Foxfooty.com.au predicts how the first round of the draft will pan out, including three rival club bids, plus the inside word on which prospects your club could take on both nights of the two-day event.
Watch the first round of the 2022 AFL Draft on Fox Footy and Kayo from 7pm EDT on Monday November 28.
AFL DRAFT ULTIMATE GUIDE: Key times and storylines.
BARGAIN BUYS: The 21 mature-age stars your club could steal at the AFL draft.
AFL player comparison: Jeremy Cameron.
In a draft class stacked with midfielders and hybrid types, Cadman is the best key-position prospect – which is remarkable in itself considering he entered his draft year as a promising, athletic, tall wingman with a long left-foot kick and a strong tank but without the genuine strength needed to be a dominant key forward.
Cadman had a brilliant 2022 campaign, which included All-Australian honours, NAB League Team of the Year selection and the Rebels’ best and fairest award.
The four-way mega deal during last month’s trade period saw the Giants acquire Pick 1 – a selection they’ll use to draft Jeremy Cameron clone Cadman, two years after losing Cameron to the Cats.
AFL player comparison: Sam Walsh.
The standout player of the draft class who oozes professionalism both on and off the field, Ashcroft is the complete midfielder as he’s just as adept at bursting away from stoppages as he is winning the ball on the inside.
He barely put a foot wrong during his draft year, winning almost every award possible – Larke Medal, NAB League premiership captain, best on ground in the NAB League grand final and NAB League Team of the Year captain – and dominating at every level, including a couple VFL games for Brisbane.
He’ll officially become a Lion on Monday night, most likely when it’s the Kangaroos’ turn to pick first as most expect the Giants to take Cadman at Pick 1.
AFL player comparison: Clayton Oliver.
AFL player comparison: Toby Greene.
Explosive Oakleigh Chargers on-baller Elijah Tsatas had been linked to the Kangaroos for some time last month, but all signs point to them now taking Wardlaw and Sheezel – barring a draft night bombshell.
AFL player comparison: Marcus Bontempelli.
It’s widely known the club has been debating whether to take Phillipou — who has interest from ample clubs in the first round — or fellow on-baller Elijah Tsatas.
Rival clubs believe the Bombers are leaning towards Phillipou, but also wouldn’t be surprised if the exciting Tsatas — widely considered a top-five draft prospect all year — landed at Tullamarine.
AFL player comparison: Isaac Heeney.
AFL player comparison: Callum Mills.
A reliable, well-rounded on-baller with the ability to win the ball on the inside and outside equally, Mackenzie might be the most balanced prospect of this year’s AFL draft class.
AFL player comparison: Chad Warner.
A speedy mover that can break lines with clean hands and an efficient kick, Tsatas is a prototype athlete and everything a club is looking for in a wing/midfield prospect.
An absolute steal if he gets this low in the draft, for Tsatas has been touted externally as a top-five prospect all year.
In the mix: Imagine winning the flag in late September then turning a future third-round pick into Jack Bowes (former top-10 pick) and Tsatas (a top-three 2022 prospect according to many recruiters) by the end of November.
AFL player comparison: Jack Crisp.
He also finished in the top 10 in four national combine tests, proving why he’s considered one of the best all-round athletes at the top of the draft class.
In the mix: There’s growing speculation Ginbey will slide through to the Eagles’ first selection, which would be a terrific result considering their bold move to split Pick 2 and turn it into two first-round picks last month.
West Coast might also be the first club to pick Jedd Busslinger — widely regarded as the best key defensive prospect of the draft class — but it’s more likely it’d consider him with its second first-rounder.
AFL player comparison: Joel Selwood.
Same goes for Cam Mackenzie, who’s tied to the Saints via their Next Generation Academy but rules disallow the club from bidding on him before Pick 40.
The Saints have also been linked to Claremont’s Ed Allan, who hasn’t been invited to Marvel Stadium for draft night, and fellow WA prospect Jedd Busslinger.
AFL player comparison: Blake Acres.
AFL player comparison: Andrew Brayshaw.
In the mix: The Hollands-Blues link has been strong for weeks — and was only strengthened when coach Michael Voss this week suggested the club wanted a player to “balance” the array of inside midfielders already at the club.
But the key-position trigger might only be pulled if the Blues find a suitor on draft night to split their pick into two — a whisper that’s been doing the rounds for a few days.
