It’s time.
The gloves are off, and in a very short time we’ll be kicking off the most even draft in some time in terms of the top prospects. It adds some amazing unpredictability on an already unpredictable time.
Since my last phantom draft, no team picking in the first round has traded picks so we’ll be going the same order as last time. I was hoping to do this before and not after Cal Twomey does his, but he beat me to the punch. Bleh.
I know it’s his job and everything, but could he have waited 24 hours?
It’s time to run this back one more time. One rule though, we’re sticking to absolutely no trades. They are a nightmare and I want no part of it.
Here’s how the picks are stacking up.
2024 AFL Draft – 1st Round Picks:
Pick No. 1: Richmond
Pick No. 2: North Melbourne
Pick No. 3: Carlton
Pick No. 4: Adelaide
Pick No. 5: Melbourne
Pick No. 6: Richmond
Pick No. 7: St Kilda
Pick No. 8: St Kilda
Pick No. 9: Melbourne
Pick No. 10: Richmond
Pick No. 11: Richmond
Pick No. 12: West Coast
Pick No. 13: Port Adelaide
Pick No. 14: Fremantle
Pick No. 15: GWS
Pick No. 16: GWS
Pick No. 17: Western Bulldogs
Pick No. 18: Richmond
Pick No. 19: Sydney
Pick No. 20: Richmond
Pick No. 21: GWS
Pick No. 22: Sydney
Pick No. 23: Richmond
Pick 1: Richmond – Sam Lalor, Midfield, Midfield/Forward, GWV Rebels, 187cm
This pick has whittled down to two choices between Sam Lalor and Finn O’Sullivan, with the former the overwhelming favourite at this point in time. This draft will be exciting for no other reason than to see exactly what Richmond do in the first round.
Lalor has been drawing some Dustin Martin comparisons, and you can see why with his willingness to impact the contest either in the middle or up forward. While most of the midfielders in this group are athletically gifted, Lalor is one who loves the physical side of the game.
Richmond have met with him several times and view him as the future Dusty – the guy who can move between the midfield and forward like with equal amounts of ruthlessness and impact.
Pick 2: North Melbourne– Alix Tauru, Defender, Gippsland, 193cm
Arguably the biggest draft bolter in the draft so far, Alix Tauru has supplanted Luke Trainor as the top key defender in the draft. North Melbourne have been linked repeatedly to Tauru and Finn O’Sullivan, but surely they won’t ignore a key position prospect to draft their 20th midfielder in the last three to four years. Surely.
Tauru is listed as a defender but could be seen as a bit of a utility. Tauru has played the role of marking forward, tall midfielder and defensive interceptor with the latter considered his best fit for the AFL. He’s drawn comparisons to James Sicily and can be a leader across halfback.
Pick 3: Carlton – Finn O’Sullivan, Midfield, Oakleigh, 182cm
Late rumour has Carlton perhaps going for Sid Draper or Jagga Smith, but it’s hard to believe that the Blues didn’t have a set target in mind when making a big move into the top three picks and O’Sullivan has been rumoured to be their guy for a long time.
A stronger runner with an excellent grab of the footy and a good head for the game, injuries somewhat blunted his 2024 and his top prospect status (albeit still an outside chance to go #1 overall) but a fresh start in 2025 could see teams remembering why he was so highly touted in an already excellent class of midfielders.
Pick 4: Brisbane – Levi Ashcroft, Midfield, Sandringham, 179cm (F/S Selection)
Richmond did a pick swap with Brisbane to allow Richmond to maximise their draft hand, so I could see a Nick Daicos-esque situation where the #1 player in the class falls and sure enough it’s been rumoured that none of Brisbane, North or Carlton will bid. It’s a weird situation but it’s to Brisbane’s benefit.
Ashcroft is a high intensity runner all over the field with the ability to move forward and slot goals. He isn’t quite as hyped as Harley Reid, but he can be a very special player in the AFL and would probably be a Tiger if the F/S rules didn’t exist.
Pick 5: Adelaide – Sid Draper, Midfield, South Adelaide, 180cm
Sid Draper to the Crows is one of those picks that just makes too much sense. So naturally there’s been rumours the Crows are trying to trade up to get one of the Victorian midfielders. I live in SA so believe me when I say the Crows fans have been nothing short of angry and dismayed by that rumour. In this case, however, they take their local man.
