Essendon has an excellent opportunity to further boost its already impressive group of youngsters when it takes two first-round draft picks into the National Draft tomorrow week. The Bombers have selections 6 and 13 as well as second-round selection, number 28. This week’s de-listing of young ruckman Simon O’Keefe almost guarantees the Bombers will also use their fourth selection – number 44.

With last year’s draft selections – Jason Winderlich, Jason Laycock, Jobe Watson, Darren Walsh and Tristan Cartledge – promising plenty, the Bombers’ have an excellent chance to sure up the long-term future of the playing list. Of course that puts the pressure on the Bombers’ recruiting staff but they have done the job well in the past and they will have done plenty of homework in the past 12 months.

2003 CLUB BY CLUB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Adelaide: Number of selections - 4
Selection number: 14, 31, 58, 67

Brisbane Lions: Number of selections - 6
Selection number: 18, 23, 33, 49, 61, 68

Carlton: Number of selections - 8
Selection number: 2, 57, 63, 69, 72, 75, 78, 80

Collingwood: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 17, 32 (B.Shaw), 35, 48 (H.Shaw), 60

Essendon: Number of selections - 4
Selection number: 6, 13, 28, 44

Fremantle: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 10, 12, 19, 27, 43 (B.Peake)

Geelong: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 7, 22, 38 (M.Blake), 42, 54

Hawthorn: Number of selections - 3
Selection number: 25, 41, 51

Kangaroos: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 9, 24, 40, 56, 66

Melbourne: Number of selections - 4
Selection number: 3, 5, 36(C.Johnson), 52

Port Adelaide: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 15, 30, 34, 39, 46

Richmond: Number of selections - 11
Selection number: 21, 37 (T.Roach), 53, 64, 70, 73, 76, 79, 81, 82, 83

St.Kilda: Number of selections - 6
Selection number: 8, 55, 65, 71, 74, 77

Sydney: Number of selections - 5
Selection number: 16, 29, 45, 47, 59

West Coast: Number of selections - 3
Selection number: 11, 20, 26

Western Bulldogs: Number of selections - 4
Selection number: 1, 4, 50, 62

The BomberLand team will be live at the 2003 National Draft on Saturday, November 22nd at 11am, bringing you the latest news on the club's draft choices.