GREATER Western Sydney national recruiting manager Adrian Caruso says Will Ashcroft would be a "worthy No.1 pick" at Monday night's NAB AFL Draft but kept his cards close to his chest on whether they'll bid for him.
Ashcroft, who is tied to the Lions under the father-son rule, will head there as the No.1 pick if a bid comes from the Giants.
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Alternatively, the Giants are well known to be keen on Victorian key forward Aaron Cadman, who they may simply opt to take with the first selection.
Sandringham Dragons ball-magnet Ashcroft, 18, said earlier this week he would like to be the No.1 pick.
Twelve months ago, 2022 NAB AFL Rising Star winner Nick Daicos went as a father-son pick to Collingwood with the fourth pick, with North Melbourne and GWS – which held the top two picks – opting against bidding for him.
"It's a complex decision," Caruso told AFL.com.au's NAB AFL Draft Countdown show. "We're not prepared to come out and say now what we're doing. We've got a fair idea of what we think we're going to do.
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"Will would be a worthy No.1 pick, there's no doubt about that, whether we call his name out or we don't, but we've got to factor in a whole range of things with that pick one, whether or not we did or we don't bid.
"We haven't really gone through the process of discussing it with some of the key people, letting them know the reasons that we might or might not be bidding and we'll probably work through that tomorrow and hopefully tomorrow night when it happens there's still a bit of a surprise element to it."
While unwilling to confirm the Giants would pick Cadman, Caruso talked up the forward's character.
"The way that we've drafted the last six or seven years has all been about character and finding the right fit for the footy club," Caruso said.
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"We're unique at the Giants. We're a young club, we've been in for 10 years, we want guys who are going to come and build the club, the club's not fully built, we're still going through that process.
"Someone like Cadman and his personality and everything about him off the field, that is someone who wants to buy in, and who will make others better and who is good for our footy club long term, on field and off field.
"The whole package absolutely comes into it, not just for Cadman or whoever we pick at one, but also for all these other picks we bring in, for Finn Callaghan last year and Leek Aleer and Conor Stone and all these boys we've brought in the last three or four years, that has to be our priority is bringing in good characters."
The Giants hold picks one, 15, 18, 19 and 31, gaining several as part of trades that saw Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and Tanner Bruhn leave.
The NAB AFL Draft is split across two nights, with only the first round taking place on Monday, meaning pick No.19 will be the first selection on Tuesday which is often attractive to clubs, potentially attracting trade bids which Caruso was open to.
"It depends on what we do with 15," he said. "If we did something (traded it) with 15, we'd be more likely to use 19 on day two. Whereas if we pick at 15, then I'd say 19 would be up for grabs on day two."
