St Kilda has added four teenagers to their list at Friday night’s NAB AFL Draft, including top 10 picks Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield.
The Saints, who had two picks inside the first ten selections for the first time in 16 years, chose Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Clark at No. 7 before adding Northern Knights rebounding defender Coffield a pick later.
Clark, 18, is regarded as one of the classiest ball users in this year's draft pool and should complement the Saints' engine room for many years to come.
Northern Knights captain Coffield was named at half-back in the under-18 All-Australian team but is expected to develop into a midfielder at AFL level.
After Richmond matched the Saints’ bid for father-son recruit Patrick Naish at No. 34, St Kilda selected Dandenong Stingrays defender Oscar Clavarino at No. 35, who was named at
With their fourth and final pick, St Kilda acquired Murray Bushrangers midfielder-defender Ben Paton at No. 46, completing a remarkable turn of fortunes for the 19-year-old.
Paton was overlooked by every club last year but after moving from the midfield to defence as an overage player with the Bushrangers, the teenager thrived down back, earning a spot in the Vic Country team where his stunning carnival saw him named in the All-Australian team.
