2019 Simply Energy AFL Draft Wrap

A total of 25 West Australians made their way onto an AFL list in 2019 culminating in a successful year for the WA Talent Pathways programs.

Fourteen Sandgropers went in the National Draft, three went as Rookies, two were signed up as Category B Rookies, four were selected in the mid-season draft and two as SSP signings.

It culminates in 186 West Australians being drafted this decade.

On the back of a successful NAB AFL U18s National Championships campaign that saw WA win the Championships, 16 Simply Energy WA State U18s Academy members were selected.

Similarly, 23 was the number of West Australians who were drafted onto a list in 2009, when WA last won the AFL U18s Championships.

In that year, Peel Thunder’s Anthony Morabito (pick #4 – Fremantle), East Fremantle’s Brad Sheppard (pick #7 – West Coast Eagles) and Kane Lucas (pick #12 – Carlton), and Swan Districts’ Lewis Jetta (pick #14 – Sydney Swans) were all selected within the first round.

The likes of Claremont’s Nathan Fyfe (pick #20 – Fremantle), and East Perth’s Mitch Duncan (pick #28 – Geelong) and Ben Stratton (pick #46 – Hawthorn) went on to become great players at the AFL level despite being taken later in the draft.

In 2019, WA produced three first round picks in East Fremantle’s Luke Jackson (pick #3 – Melbourne), Claremont’s Liam Henry (pick #9 – Fremantle) and Subiaco’s Mitchell Georgiades (pick #18 – Port Adelaide).

In the second round of the National Draft, six Sandgropers made their way onto a list – Claremont’s Ronin O’Connor (pick #42 – Adelaide), East Fremantle’s Jeremy Sharp (pick #27 – Gold Coast), Trent Rivers (pick #32 – Melbourne) and Chad Warner (pick #39 – Sydney), and Perth’s Deven Robertson (pick #22 – Brisbane) and Elijah Taylor (pick #36 – Sydney).

Claremont’s Callum Jamieson was the sole West Australian to be drafted in the third round when the West Coast Eagles selected him with pick #49.

However, in the fourth round, four Sandgropers found new AFL homes with East Fremantle’s Trey Ruscoe (pick #55 – Collingwood), West Perth duo Ben Johnson (pick #58 – West Coast) and Jaxon Prior (pick #59 – Brisbane), and Swan Districts’ Riley Garcia (pick #62 – Western Bulldogs) all having their names called out.

Three West Australians were selected in the Rookie Draft – Peel Thunder’s Jarvis Pina (pick #6 – Fremantle), Swan Districts’ Jake Pasini (pick #8 – Port Adelaide) and Claremont’s Anthony Treacy (pick #11 – West Coast Eagles).

While Claremont duo Isaiah Butters and Leno Thomas were selected as Category B Rookies to the Fremantle Dockers as members of their Next-Generation Academy.

Anthony Treacy was the only mature aged prospect from Western Australia to be selected in the recent drafts, but the Optus WAFL League is still considered to be one of the strongest state leagues in the country.

In the mid-season draft, four West Australians were drafted including AFL Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett.

With a draft pool to this extent it is clear that the WA Talent pathway is producing exciting and talented players for the AFL.

WEST AUSTRALIAN DRAFTEES 2019

PLAYER

DRAFT SELECTION

AFL CLUB

WAFL CLUB

JUNIOR CLUB/S

Luke Jackson

#3 National

Melbourne

East Fremantle

Bullcreek-Leeming JFC

Liam Henry

#9 National

Fremantle

Claremont

Cottesloe JFC

Mitchell Georgiades

#18 National

Port Adelaide

Subiaco

Wembley Downs JFC

Marist JFC

Deven Robertson

#22 National

Brisbane Lions

Perth

Manning JFC

Northam Saints FC

Jeremy Sharp

#27 National

Gold Coast Suns

East Fremantle

Attadale JFC

Trent Rivers

#32 National

Melbourne

East Fremantle

Bullcreek-Leeming JFC

Elijah Taylor

#36 National

Sydney Swans

Perth

Thornlie JFC

Chad Warner

#39 National

Sydney Swans

East Fremantle

Willetton JFC

Ronin O’Connor

#42 National

Adelaide

Claremont

Marist JFC

Callum Jamieson

#49 National

West Coast Eagles

Claremont

North Beach JFC

Trey Ruscoe

#55 National

Collingwood

East Fremantle

Boorgaoon JFC

Ben Johnson

#58 National

West Coast Eagles

West Perth

Whitfords JFC

Jaxon Prior

#59 National

Brisbane Lions

West Perth

Sorrento-Duncraig JFC

Riley Garcia

#62 National

Western Bulldogs

Swan Districts

Caversham JFC

Jarvis Pina

#6 Rookie

Fremantle

Peel Thunder

South Mandurah FC

Jake Pasini

#8 Rookie

Port Adelaide

Swan Districts

Caversham JFC

Anthony Treacy

#11 Rookie

West Coast Eagles

Claremont

Cable Beach FC

Isaiah Butters

Category B Rookie

Fremantle

Claremont

Halls Creek Hawks FC

Mosman Park JFC

Leno Thomas

Category B Rookie

Fremantle

Claremont

Belmont FC

Josh Deluca

#1 Mid-Season

Carlton

Subiaco

Sorrento-Duncraig JFC

Jack Mayo

#8 Mid-Season

St Kilda

Subiaco

Carine JFC

Dillon O’Reilly

#11 Mid-Season

Fremantle

East Fremantle

East Fremantle Power JFC

Marlion Pickett

#13 Mid-Season

Richmond

South Fremantle

York Roos

Manjimup Tigers