ESSENDON and Hawthorn will be waiting a while before they enter the NAB AFL Draft but that doesn't necessarily mean they will miss out on a future star.
Live pick trading means Essendon and Hawthorn could conceivably move up the order, but if that doesn't happen, the Bombers' first selection currently sits at No.34, before any bids are made on Academy or father-son prospects.
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There will be an even longer delay for the Hawks, who start at No.53.
Three clubs are expected to use their opening pick in the opening round despite not having a first-round selection because of bids: Sydney (currently start at No.26), Collingwood (No.41) and North Melbourne (No.42).
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Academy member Nick Blakey is set to join the Swans, Isaac Quaynor and Will Kelly are headed to the Magpies and Tarryn Thomas is destined for the Roos. Kelly is expected to be the last of the quartet drafted according to Cal Twomey's Phantom Draft.
Here's the history of the first picks Essendon and Hawthorn hold.
ESSENDON - No.34
Number of players selected: 32
Average games: 59|
Names you'll know: Craig Kelly (1986), Daryn Cresswell (1988), Leon Davis (1999), Sean Dempster (2002), Liam Shiels (2008), Max Gawn (2009)
The honours: Six flags (Kelly, Dempster, Matt Spangher and three for Shiels), six All Australian jumpers (Creswell, Dempster and two each for Davis and Gawn) and two best and fairests (Cresswell and Gawn)
Essendon's previous No.34s: Simon O'Keefe (2001, zero games), Jason Ashby (2012, 12 games)
Melbourne ruckman Gawn is the pick of this list – the 26-year-old was arguably the best player in the competition last season. Davis, or 'Neon Leon' as he was known, is the only other dual All Australian, while another former Magpie in Kelly helped his side win the 1990 flag. Dempster was the consummate professional at Sydney and St Kilda, while Shiels was important in Hawthorn's three-peat.
HAWTHORN - No.53
Number of players selected: 31
Average games: 55
Names you'll know: Michael Braun (1996), Adam Selwood (2002), Daniel Jackson (2003), Lindsay Thomas (2006), Michael Walters (2008), Tom McDonald (2010)
The honours: Three flags (Braun, Selwood, Jack Graham) and one best and fairest (Jackson)
Hawthorn's previous No.53s: Simon Taylor (2004, 85 games), Alex Woodward (2011, two games)
Midfield pair Braun and Selwood were both part of West Coast's 2006 flag-winning side, while Jackson was a hard-nosed onballer at Richmond. Small forward Thomas lined up in 212 games across his career at North Melbourne and briefly at Port Adelaide. Walters operates in the same part of the ground, but also pushes into the middle and stars for Fremantle. McDonald emerged this year as a serious goalkicking threat.
Adam Selwood celebrates the 2006 premiership. Picture: AFL Photos
Gems taken in the 90s
Hawthorn's second pick is slated for No.90. In 1992, Collingwood landed a future captain with that selection: Scott Burns, now an assistant to Alastair Clarkson at the Hawks.
No.92, held by Richmond, has been reasonable for West Coast, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, which recruited Brett Heady (1989), Jamie Shanahan (1990) and Daniel Southern (1992) respectively.
The Hawks had their own late success at No.94 when they landed Jade Rawlings in 1994. West Coast holds that selection for Friday.
