00Father-son selections are often a key area of discussion as the draft calendar rolls on, and 2023 looms to be no different.

Recent seasons have seen arguably the two best prospects from their respective classes land at AFL clubs as father-son picks, with Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos and Brisbane young gun Will Ashcroft following in their dads' footsteps to join the Magpies and Lions respectively as top-five selections in 2021 and 2022.

A total of seven father-son picks were taken last year, with Ashcroft joined by fellow first-round selection Jaspa Fletcher in heading to Springfield. Adelaide got their hands on Max Michalanney in the opening rounds as well, while Essendon came away with both Davey twins Alwyn Jr. and Jayden last November.

Daicos' draft saw a total of five father-son picks taken, with the 2023 Brownlow favourite the second to be recruited among the top four selections - coming two spots after Western Bulldogs tall Sam Darcy.

The Dogs could find themselves adding another familiar name to their key forward stocks this year as likely first-round prospect Jordan Croft continues to build his case as one of the leading attacking targets in this year's class.

Croft is one of four standout father-son prospects in 2023, withย Rookie Me Centralย draft analyst Michael Alvaro diving into potential selections for the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn, Melbourne and Sydney on the latest episode of Zero Hanger TV.

AFL DRAFT: THE PLAYERS THAT SHINED AT 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPSย 

Here's a breakdown of some of the leading father-son names for 2023.

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1. Jordan Croft (Western Bulldogs)

Son of: Matthew Croft (186 games for Footscray/Western Bulldogs)
Height: 200cm
Position: Key Forward
Club: Maribyrnong Park

The Bulldogs are already home to a plethora of tall options in their attack, with former top 10 draft picks Darcy, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Aaron Naughton already calling Whitten Oval home.

Croft is set to join that crop at the end of this year as the Dogs look to continue their rich history of attaining talented father-son selections. What Croft's arrival will mean for the likes of Darcy and Naughton remains to be seen, with the talented duo able to play in defence and are part of an already brimming group of tall forwards.

The Dogs are likely to be weighing up their assets for this year's trade period as well, with the Footscray-based club currently holding two first-round selections (their own and Brisbane's) and could have a bid land in the top 20 for Croft.

The teenager booted 14 goals in his last four games for the Calder Cannons prior to the National Championships, where he also had an impact for Vic Metro across three matches - culminating with a three-goal haul against South Australia.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 14: Jordan Croft of Vic Metro runs with the ball during the AFL Pathways match between Vic Metro and Queensland at Highgate Reserve on August 14, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Speaking onย Zero Hanger TV,ย Alvaro said Croft has emerged as a top 15 prospect for this year's draft thanks to a strong start to his Talent League campaign and impressive National Championships carnival.

"With the Vic Metro rotation he only played three games, which was a bit bizarre to me, but he's definitely a top-15 prospect," Alvaro said.ย 

"Should set the Bulldogs back a pretty penny, especially after they bid so highly on Jaspa Fletcher last year. That then might come back to bite them.

"But he's a great player. I love his aggression and athleticism, you can see him chasing down players, using his closing speed, and then hitting players hard. He attacks the ball in the air really nicely.

"We talk about upside, he's definitely got it. The way he moves, the way he attacks the ball and what he could be is really what you're looking at. He's one of those talls that's definitely in the first-round conversation."

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