The bold bid by the West Coast Eagles to split their first selection in the NAB National Draft and to have two first-round selections paid off handsomely at Marvel Stadium tonight.
The Eagles decided to trade pick two in the ballot for selections eight and 12 and it proved a master stroke as the club shored up their midfield stocks when they landed two outstanding West Australian prospects.
First the Eagles locked in tough East Perth inside midfielder Reuben Ginbey and then they followed up with another high calibre, strong-bodied midfielder Elijah Hewett.
Ginbey and Hewett had both been strong on the Eagles’ radar for much of the season and will add further grunt to a developing midfield that includes last year’s first selection Campbell Chesser and No.1 mid-season draftee Jai Culley.
After playing his junior football with Dunsborough Sharks, Ginbey has flourished and was one of the stars for WA as the State’s most valuable player in the national 18s championships. He has played both half-back and midfield, so offers some flexibility.
With Ginbey and Hewett joining an Eagles midfield that will look forward to the return of Dom Sheed and Elliot Yeo and also combining with Luke Shuey and Tim Kelly, the engine room looks reinvigorated.
Hewett trained with the club earlier this year as part of the AIS Academy and later in the WAFL season he also impressed when playing senior football with Swan Districts.
The Eagles went into draft night with selections eight and 12, but as expected that changed with two father-son bids for players eligible to join criteria under the bloodline connection.
The Eagles slipped to No.9 after North Melbourne nominated Will Ashcroft with selection two, which was matched by the Lions while the club’s second pick slipped down to No.14 when the Western Bulldogs made a bid for another Lions father-son youngster Jaspa Fletcher.
As expected GWS nominated Victoria Country key forward Aaron Cadman with their first selection while North Melbourne, after having their quest for Ashcroft denied by the Lions, chose Victoria Metro forward-midfielder Harry Sheezel with #3.
They followed up with tough inside midfielder George Wardlaw, making for a predictable start to the ballot.
Speculation throughout the day indicated that there was an abundance of interest in Essendon’s pick No.4, but the Bombers resisted the temptation, maintained their position and locked in Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Elijah Tsatas with the fifth pick, after the Ashcroft deal.
The Gold Coast Suns then selected Gippsland midfielder Bailey Humphrey, while Hawthorn continued the draft process by nominating Cameron MacKenzie from the Sandringham Dragons before Geelong, with the selection before the Eagles took local hope Jhye Clark.
That opened the door for the Eagles to secure Ginbey, one of the most highly-rated West Australians who had been tipped to be off the table within the first five choices.
Following the Eagles first selection St Kilda entered the fray by naming South Australian midfielder Mattaes Philippou with pick 10, while Carlton next elected to draft midfielder Oliver Hollands from the Murray Bushrangers.
Fletcher’s move to Brisbane was then ratified after the Bulldogs nomination was matched by the Lions, leaving Jedd Busslinger.
