Round One of the 2021 AFL Draft is getting closer as we near its scheduled date of November 24.
If you’re wondering which prospects everyone is talking about and the players your club might get into a bidding war over, Wide World of Sports has you covered.
The names to look out for in Round One of the AFL Draft:
Jason Horne-Francis
Midfielder, South Adelaide/South Australia
Height and weight: 185cm, 81kg
DOB: 21/6/03
The South Australian product is all but certain to be selected by North Melbourne with the number one pick.
The Kangaroos during the recent trade period even had to turn down offers from several clubs looking to pursue their pick one selection.
“It’s hard not to, and there’s a lot of media stuff about it,” Horne-Francis recently said.
“[North Melbourne] have spoken to me and said [they will select me], but I’m kind of excited to have footy as a job that you can do and love every day.”
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Nick Daicos
Midfielder, Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
Height and weight: 183cm, 72kg
DOB: 3/1/03
While Horne-Francis looks destined to be taken with the No.1 pick, the true number one from this draft is considered a flip of the coin between him and Nick Daicos.
Daicos appears destined to be taken by Collingwood as a father-son recruit, with The Age reporting that North Melbourne won’t attempt to bid on either him or Western Bulldogs’ father-son recruit, Sam Darcy.
However, that report also states the club won’t be surprised if either Gold Coast or Greater Western Sydney make a play for the young midfielder.
Daicos is the son of former premiership-winning Magpie Peter, while brother Josh is a current midfielder in the Collingwood list.
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Finn Callaghan
Midfielder, Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
Height and weight: 189cm, 82kg
DOB: 26/4/03
Callaghan is considered a top-five pick, but where he will land remains a mystery.
Assuming the Kangaroos take Horne-Francis and Collingwood gets Daicos, the next in line at the draft order will be, Gold Coast (Pick 3), Adelaide (Pick 4), Hawthorn (Pick 5) and Fremantle (Pick 6).
“I’d be open to going anywhere,” Callaghan said in a recent interview.
“I don’t really mind, I’m just happy to get on an AFL list.”
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Sam Darcy
Ruckman/forward, Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
Height and weight: 204cm, 75kg
DOB: 19/7/03
Sam Darcy, the son of Western Bulldogs great Luke, is another young gun who could easily go in the top five.
It’s expected Darcy will land with the Bulldogs as a father-son recruit.
While North have signalled they won’t attempt to bid on Darcy, don’t be surprised if fellow rival clubs make a play.
According to The Age, Greater Western Sydney has indicated its preference to potentially take a tall, and Darcy would certainly fit that scenario.
The Giants currently hold pick two in the draft. The Bulldogs will need a total of 2013 points to match a bid at pick No.2 for Darcy, but it’s expected the club will have enough picks in hand to match an approach from GWS.
GWS recruiting boss Adrian Caruso remained tight-lipped on whether the Giants would attempt to bid on either Daicos or Darcy
“Ultimately we might bid, but we might not bid,” he said recently.
“It is just a really hard one to make a call on at the moment before having done all the work on the boys in the frame for us.”
Josh Gibcus
Key defender, Greater Western Victoria Rebels/Vic Country
Height and weight: 195cm, 84kg
DOB: 4/4/03
Josh Gibcus will likely be the No.1 choice when it comes to drafting a key defender.
His destination is also a mystery, but it’s safe to assume clubs with high draft picks – Gold Coast (Pick 3), Adelaide (Pick 4), Hawthorn (Pick 5), Fremantle (Pick 6), Richmond (7) – will take be keeping a close eye on him.
“I don’t mind where I go. I’ve travelled around a fair bit which I think has helped me and I can understand how moving works,” Gibcus said recently to AFL.com.au.
“I’ll just take the opportunity as it comes and whoever picks me on draft night, I’ll go and give it everything I’ve got.”
Many scouts have lauded Gibcus’ intercept marking ability.
“My vertical leap and intercept marking are some of the biggest strengths of my game,” Gibcus said.
“Reading the ball is something I’ve always prided my game on, and I always thought if I could improve on that as much as possible it could become a real weapon for me.”
Ben Hobbs
Midfielder, Greater Western Victoria Rebels/Vic Country
Height and weight: 183cm/80kg
DOB: 16/9/03
With fellow midfielders Daicos and Horne-Francis expected to go as father-son selections, don’t be surprised if plenty of clubs are keeping close tabs on Ben Hobbs.
Hobbs will essentially be one of the top midfielders that clubs won’t have to get into a bidding war over.
He admitted in a recent interview that he’s spoken to nearly all 18 clubs.
“Every club but one,” Hobbs replied. “It’s been pretty good, and I’ve really enjoyed that process.”
Josh Ward
Midfielder, Northern Knights/Vic Metro
Height and weight: 181cm/79kg
DOB: 15/8/03
Josh Ward is another midfielder expected to attract interest.
In what’s a stacked draft in terms of midfielders, Ward has found his name at the top of many mock draft lists and will likely go as a top 10 selection.
With a time of 5:57, he recently topped the Vic Metro and NSW/ACT list for the 2km time trial.
Mac Andrew
Forward/Ruck, Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country
Height and weight: 200cm/80kg
DOB: 12/4/03
Melbourne Next Generation Academy player Mac Andrew is firming as arguably the best key position prospect.
The 200-centimetre tall, who looks destined to take on a ruck-forward role if he chooses, could easily go as a top 10 selection.
According to The Age, Andrew has drawn interest from the Giants, who have made no secret of their desire to bring in a tall, especially in the wake of Shane Mumford’s retirement.
Unfortunately for the Demons, under the revised academy rules, the club is unable to match a top-20 bid that’s expected to come for Andrew.
Andrew’s stock has been rising, and it’s only getting bigger with the key position prospect confirming he’s recently put on 10 kilograms after having weighed 70 kilograms earlier this year.
“I’ve put on about 10 kilos this year, so I’m about 80 now,” he told The Age.
“I’m still pretty light, but Melbourne, they gave me a [weights] program to do and I reached out to the nutritionists that they’ve got. The [Dandenong] Stingrays as well, I’ve got a lot of people helping me with it.”
First round draft order
1. North Melbourne
2. GWS (via Collingwood)
3. Gold Coast
4. Adelaide
5. Hawthorn
6. Fremantle (via Carlton)
7. Richmond
8. Fremantle
9. St Kilda
10. West Coast
11. Essendon
12. Port Adelaide(via Sydney)
13. GWS
14. Brisbane
15. Richmond (via Geelong)
16. Sydney(via Port Adelaide )
17. Western Bulldogs
18. Brisbane (via Melbourne)
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