{"id":303477,"date":"2025-11-23T12:29:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T12:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303477\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T12:29:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T12:29:22","slug":"jokes-come-for-port-adelaide-after-picking-zero-players-in-afl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/303477\/","title":{"rendered":"Jokes come for Port Adelaide after picking zero players in AFL draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

Port Adelaide<\/a> have explained their decision to not pick any players in this week\u2019s national draft<\/a>, which has seen the club be the brunt of jokes on social media.<\/p>\n

The Power went into this year\u2019s draft with just two late selections.<\/p>\n

That was a result of a number of different trades this year and last year. In 2024, they traded out their 2025 first-round pick as part of a complicated three-club deal that saw them land Jack Lukosius and Joe Richards, as well as a host of picks in last year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

They also traded out this year\u2019s second-round pick as a part of a three-way deal that helped land Corey Durdin from Carlton.<\/p>\n

As part of that trade, they ended up with a second-round pick in next year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

Port Adelaide\u2019s first pick on draft night came at 46, but they traded it out to Gold Coast in exchange for a third-round pick next year.<\/p>\n

And then with their other pick, which ended up at 58, they passed.<\/p>\n

It left the club as the first in history to walk away from the national draft without a single player.<\/p>\n

It looks a curious move from a club that finished 13th last year and changed coaches in the off-season with Josh Carr replacing Ken Hinkley.<\/p>\n

They quickly became a punchline on social media, with many fans poking fun at the move.<\/p>\n

\u201c11 people in a room to do nothing,\u201d one fan said with a laughing emoji.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t be a draft bust if you never select anyone to begin with,\u201d one fan added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn all fairness, this is by far Port\u2019s greatest ever draft,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

Even the club\u2019s own social media team saw the funny side of the situation.<\/p>\n

The club posted a video of an empty couch with the caption \u201cthe pass family goes wild on draft night\u201d.<\/p>\n

But recruiting boss Geoff Parker explained there was a clear strategy going on behind the scenes.<\/p>\n

They prioritised the rookies on their list that came in via the mid-season draft, and also had an eye on next year when they will need plenty of draft capital to match a likely early bid on NGA prospect Dougie Cochrane, who is in the early discussions for pick No.1.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe definitely came into this draft with a list of players to pick so there was never a thought that we weren\u2019t going to pick,\u201d Parker said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a list of players and when you come in at pick 58, you need a long list. So by the time it got to our pick, they\u2019d disappeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had the three mid-season picks so we brought in some talent there. So we look at that as we\u2019ve already got three new players on our list really and if we were going to get another one tonight, we would have, but unfortunately it didn\u2019t work that way.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a focus (to trade into next year\u2019s draft) and it\u2019s been spoken about since trade period. Our focus was to try and get some capital in next year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a lot of footy to be played. We know (Cochrane) is talented, (but) whether he\u2019s the number one, we don\u2019t know yet. The football the boys play next year will decide that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The club also upgraded 2024 mid-season rookie Logan Evans to the primary list, and still hold three picks in the rookie draft this year.<\/p>\n

They are also likely to keep a list spot open for a potential train-on players, including former North Melbourne and Collingwood speedster Jaidyn Stephenson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got new coaching staff and they want to have a bit of a look at the list as well and work out where it all fits,\u201d Parker said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got some new AFL rules to consider as well so it gives everyone a chance to take a breath and take a look at what we\u2019ve actually got.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a new group and a new set of eyes to take a look at our list and they might have some different ideas about where players can play and where they can\u2019t play.\u201d<\/p>\n

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AFL\u2019s newest rivalry takes nasty turn during draft<\/p>\n

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