The 2019 NAB AFL Draft is set to begin on Wednesday and we’ve taken a look back on how our three recruits from the 2018 national draft went in their first year at The Hangar.

Pick 38 – Irving Mosquito

Hailing from the remote town of Halls Creek in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, Irving Mosquito’s addition to the Bombers was a welcome surprise recruit last year after Hawthorn failed to match Essendon’s a bid on the Hawks Next Generation Academy member.

The Essendon supporter described donning the sash as “a great dream come true” and he quickly showed why the Dons put their faith in him in an impressive inaugural season in the red and black.

The small forward booted seven goals and was constantly lively in attack, while his defensive pressure had opposing defenders shaking in their boots.

Unfortunately, Mosquito’s season was interrupted by injury a number of times, restricting him to just 12 VFL games. But the young gun will have benefited greatly from the senior experience and his selection as an AFL emergency for the club’s clash with Carlton in round 11 showed he is capable of making his debut next year.

Pick 60 – Noah Gown

Needing to bolster the club’s key forward stocks, the Bombers swept up powerful Gippsland goalkicker Noah Gown at pick No. 60 off the back of an impressive NAB League season.

Also an up-and-coming basketballer, Gown had turned down a US-based scholarship to pursue his footballing dreams and it paid off after he booted 31 goals in the under-18 competition to secure his AFL chance.

The strong-marking youngster isn’t afraid to throw his body around and settled nicely into the system in a promising first season at The Hangar.

Gown was also held back to just 12 VFL games due to injury, but when on the field he displayed his talent with 17 goals and four mentions among the side’s best players.

With great scope for further improvement, Gown will make his presence felt again in 2020 as he searches for his first senior opportunity.

Gown watches the ball sail through for one of three goals against North Melbourne in round 15. (Image: Ben Johnstone)

Pick 72 – Brayden Ham

A versatile and athletic recruit, Brayden Ham was an inspired selection in the dying stages of last year’s national draft.

He entered the draft fresh off a sensational NAB League season where he booted 22 goals from 16 games and was named among the Falcons’ best players 10 times. It culminated in a runner-up finish in the club’s best and fairest behind number-one pick and eventual NAB Rising Star Sam Walsh, a strong indication of his talent.

You can’t immediately expect the world from such late draft selections, but much like teammate Matt Guelfi (selected with pick No. 76 in the 2018 draft) a year earlier, Ham arguably exceeded expectations in leading the way for the crop.

His hot start in the VFL saw him rewarded with a debut on the big stage in the Kick for the Kids game on Good Friday, before he added one more against Sydney in round eight.

Sent back to the reserves, Ham continued to thrive and worked his way back for more senior opportunities late in the season where he gained valuable experience in the side’s elimination final loss to West Coast.

Ham kicked 15 goals, was named among the Bombers’ best six times (twice as the team’s very best) and averaged 18 disposals and 5.1 marks from his 13 VFL games this year, while he averaged 10 disposals and kicked three goals from his five AFL games.