The Giants’ determination to retain an early first-round pick, as well as their belief Phoenix Gothard could be a “200-game Giants player”, is why they didn’t trade with West Coast at the top of the recent national draft.
Adelaide on Monday night beat West Coast in the race for the Giants’ prized first draft pick, securing a blockbuster trade to move up the order and ultimately select top WA prospect Daniel Curtin.
The Crows gave the Giants Picks 11, 15 and a future second-rounder, while giving Picks 8 and 17 to the Crows, who then pounced on Curtin.
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The Giants four picks later then pulled a first-round shock and selected Gothard – a quick, agile, clean and hard-working forward from the Murray Bushrangers who most rival clubs thought would enter the draft mix late in the first round.
In a fascinating behind-the-scenes video published by the Giants’ media team, club recruiting manager Adrian Caruso explained to his fellow recruiters, as well as football director Jimmy Bartel, why he rated Gothard so highly.
“I think first and foremost, I’ll put on the table my order at the moment for our pick is Gothard as the first priority, followed by (James) Leake, (Connor) O’Sullivan and then a gap to some of these other guys that I think would be back-up options at 16,” Caruso said in the video released by Giants Media.
“The reason I landed on Gothard was I just think he suits us more than anyone. I rate his talent – I think he’s as talented as any of these others that we’re discussing – but I think positionally he helps us, style of play he helps us. It fits us as a club in terms of what we’re about and the types of players we bring in on character.
“Being a New South Wales boy is an added bonus, but I just think this kid is going to really surprise everyone.”
The Giants opted to trade with Adelaide, despite West Coast offering them its future first-round pick, which could ultimately be at the pointy end of the 2024 draft.
Caruso said the Eagles’ offer was “obviously of appeal”, but added the Giants didn’t want to miss out on Gothard.
“Working through it for me, if we took the West Coast future first offer and we sat at 16, we basically are conceding we’re not bringing anything in this year of note. The players we’re looking at at 16, if Gothard was gone, they’re a level below,” he said.
“And given where we sit and given the talent level of where I rate Gothard – or if it was Leake or O’Sullivan – I just don’t feel comfortable if we just brought in one player and it’s Pick 16 and it blows out to 21 and it’s just a punt really.
“I’d be more bullish to just take the pick and roll the dice.”
Caruso was asked by Bartel whether Gothard sat that high on his rankings because he was concerned the forward would be taken before the Giants’ second first-round pick.
But Caruso said Gothard “comfortably” sat in their Pick 7 range and was even ahead of power forward Nate Caddy, who was ultimately selected by Essendon at Pick 10.
“While I think externally people might look at it and say: ‘OK, well why are you going that early?’ Well, we’re not that comfortable he (Gothard) is going to be there with the next pick. This is our talent order, we stick to our talent order,” he said.
“We have such a specific set of things that we’re looking for. It’s not just like: ‘We’ll roll the dice and if he’s gone at 16, we’ll just pick the next player.’ The drop-off is enormous.
“For me, he’s a 200-game Giants player.
“We’re going to have the best small brigade. Our small forwards are going to be unstoppable. That’s what I’m banking on.”
Later in the first round, the Giants traded with St Kilda to move up one spot in the order to draft Tasmania utility Leake.
The Giants then picked WA defender Joe Fonti and Academy graduate Harvey Thomas on the second night of the draft.
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