Greater Western Sydney has nine of the first 15 selections - including the first three picks - and already it appears Eastern Ranges forward Jonathon Patton, explosive WA onballer Stephen Coniglio and Oakleigh's Dom Tyson are in line to be taken by the Giants.
There's a lot of water to go under the bridge before the draft, but let's take a look at who might help the also-rans address the weaknesses that saw them miss finals action this year.
North Melbourne NAB AFL Draft selection No.18
The Kangaroos have the makings of a first-class onball brigade so it's time to get another tall prospect. Oakleigh Charger Adam Tomlinson was slowed by injury during the middle of the year, but he's coming good at the right time of the season. He was rated best-on-ground in the Chargers' elimination final win against North Ballarat, runs a 14-plus beep test and is comfortable at either end of the ground. Tasmanian Brody Mihocek is cut from the same cloth with his championships coach Matthew Armstrong delighting in being able to call on him as necessary either up forward or in defence.
The others
Gold Coast NAB AFL Draft selection No.4
The Suns were hard-pressed to give game time to all of their early picks this year you could be forgiven for asking, 'Do they really need this pick?' There has been a thought that Gold Coast will use this pick in a package to secure gifted WA speedster Jaeger O'Meara via the GWS mini-draft, but if that doesn't happen Western Jets' Will Hoskin-Elliott would fit in nicely. Hoskin-Elliott's booming right-foot kick would complement superboot Trent McKenzie's big left beautifully. There's also a nice bit of symmetry in the fact both played their under-age footy with the Jets.
Port Adelaide NAB AFL Draft selection No.6
Coach Matthew Primus said soon after the Power's final round win moved them out of the fourth overall selection that he still thought they could get the ruckman they coveted to go alongside Matthew Lobbe at No.6. That ruckman is Northern Knights' powerhouse Billy Longer. There's no doubt ruck is an area of need for the Power and if GWS doesn't swoop on Longer at No.5 then Port will have a tough decision to make. Longer dominated the hit-outs at both the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and at TAC Cup level this year and is highly regarded for his leadership qualities.
If Longer is gone there is every chance courageous local onballer Chad Wingard will still be available. Wingard's commitment and hardness at the ball is unquestioned, his disposal is elite off both feet and he is capable of having an immediate impact in a team that could do with an injection of aggression.
Brisbane Lions NAB AFL Draft selection No.8
With Luke Power's retirement and Simon Black in his twilight years, a midfielder is on the agenda. There should still be several prime candidates available at this point, but prolific Oakleigh Chargers ball winner Toby Greene would sit nicely alongside the likes of Daniel Rich, Jared Polec and Tom Rockliff. Greene just knocks up getting possessions, loves the tough stuff and can think his way through contested situations. He's not super-quick, but he will often buy himself time by making opponents believe he's going one way then slipping a handball off elsewhere.
Dandenong Stingrays' Matthew Buntine is another who would sit comfortably in this range. He's the best reader of the play in the draft and his creativity coming out of the back half will be an asset for whichever team nabs him for the next decade.
Adelaide NAB AFL Draft selection No.10
Adelaide needs an injection of line-breaking speed and creativity as it embarks on the post-Neil Craig era so the Crows would be delighted if Sandringham Dragons speedster Liam Sumner is available at this pick. Sumner has excellent goal sense and the ability to arch his back and break away from a pack with a burst of speed.
Eastern Ranges' small forward Hayden Crozier - he's the one who took that screamer against WA during the champs - is a similar type of player and could also be an option at No.10, as would Geelong Falcons livewire Devon Smith.
Melbourne NAB AFL Draft selection No.12
The Dees' have high hopes for Jack Watts and Lucas Cook, who they took at No.12 at last year's draft, but they could do with an aggressive presence up forward. Todd Elton, a 197cm forward for the Dandenong Stingrays, wasn't prominent during the NAB AFL U18 Championships thanks to an infected spider bite on his arm but he's starting to show why he was rated so highly early in the year of late. He took nine contested marks against the Pioneers in the last round of the TAC Cup and booted three goals.
There's no immediate replacement for Tom Scully should he decide to take the bait and head to GWS so the Geelong Falcons' Taylor Adams might enter their thinking. A fiercely competitive midfielder, Adams won All Australian honours at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and is a neat disposer of the footy.
Richmond NAB AFL Draft selection No.14
The Tigers' main area of need, the ruck division, looks set to be addressed via the trade period and Damien Hardwick seems pretty happy with his key talls at either end of the ground, so a further injection of midfield class is on the cards. SA left footer Brad McKenzie may still available, but Western Jets midfielder Elliot Kavanagh would also fit the bill nicely. He's a tough competitor who was slowed by a serious hamstring complaint earlier in the year and didn't take part in the championships as a result. He showed he was on his way back to his best with 23 possessions against the Falcons late in the season. He can play inside and out and his addition would give the Tigers' onball brigade a potency and depth that would carry the club onto bigger and better things.
Fremantle NAB AFL Draft selection No.16
Mark Harvey will be hopeful of snaring a key defender to stiffen up his back six at this draft. The Calder Cannons' Michael Talia is a highly rated tall defender who had a bit of a lull after being named All Australian at the national champs, thanks mainly to a groin injury, but his class showed through in the first week of the TAC Cup finals.
He got the better of fellow draft hopeful Todd Elton in their qualifying final match-up and also racked up 27 possessions. He's an excellent shutdown defender, but has started to show that he will give you some run out of the back half as well.
Teammate Brandon Ellis was brilliant across half-back in the same game, with his distribution from his 28 touches making him worthy of consideration by Fremantle if the club's recruiters are looking for a cool head down back.
Western Bulldogs NAB AFL Draft selection No.17
With Jarrod Harbrow's departure and Lindsay Gilbee's struggles, the Dogs could do with a bit more run and carry out of defence and Gippsland Power defender Sam Docherty can do just that. The 183cm half-back flanker takes the kick-ins for the Power and burst onto the scene for Vic Country with two games left in the champs. His ability to find a target would be an asset right out of the box for the Bulldogs. The injury issues of Brian Lake and Tom Williams might see the Dogs go for a tall defender, with Talia an option around this pick.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
