Despite having only played seven AFL games, Leek Aleer looms as a fascinating prospect.
The 22-year-old key defender was selected by the Giants with Pick 15 in the 2021 National Draft, boasting incredible athleticism to go with outstanding reach for a 194cm player.
In his three performances so far in 2024, he’s fought admirably against Charlie Curnow and taken four contested marks – including the match winner – against Geelong on Saturday.
However, at the Giants he will sit behind Sam Taylor, Jack Buckley and Harry Himmelberg in the defensive pecking order.
Can the Giants fit all four into the same backline? It would certainly be unorthodox and given Aleer is out of contract at the end of 2025, SEN’s Andy Maher believes the rising star will have suitors ringing his management’s phone off the hook.
“Leek Aleer – it matters what GWS is going to do with this kid. A first-round pick, he’s 23 years old, the very brief amount of football we’ve seen him play at the level – he can play,” Maher told SEN’s The Run Home.
“He can play and he’s got some elite attributes, but he sits behind Sam Taylor and Jack Buckley, and then there’s Harry Himmelberg and Connor Idun, who you can throw into the mix.
“Aleer is out of contract at the end of next year, a former first round pick, he can be a hot chip and there are going to be 14 or 15 clubs who will come like seagulls.
“They are going to be feasting on Leek Aleer. They’ll want him badly.
“It’s going to be very interesting to see how the Giants manage their way through this.
“His manager’s phone would be running off the hook.”
A lot will depend on Taylor, who is out of contract at the end of 2025 and likely to receive godfather offers from around the country, but particularly his home state of Western Australia.
Aleer, as a 22-year-old rising key defender, would also be highly sought after. Teams like North Melbourne, Collingwood, Carlton, St Kilda, Sydney, Geelong and more clearly need a young key defender. You’d imagine both South Australian teams would be keen given he was drafted out of SANFL club Central District.
Could he be tempted by a long-term offer early in his career, particularly given GWS’ defensive stocks?