The inside story of the Paisa catch in 2024

In a room littered with black, anticipation filled Collingwood’s suite in the upper levels of Marvel Stadium, darker than any collection of club polos and signs, as the clock ticked past 8.20pm on Thursday night.

It’s night two of the 2024 National Draft and Collingwood’s recruiting team finally has the chance to put their stamp on the evening’s events after facing 46 agonizing selections.

But the project is not as simple as it might have been two decades ago. Academy selection, applications, exchanges and a host of complexities mean that the reality of 2024 is that there is no certainty of securing the country’s best talent.

Wearing glasses and a whiteboard marker at the ready, director of roster management Justin Leppitsch had barely moved the names of key position players from the top of his board all night; One of them is Joel Cochran, a 195cm fullback from New South Wales. But securing a spot on the black-and-white series is not as easy as it might seem on air.

It’s a choice Leppitsch and his team did not take lightly. Having waited over 24 hours to get a chance to make a pick, the Pies know how important it is to decisively reveal their draft hand.

And it seems other clubs do too. Despite the tryout taking place in the mid-40s, the opposing team is knocking – or rather ringing – when head recruiter Derek Hine’s phone buzzes just 10 minutes before the Pies have a chance.

They offer to trade the future third-round pick for the night’s first pick, “Pie Pie,” who is currently No. 46. The team refuses, and Cochran’s name is still heard in the room.

It’s not hard to see why. Tall but also the most aerobically fit player in the draft, winning the 2K time trial eight seconds faster than any other draft prospect, Cochran has an athletic profile that will make those in the know salivate. According to Hine, he could have chosen any of the options to Collingwood, which are close to St Kilda and the West Coast, meaning Leppitsch would have to put contingencies on his board, with magnets changing direction faster than Bobby Hill in within fifty.

But much to the room’s delight, the Saints and Eagles go in the other direction, meaning Cochrane’s name is still on the board when the Pies are on the clock.

The first step is simple: recruiting and talent identification duo Adam Sheppard and Shannon Collins punch in Joel Cochran’s name on the official application tile – but it’s those two words of confirmation that fill the room with a hint of anticipation.

You see, Cochran is linked to the Sydney Swans through their academy, meaning Piece’s selection could be matched with a team that wears red and white.

There are priors here too. Almost exactly a year ago, the Pies used their first pick in the 2023 draft to bid for another Sydneysider in Caden Cleary, and the Swans quickly responded. This was expected at the time, but there is hope that almost 365 days later things are not so clear cut.

“This is interesting,” Shepard announces to the room. “He’ll match the way we want to get the ball out of defense, hopefully he’ll get to us.”

It’s a scenario Shepard himself knows all too well. With Cochran being a member of not only the Swans’ academy but also the AFL academy, the forces involved in those programs dictated his playing status in 2024. While these circumstances balance out the time spent profiling academy players, it hasn’t stopped him and the Pies team from doing their due diligence to have a chance at landing one of the most athletic players in the draft.

As the five-minute timer runs down and the Sydney Debate stops the Pies, the room holds its breath.

“They’re going to match him, that’s what it looks like,” Leppitsch says with barely sixty seconds left on the clock.

But as the eye catches the array of televisions plastered across the walls of Marvel Stadium, AFL executive manager Laura Kane takes to the stage with a black and white backdrop and a magpie’s beak peeks out from behind her head in the distance, meaning only one thing: Cochran is on his way to the Life Center AIA forces.

“Did we catch him?!” – everyone says in unison, somewhat in shock.

There’s a symphony of cheers knowing there are still picks to be had, but the night has started off brilliantly.

“He reminds me of Nick Blakey in the way he runs and handles the ball,” Shepard said.

“I love that he won the time trial, his all-around athleticism amazes me,” joins head coach Craig McRae, who sits at the back of the room.

“He supported himself in this too. We have a player,” confirms Hein.

However, there isn’t much time to celebrate as the Pies are just a few steps back on the clock. Having used 47 points on a key defender, attention turns to strengthening the club’s key players at the other end of the pitch with a tall forward on the radar.

Piece’s side were watched all night with five key forwards selected between picks 27-34, but Leppitsch is grateful that one name remains – South Australian Charlie West.

West’s name was discussed all night and he was considered when the first choice “Pies” was imminent, but the shy decision is paying dividends so that both Cochran and West can wear the black and white.

“I think we’ll take Cochran now because the West Coast and Gold Coast won’t take West at 48 and 49, they don’t need a striker,” says Leppitsch ahead of the Pies’ first choice.

“Yeah, they don’t look at the attacking half of the field, I think we can hold him and still catch him,” agrees Hein.

They proved correct, with the Coastal sides taking a midfielder and key defender respectively, leaving West on the board as Collingwood enters the field at pick 50 for the second time.

“He’s the grandson of former AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson and has good family connections,” says Hine when the selection is confirmed.

“And we love it, good boy from South Australia,” smiles Adelaide-born McRae.

Despite the fact that five elections were held overnight, Leppitsch and company’s plan was carried out. was always to use three. With two players in the bank and Ash Johnson and Oleg Markov set to be reinstated to the roster in Friday’s rookie draft, the 56th pick is where the Pies will end their night.

There has been talk of a speedy forward named Will Hayes since the mid-30s. McRae is a fan and, at 181cm, Shepherd said he is as impressive a runner as Cochrane.

After going west by name with their second choice, the Pies go west geographically with their third, and Washington’s Hayes was the unanimous choice in the room for the Club’s final selection.

With Joe Richards leaving during the trade period and half-forward Harvey Harrison missing most of 2025 with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, there is a desire to secure a power forward and Hayes brings exciting qualities with him.

“He has elite running partners. He brings the up-tempo energy that we want to play with,” Shepard says.

“Him and Bobby Hill, what an exciting combination that could be,” says Leppitsch.

So the 2024 trio is complete in Cochran, West and Hayes. Three key needs from the list are being considered as the club prepares for its second premiership in three years.