THE WOLFMAN’S MOCK DRAFT 2.0
The dust has settled on another trade period and once again the player movement has us all catching our breath. But there’s no time to rest on laurels, with the draft coming right up in what’s one of the most even of draft crops in recent years.
In many ways this year’s crop is a bit different to 2023. Unlike the Harley Reid sweepstakes, this year is much more even and absolutely nobody has a clue who the #1 pick will be or who the #1 prospect even is.
In terms of positions, it’s also counter to 2023. Last season was full of non-midfield talent (ironic given the intensity of the Harley Reid sweepstakes), but this year it’s precisely the opposite. If you want a midfielder, you’ll find it here.
So let’s do a fun little mock draft again. One rule though, absolutely no trades. They are a nightmare and I want no part of it.
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: Brisbane – Levi Ashcroft, Midfield, Sandringham, 179cm (F/S Selection)
So where does Levi Ashcroft get selected in this draft? It’s quite even at the top, but he’s generally the top pick for most in 2024. But Richmond also 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. For now though, I’ll have the Tigers making a bid.
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.
Pick 2: Richmond – Sam Lalor, Midfield/Forward, GWV Rebels, 187cm
Richmond did phenomenally. They got maximum value for Shai Bolton, Liam Baker and Daniel Rioli to give themselves a draft haul that only the expansion clubs have ever seen before. And they got it in quite literally the perfect draft to do it before future drafts deal with Tasmania entering the competition.
But who becomes the centrepiece of the rebuild? Well, Sam Lalor is the early favourite for this and it’s not hard to see why. 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.
Pick 3: North Melbourne – Jagga Smith, Midfield, Oakleigh, 181cm
North brought in a lot of experience but really have to break up this #2 pick given they only have pick #62 after this. Even worse, there’s no key position prospect worth taking in this point of the draft, but as the rule says we just aren’t going to be doing trades here.
So with that in mind I’m going for the best player available for me and that’s Jagga 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’s a big favourite to go #1 overall.
Pick 4: Carlton – Finn O’Sullivan, Midfield, Oakleigh, 182cm
The heavy rumour is Carlton went aggressive into moving up to select Finn O’Sullivan, an exciting midfielder who’s been emulating his game on Sam Walsh and Isaac Heeney.
A stronger runner with an excellent grab of the footy and a good head for the game, injuries somewhat blunted his 2024 but a fresh start in 2025 could see teams remembering why he was so highly touted in an already excellent class of midfielders. While O’Sullivan was considered the consensus #1 prospect (other than perhaps Ashcroft) 12 months ago and he’s not quite there now, he’s still a chance to go at the top spot to Richmond.
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. Midfield is a big need for the club, Draper is the top SA talent on the board and there’s been no secret of the love the club has for the talented player.
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. He works relentlessly, and can hit the scoreboard and already has some impressive results against older players averaging 22 disposals and five clearances for South Adelaide’s senior side.
Pick 6: Melbourne – Harry Armstrong, Forward, Sandringham, 195cm
Melbourne did well to get two picks in the top 10 this year and while Harry Armstrong isn’t as highly touted a prospect as some midfielders still on the board, it makes sense for the Demons to grab him now and take a falling midfield with their other selection. The team is crying out for a key forward for the future.
Harry 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. In a midfielder-centric draft, his ceiling is very intriguing in terms of which team decides to take him.
Pick 7: Richmond – Murphy Reid, Midfield/Forward, Sandringham, 180cm
Richmond have so many picks and so many needs, but the talent that will fall here is spectacular that it’s kind of hard to figure out where they could go here. One thing Murphy Reid has, however, 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.
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.
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, as the team looks to get better in just about any position forward of the back six as is befitting a Ross Lyon coached team.
Langford is interesting, in that he could also start as a forward or half-back at the AFL level, 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.
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, which the Bombers most surely will be doing after (ironically) trading this pick to St Kilda to get picks for the draft.
A talented crumber with excellent goal sense, 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. He’s risen in draft considerations, going from a mere first-round prospect to someone that’s more likely than not to be bid on inside the top 10.
Pick 10: St Kilda – Josh Smillie, Eastern Ranges, Midfield, 194cm
Midfield isn’t big on St Kilda’s list of priorities if they did take Langford early, but Josh Smillie would bring something different to their engine room as a tall 194cm unicorn in the mold of Tom Green and be a double whammy to take their midfield into the new generation. His 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 midfield who dwarves most other midfielders, but his ball use also sets him apart and makes him such an intriguing prospect. Has some goalkicking chops too like Langford, having kicked 16.5 this year as a forward-running midfielder.
Pick 11: Melbourne – Bo Allan, Midfield/Defender, Peel, 191cm
Bo Allan is WA’s best prospect and Eagles fans will be hoping that he falls to them after their trade, but it’s not to be here, as Melbourne takes the last of the midfielders considered to be in that even top shelf of the draft.
