GIANTS coach Leon Cameron is excited about the young talent joining the club following the NAB AFL Draft on the Gold Coast.
 
The GIANTS strengthened their playing list for 2015, securing dynamic forward Jarrod Pickett (pick 4), defender Caleb Marchbank (pick 6) and midfielder Paul Ahern (pick 7).
 
The GIANTS also selected former Australian Under-19 cricket captain Patrick McKenna with pick 23.
 
“It’s always great to bring in new talent to the football club… and we feel in the last two years our trading and recruiting has been great,” Cameron said.
 
“Jarrod (Pickett) is a small forward who can also play up the ground on the ball. He is an outstanding young talent with speed to burn and in terms of his talent he’s pretty electric.
 
“We’ve been tracking Caleb (Marchbank) for a couple of years and we’re rapt to have him. He can play key posts in defence or up forward and through the midfield because he’s so flexible.
 
“Paul (Ahern) is probably one of the better kicks in the draft, he’s an elite right footer who can play inside and outside through the midfield. His decision making when he gets the ball is something special.”
 
In a surprise move to some, the GIANTS selected Patrick McKenna who sacrificed a promising cricket career to pursue his AFL dream.
 
“People will probably think it’s a left field selection but we think we nailed it by selecting Pat with pick 23,” Cameron said.
 
“His background has predominantly been cricket but he clearly made a decision this year that he wanted to have a crack at AFL Footy. Pat can play forward or through the midfield, he has a great kick and possesses a lot of leadership skills.”
 
PM CAPITAL GIANTS Academy players Jack Steele (pick 24) and Jeremy Finlayson (pick 85) also both joined the GIANTS following last month’s NAB AFL Academy Players Bidding Meeting.

Pick 4 - Jarrod Pickett
Small forward/midfielder with electrifying pace who can set the game alight. Smart around goals and has elite endurance. Finished equal-second in the 20m sprint at the NAB AFL Draft Combine with a time of 2.87 sec and recorded a time of 2.87 sec in the agility run. Played five senior games this season for WAFL side South Fremantle, mainly as a deep forward. He averaged 14 possessions and three marks in his six hit-outs during the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and was a member of NAB AFL Academy Level 2 squad.

Pick 6 - Caleb Marchbank
Competitive tall defender with excellent mobility and repeat efforts. Anticipates well coming off his man to support his defence and strong overhead. Continues his recovery from a meniscus injury in his knee, which ruled him out of the last part of the TAC Cup season. Averaged 14 disposals and four marks in six games in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Can also push forward and provide a marking target. Won All Australian Under-18 honours.

Pick 7 - Paul Ahern
Smooth-moving midfielder with excellent balance and strong running capacity. Selected in the NAB AFL Under-18 All Australian team after averaging 17 possessions at 72 per cent efficiency in five matches. Make the difficult look easy, dangerous when pushes forward and can kick long goals on the run. Collected 26 disposals and kicked a goal in the Calder Cannons' TAC Cup Grand Final loss. Has excellent mix of speed and endurance and can play inside or outside.

Pick 23 - Patrick McKenna
A cricketer who captained the Australian under 19s in a tour of Sri Lanka in September/October, Mckenna played 18 senior matches for Gisborne Bulldogs in the Bendigo Football League this season. He kicked 45 goals including a bag of nine against Kangaroo Flats.

Pick 24 - Jack Steele
A strong onballer who can also play forward, he has excellent poise and balance and is an effective lead-up player, winning All-Australian honours as NSW/ACT's MVP in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Finished equal seventh in the 3-km time trial in 10:11, recorded an equal-sixth best 15.1 in the beep test and scored 26/30 in the kicking test.

Pick 85 - Jeremy Finlayson
A tall forward who can play deep in attack where he can be difficult to stop with his strong marking ability. Is athletic and balanced but also possesses a high degree of mobility away from goal. Averaged 12 disposals and 3.7 marks during the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.