The Victorian first-round draft picks. Picture: AFL Photos
BROUGHT TO YOU BYNAB

A TOTAL of 86 players had their names called out across the past two days in the NAB AFL Draft and Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts.

Check out what draft experts Callum Twomey and Riley Beveridge said about your club's newest players.

04:45

Who they picked: 2. Riley Thilthorpe (West Adelaide), 11. Luke Pedlar (Glenelg), 25. Brayden Cook (South Adelaide), 28. Sam Berry (Gippsland Power), 38. James Rowe (Woodville-West Torrens). Pre-Season Draft: Jackson Hately (Greater Western Sydney). Rookies: Bryce Gibbs (Adelaide), James Borlase (NGA), Tariek Newchurch (NGA)

CROWS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Riley has been the best player in the State for his age group since he was 14 and we have been waiting a long time for a local player like him to come along. Then to add a super competitive and powerful midfielder like Luke with our next pick was a great outcome because we had him pegged for a spot on our list a long way out." - national recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie

Verdict: A real local flavour to the Crows' selections as they went with South Australian forward Riley Thilthorpe at the top after bidding on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, and then followed with fellow Croweaters Luke Pedlar and Brayden Cook, and then James Rowe with their last pick. Rowe is a ready-to-go small forward, while Pedlar climbed up the ranks with his doggedness in the midfield. They moved up to get Cook and he looks a nice player for the future in Adelaide' forward line. The call to pick Thilthorpe ahead of Logan McDonald will be debated for some time as the Crows settled on the forward/ruck with the top (live) choice. In the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft, wantaway Giant Jackson Hately finally got to the Crows while they re-listed retired midfielder Bryce Gibbs as a rookie for administrative reasons with his contract. - Callum Twomey

01:45

Who they picked: 24. Blake Coleman (Brisbane Lions Academy), 43. Harry Sharp (GWV Rebels), 48. Henry Smith (Woodville-West Torrens). Rookies: Grant Birchall (Brisbane), Carter Michael (Lions Academy), Deividas Uosis (Cat B)

LIONS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Blake plays with power and presence around the contest, is a clean ball handler and kicks the footy with penetration. [Harry's] a smart hybrid midfielder whose ball use and long contest to contest game running we believe mixes in really well to our current squad. [Henry's] a developing ruckman who also showed he can play as a key position forward through this season." - national recruiting manager Stephen Conole

Verdict: Were forced to match an early bid from Collingwood for Blake Coleman, and while doing that traded back for later picks and more points. The Lions like their Vic Country prospects and picked another with running machine Harry Sharp, a talented and hard-working midfield option who will be given time to grow. Coleman has genuine tricks in the forward line and Henry Smith is a ruckman to add to their small big men stocks. - Callum Twomey

01:06

Who they picked: 37. Corey Durdin (Central Districts), 41. Jack Carroll (East Fremantle). Rookies: Luke Parks (Glenelg)

BLUES' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "[Corey's] tough, he’s quick, he’s clean and he’s a competitor at the end of the day. He’s shown that he can play a number of roles, originally starting out as a midfielder but having a real impact as a small forward in the last few seasons. We regard [Jack] as one of the real standout midfielders in this draft class. He’s got some weapons as an on-baller and the best part of his game is that he can hurt the opposition in a number of ways." - head of list management Nick Austin

Verdict: The Blues had their eye on several South Australians and had looked closely at pushing up the draft order but held their spots in the second round. Corey Durdin could be a diamond in the rough: he's a small forward who played at senior level this year, while Jack Carroll was the draft slider, pushing down the order and being too good to pass up. Another taller inside midfield option for the Blues with a contested streak. - Callum Twomey

Who they picked: 17. Oliver Henry (Geelong Falcons), 19. Finlay Macrae (Oakleigh Chargers), 23. Reef McInnes (Oakleigh Chargers), 30. Caleb Poulter (Woodville-West Torrens), 31. Liam McMahon (Northern Knights), 44. Beau McCreery (South Adelaide). Rookies: Jack Ginnivan (Bendigo Pioneers), Isaac Chugg (Launceston)

