Jaxon Artemis tipped to go No.1 as Essendon Bombers, Richmond Tigers eye talent
Updated ,first published
As the AFL prepares for clubs to make up to 19 selections on Tuesday night, Richmond is eyeing a key defender playing with the Geelong VFL in the mid-season rookie draft.
Essendon, who dropped to the bottom of the table after losing to Richmond on Friday night, are expected to select Tasmania Devils VFL defender Jaxon Artemis at No.1.
Meanwhile, the injury-plagued Tigers are in a good position to use the secondary to protect 200-centimetre-tall Kye Annand from Ocean Grove.
Annand attracted the attention of a number of clubs higher up in the draft on Tuesday night; Many clubs, including West Coast, North Melbourne and St Kilda, are wondering whether they will make their own choices.
Competition sources think Western Australian run defender Artemis, who has strong VFL form with the Devils, is the likely No.1 pick.
Richmond, who is not yet focusing on his selections, also had the opportunity to scout VFL player Sam Toner. While Toner is in good form with the Tigers, the Bombers have Nick Starapoli on their schedule, who has fans between clubs.
Annand, 22, did not play for the Geelong VFL against Sydney on Saturday. He was among those managed as he prepared to start his AFL career. He played alongside Richmond new recruit Patrick Retschko in the Cats VFL program last season.
Retschko, who was traded to the Tigers last year, was one of the best players on the field at Dreamtime in Friday night’s ‘G game.
Annand has established himself well in the Cats VFL program this season as a key defender who can pin down kicks from the back or go forward after being tackled. He played his football at Ocean Grove before joining South Barwon as the feeder club for the VFL program this year.
The West Coast Eagles, who have the third pick in the draft, have the potential to take two players but only one selection may be made depending on who remains available. He has been linked with South Australian ruckman Caleb May, who shed eight stone in pre-season before having an excellent season for West Adelaide.
The Magpies can add three players to their list after defender Reef McInnes suffered the same fate in April, losing ruckman Oscar Steene and star forward Jamie Elliott suffering season-ending knee injuries. Collingwood’s win over West Coast in Scott Pendlebury’s record-breaking match means No. 9 will be their first pick after breaking into the top 10 in the rankings.
The back pool is large but difficult to assess with Carlton VFL player Flynn Riley, Frankston’s Harrison Coe and Tassie Devils’ Max Mapley at the top of the pool. Competition sources expect the Blues to select Riley with the fourth pick. Port Adelaide has been linked with Archie Van Dyk.
The Magpies also have their eye on Frankston’s Jackson Voss, son of former Saint and Lion Brett, and Williamstown’s Hugo Hall-Kahan, who the Sydney Swans selected in the 2021 mid-season draft. Hall-Kahan remained on the Swans’ list for two seasons but did not play an AFL match. They have also shown interest in Coburg forward Mitch Podhajski.
North Melbourne, who selected six men, will make one selection, while the Giants and Suns will not make one. Kangaroos VFL player Xavier Bamert, inside and below, has a chance of being added to the senior list.
The Saints, who selected outstanding midfielder Max Hall in the 2023 mid-season draft, have been linked with Sandringham’s Ollie Griffin and Adelaide’s Tom Bell. They will have the eighth selection, with competition sources saying the Demons have their eye on Joel Fitzgerald after selecting 10th.
Other candidates include West Perth’s Kane Bevan, Geelong’s Marcus Herbert, Port Melbourne’s Josh Tovey and Western Jets Noah McMenamin.
Apart from the Saints’ Hall, the mid-season draft gave opportunities to Gold Coast’s John Noble, Essendon’s Sam Durham, Collingwood’s Ned Long and Roan Steele, Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe, West Coast’s Tom McCarthy and the Western Bulldogs’ Michael Sellwood. The Tigers selected dual premiership player Marlion Pickett in the first midseason draft in 2019.
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