The Sydney Swans will select three new players in Thursday’s AFL Draft with picks 21, 43 and 61.

There will be no surprises at number 21 with Tom Mitchell already secured by the club in father-son bidding, but as Swans Manager - Player Personnel, Kinnear Beatson, told sydneyswans.com.au today, finding success with picks 43 and 61 relies heavily on a combination of ‘judgement and experience’ from all involved.

Over the years of the AFL Draft there have been plenty of hits and misses with these two late picks.

The Swans can claim the most success with pick 43 having drafted co-captain Adam Goodes from the North Ballarat Rebels with that selection in 1997. Rebounding defender Lindsay Gilbee (Western Bulldogs - 1999) has also had a great career from pick 43, with sharpshooter Mark Williams (Hawthorn - 2000) and the entertaining Darren 'Doc' Wheildon (Fitzroy - 1987) also taken at that number. The Swans also had pick 43 in 1991 when they selected David Strooper from Fitzroy who went on to play 32 games with the club in 1992 and 1993 before St Kilda selected him in the 1994 Pre-Season Draft.

Two-time Geelong premiership player Mathew Stokes and former Brisbane Lions best-and-fairest, and now Gold Coast Suns midfielder, Michael Rischitelli have proven to be the most successful players taken with pick 61. This will be the fourth time that the Swans have had pick 61 in the AFL Draft having previously secured Shayne Smith (1993 - 4 games), Heath James* (2004 - 0 games) and Campbell Heath (2008 - 2 games) with the pick.

*Heath James played 18 games with the Swans from 1999 to 2004 before being re-drafted in the 2004 AFL Draft

Here is a look at how the two picks have been utilised by clubs over the past 20 years:

 PickPlayerAFL ClubClub of OriginGames
from pick
199143David StrooperSydneyFitzroy

32

 61Michael AddisonSt KildaCarey Grammar

0

      
199243Adrian WhiteheadCarltonWodonga

63

 61Luke RaynerCarltonGeelong U18

0

      
199343Jason HeatleyWest CoastSubiaco

3

 61Shayne SmithSydneySouthern U18

4

      
1994 43Dean MatthewsSt KildaBulleen-Templestowe

1

 61Stephen ZavalasCollingwoodWestern U18

0

      
199543Mark WestWestern BulldogsSouth Adelaide

16

 61Daniel LowtherGeelongNorthern U18

33

      
199643Paul CorriganGeelongMelbourne Reserves

53

 61Stephen PowellWestern BulldogsWestern Bulldogs Reserves

30

      
199743Adam GoodesSydneyNorth Ballarat U18

300

 61Tim FinocchiaroGeelongEastern U18

10

      
199843Damien RyanSt KildaRichmond

30

 61Ricky SymesWestern BulldogsMurray U18

0

      
199943Lindsay GilbeeWestern BulldogsEastern U18

202

 61Mark AinleyNorth MelbournePrahran U18

0

      
200043Mark WilliamsHawthornSouth Fremantle

111

 61Callan BeasyCarltonBendigo U18

13

      
200143Mark McGoughCollingwoodMurray U18

37

 61Mick MartynNorth MelbourneNorth Melbourne

19

      
200243Cameron ClokeCollingwoodEastern U18

21

 61Not utilisedSt Kilda  
      
200343Brett PeakeFremantleEast Fremantle

75

 61Michael RischitelliBrisbaneWestern U18

111

      
200443Michael NewtonMelbourneMurray U18

21

 61Heath JamesSydneySydney

0

      
200543Andrew SwallowNorth MelbourneEast Fremantle

106

 61Mathew StokesGeelongWoodville-West Torrens

111

      
200643Tim HoulihanWest CoastNorth Ballarat U18

15

 61Josh HillWestern BulldogsClaremont

54

      
200743Easton WoodWestern BulldogsCampedown

28

 61Jaxson BarhamCollingwoodGeelong U18

7

      
200843Liam AnthonyNorth MelbourneEast Fremantle

30

 61Campbell HeathSydneyGippsland U18

2

      
200943Marcus DaviesCarltonTasmania U18

13

 61James CraigAdelaideNorth Adelaide

0

      
201043Sam CrockerSt KildaOakleigh U18

0

 61Jarryd LyonsAdelaideSandringham U18

0