Article courtesy of www.afl.com.au
THREE players will join AFL clubs under the father-son rule next season with the Western Bulldogs snaring two of the prized midfielders in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft pool.
The Bulldogs will use their first two picks in this year's draft on father-son duo Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore after rival clubs also bid on the pair at Tuesday morning's bidding meeting.
Meanwhile, the West Coast Eagles will use their final pick in this year's draft on 20-year-old Jacob Brennan, the son of former defender Michael.
Trade week started on Tuesday but before meetings officially started all clubs met to discuss the worth of father-son selections in this year's draft.
The Bulldogs have had their sights on the talented midfield pair from the Calder Cannons for the past two seasons, and as expected were made to forfeit their first two picks in this year's draft, which will be dominated by Gold Coast.
After a standout 18 months at junior level, both Wallis and Liberatore were viewed as likely top-15 selections in this year’s draft.
Port Adelaide nominated its first-round pick - selection 16 - for Wallis, which the Bulldogs then matched with its first-round pick.
That means Wallis will join Rodney Eade's side with the Bulldogs' first pick, currently selection 22, in next month's draft.
The Sydney Swans nominated its round two pick (No.39) for Liberatore - the son of former Brownlow medallist Tony - and the Bulldogs matched that with their second-round pick, the 40th selection in the draft.
That means the Bulldogs' first live pick in the November 18 draft will be pick 57.
Despite all AFL clubs knowing the pair was poised to join the Bulldogs in this year's draft, some still went to the trouble of interviewing them at last week's NAB AFL Draft Combine.
It is known that North Melbourne held a formal interview with the star midfielders, while Geelong and Port Adelaide also spoke to them in Canberra.
Brennan will join the Eagles with the club's final pick in the draft after no club bid for the mature-age defender.
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Last Modified on 05/10/2010 14:34