Bulldogs trio selected in NAB AFL Draft

SOUTH Fremantle’s impressive development programs were rewarded at the NAB AFL Draft on Thursday night on the Gold Coast with Jarrod Pickett, Jarrod Garlett and Billy Frampton all selected by AFL clubs from the Bulldogs.

Indigenous teenage pair Pickett and Garlett were both first round selections by the Greater Western Sydney Giants and Gold Coast Suns respectively before ruckman Frampton was the third last selection made on the night and he ended up heading to Port Adelaide.

Pickett was always likely to be one of the top picks in the draft for 2014 and he ended up being taken at selection No. 4 by the GWS Giants.

The 18-year-old small forward and midfielder rose up the ranks of draftees not only with some strong performances for Western Australia at the National 18s Carnival, but the way he burst onto the league scene with South Fremantle late in 2014.

He kicked a goal with his first kick in league football with the Bulldogs and then put in a match-winning burst with two goals in the dying minutes against Peel Thunder at Fremantle Oval.

He then impressed at the Draft Combine with a 2.87 second time in the agility run that showed his remarkable speed, and now he heads to the Giants to join last year’s draftee from South Fremantle, Cameron McCarthy who made his AFL debut in 2014.

Garlett, meanwhile, was picked with selection No. 15 by the Gold Coast Suns as he now heads to Queensland to team up with another South Fremantle product, Brandon Matera.

The quick and skilful 18-year-old on-baller and half-forward impressed during 2014 both at colts, reserves and then finally league level in the WAFL with South Fremantle while also representing WA at the National Championships.

He then impressed at the Draft Combine finishing second in standing vertical jump testing, fifth in the beep test and recording 25-of-30 in the clean hands test and 24-of-30 in the goalkicking test.

South Fremantle then made it three draftees on the night on the Gold Coast with ruckman Frampton picked up at selection No. 84 by Port Adelaide.

Frampton will join fellow South Fremantle products Brendon Ah Chee and Mason Shaw at Port Adelaide in 2015.

The recently-turned 18-year-old 199cm ruckman had a tremendous season again in the ruck with South Fremantle’s colts team and with WA in the National Championships. With the Bulldogs, he averaged almost 14 possessions and 23 hit outs a game in the colts in 2014.

South Fremantle chief executive Stuart Kemp is proud to see Pickett, Garlett and Frampton now achieve their dreams of entering the AFL system after coming through the development ranks with the Bulldogs.

“The South Fremantle Football Club is very excited and proud for Jarrod Pickett, Jarrod Garlett and Billy Frampton who have worked extremely hard and it carries on the great tradition of our organisation not only producing fine football players, but fine young men as well,” Kemp said.

“The hard work now, only begins, however knowing the character of the three of them, they have all the tools to handle whatever is thrown at them. We wish them and their families all the best.”

There remains one more chance for South Fremantle players to end up in the AFL in 2015 with the pre-season and rookie draft to take place on Wednesday morning with Haiden Schloithe, Matthew Ah Siu, Callum Ah Chee, Brad McPhail and Cameron Loersch among the players who could be selected.