Rookie draft brings Maori heritage
The St Kilda Football Club rookie drafted 17 year old Khan Haretuku from Sydney. Haretuku was one of the AFL's NSW Scholarships chosen by St Kilda who has been playing for UNSW/Eastern Suburbs in the Sydney AFL. Haretuku, whose parents are from New Zealand, has Maori heritage and is a solidly built youngster with plenty of raw ability who has a strong rugby background. Haretuku played both rugby league and rugby union, but after being awarded the scholarship declared that he saw his future in AFL.
Chivers/Miles Screen Test Comparisons
Beep test: Glenn Chivers (14.3) - J Smouha (15.1), B Whitecross (14.10), and S Selwood (14.7)
20-metre sprints Luke Miles (2.73) - D Gourdis (2.83), C Hinkley (2.88), S Gaertner (2.88)
Agility Luke Miles (7.83) - A Joseph (7.91), L Hill (8.05), C Hinkley (8.07)
Saints Rookie Draft picks
St Kilda had three "live" picks in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft after it elevated NSW scholarship holder Khan Haretuku prior to the meeting. Haretuku is a 198cm developing tall. With its three active selections, the Saints claimed competitive medium-sized defender/midfielder Glenn Chivers, speedy Western Australian Luke Miles and also redrafted ball-winner Andrew McQualter. The tenacious McQualter played 23 matches for the Saints before he was delisted before the first list lodgment on October 31.

No 8. Glenn Chivers (Oakleigh Chargers/St Kevins) DOB:09Apr89, 189cm, 85kg, No. 24. Luke Miles (Swan Districts/Guildford Grammer) DOB:30Oct86, 191cm, 78kg, No. 39 Andrew McQualter (St Kilda), No. 51. Khan Haretuku (St Kilda Scholarship) DOB:19Oct89, 198cm, 96kg

McEvoy thrilled to stay in Victoria
Ben McEvoy continued the production line of Murray Bushrangers to be drafted in the top 10 when he was snapped up St Kilda in Saturday's AFL draft. After speaking to 10 clubs in the lead-up, McEvoy became a Saint when coach Ross Lyon and the club's recruiting staff used selection No.9 to lure the big-man to Moorabbin. Ironically, Fraser Gehrig's father, Graham, was one of the first people to congratulate him after his son was re-drafted by the club on the same day. "I'm absolutely stoked," McEvoy said. "To join the Saints and stay in Melbourne is great. Anything can happen in the draft and it's a relief things have worked out this well. I couldn't be happier" ... Lyon said the Saints went for the best available player. "Coming into the draft we had Ben McEvoy, Jack Steven and Eljay Connors high on our priority list, so we've walked away, in simple terms, with the players we wanted to get," Lyon said. McEvoy won the inaugural John Byrne Medal winner for the Murray Bushrangers best and fairest player this year after a stand-out season in the under-18 TAC Cup. He captained Victoria Country at the under-18 championships and again earned All-Australian honours in what was an outstanding year.
Tiger Daniel Connors on his brother Eljay
... (Daniel) Connors returned to Echuca last weekend following the drafting of his younger brother Eljay to St Kilda. The selection of 17-year-old Eljay with pick 70 by the Saints was one of the surprises of the draft after the lightly-built wingman played just three games for the Bendigo Pioneers this year because of two collapsed lungs. "I had heard a couple of clubs were interested in him because he had played a couple of good games before he got injured," Connors said. "I knew he was always going to be on the radar, but I was surprised that he got picked up this year."
St Kilda's 2007 draft review
In terms of possible "best 22" players in 2008 we seem to be much better off than in 2007 and with the GTrain back we have not really lost anyone but have gained several. Hamill did not play ... and Thommo was well past his best. King and Schneider should both come into our best 22 ... while Dempster and C Gardiner will really put the pressure on to try and get in. Add to this the promising young trio of Armo, Geary and Eddy ... and both the quality and quantity of good to fair players has improved. In 2008 there should be no easy spots in the team ... and even the GTrain will be for example under pressure to justify his place each week.
