Pick No.13 has been a lucky one for Adelaide at the draft recently.
For the fourth time in history, the Crows hold selection No.13 heading into the AFL National Draft.
The Club headed into the draft with No.13 last year but on the night the pick slid to No.17, which was used on promising defender Tom Doedee, following bids on several academy players.
Greater Western Sydney moved up to pick No.13 after matching a bid for talented midfielder Matthew Kennedy.
Adelaide’s first pick could move down the order again this year, with a few academy prospects tipped to attract early bids.
The Crows struck gold with selection No.13 in 2009, selecting key-position prospect Daniel Talia.
The former Calder Cannon and Assumption College student has played 122 AFL games, is a Club Champion, two-time All Australian, Rising Star winner and member of Adelaide’s senior leadership group.
Crows forward Tom Lynch, who was originally drafted by St Kilda, was also selected at pick No.13.
Lynch was taken by the Saints in the first round of the 2008 National Draft, which saw Jack Watts (Melbourne) and Nic Naitanui (West Coast) chosen at No.1 and No.2, respectively.
Lynch was traded to the Crows in exchange for pick No.37 at the end of 2011. He topped the Club’s goalkicking in 2013 and was included in the All Australian squad this year.
The first time Adelaide held pick No.13 was in the 1996 National Draft.
The Crows called the name of Dandenong Stingrays tall Tom Gilligan, who only played three games for the Club in its inaugural premiership year of 1997.
The Club has enjoyed success with picks either side of pick No.13.
Defender Brodie Smith became a Crow with pick No.14 in 2010. Like Talia, Smith received his first All Australian blazer in 2014, and has developed into a damaging playmaker.
Fellow backman Jake Lever was snapped up with pick No.14 four years later (2014).
Crows Life Member Brent Reilly was selection No.12 at the 2001 National Draft. The neat-kicking utility played 203 games across 13 seasons, and was an All-Australian nominee in 2012.
Hawthorn premiership player and Brownlow Medallist Shane Crawford remains the most decorated player secured at No.13. Drafted in 1991, the former Hawks skipper played over 300 AFL games and was a four-time All Australian and best-and-fairest winner.
Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt (2006), Saint-turned-Kangaroo Nick Dal Santo (2001) and Western Bulldogs captain Robert Murphy (1999) are other notable pick 13s. South Australian Shannon Hurn from West Coast (2005) and Byron Schammer from Fremantle (2002) were also taken with selection No.13.
