Draft Daze, or, Mrs. Watson will hate this title.

Apart from Kent Kinglsey not being picked up by the Tiges, draft day was, from all accounts, nuthin’ but good times for Cats fans.

Geelong’s first selection, Joel Selwood, is a strong, skilful and hard at it on-baller, apparently in the Luke Ball mode. He is rated as more talented than his two AFL playing older brothers, by both general consensus and his brothers themselves, and is viewed as a potential captain of the club after holding various leadership roles throughout his junior career, most notably on an U/18 tour of Ireland. Selwood was seen as a potential no. 1 pick and the Cats were apparently ecstatic about him slipping to no. 8. Of course, he probably slipped because of the ACL injury he suffered last season, which makes two no. 1 picks in a row that Geelong has used on guys with a limp. No reports yet that Verbal Kint has made the rookie list.

The Cats second round selection was indigenous small forward Nathan Djerrkura, who runs an 11 second 100m and immediately needs a nick name (I’ve already spelt his last name 5 different ways, so please, suggest a nick name). He is apparently built to play seniors straight away and famously once ran the length of the ground playing for Scotch College, taking several bounces and baulking or just plain out-running various opponents before kicking the goal. Outstanding. Apparently he also appreciates the physical side of the game and likes to tackle and pressure, modelling himself on Byron Pickett. Did I already say ‘outstanding’? Looks like it could be a small forward role for him.

Geelong’s third round selection had long been nominated for The Tomahawk, Hatchet Hawkins, who, thanks to our and the general medias constant spruiking, you should all know plenty about. But for those who don’t, he is an 18 year old full-forward, considered by all a lock for the top 10, who stands 197cm tall and weighs 95kgs. To put that in context, he is taller than Nablett, but not as tall as Otto; heavier than Matthew Lloyd, but not as heavy as Richo. Let’s see, Tony locket played at 191cm and 108kgs; Hatchet is 197 and 95 and 18 years old. Cross ‘full-forward’ off our recruiting list for the next 10 years. Now say it with me folks – outstanding.



The final selection was used on the Hogan kid, who was pretty much the best athlete in the draft; even though he has said that he’s never trained in athletics, only football. Apparently the Bulldogs rated him quite highly, so based on that he’ll be skinny, lightning quick, skilled on both sides and impossible to distinguish from his team-mates.

Also worth noting, David Rodan was picked up by Port Adelaide to play the role of over-weight, over-rated, one-trick pony now that Stuart Dew has retired. Apparently Rodan was informed of the good news the night before, by a drunken Kane Johnson.

So, what else has been happening down in Catland? Well, Nablett has a new contract, no doubt massively over-paying him, and Tom Lonergan has a new kidney, as he begins to regain some of the 20kgs he lost. Speaking of Lonergan, did you know that during the game in which he lost the kidney, the players of both teams were wearing multi-coloured boot laces to help promote organ donation? I guess you can’t get better publicity than that.