NOT every club can get their hands on a top-10 pick at the NAB AFL Draft but that doesn't mean there's a lack of talent further down the order each year.
Clubs have long made an art form of turning speculative rookie ruckmen into stars (Oscar McInerney, anyone?) but there hasn't been a premiership team in recent years without a star or two plucked from the lower reaches of the national draft.
Our experts have dug deep into the history books to find the best-value pick for every club at the national draft since its inception way back in 1986, when there was a lot less science in recruiting.
Check out our picks, as well as some of the contenders who gave the bang-for-buck stars a run for their money.
Simon Black (pick No.31, 1997)
To draft a Brownlow medallist as low as what the Lions got Simon Black is about as good as it gets.
He was seen as a fraction slow in his draft year, but coming into a midfield that already had Michael Voss and Jason Akermanis (both Queensland zone selections) among others, he thrived, going on to one of the most decorated careers in the AFL era that included three premierships and a Norm Smith Medal to go along with his Brownlow from 322 games.
Fellow 'Norm' winner and triple premiership teammate Shaun Hart was taken with pick 33 in 1989, while prolific forward Daniel Bradshaw (496 goals from 222 games) was selected at No.56 in 1995.
In more recent times, dual All-Australian fullback Harris Andrews was picked at No.61 in 2014, but as an Academy player the Lions just had to match bids, which is slightly against the spirit of this topic.
Initially trialled as a forward, Lions list managers couldn't have predicted that the shutdown machine would become the prolific defender he has.
Leading the AFL in Total Marks, Spoils and One-Percenters in 2021, the 24-year-old battled through injury in the back half of the season while still producing an impressive season.
Additionally, ruckman Oscar McInerney was drafted with pick 37 in the 2017 rookie draft and has been a revelation for Brisbane.
Sitting third in the AFL for hitouts in 2021, the Big O has racked up 79 games, kicking 36 goals while averaging 29.2 hitouts.
