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Matt Rowell will be joined by his best friend Noah Anderson at the Gold Coast Suns after they were selected as the top two picks in the AFL draft held in Melbourne on Wednesday evening.
Rowell and Anderson have been long-time teammates at Melbourne's Carey Grammar and junior club Oakleigh Chargers, and they will link up with the Suns after the AFL strugglers finished bottom of the ladder in the 2019 season.
The 18-year-olds, who are both midfielders, had been widely tipped to go one and two in the draft.
Melbourne, perhaps looking for future back-up for star ruckman Max Gawn, grabbed young West Australian ruck option Luke Jackson with their pick three before GWS picked defender Lachie Ash with pick four.
The Sydney Swans rounded out the top five by picking South Australian midfielder Dylan Stephens.
Carlton tried to make use of the bidding process to nab eventual nine and 10 picks, forward Liam Henry and midfielder Tom Green, but, much like their attempts to sign big-name off contract stars in recent times, they were denied.
Fremantle matched the bid on next-generation academy nomination Henry, while the Giants took their own academy product Green with pick 10.
The deals meant an exchange of picks lower in the draft.
The selection of Rowell at number one was expected as was the Demons' selection of top junior basketball prospect Jackson, who decided to concentrate on football last year and who is the top ruck prospect in this year's draft.
No ruckman has gone so high in the draft since 2008, since West Coast picked Nic Naitanui at number two.
Topics: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000, carrara-4211
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