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THIS year's No.1 pick in the NAB AFL Draft won't learn his fate until his name is read out by Essendon, giving the player and fans a "true reaction" to the highly anticipated news.

Bombers coach John Worsfold told the NAB AFL Draft Countdown Show the club had kept its selection a tightly guarded secret among no more than 12 people.

Unlike previous years when the No.1 pick has been aware he was joining a prestigious group, Essendon had chosen not to let its preferred player know.

"We did discuss that, but we felt it was probably fair on the process and everything to do with the draft that we see a true reaction from the young man who gets called out," Worsfold said. 

"People like to try and give it some fuel for what's going to happen afterwards at pick 2, 3, 4 and those teams at 5 and 6 can start to get an idea of what they're looking at.

"But from what it sounds like this year they've all got a lot of scenarios they've mapped out and they won't know how it will fall until it happens.

"My guess is 10, maybe a dozen, people know, and they've behaved."

Club officials from Greater Western Sydney, Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions have all told the NAB AFL Draft Countdown Show that they were unaware who would be the No.1 pick.