COLLINGWOOD covered every list need it targeted coming into the AFL Draft, welcoming developable key position talent at either end of the ground and a small utility with elite traits – despite entering the intake later than any other club. We recap the club’s efforts on night two.

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DRAFT HAUL

National Draft:

47. Joel Cochran (Sydney Academy)
50. Charlie West
56. Will Hayes

Rookie Draft:

8. Oleg Markov (re-listed)
20. Ash Johnson (re-listed)

>> CLICK each player’s names for full profiles & highlights

After Geelong entered proceedings with a pair of bids early in the 40s, Collingwood did the same but the Magpies’ attempt for Joel Cochran wasn’t matched by Sydney. The Swans Academy graduate has tremendous athletic upside and ticks the box as a key defender the Pies can develop from within the club.

Cochran ran the fastest 2km time at this year’s National Combine (6:05), which at 195cm is quite the feat. He has some size to add but is a prolific interceptor and rebounds with dare, suiting the modern game’s shift towards fast ball movement on turnover.

The Magpies then targeted a tall for the other end of the ground, calling out South Australian Charlie West with pick 50. Another athletic type, West has good speed off the mark and attacks the ball hard as a strong contested marker. He can also provide a chop-out in the ruck if required at 194cm.

With Pies fans appeased by the recruitment of twin talls, a lively small was on offer late in the piece. Making it an exclusively interstate draft haul, Claremont speedster Will Hayes proved a shrewd selection at pick 56 with his array of elite traits off the wing or half-forward.

Hayes is lightly framed but suits Collingwood’s play style with his speed and running patterns. His ground level work and speed-endurance mix are high level, having achieved top five finishes in the agility test (7.850 seconds) and 2km time trial (6:16) at the National Draft Combine.

With each inclusion possessing a touch of flair in their own right, Pies fans have plenty to look forward to. The club had also committed to rookie listing Oleg Markov and Ash Johnson, doing so on Wednesday afternoon to round out their off-season efforts.