Matt Burgan's NAB AFL Draft analysis
St Kilda's quest to unearth a young ruckman for the long-term may have been realised on Saturday when it chose Ben McEvoy with its first selection. Behind No.1 draft pick Matthew Kreuzer, McEvoy was regarded as the standout ruckman in the draft. Once it was thought likely that key forward Lachlan Henderson, who was also strongly linked to St Kilda at No.9, would be claimed by the Brisbane Lions at No.8, McEvoy loomed as the most likely. The Saints also added two bottom-age selections with the recruitment of Jack Steven (No.42) and Eljay Connors (No.70). In between, St Kilda redrafted dual Coleman Medallist Fraser Gehrig with its third selection (No.57) after he reversed his decision to retire and nominated for this draft shortly before the 2pm deadline last Wednesday. 9 - Ben McEvoy (Murray Bushrangers), 42 - Jack Steven (Geelong Falcons), 57 - Fraser Gehrig (St Kilda), 70 - Eljay Connors (Bendigo Pioneers)
G-Train Gehrig back on track
... Gehrig's return continues an eventful off-season for the club, which has a new board and announced this week it would move its training base from Moorabbin to Frankston. "No decision in football is easy," Lyon said. "We've done extensive list profiling against the benchmark of the last 15 premiers. Where we sit with players between 17 and 21, and players between 22 and 26, and then over 28 and we're spot on with that" ... "Our recruiting staff are really thrilled with (them). Coming into the draft we had those three high on our priority list and we've walked away really happy."
Saints weighing up Mark Johnson before Gehrig's midnight calls
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon spoke with Gehrig on draft eve, to be certain of his intention to return from Europe and commit himself fully to another season, and yesterday, only months after announcing his retirement, the 31-year-old full-forward was officially back in the game. He is expected to reappear at Moorabbin sooner than even the Saints had first expected. "Originally he had spoken about being back by Christmas but he's now looking to get back ASAP," St Kilda football manager Matthew Drain said. It is understood the Saints were weighing up the option of recruiting former Essendon premiership player Mark Johnson until Gehrig contacted Lyon with his suggestion of a comeback and when the draft began had their fourth and final selection, pick 70, set aside for him. "We were originally going to take him (Gehrig) at 70 but there were four or five guys still there that we were prepared to take at 70 and there was just that nagging doubt that someone else would jump in and nab him," Drain said.
Club lists after the third lodgment
Essendon passed with its final selection in the NAB AFL Draft last Saturday, which means at this stage, it is the only club in the competition, potentially with two picks in the Pre-Season Draft. But the AFL has yet to confirm the final selection order of the Pre-Season Draft, as the AFL Investigations Department must first assess clubs' Total Player Payments estimates for 2008.
Making it count
... The recruitment of Judd in October means the Blues have five top-10 draft picks on their list -- two No. 1 picks plus a No. 2, a No. 3 and a No. 9 pick. But because of sanctions for salary-cap indiscretions, Carlton lags well behind Collingwood and St Kilda (10 each) when it comes to the best-credentialled playing talent. St Kilda's 10 top-10 picks include Michael Gardiner (taken at No. 1 by West Coast) Aaron Fiora (taken at No. 3 by Richmond) and Steven King (pre-draft compensatory selection for Geelong). The Saints have seven players taken in the top three of the draft or, in King's case, before another club having a selection.
Scholarship listing Khan Haretuku Elevated to Rookie
According to AFL's new team lists Khan Haretuku (DOB 19Oct89, 198cm, 96kg) has been elevated to Rookie status. Khan is from the University of NSW / Eastern Suburbs Club in Sydney and signed with the St Kilda Football Club in May 2006 under the AFL (NSW/ACT) Scholarship Program. Khan was born in Sydney and has New Zealand parents (Tau and Jenny) and is completing his HSC this year. He is a convert from Rugby League and has only played Aussie Rules for the last four years.
1290 players nominated for AFL National Draft
A total of 1290 players have nominated for the 2007 NAB AFL National Draft, which will be held in Melbourne on November 24. Delisted Essendon utility Kepler Bradley is among the nominees, having decided not to take his chances in the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft on December 11. Clubs have until 2pm this Friday to confirm their second and last list lodgement before the National Draft, after which the final selection order and all available picks will be known. Delisted players from the 2007 season have until 2pm next Wednesday, November 21, to nominate for the Draft.
Previously AFL listed players nominated
Players who were previously listed with AFL clubs can also nominate for next year's pre-season draft if they are overlooked on Saturday. The players who nominated on Wednesday were:
Adelaide - John Hinge, Darren Pfeiffer.
