Tyler Welsh will wear his dad Scott’s No.17 guernsey at the Crows after officially joining Adelaide as a father-son draftee tonight.

Welsh was selected by the Club with Pick No.59 in the Telstra AFL Draft and will follow in his father’s footsteps at West Lakes, where Scott played 129 games and kicked 270 goals for Adelaide from 2000 to 2007.

This was in addition to 36 games and a premiership at North Melbourne, and 40 games for the Western Bulldogs.

The 18-year-old is a powerfully built key forward who has already had a taste of senior football at SANFL League level with the Crows this season, and now finds himself on the Club’s AFL list.

He kicked 10 goals in 10 games at senior level with Adelaide, to go with an eight-goal haul in his one Under-18 game for Woodville-West Torrens.

Possessing strong hands and good speed, Welsh also averaged two goals a game for SA at the Under-18 national championships.

He is the second father-son draftee currently on Adelaide’s list alongside Max Michalanney, and becomes the third Crows Academies graduate on the list along with James Borlase.

In a surprise on Thursday night, Welsh was presented with the No.17 guernsey by Scott in a special moment for the family.

“I’m over the moon,” Welsh said.

“It’s been a childhood dream to get this opportunity and to wear the number 17, I’m speechless, it means so much and I can’t wait to get into it.”

Crows National Recruiting Manager Hamish Ogilvie said the Club was excited to add Welsh who had shown a lot of potential.

“We obviously know Tyler really well, having been part of our father-son academy and more recently as part of our SANFL team this season,” Ogilvie said.

“He’s got great power and speed, is a strong mark on the lead and is capable of kicking long goals for a young player.

“It’s not easy playing senior football as a 17-year-old but he accepted the challenge head on this year and the one game he did go back to the Under-18s he was dominant with eight goals.

“He will have some great mentors around him in our more experienced key forwards, and we look forward to watching him develop in a full-time environment in coming years.”

Welsh’s selection followed Adelaide taking South Adelaide midfielder Sid Draper with Pick No.4 on the opening night of the draft.