MAGPIES' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "We had two plans – pre-Reef and post-Reef. We were really concerned that a bid might come initially with Essendon, and then Adelaide had indicated they had a strong interest as well. Once Adelaide didn't bid on Reef the draft really opened up for us … as it turns out, we've brought in three players, four players inside our (top) 20. We wrote up on the board that if we could achieve four inside 40 that would be great." - national recruiting manager Derek Hine

Verdict: The Pies were in everything on draft night. They scooped up two Victorian talents who got through to their picks in the first round, having not been able to trade up the board, before their next big win was not receiving a bid for NGA talent Reef McInnes until 23. They swapped out next year's future first-round pick to grab Caleb Poulter and Liam McMahon, and ended their night with overager Beau McCreery, a speedy medium forward. In the Rookie Draft, Jack Ginnivan is a small forward with some pizazz. - Callum Twomey

02:33

Who they picked: 8. Nik Cox (Northern Knights), 9. Archie Perkins (Sandringham Dragons), 10. Zach Reid (Gippsland Power), 39. Josh Eyre (Calder Cannons), 53. Cody Brand (Calder Cannons). Rookies: Martin Gleeson (Essendon), Dylan Clarke (Essendon)

BOMBERS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "We don't know what [Nik's] ceiling is. He's got an amazing engine, he's super quick and kicks on both sides of his body, so he'll run around like a midfielder. [Archie] is a young man who is very driven and he's got some really exciting attributes... the thing I like about him is his agility, he can get in and out of traffic and he's got some real X-factor about him. [Zach] was the best player available in our opinion at the time and we got him. We set out in this draft to make sure the spine of this club for the next 10 years was in good shape." - national recruiting manager Adrian Dodoro

Verdict: Adrian Dodoro has always built from the spine out and the Bombers again showed they put a weighting on talls in this year's draft. Four of their five picks were key position players, giving the club a plan for life after Joe Daniher and when Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley finish their careers. Nik Cox is a versatile option while Zach Reid is a gun centre-half back, Cody Brand is a sturdy key defender and Josh Eyre can take flight up forward. Archie Perkins was the exciting pick and he is a player who can help transform the Bombers as a midfielder and half-forward who has genuine spark. The Bombers threw in a cheeky bid late for Maurice Rioli jnr that was quickly matched by Richmond. - Callum Twomey

02:56

Who they picked: 14. Heath Chapman (West Perth), 27. Nathan O’Driscoll (Perth), 50. Brandon Walker (East Fremantle), 54. Joel Western (Claremont). Rookies: Josh Treacy (Bendigo Pioneers), Bailey Banfield (Fremantle)

DOCKERS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: [Heath's] a quick intercept marker and with that athletic profile, even through he’s played a lot of footy in defence, there’d be no reason why he couldn’t play wing, possibly forward and, long-term, maybe even as an inside mid. Nathan is a really hard worker, he’s a genuine two-way midfielder that works extremely hard defensively. Both Brandon and Joel are really good athletes and exceptionally quick. We’ve identified that as an area that we really needed to address. - executive general manager of football, Peter Bell

Verdict: The Dockers were happy to grab Heath Chapman with their first pick even though he doesn't necessarily fit a need as an attacking and rebounding half-back essentially because of his high talent. Chapman averaged 23 touches at under-18 level in Western Australia this year but can dominate in the air, too. Nathan O'Driscoll was rated highly as an inside midfielder who has some speed as well, while the Dockers finished their haul by grabbing Academy pair Brandon Walker and Joel Western later in the piece. Fremantle doesn't always lean towards West Australians but left the draft with four locals to add to its list. - Callum Twomey 

