AFL Draft 2023: Who got picked, how your club fared

The 2023 AFL draft top 3: West Coast’s Harley Reid (main), North Melbourne’s Colby McKercher (top right), Gold Coast’s Jed Walter (bottom right)

ADELAIDE
2023 draftees: Daniel Curtin (Claremont) – pick 8, Charlie Edwards (Sandringham Dragons) – 21, Oscar Ryan (Murray Bushrangers) – 27
On the first night, the Crows traded up for the Giants’ pick eight to get their hands on Curtin. And you can understand why considering the Claremont product is the best-rated key defender in the draft, who was touted as a top-three pick heading in. But making him such a unique talent is that he also has the attributes of an on-baller. At his height (197cm), with an ability to play a variety of positions, Curtin looks set to become a valuable addition to Adelaide’s line-up for many years to come. Edwards is a strongly-built midfielder with very good aerobic capacity and powerful burst of speed from a standing start, while Ryan is a rock solid backman who was one of the bolters of the draft and not expected to go in the first round. His eye-catching rebounding ability no doubt played a role in the Crows calling his name early.

BRISBANE
2023 draftees: Logan Morris (Western Jets) – pick 31, Luke Lloyd (Sandringham Dragons) – 42, Zane Zakostelsky (Claremont) – 51, Reece Torrent (Peel Thunder) – 64
Morris is a medium forward who is a strong marking target, and kicked four goals against WA in the under-18 championships, but also had some experience playing in defence. He made the Coates League team of the year at full forward. Lloyd is a very talented medium-sized forward at 193cm who can play the link-up role higher up the ground, and can also kick bags of goals. Brisbane got pick 51 from Gold Coast, in exchange for a future fourth-round pick, and took athletic 196cm key position player Zakostelsky who looks best suited to defence at this stage of his career. Torrent, the last pick of the draft, is a wingman who has great composure, athleticism and doesn’t take a backward step.

CARLTON
2023 draftees: Ashton Moir (Glenelg) – pick 29, Billy Wilson (Dandenong Stingrays) – 34
Moir has the potential to become a Carlton fan favourite very quickly with his freakish talents sure to provide excitement in the Blues’ forward line when he breaks into the senior team. The Glenelg product has electrifying skills, can take big marks and knows exactly where the goals are. Could be one of the bargains of the draft because before his 2023 was ravaged by injury, he was seen as a potential top-10 player. While Moir is a slider, Wilson looks like a bolter who was originally predicted to be a later pick. The speedy defender finished the year strong, and is also capable of playing in the midfield. A hard runner who breaks the lines.

COLLINGWOOD
2023 draftees: Harry De Mattia (Dandenong Stingrays) – pick 25, Tew Jiath (Gippsland Power) – 37
De Mattia is a fast, strong and explosive on-baller who has the ability to bullock his way through traffic. The Pies’ top pick of 2023 also possesses fantastic defensive attributes, and his pressure acts which see him regularly mow down opponents will endear him to the Collingwood hierarchy quickly. If need be, the versatile De Mattia can genuinely play in any part of the ground, making him a potentially exciting utility of the future. Jiath is an impactful backman like his brother Changkuoth is at Hawthorn. The younger Jiath went to another level in the second half of the year, and averaged seven intercept possessions in 10 games for Gippsland. He was a Hawthorn academy player, but the Pies scuppered any hopes of a family reunion because he was selected before pick 40, preventing a Hawks bid match.

