West Coast pounced on the best ruck in the class and Sydney caused further mayhem live before three father-son guns had their wishes granted late on night two of the draft.
South Australia Harry Barnett will link up with Nic Naitanui in the west after the Eagles selected him with Pick 53.
After the Giants avoided live trade offers and traded their first pick to take advantage of an exciting utility Max Gruzewskithe Eagles selected Barnett, who had interest from clubs late in the first round.
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DRAFT TRACKER: Every pick, trade and offer as they happen and the complete draft order
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“That’s silly,” an excited and stunned Barnett told Fox Footy.
Charlie Clarke (Western Bulldogs) and Lewis Hayes (Essendon) went with the next two options, while North Melbourne pounced on an explosive forward Brayden Georgewho came out of the first round.
Then the Swans, 24 hours after scuppering the Giants’ trade plans, pulled off a major shock and graduated to Hawthorn NGA. Cooper Vickery at Pick 27: Coincidentally, a pick the Hawks gave to the Swans on Monday night in a live trade to help them get Josh Weddle. Because the Swans called Vickery’s name before Pick 40, Hawthorn had no rights to match an offer.
Carlton and Collingwood made the first trade of the night, with the Blues prepared to part with their future second-round selection to take Pick 30 from the Magpies. And Carlton grabbed Tassie’s best prospect. Lachie Cowan in the Pick 30.
The addition of Cowan, Ollie Hollands (Pick 11) and Jaxon Binns (Pick 32) meant the Blues added three players with genuine explosive outside speed to complement the range of inside power already on the roster.
St Kilda and Hawthorn pounced on two of the biggest sliders in round two, with Ollie Hotton joining the Saints at Pick 35 and Henry Hustwaite in the Pick 37.
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The biggest shock of the night was Fremantle’s selection Tom Emmett — a mature South Australian perspective in the Sam Powell-Pepper mould.
It took until Pick 45 for a rival club to show Essendon’s father-son gun some love Alwyn Davey Junior, with the Firemen losing little time to match the offer. There was initial speculation that Essendon would have to match early in round two.
“It’s going to be an unreal experience,” Davey told Fox Footy. “I know dad is very proud that we’re going to be wearing the sash again for a few more years, hopefully.”
And the Bomber fairytale ended nine selections later when Davey’s twin brother, Jayden Daveyshe was taken by Essendon with their last live pick of the night.
“I was nervous but the excitement kicked in when Alwyn’s name was picked,” Jayden told Fox Footy.
“It was a very proud moment to be around him and to now have the privilege to play with him as well.”
Jayden missed most of the 2022 season after tearing his ACL earlier this year. But some clubs believe he is as talented as Alwyn.
“It was very difficult, going to dark places was very hard, but with Alwyn’s support and working on his craft and football is something that has helped me along the journey, as well as friends and family who have supported me all the way. That’s what got me through this,” Jayden said.
North Melbourne used their final pick of the night to select the father-son prospect Cooper Harvey – the son of VFL/AFL games record holder Brent Harvey.
Port Adelaide took South Adelaide’s Kyle Marshall with the 59th and last selection of the night.
CIGNE’S PREMIERE TRADE APPROACH Amid bid drama with rivals
The Sydney Swans were willing to take Academy prospect Harry Rowston if the midfielder’s bid was not matched by cross-town rivals Greater Western Sydney.
In a relatively straightforward opening night of the draft, the Swans surprised many by deciding to bid for Rowston with pick No.16, with the Giants eventually matching the offer to secure his services.
When Melbourne drafted Matthew Jefferson with pick No. 15, foxfooty.com.au understands the Swans contacted the Giants, informing them of their intentions to offer Rowston.
The Giants were presented with three options: move Rowston and allow him to play for the Swans; match the offer and pay the full price of selection no. 17; or do a deal with the Swans that includes future picks that would allow the Giants to avoid an early bid while strengthening the Swans’ draft hand for next year.
Kinnear Beatson of Sydney and Adrian Caruso of GWS.Source: FOX SPORTS
Giants list manager Adrian Caruso played a firm hand, informing the Swans they would not be changing.
Sydney would eventually trade that selection two deals later, trading it to Hawthorn, who drafted Josh Weddle, a player the Giants had interest in.
While Rowston had been considered by some as a first-round talent, his Academy status was expected to see him fall down the order and into the second round, a prospect the Giants would ideally have seen play, which which would have allowed them to use their pick no. 17 on another player before matching an offer to Rowston.
Such was the surprise of the Rowston field at the time of the offer that his father was on a tractor in the New South Wales country when his son’s name was called.
Ultimately, the Giants got their man, but it wasn’t without a degree of drama that the football world has become so accustomed to during the draft.
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