01:14

Who they picked: 20. Max Holmes (Sandringham Dragons), 33. Shannon Neale (South Fremantle), 47. Nick Stevens (GWV Rebels). Rookies: Paul Tsapatolis (Cat B)

CATS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "We saw an opportunity with Max sliding through to the later first round to trade a future first (round selection). We obviously rate him really highly and think he’s got a lot of improvement in him. We think he’s going to be a great fit for our footy club, not just in the short term, but definitely in the medium to long term. We had some draft capital and equity in the 2021 draft from the Jeremy Cameron trade so we thought the opportunity was a really good one for us and we’re absolutely rapt to have Max at the football club," - Geelong talent ID manager Troy Selwood.

Verdict: The Cats made a big move on the night by swapping out their future first-round pick to zoom up the board and take Richmond's spot in the first round. They went with the intention of drafting Max Holmes, an athletic runner and prospect who had many suits around that part of the draft. Geelong went into the night eyeing off Shannon Neale as a young and athletic ruckman and ended with him, and completed their draft hand by taking defender Nick Stevens. All of the Cats' picks will be given plenty of time to develop at the lower level before being AFL ready.  - Callum Twomey

Max Holmes will make his debut for Geelong against Hawthorn. Picture: AFL Photos

Who they picked: 7. Elijah Hollands (Murray Bushrangers), Alex Davies (Suns Academy), Joel Jeffrey (Suns Academy). Rookies: Jacob Townsend (Essendon), Jack Hombsch (Gold Coast), Jordan Murdoch (Gold Coast), Aiden Fyfe (Broadbeach), Rhys Nicholls (Labrador), Paul Hewago (Cat B)

SUNS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Elijah is a player we’ve had a really high opinion of for a long time and we’re ecstatic to have him at the Suns. He's a powerful footballer on field that this is great ball user and compliments our list but importantly he’s also a quality young man who comes from a great family." - national recruiting manager Kall Burns

Verdict: The Suns only had one pick at the NAB AFL Draft after trading out their other selections in the lead up. They were able to sit at their spot and see which member of the 'Fantastic Five' slipped through, happy with whichever way it went. Gold Coast ended with Elijah Hollands, who perhaps has as much star factor as any player in the draft: he can kick it a mile, take a grab, play as a big midfielder and also as a clever forward. He seems unlikely to play until mid-year next year as he recovers from his knee reconstruction. In the Rookie Draft they added Jacob Townsend, with the Richmond premiership player heading from Essendon to the Gold Coast for some further experience in the forward line. - Callum Twomey

02:26

Who they picked: 12. Tanner Bruhn (Geelong Falcons), 15. Conor Stone (Oakleigh Chargers), 18. Ryan Angwin (Gippsland Power), 58. Cameron Fleeton (Geelong Falcons), 59. Jacob Wehr (Woodville-West Torrens). Rookies: Sam Reid (GWS), Zach Sproule (GWS), Will Shaw (NSW/ACT zone)

GIANTS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "While predominantly a midfielder, Tanner has shown before he can play down back or in attack and that versatility will help him as he looks for senior opportunities. A powerful and versatile player, we love Conor's competitiveness and running ability and think he will develop into a player who can fill a few different roles. Ryan is a baby who only turns 18 later this week. We were looking to add a player who can fill some outside roles with elite running ability, and he was the standout in that area of the draft." - national recruiting manager Adrian Caruso

Verdict: It was a busy evening for the Giants, who started with five top-26 picks and ended up using five selections but spread them deeper into the pool. With their first three selections they grabbed a mix of players, including a classy midfielder in Tanner Bruhn, a hard-edged forward in Conor Stone and a running machine in Ryan Angwin to add to their wing stocks. Then they made a deal with Collingwood to nab the Pies' first-round pick next year for two slots in the 20s and picked late. Jacob Wehr is a mature-ager who had a strong season in the SANFL and Cameron Fleeton is a running back with some dash. - Callum Twomey

