The No.23 holds great significance at Adelaide.
The Adelaide Football Club has been part of the AFL for 23 seasons. And most memorably, it was the number worn by, arguably, the Club’s greatest-ever player –games record holder, dual-premiership player and Norm Smith Medallist, Andrew McLeod.
The Crows will be hoping the number is also a good omen at the draft table on Thursday night.
The Club, which has never previously had No.23 in the draft, holds pick Nos.23 and 46 this year. Adelaide will use another two picks, Nos.76 and 86, to confirm the elevation of rookies Rory Laird and Kyle Hartigan to its senior list.
The best player ever taken with pick No.23 in the AFL National Draft was Essendon champion Michael Long in 1988. Long went on to play 190 games, including the Bombers’ 1993 Grand Final win, where he received the Norm Smith Medal. Essendon also struck gold at No.23 in the 2008 national meet, selecting influential midfielder David Zaharakis. Bombers utility Tayte Pears is another former pick No.23, drafted the year prior to Zaharakis (2007).
North Melbourne made an astute selection at No.23 in the 2000 AFL National Draft, calling the name of power forward Drew Petrie. Promising Geelong defender Cam Guthrie was pick No.23 in 2010, while Brisbane Lions forward Marco Paparone is the most recent pick No.23 (2012).
Adelaide's enjoyed some success picking in the 20s at national meets.
Premiership player Kane Johnson was taken with pick No.27 in 1995, while captain Nathan van Berlo was selected at No.24 in the 2004 draft. Another West Australian, Tyson Stenglein, joined the Crows via pick No.29 (1998).
Andy Otten (2007) and Sam Kerridge (2011) continued the Club’s good luck with the No.27, while Shaun McKernan (No.28 in 2008) and former forward Jack Gunston (No.29 in 2009) were also selected in the 20s.
It will be the second time in three drafts that the Crows will pick at No.46. Nick Joyce, who was delisted after two injury-interrupted years, was No.46 in the 2011 AFL National Draft.
Key defenders Colin Garland (Melbourne, 2006) and Ben Stratton (Hawthorn, 2009) were both selected at No.46, as was Carlton speedster Dennis Armfield (2007). Stratton was taken with the pick following Sam Shaw (No.45).
The 40s are littered with quality players throughout draft history. Sydney Swans champion duo Adam Goodes (No.43 in 1997) and Michael O’Loughlin (No.40 in 1994) top the list. The 1995 AFL National Draft was particularly strong in the middle-order, with gun trio Brent Harvey (47), Darren Milburn (48) and Ronnie Burns (49) taken with consecutive picks. Geelong premiership player Corey Enright was pick No.47 four years later.
More recently, Kade Simpson (No.45 in 2002), Andrew Swallow (No.43 in 2005), Chris Mayne (No.40 in 2007), Jack Steven (No.42 in 2007) and Allen Christensen (No.40 in 2009) were boom picks.
Adelaide’s best selections in the 40s include Club Champion Rory Sloane (No.44 in 2008), David Mackay (No.48 in 2006), Ian Perrie (No.49 in 1997), Shaw (No.45 in 2009), Mitch Grigg (No.41 in 2011) and Ivan Maric (No.40 in 2004).
There are a total of 97 available picks in the 2013. However, nearly 30 of these will be used to confirm rookie elevations, father-son and academy selections. This means there are likely to be fewer than 60 ‘live’ picks on Thursday night.
View the final AFL National Draft selection order
Log onto afc.com.au and connect with the Adelaide Football Club’s social media channels on Thursday night for the most-comprehensive coverage of our draft selections. This year’s draft will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from 6:30pm (SA time).
