![\"Lachy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/092308c2-4aca-4cb2-8256-54c9d076574a.jpg\")
\n Confident draft hopeful Lachy Dovaston is aiming for a round one start. (Anna Harrington\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Lachy Dovaston plays with swagger and a mullet, has been likened to Nick Watson and couldn’t think of anything better than buzzing around Essendon’s forward line with Isaac Kako.<\/p>\n
If the small forward has his way, he’ll have best mate Xavier Taylor at the Bombers with him next year too.<\/p>\n
This year’s draft is an odd one, with four clubs holding eight of the top 10 picks – outside a bevy of academy and father-son selections.<\/p>\n
Lachy Dovaston says he’s excited as picks for the AFL draft draw closer. (Anna Harrington\/AAP VIDEO)<\/p>\n
West Coast (picks No.1 and No.2), Richmond (No.3 and No.4), Essendon (No.5 and No.6) and Melbourne (No.7 and No.8) dominate the early running.<\/p>\n
Willem Duursma is expected to be the prized top pick, with ruck-forward Cooper Duff-Tytler also Eagles-bound.<\/p>\n
Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean, Gold Coast academy duo Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson, and Brisbane academy gun Dan Annable will all be bid on early.<\/p>\n
With an early bid on Dean approaching, Carlton are expected to shift their top picks (currently No.9 and No.11) to avoid them being swallowed up.<\/p>\n
Speedy Dovaston, 18, is the premier small forward in this year’s draft and Essendon list boss Matt Rosa is expected to trade for Carlton’s top pick to add him to their swag.<\/p>\n
An Eastern Ranges product like Hawthorn dynamo Watson, Dovaston is eyeing off forming his own attacking partnership with exciting young Bomber Kako.<\/p>\n
\n Confident draft hopeful Lachy Dovaston is aiming for a round one start. (Anna Harrington\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
“Been pretty close with Kako the last two years,” Dovaston said.<\/p>\n
“I tagged him, I think two years ago in a game.<\/p>\n
“But saw him the other day, obviously at the Hangar, and yeah, that’d be pretty special to play alongside him.”<\/p>\n
When asked how the Kako tag went, Dovaston quipped: “I was just his handbag for the day.”<\/p>\n
The young gun already has his eyes set on round one and winning over his new team’s fans.<\/p>\n
“I play with bit of swagger and bit of confidence, which I think is good,” he said.<\/p>\n
Dovaston, Taylor and fellow top prospect Sullivan Robey, who is expected to end up at Richmond, all toured Essendon last week.<\/p>\n
It’s got Taylor and Dovaston daring to dream of landing at the same spot.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been talking about it a little bit,” Dovaston said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I don’t think we thought it was really realistic, but you never know.”<\/p>\n
![\"Xavier](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/288ba41a-da38-4853-acbb-832037c21a87.jpg\")
\n Xavier Taylor says he’d love to play alongside best mate Dovaston at Essendon. (Anna Harrington\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Taylor, a Richmond fan who models his game on Nick Vlastuin, would love to help the Tigers surge.<\/p>\n
But the 18-year-old is also excited by the prospect of the Bombers turning things around.<\/p>\n
“It’d be good to go with a few mates and even to a big club like Essendon, that would be a big dream of mine,” Taylor said.<\/p>\n
Speedster Sam Grlj, who moulds his game on Chris Judd, Zak Butters and Max Holmes, is also keen to make his mark.<\/p>\n
“An opportunity to go to a club, whichever club it is, just to make an impact and show that you understand and you’re at the level and I guess, turn the club around would be a great opportunity,” said Grlj, who’s also 18.<\/p>\n
The first round of the draft will be held on Wednesday night, with the remainder completed on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
CURRENT AFL DRAFT TOP 10<\/p>\n
* Pick No.1 – West Coast<\/p>\n
* Pick No.2 – West Coast<\/p>\n
* Pick No.3 – Richmond<\/p>\n
* Pick No.4 – Richmond<\/p>\n
* Pick No.5 – Essendon<\/p>\n
* Pick No.6 – Essendon<\/p>\n
* Pick No.7 – Melbourne<\/p>\n
* Pick No.8 – Melbourne<\/p>\n
* Pick No.9 – Carlton<\/p>\n
* Pick No.10 – Hawthorn<\/p>\n