ESSENDON
2023 draftees: Nate Caddy (Northern Knights) – pick 10, Luamon Lual (GWV Rebels) – 39, Archie Roberts (Sandringham Dragons) – 54
In round one, Essendon traded up from pick 11 to the Cats’ pick 10 to snare Caddy who is a strong medium-sized power forward in the Jake Stringer mould. The nephew of dual Richmond premiership player Josh, Caddy has a big leap, a beautiful pair of hands and can turn a game on its head. Despite injury and illness impacting his final year at underage level, Caddy still wowed onlookers with some exceptional displays for Vic Metro at the national championships. Lual is an aggressive rebounding defender, who can drift forward for a goal like new teammate Mason Redman. He possesses class and great evasive skills, and could end up as a midfielder. Lual was a Bulldogs academy player, and if he went a pick later, the Dogs could have matched the bid, but the Dons beat them to the punch with the last pick before 40. Later on, Essendon traded for Richmond’s pick 54 and got Roberts who is a midfielder that was touted as a potential top 25 pick due to his speed and superb skills.

FREMANTLE
2023 draftees: Cooper Simpson (Dandenong Stingrays) – pick 35, Ollie Murphy (Sandringham Dragons) – 41, Jack Delean (South Adelaide) – 60
The Dockers traded up for Richmond’s pick 35, and got their hands on Simpson who is a quick and clean midfielder with strong leadership qualities. Touted as a potential top-20 player, an ankle injury in the middle of the year saw him slide down the order and into the waiting arms of the Dockers who might look back on this selection as a bargain in the years to come. A two-way runner, Simpson is a smooth mover with sound disposal on both sides of his body, and can weave through traffic like a hot knife through butter. Murphy is a key defender who is very good overhead, and was the MVP this year for Vic Metro. He too is viewed as a slider who was expected to be taken in the 20s. And Delean is an exciting goalkicker who is a small forward that plays a bit like Cody Weightman given he also has a huge leap.

GEELONG
2023 draftees: Connor O’Sullivan (Murray Bushrangers) – pick 11, Mitchell Edwards (Peel Thunder) – 32, Shaun Mannagh (Werribee) – 36, George Stevens (GWV Rebels) – 58, Oliver Wiltshire (Barwon Heads) – 61, Lawson Humphries (Swan Districts) – 63
O’Sullivan is a bona fide swing man who can play key posts at either end of the ground with aplomb. A sublime user of the footy, he has a massive spring at 198cm tall and runs all day. The Murray product is often two or three steps ahead of the play and knows how to get back behind the ball to thwart opposition forays with important intercept marks. Edwards is a towering ruckman already standing 206cm tall and has long reach. He was a Fremantle academy player, but the Dockers couldn’t match Geelong as he was taken before pick 40. At 26, Mannagh finally gets his chance at the big time as a mature-age selection after starring at VFL level for the last few years, most notably in this year’s grand final with a best-on-ground performance that saw him kick six goals from 28 disposals in a losing team. Stevens is a midfield bull who loves the contest and was expected to be drafted in the first round, 21-year-old Wiltshire is another local product like Tom Stewart, but unlike the superstar defender, he is a small forward, and Humphries (20) is Geelong’s third mature-age draftee who is a defender with speed and agility.

GOLD COAST
2023 draftees: Jed Walter (Palm Beach Currumbin) – pick 3, Ethan Read (Palm Beach Currumbin) – 9, Jake Rogers (Broadbeach) – 14, Will Graham (Palm Beach Currumbin) – 26
With four academy players all touted as first-round prospects, and even with a stockpile of picks accrued during the trade period to ensure they had enough points to match bids for them, the Suns went even further on Monday night with a host of other pick swaps to guarantee they would recruit the talented quartet. And it was a good thing they did, because they were able to successfully match bids from North Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney and Adelaide for Walter, Read, Rogers and Graham respectively. Walter is a young key forward who has the potential to become an important pillar of their forward line for the next decade. With sensational contested marking capabilities, ferocious defensive pressure and pack-splitting strength, he could form a very dangerous combination with the likes of Ben King and Jack Lukosius in attack. At 202cm tall, Read is seen as the best ruckman of the draft and with elite endurance as well, he promises to be a serious weapon of the future. Rogers might be short at 170cm, but his raw pace, talent and quick-thinking make him one of the most exciting players at this year’s draft. And Graham is a damaging accumulator who has strength and speed in spades, and can play either in the midfield or defence.

