GEELONG has moved up four places in the first round of next month's NAB AFL Draft after completing a late deal with Adelaide.

 

The trade sees the Cats get picks No.10 and 47 in exchange for No.14 and 35.

 

It will be the first time Geelong has had a top-10 pick since taking skipper Joel Selwood at No.7 in the 2006 Draft.

 

Clubs see this year's draft pool as one of the most even in recent seasons, particularly after a handful of early standout prospects. 

 

At this month's NAB AFL Draft Combine, Crows recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie told AFL.com.au's daily video wrap he thought not much separated the top group of players. 

 

"I don't think there's much in it – the player at pick six and the player at No.17 could be exactly the same. The player at No.14 might be better than someone that's picked at No.7 or 8," Ogilvie said. 

 

"There's not a lot in it at all."

 

Geelong football manager Neil Balme said the deal wasn't completed with a particular player in mind.

 

"There's always a bit of a punt with that but we haven't had too many early picks," he said as the Cats left Etihad Stadium.

 

"We thought it was worth having a bit of a go at that, and we probably haven't given up too much to do it."

Adelaide was involved in another late trade, picking up Hawks Kyle Cheney and Luke Lowden in a complicated exchange of draft picks.

The Crows targeted a ruckman after missing out on Jonathan Giles, as well as a defender following the retirement of Ben Rutten and the fact Andy Otten had a knee reconstruction in August.

 

Another defender Sam Shaw had surgery to fix a problematic hamstring at the end of the season, which further enhanced their need for increased backline depth.

 

Adelaide list manager David Noble backed the strategy to sacrifice four positions in the first round to fill two key deficiencies on the Crows' list. 

 

He said the key had been to ensure they kept their presence in the first and second rounds after they lost their early picks last year as punishment for the Kurt Tippett contract investigation.

 

"The difference between 10 and 14, you can get a little bit caught up in the numbers and the data tells you generally that moving two or three spots is not that harmful," Noble said.

 

"We're not concerned or frightened to do that and I think it makes good logical sense in the end when you've got enough data and information.

 

"I think if you look at our overall strategy in the end we had to bring a couple of players in and we had to improve some of our picks.

 

"I think we finish now at the end of the third round.

 

"We've done that now a couple of times – the [Josh] Jenkins deal with Sam Kerridge two or three years ago we did that and it's worked in our favour."

 

Noble also said the Crows expected young midfielder Jarryd Lyons to extend his contract in the near future after he didn't move clubs.

 

"I'll have another look at that counter offer tomorrow and we would like to make sure that he's certainly with us," he said.

 

"He's happy, he caught up with myself and Phil this week and we don't see that being too much of an issue to get that all settled and done and dusted."