Jesse Dattoli is a Sydney Swan. On Wednesday, November 21 the small forward was taken at pick 22 in the 2025 AFL Draft. Speaking to Sydney Swans Media from his home in Melbourne, Dattoli said it was a dream come true.

“I can’t really put it into words to be honest,” he shared.

“Coming in tonight, I thought it was a big chance to go anywhere between 20 and 24 with Bulldogs, Richmond and the Sydney Swans.”

Dattoli joined the Northern Knights – a club competing in the Coates Talent League – at 16 years-old after a strong performance for his junior club Ivanhoe.

His recruitment to the Swans arrived after averaging 23 disposals per game with the Knights in 2024 and appearing in all four games for the championship VIC Metro side. The 18-year-old is known for his elite kicking skills and is compared to the likes of Hawthorn’s Dylan Moore.

“I've always been an inside midfielder, but I've introduced some forward craft to my game over the last couple of years,” Dattoli added.

“That's probably become better than my overall ground game as a mid. So, I'm probably a marking small forward who can go into the midfield and impact the game from there.”

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"This is a dream come true" - Dattoli

Hear from Swans recruit Jesse Dattoli after he was taken at Pick #22 in the 2025 AFL Draft.

Dattoli will make the move to the harbour city in the coming weeks.

The Sydney Swans kick off pre-season training from Monday, November 25 ahead of an Opening Round clash with the Hawks on Friday, March 7, 2025.