Gold Coast’s decision to exchange high draft picks with Melbourne was a carefully mapped out exercise, according to SUNS General Manager of Football Operations, Marcus Ashcroft.
 
The decision by the SUNS list management team on Wednesday morning will provide the club with a smorgasbord of quality selections across not only this year’s draft, but next year’s as well.
 
In a complex deal, Melbourne received picks No. 3, No. 10 and No. 43 from the SUNS, in exchange for No. 6, No. 29 and the Demons first round pick in the 2016 national draft. Gold Coast essentially move three spots down the order in the opening round of next month’s draft, but strengthen their position in 2016.
 
“As part of our list management strategy and planning going into the trade period was to also spread some quality selections over two draft pools,” Ashcroft told SUNS TV on Wednesday evening.
 
“In effect, in 2015 we have two first round selections and two second round selections and in 2016 we have two first round selections and three second round selections – so quality picks up the front of the draft.”
 
Ashcroft explained that Scott Clayton, Dom Ambrogio and the recruiting team believe the quality of players in the first round of this year’s draft is particularly even, meaning the difference between pick No. 3 and No. 6 is marginal.
 
So with two picks in the opening round  - No. 6 and No. 16 – Gold Coast is confident of securing two quality players, who could be ready to make an impact at AFL level as soon as next season.
 
“I think based on our recruiting team, we felt that at pick three or pick six we can get the same type of player. The quality in that region is pretty similar,” Ashcroft said.
 
“So our guys' opinion was that between pick three and 16, we’re still going to get two quality athletes.
 
“So having now pick six and pick 16, we feel that there’s enough depth of talent in that range to be able to get two quality athletes that can come in and hopefully play some senior footy in 2016.”
 
The 2016 draft is widely regarded to be considerably stronger than this year’s crop of young talent, hence the club’s desire to trade for future picks.
 
And with the SUNS boasting a number of highly touted players in the academy, the recruiting team have turned an eye to ensuring they have enough points to ensure they become Gold Coast players.
 
“In addition to that, the future picks are a valuable commodity now and a few clubs have adopted that approach and we’re one of those,” Ashcroft said.
 
“We know in 2016, as reported, the draft pool will be a lot stronger and we’re in a position really well to have two first rounders and three second rounders at this point.”