Top three in the 2020 draft: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (main), Riley Thilthorpe (left) and Will Phillips (right). Photos: AFL MEDIA.
The AFL national draft has been run and done for another year and for 59 young men around Australia, their childhood dreams of setting foot on an AFL ground are a step closer to being realised.
But with 11 Academy or Next Generation Academy picks making up almost a fifth of this year’s selections, it means the 2020 draft was also arguably the most compromised ever.
And we didn’t have to wait long for the first bid to be matched. The Western Bulldogs stepped in with the very first pick of the draft to ensure the prodigiously-talented Jamarra Ugle-Hagan stayed well clear of Adelaide’s clutches.
Instead, the Crows settled for local product Riley Thilthorpe with the second selection overall.
With six of the top 10 picks measuring at least 195 centimetres in height, tall timber was all the rage among clubs at the pointy end of the draft.
Ugle-Hagan is set to provide plenty of joy for the Bulldog faithful for many years to come as an athletic focal point in attack, who could form a lethal combination with Aaron Naughton.
In Thilthorpe, the Crows have secured a standout forward/ruck prospect who is basically readymade after spending the majority of 2020 playing senior footy in the SANFL.
North Melbourne has found itself another hard-at-it midfielder in Will Phillips at pick three, Phillips set to gradually take over the reins from veteran teammates Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell in the grunt department.
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Sydney used its double-punch of picks four and five on key forward Logan McDonald and academy prospect Braeden Campbell, for whom the Swans matched a Hawthorn bid.
McDonald is a promising key forward, who will no doubt be looked to help transition that part of the ground with Lance Franklin and Sam Reid both nearing the end of their careers, while Campbell is a pacy midfielder/small forward who has the potential to help Tom Papley add some more speed in attack.
The Hawks will be chuffed by their ability to land arguably the best key defender of the draft at pick six in Denver Grainger-Barras, while another top midfield prospect Elijah Hollands surprisingly slid into the waiting arms of Gold Coast at pick seven.
The Bombers rounded out the top 10 with the last three picks, snaring Nik Cox, Archie Perkins and Zach Reid.
Cox and Reid are key position players, 200 and 202 centimetres respectively and look to be part of the Bombers’ plan for life after Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker. Meanwhile, Perkins is a midfielder/forward who has been likened to Connor Rozee by some recruiters – no pressure, or anything.
There was also room for some romance at this year’s draft, with Maurice Rioli Jr serving as the only father-son selection.
Rioli, son of Richmond great Maurice Sr, not only ensures there will now be two Riolis at Tigerland, with triple premiership star Daniel already an established figure at Punt Road, but that the legendary Rioli name will continue to dominate the AFL hopefully for many years to come.
With eight premierships and two Norm Smith Medals between Cyril, Daniel, Willie and Maurice Sr, Maurice Jr certainly has a lot to live up to.
Like they did in 2015 with Carlton’s Jack Silvagni, the Bombers put in a cheeky bid for Maurice Jr this year, but the Tigers made sure Essendon went zero from two in bids for sons-of-guns from fierce Victorian rival clubs.
ADELAIDE
2020 draftees: Riley Thilthorpe (West Adelaide) – pick 2, Luke Pedlar (Glenelg) – pick 11, Brayden Cook (South Adelaide) – pick 25, Sam Berry (Gippsland Power) – pick 28, James Rowe (Woodville-West Torrens) – pick 38.
With five picks inside the top 40, the wooden-spooner Crows will be hoping this crop can fast-track their improvement. And they’ve largely decided to go local, with four of the five selections Adelaide products. Thilthorpe is a versatile big man who could even play as a midfielder eventually, Pedlar is a contested midfield beast, and Cook is an intelligent forward who has good goal sense.
BRISBANE
2020 draftees: Blake Coleman (Morningside) – pick 24 (matched Collingwood bid), Harry Sharp (GWV Rebels) – pick 43, Henry Smith (Woodville-West Torrens) – pick 48
Academy product Coleman joins brother Keidean at the Lions after Brisbane matched the Magpies’ bid for him. The younger Coleman is an exciting forward prospect who has great hands. Meanwhile, former steeplechaser Sharp is a hard-running wingman and Smith is a key forward/ruck prospect who has been likened to new teammate Oscar McInerney.
