Many young footballers’ years of hard work will come down to whether or not their name is read out this Thursday night at the 2013 NAB AFL Draft on the Gold Coast.

For Stephen Conole, the Brisbane Lions’ Senior Recruiting Manager, the draft process can be just as lengthy in the search for the ideal player.

“It’s a full year process really, it’s almost a two year process going on this year,” Conole told LionsTV.

“We started pre-season getting to know the clubs, the boys and the key stakeholders of each of the players. We then headed off to Europe for the AIS trip, which incorporates the top 30 players in the country.”

No stone is left unturned in the Club’s effort to find the most promising players in the country.

“You watch a bit of club and school footy, and then the National Championships dictate the middle part of the season. Then (there’s) finals, and the Combine – both State and National – so it’s definitely a long 12-month program.”

With the recruiting process encompassing so many different levels of football, Conole believes the National Championships are a true indicator of judging each player’s true ability.

“The National Championships are probably the only chance you get to have apples against apples,” he said.  

“In South Australia, the boys will play senior footy and there will still be some Under-18 kids. In Victoria, most of the boys will play TAC Cup Under-18’s.”

“So, certainly the National Championships are a great time to have a look at each player. But in saying that, boys peak and trough, they have injuries and illnesses during the year, so that’s why you really need to make sure you cover them across the whole program.”

With 18 clubs vying for the best talent in the country, Conole believes that covering all bases on Draft night is very important.

“We try to be as planned as we possibly can,” he said.

Lachlan Dyson is a regular contributor to lions.com.au. You can follow him on Twitter: @lachlandyson