Brisbane Lions - Marcus Allan, Patrick Garner.
Carlton - Craig Flint.
Collingwood - Guy Richards.
Essendon - Kepler Bradley, Richard Cole, Mark Johnson.
Fremantle - Clayton Collard, Ryley Dunn, Calib Mourish, James Walker.
Geelong - Stephen Owen, Matthew Spencer.
Hawthorn - Matt Little, Josh Thurgood.
Kangaroos - Blake Grima, Daniel McConnell, David Trotter, Callam Urch.
Melbourne - Ryan Ferguson, Simon Godfrey, Heath Neville.
Port Adelaide - Ryan Willits.
Richmond - Brent Hartigan, Andrew Krakouer, Carl Peterson.
St Kilda - Fraser Gehrig, Andrew McQualter, Phil Raymond, Justin Sweeney.
Sydney - Simon Phillips, Jonathan Simpkin, Luke Vogels.
West Coast - Daniel Chick, Ashley Sampi.
Western Bulldogs - Travis Baird, Damian McCormack, Tim Walsh.
Training permissions as at November 14
Adelaide - nil
Brisbane Lions - Patrick Garner (Brisbane Lions); William Hamill (Brisbane Lions rookie); Pearce Hanley (Ballanghaderreen, Ireland)
Carlton - Michael Shields (County Cork, Ireland)
Collingwood - Ryan Colbert (Old Xaverians); Kevin Dyas (County Armagh, Ireland); Michael Griffiths (East Fremantle); Daniel Nichols (Collingwood rookie); James Wall (St Kilda rookie)
Essendon - Jarrod Atkinson (Bendigo Bombers); Tim Plumber (Bendigo Bombers)
Fremantle - Kepler Bradley (Essendon); Blake Broadhurst (Subiaco); Clayton Collard (Fremantle); Brad Dalziell (East Fremantle); Ryley Dunn (Fremantle); Kyal Horsley (Subiaco); Calib Mourish (Fremantle)
Geelong - nil
Hawthorn - James Allen (Box Hill Hawks); Luke Barker (Box Hills Hawks); Nathan Batsanis (Port Adelaide rookie); Brett Collins (Hawthorn rookie); Sam Gibson (Hawthorn rookie); Adam Iacobucci (Northern Bullants); Tom Langford (Port Melbourne); Lukas Markovic (Box Hill Hawks); Ben Sharp (West Coast Eagles rookie); Callum Urch (Kangaroos)
Kangaroos - Jarrod Bannister (Northern Bullants); Mark Johnson (Essendon); Brodie Moles (Tasmania Devils); David Trotter (Kangaroos); John Walker (Murray Bushrangers); James Wilsen (St George)
Melbourne - Daniel Hughes (Melbourne rookie); Alister Neville (Coburg); Ashley Sampi (West Coast); Jonathan Simpkin (Sydney); Peter Summers (Sandringham); Shane Valenti (Sandringham)
Port Adelaide - Jesse Aish (Norwood); Lachlan Button (Glenelg); Tom Carroll (South Adelaide); Ryan Darling (Sturt); Aaron Day (Glenelg); Sam Fairclough (Woodville West Torrens); Nathan Grima (Central Districts); Todd Grima (Geelong rookie); Daniel Havelberg (Central Districts); Matthew Jaensch (Sturt); Luke Jarrad (Woodville West Torrens); Scott Luders (West Adelaide); James Moss (Central Districts); Alan Obst (Central Districts); Steve Wenman (West Adelaide)
Richmond - Joe Gazzo (Coburg); Andrew Horne (Coburg); Cam Howat (Richmond rookie); Lachlan McKinnon (Essendon rookie); Darren Pfeiffer (Adelaide); Guy Richards (Collingwood); Jarrod Silvester (Coburg)
St Kilda - Rohan Bail (Mt Gravatt); Michael Barlow (Shepparton United); Ben Woods (Riverview)
Sydney - Brendan Murphy (County Carlow, Ireland); Matt O'Dwyer (Sydney); Jake Orreal (no previous club); Sam Rowe (Sydney)
West Coast - Ashley Thornton (West Coast Eagles rookie); Beau Wilkes (West Coast Eagles rookie)
Western Bulldogs - Cameron Lockwood (Williamstown); Scott Meyer (Williamstown); Liam Picken (Williamstown); Patrick Rose (Williamstown); Ryan Williams (La Trobe)

Tall forwards
AFL's top draft prospects - No 2:
Robbie Tarrant - Bendigo Pioneers, VIC, 195.9cm, 90.1kg, DOB 25/4/89
Honours - Vic Country representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championships 2007
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights - Vertical Standing Jump - 68cm (10th overall), Shuttle Run - 14-2 (10th overall)
Tony Notte - Swan Districts, WA, 194.5cm, 71.5kg, DOB 15/4/90
Honours: Western Australia representative - winners of the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
Jarrad Grant - Dandenong Stingrays, VIC, 192.4cm, 76.7kg, DOB 6/7/89
