AFTER a bumper first round which saw 29 selections made, night two of the 2023 National AFL Draft is set to get underway tonight. Much like last night at Marvel Stadium, anticipation hinges on West Coast, who hold the opening pick of the second round.

>> RECAP: 2023 AFL Draft Night One

As is often the case, several clubs have already been in for said pick after the close of round one, though it seems the Eagles are set to hold onto it. There’s slightly less value on it in any case, considering the inflated amount of first round selections sees it fall at pick 30.

A number of other storylines are set to play out. Four clubs – Brisbane, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and Richmond – will enter the draft on night two, while three more Next Generation Academy (NGA) talents are poised to be snapped up before the all-important pick 40 mark.

There remains a strong number of father-son and academy players expected to be considered either by other clubs or their own, while mature-agers and local talent will tempt clubs as the depth of the draft drops off. It’s an even crop from here, so expect plenty of surprises among the next 30-odd picks.

>> SCROLL to see the remaining draft order

THE NEXT 10

Listed in alphabetical order

Mitch Edwards (Peel Thunder)
Ruck | 206cm | 89kg | 02/06/2005

Edwards is set to be one of the most in-demand prospect available on night two. Despite being tied to Fremantle, he is likely to end up at another club before the all important pick 40 mark, and rivals West Coast may be the destination. If not the Eagles, Brisbane will likely look for a tall at pick 31, while the likes of St Kilda and Carlton could also take on the developing 206cm ruck.

Tew Jiath (Gippsland Power)
Defender | 188cm | 72kg | 02/03/2005

There could have been a couple of suitors for Jiath late in round one, but he is not expected to last long on night two. The Hawks NGA product has serious upside in the way of his athleticism and rate of development late in the season, earning a state combine invite after debuting for Gippsland in Round 9. Richmond, St Kilda, and Collingwood are a few potential landing spots.

Luamon Lual (GWV Rebels)
Small Defender | 182cm | 72kg | 28/03/2005

Lual, a Western Bulldogs NGA graduate, is the third club-tied player expected to be snapped up within the first 10 picks of night two. The small defender is damaging with ball in hand and does a lot of his best work facing forward, but can also defend and hold his own on the intercept. Geelong is a club looking for players of his type, while Collingwood and Carlton may have a look.

Logan Morris (Western Jets)
Tall Forward | 191cm | 90kg | 05/10/2005

Morris is a prospect who looks like being highly sought after early on night two. Brisbane is in for a tall, though perhaps at 191cm Morris measures up just below that parameter. Perhaps, then Richmond and Collingwood will look to bolster their stocks in attack with another marking target. His readymade frame and improved running capacity make him a goal kicker with added strings to his bow.

Ollie Murphy (Sandringham Dragons)
Key Defender | 200cm | 85kg | 16/09/2005

A bolter throughout the year who has slid right down into the second round, Murphy could be up for grabs by clubs who may have considered him a touch earlier in the piece. The key defender ticks a box for St Kilda being a local talent, while Collingwood might look for a versatile tall. Murphy was Vic Metro’s MVP this year, attacks the aerial ball nicely and is composed with ball in hand.

Archer Reid (Gippsland Power)
Key Forward/Ruck | 203cm | 94kg | 19/09/2005

Reid is another player who was linked with clubs in the first round; namely North Melbourne, Collingwood and Carlton. Instead, Brisbane may pounce with the second selection on night two, while the Pies remain in the mix after Richmond picks. The brother of Essendon’s Zach, Reid is a nimble tall with sharp handling below his knees and the ability to roll through the ruck. Once a top 10 prospect.

Archie Roberts (Sandringham Dragons)
Defender | 184cm | 79kg | 18/11/2005

Clubs will be courting Roberts for an array of reasons, with the rebound defender rated highly for his speed-endurance mix and playmaking style. Like Murphy, he’s a local for St Kilda to consider, while Carlton is often inclined to picking Blues supporters, and Geelong is looking to expand its outside runners. It means Roberts will likely be snapped up within the first handful of picks.

Arie Schoenmaker (Tasmania Devils)
Defender | 194cm | 91kg | 07/01/2005

Schoenmaker turned his top-age season around and was considered a first round chance, but instead falls into the fray of night two. The Carlton supporter is a good chance to end up there, while West Coast will have him in mind and St Kilda may take a ‘best available’ approach. A superboot capable of clearing 60m on his favoured left foot, Schoenmaker is a damaging type with plenty more room to improve.

George Stevens (GWV Rebels)
Midfielder | 189cm | 101kg | 14/04/2005

One of the draft’s most intriguing prospects, Stevens is difficult to deny on form but is perhaps lacking of a few key traits recruiters look for in modern day players. Nonetheless, the consistent and big-bodied ball winner did his chances no harm with great VFL performances under Geelong’s eye, while the likes of Richmond and Essendon may also consider him as readymade on-ball depth.

Zane Zakostelsky (Claremont)
Key Defender | 196cm | 89kg | 14/12/2005

An athletic phenom who tore up the National Draft Combine, Zakostelsky left some of his best form for late in the season, including a best afield performance in the WAFL Colts Grand Final. He spent plenty of time rucking this year, but at 196cm, looks more likely to find a home down back where he played for WA. Expect local clubs West Coast and Fremantle to be into him.

WHO ELSE?

