Draft’s biggest slider snatched up by Victorian powerhouse, premiership Lion finds new home
Dual Brisbane premiership star Callum Ah Chee has made his way to Adelaide via the AFL’s pre-season draft.
It comes after the Crows and Lions failed to agree to a trade for the forward, with bad blood boiling over between the two teams.
Ah Chee nominated for the pre-season draft, placing a near-seven-figure price on his head so that no other team would try and pinch him.
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The 28-year-old was the only pick made in the pre-season draft, with the rookie draft following immediately after.
Callum Ah Chee of the Lions celebrates with his family. via Getty Images
The majority of teams used the rookie draft to re-list players and give them a second chance, moving them to the rookie list.
Sydney did this with veteran defenders Dane Rampe and Jake Lloyd, while Geelong re-listed impressive young midfielder George Stevens.
Collingwood premiership player Mason Cox did not join Fremantle in the rookie draft, as he will sign with the Dockers as a supplemental selection period (SSP) player, likely on Monday. Reports suggest the ruckman signed a two-year deal with Freo.
The likes of Carlton and Richmond also passed on their picks in order to leave rookie spots open for an SSP signing.
West Coast has four extra spots on their rookie list thanks to the AFL’s assistance package, and will likely add Deven Robertson, Harry Schoenberg and Fin Macrae via the same method as Cox.
Robertson was delisted by Brisbane, Schoenberg by Adelaide and Macrae by Collingwood.
The Eagles used the top pick in the rookie draft to select West Australian midfielder Fred Rodriguez, who was unlucky to miss out during the national draft. The other three spots they will save for the second-chance delisted prospects listed above.
Oliver Greeves and Koby Evans of the AFL National Academy via Getty Images
The biggest slider of the entire draft was Victorian midfielder Ollie Greeves, who was ranked among the top 20 prospects going into the draft.
He slipped through to the rookie draft, where Hawthorn has snapped him up. The Hawks had been strongly linked to him, given they attempted to have him added to their academy unsuccessfully during the year.
Greeves and Rodriguez were two of only six players taken in the rookie draft, with the rest being re-listings, including veteran Brisbane forward Lincoln McCarthy.
Clubs also had the chance to add academy and father-son players who were overlooked in the draft, with Melbourne rookie listing Kalani White, the son of former ruckman Jeff White.
Richmond made the call not to list father-son prospect Louis Kellaway and Collingwood made the same tough call on Tom McGuane.
1. West Coast Eagles: Fred Rodriguez (South Fremantle, WA)
2. Richmond: Passed
3. Melbourne: Riley Onley (Murray Bushrangers, VIC)
4. Port Adelaide: Jack Watkins (Port Adelaide SANFL, SA)
5. St Kilda: Patrick Said (re-rookied)
6. Carlton: Passed
7. Sydney: Jake Lloyd (re-rookied)
8. Fremantle: Leon Kickett (Swan Districts, WA)
9. GWS Giants: Conor Stone (re-rookied)
10. Gold Coast: Ben Jepson (re-rookied)
11. Adelaide: Tyler Welsh (re-rookied)
12. Hawthorn: Ollie Greeves (Eastern Ranges, VIC)
13. Geelong: George Stevens (re-rookied)
14. Brisbane: Lincoln McCarthy (re-rookied)
15. West Coast: Passed
16. Port Adelaide: Passed
17. St Kilda: Passed
18. Sydney: Dane Rampe (re-rookied)
19. Fremantle: Passed
20. GWS Giants: Passed
21. Adelaide: Passed
22. Hawthorn: Passed
23. Geelong: Keighton Matofai-Forbes (re-rookied)
24. West Coast: Passed
25. Port Adelaide: Passed
26. Fremantle: Passed
27. Hawthorn: Passed
28. Geelong: Nick Driscoll (Northern Knights, VIC)
