West Coast pounced on top mid-season draft prospect Ryan Maric with Pick 1 before Hawthorn spoiled the Giants’ plans and Port Adelaide added some surprise sparkle to their midfield.
Thirteen players on Wednesday night were given AFL lifelines via the 2023 mid-season draft, with 10 clubs adding to their list.
As expected, Gippsland Power forward Ryan Maric was taken by the Eagles with the first pick.
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Two years ago, Maric weighed 107kg and was playing country football for Drouin as a forward in the Gippsland League. Now, Maric (193cm, 83kg) is on West Coast’s list.
Maric revealed he would fly to Perth and join the Eagles on Thursday.
“It’s pretty crazy, it’s still sinking in. I don’t know what to think at the moment,” Maric told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“No beers for me … I’ve got to look good for the club, so no beers for me. I’ll leave them for my family.
“The start of 2021 is when I decided to make a change. I’ve worked hard ever since and it’s finally paid off, which is unreal.”
North Melbourne then used Pick 2 to select Subiaco goalkicker Robert Hansen Jnr, who’d also been linked to Hawthorn, Richmond and Fremantle. A lively 180cm forward with great goal nous, Hansen Jnr kicked three goals for Subiaco’s reserves side in Round 1 before playing five league matches.
Eastern Ranges’ Clay Tucker then landed at Hawthorn with Pick 3, with the Hawks opting to take the mid-season class’ top ruckman ahead of a hybrid player with their first selection. It meant the Giants passed two selections later, as Tucker was their top target.
Richmond and Geelong both pulled SANFL surprises, with Glenelg’s Matt Coulthard (Pick 4) and Woodville-West Torrens’ Mitch Hardie (Pick 7) landing at the Tigers and Cats respectively. The Cats had long been linked to former Swan Sam Naismith (Port Melbourne), but the dominant ruck was overlooked.
After moving Paddy McCartin to the inactive list, Sydney bolstered its key defensive stocks, landing 194cm Lions VFL defender Harry Arnold — a former Suns academy member that was injured for the back-end of last season — to its list with Pick 6. A 24-year-old mobile key backman with a good one-on-one/intercept balance, Arnold has averaged 13.8 disposals and 7.8 marks this season.
Fremantle’s top priority was Hansen Jnr, but the club had done ample work on 188cm wing Ethan Stanley. So when the Box Hill Hawks product was still on the board at Pick 8, the Dockers pounced.
After Essendon took exciting Perth goalkicker Jaiden Hunter with Pick 9, two ex-AFL players were given lifelines.
Former Magpie Caleb Poulter (Pick 10) became the latest Footscray player to be upgraded to the Western Bulldogs’ AFL list, before ex-Cat Quinton Narkle (Pick 11) was selected by Port Adelaide. After being overlooked by Richmond as an SSP recruit, Narkle joins Port Adelaide after a strong campaign with Essendon’s VFL side.
The Hawks, Tigers and Swans all took a second player.
Northern Bullants 200cm forward Brandon Ryan — the cousin of All-Australian Docker Luke Ryan — was taken by Hawthorn at Pick 12. He’s kicked 18.10 from seven VFL matches this season, including 5.2 from 17 disposals and 10 marks against Sydney last month.
Richmond VFL defender James Trezise was upgraded to the Tigers’ AFL list. He had interest from clubs at the pointy end of the draft.
And the Swans used the final pick of the night to select Claremont ruck-forward Jack Buller.
Naismith, as well as ex-Demon and Blues utility Oscar McDonald and former Melbourne defender Marty Hore — who’ve both been playing for Williamstown in the VFL this season — were among the top state league prospects to miss out.
AFL MID-SEASON DRAFT 2023 ORDER AND PICKS
Pick 1 – West Coast Eagles: Ryan Maric (Gippsland Power)
Pick 2 – North Melbourne: Robert Hansen Jnr (Subiaco)
Pick 3 – Hawthorn: Clay Tucker (Eastern Ranges)
Pick 4 – Richmond: Matt Coulthard (Glenelg)
Pick 5 – GWS Giants: Pass
Pick 6 – Sydney Swans: Harry Arnold (Brisbane Lions VFL)
Pick 7 – Geelong Cats: Mitch Hardie (Woodville-West Torrens)
Pick 8 – Fremantle: Ethan Stanley (Box Hill Hawks)
Pick 9 – Essendon: Jaiden Hunter (Perth)
Pick 10 – Western Bulldogs: Caleb Poulter (Footscray)
Pick 11 – Port Adelaide: Quinton Narkle (Essendon VFL)
Pick 12 – Hawthorn: Brandon Ryan (Northern Bullants)
Pick 13 – Richmond: James Trezise (Richmond VFL)
Pick 14 – GWS Giants: Pass
Pick 15 – Sydney Swans: Jack Buller (Claremont)
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