Carlton and Fremantle could be in line for a waiting game come the first round of this year's draft, with the timing of their opening night selections, coupled with the profile of this year's best small forwards, potentially leading to a dramatic chase.
As Carlton's position currently stands for night one, the Blues hold Picks 9 and 11, with a bid for father-son selection Harry Dean expected to come prior to their opening spot in the queue.
Both of those picks are also expected to move back as many as three spots due to other priority access prospects in top five contention, leaving the Blues in an awkward position.
Should Carlton carry their two first-round selections into the draft, and a bid just for Dean arises just outside the top five, then the Blues are likely to ba handed a late first-round selection in return for surpassing the needed points total.
For example, a bid at Pick 8 will require 1299 points from the Blues, who could now be 12th and 14th in the order at this stage of the draft. Those two picks combine for 2164 points, leaving Carlton with 865 points to spare, valued at Pick 18.
Fremantle's place in the queue, currently starting at Pick 20, will move back and forth given the number of matched bids and swallowed up first-round selections ahead of them.
Should Carlton's return selection land ahead of the Dockers, it could be a blow to Fremantle's draft plans given both sides are seen keen on small forwards.
Leading small forward prospect Lachy Dovaston could earn a selection well before either of the Blues or Dockers get their chance, leaving over-age talent Latrelle Pickett as a likely target for both clubs.
The flow-on effect from bids for Dean and others early into the draft could place Fremantle "in an interesting position", should they be lining up a selection for Pickett.
Speaking on this week's episode of Craft of the Draft, where all 18 clubs had their draft plans previewed, Mitch Keating made note of the situation that could see Carlton swoop in on the Glenelg talent ahead of Fremantle.
"Carlton could be slotting right in front of Fremantle - Two clubs who will probably be looking at small forwards," Keating said.
"If Lachy Dovaston is off the board, and Carlton pull the trigger on Latrelle Pickett, it's potentially going to put Freo in an interesting position if they had their sights on both of those guys and none of them are available at Pick 20, which will come back and forth a little bit in the queue.
"Latrelle Pickett would be the one I'd circle for them, assuming Lachy Dovaston is off the board, as that front-half spark, pace, lively front-half option for them."
The Dockers will have alternatives should both Pickett and Dovaston be unavailable to them, with defensive reinforcements another potential area for Fremantle to bolster.
Arguably the leading key defender from the open pool, South Australia's Blake Thredgold has risen into first-round calculations, and could be a fit for Fremantle as the eventual successor to skipper Alex Pearce.
Eastern Ranges gun Oskar Taylor and Sandringham Dragons defender-midfielder Rory Wright are smaller-sized prospects Fremantle could consider.
"There's also an opportunity for them to strengthen their defensive stocks in a couple of different ways," Craft of the Draft's Jonty Ralphsmith said.
"Do they want an accountable ground-level defender? Someone like an Oskar Taylor, who went to Freo in our latest Mock Draft. Good one-on-one, good kick. Really good balance.
"Or do they look to strengthen their tall stocks in the post-Alex Pearce era, like a Blake Thredgold, who I think is going to go higher than some people might expect.
"The one I don't mind for them, but he might fall between their (first) two picks, is Rory Wright. I don't mind that as a match for what they need."
You can watch the full episode previewing each club's 2025 AFL Draft plans below, or via Zero Hanger's YouTube channel.
