The top 10 selections for the 2021 AFL Draft has been confirmed following the conclusion of the home and away season.
With this in mind, we take a look at the shape the draft order is taking, where the most talented prospects could land and the best options for each club.
For the purpose of this exercise, Father-Son selections such as Nick Daicos and Sam Darcy will not be included.
Pick 1 - North Melbourne
Sitting pretty atop the draft order, the Kangaroos are sure to set their sights on the midfield-dominated crop ahead of this year's count.
While North Melbourne would perhaps be most keen on a key-forward, the leading prospects for the class of 2021 are best suited to the engine room.
Jason Horne-Francis -ย Touted as the best player in the draft pool, the South Adelaide star is set to find himself on the podium of picks along with the aforementioned Daicos and Darcy.
Should the Kangaroos remain first on the draft board, it will be hard to look past the contested bull that is Horne-Francis, despite the teenage sensation hailing from South Australia.
Finn Callaghan -ย Arguably the best Victorian midfielder on offer, Callaghan would slot into the Kangaroos' side as a flashy outside onballer, perhaps filling the 'Josh Kelly' role.
The Sandringham Dragons gun is a tall onballer that offers plenty of poise, run and precision in his ball use
Pick 2 - Greater Western Sydney (via Collingwood)
The Giants have re-emerged as finals contenders, yet find themselves toward the top of this year's draft thanks to a bargain trade with the Magpies in 2020.
Known for getting the most out of their top talent in recent years, the Giants could look to continue the cycle, or place their prized pick on offer to rival clubs.
Trade Pick - Parting ways with their pick is certainly an option the Giants will consider, potentially splitting their selection for later, multiple first-round options.
The move would allow the Giants to either add promising youth or ready-made talent to their list while bolstering their chances of landing Academy gun Josh Fahey later into the round.
Finn Callaghan - Should the Giants look to hold their selection and opt for the best suiting talent, Callaghan frames as an ideal choosing for the New South Wales side.
The Vic metro star would add great depth to an already impressive Giants midfield, seeing further balance between inside and outside onballers through the addition of the 189cm midfielder.
Pick 3 - Gold Coastย
A disappointing campaign has the Suns toward the top of the draft order once again, with the club continuing to be starved of finals football.
However, their list shows plenty of potential to sky-rocket into the top-eight in the near-future, needing to fit the last few pieces to their puzzle.
Josh Gibcus -ย Gibcus is seen as the best key defender among the 2021 crop and would be sure to add some much-needed strength to the Suns' defensive unit.
Sam Collins and Charlie Ballard have been standouts for Gold Coast down back, with Gibcus' arrival aiding their defence for the years to come.
Trade Pick - The Suns have made it clear they are keen to add ready-made, experienced names to their list in order to move up the ladder in 2022.
In order to land another big fish on the lure to Queensland, Gold Coast will likely need to move on their top selection - a pick that would demand a high-profile asset in return.
Pick 4 - Adelaide
A rollercoaster campaign saw Adelaide push toward the top of the competition early before falling back to the basement.
A Round 23 win over North Melbourne moved Matthew Nicks' side from 17th to 15th, and therefore two spots further back on
Move for Horne-Francis -ย The top-rated onballer hails from SA, proving to be the dream selection for the Crows should he somehow fall in their lap.
However, with the South Adelaide star set for an earlier selection, the Crows could look to move themselves up the draft order in hope of landing Horne-Francis at West Lakes.
A deal with either the Suns or Giants could be enough, but it would leave the Crows hinging on the Kangaroos looking past the tough midfielder.
Arlo Draper -ย Sticking with South Australian talents, Draper frames as one of the best midfielders of the draft and would slot into the Crows' system with some comfort.
Strong @SANFL league debut from Arlo Draper with 12 disposals, 5 marks, 5 tackles and a goal playing as a half forward for @southadelaidefc. Certainly showing his first round credentials for the 2021 draft. @DraftCentralAus
— Ed Pascoe (@EdPascoe_eDPS) August 14, 2021
While there would be several options ahead of him, Draper would be a smart move for the Crows given his origins with South Adelaide.
Pick 5 - Hawthorn
The Hawks are set for another season toward the top of the draft as they move through their rebuild, with Sam Mitchell now set to call the shots.
Should the Hawks great look to bolster the engine room he used to call home, there are a bevy of options on offer at the fifth pick.