01:28

Who they picked: 6. Denver Grainger-Barras (Swan Districts), 29. Seamus Mitchell (Bendigo Pioneers), 35. Connor Downie (Eastern Ranges), 46. Tyler Brockman (Subiaco). Rookies: Jack Saunders (Norwood)

HAWKS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Denver (Grainger-Barras) is a tall back who played senior footy for Swan Districts. He's been a good player for about two or three years … a great interceptor who can also lock down. Seamus (Mitchell) will be more of your small forward/high half forward, he has really good speed and he can get up the ground, push back and kick goals. Connor (Downie) has been part of our NGA program for the last four years, headed up by Nathan Foley. He’s a very professional lad, very committed, and we wanted him at the football club. Tyler (Brockman) had a great year. He’s quick, he plays that small forward role but can play high half-forward. Definitely that speed was something that excited us. He complements some of the other players we brought in," Hawthorn national recruiting manager Mark McKenzie. 

Verdict: After failing with a top-five bid on Sydney Academy prospect Braeden Campbell, Hawthorn addressed a massive need in recruiting 195cm defender Denver Grainger-Barras with its earliest pick since 2005. He will slot seamlessly into a backline that has just lost a host of experience in Ben Stratton and James Frawley, while fellow tall defender James Sicily will miss much of 2021 with a knee injury. Seamus Mitchell was a little bit of a flier at pick No.29, but will add an injection of speed to a big-bodied midfield group. Not having to match a bid for its own Academy prospect in Connor Downie until pick No.35 capped what was a satisfying evening for the club. - Riley Beveridge

02:27

Who they picked: 21. Jake Bowey (Sandringham Dragons), 22. Bailey Laurie (Oakleigh Chargers), 34. Fraser Rosman (Sandringham Dragons)

DEMONS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "We went in with an idea to target players … around really good footy IQ, good ball users, good decision makers. I think we got two of the better players in the pool in those areas of their game, in both Jake and Bailey, with those early selections. [Rosman’s] an extreme endurance athlete and he’s got really good speed, so the sky’s the limit for Fraser. He’s fairly raw in terms of his footy, but we think he can fill a role in all areas of the ground." - national recruiting manager Jason Taylor

Verdict: Having returned to the first-round of this year's draft with back-to-back selections, Melbourne went small with Jake Bowey and Bailey Laurie at picks No.21 and 22 respectively. The pair will add yet more X-factor to a developing forward line that had already been boosted by the arrival of Kysaiah Pickett last year. Bowey is a super clean 175cm forward with good speed, while Laurie's goal sense and nous in attack at 179cm will add another difference-maker to the Dees' attack. The club finished its night by taking a punt on athletic 193cm mid-forward Fraser Rosman, who has the type of potential and physical traits that make him an appealing prospect. - Riley Beveridge

01:45

Who they picked: 3. Will Phillips (Oakleigh Chargers), 13. Tom Powell (Sturt), 36. Charlie Lazzaro (Geelong Falcons), 42. Phoenix Spicer (South Adelaide), 56. Eddie Ford (Western Jets). Rookies: Patrick Walker (North Hobart), Connor Menadue (Werribee)

ROOS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Will's inside and outside game, as well as his speed and endurance will benefit us for many years. He is a relentless competitor who has leadership and a first-class character. Tom is a prolific ball-winner and elite with the ball in hand. Charlie is a really driven inside/outside-midfielder who can also play forward. Phoenix is an exciting prospect who really impressed in 2020 at SANFL 18s and Reserves level in 2020. Eddie is an exciting forward who ... has speed, power and clean hands while having the ability to take a big mark and kick bags of goals." - national recruiting manager Mark Finnigan