GWS
2023 draftees: Phoenix Gothard (Murray Bushrangers) – pick 12, James Leake (Tasmania Devils) – 17, Joseph Fonti (Claremont) – 44, Harvey Thomas (Turvey Park) – 59
The Giants pulled a huge surprise on night one of the draft when they selected Gothard who wasn’t expected to go until the 30s. In fact, he only attended Marvel Stadium to support fellow Murray teammate O’Sullivan who was taken by Geelong a pick before him. But GWS went after Gothard because the small forward has an uncanny knack of making things happen and with his ingenuity, he might find himself forming an effective partnership with the likes of Toby Greene and Brent Daniels in the years to come. Meanwhile, Leake is one of the most gifted utilities at this year’s draft, capable of plugging a hole wherever he is needed. His potential to be moulded into basically any kind of player that the Giants see fit no doubt made him an enticing prospect. Fonti is a beautiful mover who likes to take the game on playing across half-back, and Thomas, a GWS academy player, is also a utility, who has lovely skills and can have an impact from the back half as well.

HAWTHORN
2023 draftees: Nick Watson (Eastern Ranges) – pick 5, William McCabe (Central District) – 19, Bodie Ryan (Glenelg) – 46, Calsher Dear (Sandringham Dragons) – 56
At just 170cm tall, what Watson lacks in height he more than makes up for in talent and evasiveness. And despite his small stature, Watson can take a big mark too. He plays with spunk like new teammate Jack Ginnivan, and is sure to terrorise opposition backlines for years to come. Father-son pick McCabe is a key defender who is the son of former Hawk Luke. In order to draft him, the Hawks matched North’s bid. Ryan is a very good rebounding defender that takes the game on and caught the attention of recruits with an outstanding performance on No.1 pick Harley Reid at the national championships. The heartwarming moment of the night came with the Hawks’ last pick when they selected late premiership star Paul Dear’s son Calsher as a father-son pick. Calsher is a key forward who finished the year strong at Sandringham. Paul tragically lost his life this year to pancreatic cancer.

MELBOURNE
2023 draftees: Caleb Windsor (Eastern Ranges) – pick 7, Koltyn Tholstrup (Subiaco) – 13
One of the most gifted wingmen of the draft, Windsor has pace to burn and can kill opposition teams on the outside. But he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty either with his penchant for executing crucial tackles a feature of his game as well. If called upon, he has no issues playing on the ball either, making him an incredibly versatile midfield option. At 186cm, Tholstrup is a powerful medium forward who is a brilliant user of the ball and has no shortage of confidence. Coupled with his unique name, he could quickly become a Melbourne cult figure. Playing 10 senior games in the WAFL this year fast-tracked his development, and his coolness and calmness under pressure, especially when the ball is in dispute, make him one of the players to watch.

NORTH MELBOURNE
2023 draftees: Colby McKercher (Tasmania Devils) – pick 2, Zane Duursma (Gippsland Power) – 4, Taylor Goad (South Adelaide) – 20, Wil Dawson (Gippsland Power) – 22, Riley Hardeman (Swan Districts) – 23
Like the Suns, the Kangaroos scored a first-round windfall with five picks inside the top 23. McKercher is a silky-skilled left-footed midfielder whose final year at underage level was hampered by a foot injury, but that didn’t put off North at all, and rightfully so. With pace to burn and supreme ball-winning abilities, the Kangaroos are going to be very excited to add him to a young core that already features Rising Star winner Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw. Averaging 27 disposals in four games with the Allies this year, as well as 29 touches with Tasmania in nine games in the under-18 comp, McKercher absolutely had his way with opposition sides all year and is fully capable of slotting straight into North’s midfield by Round 1 next year. Duursma is a classy forward who booted 33 goals in just 12 matches this year and is a very hard player to match up on. With his smarts and burst of speed, Duursma is able to drift across packs and take big grabs and promises to complement star North goalkicker Nick Larkey. Goad and Dawson are a pair of promising ruck prospects who North will hope help fill the void left by Todd Goldstein, while Hardeman is one of the most exciting defensive prospects of the draft with his high footy IQ and beautiful skills two of his most impressive traits.

