Six of the past seven AFL Drafts have seen Adelaide select top 10 prospects, but 2025 will have the Crows later in line following a minor premiership season.
Adelaide's rise to flag contention has come off the back of strong drafting and aggressive trade plays, the former seeing the likes of Josh Rachele, Riley Thilthorpe, Max Michalanney and Dan Curtin taken in the first round of their respective drafts.
Adding to that quartet is reigning Pick 4 selection Sid Draper, who was afforded time to develop in the SANFL this year, playing 14 state league level games to his 10 AFL appearances.
With the Crows holding onto their top pick for November's draft, they'll hit night one of the count once more, but doing so from Pick 16 or later this year.
Draft Hand
Picks: 16, 48, 55, 64, 73, 75 (1026 Points)
Adelaide's tough trade stance in negotiations with Brisbane for Callum Ah Chee have seen them hold onto their first-round selection of Pick 16. That pick likely moves to 20th overall by the time the Crows are on the clock, but they'll be in range of prospects who are ideal list fits and/or local prospects.
Picks 48 and beyond will advance up the draft order after matched bids, with a bevy of selections earlier in the draft set to be swallowed up in those bids.
The Crows do have father-son selection Mitch Stevens in their draft planning, however a rookie list spot looks most likely for the Gippsland talent.
List Needs
Front-Half Speed: The Crows don't exactly lack those speedy ground-level threats in their attacking third, but with star pair Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele both slated for increased midfield minutes as their careers continue, a pure small forward might be on the Crows' radar. Outside of Rankine and Rachele, Adelaide have veteran Ben Keays, Alex Neal-Bullen and Luke Pedlar, the latter duo being pressure options. Callum Ah Chee will arrive as a 28-year-old, with the premiership Lion, Keays and Alex Neal-Bullen all in their late 20s and eventually needing successors.
Ruck Depth: The main avenue for recruiting ruckmen is often done through trading for a more mature asset, but all the best talls take time to develop somewhere. For Adelaide, it's time they start assessing who their long-term first-string ruckman can be. While they might be able to hit the open market to find Reilly O'Brien's successor, as they tried to do with Sam Draper this year, that's never a guarantee. Having a young tall work his way through the ranks at West Lakes might be what's needed, and could be found at this year's draft.
Key Forward Force: The Crows have been home to one of the best tall forward contingents in the game for the past couple of years. Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty as their known long-term assets, but who is next in line? A spot to replace Taylor Walker is up for grabs in 2026, and the Crows do have some options. Trade recruit Finnbar Maley will be in mind but arrives from North Melbourne with just seven games under his belt. Adelaide also have Tyler Welsh and Toby Murray, both of whom are untried and didn't arrive as top line talents. Perhaps with Adelaide's first-round pick they might look to bring in a star key forward for the future who, at the very least, can offer some competition for a senior spot as early as Round 1.
Potential Targets
Lachy Dovaston: An electric small forward, Dovaston would add to the headaches that Rachele and Rankine provide for opposition defenders. The Eastern Ranges livewire would have plenty to learn from the Crows pair, as well as Keays and Neal-Bullen, to grow his game at the top level. And much like those Crows, Dovaston is capable of pushing further up the field to be an extra midfielder around stoppage before using his breakaway pace to open up a counterattack avenue to goal.
| 14 RANK |  | Lachy Dovaston Eastern Ranges Forward HEIGHT: 177cm | โถ+ |
Sam Ainsworth: A product out of Tea Tree Gully, Ainsworth claimed the ruck spot in this year's U18s All-Australian team after holding down a pivotal role in South Australia's undefeated National Championships run. The 198cm is agile and has shown an ability to impact the game once the ball hits the deck from a ruck contest. He may be a little undersized compared to most new-age ruckmen, but Ainsworth is also capable of slotting into a key defensive post if required.
Archie Ludowyke: Like Dovaston, Ludowyke will be one the Crows have in mind for their first-round pick. The Sandringham Dragons key forward missed the end of the season with a knee injury, but had proven to be an athletically gifted forward target at 197cm tall. Ludowyke's aerial impact is a standout trait thanks to his vertical leap and strong hands in the air.
| 14 RANK | | Lachy Dovaston Eastern Ranges Forward HEIGHT: 177cm | โถ+ |