Draper is a born leader, captaining South Australia’s U/18 side this year. He also was the captain of South Adelaide’s U/18 team that won the title last year and was best afield in the decider. Adelaide is a team that needs some midfield help right away, and Draper could start in the team as soon as Round 1.
Pick 6: Melbourne – Jagga Smith, Midfield, Oakleigh, 181cm
Melbourne has been preaching taking the best player, so do they take a faller in Jagga Smith here over a bigger need in a key position capacity? If someone like Smith falls to the Demons, they should find it too good to pass up.
So, with that in mind, I’m going for the best player available for me and that’s Smith, the hyper-consistent ball magnet from Oakleigh who’s been breaking games open at will in 2024 and racked up as many as 50 disposals in a game in the Coates Talent League. A natural leader and captain for Oakleigh, he would be an ideal replacement for Clayton Oliver if/when the two sides decide to actually cement their long-teased divorce from one another.
Pick 7: Richmond – Josh Smillie, Eastern Ranges, Midfield, 194cm
Richmond are high on Josh Smillie and he would bring something different to their engine room as a tall 194cm unicorn in the mold of Tom Green and be a double whammy alongside Lalor to take their midfield into the new era. This height has been somewhat of the selling point for Smillie, which makes him stand out in a stacked midfield class for this draft.
Smillie is already a powerful midfielder who dwarfs most other midfielders, but his ball use also sets him apart and makes him such an intriguing prospect. Has some goalkicking chops too, having kicked 16.5 this year as a forward-running midfielder. He isn’t the best ball user, but that can be worked on.
Pick 8: St Kilda – Harvey Langford, Midfield, Dandenong, 190cm
The Saints have two top-10 picks and should take a midfielder with at least one of them, and they would be absolutely jumping for joy if Langford slides down to them at #8.
Langford is versatile and could start either forward or down back to begin his career, which might be handy for the Saints if they lose a defender due to injury. An excellent left footer who can let it rip, his four-goal effort vs. Gippsland showed his potential traits as a goalkicking midfielder and could be some class for the Saints to add to the mix as they look to build off what ended up being a promising second half to 2024.
Pick 9: Essendon – Isaac Kako, Forward, Calder Cannons, 175cm (Academy)
Essendon interrupts the draft to match this bid for Isaac Kako thanks to the AFL reverting back to the old rules of allowing any Academy prospect to be matched in the top 40 picks and which will net them the best small forward in the class.
A talented crumber with excellent goalsense, Kako has also played some midfield for the Calder Cannons and could be an intriguing pick for the Bombers if they want to trial him there.
Pick 10: St Kilda – Tobie Travaglia, Defender, Bendigo, 187cm
St Kilda really don’t need to add to their defense, but perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that a Ross Lyon-coached team is interested in at least one defender with their pick. Specifically, the Saints have been linked to the top rebounding defender in this class in Tobie Travaglia.
A Vic-Country co-captain and All-Australian defender, Travaglia has played all over the ground including the wing and up forward, so despite my bellyaching over the Saints picking a defender he could still be a versatile pick up the ground for the Saints. He’s been a steady riser in the process.
Pick 11: Melbourne – Harry Armstrong, Forward, Sandringham, 195cm
The Demons are crying out for a key forward for the future and in my previous phantom draft I actually had them taking Harry Armstrong with their first pick, but here they can take a steal with that pick and still get their best key forward prospect in the draft at #11.
Armstrong has leaped into top 10 contention and is exciting teams looking for their new spearhead. A superboot left footer who had 27 goals for Sandringham in ten games, Armstrong can clunk contested marks with ease and can only grow at the next level. I’m not ashamed to say he’s my top crush in this stacked 2024 draft, and I think he’s going to be a star for whoever takes him.
Pick 12: Gold Coast – Leonardo Lombard, Midfield/Forward, Suns Academy, 176cm (Academy)
An exciting midfield/small forward hybrid, Leo Lombard will be the latest member of the Suns Academy to join the team following the exciting 2023 bumper crop of players and could even potentially be the second bidded player after Ashcroft.
An explosive and dynamic player equally at home either up forward as a goalsneak or in the middle causing havoc, Lombard stands out as an exceptionally strong runner and the best small forward in the group (should the Suns play him there).
