Crows, Power back local talent at AFL draft
The Crows and Power have favoured local talent on the second night of the AFL national draft.
North Adelaide's Billy Dowling was selected by Adelaide with pick 43 after a pick swap with Gold Coast. Photo: SANFL.
Adelaide traded its way back into the third round of the draft, landing prolific North Adelaide midfielder Billy Dowling with pick 43, as well as Victorian midfielder Hugh Bond with pick 50.
The Crows only secured Dowling after swapping its pick 79 with Gold Coast in a deal that also saw a swap of second and third round picks.
Dowling was MVP of the SANFL’s under 18 competition this season.
The Crows again worked the phones to secure Bond, sending a future third round selection to Brisbane.
Bond was an elite junior rower who turned to football, playing for Victorian Country and the GWV Rebels.
Port Adelaide took Tasmanian defender Tom McCallum with its first pick at 36 before securing two giant locals.
The Power selected 203cm West Adelaide ruckman Tom Scully with its pick 53 and 201cm South Adelaide defender Kyle Marshall with pick 59, the final pick of the night, after a number of clubs had passed.
Nine more South Australians were picked on the night bringing the overall total selected in this draft to 11.
The shock of the night was Collingwood’s selection of a 23-year-old teacher from Wangaratta, five years after not a single club showed any interest in him.
Impressive form in the Victorian country Ovens and Murray League earned midfielder Joe Richards a berth with the Magpies with their pick 48.
Father-son twins Alwyn Jnr and Jayden Davey found their way to Essendon as bargain picks.
While North Melbourne recruited father-son prospect Cooper Harvey, son of AFL games record holder Brent, with the fourth-last pick of the draft.
But the story of the night was Richards, who did not speak to any clubs when he reached draft age at 18, five years ago.
Port Adelaide and Geelong were also interested in him after his impressive form for Rovers, who won this year’s premiership.
Veteran Collingwood recruiter Derek Hine said they see him playing off half-back, which would allow young gun Nick Daicos move into the midfield.
“He’s a mature-age player, he plays the way that we play … he really deserves an opportunity,” Hine said.
Former Collingwood player Ben Reid coached Richards at Rovers this season and lobbied Hine regularly.
Bombers recuiting boss Adrian Dodoro was also delighted after they recruited Alwyn Davey Jnr at pick 45 and then Jayden at 54.
Given their obvious talent, the sons of Bombers speedster Alwyn Snr came to them cheaply.
Davey played 100 games for Essendon between 2007-13, with the Bombers strategically giving him a final match making his two sons eligible for father-son status.
Even back then, Dodoro said the twins clearly had talent.
“It’s fantastic … it’s huge for our football club. They’re bona fide talent,” he said.
“They’re very, very exciting players.”
Former Melbourne and North Melbourne player Corey Wagner was the only pick with previous AFL experience.
Fremantle recruited him with pick 57 after he played 19 senior games between 2016-19.
The rookie draft will take place today from 2.30pm ACDT.
ADELAIDE
Pick 17 – Max Michalanney (Norwood)
Pick 43 – Billy Dowling (North Adelaide)
Pick 50 – Hugh Bond (GWV Rebels)
PORT ADELAIDE
Pick 36 – Tom McCallum (Tasmania Devils)
Pick 53 – Tom Scully (West Adelaide)
Pick 59 – Kyle Marshall (South Adelaide)
OTHER SOUTH AUSTRALIANS SELECTED
Pick 10 – Mattaes Phillipou (Eagles) by St Kilda
Pick 23 – Harry Barnett (West Adelaide) by West Coast
Pick 28 – Jakob Ryan (Glenelg) by Collingwood
Pick 41 – Tom Emmett (Sturt) by Fremantle
Pick 44 – Isaac Keeler (North Adelaide) by St Kilda
Pick 47 – Harry Lemmey (West Adelaide) by Carlton
Pick 52 – Phoenix Foster (Norwood) by Geelong