After a busy two nights at the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft, Player Acquisition and Strategy Manager Michael Regan has sat down to reflect on the three new players added to the Dogs' list. 

Here's what he had to say on the draft and the fresh faces. 

On the night one pick swap:

“The draft is an interesting beast and it’s all about flexibility and making sure that we have the opportunity to execute what we want to execute for the footy club.

“Knowing what Gold Coast were doing in terms of who they were matching, we had real confidence that by going back one spot we would actually end up in the same spot once that pick got absorbed by a bid.

“What that then actually allowed us to do is leapfrog two or three teams in night two and guarantee ourselves the second pick of the second night, which can be really valuable in trade but also it can be really valuable to pick a player that you really like.

“It panned out that way for us. We were really excited to use pick 53 to give us that pick and to be able to give us control of our own destiny on night two.

“On night one, we were a little bit of sitting and waiting but we were rapt to end up with a player that we value really highly on night one as well.”

On Lachlan Carmichael:

“It’s really interesting to be able to put a pick on one of the Northern Academy guys because he’s someone we’ve watched for a really long time and really love what he does.

“It doesn’t become a reality that you’re going to get them until the trade week.

“Once the trades all happened through the Charlie Curnow stuff, we realised that this was a real opportunity for us.

“Through our draft meeting we were able to go a bit deeper on Lachy. The clean hands, the poise, the agility through traffic - he’s an elite ground ball intercept player.

“Always shows up in the right spot at the right time.

“A lot of what he does shows up off ball and something that he said to us in an interview was that he likes to play footy in a way that makes his teammates better - that really stuck with us.

“When you go and watch the behind-the-goals vision, a lot of his speed and a lot of his extraordinary efforts come in that defensive mode and trying to make sure that he’s giving his team the right chance to do what they can do and his teammates to shine.

“He’s a really unique player in that regard.

“Once he gets the ball, he’s really calm, clean, poised, has great agility through traffic, elite hands and uses the ball really well.

“He also has a willingness to defend.

“The highlights package and, by his own admission, isn’t going to be the thing that leaps out. But when you go and watch Lachy live, he’s a really special player and someone we’re really excited to have.”

On Louis Emmett:

“Louis is someone who has had extreme talent for a really long time. His highlights package is probably a bit different to Lachy’s in that there will be the big marks and the extraordinary moments ball in hand.

“Louis is someone from 16 to all the way through has been highly touted with a lot of really elite attributes and an aerial presence.

“We see Louis as someone with the tools to play any of the key roles around the ground and we’re hoping and looking to start him as a back.

“At 199cm, with a 6min 2km time trial, a really good left - there’s a lot for us to work with in the back half of the ground.”

On Will Darcy:

“A third-generation player at any footy club is a really special thing.

“To be able to have Will’s name read out on the night, on the coverage, have his package put up is something that we’re excited for him to have happen.

“It’s important to point out that we value his talent there and there’s no favours given.

“Will to us was Will, not Will Darcy when we were reviewing him as a player.

“He’s a little bit more raw than the other two boys and is going to take a little bit longer. Everyone, including Will, needs to have a little bit of patience. I think Will is probably going to be the main challenge with that.

“He has some really elite traits as well. Left foot, right foot, really good on the ground, really good in the air.

“He needs a bit of time to make sure he can get his body right and be able to compete at AFL level.”