-
"It's over. It's all over." -
Re: 2021 Draft Strategy
I reckon GWS will bid on Darcy with pick 2, then Daicos.Comment
-
Re: 2021 Draft Strategy
North won’t bid on Daicos, Darcy with top pick
North Melbourne will not bid at pick No.1 on either Collingwood’s feted father-son Nick Daicos or Western Bulldogs’ father-son recruit Sam Darcy, in what will be a small relief for the Magpies and Bulldogs.
Sources have confirmed that North will call out the name of Jason Horne-Francis at pick one – the club’s choice an open secret in recruiting circles – and the Kangaroos want their first pick, a gifted inside and outside midfielder from South Australia, to know that they rate him as the best player in the draft.
The Magpies have already been told that North will not bid on Daicos, but sources at AFL clubs said they had not received any such guarantee from Greater Western Sydney, who have also indicated interest in drafting a tall at that choice – a positional need that clubs believe make it more likely that the Giants will place a bid for 203-centimetre Darcy, the son of ex-star ruckman Luke Darcy, at pick two.
If the Giants do not bid for Daicos at pick two or three (they can bid for more than one player under the system), then it appears likely that Gold Coast will bid on the son of Collingwood great Peter Daicos with the Suns’ first pick (No.3 or No.4, depending on whether there is a bid for Darcy).
Horne-Francis has been a standout for South Adelaide this year, with the ability to win the ball in the midfield trenches, play outside the contest and kick goals when stationed forward.
Many recruiters rate him as best player in the pool, though there are others who have Daicos as the best, in a draft that has been rendered difficult to assess due to the lack of under-19 games in Victoria compared to SA and Western Australia.
As pick one in the national draft, Horne-Francis would also be entitled to $20,000 from the AFL sponsor NAB as the first player drafted; last year, the NAB payment was split between key forwards Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Riley Thilthorpe after Adelaide bid on the former, a next generation academy player tied to the Bulldogs, and drafted Thilthorpe at pick two.
Collingwood have assembled 2406 draft points in their first seven draft picks, enough to match a bid at pick No.1 (2400, counting the 20 per cent discount). If the bid for Daicos comes in at pick No.4 from the Suns, the Magpies would need 1627 points, a scenario that would allow them to do further pick swaps.
Collingwood hold picks 36, 38, 40, 46, 48, 55 and 58, along with 78 and 79, but they may not utilise those later choices. The Magpies are certain to be involved in further pick swaps during the draft, as their draft picks are consumed by the Daicos bid, given that they hold three future third-rounders.
The order of picks for all clubs changes after bids for academy or father-sons land.
The Bulldogs need 2013 points to match a bid at pick No.2 for Darcy without going into deficit. The Dogs have picks 23, 43, 44, 52 and 93 – and those five picks would be sufficient to match that hypothetical bid.
North have already spurned significant offers for pick one and the rights to Horne-Francis, with the Crows offering their 2021 and 2022 first-rounders and Melbourne’s future first, for pick one and North’s 2022 second choice in return.
Horne-Francis, who is the stepson of former Melbourne, Brisbane and Port Adelaide player Fabian Francis, has said that it is hard not to see himself as a North Melbourne player “when there is a lot of media stuff about it”.FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
-
Re: 2021 Draft Strategy
I think it highly likely GWS bid on Darcy first, irrespective of their stated 'need for KPPs'. Purely from a strategic point of view, it would make sense to wipe our draft board before they go Collingwood's.
I would've liked us to explore further splitting our pick 23 to ensure we've still got some picks worth something to use in the draft.
Hopefully that's still being considered by Power.Comment
Tweet
Comment