IT’S a sign of the ever increasing scrutiny of draft selections when a club has to defend its selections before the following season has even started.

Adelaide’s head of football David Noble had to do exactly that on radio on Tuesday night as fans already began to ask questions regarding the Crows decision to trade away pick No. 10 at the 2014 National draft.

The selection, along with pick No. 47, went to Geelong in exchange for pick 14 and 37.

Geelong used pick No. 10 to draft Nakia Cockatoo and the silky utility impressed against Adelaide in the NAB Challenge last Thursday.

The Crows used pick No. 14 to secure Jake Lever a key defender, who is likely to take longer to develop, but the club insists the decision will pay off in time.

“I think time will ease that,’’ Noble told FiveAA’s Stephen Rowe and Mark Bickley of fan concerns.

“All I can say to our supporters and our members is that we’re really comfortable with what Lever’s done and we understand where he’s (heading) in the long-term scheme of things.

“If he does happen to pinch (earn selection) an AFL game through the year, you’ll quite clearly see what he’s capable of.”

Lever, 18, was drafted out of TAC Cup club the Calder Cannons and has already been touted as a long-term key defensive option for the Crows.

The rangy right-footer was touted as a top 10 draft selection himself but slipped to 14 because he was coming off a knee reconstruction.

Cannons talent manager Ian Kyte rated the youngster so highly he believes he might have even been the best player in last year’s draft pool.

“Had he played this year he would possibly have been the No. 1 selection,’’ he said.

Adelaide coach Phil Walsh is also comfortable with the selection as has praised Lever’s application and efforts during the pre-season.