Welcome to AFL Draft day.
The first round is only hours away, but just exactly how it all plays out is still anybody’s guess.
While we’re not declaring it a ‘Super Draft’ just yet, the depth of top-end talent in this year’s pool is as deep as recruiters have seen in some time.
And it means clubs are keeping their cards close to their chest.
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION AND EVERY PICK HERE FROM 5PM
With father-son and Academy picks, the first round is expected to push 27 selections.
Bacchus Marsh boy Sam Lalor is the favourite to have his name called at pick 1, with Richmond opening the night with the first of its six opening-round calls.
And that’s a good thing, Tigers fans, with the 188cm midfielder-forward modelling his game on a guy called Dustin Martin.
Josh Smillie, a 195cm onballer, is the player linked to Richmond’s next selection at 6. It’s going to be a fun night if you wear yellow and black.
Just two months after his brother won the Norm Smith Medal, Levi Ashcroft will join the Lions as a father-son selection somewhere in between.
A rival bid for the player some view as the best in the draft is likely to come in the first five picks.
Chris Cavanagh and Dan Batten know more than most – check out all their latest intel from every club here.
That’s the question everyone’s been asking.
The Roos (pick 2) and Adelaide (pick 4) have held 파워볼 discussions over a trade that would see the Crows possibly jump both Victorian clubs to snap up lifelong Collingwood fan, and the draft’s Mr. Consistent, Jagga Smith.
That’s right, and overlook local young gun Sid Draper.
But talk of the draft night trade has cooled in the past 48 hours, and Smith might not get past Michael Voss and the Blues (pick 3).
The talk Adelaide will still overlook Draper hasn’t, however.
The Bombers already traded out of the top 10 during the exchange period in expectation of an early bid for exciting Next Generation Academy prospect, Kako.
And the team who took the pick (No. 9) off them, Melbourne, is in the mix to use that selection to bid on the 176cm small forward. Don’t worry, it will all make sense.
Leo Lombard (Gold Coast Academy) and Sam Marshall (Brisbane Academy) are the two other club-aligned prospects are likely to feature tonight.