WEST Coast landed the young key forward it needs to continue its rebuild after resisting trade offers for the valuable opening pick of the AFL Draft's second round and instead selecting Gippsland Power tall Archer Reid.
It was Geelong that pulled a bold early move, however, when it made 26-year-old VFL star Shaun Mannagh the mature-age success story of the draft, snaring the Werribee half-forward with pick No.36.
DRAFT TRACKER Every pick as it happened
In total, 64 players were selected across the two nights of the draft, eclipsing last year's 59 before the Rookie and Pre-Season Drafts give so far overlooked players another chance on Wednesday afternoon.
The second round got underway at pick No.30 on Tuesday after a record 29 players were drafted on the opening night due to Academy and father-son bids and free agency compensation picks.
It started without any trades taking place in the allocated pre-selection window.
Despite trying several times to acquire an extra first-round selection, the Eagles had to wait until pick No.30 to select again, and they chose to bring in a young tall who can develop as a long-term sidekick for star Oscar Allen.
The 203cm Reid, who is the younger brother of Essendon's Zach, can also play as a ruckman and boasts excellent kicking skills for a big man, joining the Eagles at a time when Jack Darling, 31, enters the latter stages of his career.
Brisbane, which along with Port Adelaide, Fremantle and Richmond was absent from the first round, entered the draft for the first time at pick No.31 and also opted for goalkicking talent, selecting strong-marking Victorian forward Logan Morris.
WA ruckman Mitch Edwards, who was tied to the Dockers' Next Generation Academy, was then snared by Geelong at pick No.32, denying Fremantle an opportunity to match a bid and gain access to the talented 206cm big man.
Athletic Geelong Falcons defender Angus Hastie landed at St Kilda with pick No.33 before Carlton opted for Dandenong Stingrays backman Billy Wilson at No.34, which was the Blues' second overall selection.
The Tigers lined up their first selection of the draft at pick No.35 but then opted to trade it to Fremantle in exchange for No.38 and a future third-round pick, giving the Dockers access to Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Cooper Simpson with their first pick before a rival could swoop.
Werribee VFL star Mannagh (No.36) then landed at Geelong after his starring Grand Final performance earlier this year, which saw him amass six goals and 28 disposals to win the Norm Goss Medal as best afield.
Collingwood selected Tew Jiath with pick No.37, with the younger brother of Hawthorn's Changkuoth Jiath joining the premiers with their second pick of the draft.
Back on the clock at No.38, the Tigers again traded back in the order, adding a future third-round selection as well as West Coast's pick No.40, with the Eagles selecting prolific 190cm Peel Thunder midfielder Clay Hall at No.38.
Essendon used its second selection of the draft to snare Greater Western Victoria Rebels defender Luamon Lual (No.39), who came off the board one pick before the Western Bulldogs would have had priority access to the Next Generation Academy talent, who is of South Sudanese heritage.
The Tigers finally lined up their first selection after twice trading back, using pick No.40 to select powerful North Adelaide midfielder Kane McAuliffe as a ball-winner capable of stepping up quickly to AFL level.
Fremantle boosted its key defensive depth at pick No.41 with the addition of 200cm Victorian Ollie Murphy, with the Lions then using their second selection to snare a second forward in Luke Lloyd (No.42).
The Tigers returned to the draft with their second selection at pick No.43, opting for athletic South Australian forward Liam Fawcett with what was expected to be their final pick of the night.
Greater Western Sydney then closed the second round with their third overall selection, drafting dashing Claremont defender Joseph Fonti at pick No.44.
The Western Bulldogs launched the third round with two quick picks at No.45 and No.47, adding Victorian wingman Joel Freijah and Gippsland Power ruckman Lachlan Smith respectively, with South Australian defender Bodie Ryan (No.46) making his way to Hawthorn in between.
North Melbourne, which added five new players in the first round on Monday night, chose to pass at No.48, allowing Port Adelaide to finally enter the draft at that selection, where the Power picked Geelong Falcons small forward Tom Anastasopoulos.