Pick 13: Richmond – Jobe Shanahan, Forward, Bendigo, 194cm
Add a key forward to Richmond’s draft crop, as they can’t depend on Tom Lynch not to get hurt anymore, and they need players for the future anyway. Jobe Shanahan has a lot of fans in the top 15 and can also float backwards as a defender, so don’t expect the Tigers to try their luck with any of their further picks.
Shanahan stands out as a strong contested mark with an excellent leap, slowly pushing himself into form all the way through 2024. While he’s not on the level of Harry Armstrong, he’s may have surpassed Jack Whitlock to be the second key forward chosen, and it’s frankly a coin toss which one will go first.
Pick 14: Richmond – Bo Allan, Midfield/Defender, Peel, 191cm
Bo Allan is WA’s best prospect and Eagle’s fans will be hoping that he falls to them after their trade, but it’s not to be here as Richmond takes the last of the midfielders considered to be in that even top shelf of the draft with the pick immediately before. Yes, a third midfielder in four picks is a lot, but the Tigers do need help everywhere, and they should be focusing on the best player available.
Besides that, Allan can float back as an intercepting and is an exciting distributor with his left foot. His foray in the midfield has been relatively recent but has been very exciting. Where he plays in the AFL will be very interesting and depends on the team he’s on, but he would be a boon for Richmond if he falls here.
Pick 15: West Coast – Xavier Lindsay, Midfield/Defender, Gippsland, 183cm
The Eagles are a team that could go many different ways with their pick, whether it be going with one of the talls on offer or still going for the best player available. The Eagles have been linked with Xavier Lindsay, the excellent kick and versatile Gippsland player.
As mentioned, Lindsay is an wonderful distributor of the ball with his kicking and also possesses great pace and agility. He should begin as a rebounding halfback before moving into the midfield. He’s coming off an excellent 2024, having won the Morrish medal and has a lot of fans higher than this.
Pick 16: Port Adelaide – Joe Berry, Forward, Murray Bushrangers, 180cm
I’m a Port guy and I’ve ummed and ahhed over this one for a bit. Port have been looking at a range of players, but especially talls. But that being said there’s something to be said for their multiple meetings with Joe Berry and the interest Robbie Gray has had in him. For context, the last time Gray was this interested in a player, Port drafted him. His name was Zak Butters. Enough said.
Joe Berry has been a prolific goalkicker this year with 27 goals in 14 games for the Murray Bushrangers and led Vic Country in the U/18 Championships with nine goals. Small forwards like these draw attention, so don’t be shocked if Berry ends up going lot higher than this.
Pick 17: Fremantle – Murphy Reid, Midfield/Forward, Sandringham, 180cm
Fremantle don’t have a lot of needs either up forward or in the midfield, but they’re very good drafters and one thing Murphy Reid has is real class around the football and a blistering high footy IQ, so he makes a lot of sense if he’s on the board here and the Dockers have done due diligence on him.
While not the fastest player in this class, Reid is an excellent ball user who has a good eye for the goals. His versatility should help him become an early pick in this class and he has the potential to break into a very good Fremantle lineup.
Pick 18: GWS – Taj Hotton, Midfield/Forward, Sandringham, 182cm
GWS are a talented list who can afford to take a home run swing with one of their multiple first round picks in this draft. Given their talent, they don’t need their draft pick to contribute right away and Taj Hotton is a draft and stash kind of guy who probably won’t play until the second half of 2025, at the earliest.
Hotton is a talented player but has fallen a bit down the order given his season ended in May due to that torn ACL. When he’s healthy, however, he’s an exciting player who can bring some spark as a midfield/forward hybrid with a real eye for the goals and could prove to be an excellent investment.
Pick 19: GWS – Jack Whitlock, Forward, Murray Bushrangers, 200cm
There’s been talk that GWS might take a developmental tall forward with one of their picks and Jack Whitlock is a guy that could go much earlier than this, given the need for key position players around the competition.
A key forward who can pinch-hit in the ruck and has some excellent ability below the knees, Jack Whitlock burst into consideration after a strong end to his season that saw him repeatedly kick bags of goals in the Coates Talent League. He finished with 25 goals in 12 games for the Murray Bushrangers and did a good job of solidifying his draft stock and likely winning the bragging rights of who gets picked first over his brother Matt.
