The Sydney Swans have matched Collingwood's bid for pick 24 in the 2023 AFL Draft and selected QBE Sydney Swans Academy product Caiden Cleary.
An inside bull who also works hard on the outside, Cleary impacts going both ways with serious power.
Whether it’s in the stoppage or in transition, the hard running on-baller consistently finds a way to impact games.
Cleary came into his draft year on the back of strong bottom-age form, which saw him represent NSW-ACT and the Allies. He also capped off the 2022 season with a starring performance in the Under 17 Futures game with 31 disposals at the MCG on AFL Grand Final day.
In 2023 he dominated for the QBE Sydney Swans Academy with an average of 27 disposals, seven clearances, and six tackles across four games. He also earned All Australian selection for his performance at the U18 National Championships with the Allies, who won the title for the first time. For the Allies he averaged 29 touches, four clearances, and seven tackles.
He is no stranger to senior level football for the club, having played six games at VFL level for Sydney. His best VFL performance was 22 disposals and seven clearances against cross-town rivals GWS, and he matched that performance the following week against the Gold Coast Suns.
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