Second round selections have proven valuable trade currency for the Bulldogs in recent years, but at Thursday’s NAB AFL Draft the Club they’ll be used to deliver new blood to the Kennel
For the first time in two years, the Bulldogs will take their second round selections to the draft table.
Holding picks 26 in 2013 and 27 in 2012, the second round selections have been important chips in formulating deals that turned Koby Stevens, Stewart Crameri and Nathan Hrovat into Bulldogs
Recruiting Manager Simon Dalrymple will have both pick 26 and 27 at his disposal at the Gold Coast Convention Centre tonight, along with 39, 45 and 46.
Last year Essendon added small forward Zach Merrett to its list with pick 26, while Sean Lemmens became a Gold Coast Sun at pick No. 27.
Merrett played 20 games in his debut AFL season in 2014, including Essendon’s Elimination Final against North Melbourne.
Merrett kicked 11 goals, and received a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in round 11 for his two goal, 22 disposal performance against Richmond.
In an interesting twist, Essendon received that pick 26 from the trade that landed Stewart Crameri at the Kennel.
Merrett too was a Bulldogs fan growing up.
The draft prior in 2012, bullish midfielder Jack Viney became a Demon via a father-son selection at pick 26, while key position prospect James Stewart became a Giant.
Pick 27 in 2012 formed part of the Brian Lake deal that saw Nathan Hrovat arrive at the Kennel with the on traded pick 21 from the Hawks.
West Coast’s Jack Darling is another emerging star in recent years to have been draft at pick 26 back in 2010.
It’s been close to a decade since the Bulldogs have taken pick 26 or 27 to draft night.
In 2005, the Bulldogs draft Dylan Addison from NSW club St George with pick 27.
Addison played 88 for the Bulldogs before being delisted at the end of the 2013 season, and continuing his career at the GWS Giants.
Meanwhile, it was back in 2001 that Shane Birss was Kennel bound with pick 26.
Birss played 51 games in five seasons, before being traded to St Kilda.
