EVERY PICK IN THE 2019 AFL DRAFT (Part two)

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HAWTHORN HAWKS

13. WILL DAY
187cm, 70kg, defender, West Adelaide

29. FINN MAGINNESS
187cm, 80kg, midfielder, Sandringham Dragons

57. JOSH MORRIS
186cm, 76kg, forward, Woodville West Torrens

The Hawks have covered off each line with their selections here. Day is a attacking half-back who, while still lightly framed, is strong overhead and proficient with his disposal on both sides of his body. He also has a Hawthorn connection as the grandson of 1971 premiership player Robert Day, as well as being the cousin of Gold Coast’s Sam Day.

Similarly, Maginness is the son of two-time premiership player Scott and a bid for him came later than expected from North Melbourne. A consistent ball-winner, he has a big tank and can also go forward and hit the scoreboard.

Morris is a lightly-framed mid-sized forward who turned 18 only three weeks ago but impressed with his mobility and marking for South Australia at the national championships.

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VERDICT

Hard to knock what the Hawks have done with limited top-end picks. Maginness could prove a bit of a steal, rated by many as a top-20 selection.

Hawks pick always part of the family


MELBOURNE DEMONS

3. LUKE JACKSON
198cm, 94kg, ruck, East Fremantle

12. KYSAIAH PICKETT
171cm, 67kg, Forward, Woodville West Torrens

32. TRENT RIVERS
188cm, 85kg Defender, East Fremantle

It was an eyebrow-raising strategy from the Dees, taking a ruckman with pick three and a livewire forward at 12. But the upside for Luke Jackson and Kysaiah Pickett is immense.

Melbourne’s forward line retention was poor last year but Jackson will provide a target and Pickett’s tackling pressure has drawn comparisons to Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli. Their third and final pick was medium defender Trent Rivers who was a rebound machine for the Sharks in the WAFL Colts, averaging 27 possessions.

JAY CLARK’S VERDICT

Love it. Jackson does Brodie Grundy things and Pickett will be a risk worth taking when he is laying bone-crunching tackles in the forward half. Some have said 12 was too high for a 171cm forward pocket. But the game revolves around blokes like Pickett creating havoc near goal and the Demons have lacked his sort of defensive pressure in attack.

Dees believe bold picks will pay off

NORTH MELBOURNE KANGAROOS

31. CHARLIE COMBEN
199cm, 82kg, ruck, Gippsland Power

34. JACK MAHONY
176cm, 70kg, midfielder, Sandringham Dragons

35. FLYNN PEREZ
187cm, 82kg, midfielder, Bendigo Pioneers

A real mixed bag for the Kangaroos. They clearly had an eye on a future without Todd Goldstein by selecting developing ruckman Comben, who is a lightly-framed 199cm giant who is still growing. A one-time midfielder before his growth spurt, Comben played just three games in two years due to a series of severe injuries but stayed fit this year and had an impressive year in the NAB League as well as a strong national championships with Vic Country.

Mahoney is a midfielder and small forward who averaged 18 disposals and kicked four goals from four games at the national championships, while Perez is a former Victorian soccer star coming off an ACL but expected to be ready to start pre-season training.

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VERDICT

Will need some time to judge the Roos selections, particularly Comben. New list manager Glenn Luff will be hoping his first crack at the draft proves a hit.


PORT ADELAIDE POWER

14. MILES BERGMAN
186cm, 75kg, Mid/Fwd, Sandringham Dragons

18. MITCH GEORGIADES
191cm, 78kg, Forward, Subiaco

23. DYLAN WILLIAMS
185cm, 79kg, Mid/Fwd, Oakleigh Chargers

25. JACKSON MEAD (F/S)
184cm, 83kg, Mid/Fwd, Woodville West Torrens

Exciting spread of talent for the Power. Bergman is the quick and powerful playmaker, Georgiades was considered one of the best key forwards in the country before missing the whole year with a quad problem, and Mead adds hardness.

Dylan Williams was one of the sliders on the night but is highly-rated for his goal sense and left foot kick.

They were first in the queue to take hard nut Deven Robertson but instead opted to trade that pick to the Lions. Georgiades is the big one, who could prove to be a bargain after a disastrous corkie cost him the whole year. Can take a great contested mark.

JAY CLARK’S VERDICT

This is the second strong draft in a row for the Power which has topped up nicely with some high-end talent including superstar in the making Connor Rozee. Bergman and Williams will be worth watching in the forward half and Georgiades can be the Charlie Dixon successor. Port’s next generation is in good shape.

Mead finally a Port player as another forward arrives


RICHMOND TIGERS

21. THOMSON DOW
182cm, 72kg, Midfielder, Bendigo Pioneers

43. NOAH CUMBERLAND
183cm, 79kg, Midfielder, Brisbane Lions Academy

44. WILL MARTYN
183cm, 73kg, Midfielder, Brisbane Lions Academy

46. HUGO RALPHSMITH
186cm, 70kg, Forward, Sandringham Dragons

54. BIGOA NYUON
195cm, 87kg, Ruck, Dandenong Stingrays

Two months after Richmond crashed Brisbane’s Gabba party in the qualifying final the Tigers last night crashed the Lions’ draft party, pinching two kids from their talent academy. Next up was St Kilda, with Richmond stealing Next Generation Academy gun ‘Biggy’ Nyuon, who plays with springs in his legs.

