Essendon’s Surprising Move in the AFL Mid-Season Draft
Jaxon Artemis, a half-back from Western Australia, was initially set to join the Richmond team in the AFL mid-season draft. However, the unexpected Dreamtime At The ‘G win by the Tigers changed the course of events, placing Essendon at the top of the draft order and ultimately leading to the sacking of coach Brad Scott.
This whirlwind four days for Artemis saw him selected by Essendon with the No.1 pick in Tuesday night’s selections. The 19-year-old had been playing for the Tassie Devils in the VFL and turned down a contract offer from the incoming Tasmanian AFL team to enter the mid-season draft.
After being overlooked in the 2024 and 2025 national drafts, Artemis will now join an Essendon team under the interim leadership of Dean Solomon following Scott’s dismissal.
“I could slot in (to their AFL team) straight away. I’m quite a good footballer so I’d be ready for any opportunity I reckon,” Artemis told the AFL website.
The draft featured 18 players finding AFL homes. Injury-plagued Richmond used the No.2 pick to recruit Kye Annand from the Geelong VFL team. Annand will fill the hole left by injured backman Josh Gibcus.
Oliver Francou, son of former Port Adelaide player Josh Francou, was recruited by West Coast with the No.3 pick from SANFL team North Adelaide.
Collingwood, like Richmond, have injury trouble and they went for experience amid their three picks. No.8 selection Harrison Coe, 26, was chosen from Frankston in the VFL to replace injured ruckman Oscar Steene and 27-year-old key forward Mitch Podhajski (Coburg, VFL) was brought in at pick 18 to bolster their attack. They were the only two players older than 23 taken in this draft.
Collingwood also drafted Woodville-West Torrens defender Liam Puncher from the SANFL at No.15.
Adelaide gave Hugo Hall-Kahan another chance, using the No.10 selection to bring him across from Williamstown in the VFL. Hall-Kahan became the second player after Brynn Teakle to be recruited twice in the mid-season draft, having also gone to Sydney in 2022.
Ruckmen were in high demand, with six big men recruited.
