When the 2015 NAB AFL Draft kicks off in Adelaide on Tuesday, November 24, Western Bulldogs Recruiting Manager Simon Dalrymple and his team will arrive armed with picks, 20, 21, 30 and 51.

In the lead up to the draft meeting at the Adelaide Convention Centre, westernbulldogs.com.au will take a closer look at the history of each selection going back to the first national draft in 1986. 

Draft History - A glance at Pick 30

With four days to go until draft night, we look at pick 51.

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, there hasn’t been a lot of joy for recruiters at pick 51 over the years.  Fremantle’s Dion Woods, taken in the 2000 draft out of Perth showed promise early, the athletic defender winning the Docker’s Beacon Award in 2001 as the club’s best young player and picking up a Rising Star nomination that same year.  Woods made a name for himself as a member of the Docker’s ‘no-name defence’ that helped Fremantle reach their first ever final in 2003.  Wood would finish in 2005 after 59 games.

Melbourne’s Neville Jetta is the only player picked at 51 still currently on an AFL list.  Jetta was recruited from Swan Districts and has averaged 12.2 disposals over his 7 year, 73 game career. 

The final notable name on the list is Clay Sampson.  The South Adelaide product was originally drafted by the Demons but played out his career with Adelaide and then Richmond for a final tally of 64 games.  Crows fans will have fond memories of Sampson, who lined up on the half forward flank for Adelaide’s 1997 premiership winning  side.

Young Eagle Jackson Nelson was the most recent player selected at 51 and West Coast coach Adam Simpson would have been pleased with Nelson’s 11 game return in his first year.  

However with the introduction of the AFL's father-son and northern academies player bidding system this year, the practical position of the Bulldogs’ pick 51 overall will likely be close to the low-40s, as interstate clubs cash in their earlier picks to secure their nominated players at a ‘market rate’ higher up the draft order.

As it stands, the Sydney Swans, GWS Giants and the Brisbane Lions hold 11 picks ahead of the the Bulldogs (excluding the Lions’ pick two overall) that are likely to be used for their points value, to secure the likes of academy players Callum Mills, Matthew Kennedy and Eric Hipwood.

Converting these picks into points will see the Bulldogs’ pick 51 slide into an area of the draft that has had unusually high strike rate over the years.

The early 40s has been home to some of the best father/son selections the game has seen, including 2014 Sutton Medallist, Tom Liberatore, who was taken at Pick 41 in 2010. 

In 2006, two time All-Australian Josh Kennedy was selected by Hawthorn at pick 40 before moving to Sydney in 2010, and 2012 All-Australian full forward Tom Hawkins was selected by Geelong at 41.

Jobe Watson, son of Essendon great, Tim, arrived at Windy Hill in 2003 after being selected by the Dons at pick 40 at the 2002 draft; the current Essendon captain has two All-Australian nods and the 2012 Brownlow Medal to his name.

Arguably the greatest father/son selection is two time Brownlow Medallist, eight time All Australian and current Gold Coast captain, Gary Ablett Jr., who was selected by the Cats at pick 40 in 2001.

The low 40s has also been fertile ground for eagle eyed recruiters over the years.  Bob Skilton Medallist and Sydney premiership player Luke Parker was picked up by Sydney in 2010.  The Swans also struck gold all the way back in 1994 when they drafted a young Michael O’Loughlin out of South Australia at pick 40.

Young guns Allen Christenson (pick 40, 2009)  and Jack Steven (pick 42, 2007) were taken by Geelong and St.Kilda respectively,  Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric was originally drafted by Adelaide at pick 40 in 2004 and David Hille played 197 games for the Bombers after being selected 40^th overall in 1999.

ABOVE: Tom Liberatore was taken at pick 41 as a father/son selection in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.