AFL player comparison: Darcy Moore
In the mix: The word is the Dogs are weighing up between a key defender and a midfielder with their first pick — and they’re more likely to get a higher-quality defender with their first selection rather than their second-rounder (Pick 21)
AFL player comparison: Nick Blakey
A versatile and speedy 194cm prospect that can play in any third of the ground, Allan has roared into first-round calculations late in the year — after being, at best, a second-round prospect only four months ago
There’s also speculation West Coast, which just lost champion goalkicker Josh Kennedy to retirement, could be the club that pounces on Oakleigh Chargers key forward Matt Jefferson in the first round
AFL player comparison: Harry Jones
In the mix: There’s a view among sources that the Demons, who’ve also held a long interest in Ed Allan, might look to get ahead of the Eagles on draft night via a live trade so they can pounce on Allan
Melbourne has also been linked to South Australian Harry Barnett — regarded as the best ruck in the draft class — but would probably only consider him if they moved down the order on the night
AFL player comparison: Brayden Maynard
Weddle shot up draft boards as the year progressed, particularly after his strong national championships campaign for Vic Metro, averaging 15 disposals and four marks to earn All-Australian honours
In the mix: Don’t be surprised if the Swans aren’t picking here on draft night, with their two first-rounders up for grabs to opposition teams
They could look to purely boost their 2023 draft hand, or trade their picks with a club, such as Carlton, earlier in the draft order — and the Blues have been open about their willingness to split their first pick if the deal is appropriate
AFL player comparison: Jake Stringer
They could also look at gun WA midfielder Elijah Hewett, who hasn’t been invited to attend the first night of the draft at Marvel Stadium but remains in the first-round mix
AFL player comparison: Dane Rampe
AFL player comparison: Tim Taranto
In the mix: Ideally, the Giants would like a Rowston bid to be launched after the final pick of the first round, which is one they’re also attached to
But if the bid on Rowston comes here, it would only cost the Giants one draft selection, so they’d pick again at the start of the second round
AFL player comparison: James Sicily
An exciting SA prospect that can play across all three lines, Ryan has attracted ample interest throughout his draft year
AFL player comparison: Tim English
While Essendon remains open to offers for its prized early picks, industry sources aren’t anticipating any live draft night trade bombshells inside the top 10
The consensus is Carlton, which has been transparent about its desire to split its first selection (Pick 10), would be the club most likely to strike a deal with the Swans, who’d probably get a future selection back as part of any swap
Should the Swans play a role in the second and third round of the draft, they’ve been linked to South Adelaide forward-midfielder Jaiden Magor and dashing Oakleigh Chargers defender Bailey Macdonald
There’s speculation the Demons could now trade up a spot or two in this year’s draft to get their hands on Ed Allan or Matt Jefferson before the Eagles, while they’re also eyeing Pick 19 — the first selection of the second round, which is a valuable pick given the two-night draft format gives the club holding that selection an ideal opportunity to pounce on a slider
Multiple club recruiters are always wary of the Adelaide Crows and whether they could use their future second-round pick (tied to North Melbourne’s 2023 finishing position) to get back into the early stages of this year’s draft
However the Crows will also be wary that a bid on father-son prospect Max Michalanney could come as early as the latter stages of the first round
Exciting North Adelaide forward-ruck prospect Isaac Keeler, West Adelaide’s Harry Lemmey and shock 23-year-old bolter Joe Richards — a schoolteacher from Wangaratta and one of the Ovens and Murray Football League’s best players this year — have all been linked to the Magpies by rival clubs
There’s a sense Essendon might get its draft wish and be able to select two players in the open draft before a bid comes on father-son prospect Alwyn Davey Jnr, who’s now expected to attract rival club attention in the middle stages of the second round
Although it’s been suggested the Saints will target a key-position player with one of their second-rounders, with GWV Rebels backman James Van Es linked to the club
However Gilbey, a composed rebounding defender that had a luckless run with injury and Covid in his draft year, has also attracted interest from West Coast’s cross-town rivals Fremantle, which enters the draft at Pick 30
Gun Port Melbourne defender Ethan Phillips is the other VFL prospect that could be taken by an AFL club on the second night of the draft
Richmond is expected to take a key-position player with one of its two late draft selections (Picks 53 and 62)
You can also follow the AFL draft live on foxfooty.com.au, with analysis of every pick and every club, along with Fox Footy’s social media channels
The 2022 national draft will be held at Marvel Stadium, with round one including father/son and academy bidding
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