Master coach Alastair Clarkson is reportedly “infatuated” with young WA talent Daniel Curtin, and could swoop on the defender before West Coast get the chance to trade their 2024 first round pick to secure the teen.
After losing Ben McKay to Essendon in last month’s trade period, North Melbourne are said to be very interested in Curtin, who could help bolster their key position stocks.
Clarkson has flown over to Perth to meet with the West Australian product and is believed to be “infatuated” with Curtin.
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“Alastair Clarkson, he has become a little infatuated with Dan Curtin I believe,” WA footy journalist Ryan Daniels said on Triple M.
“There’s a lot of interest from North Melbourne. I think that’s where this is heading. Dan Curtin’s going to end up at North Melbourne.”
Hawthorn premiership player Xavier Ellis added: “I would like there’s more relevance (for North Melbourne) getting a spine (key position player) than a midfielder like Harley Reid.”
And it’s not just the Roos circling the defender, with Adelaide reportedly keen to trade up the draft in a bid to secure Curtin as well.
The Herald Sun reports the Crows are in talks to try and secure pick 7, currently held by GWS.
Adelaide hold picks 10, 14 and 20 and will be keen to bolster a backline that lost Tom Doedee to the Lions last month.
Curtin was previously considered a top-five prospect, as a 197cm All Australian centre halfback who also played midfield minutes.
Incoming West Coast CEO Don Pyke confirmed the Eagles were open to a bombshell move to trade away their first round pick in 2024 – which depending on results, could end up being pick one.
“Yeah, look, we’ve got some optionality there,” he said on SEN.
“It really depends on the night a bit as well as on the order people are taken and who’s available.
“I know we’re having some conversations about what we might be able to do (to secure Curtin).
“We’d love to bring as much high-end talent into the club as soon as we can obviously to fast track the build.
“We’ll see what sort of presents on the night. At this point, I’m sort of one-out, one-back on the drafting side of things.
“I’m aware of the overall strategy but we’ll see what happens on the night.
“We’d like to bring in as much talent as we can.”
AFL reporter Cal Twomey believes North Melbourne and Adelaide are part of a large contingent of clubs circling Curtin ahead of Monday night’s first round.
“The one that is the big discussion point is Dan Curtin. He’s a boy from Claremont in WA, 197cm,” Twomey said on Triple M.
“This week Hawthorn flew him over to tour their headquarters, met the coach. That’s not a definitive yes but shows their interest in him.
“Where he goes is going to shape the whole top 10.
“West Coast could then trade back in later in the top 10 if he’s still available or sliding down the order.
“North Melbourne, he’s been in the mix for. Melbourne as well, if he gets to pick six.
“He’s the one key defender in the top six or seven. He’s a really interesting one.”
North Melbourne hold a monster draft hand of five picks in the first round — picks 2, 3, 15, 17 and 18 — as the struggling club tries to rebuild.
Dale Thomas said with five picks inside the first round, “surely this a club-defining draft” for North Melbourne.
West Coast hold the top pick of the draft and after fielding several offers from rival clubs for a potential deal to swap the No. 1 pick, the Eagles are predicted to take Harley Reid at the start of the draft.
There’s reports Curtin could still be available for the GWS Giants at pick No. 7 – with the Eagles to then offer their top pick for next year. The Giants would need to consider whether they need another defender and where West Coast’s 2024 pick will land.
Elsewhere, Hawthorn are expected to pick small forward Nick Watson, Western Bulldogs are linked to Ryley Sanders, Melbourne have honed in on Caleb Windsor and Zane Duursma is expected to go to North Melbourne.
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