Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro thinks the Bombers have got the list balancing act about right following Saturday’s NAB AFL Draft. Speaking exclusively to essendonfc.com.au today, Dodoro said that when you add the Brent Prismall trade into the equation, Essendon’s list is in good shape heading into 2009.

“It is a pleasing result. We traded our third round selection for Brent Prismall who we believe was the best player traded for in the trade week. We complimented that with David Zaharakis to bolster the midfield and continued our succession planning of key tall players by drafting Michael Hurley as a backman and Michael Still as a forward. Then you have Tyson Slattery who can play as a swingman which gives us some flexibility,” Dodoro said today.

Dodoro believes Hurley is ready to play senior football at some stage this season.

“He could play next year – physically he’s up to it. He is a natural football who will be very motivated by being part of an AFL environment. He has been an All Australian the past two years – he would have been picked up last year but was too young – he was ready last year,” Dodoro said.
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Dodoro was on the phone to David Zaharakis immediately after the completion of the second round. Having grown up as an Essendon supporter, he was at The Dome in a flash- leaving at home friends and family who had gathered with him to listen to the draft.

“When we had a break after the second round I called David straight away and told him to get him down. We had targeted him as the midfielder we wanted. He was a mad Essendon supporter dying to get to the Club,” Dodoro said.

 “He was All Australian – we looked at him closely last year as a 17-year-old. We kept a close eye on him this year and he really developed. He uses the ball really well, is a goal-kicking midfielder and has great leadership skills. When we spoke to David Dickson – the Vic. metro under 18 coach - he said we should be taking him at pick 5.”

It was the continual improvement of Michael Still – particularly in the second half of the season - that really caught the eye of Dodoro and his team of recruiters.

“He is a bottom age recruit (17-years-old) and a genuine key position player. He kept improving as the year went on. One of the strategies we had going into the draft was to identify a player that would have been a first round selection next year and he fitted from that perspective,” Dodoro said.

“He is a forward – he kicked a lot of goals late in the year – bags of goals and that is a good sign. He presents well and can take difficult marks. He keeps his eye on the ball.”

Essendon’s final selection at the draft provides the list with some added flexibility.

“Brenton Phillips - former Essendon player and coach of the S.A. under 18s - liked his hardness at the football. He described him as a ‘see ball, get ball’ type of player. He also has great endurance and at 191cm can play back and midfield,” Dodoro said.
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“Has played senior football this year for West Adelaide where he was coached by Andy Collins and he gave us a really good reference for him.  He has played against men and that is an advantage – he turns 18 on his first day here at the club on Wednesday. His father Wayne Slattery played at St Kilda and also trained here at Essendon.”

Following the draft, the Essendon coaching team took the Melbourne contingent of their draft picks out to lunch at Docklands. Some pizza was allowed on the menu as part of the day’s celebrations but it might be the last these young men see of it for a while as the hard work begins for season 2009.