WE SPOKE with Hawthorn general manager of player personnel and strategy Chris Pelchen about the club's selections in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

Draft summary

“It was deliberate this year (to rookie-list players that had already been in the AFL system). We are mindful that entering in the rookie list today we had again become the youngest list in the competition. Carlton and ourselves shared that mantle.  We’re very mindful of the fact we’ve got a number of players who have carried injuries through 2008 and again into 2009. A couple of the guys that were taken we believe can play senior football if required very early in the season.”

“It’s common knowledge that we recruit to a very deliberate model, probably more so than any other club. In the national draft we tried to address our structural needs wherever possible but when it comes to the rookie draft we ... feel the players’ talent is what is required to force their way on to a primary list and then to become a good AFL player.”

Player comments

Selection No. 16. Riley Milne
Murray Bushrangers, 193cm, 72kg, 20 July, 1990, 193cm, 78kg.

Riley was unlucky to miss out in the national draft. He’d been discussed by almost every club. He was one of the more prominent Murray Bushranger players and they won the premiership this year. He plays as a tall utility much in the mould of James Clement. He’s very athletic, kicks the ball well. He’s only slightly built and needs time to build his body. He’s got a very high level of skill and is a player we would think would take some time because of his size.

Selection No. 32. Haydn Kiel
Brisbane Lions, midfielder, 15 January, 1988, 180cm, 84kg.

He’s featured prominently for the Lions in the last two NAB Cup campaigns then lost his way with a lack of application. He’s looking for a second chance. He’s a midfield player who can also play half-back. He’s a very strong inside type. He kicks the ball well and is very much in the mould of Sam Mitchell in terms of size.

Selection No. 47. Luke Breust
Temora, NSW, medium forward, 11 November, 1990, 181cm, 74kg.

Luke probably surprised many because Sydney could have pre-listed him as a rookie but chose not to. Luke was one of the NSW-ACT’s better players this year in the national championships. We were delighted that Sydney didn’t pre-list him. He is a half-forward/wingman and also kicks the ball really well. He has a good goal sense as well.

Selection No. 61. Carl Peterson
Richmond, medium forward, 3 July, 1987, 183cm, 70kg.

Carl has been in the system with Richmond. He lost his way a bit with a personal issue and had returned to Western Australia. He played a couple of games with the Northern Bullants reserves this year but was injured. He returned to Western Australia with the intention of playing for Claremont next year. He’s a player we’ve monitored over a long period of time. He is extremely gifted in terms of football ability. He plays as a wingman/half-forward and played the NTFL season with St Marys in their premiership side and played in the ruck. He has an outstanding vertical leap but we see him as a player who has been through the system and has matured. He is genuinely excited about getting another opportunity because he feels he didn’t make the most of his last one.

Selection No. 73. Garry Moss
Hawthorn, midfielder, 5 July, 1988, 181cm, 74kg.

It was a certainly our intention to rookie him since we cut him. Garry has been limited by injury for the last three years. There is no doubt he has been somewhat unlucky. We’re happy to have Garry back and the club and it was always our intention to rookie him again.

Selection No. 81. Matthew Suckling
Hawthorn, medium defender, 25 July 1988, 183cm, 73kg.

With Matthew, under the rules we had to release him from this year’s rookie list. We then get the opportunity to pre-list him as a third year rookie. We were always hopeful of securing Matthew as a third-year rookie.

Selection No. 85. William Sierakowski
North Shore, NSW, Medium defender, 26 July, 1990, 188cm, 79kg

Will’s the first boy to come through the NSW scholarship scheme who is eligible for the draft for us. It’s quite a significant recruit for us. He’s a tall utility who can play either half-back or half-forward. He’s from the Sierakowski family with his uncle Brian playing for St Kilda and his cousin David who also played for St Kilda and the Eagles.