This will include four ‘live’ picks at No. 4, No. 49, No. 53 and No. 70.
Already, outstanding father/son selection Jack Viney has been secured at No. 27, and elevated rookies Michael Evans and Daniel Nicholson will claim picks No. 73 and No. 74.
For the first time, Melbourne will have picks No. 49, No. 70 and No. 74. It will be the second time the Demons have had a pick at No. 4 and No. 73, and the third at No. 27.
No. 53 is the most familiar pick to Melbourne in this meeting and a fourth Demon will be chosen at this number.
Here is a look back at the history of those numbers Melbourne will have picks at this year …
Selection No. 4
There have naturally been some top players chosen at No. 4, with Peter Matera (West Coast, 1989) and Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle, 1999) among the top echelon. Add in premierships players Justin Leppitsch (Brisbane, 1992) and Scott Lucas (Essendon, 1994) and this selection has delivered some outstanding players. Andrew Gaff (West Coast, 2010) is one of the best youngsters to be chosen at this pick in recent years and Will Hoskin-Elliott (Greater Western Sydney, 2011) played 10 matches in his debut season this year. Melbourne will have its second No. 4 this year, after Cale Morton was claimed in 2007. He recently departed after 73 matches from 2008 to 2012, moving back to his native state of Western Australia to play with the West Coast Eagles next year.
No. 27
Richmond forward/ruckman Brendon Gale, now the club’s chief executive, played 244 matches from 1990 to 2001. He gave the greatest service from this selection, directly to the club that chose him. St Kilda gained 203 games from Steven Baker from 1999 to 2011 after he was claimed here. Adelaide drafted Kane Johnson in 1995, before he later moved to Punt Rd, where he became Richmond captain. He played 104 of his 220 AFL matches with the Crows, including the 1997-98 premierships. Kieran Harper (North Melbourne, 2010) played 23 matches in just his second season in 2012, and will be one to watch over the coming years. The Demons will be confident that, in a decade’s time, Jack Viney - who has already been confirmed at this pick in 2012 - will be vying for the best No. 27. Given that Melbourne would’ve used selection No. 3 to net him, Viney is a bargain for the red and blue. Rod Keogh, who played 22 matches with Melbourne and won the Gardiner Medal twice (the Brownlow Medal equivalent in the now defunct reserves) after being drafted in 1988, added another 60 with St Kilda. Forward Brad Hall never played a match with the Dees after being claimed in 1993.
No. 49
Richmond’s Nick Daffy played 165 matches from 1992 to 2001 after being selected at No. 49, before making one appearance with the Swans in 2002. He edges out Shane Wakelin, who played 158 of his 252 AFL matches with Collingwood, after being claimed in 2000. Ronnie Burns (Geelong Cats - 1994), Jarrad Schofield (West Coast - 1992) and Simon Garland (Sydney Swans - 1993) were other players chosen at this pick. Taylor Hunt played 21 of his 41 matches with the Cats this year, after being snapped up in 2008. Dylan Roberton (Fremantle, 2009) played 37 matches in three seasons, but was recently delisted by the Dockers. This will be Melbourne’s first pick at No. 49.
No. 53
West Coast has claimed two fine servants at No. 53: Michael Braun (1996) and Adam Selwood (2002), who both came from the Bendigo Pioneers. Braun played 228 matches from 1997 to 2008, and Selwood has 173 games to his name since 2003. He will saddle up for his 11th season in 2013. More recently, Michael Walters (Fremantle, 2008) was selected at No. 53. He impressed late in the 2012 season, playing the final 10 matches for a total of 22. For Melbourne, Tom McDonald (2010) was plucked here and became one of the team’s good stories of the 2012 season. Holding down a key defensive post and impressing on the likes of St Kilda superstar Nick Riewoldt, McDonald finished third in Melbourne’s best and fairest award. Simon Buckley (2005) and Kyle Cheney (2007) were also selected here by Melbourne, before they joined Collingwood and Hawthorn respectively.
No. 70
Paul Williams, who was drafted by Collingwood in 1989, is the stand out at this pick. He made 189 appearances with the Pies from 1991 to 2000, before adding 117 matches with the Swans from 2001 to 2006, including the 2005 premiership. In more recent times, Hawthorn’s Matt Suckling (2009) and Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus (2011) have been rookie elevation selections. Carlton also landed mature age player Nick Duigan in 2010. Melbourne will have its first No. 70 choice in the 2012 meeting.
No. 73
Ryan Houlihan etched out a fine career from this pick, playing 201 matches from 2000 to 2011 with Carlton. Richmond’s Shane Tuck is next in line with 162 games from 2004 to 2012 and, based on this year’s form, could overtake the Blue. Dual Brisbane Lions premiership player Beau McDonald played 91 matches from 1998 to 2007. Interestingly, Leigh Brown, now Melbourne’s forward line coach, went to his third AFL club, when Collingwood drafted him in 2008. He became a Collingwood premiership player in 2010 and played his last AFL match in the 2011 Grand Final. Brown played 65 of his 246 AFL games with the Pies. Melbourne’s only other pick at No. 73 came in 2000, when it selected Ross Funcke, who added 13 appearances in 2001 and 2002 after 27 with Richmond. The Demons will use No. 73 on either Michael Evans or Daniel Nicholson, as both have been elevated from the rookie to the senior list.
No. 74
Troy Luff became an integral player for the Sydney Swans after a few stints on and off their list. When he was redrafted at No. 74, he played 123 of his 155 matches, including the 1996 grand final. Next came North Melbourne duo Daniel Pratt, who played 116 of his 119 AFL matches with North Melbourne from 2005 to 2011, and Matthew Burton, who played 77 of his 147 matches from 2000 to 2003. Jayden Schofield (2010) played seven matches in his one season with the Western Bulldogs. One of Melbourne’s elevated rookies - Michael Evans or Daniel Nicholson - will be selected at this pick, which will be the club’s first at No. 74.
