AFL Draft 2024: State talent manager Adam Jones remains confident in WA crop, reveals the potential bolter

“I don’t think there will be a West Australian legitimately drafted this year — that’s how bad WA is at the moment.” It’s the dire quote from an unnamed recruiter, published by The Herald Sun in May, that infuriated state talent manager Adam Jones. He labelled it “rubbish” at the time, telling The West Australian he had “no doubt” players would picked up from WA. Just weeks out from the 2024 AFL draft, which will take place on November 20-21, Jones said his early prediction remains “spot on”. “Based on the level of interest in players, I’m confident in seven to eight getting on a list. And then hopeful that 10 or more might go, but we will wait and see,” he told The West on Friday. “It probably won’t be the strongest group from us this year but there are still some good players and we will have a number of them end up on a list.” Peel Thunder product Bo Allan, the standout prospect from WA, looms as a first-round selection, while Subiaco forward Malakai Champion is set to land at West Coast through the club’s NGA program. Hamish Davis, Kayle Gerreyn, Will Hayes, Cody Angove and Clancy Dennis are also strong prospects, while national combine snub Hugh Boxshall could be a draft bolter amid healthy interest from clubs. Initially worried the comments could have a negative impact on the WA hopefuls, Jones admits it actually had the opposite effect. “My concern, when it was published, was that it could go one of two ways. Sometimes players might read that and start to believe it and it could affect their performance negatively,” he said. “But with the quality of character the group had, they used it as real motivation this year. We had always said all along it was a really strong character group and they’ve shown that with what they’ve done throughout the year. “The players themselves drove that. We have a sports psychologist that works with some guys but that wasn’t required. We (the West Australian Football Commission) addressed the article once and then basically it was the players that had driven it themselves. “Having heard a couple of them be interviewed throughout the year, a number of them have said they used it as motivation. “While we didn’t talk about it a lot, definitely for the players it was front of their mind and a driving force.”