Coach Damien Hardwick’s next midfield will start its career learning off Brownlow Medallists Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin. In Cumberland the Tigers have an inside bull with a clever sidestep while in Martyn they have a ball magnet. In Ralphsmith they have the best name in the draft and the son of ex-Hawks and Saints player Sean. Ralphsmith is a gifted athlete with a knack for finding the sticks.

SAM LANDSBERGER’S VERDICT

Like a polygraph the Tigers kept everyone honest last night, bidding on a bunch of academy players and securing three of them. Kudos to Richmond for doing plenty of homework. The eruption of joy at Thomson Dow’s dimly lit Swan Hill home was mutual, because the Tigers can’t wait to get his lightning hands into Punt Rd. The five teens taken have completed the senior list for 2020.


ST KILDA SAINTS

52. RYAN BYRNES
181cm 80kg, Midfielder, Sandringham Dragons

64. LEO CONNOLLY
181cm 74kg, Defender, Gippsland Power

Byrnes brings a mature-head to Moorabbin after an excellent year for the Dragons, where his ball-winning nous at stoppages caught the eye.

If Byrnes is the inside player, Leo Connolly brings the outside flavour. Sound in the transition game and well-skilled, Connolly arrives with a reputation of taking the game on.

SAM EDMUND’S VERDICT

Always going to be bit-part players after launching that trade tsunami that saw them add five players who should all play in Brett Ratten’s side come Round 1.

SYDNEY SWANS

5. DYLAN STEPHENS
183cm, 69kg, midfielder, Norwood

26. WILL GOULD
191cm, 98kg, defender, Glenelg

36. ELIJAH TAYLOR
185cm, 75kg, forward, Perth

39. CHAD WARNER
181cm, 80kg, midfielder, East Fremantle

The Swans sprung a bit of a surprise picking up Stephens at pick five, but he was always bound to be a top-10 pick regardless. The South Australian played through groin soreness at the national championships but still averaged 23.5 disposals and the creative left-footer also put his tank on display by placing third in the 2km time trial at the draft combine.

Drafting Stephens’ state teammate Gould could also prove a clever move and the rebounding defender likened to West Coast’s Shannon Hurn could prove a steal if he can improve his fitness which had been a key knock from recruiters. West Australian Taylor is a mercurial small forward talent who plays like Collingwood’s Jaidyn Stephenson and therefore fits the bill for the Swans’ list needs. Warner is a hard-nosed midfielder who averaged 18.2 disposals at the national championships.

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VERDICT

Two South Australia teammates and two Western Australia teammates. Interesting move. Gould and Taylor could prove steals.


WEST COAST EAGLES

49. CALLUM JAMIESON
202cm, 86kg, ruckman, Claremont

58 BEN JOHNSON
180cm, 68kg, defender, Perth

The Eagles went local with two emerging talents who suit their list profile. Callum Jamieson is a ruck-forward who will have time to develop while Nic Naitanui and Tom Hickey carry the ruck load, while Johnson is a lightly-built defender renowned for his precision by foot from half back.

Jamieson had 34 hitouts and 12 disposals in the WAFL Colts grand final and a season-high 39 hit outs in Round 10. The Eagles first selection is noted for his mobility. Firmly in the premiership window after the arrival of Tim Kelly from Geelong, West Coast looked long-term with its earliest picks in the draft.

TIM MICHELL’S VERDICT

The Eagles lost picks 14 and 24 in this draft to Geelong in the deal for Kelly. They were always going to be a minor player yet have added players with plenty of promise in Jamieson and Johnson.


WESTERN BULLDOGS

15. CODY WEIGHTMAN
177cm, 73kg, Forward, Dandenong Stingrays

53. LOUIS BUTLER
183cm, 74kg, Defender, Sandringham Dragons

62. RILEY GARCIA
175cm, 78kg, Midfielder, Swan Districts

The Dogs added the big blokes last month â€" Josh Bruce and Alex Keath â€" and now they’ve brought in another batch of smalls. Weightman bounces around with infectious energy and plays like a mix of Jamie Elliott and Orazio Fantasia.

The marking forward â€" who will offer the potent forward line something different â€" is just as sharp on his right foot as he is his left and will love lining up alongside Bailey Dale, beneath twin targets Aaron Naughton and Bruce. Garcia suffered an ACL injury that will see the stoppage star miss most of 2020 but Butler should hit the ground running, literally, given his enormous aerobic power.

SAM LANDSBERGER’S VERDICT

‘Austin Powers’ (Recruiter Nick Austin and list manager Sam Power) have enjoyed a super second year together. The meditating Weightman will add some immediate punch to the forward half while the Dogs are on track to win the 2020 draft, courtesy of academy star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. The mercurial forward who is Buddy-esque will ar