• 10 things we learned from Thursday night's draft
• Watch highlights of your club's new recruits on the Draft Tracker
PATRICK McCartin is 2014's No.1 draft pick, with St Kilda selecting the Geelong Falcons key forward ahead of Eastern Ranges midfielder Christian Petracca.
Petracca was the favourite to be the No.1 pick for much of this year, but the Saints ultimately opted to go with the 2014 draft pool's best tall forward.
McCartin, 194cm and 94kg, is a strong contested mark and dangerous at ground level, with AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan comparing him to Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins.
The 18-year-old averaged four marks and 2.3 goals a game for Vic Country in this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, and was a NAB AFL Academy member.
The Saints will be hoping McCartin can succeed Nick Riewoldt as their go-to forward when the St Kilda great eventually retires.
McCartin told the crowd at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre he had not known he was going to be the No.1 pick until Saints recruitment manager Tony Elshaug called his name out on Thursday night.
McCartin said he was "absolutely stoked" to join the Saints and "very humbled" to be the first player chosen in 2014.
"It's just a number. I'm the same as anyone else when I get into a club," McCartin said.
"I can't wait to get stuck into it and have a crack."
Moments after walking off stage, McCartin received a call from Riewoldt to welcome him to the club.
Melbourne used its prized No.2 and No.3 picks to snare promising midfielders Petracca and Angus Brayshaw, who could form an imposing Demons on-ball division with the likes of Jack Viney and Dom Tyson in years to come.
Petracca is an explosive midfielder who can be just as damaging pushing into attack as a marking target, with AFL talent guru Kevin Sheehan likening him to Richmond's Dustin Martin and Port Adelaide's Ollie Wines.
Brayshaw, the son of former North Melbourne player and current board member Mark Brayshaw, starred as an inside ball-winner with the Sandringham Dragons this year, but can also spread from stoppages and hurt the opposition with his foot skills.
Calder Cannons tall Peter Wright joined McCartin, Brayshaw and Petracca in this year's top 10 draftees, with Gold Coast snaring the forward/ruckman at pick No.8.
This year's top 10 enjoy a laugh after being drafted early on Thursday night. Picture: AFL Media
THE TOP 10
1. McCartin
2. Petracca
3. Brayshaw
4. Jarrod Pickett (South Fremantle), Greater Western Sydney
5. Jordan De Goey (Oakleigh Chargers), Collingwood
6. Caleb Marchbank (Murray Bushrangers), GWS
7. Paul Ahern (Calder Cannons), GWS
8. Wright
9. Darcy Moore (Oakleigh Chargers), Collingwood
10. Nakia Cockatoo (NT Thunder), Geelong.
Wright, 203cm, was seen earlier this year as a possible No.1 pick, but there was speculation recently that he could slide down the draft order as far as the late teens.
If Sheehan is right, the Suns could end up with the bargain of this year's draft, with the League's talent manager saying Wright could in the long-term prove to be the best player from the 2014 draft pool.
Jayden Laverde was the big slider in the first round. The Western Jets defender was touted as a possible top-five selection but slid through to Essendon at pick No. 20.
Chris Scott and Nakia Cockatoo are all smiles during Thursday night's national draft. Picture: AFL Media
Blaine Boekhorst was the first mature-age player to get an opportunity on Thursday night, with Carlton taking the West Australian with their first pick, No. 19.
After playing just 25 WAFL matches in the previous three seasons, the 21-year-old midfielder burst to prominence with Swan Districts in 2014, playing 19 of 20 games and averaging nearly 21 possessions a game.
Boekhorst has good pace, can break the lines and showed vast improvement in his inside play this season.
Geelong Falcons tall Hugh Goddard joined the first AFL club of his cousin Brendon, when St Kilda picked him with pick No.21.
Sandringham Dragons forward Ed Langdon joined his older brother of Collingwood defender Tom in the AFL, when Fremantle called his name out at pick No.54.
Highly talented Perth utility Clem Smith got his AFL chance after being taken by Carlton with pick No.60. No one doubts Smith's talent, but he has considerable work to do to get his fitness up to AFL standards.
It was a tough night for recycled AFL players, with none drafted.