Pick 20: Western Bulldogs – Cooper Hynes, Midfield/Forward, Dandenong, 190cm
The Western Bulldogs have had a bit of a rough time of the offseason, losing Bailey Smith in a tense standoff against Geelong. They also lost Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae in trades I feel could be felt down the line, as Luke Beveridge has made some frankly mindboggling decisions. But they could rebound nicely with Cooper Hynes, a player they’ve been linked strongly with.
Hynes burst onto draft radars with his performances for Dandenong, averaging over 25 disposals, four marks and nearly two goals for the Stingrays, and finished runner up in the Morrish medal.
Pick 21: Richmond – Jesse Dattoli, Forward/Midfield, Northern Knights, 179cm
Richmond could nab a tall here, but this mock draft had Jonty Faull and Matt Whitlock both fall and they have the pick right after the next one (not counting bids), so they get a small forward they’ve been linked to and can help kickstart their new generation forward of the centre square.
Dattoli averaged almost two goals a game for the Northern Knights to rocket into consideration on Wednesday night given the lack of small forwards in this draft class.
Pick 22: Brisbane – Sam Marshall, Midfield, Sandringham, 185cm (Academy)
A potential top 20 selection who slips just outside in the phantom draft Sam Marshall is the second of the Premiers’ exciting draft crop to help the team defend their crown in 2025.
Marshall has somewhat flown under the radar with the fanfare of Levi Ashcroft taking over for the Lions, but don’t discount Marshall as a talent in his own right. He’s yet another midfielder for the Lions who just have an embarrassment of riches in that engine room.
Pick 23: Sydney – Luke Trainor, Defender, Sandringham, 194cm
If Alix Tauru is the biggest bolter of the draft class, fellow key defender Luke Trainor has been the biggest slider. At one stage Trainor was considered the best non-midfielder of the group, but now there’s questions if he even goes in the first round now.
But that doesn’t mean Trainor doesn’t have talent, and the Swans might go for a defender here. He also has the capacity to swing forward as well, and won the U/18s for Vic Metro with a goal after the siren. He makes a good fit for the Swans, who tend to develop players fairly well and can bring out the best in Trainor.
Pick 24: Richmond – Jonty Faull, Forward, GWV Rebels, 195cm
There’s no reason the Tigers shouldn’t double dip on key forwards in the draft given their need at the position and the length of time it takes key position prospects to develop. Rebuilding teams have done this to great effect in the past as well. Think the Franklin-Roughead or Curnow-McKay combinations that were taken in the same class.
A strong runner who kicked 27 goals for the Rebels this year, Jonty Faull has leapt into first-round considerations for teams in the back half of the order and could yet rise even higher. He could stand to improve his contested marking, but he’s an incredible set shot.
Pick 25: GWS – Christian Moraes, Midfield, Eastern Ranges, 183cm
A former top-10 prospect that’s slid down the order this year, Christian Moraes would suit a talented team like GWS who can afford to take a home run swing on the talented but inconsistent winger.
Someone who knows how to kick goals, including a five-goal game late in the year, Moraes looks like a good plug and play option for the wing for the next 10-15 years. The only question is whether or not GWS can unlock his potential.
Pick 26: Sydney – Matt Whitlock, Defender/Forward, Murray Bushrangers, 199cm
The more mobile, and slightly less polished, Whitlock twin is an interesting case as someone who could play either end of the ground. Initially a defender unlike his brother, Matt has found himself blossoming as a key forward alongside his brother and is one that Sydney could polish up and then unleash when he’s ready, as the Swans look to figure out their future at both ends of the ground
Whitlock is incredibly athletic for his size if sometimes prone to some errors, but he’s worth investing the time in and I’m certainly a big fan of his.
Pick 27: Richmond – Alex Dodson, Ruckman, Sturt, 203cm
The most talented ruckman in the draft, Alex Dodson turned down a promising basketball career and affirmed his commitment to the AFL, and could be a first-round pick in this draft and an excellent pick for the future for the rebuilding Tigers as they conclude Round 1.
Dodson showed what he can do around the ground for Sturt’s U/18 side this year, averaging 24 disposals and 27 hitouts in the final month of the season and covers some excellent ground for a ruckman.
