Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has emphasised the challenges faced by players recruited through the mid-season rookie draft, many of whom have up until now been “part-time”.
On Wednesday night, 18 aspiring young footballers got one step closer to their AFL dreams after being selected in the mid-season draft.
As expected, West Coast selected Richmond VFL star Tom McCarthy with pick one.
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Defender Tom McCarthy in action for Richmond’s VFL side. Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Eight clubs used their full allotment of player picks to fill gaps in their lists, with injury-hit Essendon the most active with four acquisitions.
After being drafted, McCarthy said he was ready to suit up for the Eagles as soon as possible, if called upon.
“Absolutely, mate. I think I’m ready-made and I’ve got the fitness and the skills,” he told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“I’m definitely confident that if the opportunity came up, I’d be able to play in a few weeks.”
While McCarthy could be thrown straight in at AFL level with early games for the cellar-dweller Eagles, Lloyd explained that this is often not the reality for most players selected in the mid-season draft.
“With the mid-season draft, the clubs are going for guys out of the secondary competitions like the WAFL and the SANFL, so it’s really exciting,” he told Nine’s Today.
“[But] it’s pretty tough because they’re part-time footballers, they have been all year, and they’re coming into the AFL where they’re full-time professionals.
“So, it’s very hard to impact straight away. It might take till next year to do that.
“A lot of these guys do struggle to make an impact straight away.”
Lloyd’s comments touch on the mid-season transition these draftees make from part-time footballers with jobs outside of footy to full-time professionals with elite sporting demands.
Because of this, they need time to adjust in order to perform at the required level, and a more realistic expectation is to debut in the following season.
Dermott Brereton’s step-son, Archer May, found his home after he was selected by Essendon with the first of its four picks.
Collingwood was linked to the key forward, but did not have a pick until No.8.
After being overlooked by North Melbourne and Carlton, Essendon swooped and snapped up May at pick 6.
Earlier in the week, May had praised the impact Brereton has had on his development.
“Obviously, it’s a lot of hard work and sacrifices that go into the journey. I think it’s about proving the people close to me right,” May told 9News Melbourne on Monday.
“Dermott has been massive in my development. Especially in the last few years, as I took football more seriously.”
Premiership Cat and now-Perth midfielder Brandan Parfitt was not offered an AFL lifeline despite reports that every club with a pick showed interest in him.
Full list of mid-season draft picks
First round
1 – Tom McCarthy (West Coast)
2 – Zac Branch (North Melbourne)
3 – Harry Ramm (Port Adelaide)
4 – Flynn Young (Carlton)
5 – Michael Sellwood (Western Bulldogs)
6 – Archer May (Essendon)
7 – Oscar Adams (Gold Coast)
8 – Roan Steele (Collingwood)
Second round
9 – Jacob Newton (West Coast)
10 – Cooper Trembath (North Melbourne)
11 – Ewan Mackinlay (Port Adelaide)
12 – Zac Walker (Western Bulldogs)
13 – Lachlan Blakiston (Essendon)
14 – Caleb Lewis (Gold Coast)
15 – Noah Howes (Collingwood)
Third round
16 – Mani Liddy (Port Adelaide)
17 – Oskar Smartt (Essendon)
Fourth round
18 – Liam McMahon (Essendon)
