While Essendon won’t be taking a first-round selection to the NAB AFL National Draft on November 22 and 23, there is no reason why the Bombers can’t pick up some future stars.
The club’s first pick currently lies at 34, and history shows plenty of value can be found at the selection.
Some of the best players to be selected with the pick include former Sydney star Daryn Cresswell (who was initially drafted to Geelong), Collingwood livewire Leon Davis, premiership players Liam Shiels and Sean Dempster, and current AFLCA MVP Max Gawn.
The Bombers have also shown a knack for finding hidden gems deep into the draft, with exciting West Australian Matt Guelfi the latest example.
Guelfi played 15 games this year in his inaugural season after being selected with pick 76 in last year’s national draft.
Essendon will take picks 34, 66 and 84 into the draft, and you can see the full indicative order below.
FIRST ROUND
1 Carlton
2 Gold Coast
3 Gold Coast (compensation for losing free agent Tom Lynch)
4 St Kilda
5 Port Adelaide
6 Gold Coast
7 Western Bulldogs
8 Adelaide
9 GWS
10 Port Adelaide
11 GWS
12 Geelong
13 Adelaide
14 Fremantle
15 Port Adelaide
16 Adelaide
17 Richmond
18 Brisbane
19 GWS
END OF FIRST ROUND
20 West Coast Eagles (compensation for losing restricted free agent Scott Lycett)
SECOND ROUND
21 Adelaide
22 West Coast Eagles
23 Melbourne
24 Gold Coast
25 GWS
26 Sydney
27 Western Bulldogs
28 Melbourne
29 Gold Coast
30 Brisbane
31 Fremantle
32 Western Bulldogs
33 Sydney
34 Essendon
35 Brisbane
36 St Kilda
37 Richmond
38 Sydney
39 Sydney
THIRD ROUND
40 Sydney
41 Collingwood
42 North Melbourne
43 Fremantle
44 Collingwood
45 Western Bulldogs
46 St Kilda
47 North Melbourne
48 North Melbourne
49 North Melbourne
50 Geelong
51 Geelong
52 GWS
53 Hawthorn
54 Melbourne
55 North Melbourne
56 Brisbane
57 Collingwood
58 North Melbourne
FOURTH ROUND
59 Collingwood
60 Collingwood
61 West Coast Eagles
62 Melbourne
63 Western Bulldogs
64 Richmond
65 Fremantle
66 Essendon
67 St Kilda
68 Richmond
69 Carlton
70 Geelong
71 Carlton
72 West Coast Eagles
73 Adelaide
74 Richmond
75 Western Bulldogs
76 West Coast Eagles
FIFTH ROUND
77 Carlton
78 Brisbane
79 St Kilda
80 Gold Coast
81 Fremantle
82 Western Bulldogs
83 Adelaide
84 Essendon
85 Port Adelaide
86 North Melbourne
87 Geelong
88 Sydney
89 GWS
90 Hawthorn
91 Melbourne
92 Richmond
93 Collingwood
94 West Coast Eagles
