“It’s a beast”: commerce ensures the “theft” of the project
The first round of the 2023 AFL National Draft is in the books and, in what was no surprise at all, Harley Reid went for the first overall pick.
Several clubs made big offers to the West Coast Eagles in the hope of landing the top pick, but the Eagles weren’t giving up on the highly touted youngster.
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Several big moves were made throughout the night, but none were bigger than what Adelaide pulled off.
The Crows were desperate for the services of Daniel Curtin who had burst to the top of the draft boards ahead of opening night.
Just before the eighth pick, the Crows pounced as they struck a deal with the GWS Giants to move up and ultimately landed the player dubbed ‘the steal of the draft’.
Recap the entire first set of picks below.
AFL Draft first round pick
1: West Coast Eagles – Harley Reid (midfielder)
2: North Melbourne – Colby McKercher (midfielder)
3: Gold Coast Suns – Jed Walter (key forward)
4: North Melbourne – Zane Duursma (forward)
5: Hawthorn – Nick Watson (forward)
6: Western Bulldogs – Ryley Sanders (midfielder)
7: Melbourne – Caleb Windsor (midfielder)
8: Adelaide – Daniel Curtin (key defender)
9: Gold Coast – Ethan Read (ruck)
10: Essendon – Nate Caddy (forward)
11: Geelong – Connor O’Sullivan (key defender)
12: GWS Giants – Phoenix Gothard (forward)
13: Melbourne – Koltyn Tholstrup (forward)
14: Gold Coast – Jake Rogers (midfielder)
15: Western Bulldogs – Jordan Croft (key forward)
16: Sydney – Will Green (ruck)
17: GWS Giants – James Leake (defender)
18: St Kilda – Darcy Wilson (midfielder)
19: Hawthorn – William McCabe (key defender)
20: North Melbourne – Taylor Goad (ruck)
21: Adelaide – Charlie Edwards (midfielder)
22: North Melbourne – Wil Dawson (key defender)
23: North Melbourne – Riley Hardeman (defender)
24: Sydney Swans – Caiden Cleary (midfielder)
25: Collingwood – Harry Demattia (midfielder)
26: Gold Coast – Will Graham (defender)
27: Adelaide – Oscar Ryan (defender)
28: St Kilda – Lance Collard (forward)
29: Carlton – Ashton Moir (key striker)
8:00 p.m. – The Crows complete a mega trade to land the eighth pick
The Adelaide Crows wanted Daniel Curtin and they got their man with pick eight after completing a mega-deal with the GWS Giants.
The Crows get picks 8 and 17 while the Giants now have picks 11, 15 and a future second-round pick.
“It’s a beast. He’s an absolute steal in this draft,” Mick Ablett said on Fox Footy about Curtin.
7:25 p.m. – Harley Reid goes to the Eagles
As we all expected, the West Coast Eagles selected highly touted young Harley Reid with the first pick in the draft.
Even though they knew they had the first pick for a long, long time. The Eagles used the majority of their five minutes on the clock before locking in their selection.
6:50 p.m. – Lots of moves coming before pick 1
AFL Media’s Cal Twomey reported that a slew of moves are expected to take place before the top pick is even read.
– Melbourne will send pick 42 to St Kilda, in exchange for a future third round.
– St Kilda will send picks 40 and 42 to Gold Coast, in exchange for pick 27.
– Gold Coast will send pick 24 to Brisbane, in exchange for 30 and 39.
– Gold Coast will send pick 38 to Fremantle, likely in exchange for 46, 60 and 64.
6:00 p.m. – Blockbuster trades set to rock AFL Draft
The attraction of Curtin is causing pandemonium on the brink of the draft with several teams reportedly willing to get involved.
Talks had focused on the possibility of the Eagles taking Curtin with the first overall pick, but now they could be willing to shed future picks in a blockbuster trade.
THE Sun Herald reported that the Eagles were willing to trade their 2024 first-round pick for Curtin, completing a dream double with Reid.
It is now being reported that the Adelaide Crows could join the party with the GWS Giants to make it a three-team swap for Curtin.
The Crows enter the night with three first-round picks and look eager to make some waves.
All of this could lead to a potential blockbuster trade that sees the Eagles’ first-round pick for next year heading to the Crows, the Giants receiving a combination of picks and the Eagles pairing Curtin with Reid.
