“Absolutely staggering”: Has Essendon cost themselves a star player?

Draft expert Mick Ablett cannot believe Essendon made the call to trade out of pick nine, likely out of fear that the selection would get absorbed into a bid on Academy prospect Isaac Kako.

The small forward is tied to the Bombers, and is expected to be taken somewhere in the first round – but outside of the top half dozen at the very least.

Essendon traded pick 9 and a future third to the Demons for their future 1st and picks 28, 40, 46, 54 and 65.

The 2024 draft has been touted as one of the strongest crops in recent memory and Ablett was stunned by the Dons’ decision, saying he isn’t expecting a bid on Kako to come in the top 10.

If that comes to fruition, Essendon will have cost themselves the ability to use pick nine on whoever they want and also match a bid for Kako.

“The thing I found absolutely staggering was Essendon trading out of pick 9,” Ablett told SEN’s Sportsday.

“I will put my hand up. If Isaac Kako receives a bid before pick 9, I will be the first one to say ‘well done Bombers, you got it right’.

“The only reason you would trade out a pick that early was in the event that you think an NGA prospect is going to get a bid prior to that selection.

“If Kako doesn’t get bid on before pick nine tomorrow night, it will have been a monumental mistake by Essendon to let go of a top 10 draft pick and have that bid come a bit later.

“Let’s watch it play out, but at this stage I am staggered a club would trade out of pick nine in this draft.”

The National Draft gets underway tonight, with AFL Media’s Cal Twomey currently projecting the bid on Kako to come from St Kilda at pick 8, before what would’ve been the Bombers’ pick.