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As it happened: Cadman, Ashcroft, Sheezel, Wardlaw and Tsatas this year’s AFL draft top five

Ronny Lerner

Updated November 28, 2022 — 9:41pm,first published 6:00pm

Key Posts

Jones heads to GWS

Swans snare Konstanty

Son of a gun joins Pies

Weddle waddles to Hawthorn

Swans trade pick 18 to Hawks

Swans rebuffed again, Crows gain Michalanney

Giants trump Swans for Rowston

Draftees receive jumpers

9.41pm on Nov 28, 2022

Good evening

By Ronny Lerner

Thanks for following our coverage tonight of the first round of the 2022 AFL national draft.

And it turned out to be a bit of a dramatic night.

GWS opted against bidding for Will Ashcroft, making Aaron Cadman this year’s No.1 selection.

Essendon resisted numerous offers for their fourth pick, instead electing to keep it and draft Elijah Tsatas.

And the Swans wreaked havoc with some earlier-than-expected bids, forcing GWS and Adelaide to take Harry Rowston and Max Michalanney with picks 16 and 17 respectively.

9.39pm on Nov 28, 2022

Sheezel won’t let abuse spoil his historic moment

By Carla Jaeger

Whatever Harry Sheezel encounters in his first year as an AFL player it’s unlikely to be more challenging than the 24 hours leading up to the moment he was picked at No.3 by North Melbourne in the national draft.

Sheezel showed maturity beyond his 18 years when he became, simply because of the attention he generated through being the first Jewish player drafted since 1999, the target of online antisemitic abuse that will be investigated by the AFL.

Called out by the Kangaroos after Aaron Cadman and Will Ashcroft went to GWS and Brisbane, respectively, Sheezel expressed his gratitude and said he was excited to be part of the rebuild at North Melbourne.

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9.31pm on Nov 28, 2022

Bevo bumps into Busslinger

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9.25pm on Nov 28, 2022

Talks over Dons’ pick four ‘pretty intense’

Essendon general manager of list management Adrian Dodoro told Fox Footy that discussions around trading pick four were “pretty intense”.

“It (the offers for pick four) just weren’t [sic] compelling,” said Dodoro.

The Bombers decided to keep pick number four, which became five after the Lions’ matched North’s bid for Will Ashcroft, and drafted Elijah Tsatas with the selection.

“At the end of the day we really rated Elijah. He’s a beautiful size and he moves really well,” said Dodoro.

Looking ahead to the second night of the draft tomorrow, Dodoro said: “We’ve got three or four more really good options for tomorrow night.”

9.22pm on Nov 28, 2022

Voss greets new Blue

Hollands meets the coach...

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9.19pm on Nov 28, 2022

‘Doesn’t it look good?’

It’s fair to say new St Kilda draftee Mattaes Phillipou is excited to be an AFL player.

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9.14pm on Nov 28, 2022

Every pick from the 2022 AFL national draft

By Tom Carey, Carla Jaeger and Claire Siracusa

Click here to check out all the picks from the first night of the AFL national draft.

No.2 pick Will Ashcroft with family and friends.Getty Images

9.11pm on Nov 28, 2022

Queenscliff boy the answer to Cats’ $1.6m question

By Michael Gleeson

The million-dollar question on AFL draft night had nothing to do with the first pick. It had nothing to do with the second pick. And in fact, a million dollars is selling the question short. It was the $1.6 million question.

The big question of the night was who Geelong would take with pick eight, the one they effectively bought in the trade period.

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Jhye Clark had been linked to Geelong a long way out from the draft.Getty Images

9.09pm on Nov 28, 2022

Giants anoint Cadman as dux of 2022 AFL draft class

By Marc McGowan

The Giants have earmarked Aaron Cadman as the AFL’s next young star, anointing the teenage key forward as the No.1 pick in this year’s draft.

On Monday night, Cadman became the first Greater Western Victoria Rebels player to be selected at the top of the AFL draft after an outstanding season where he led the NAB League goalkicking.

He joins the exclusive company of players such as Nick Riewoldt, Luke Hodge, Brendon Goddard and Sam Walsh in becoming the dux of his draft.

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