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FOR THE second season in succession Geelong has used its first pick on a player that played little football in his draft year after selecting Nakia Cockatoo with pick No.10 in Thursday night's NAB Draft.
Cockatoo shot to prominence after a sensational performance in the curtain raiser on Grand Final day when representing an under age all-star team.
He had an operation after touring Europe with the AIS-AFL Academy to repair his injured foot and did not return until Grand Final day.
However Geelong recruiting manager Stephen Wells said the club had seen enough of Cockatoo to use pick No.10 on the tall Northern Territorian.
"We've seen plenty of Nakia with his year's in the under-16 championships, with the AFL Academy last year and also under-18 championships last year. We saw enough of him to use our top-10 pick," Wells told AFL.com.au.
The Cats chose Darcy Lang with pick No.16 in last year's draft despite the midfielder breaking his leg in 2013. Lang was very impressive in his first season at the club and managed one senior game.
Although Geelong ended up selecting four midfielders after recruiting talls Mitch Clark and Rhys Stanley during the trade period, Wells said he would have been happy to pick talls if the cards fell that way on the night.
"It was just a matter of how it fell on its first pick if Nakia had gone we would have been happy to pick another tall player," Wells said.
"We didn't have a plan to just get midfielders or mix it up too much. It was just to see how it fell."
Click here to view the Cats' draft haul and watch highlights of every player on the 2014 NAB AFL draft tracker
Selection No.10 – Nakia Cockatoo
Stephen Wells says: "He has a great inside and outside aspect to his midfield game. He is skilful and talented but still he has a long way to go but we think he can play forward as well."
Selection No.47 – Cory Gregson
Stephen Wells says: "He played really well for South Australia this year in their championship-winning team as well as playing senior footy at Glenelg. He is a smaller player but he runs and carries the ball well, kicks goals and has an energy about him on the field. He had a good year."
Selection No.55 – Dean Gore
Stephen Wells says: "Played senior football with Sturt who competed well for South Australia. He is a strong boy with good running ability and is a good user of the footy."
Selection No.60 – Jordan Cunico
Stephen Wells says: "A skilful player who played well in the championships. He is a development player who will most likely play around the flanks or on the wing initially."
The fans' verdict
