Chris Davies on Port Adelaide’s pick swap with Brisbane:

“We were really keen to get another pick in this year’s first round.

“Obviously we are giving up next year’s first round draft pick to do it, but we want to have another pick this year.

“Next year is a more compromised draft from the number of players tied to either father-sons or NGA (Next Generation Academies), so we thought we would go down the path of having an extra pick this year.

“It’s really exciting for the club. To be able to bring in three first round picks - and depending on where bids fall for Jackson Mead - would be a really good outcome for the club.

Davies on the lead up to the draft:

“We will leave that open.

“We have the potential to still do pick swaps from now until Friday, and then on the night as well.

“We will look at what’s best for the club in the meantime.

Davies on the confidence last year’s draft crop gave the club:

“It certainly does.

“From our perspective, to have Rozee, Butters and Duursma do what they did last year at around about the same picks - outside of Connor - gives us confidence.

“We think one or two of those guys (in this year’s draft) should be able to compete for selection at AFL level straight away.

“You all saw the energy and enthusiasm those guys bring to your club.

Davies on players who have impressed him so far:

“It was fantastic to see Robbie Gray out there doing some running.

“This time last year he was coming off a surgery and really having to manage his body significantly.

“To see Rob out there running was a great thing for us and certainly for him because pre-season hasn’t been kind to him over the last couple of years.

“Jack Watts has done some great things. Zak Butters has been leading the running - he’s been outstanding.

“Ryan Burton has come back looking outstanding as well - really top notch.

Davies on Sam Hayes:

“I think it’s well known that I have some high hopes for Sam.

“We were rapt at the time when he slipped to pick 46 or whatever it was a couple of years ago.

“I think he’s got a real future in the game, but clearly after having a knee recon in his first year he had some rehabilitation to do.

“To see him back out there now running is great. I would expect he and Pete Ladhams to be pushing Scott Lycett all the way for the ruck position.

Davies on Jack Watts:

“We are hopeful it will be round 1.

“Right now, he is doing a fair bit of running away from the group and progressing into some change of direction type stuff, which is probably where the danger lies.

“He’s coping with all of the stuff he’s going through right now. I’d say there is no reason why we shouldn’t be expecting Jack to be available for the pre-season games.

Davies on Charlie Dixon:

“Charlie is another one where you look back to this time last year and he was still really battling with the injury he sustained the year before.

“He looks to have slimmed down a little bit, and if he’s up and running, he will add something that we didn’t have consistently last year.

“To think Charlie only played nine or 10 games - if we can get him back to 2017-2018 type form, then you would think we are going to be in a far better spot than what we were last year.

Davies on the captaincy model:

“This will be a club decision, there is no doubt about that.

“It always is. It always goes for rubber stamping through a process. Right now, nothing has changed from when I spoke three or four weeks ago.

“We will get the guys back and into training. We will look at what’s best for the club into the future from the captaincy perspective.

“The guys have said from a playing perspective they saw it working really well.

“We come back to this time every year, and whatever is in the best interest of the club, we will do.

“That’s the position we are in again now.

Davies on the potential Sam Gray replacements:

“Kane Farrell, Tobin Cox and Boyd Woodcock - assuming that we are able to re-select him on our rookie list.

“I’m sure there will be someone looked at from a draft perspective.

“We have a group of guys who need to be given opportunities for the small forward position, who we think can take us into the future.

“That’s part of the reason we made the decision we did during the delisting process, but I have high hopes for those guys that once given the opportunity they will be able to grab it and take us forward.

Davies on Jackson Mead:

“It’s fair to say pick 29 was around the mark where most people would suggest Jackson might be taken.

“We have wanted to position ourselves in the draft this year to get as many good quality players on our list as we can.

“Jackson is obviously tied to us, so we get the last right of refusal, I guess. Having three picks early in the draft obviously makes it more likely that Jackson is bid on after pick 18.

“It remains to be seen how that plays out on draft night. We will have to make whatever assessments we need to, but now if Jackson is bid after pick 18 then it probably becomes an easier decision for us.

Davies on having three first round draft picks this year:

“We are rapt to be entering this year’s draft with the potential to get some good young talent on to our list again.

“Without a first rounder the following year, you’ve got to look at how you can get back into the first round or we go down the path of free agency - they are the options open to the club.

“Right now, most people in the AFL would suggest that next year’s draft is going to be the most compromised in history.

“It’s something we are going to have to be mindful of. And as I say, getting pick 16 this year is a really exciting outcome.