Honours - Vic Metro representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championship 2007
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights - 20m Sprint - 2.89 sec (4th overall)
Lachlan Henderson - Geelong Falcons, VIC, 195.5cm, 91.5kg, DOB 14/12/89
Honours - Vic Country representative - NAB AFL Under-18 Championship 2007, AIS-AFL Academy graduate
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights - Handspan - 25.0cm (7th overall)
David Gourdis - Subiaco, WA, 192.4cm, 88.9kg, DOB 14/3/89
Honours - Western Australia representative - winners of the 2007 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
NAB AFL Draft Camp highlights - 20m Sprints - 2.83 (1st overall), Vertical Standing Jump - 81 cm (1st overall), Repeat Sprints - 24.22 sec (6th overall)
Notes by Kevin Sheehan, Allan McConnell and Jon Haines ...
Matt Burgan's Phantom Draft
9 St Kilda BEN McEVOY Murray Bushranger - Ruckman, July 11 1989, 200.2cm, 94.6kg, 42 St Kilda CHRIS KANGARS Geelong Falcons Tall defender, August 1 1989, 193.1cm, 84.9kg, 57 St Kilda HAELEN KAY Gippsland Power - Medium forward/midfielder, June 27 1989, 186.8cm, 78.7kg, 70 St Kilda FRASER GEHRIG St Kilda - Tall forward, March 3 1976, 195cm, 106kg
The gems among the discards
Some big names are in the recycle bin for this year's draft. Fraser Gehrig lived up to his mercurial reputation by nominating in the past few days. Former Essendon best and fairest Mark Johnson is in the bin, as is gifted but erratic West Coast small forward Ashley Sampi. Collingwood ruckman Guy Richards provides a ruck option for any club chasing big men. Kepler Bradley, a No. 6 pick for Essendon in the 2003 national draft, is back in the mix four years later, as are the likes of James Walker (formerly of Fremantle), Andrew Krakouer (Richmond), Daniel Chick (West Coast) and Simon Godfrey (Melbourne).
Knights set to charge to higher level
The Northern Knights are poised to produce the club's highest number of Australian Football League draftees in a decade on Saturday. The Knights are expected to have four players taken inside the top 20 when the AFL National Draft gets under way this weekend, and more could find new homes at the elite level. The Knights last produced five draftees in the one season back in 1997, when Carlton midfielder Nick Stevens headlined the crop. This year the Knights are almost certain to produce the number one draft pick in Matt Kreuzer to Carlton, while classy midfielder Trent Cotchin is also being touted as a possible top-five selection. Exciting game-breaker Patrick Veszpremi, Knights captain Jack Grimes and the clever Brett Meredith have also received extremely strong interest since the end of the TAC Cup season, according to region manager Peter Kennedy.
Tradition continues for 'Junior Boy' Rioli
Stand by for Rioli Mark 3 when Cyril "Junior Boy" Rioli is added to an AFL club's playing list at Saturday's national draft. The 18-year-old left-footed midfielder, who played his junior and senior football with St Marys, is tipped to go in the first 20 picks. While Richmond and Essendon fans yearn for another Maurice or Dean Rioli, the player himself isn't too fussed where he goes. The Bombers have another indelible link to Rioli because his mother Kathy is dual premiership player Michael Long's sister. "I'll be pretty happy with a Melbourne-based club after living down there for four years now finishing my schooling," Cyril said. "I've spoken to a fair few clubs. At the draft camp I spoke to 14 of them and a couple more of them afterwards," he said. "Adelaide was one club that showed a fair bit of interest, but with (my cousins) Dean and Randall Rioi in Melbourne - where it's been good hanging out with them on weekends - I reckon that's where I want to go." An under-18 All-Australian this year and a part of the AIS Academy side that played Ireland in a three-Test International Rules series in 2006, Rioli has all the ingredients to succeed at the top AFL level.
