Crows recruiters will be out to unearth some more gems in the mid-to-late rounds of the AFL National Draft in Sydney on Friday night.
Adelaide has as many as six picks at its disposal, currently Nos.13, 43, 53, 66, 82 and 90. After delving into the history of pick 13, afc.com.au reviews the most astute selections in the 40s in drafts gone by …
Heart-and-soul midfielder Rory Sloane, who was eligible but overlooked by all clubs in 2007, was selected with pick No.44 in the 2008 National Draft. Sloane has since played 141 AFL games, been named All Australian vice-captain and won the Crows Club Champion award twice.
Adelaide’s most recent pick in the 40s was promising forward Mitch McGovern. McGovern, who kicked 32 goals in a breakout 2016 season, was recruited from Claremont with selection No.43 in the 2014 National Draft.
The previous year, Clare and Woodville-West Torrens junior Riley Knight became a Crow with pick No.46. The hard-running wingman/half-forward burst onto the AFL scene in 2015, playing 11 games including two finals, and is ready to bounce back from an injury-interrupted 2016.
Life Member David Mackay has played 163 games since being chosen with pick No.48 in the 2006 National Draft.
Ruckman Ivan Maric, who was pick No.40 in 2004, and forward Ian Perrie (No.49 in 1997) are a couple of former Crows to enjoy successful AFL careers after being snapped up in the 40s.
Matthew Robran was recruited by Hawthorn at No.42. The goalkicker went on to play 137 games, including 130 for the Crows, where he won two premierships.
The 40s have produced some of the best players the game has ever seen.
In a remarkable third round of the 1995 National Draft, North Melbourne uncovered AFL games record holder Brent Harvey at No.47. A five-time best and fairest winner and four-time All Australian, Harvey retired at the end of this season after an incredible 432 games.
With the very next pick (No.48), Geelong selected All Australian and dual premiership player Darren Milburn. The Cats, who had back-to-back picks, followed up by calling the name of craft goalkicker Ronnie Burns at No.49. Burns went on to play 154 games for Geelong and then Adelaide.
Two more key components of Geelong’s premiership-winning backline were also secured in the 40s. Matthew Scarlett was a father-son selection at pick No.45 in 1997, while 300-gamer Corey Enright was an absolute bargain at No.47 in 1999.
Another of the AFL’s most decorated players slipped through to the 40s. Dual premiership player and Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes, who is the Indigenous games record holder, played 372 matches after being snapped up with pick No.43 in the 1997 National Draft. Another star Swan, Michael O’Loughlin, joined the club with pick No.40 three years prior.
Among the other 200-gamers to emerge from the 40s are two-time North Melbourne premiership player and All Australian David King (pick No.46 in 1993), St Kilda’s dual-All Australian Austinn Jones (No.48 in 1994), Carlton and Collingwood star Heath Scotland (pick No.44 in 1998) and Blues veteran Kade Simpson (No.45 in 2002).
Selected with pick No.43 – Adelaide’s current second selection – were Kangaroos onballer Andrew Swallow (2005), former Western Bulldogs 200-gamer Lindsay Gilbee (1999), promising West Coast backman Tom Barrass (2013) and reigning premiership skipper Easton Wood (2007).
The third round of Wood’s draft was a particularly good one, with ex-Fremantle and now-Collingwood forward Chris Mayne (No.40) and triple-St Kilda best and fairest winner Jack Steven (No.42) taken with the picks just prior to Wood.