An incredibly even back-end of the crop is set to make picking the next 30 or so selections extremely difficult, though a few prospects are consistently popping up for clubs in the fold. One is GWV Rebels wingman Joel Freijah, whose early-season form had clubs taking note.

Dandenong Stingrays pair Cooper Simpson and Billy Wilson could find homes, along with Vic Country teammate Angus Hastie. The latter was the sole Geelong Falcons player to earn a National Combine invite, so will inevitably be in the frame for the Cats’ selections.

With Fremantle entering the draft and West Coast around the mark, plenty of West Australian talent remains up for grabs. East Fremantle midfielder-forward Koen Sanchez will be prominent, while Perth wingman Aiden O’Driscoll has interest from both local clubs.

Elsewhere, Clay Hall‘s senior and All Australian credentials cannot be discounted. Claremont’s Joe Fonti has also done enough to garner attention late in the piece, and Fremantle could dip into the mature-age pool with a player like Shaun Mannagh.

Others who have been linked to clubs include Will Lorenz, who is the grandson of Hawks great Graham Arthur, will look to join good mate Nick Watson there. Port Adelaide enters the draft late on and is said to have interest in smalls Lachlan Charleson and Loch Rawlinson, as well as Harvey Johnston.

CLUB-TIED TALENT

Three NGA prospects (listed above) are expected to be snapped up within the next 10 picks, rendering them unavailable to the clubs they are attached to. Namely, they are Mitch Edwards (Fremantle), Tew Jiath (Hawthorn), and Luamon Lual (Western Bulldogs).

Edwards, a 206cm ruck who was considered a first round chance, is now in line to be the first player selected on night two. A local talent for West Coast to take on, despite wading through Fremantle’s pathway, he has considerable upside as a developing ruckman.

Jiath is the brother of Hawthorn’s Changkuoth and plays in a similar vein, albeit still quite raw. He rose up draft boards after a terrific end to the year and will be in the sights of clubs like St Kilda, Collingwood and Richmond early in round two.

Similarly, the early second round range is exactly where Lual was anticipated to land – just out of the Bulldogs’ reach. He’s a smaller defender who competes well and is capable of taking the game on with his speed. Again, Collingwood may take him, while Geelong is looking for strong runners.

Outside of the aforementioned trio, Giants Academy member Harvey Thomas may attract a bid, while father-son candidates Calsher Dear (Hawthorn) and Kynan Brown (Melbourne) will end up at their nominated destinations. The former is more likely to be bid on late in the piece.

Brisbane has an academy product in Patrick Snell who may slip through to the rookie draft. He’d add to the club’s key position depth, and the Lions are expected to target a tall when they enter the intake early on night two.

Sydney has over-age father-son/academy graduate Indhi Kirk to add to its Category B rookie list, and towering ruck Caleb May might warrant a chance. Same goes for Oscar Hine-Baston and Coen Livingstone for West Coast, along with raw Giants Academy key forward Charlie McCormack.

Much has already been made of Gold Coast’s access to its four academy stars, but there may well be a fifth in the offing. If not at the Suns, other clubs have been made well aware of Nick Williams‘ credentials after the over-ager put together a promising National Championships with the Allies.

>> DOWNLOAD: 2023 AFL Draft Guide

REMAINING PICKS

ROUND 2:
Pick 30 – West Coast
Pick 31 – Brisbane
Pick 32 – Geelong
Pick 33 – St Kilda
Pick 34 – Carlton
Pick 35 – Richmond
Pick 36 – Geelong
Pick 37 – Collingwood
Pick 38 – Fremantle
Pick 39 – Essendon
Pick 40 – West Coast
Pick 41 – Fremantle
Pick 42 – Brisbane
Pick 43 – Richmond
Pick 44 – Greater Western Sydney

ROUND 3:
Pick 45 – Western Bulldogs
Pick 46 – Hawthorn
Pick 47 – Western Bulldogs
Pick 48 – North Melbourne
Pick 49 – West Coast
Pick 50 – Greater Western Sydney
Pick 51 – Gold Coast
Pick 52 – Hawthorn

ROUND 4:
Pick 53 – Hawthorn
Pick 54 – Gold Coast
Pick 55 – Richmond
Pick 56 – Gold Coast
Pick 57 – Richmond
Pick 58 – Western Bulldogs
Pick 59 – Sydney
Pick 60 – Carlton
Pick 61 – Gold Coast
Pick 62 – Port Adelaide
Pick 63 – Geelong
Pick 64 – Greater Western Sydney
Pick 65 – Collingwood

ROUND 5:
Pick 66 – West Coast
Pick 67 – Fremantle
Pick 68 – Geelong
Pick 69 – Gold Coast
Pick 70 – Sydney
Pick 71 – Sydney
Pick 72 – St Kilda
Pick 73 – Hawthorn
Pick 74 – Melbourne
Pick 75 – Geelong
Pick 76 – Collingwood

ROUND 6:
Pick 77 – Geelong
Pick 78 – St Kilda
Pick 79 – Port Adelaide
Pick 80 – Collingwood

ROUND 7:
Pick 81 – Geelong
Pick 82 – St Kilda
Pick 83 – Port Adelaide

ROUND 8:
Pick 84 – Gold Coast
Pick 85 – Fremantle
Pick 86 – Essendon
Pick 87 – Western Bulldogs
Pick 88 – Melbourne
Pick 89 – Brisbane