PORT ADELAIDE
2023 draftees: Thomas Anastasopoulos (Geelong Falcons) – pick 48, Lachlan Charleson (GWV Rebels) – 52, Will Lorenz (Oakleigh Chargers) – 57
Anastasopoulos is a speedy small forward with intensity and tackling pressure, who earned attention after a five-goal haul early in the season, earning a place in Vic Country’s squad for the National Championships and whose pace impressed at the Draft Combine. Charleson, another small forward, booted eight goals for GWV Rebels late in the season, and also played for Vic Country in the National Championships. Lorenz, the grandson of former Hawthorn premiership captain and AFL Hall of Fame member Graham Arthur, is a left-footed wingman/forward with good speed and a neat step, who mixed his football between Marcellin College and Oakleigh Chargers this year, playing for an Australian under 18 team against Port Adelaide (SANFL) and Carlton (VFL).

RICHMOND
2023 draftees:Kane McAuliffe (North Adelaide) – pick 40, Liam Fawcett (Central District) – 43
Richmond twice traded picks back for future third-round selections, the Tigers eventually using their first pick of the evening (No. 40 overall) on North Adelaide midfielder Kane McAuliffe, a prolific ball-winner expected to quickly challenge for a spot at AFL level. Richmond’s second selection came at No. 43, and was used on Central District key forward Liam Fawcett, who booted 32 goals in 16 games this year.

ST KILDA
2023 draftees: Darcy Wilson (Murray Bushrangers) – pick 18, Lance Collard (Subiaco) – 28, Angus Hastie (Geelong Falcons) – 33, Hugo Garcia (Calder Cannons) – 50, Arie Schoenmaker (Tasmania Devils) – 62
The Saints have certainly added some pace to their list over the off-season, a priority for coach Ross Lyon, first trading in former Fremantle dasher in Liam Henry, and now adding some more speedsters in Wilson, Collard, Hastie and Garcia. Tasmanian key defender Schoenmaker, meanwhile, was something of a “slider” before being picked up by the Saints with their fifth and final pick.

SYDNEY
2023 draftees:Will Green (Northern Knights) – pick 16, Caiden Cleary (Sydney University) – 24, Patrick Snell (Wilston Grange) – 53
The Swans are excited about Will Green, who was considered one of the most highly-rated ruck prospects in the draft, selected as the starting ruck in the Team of the Year having also been named in the All-Australian side despite only playing three of a possible four games. Sydney also adds to the mix a talented midfielder in Academy product Caiden Cleary, as well as a promising rebounding defender, formerly a junior forward, in Patrick Snell.

WEST COAST
2023 draftees:Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers) – pick 1, Archer Reid (Gippsland Power) – 30, Clay Hall (Peel Thunder) – 38, Harvey Johnston (Sandringham Dragons) – 49
Much-discussed junior prodigy Harley Reid is obviously the biggest headline for the Eagles, who were disappointed at being unable to also nab WA key defender Daniel Curtin. But they’ve hardly emerged without hope, adding mobile forward target Archer Reid, a big-bodied mid in Clay Hall, and eye-catching forward/mid Harvey Johnston.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
2023 draftees:Ryley Sanders (Sandringham Dragons) – pick 6, Jordan Croft (Calder Cannons) – 15, Joel Freijah (Greater Western Victoria Rebels) – 45, Lachlan Smith (Gippsland Power) – 47, Aiden O’Driscoll (Perth) – 55
The Dogs did their best work on the first night of the draft landing ball-magnet Sanders and a highly-rated father-son in Croft. Freijah, meanwhile, is a hard-running wingman, Smith a clever developing ruck who will be given plenty of time, and O’Driscoll, the younger brother of Fremantle pair Nathan and Emma, is a pacy wingman who can hit the scoreboard.