Adelaide’s first pick is likely to slide a couple of spots on AFL Draft night but the Crows will still secure a player inside the top 13 on their talent list.

Academy or father-son bids and selections will again alter the AFL Draft live order and with potential moves for at least three northern state Academy players among the top 15 there is expected to be some shuffling of early positions.

The Crows’ recruiting team will walk into Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on November 25 holding Pick No. 13 but could end up calling the 12th non-Academy player, even if their official opening pick drops to 15.

Will Setterfield, Harry Perryman (both GWS) and Jack Bowes (Gold Coast) are widely tipped to be the first three Academy players to attract bids inside the first round and the timing of these calls will affect the rest of the draft.

Greater Western Sydney’s strategy to move up the draft order (it now owns Pick 2) was driven by its desire to have its first selection before any bids, allowing it to claim one of the open draft’s best players before securing its best Academy options.

Unless Essendon uses the No 1 pick to bid for either Setterfield or Perryman, the Giants could call one of the draft’s other top prospects at No 2 and then hope any bids for their Academy players are close to their next pick (15) to limit the number of points they will need to match the bids.

For instance, if Setterfield attracts a bid with Pick 5 the Giants will need to use the points from Pick 15 plus their next selection (37) to match the bid.  

Matching a second early bid (for Perryman) would then need more points from its next picks (39, 45 and possibly 52) and GWS has also nominated several other Academy players who may attract bids from rival Clubs, including Harrison Macreadie, Isaac Cumming, Kobe Mutch and Zach Sproule.  

Midfielder Bowes is expected to cost Gold Coast one of its four top ten selections in the top ten. If Brisbane bids with Pick 3, the Suns’ Pick 4 would cover the upgrade.

But the Suns won’t have many spare points if they need to match any bids for Brad Scheer, who could tempt a Club inside the top 30. Gold Coast’s next pick after its early rush is at No 73.

Sydney, the first Club affected by the new points bidding system last year when it matched an early bid for Callum Mills, does not appear to have any first round selections among its 2016 Academy nominations.

Brisbane may also avoid any first round bids for its Academy players.

Adelaide entered last year’s draft with picks nine and 13, which turned into 11 and 17 after the Academy bids.

About 80 players are expected to be picked at the AFL Draft.

BIDDING SYSTEM SUMMARY

  • Each draft pick has a value, starting with 3000 points (No 1), 2517 (No 2), 2234 (No 3), 2034 (No 4) down to zero (No 74).
  • Rival clubs can bid for father-son and academy-listed players during the draft.
  • Value of the highest bid determines points that must be paid by the nominating club to match the bid.  
  • The matching club’s next pick/s are moved backwards until the points are paid.
  • If the nominating club decides not to match, the player is drafted by the bidding club.
  • There is a 20% discount for matching bids in the first round. The discount is then fixed at 197 points.

Club Academy and Father-Son nominations

Adelaide Crows – Ben Jarman (son of Darren, 121 games for the Adelaide Crows).

Brisbane Lions – Jacob Allison (Aspley Hornets), Nate Dennis (University of Qld), William Fletcher (Sherwood), Jack Rolls (Morningside), Declan Watson (Aspley Hornets).

Collingwood – Callum Brown (son of Gavin, 254 games for Collngwood), Josh Daicos (son of Peter, 250 games for Collingwood).

Geelong Cats – Sam Simpson (son of Sean, 114 games for the Geelong Cats).

Gold Coast Suns – Jack Bowes (Surfers Paradise), Daniel Charlesworth (Surfers Paradise), Jesse Esam (Broadbeach), Nicholas Kempe (Mackay Eastern Swans), Curtis Marsden (Palm Beach Currumbin), Brad Scheer (Palm Beach Currumbin), Max Spencer (Palm Beach Currumbin), Shawn Watson (Cairns Saints), Josh Williams (Hermit Park).

GWS Giants – Isaac Cumming (North Broken Hill), Sam Fisher (Canberra Demons), Ryan Garthwaite (Lavington Panthers), Harrison Macreadie (Henty), Kobe Mutch (Mildura), Harry Perryman (Collingullie), William Setterfield (Albury), Zach Sproule (Albury), Lachlan Tiziani (Albury).

Sydney Swans – Darcy Baron-Hay (North Shore Bombers), Jake Brown (St George Dragons), Ryan Hebron (North Shore Bombers), Callum McFadden (South Coast Thunder), Ned Reinhard (UNSW Bulldogs), Matthew Wilson (North Sydney).

West Coast – Jake Waterman (son of Chris, 177 games for West Coast).