Verdict: Sprung the first real surprise of the draft when it claimed Will Phillips with pick No.3. Perhaps not expected this early, the hard-nosed and prolific 180cm midfielder will add leadership and two-way running to a developing onball group that already features rising young talent like Jy Simpkin, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tarryn Thomas. North Melbourne paired him with Tom Powell at pick No.13, who is another that can win the footy at will and demonstrated that at SANFL under 18s level this season. Charlie Lazzaro is a small midfielder who has genuine toughness, while Phoenix Spicer and Eddie Ford have the ability to add some spark to the club's forward line. Didn't necessarily address key-position needs in attack, with Nick Larkey and Josh Walker likely to start as the side's focal points inside 50 next season, but are clearly starting their rebuild by growing from the midfield-out. The Kangaroos filled out their list by selecting former 39-game Tigers speedster Connor Menadue, delisted in 2019, and Tasmanian half-back Patrick Walker as rookies. - Riley Beveridge

01:28

Who they picked: 16. Lachie Jones (Woodville-West Torrens), 49. Ollie Lord (Sandringham Dragons). Rookies: Tyson Goldsack (Port Adelaide Magpies), Taj Schofield (Woodville West Torrens)

PORT'S DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "[Lachie’s] got some real speed and bursts and real power, and he can take a nice grab. He knows when to punch or when to spoil, he’s got a good feel for when to attack the ball and kick long. [Ollie's] a tall key position forward who attacks the contest and can take a good mark. He’s raw because he hasn’t been in the AFL Academy program and will take some time to develop but given the tall forwards we’ve got we can give him that time." - national recruiting manager Geoff Parker

Verdict: It was a relatively simple night for Port Adelaide, who had been planning for a first-round bid on Academy prospect Lachie Jones from a long way out. That arrived when Collingwood came calling with pick No.16, where the club unsurprisingly matched the bid. Jones is a versatile 186cm defender in the mould of Dane Rampe, with his ability to tackle small or tall opposition set to provide a valuable asset in the Power backline. He's also a ready-made prospect who played senior SANFL footy this season. With one list spot remaining, Port claimed 195cm forward Ollie Lord with pick No.49. He's still raw, but will have time to develop within a strong setup next season. Father-son prospect Taj Schofield and former 165-game Collingwood premiership defender Tyson Goldsack, who had previously retired at the end of the 2019 season, joined the club via the Rookie Draft. - Riley Beveridge

02:26

Who they picked: 40. Samson Ryan (Brisbane Lions Academy), 51. Maurice Rioli jnr (St Marys). Rookies: Mate Colina (Cat B)

TIGERS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "[Samson's] a big boy... almost 206cm now. He's a Richmond supporter as a kid and he's played some really good senior footy leading the ruck in the QAFL this year. He's really skilled by foot for a big man and he can move around the ground. We're really excited to have Maurice... he's hard, tough, a little tackle machine. He puts really good forward pressure on and he's got some amazing tricks." - national recruiting manager Matthew Clarke

Verdict: Having traded out of pick No.17 for Geelong's future first-round selection, Richmond didn't go back on the clock until it was forced to match a bid for father-son prospect Maurice Rioli jnr at pick No.51. It made for a rather cruisy night for the reigning premiers, who now hold two first-round picks, two second-round picks and two third-round picks in what is tipped to be a loaded 2021 draft class. Rioli jnr – the son of 118-game Richmond player and 1982 Norm Smith Medal winner Maurice Rioli snr – will be given time to develop at the Tigers, but has plenty of potential as a skilful 179cm forward. - Riley Beveridge  

Maurice Rioli jnr in action for NT Thunder in April, 2019. Picture: AFL Photos

Who they picked: 26. Matt Allison (Calder Cannons), 45. Tom Highmore (South Adelaide)

SAINTS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "Matthew is a mobile forward who can also play down back. He's a good kick, athletic and has great running capacity. Tom is a courageous intercept marking defender. He has outstanding character and can play on a variety of players." - head of list management James Gallagher