CARLTON
2020 draftees: Corey Durdin (Central District) – pick 37, Jack Carroll (East Fremantle) – pick 41
At 173 centimetres, Durdin is a small forward who won the MVP at the 2018 under-16 national championships for South Australia, and is undoubtedly seen by Carlton as a contender to eventually take over the mantle from Eddie Betts in attack. Carroll, on the other hand, is a versatile midfielder who possesses sound decision-making.
COLLINGWOOD
2020 draftees: Oliver Henry (Geelong Falcons) – pick 17, Finlay Macrae (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 19, Reef McInnes (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 23 (matched GWS bid), Caleb Poulter (Woodville-West Torrens) – pick 30, Liam McMahon (Northern Knights) – pick 31, Beau McCreery (South Adelaide) – pick 44
After their trade period from hell, the Magpies headed into this draft under extra scrutiny with five picks in the top 31. Henry, the brother of Geelong’s Jack, is a spritely medium-sized forward, Macrae, the brother of Bulldogs star Jack, is a classy midfielder who can be damaging in attack as well, McInnes has huge upside and is an exciting talent because he could settle in a variety of positions, the big-bodied Poulter has great ball-winning abilities and McMahon is a key forward – the kind of player Collingwood lacks.
ESSENDON
2020 draftees: Nikolas Cox (Northern Knights) – pick 8, Archie Perkins (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 9, Zach Reid (Gippsland Power) – pick 10, Josh Eyre (Calder Cannons) – pick 39 (matched Richmond bid), Cody Brand (Calder Cannons) – pick 53 (matched Bulldogs bid)
Having lost Tom Bellchambers, Joe Daniher, Shaun McKernan and Mitch Brown in recent times, and with Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker in the twilight of their careers, the Bombers hit this draft with a simple plan – recruit tall timber. And that they did with Cox, Reid, Eyre and Brand. The precocious Perkins made waves on the day of the draft by making his intentions clear that he wanted to stay in Victoria, and he got his wish.
FREMANTLE
2020 draftees: Heath Chapman (West Perth) – pick 14, Nathan O’Driscoll (Perth) – pick 27, Brandon Walker (East Fremantle) – pick 50 (matched Essendon bid), Joel Western (Claremont) – pick 54 (matched Bulldogs bid)
There’s no chance of the Dockers being hit by the “go home” factor with this crop as it fully comprises home-grown talent. Chapman is a rebounding key defender who knows how to find the ball, O’Driscoll is a fast and agile midfielder, Walker is a running half-back who would no doubt like to form a partnership with Nathan Wilson at some stage, and Western is an excitement machine who has the potential to put “bums on seats” in the future.
GEELONG
2020 draftees: Max Holmes (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 20, Shannon Neale (South Fremantle) – pick 33, Nicholas Stevens (GWV Rebels) – pick 47
Holmes is an extremely fit and athletic midfielder who will probably be eased into the Cats’ on-ball division as the likes of veterans Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Shaun Higgins and Isaac Smith are phased out over the next couple of years. The ruck department has been an area of contention for the Cats recently, so they’ll be hoping Neale can provide a solution down the track. Meanwhile, Stevens is a classy, poised half-back flanker.
GOLD COAST
2020 draftees: Elijah Hollands (Murray Bushrangers) – pick 7
The Suns will be very happy about landing the highly-touted Hollands at pick seven. The son of former Richmond player Ben Hollands, he is influential both up forward and in the midfield. Endured a setback with an ACL injury earlier this year, but at 18 years of age, he’s already a good size.
GWS
2020 draftees: Tanner Bruhn (Geelong Falcons) – pick 12, Connor Stone (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 15, Ryan Angwin (Gippsland Power) – pick 18, Cameron Fleeton (Geelong Falcons) – pick 58, Jacob Wehr (Woodville-West Torrens) – pick 59
The Giants saw a lot of high-end talent walk out the door during the trade/free agency period so they would’ve been happy to use three picks inside the top 18. Bruhn is an outstanding midfielder who will be earmarked to further bolster what has long been one of the Giants’ strongest areas of the ground. Stone is an athletic small forward and Angwin is a promising outside midfielder.
HAWTHORN
2020 draftees: Denver Grainger-Barras (Swan Districts) – pick 6, Seamus Mitchell (Bendigo Pioneers) – pick 29, Connor Downie (Eastern Ranges) – pick 35 (matched North Melbourne bid), Tyler Brockman – (Subiaco) pick 46
With Ben Stratton retiring, the Hawks couldn’t have timed their recruitment of Grainger-Barras any better. The 18-year-old is a very strong key defender, who isn’t short on confidence in his obvious ability. And with Paul Puopolo also hanging up the boots, Mitchell is a clever small forward who could serve as the triple premiership star’s replacement.
