Bumper SA Draftee Crop
Port Adelaide recruiting manager Geoff Parker says up to 15 South Australians could be drafted on Thursday
Gifted forward Sam Day is poised to join Gold Coast with one of the first three picks in this year's draft, while Woodville-West Torrens wingman Jared Polec and Norwood ruckman Daniel Gorringe have also been touted as top-10 selections.
SA's most valuable player at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships Brodie Smith has been linked to Adelaide with pick No.14, while Port Magpies big man Scott Lycett is tipped to go to the Power with pick No.16.
Glenelg pair Seb Tape and Pat McCarthy and draft bolter George Horlin-Smith could also be snapped up in the first round, which extends to pick No.25 this year because of the concessions afforded to the Suns.
SA provided three first-round draft picks last year, Jack Trengove (Melbourne), Christian Howard (Western Bulldogs) and Daniel Menzel (Geelong) and Parker said this year's draft crop was even better.
"[SA talent manager] Brenton Phillips has done a really good job over the last couple of years in developing some pretty good players and I think there are probably half a dozen SA players that could potentially go in the first 25-30 picks," Parker said on Tuesday.
"From there you never know, but I'd say 15 is a realistic goal for them."
The Power will have four picks (16, 35, 36 and 52) on Thursday evening having filled two spots on the senior list by promoting rookies Cameron Hitchcock and Danny Meyer.
Port Adelaide has been tipped to pounce on Lycett with its first pick but the club might surprise and look to bolster its midfield with selection No.16.
Parker said the Power would discuss taking Lycett in the first round.
"Everything you read and hear says Scott Lycett is going to be available with pick No.16 and we'll definitely talk about him. We've got some ruckmen on our list at the moment… but he'll definitely be discussed," Parker said.
"There's going to be a mix of talls, smalls and mediums available when it comes to pick No.16. We'll have a look as we go through as to what types of players we've picked early.
"Everyone knows our key backs are in pretty good shape, but apart from that we'll be picking [all other] types of players and we'll just see who we think is the best player."
Parker is in his first year in the top recruiting job at Alberton, having taken over from Blair Hartley, who has joined Richmond, at the end of last season.
Parker and his team have assembled a list of 50 names ahead of Thursday's draft and the former state cricketer said he was confident of securing quality players right up to the club's last pick at No.52.
"The first couple of players in the draft stand out and then after that it's all pretty even," he said.
"Hopefully, when we get to numbers 35 and 36, where we're picking, there's a couple of good players still left."