Verdict: Bolstered its key-position stocks at either end of the field, doing so primarily in attack by drafting 192cm forward Matt Allison at pick No.26. He's a player who can get high up the field with a good endurance base, but is equally as adept in the air and is a strong mark above his head. St Kilda will hope he provides long-term support for Max King. The club then continued a recent trend of claiming mature-aged talent with the recruitment of Tom Highmore at pick No.45. The South Adelaide prospect is a 192cm defender and, at 22 years of age, is ready to play senior football straight away. His aerial work, in particular his intercept marking, is the standout feature of his game. - Riley Beveridge 

Who they picked: 4. Logan McDonald (Perth), 5. Braeden Campbell (Sydney Academy), 32. Errol Gulden (Sydney Academy). Rookies: Malachy Carruthers (Sturt), Marc Sheather (Swans Academy)

SWANS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: "We're delighted to bring in three players of the calibre of Logan, Braeden and Errol. All three are elite talents and quality young men. Braeden and Errol are both products of our Academy and we’re excited to be able see them continue their AFL journey at the Swans. As part of this draft, we were also keen to add to our key position depth and Logan is an elite talent who we think will develop into a powerful key forward who fans will enjoy watching for years to come.” - executive general manager of football, Charlie Gardiner

Verdict: What a night for Sydney. The club went for Logan McDonald at pick No.4, opting for the key forward over the key defender in Denver Grainger-Barras. The talented West Australian goalkicker, rated as one of the best players in this year's draft pool, will take the mantle from Lance Franklin as the side's future in attack and his arrival will likely also enable Tom McCartin to potentially settle down back. It was forced to match a bid for Academy prospect Braeden Campbell earlier than expected at pick No.5, but in doing so will get one of the best pure midfielders in this year's crop. A bid for fellow Academy gun Errol Gulden came at pick No.32, ending a thoroughly satisfying evening for the Swans. Skilful rebounding defender Malachy Carruthers joined on Thursday via the Rookie Draft. - Riley Beveridge

02:21

Who they picked: 52. Luke Edwards (Glenelg), 57. Isiah Winder (Peel Thunder). Rookies: Zane Trew (Swan Districts), Daniel Venables (West Coast)

EAGLES' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

What the club says: TBC

Verdict: It was never going to be an exciting start to the draft for West Coast, who didn't begin its evening until pick No.52. There, it drafted crafty half-back Luke Edwards. The son of Adelaide champion Tyson was passed up by the Crows as a father-son prospect, but finds a home at the Eagles after gaining valuable senior experience at SANFL level this season. The club finished its night by recruiting Isiah Winder at pick No.57, a speedy midfielder who can also push forward and impact on the scoreboard. Powerful inside midfielder Zane Trew, considered one of the most unlucky players to miss a spot on an AFL list during the national draft, was then recruited to West Coast on Thursday as a rookie. - Riley Beveridge

Luke Edwards at the South Australian NAB AFL Draft Combine in September. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

Who they picked: 1. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Oakleigh Chargers), 55. Dominic Bedendo (Murray Bushrangers). Rookies: Lachlan McNeil (Woodville West Torrens), Roarke Smith (Western Bulldogs)

What the club says: TBC

DOGS' DRAFT HAUL Check out all your club's new draftees

Verdict: It took the Western Bulldogs just 14 seconds to match a bid on Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at pick No.1. The consensus best player in this year's draft, the 194cm marking forward will join a lethal forward-50 partnership with Aaron Naughton for years to come. Eligible to the Dogs through their Next Generation Academy, Ugle-Hagan has the potential to become one of the best players in the competition. Matching a bid on Ugle-Hagan led to a relatively quiet night for the Dogs. After a couple of failed academy bids of its own on Cody Brand and Joel Western, the club ultimately ended its night by picking up rangy forward Dominic Bedendo at pick No.55. Powerful midfielder Lachie McNeil, who impressed at SANFL level as a 19-year-old this season, then joined the club as a rookie on Thursday. - Riley Beveridge 

02:18