King fills another need as a developing ruckman.
North Melbourne
Pick 21 Ben McKay, 31 Ryan Clarke, 33 Mitchell Hibberd, 43 Corey Wagner, 60 Declan Mountford
This could become a really good group. McKay is a big kid (not 18 until Christmas) who can take a contested mark. At 21, knowing they had so many more picks to come, he was well worth it even if they do have plenty of talls on their list. The Roos added run from there: Clarke exhausts himself every game he plays, Hibberd and Mountford can carry the ball too, and Wagner has broadened his game this year. A competitive tall, and midfield depth: the Roos have covered some bases.
Port Adelaide
Pick 37 Riley Bonner, 45 Aidyn Johnson
Port had to wait and see who made it to them and didn't take too long to punch Bonner's name in. He shouldn't have made it that far. Their theme for the night was speed, class and general excitement. Bonner is a running defender who sets play up with his vision and kicking, while Johnson has some tricks. He's been held back by soft tissue problems - he injured his quad mid-dash on the MCG early this season in what, until he pulled up, was one of the most exciting bits of play in the game - and according to people close to him has grown up a lot this year. These are nice picks.
Richmond
Pick 15 Daniel Rioli, 50 Oleg Markov, 67 Nathan Broad
Richmond covered off on a couple of areas. Broad comes in as a mature-age defensive option, while Rioli and Markov both have spring, speed and the desire to try to do things. They're bold picks. Rioli perhaps doesn't have the body of work as some of the players picked after him but knows how to play his position and has the athletic attributes he needs to help him keep playing it at the next level up. Markov was overlooked last year, when he was held up by a couple of broken collarbones. He has a bit of an inventive streak too. Richmond used the trade period to add some blue-collar types to their midfield. Chris Yarran, Rioli and Markov bring the pizzazz. All up, it's a good mix.
St Kilda
Pick 18 Jade Gresham, 40 Brandon White, 49 Bailey Rice
Having brought Jake Carlisle in, the Saints went looking for run. Gresham knows how to get the ball and take it with him. In him and Nathan Freeman, traded in from Collingwood the Saints have found some speed. White has pace too, and a natural aggression. He's quite versatile, and was probably their bonus for the night. Had a club bid before pick 40 for Rice, they probably wouldn't have been able to get White in as well. Rice making it to 49 meant they didn't have to choose their third player from much lower on their list.
Sydney
Pick 3 Callum Mills, 51 Tyrone Leonardis, 56 Jordan Dawson
Interesting. The Swans got one of the best midfielders in the draft in Mills, swapping three-and-a-bit picks for him. Then they let father-son Josh Dunkley through to the Bulldogs even though they would have been able to match a bid for him without going into deficit. They chose two picks in the 50s over him, in effect. Not everyone would have made that choice but the Swans prioritised kicking skills in this draft, and kicking is one of Dunkley's biggest areas for improvement. He's also an inside midfielder, which they have plenty of, though he had a bumpy year and had to overcome a back injury before getting started. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Leonardis has a nice left foot and will run, while Dawson's foot skills also appealed to the club.
West Coast
Pick 28 Luke Partington, 36 Tom Cole, 57 Kurt Mutimer, 62 Matthew Allen
The Eagles were well placed to sit back and see who slipped through. Partington and Cole would both have shaped as possibilities for their first selection - they both like to move the ball - and to get both was a great result. Mutimer plays with some aggression and Allen will have some time to develop given the number of talls on their list. A pretty solid group all up.
Western Bulldogs
Pick 25 Josh Dunkley, 26 Kieran Collins, 35 Marcus Adams, 48 Bailey Williams
The Dogs traded pick 11 for picks 20 and 21. In effect they got a key back and an inside midfielder for their first-round selection. They would have had to take a good look at Collins had they held onto 11, so on the face of it they've already come out in front. Time, of course, will tell. Dunkley will give things his all; with Liberatore coming back they'll have some big bodies around the ball. Collins on his own was a logical pick given Dale Morris can't go on forever, and at 22 they'd see Adams as being ready to go if required down there too. Williams knows how to get his hands on the ball - over and over. This group complement's last year's draftees nicely.