West Coast's fourth selection landed at No.49, with Sandringham Dragons midfielder/forward Harvey Johnston joining the club before GWS traded its pick No.50 to St Kilda for a future third-round selection, which was used on Calder Cannons midfielder Hugo Garcia.
At No.51, athletic WA defender Zane Zakostelsky made his way to Brisbane after a late rise to prominence through 2023, with Port Adelaide trading its way into pick No.52 by sending a future fourth-round selection to Hawthorn and then selecting Victorian small forward Lachlan Charleson.
Sydney added Brisbane Academy key defender Patrick Snell with pick No.53 before Gold Coast passed at No.54 following its haul of four Academy players on the opening night.
The pick eventually landed with Essendon after the Bombers traded a future fourth-round selection to Richmond to climb up the order, selecting left-footed half-back Archie Roberts.
The Western Bulldogs then added some speed and class through versatile wingman/small forward Aiden O'Driscoll (No.55), the younger brother of Fremantle players Nathan and Emma O'Driscoll.
Hawthorn added a second father-son selection when tall forward Calsher Dear, the son of late Hawks premiership player and 1991 Norm Smith medallist Paul Dear, joined the club at pick No.56.
Port Adelaide added left-footer Will Lorenz (No.57) as wing depth after losing Xavier Duursma, with Geelong selecting strong-bodied Victorian midfielder George Stevens at No.58, who spent time in the Cats' VFL program.
Having traded down the order, GWS picked up Academy player Harvey Thomas at No.59 to round out its night, with South Australian goalkicker Jack Delean (No.60) then joining Fremantle, which needed to find a small forward after the loss of Lachie Schultz.
Geelong then looked outside the square with two late picks, adding hardened Barwon Heads midfielder Oliver Wiltshire at No.62 and 20-year-old Swan Districts product Lawson Humphries at No.63. Between the two selections, Tasmanian defender Arie Schoenmaker made his way to St Kilda at No.62.
After several passes, Brisbane had the final selection of the draft, which the Grand Finalists used to add WA midfielder Reece Torrent with pick No.64.
2023 AFL Draft - Second Round
30. Archer Reid (West Coast)
31. Logan Morris (Brisbane)
32. Mitch Edwards (Geelong)
33. Angus Hastie (St Kilda)
34. Billy Wilson (Carlton)
35. Cooper Simpson (Fremantle - after trading with Richmond)
36. Shaun Mannagh (Geelong)
37. Tew Jiath (Collingwood)
38. Clay Hall (West Coast - after trading with Richmond)
39. Luamon Luol (Essendon)
40. Kane McAuliffe (Richmond - after trading with Fremantle and West Coast)
41. Ollie Murphy (Fremantle)
42. Luke Lloyd (Brisbane)
43. Liam Fawcett (Richmond)
44. Joseph Fonti (Greater Western Sydney)
Third Round
45. Joel Freijah (Western Bulldogs)
46. Bodie Ryan (Hawthorn)
47. Lachlan Smith (Western Bulldogs)
48. Thomas Anastasopoulos (Port Adelaide)
49. Harvey Johnston (West Coast)
50. Hugo Garcia (St Kilda)
51. Zane Zakostelsky (Brisbane)
52. Lachlan Charleson (Port Adelaide)
Fourth Round
53. Patrick Snell (Sydney)
54. Archie Roberts (Essendon)
55. Aiden O'Driscoll (Western Bulldogs)
56. Calsher Dear (Hawthorn)
57. Will Lorenz (Port Adelaide)
58. George Stevens (Geelong)
59. Harvey Thomas (Greater Western Sydney)
Fifth Round
60. Jack Delean (Fremantle)
61. Oliver Wiltshire (Geelong)
62. Arie Schoenmaker (St Kilda)
63. Lawson Humphries (Geelong)
Eighth Round
64. Reece Torrent (Brisbane)
