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WHETHER a deliberate ploy or not, West Coast is thrilled to have greatly improved its midfield depth at Tuesday night's NAB AFL Draft.
After losing Scott Selwood and Matt Rosa during the trade period, the Eagles needed an injection of young midfield talent at the draft – even though they managed to secure Jack Redden from the Brisbane Lions in October.
The club's recruiting manager, Rohan O'Brien, said he was always pleased to bring in promising midfielders, but stopped short of describing his team's drafting of three on-ballers as a defined strategy.
Rather, he said the night unfolded to allow midfielders through to later selections, with the bulk of the draft's key position players taken early.
Only South Australian Matthew Allen (pick No. 62) is a key position player among West Coast's draftees, with the club's first three picks used on players with midfield capability (Luke Partington, Tom Cole and Kurt Mutimer).
"In some respects it always is [a strategy to replenish] with your midfield because you're building from underneath all the time," O'Brien told AFL.com.au.
"Having said that, the way the draft panned out with a lot of talls going early, it meant the boys that got through to our selection onwards were more the mid-type players.
"That's the way it pans out and we were pretty happy with those boys.
"We had rated them ahead of where we picked them."
Eagles draftee Tom Cole was an AFL Academy member in 2015. Picture: AFL Media
Selection No. 28 – Luke Partington
"He's played a bit of League (SANFL) footy this year, AFL Academy member, really high quality character and he can play as a mid. He's played a bit as a small back and we think he offers a bit forward too. He's got speed, kicks the ball well." – recruiting manager Rohan O'Brien
Selection No. 36 – Tom Cole
"Another AFL Academy member, played two years of Vic Country predominantly across half-back last year but has moved into the midfield this year. Played some really good VFL footy for Geelong during the year." – Rohan O'Brien
Selection No. 57 – Kurt Mutimer
"Can play wing, inside mid; with his speed and kick he has the potential to play other roles as well, possibly half back. We're really pleased to get Kurt there." – Rohan O'Brien
Selection No. 62 – Matthew Allen
"He's a 193cm forward that gets around the ground really well for his size. A lead-up type player, left-foot kick – quite a strong boy. He'll probably take a little time but we're really pleased to bring him in." – Rohan O'Brien
