Draft summary
"We had six picks in the national draft and were able to get a good blend of positional types.
"However, we're pleased to have added to our midfield further and to have brought in a player with some x-factor and genuine scope for improvement.
"With picks nine and 25 we were relatively well placed. We knew Melbourne had to take both of their listed players back and that the Gold Coast were going to take another approach, so pretty quickly that 25 comes down to high teens."
Player comments
Selection No.9: Majak Daw
DOB: 11/03/91, Height: 194cm, Weight: 89kg
Recruited from: Wyndham Vale/Western Jets (VIC)
"I rate (Western Jets coach) Steve Kretiuk's opinion and he has just been blown away by the improvement Majak has made in a very short space of time. Crusher (Kretiuk) and his staff at the Jets should really be commended for the work they have done.
"Majak's still very much a project but he has come forward considerably and has got a real appetite to learn. With increased game time in the second half of the year, we saw a lift in his confidence and he was subsequently able to exert an influence in games.
"He has the scope to be a powerful athlete and those attributes are rare. He's not an AFL-size ruckman but he's got an exceptional leap.
"Our coaching staff were complimentary of his kicking and his ability to mark the ball when he trained with us earlier last week."
Selection No.25: Matthew Scott
DOB: 12/04/91, Height: 185cm, Weight: 72kg
Recruited from: Yarra Valley Grammar/Eastern Ranges (VIC)
"We've got a pretty high opinion of him and not just because (assistant coach) Shane Watson coached him for a number of years. He's a player we've been following since he was 16. We perhaps thought he was a little bit stiff to miss out in the national draft.
"He's an inside mid who's very strong over the footy and clean with his hands. One of his main assets is his ability to win the ball in close, get out of traffic, distribute and set up teammates by hand.
"He played 10 games for Eastern this year and was his side's leading clearance player.
"He's also got the ability to push forward and he's strong overhead for his size."
