• Round of 16 voting results
• Draft history: Every national draft pick ever
• NAB AFL Draft Machine: Search 180+ draft profiles and predict this year's No.1
WE HAD a theory. Actually, lots of theories, but we've kept most of them quiet since the one about the moon landing.
Our latest was that players who have turned out for more than one club have an advantage in our search for the No.1 number one. And so it proved ... a bit.
Two-club Brendon Goddard streeted Brett Deledio in the round of 16 -- 5722 votes to 2051. And two-club Michael Gardiner (4682) thumped, umm, two-club Darren Gaspar (2734). So far so good.
Then things went a little pear-shaped. Tom Scully (375) was demolished by Jaeger O'Meara (7263), and Josh Fraser (343) was crushed by Nick Riewoldt (7300). We hate theories.
Elsewhere, Luke Hodge smashed Marc Murphy 7193-544, Drew Banfield squelched Anthony Banik 6497-836 and Jeremy Cameron edged David Swallow 4129-3460.
And the best news? Clive's alive! C. Waterhouse (4730) comfortably disposed of Martin Leslie (2446) to keep the comedy option in play.
You can click here to check out profiles and stats of our eight surviving contenders, plus the victims of the first two rounds of voting. And click anywhere on the image below to open the full quarter-final bracket in a new tab.
Quarter-final voting
Clive. Waterhouse.
Link these names in footy circles and they tend to conjure a very particular reaction.
Look for wry grins and shakes of the head if Waterhouse can upset Eagles dual premiership player Banfield in today's quarter-finals and advance to the final four in our search for footy's ultimate top draft pick.
Waterhouse was one of the least conventional players to grace the AFL, so naturally was a cult figure at Freo, where he lobbed as the No.1 pick in 1995's national draft.
Born in England, his first sporting interest was soccer, and when he turned his hand to Australian Football he continued to play like a striker.
Waterhouse was like the girl with the curl (except he once boasted that remarkable, curl-less white-blond mullet). When he was good he was very, very good, but when he was bad he was horrid.
A medium-sized forward with a muscular physique, Clive was brilliant, frustrating, unpredictable and always entertaining. Enough for his coaches and opponents alike to tear out their own locks.
He formed a potent forward duo with former Adelaide superstar Tony Modra that was always compulsive viewing, despite the Dockers' doldrums.
So we move into the last eight in our search for the No.1 number one in draft history, with the tantalising prospect of Waterhouse being voted the best ever top draft pick still in play.
Clive's semi hopes – and some would suggest they are only semi hopes – rest on him winning a mini Western Derby against Banfield. Then comes the tricky matter of getting past either Michael Gardiner or Nick Riewoldt in the final four. Still, first things first.
The quirks of the draw have ensured that at least one of the semi finalists will be a ring-in – either Gold Coast's Jaeger O'Meara or Greater Western Sydney's Jeremy Cameron. Neither, of course, is a number one draft pick. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
The most intriguing match up is Luke Hodge versus Brendon Goddard. Or is that 'versing'? We just don't know any more. This pits a dual Norm Smith medallist against a player who was a bee's proboscis away from winning one of his own in 2010. Remember, it's your call, so get clicking.
The 'Keep Clive Alive' campaign waged by fans of Fremantle and striking haircuts is gaining considerable momentum following his victories over Alex McDonald and Martin Leslie. But the big man will need unprecedented support today if he is to avoid the chop against West Coast's dual premiership player.
The former St Kilda teammates played important roles in the Saints' 2009 and 2010 premiership tilts, which fell agonisingly short against Geelong and Collingwood respectively. It's a clash of two superb athletes who took different approaches: Riewoldt has been the ultimate professional, while Gardiner was ... er, not always an ultimate professional.
Goddard is in great form after overcoming Brett Deledio and, more accurately, the voting might of the Tiger faithful. The all-conquering, ever-popular Hodge is an entirely different prospect for the Saint-turned-Don. Unable to mask his emotions, Goddard gives the impression he hates losing more than any other sportsman in history, and you suspect he'll follow this contest closely with his game face on.
We defy you to vote for one of these players and be entirely comfortable with your selection, because whichever way you go the player you overlook has the potential to become the best player in the game. It probably comes down to whether you'd prefer a midfielder with an all-round game and great leadership potential, or the hard-to-match-up key forward. Good luck with that one.
• How you voted in the first round
• How you voted in the round of 16