Finn Callaghan -ย A popular selection in this exercise, and for obvious reasons. Callaghan would give the Hawks some height and pace in their midfield, mixing well with contested ball-magnets Tom Mitchell, Jaeger O'Meara and James Worpel.
With a backline purring and a young forward group coming together, Callaghan and co would be perform well in linking the two ends of the ground.
Tyler Sonsie - The Eastern Ranges star is a proven goal-kicker from the midfield and will add flashy fire-power to any club that opts for his name.
Sonsie has faced a number of injury setbacks in his climb to the top, but the rewards look to be paying off. Featuring for Box Hill this season, a relationship with the Hawks has already been built.
Pick 6 - Carlton
Trade Pick -ย There's no denying the Blues' interest in Adam Cerra, with the Dockers star also believed to be looking into a move home to Victoria.
In order for any deal to land, it's likely Carlton will need to part ways with their first-round selection and potentially more to acquire the Fremantle gun.
Josh Sinn -ย Should the Blues keep their top pick, Sinn would offer as a versatile option between midfield and defence.
The Sandringham skipper would offer great speed for the Blues, adding as a great rotation for the likes of Zac Williams and Sam Petrevski-Seton.
Pick 7 - Richmond
The Tigers find themselves in unfamiliar territory, holding pick seven at this year's count.
With another first-round selection coming thanks to Geelong, the Tigers can look to add more youth into the voids left by departing premiership veterans.
Ben Hobbs - An inside midfielder that could be seen as the Tigers' answer to Trent Cotchin as the years go by, Hobbs is touted as one of the leading contested ball-winners in this year's draft.
Add in the ageing Shane Edwards and Richmond could look to bolster their midfield stocks, with Hobbs seen as one of the best.
Josh Rachele - Another goal-kicking midfielder, there wouldn't be too many coaches that could get more out of Rachele than Damien Hardwick.
Small in stature, Rachele is placed as a great attacking option from both the midfield and as a small forward to start his AFL career.
Pick 8 - Fremantle
The Dockers will be hoping this year will be their final finish outside of the top-eight for the years to come, with Justin Longmuir's rebuild gaining great traction.
Another top pick is sure to aid their push for a maiden premiership, and could very well be the difference in doing so.
Neil Erasmus -ย The highest rated Western Australian in the draft, Erasmus would add another level to the Dockers' dazzling midfield, while also being able to move forward and impact the scoreboard.
With the lure of remaining in his home state, Erasmus and the Dockers may just be the perfect match.
Arlo Draper -ย Another option for Fremantle is South Adelaide's Arlo Draper, who would add great speed and skill to the outside of Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong, Nat Fyfe and Adam Cerra.
Should he remain on the board come the Dockers' pick, he might be too good to refuse in recruiting to Perth.
Pick 9 - St Kilda
St Kilda are likely to look to the draft board before having another attempt at a finals placing, with the Saints falling short of the mark in 2021.
Coach Brett Ratten could look to add height ahead of next season, filling the gaps of departing key-position players.
Mac Andrew -ย Should the Saints bid for Andrew at pick nine, they would pull of stealing the Dandenong Stingray from Melbourne's grasp, with the Demons needing their Next Generation Academy talent to fall outside the top 20 selections.
Andrew is touted as the best ruck option in the class of 2021, and would be well placed as the replacement for veteran Paddy Ryder for the years to come.
Josh Sinn -ย The defender/midfield hybrid is sure to be on the Saints' radar, potentially adding great run and carry from defence to attack for the Moorabbin club.
Likely to be one of the best options at this point of the draft, should the Saints opt for speed, Sinn could be their man.
Pick 10 - West Coast
The Eagles ended their 2021 campaign in disappointing fashion, falling out of the top eight across the final month and now finding themselves with a top 10 pick.
Due to offloading first-round picks in the past, the Eagles will be forced to use their top selection unless they can gain another in this year's trade period.
Neil Erasmus -ย Should the Dockers pass on Erasmus' services, the Eagles are likely to swoop on the Subiaco star.
Should Adam Simpson look to further add to his midfield, there would be no option more suitable than the Western Australian product.
Matt Roberts -ย Another young gun that can influence at stoppages and impact the scoreboard, Roberts could be seen as an ideal suitor for the Eagles.
Another that has battled injuries, the South Adelaide onballer would add another string to West Coast's midfield bow for the future.