Defensively, Allan can float back as an interceptor 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.
Pick 12: Richmond – 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 and would be an excellent piece to add to Richmond’s 2024 draft crop.
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, as someone who can play across halfback but can swing forwards for a team.
Pick 13: Richmond – Tobie Travaglia, Defender, Bendigo, 187cm
Richmond have lost Daniel Rioli, so Tobie Travaglia makes a lot of sense as a rebounding half-back who can help fill that role. He’s got a lot of fans in AFL circles too, with his consistency and positive attitude.
A Vic-Country co-captain and All-Australian defender, Travaglia ticks the boxes for the Tigers and has played all over the ground including the wing and up forward, and so can be a very versatile pick for Essendon.
Pick 14: 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.
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 15: West Coast – Luke Trainor, Defender, Sandringham, 194cm
West Coast’s defence is horrendous, and this was before they lost Tom Barrass to Hawthorn in the offseason. Jeremy McGovern had an ageless season that could have seen him become All-Australian again, but the Eagles desperately need a defender for the future and Luke Trainor makes sense as an intercept defender who can replace McGovern when he retires.
Trainor has fallen off a bit from potential top-10 pick to someone who’s probably not going to be the first key defender off the board, but that doesn’t mean Trainor doesn’t have talent. He also has the capacity to swing forward as well, and won the U/18s for Vic Metro with a goal after the siren.
Pick 16: Port Adelaide – Jack Whitlock, Forward, Murray Bushrangers, 200cm
Port Adelaide will pick in the first round after the Dan Houston trade, and luckily for them there’s some interesting key forward and small forward selections they could make to bolster their weakness. The team does need a true key forward prospect however, and Jack Whitlock is an interest prospect.
A key forward who can pinchhit 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.
Pick 17: Fremantle – Taj Hotton, Midfield/Forward, Sandringham, 182cm
Fremantle have such a talented list that they can afford to take a risk here on a player who suffered injury in 2024 and might slide down the order. Given their talent, they don’t need their draft pick to contribute right away.
Taj Hotton is a talented player but has fallen a bit down the order given his season ended in May due to a 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 18: GWS – Xavier Lindsay, Midfield/Defender, Gippsland, 183cm
GWS got raided in the offseason and lost both Harry Perryman and Isaac Cumming to the Pies and Crows respectively, which could be a big blow to their distribution. Xavier Lindsay can be a replacement pick as a midfielder who can also be a distributor off half-back.
As mentioned, Lindsay is an excellent 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.
Pick 19: GWS – Joe Berry, Forward, Murray Bushrangers, 180cm
GWS aren’t crying out for small forwards, but I expect them to take a luxury pick in this draft (given they can’t trade given my draft rules) and Joe Berry could blossom into an excellent small forward for whoever drafts him.
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 20: Brisbane – Sam Marshall, Midfield, Sandringham, 185cm (Academy)
A potential top 20 selection (who indeed does get the nod at #20 here), 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. Marshall is a ball magnet with a good eye for the goals.
Pick 21: Western Bulldogs – Cooper Hynes, Midfield/Forward, Dandenong, 190cm
The Western Bulldogs have had a bit of a rough time of it, losing Bailey Smith in a tense standoff vs Geelong. They also lost Caleb Daniel and Jack Macrae in trades I feel could be felt down the line. But they have to restart somewhere, so enter Cooper Hynes for the red, white and blue.
Hynes burst onto draft radars with his performances for Dandenong, averaging over 25 disposals, 4 marks and nearly two goals for the Stingrays. How the Bulldogs see him would be interesting.
Pick 22: 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 more depth there anyway. Joe Shanahan has a lot of fans in the top 15 and can also float backwards as a defender.
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 chasing Jack Whitlock to be the second key forward chosen and it’s frankly a coin toss which one will go first.
Pick 23: Sydney – Jesse Dattoli, Forward/Midfield, Northern Knights, 179cm
Sydney have a strong list but will have their job cut out to shake off the aftermath of their grand final defeat after leading the league essentially all season. Brisbane however did exactly that this year, and there’s no reason Sydney can’t do that.
Jesse Dattoli could slip into the first round and suits the Swans thanks to his silky skills both in the midfield and up forward. He’s hard but tough, and reminds me a bit of Zak Butters in a sense.
Pick 24: Richmond – Jonty Faull, Forward, GWV Rebels, 195cm
There’s no reason why 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, and I would like to see them go that route with at least two of their picks.
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.
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.
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
Of course the Swans might also see him as a defender too. He’s incredibly athletic if sometimes prone to some errors, but he’s worth investing the time in and it’s not like the Swans can’t afford to bring him along slowly either.
Pick 27: Richmond – Alex Dodson, Ruckman, Sturt, 203cm
The most talented ruckman in the draft, Alex Dodson turned down a 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.
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.
