GEELONG holds the two most prized picks in October’s 2018 AFL Women’s Draft ahead of the trade period kicking off. The Cats are one of two expansion sides in the competition next season, with North Melbourne adopting an experience-first mentality.

Whilst the Cats have picked up a number of experienced faces including Melbourne’s Mel Hickey and Richelle Cranston, and GWS’ Phoebe McWilliams and Maddy Boyd, North Melbourne has gone all-out in search of experienced talent with 2018 AFLW Best and Fairest winner Emma Kearney and teammate Jemma Bruton, Brisbane’s Kaitlyn Ashmore among four Lions, and four of Collingwood’s top players in Emma King, Jennifer Garner, Jess Duffin and Mo Hope among others.

North Melbourne’s ambitious title-tilt has seen the Kangaroos penalised in the draft order, moved to last (or twelfth pick in the first round) and the final pick in each round thereafter. However, excluding Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle and GWS GIANTS who can still only have access to players that nominate their respective state, the Kangaroos effectively have pick eight. Geelong on the other hand, have been compensated as a new side in the competition, with picks one and two, as well as picks 14 and 15 (effectively picks 10 and 11 in the Victorian draft).

The Kangaroos have also only been allocated five selections in the draft (no compensation pick), with each of the established Victorian clubs receiving a pick at the start of a round based on the quality lost from their list. Collingwood was deemed to have lost the most quality and thus received pick nine in the Victorian draft as compensation, whilst the Western Bulldogs received pick 18, Melbourne received pick 25 and Carlton received pick 33.

Effectively Geelong head into the draft with four picks inside the top 10 and six inside the top 16, while Collingwood has four inside the top 20 – the most of any established club. Wooden spooners Carlton will enter the draft with pick three. Of course, all of this can change with the re-signing and trade period kicking off today and going until June 4.

Club by club picks (Victorian draft):

Carlton: 3, 12, 19, 26, 32, 33
Collingwood: 4, 9, 13, 20, 27, 34
Geelong: 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 16, 23, 30, 37
Melbourne: 5, 14, 21, 25, 28, 35
North Melbourne: 8, 17, 24, 31, 38
Western Bulldogs: 6, 15, 18, 22, 29, 36

Selection order for the 2018 NAB AFL Women’s Draft

ROUND ONE
1 Geelong Cats (compensation pick)
2 Geelong Cats (compensation pick)
3 Carlton
4 Fremantle
5 Collingwood
6 Adelaide
7 GWS Giants
8 Melbourne
9 Brisbane Lions
10 Western Bulldogs
11 Geelong Cats
12 North Melbourne

ROUND TWO
13 Collingwood (compensation pick)
14 Geelong Cats (compensation pick)
15 Geelong Cats (compensation pick)
16 Carlton
17 Fremantle
18 Collingwood
19 Adelaide
20 GWS Giants
21 Melbourne
22 Brisbane Lions
23 Western Bulldogs
24 Geelong Cats
25 North Melbourne

ROUND THREE
26 Western Bulldogs (compensation pick)
27 Carlton
28 Fremantle
29 Collingwood
30 Adelaide
31 GWS Giants
32 Melbourne
33 Brisbane Lions
34 Western Bulldogs
35 Geelong Cats
36 North Melbourne

ROUND FOUR
37 Melbourne (compensation pick)
38 Carlton
39 Fremantle
40 Collingwood
41 Adelaide
42 GWS Giants
43 Melbourne
44 Brisbane Lions
45 Western Bulldogs
46 Geelong Cats
47 North Melbourne

ROUND FIVE
48 Carlton (compensation pick)
49 Carlton
50 Fremantle
51 Collingwood
52 Adelaide
53 GWS Giants
54 Melbourne
55 Brisbane Lions
56 Western Bulldogs
57 Geelong Cats
58 North Melbourne