The 2018 AFL NAB National Draft kicks off its two-day affair this year with the first round selected on Thursday November 22nd and the rest of the draft completed on Friday November 23rd.
In the lead up to the draft, Sporting News will bring you the history of each pick - including who got it right (or wrong) through the years.
Pick 6: GOLD COAST SUNS
(From Melbourne in Steven May/Kade Kolodjashnij trade)
Who will the Suns be likely to draft?
Also holding picks two and three, Gold Coast have a lot of control over who will be available here. Avoiding the ‘go-home’ factor will be in their minds and may see them try to make a package of three compatible personalities: a trio of South Australians or maybe Sandringham Dragons teammates.
Connor Rozee (SA) 185cm, 71kg
South Australians Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine could already be Suns by this point and picking Rozee – another Croweater and great mate of Lukosius – may see a threesome of stars prepared to stay on the Gold Coast for the next decade.
Ben King (VIC): 202cm, 85kg
The Suns may decide to take Bailey Smith and Max King with their first two choices, then round out the set with King’s twin brother Ben. He can play forward or back and is worth the selection.
History of AFL draft pick 6
Most games played:
151 James Walker (Fremantle 1997)
Least games played:
0 Paul Burton (Sydney 1991)
Games by players selected with pick 6
Average: 59.7
Games played in completed careers
0-49: 12
50-99: 6
100-149: 3
150-199: 1
200+: 0
The best pick 6s
Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide 2011): 147 games, best and fairest winner (2013), two-time All Australian (2013, 2015)
Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs 2013): 118 games, premiership player (2016)
Something to tell the boys at the pub
Pick six at the draft is historically a disaster and it's no wonder this year's selection has already been handled like a ticking time bomb, traded from Fremantle to Port Adelaide, then passed to Brisbane, before going back to Fremantle, moved on to Melbourne and then up to Gold Coast.
Only one player, Fremantle’s James Walker (1997) has passed 150 games, and he managed a total of 151. The selection is littered with names like Kepler Bradley (Essendon 2003), Damian Cupido (Brisbane 1999), Beau Dowler (Hawthorn 2005), Mitch Thorp (Hawthorn 2006) and Chris Yarran (Carlton 2008).
Current stars Wingard and Macrae may buck the trend, but other pick sixes still playing face struggles with form (Gary Rohan 2009, Reece Conca 2010), injuries (Matt Scharenberg 2013, Caleb Marchbank 2014), mental health issues (Aaron Francis 2015) and heart concerns (Jaidyn Stephenson 2017).
Maybe the Suns should be looking to trade away the cursed pick before draft day.