Harry Kyle was seen as a “jet” across the AFL landscape, but given his strong links to Sydney via the Academy, there was little belief he’d depart New South Wales.
An athletic and genuinely versatile player who has the tools to impact across all parts of the ground, Kyle has been a big riser of 2025, shooting up the draft rankings.
It was his first full season ensconced in the footy talent pathway, having grown up with rugby union, which gives him a unique skillset he is able to bring across to footy, with his ability to draw defenders and sidestep making him a dangerous asset in traffic with his ability to find space.
And as a result, many clubs, including GWS, thought of making a play despite the low chances of securing him on draft night.
Harry Kyle. Credit: Sydney
Going behind the scenes, Giants head of talent Adrian Caruso has revealed that the AFL’s youngest team rated Kyle highly, and would be “rapt” to snare him, ultimately seeing the club make a bid at Pick 14.
The decision to make the cross-town rivals pay full dollar for the talented code-convert had nothing to do with the spite shared in New South Wales between the two teams.
On two previous occasions, the Swans have forced GWS to pay for Isaac Cumming (2016, Pick 20) and Harry Rowston (2022, Pick 16) more than what they considered.
But Caruso ensured the Kyle bid had nothing to do with past drafts.
“The next discussion will be bidding,” Caruso said in the lead-up to the 2025 National Draft.
“So, where I’ve landed, and chatted to Jase (Jason McCartney), we rate Harry Kyle. We think he’s going to be a star. I think we just bid.
“It’s not about making the Swans pay up. It’s not about Harry Rowston. It’s not about anything. We just rate him.
GWS Giants’ Harry Rowston (Image: GWS Giants Twitter)
“We want to bid. It is what it is. That’s the system. We rate him that high. If they, for some reason, say no, which we don’t think they will, then we’d be rapt to have him, because he’s going to be a jet.”
The Giants were pushed back one spot, and selected Oskar Taylor with Pick 15.
However, Caruso and his team pushed hard to improve its spot in the draft order, leaping forward from 14 to 12 following a deal with the Western Bulldogs.
“We sit in a pretty comfortable decision on what our strategy will be,” he said.
“We obviously traded up to Pick 12 with a few players in mind, and our worst case was probably something that might happen at 14, but I’m comfortable at 12 we’ll get one of the players we’re targeting.
“Through the last month, we’ve had seven guys on our radar we thought we’d consider at Pick 12.
Oskar Taylor of the Eastern Ranges in the Coates Talent League 2025 season (Image: Jaguarr Media)
“Oskar was someone early in the year we probably thought we’d be able to nab later, but he’s had such a good, consistent year, and put himself in the frame to go early.
“In my head all year, I was looking at Oskar and thinking he’d be the perfect player for us to get a crack at.
“I think he ticks all the boxes of what we’re looking for. He’s got speed. He’s creative with the ball. He’s competitive.
“I think he’s going to have a better career for us.”
Taylor was joined by fellow draftee Finn Davis on the second night of the draft, while Jake Stringer was re-listed by the club.
Academy talent Riley Hamilton was signed as a category B rookie following the draft.Â
Clayton Oliver was traded in from Melbourne as Jayden Laverde officially signed on with the Giants as the SSP opened.