Essendon has taken Canadian-born defender Andrew McGrath with the number one pick in the 2016 AFL draft at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney.

Unlike in previous years, where it was clear going into the draft who the number one selection would be, there was speculation about several possible names prior to Essendon's announcement.

The early favourite was North Ballarat on-baller Hugh McCluggage, while pundits also tipped a possible move to claim GWS academy player Will Setterfield, a big-bodied midfielder.

But in the end, the Bombers went with McGrath from the Sandringham Dragons. The 18-year-old had an impressive season in 2016, showing rebounding ability off half-back and the potential to move through the midfield.

McGrath was born in Toronto, and lived in Canada until the age of five when he and his family moved to Australia.

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GWS took another Sandringham player, goalkicking midfielder Tim Taranto with pick two, while the Lions selected McCluggage with pick three.

The Gold Coast Suns took highly-rated small forward Ben Ainsworth with pick four, before Carlton tried to grab Setterfield with pick five.

The Giants matched the bid to secure Setterfield.

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The Blues then used their pick to take WA midfielder Sam Petrovski-Seton with selection six, before the Suns - who went in to the draft with four picks in the top 10 - named Sandringham's Jack Scrimshaw with number seven.

Fremantle Dockers used pick eight to grab well-credentialled tall defender Griffin Logue, the Suns took Murray Bushrangers tall midfielder Will Brodie and then Gold Coast matched a bid from Sydney for its academy player Jack Bowes to round out the top 10.

Port Adelaide selected tall forward Todd Marshall with pick 16, while premiers Western Bulldogs used pick 19 to take the top ruck prospect, Tim English.

Clubs continued to match rival bids for their valuable academy players, with Adelaide failing in an attempt to get GWS prospect Harry Perryman with pick 14.

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The Giants then trumped Sydney's bid for academy defender Isaac Cumming with pick 20.

St Kilda took versatile defender Ben Long - the nephew of Essendon great Michael Long - with pick 25.

Collingwood used its first selection in the draft to take Oakleigh Chargers key defender Sam McLarty - who has a bionic ear after being diagnosed with profound deafness at nine months old - with pick 30.

Richmond had entered the draft one pick earlier to select speedy South Fremantle half-forward Shai Bolton.

The Brisbane Lions let North Melbourne's bid through for academy player Declan Watson with pick 34.

However Collingwood matched the Kangaroos' bid with pick 35 to take father-son nomination Callum Brown.

The Magpies also gave fans something to cheer about with pick 57, taking their other father-son prospect Josh Daicos - son of 80s star Peter Daicos.

North was successful with a bid for Gold Coast academy player Josh Williams with pick 36.

St Kilda secured some value, taking Dandenong Stingrays tall forward Josh Battle - who had been tipped to go in the top 30 picks - with selection 39.

Geelong then used pick 40 to pick up 23-year-old VFL prospect Tom Stewart. GWS later used pick 58 to take delisted former Fremantle midfielder Matthew de Boer.

Hawthorn used pick 74 to take defender Harry Morrison, and pick 76 to select the Calder Cannons' Mitchell Lewis.