Adelaide's newest player, Archie Ludowyke, was taking a breather as he waited nervously for his name to be called out on the second night of the 2025 AFL Draft.
But whilst doing so, he missed his draft moment.
The Sandringham Dragons product excused himself among a room of family and friends, fearing the worst that his AFL chance was slipping away.
Enter the Crows, who, with Pick 50, called out 'Archie Ludowyke'.
The majority of draft gurus and pundits had Ludowyke pushing for a first-round selection.
But a slide through to the back half of the third round was too hard for Adelaide to pass on.
"I missed it, I was up in my room," Ludowyke responded on Fox Footy shortly after learning his name was called out.
"Yeah, I mean, I didn't know if I was going (to be picked), so I headed upstairs and just started crying.
"I missed it... I was up in my room" 🙃
Archie Ludowyke might've missed the moment that his name was called out, but his family certainly let him know about it! 🥳 #AFL #AFLDraft pic.twitter.com/l9bthHY3K8
— Kayo Sports (@kayosports) November 20, 2025
"(But) I just heard all the boys start cheering downstairs, and I raced down.
"I know (I missed it) — you know what, I don't care, I'm happy."
Ludowyke was speechless after realising his childhood dream had come true, and couldn't be more keen to get started in South Australia.
"It was unreal, I can't even describe it," Ludowyke said.
"It was just the best feeling ever - the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Adelaide National Recruiting Manager Hamish Ogilvie explained why they jumped at the chance to secure the key forward.
"We just couldn't not take him, we had to… we rated him so highly," Ogilvie said.
"197cm tall, natural forward craft, lightly framed but wide shoulders - a great frame to develop.
"He's got proven experience against VFL opposition earlier this year, he's played for Vic Metro's under-16 side, under-18 side, has been named in the under-16 All Australian side… the list goes on.”
"He's a really good kid, and his teammates are going to love him."
Ludowyke joins fellow tall forward Mitch Marsh as Adelaide's only selections from the 2025 AFL Draft.