Rioli graduates from knocks
If Matthew Kreuzer is the most complete player in Saturday's national draft, Cyril Rioli might still prove to be the most eye-catching. Recruiters were not so much thrilled by how much "Junior" achieved this year, but by what he was able to display despite setbacks. The Tiwi Islander - nephew of legends Michael Long and Maurice Rioli - shone in his final year with Scotch College despite a broken collarbone and a severely damaged ankle. Tipped to go anywhere from pick five to 25, Rioli is a flashy left-footed midfielder with speed, evasiveness and plenty of tricks. Just recovered from the Round 1 collar-bone injury, he badly turned his ankle the week before July's national championships but still managed an outstanding seven-goal performance against Queensland. Rioli has turned down an invitation to attend the draft in favour of a gathering with friends and family in Darwin. But if the 18-year-old has his way, he will be very much firing on an AFL list next year, and hopefully in Victoria.
Why clubs would love Kreuzer
... Matthew Kreuzer, 18, and soon to be football's newest draft sensation, is a very different animal to the new breed of cocky young kids emerging on the scene ... But who is this kid from the northern suburbs, skilled enough to win the TAC Cup's Morrish Medal and Northern Knights' best and fairest? A kid who had recruiters drooling at the performances that saw him voted the best Victorian at the under-18 national carnival. He is a 199cm running machine who is equally adept in the ruck, up forward or even pinch-hitting as a legitimate ruck rover ... Kreuzer has notched a 14.5sec beep test - astounding for a kid of his size - as well as 10.51min 3km time trial and a 3.06sec 20m dash. All those times are exceptional for a midfielder, let alone a tall whose frame has filled to an encouraging 95kg. His second and third efforts are exemplary; he is excellent below his knees and he gut-runs like few in the junior competition. But it is his competitive instincts that take him to a new level. You hear it over and over from rival TAC Cup coaches and AFL scouts. He's a competitor, they say. He stands up exactly when games need to be won. When a game was in the balance, it would be Kreuzer lifting the Knights across the line. If they rested him in the forward pocket, he would be kicking the winning goal.
Cotchin the class of 2007
Trent Cotchin played his final game of junior football two months ago, and closed his last year 12 exam booklet on Friday. Early next Saturday morning he'll find out where his new life, as an AFL footballer, will finally start. In the meantime, the 17-year-old has headed to Echuca for a few days of sun and his first real break in what has been a busy year. "I can't wait," said Cotchin, who will have his good friend Matthew Kreuzer alongside as, back in Melbourne, Carlton decides which of the pair it will choose with its No. 1 draft pick. "The season's gone by really fast, but there hasn't been much time to think about things. It'll be nice just to have a few days to get my head around what's happened this year, and get ready for what's coming. I'm looking forward to knowing where I'm heading, and starting out all over." It was not immediately obvious that Cotchin, a northern suburbs boy who played his first game for the West Preston under-9s, was AFL material. He was the tiniest member of most his junior teams, and would tell his sisters he'd have to be as good as Tony Liberatore to make it.
The Henderson kid's AFL draft dream
... The Henderson kid is preparing to put the small country town back into the national spotlight. Geelong Falcons' big man Lachie Henderson appears a certainty to be chosen in the top 10 of this Saturday's AFL national draft. But, despite all the hype surrounding just where his new home will be, the humble 196cm key forward said he is not getting carried away at all. "I haven't really thought about the top 10 that much," the quietly-spoken Henderson said. "It's not really that big a thing to me about being top 10. If I go at 60 it wouldn't matter and I reckon there's no real difference. It's just at that stage you're rated a better player at the time" ... He attracted the attention of the Falcons through his performances with Geelong College in the APS competition and then was earmarked as a potential AFL player by being chosen in the AFL-AIS Academy program late last year. Falcons coach Garry Hocking has watched Henderson develop over the past two years and has no doubts about his talent.