Every club, every pick - the NAB AFL Draft Tracker
The Demons surprised nobody by selecting Watts, 17, with the first call of the day. A tall marking forward from the Sandringham Dragons, Watts’ reputation soared during this year’s NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, in which he won All-Australian honours.
Local boy Nicholas Naitanui went to West Coast at No.2 as the early picks fell largely according to expectations. A rangy ruckman, Naitanui has been touted as a top two draft pick for much of the year. He is expected to generate massive excitement at the top level.
Fremantle also went local, taking West Perth midfielder Stephen Hill at No.3.
Picks 4-6 saw West Adelaide runner Hamish Hartlett become a Port Adelaide player, tall backman Michael Hurley go to Essendon and mid-sized forward Chris Yarran find himself a Blue.
Former West Coast star Cousins must now pin his hopes on the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft on December 16.
The Lions were the last remaining club to have entertained interest in the 2005 Brownlow Medallist, but closed the door on Cousins on the eve of the draft.
There was a minor surprise as the first round unfolded, with another Western Australian midfielder, Daniel Rich, sliding to pick seven and going to the Brisbane Lions.
Rich had been touted heavily as a top three draft pick for the past 12 months.
Tyrone Vickery went to Richmond at eight, and Jack Ziebell to North Melbourne with pick No.9.
Adelaide rounded out the top 10 with the first real surprise of the draft, selecting local tall defender Phil Davis, who pundits had suggested could fall as low as pick No.16 in this year’s order.
Collingwood used its highest pick (No.11 overall) to snaffle 10-goal TAC Cup final hero Steele Sidebottom.
The remaining first-round picks went as follows:
No.12: Sydney Swans - Lewis Johnston
No.13: St Kilda – Tom Lynch
No.15: Geelong – Mitchell Brown
No.16: Hawthorn – Ryan Schoenmakers
The Western Bulldogs had already secured Ayce Cordy with a father-son selection at pick No.14.
Several familiar football names have found themselves in new colours, with Shaun McKernan – younger brother of former North Melbourne star Corey – heading to Adelaide as a second-round pick.
The Bulldogs selected Jordan Roughead – cousin of Hawthorn’s premiership forward Jarryd – with pick No.31. Tall defender Jordan Lisle will hope to follow in the footsteps of his father Mark – a ruckman with North Melbourne – after being drafted by Hawthorn at pick No.50.
Meanwhile, Geelong played spoiler to an emerging football dynasty, preventing Steven Motlop from joining brother Daniel and cousin Marlon at Port Adelaide. The Power had been tipped to take the forward with a low pick, but Geelong snapped him up with its third-round selection.
Few players with AFL experience found new homes - leaving the likes of Aaron Fiora, Nathan Carroll and Nick Davis disappointed, along with Cousins.
Essendon delisting Tom Hislop was one of those fortunate to be recycled, going to Richmond with a fourth-round pick.
Versatile big man Leigh Brown has traded blue stripes for black, finding himself at Collingwood with pick No.73 after being dumped by North Melbourne. Port Adelaide took ex-Geelong man Jason Davenport at pick 78.
Rejected Lion Colm Begley was thrown a lifeline by St Kilda with the last used selection of the draft – No.83 overall.
Every club, every pick - the NAB AFL Draft Tracker
Full text list of every club's selections
Delisted players who nominated for the draft
