We spoke with Port Adelaide recruiting manager Blair Hartley to gather his thoughts on the 2008 NAB AFL Draft...
"We were lucky because we had seven picks and we able to address a variety of needs.
"We picked what we thought were the best two available players with our first two picks, with Hamish Hartlett and Jackson Trengove.
"Then we were ecstatic to get Matthew Broadbent and Mitchell Banner as well ... followed by a ruckman – Jarrad Redden – because we came into the draft hoping we'd get a ruckman.
"Then we got an exciting medium forward in (Glenn) Dawson who can do some exciting things, and then a recycled product with Jason Davenport in what we hope will be a David Rodan-sort of role. We're looking for some good things from him next year.
"I've said all along that if you go into the draft with a desire to pick a specific type of player, you will get yourself caught out.
"We were just looking for the best available player early on and I think we addressed our needs as well, so we're very happy."
Selection No.4: Hamish Hartlett
West Adelaide/Edwardstown FC, SA, Medium midfielder, August 14 1990, 182cm, 74kg
"We've had our eye on him for a long time, and we're over the moon to get him at pick four. If you had asked me at the end of last year if we'd had the opportunity to pick Hamish, I wouldn't have believed you, so we're really happy with him."
Selection No.22: Jackson Trengove
Calder Cannons/PEGS, VIC, Athletic tall, November 1 1990, 196cm, 77kg
"Jackson is a tough, versatile and aggressive key position player that has unfortunately had an injury this year but we're super excited about what he could possibly do for us in the long term. We had in our scenarios he'd possibly slip that far, and then we picked him straight away. We're more than happy to get him at pick 22."
Selection No.38: Matthew Broadbent
Eagles/Henley FC, SA, Medium defender, August 1 1990, 189cm, 81kg
"He's a versatile kind of third tall. He's played at halfback and has shown the ability to play on the ball. He has very clean hands and a strong character, and he's a Port Adelaide supporter so that always helps."
Selection No.42: Mitchell Banner
Western Jets/Werribee JFC, VIC, Small midfielder, June 5 1990, 178cm, 77kg
"He's a running midfielder that can play a variety of roles. He's shown he can play down back, up forward, and he kicked goals in 2007 with the Western Jets. He was close to best on ground against WA in the Under 18 championships. He's also another Port Adelaide supporter – we've got to keep them in the family."
Selection No.54: Jarrad Redden
Eagles, SA, Ruckman, December 27 1990, 202cm, 88kg
"He's a developing tall ruckman, and you could almost argue that he's still growing. He's very raw and he comes up from the country in South Australia. He's a long term project, but he's a tall guy who can really take command. He kicked eight goals in an Under 19s game so he's also shown he can play forward."
Selection No.66: Glenn Dawson
Woodville West Torrens, SA, Medium forward, September 30 1990, 186cm, 75.1kg
"Dawson is a young man from Balaclava, and he's an elite cricketer who has only just decided to take up football at the full level. He's kicked loads of goals; bags in the Under 19s for Woodville West Torrens, and we're looking for some exciting things from him."
Selection No.78: Jason Davenport
Nilma-Darnum/Geelong VFL/Geelong, VIC, Midfielder, September 4 1985, 185cm, 82kg
"Jason came over and trained with us and really impressed us on the track. He's a great character and he's one of those guys who really deserves a second chance. He's certainly got the hunger and desire, and that's what you look for in those sorts of guys because they'll do anything to play."
Selection No. 84: Pass
"We'll look at Josh Carr in the pre-season draft."