MELBOURNE
2020 draftees: Jake Bowey (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 21, Bailey Laurie (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 22, Fraser Rosman (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 34
A sublime user of the ball, Bowey has the potential to really smarten up the Demons’ disposal efficiency in the middle of the ground. And Laurie is a clever player who is comfortable playing up forward as he is in the midfield.
NORTH MELBOURNE
2020 draftees: Will Phillips (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 3, Tom Powell (Sturt) – pick 13, Charlie Lazzaro (Geelong Falcons) – pick 36, Phoenix Spicer (South Adelaide) – pick 42, Eddie Ford (Western Jets) – pick 56
The Kangaroos have hit the jackpot in picking up Phillips, who is not only an uncompromising, relentless midfielder, but can also be just as effective when given a role in attack. North will also be rapt to secure the services of Powell, who is an absolute ball magnet and, along with Phillips, will help reinforce the Kangas’ midfield stocks over the next couple of seasons.
PORT ADELAIDE
2020 draftees: Lachlan Jones (Woodville-West Torrens) – pick 16 (matched Collingwood bid), Ollie Lord (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 49
A small hand at the draft for the Power, highlighted by Jones, who unsurprisingly had a bid submitted for his services by the Magpies because he is a very impressive defender. Could line up in round one given the tough 18-year-old played an integral role in the Eagles’ SANFL premiership side this year.
RICHMOND
2020 draftees: Samson Ryan (Western Magpies) – pick 40, Maurice Rioli Jr (Oakleigh Chargers) – (father-son, matched Essendon bid)
The Tigers pulled a bit of a surprise by plucking Ryan, an unheralded ruckman from the Queensland state league. With Ivan Soldo set to miss most of 2021 due to an ACL injury, Richmond’s ruck stocks are quite thin, so it obviously views Ryan as crucial back-up for Toby Nankervis. And how good is it to see yet another Rioli in the big time? Maurice Jr is a small forward who brings a lot of defensive pressure to the table.
ST KILDA
2020 draftees: Matthew McLeod-Allison (Calder Cannons) – pick 26, Tom Highmore (South Adelaide) – pick 45
In an era where players are required to play multiple roles, McLeod-Allison suits that criteria to a tee as he is a key forward who can also play on a wing. He is a strong mark overhead and has a big tank – qualities which every club is looking for. Meanwhile, Highmore has been viewed as a reliable hand on the half-back line at underage level.
SYDNEY
2020 draftees: Logan McDonald (Perth) – pick 4, Braeden Campbell (Pennant Hills) – pick 5 (matched Hawthorn bid), Errol Gulden (UNSW-Eastern Suburbs) – pick 32 (matched Geelong bid)
As previously mentioned, the Swans have picked up two beauties in McDonald and Campbell. McDonald is a lovely shot for goal who doesn’t tolerate being beaten by his opponent and got plenty of valuable experience in the WAFL this year. Campbell, meanwhile, has pace to burn and is sure to add a lot of spark to the Sydney line-up. And the work ethic that the efficient and versatile Gulden brings to the table will also be something that the Swans will look forward to seeing blossom on the big stage in the next few years.
WEST COAST
2020 draftees: Luke Edwards (Glenelg) – pick 52, Isiah Winder (Peel Thunder) – pick 57
Just the two picks for the Eagles. Edwards, the son of former Adelaide champion Tyson, is an inside midfielder who is also capable of holding his own up forward or down back, and Winder is a silky on-baller who has the ability to change a game in an instant.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
2020 draftees: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Oakleigh Chargers) – pick 1 (matched Adelaide bid), Dominic Bedendo (Murray Bushrangers) – pick 55
After snaring Adam Treloar during the trade period, and managing to hold on to Josh Dunkley, the Dogs’ dream off-season continued with their recruitment of academy player Ugle-Hagan. It’s not very often that a finals team gets to jump the queue and take pick No.1, so the Bulldogs really must be counting their lucky stars. There’s a reason Ugle-Hagan was seen as the best young prospect in the land. At 195 centimetres and 90 kilograms, he possesses freakish athleticism for his size and is also quick off the mark. He is capable of taking spectacular grabs, too, so prepare to see him featuring in numerous highlight packages over the next decade or so.
