The Telstra AFL Draft begins on Wednesday
Adelaide will approach this week’s Telstra AFL Draft with an “all options open” mentality as it looks to bolster its squad ahead of the 2026 season.
On Wednesday night, the AFL will host Round One of the Draft live from Marvel Stadium, and the Crows have Pick 16 in hand.
Despite a handful of later picks, National Recruiting Manager Hamish Ogilvie said the Club would likely limit selections on Draft night.
“We’ll likely take two picks this year,” Ogilvie said.
“We’ll be hunting for the best available pick for our first selection and then later in the draft we’ll likely try and fill a need.
“Having said that, we’re really keen to keep our options as open as possible this year.
“With live trading of picks, things can change really quickly on the night and we’ll need to be prepared for that.”
Ogilvie said the Crows would certainly be open to pick swaps, while also keeping an eye on list allocation beyond draft night.
“We’ve had a lot of open and honest discussions with other Clubs, which are still ongoing, regarding potential pick swaps,” he said.
“More could happen on the night, we’ll see.
“We’re also conscious of looking beyond the draft and potentially saving a list spot for potential injury cover or have people train on as an SSP (Supplemental Selection Period).”
Heading into his 18th National Draft, Ogilvie detailed the changing demands of the role in the modern era of the game.
“I think the biggest change has been live pick swaps,” he said.
“You have to plan for all scenarios… it’s not like the old days where you just had your order and away you went.
“I’m really grateful to the mountain of work the team has put in with this in mind.
“We believe we’re in a really strong position heading into Wednesday night.”
Round One of the Telstra AFL Draft takes place this Wednesday, November 19, with the remainder of selections to occur on Thursday, November 20.
Both nights will be broadcast live on Fox Footy from 6.30pm (ACDT).
The 2025 Rookie and Pre-Season drafts will be held on Friday, November 21.
