ADELAIDE missed out on a key defender in last month's trade period, but the Crows are confident that they now have their man in Jake Lever.

 

The Crows were linked with free agent James Frawley earlier this year and expressed interest in Ryan Schoenmakers in the trade period before the Hawthorn key defender decided to remain at Waverley.

 

So when Lever was still available at the Crows' first pick, No.14, they had no hesitation in reading out his name.

 

Adelaide list manager David Noble told AFL.com.au that Lever would help fill the hole left in defence by the retirement of Ben Rutten.

 

The Crows also drafted Sandringham Dragons key forward Harry Dear with their final pick, No.58, an acquisition that, like Lever's, was part of the Crows' continued push to fill the holes left by the departures of Nathan Bock, Phil Davis, Rutten and Kurt Tippett in recent years.

 

"With the talls that we've lost in the last three or four years, we just need to keep replenishing those stocks," Noble said.

 

"We thought that this draft allows that opportunity to fulfil needs as well as taking the top-end talent.

 

"We've been really pleased with what we've brought in."

 

David Noble says: “He's a really competitive key defender. We know that historically he marshalls the troops down at the defensive end. It's the perfect fit for us.”

 

David Noble says: “A quality ball user who is a left-footer. We've been big the last few years on trying to find a couple of lefties. Harrison is also a local guy, so we're really pleased with that selection.”

 

David Noble says: “He's a utility size at 192cm, who can play at both ends. He is a powerful guy in that 19-20-year-old bracket and gives us versatility.”

 

David Noble says: “Harry is a key-position player who is another real competitor. We need to keep replenishing our tall stocks and Dear, along with Lever, really fits the bill for us in that respect.”