Adelaide has arguably been the biggest beneficiary of the AFL Pre-Season Draft over the years, however the concept looks likely to be scrapped by next year’s draft period.

The introduction of Free Agency has made the Pre-Season Draft all but redundant in an era when delisted players can easily move to a new home of their choice.

This year, the Pre-Season Draft was cancelled for the first time as all clubs advised the AFL they had no need to participate. It came as little surprise, given only one player was selected in each of the previous two Pre-Season Drafts.

Brian Winston, who moved from Essendon to St Kilda, was the first of 56 players taken in the first PSD in 1989 and there have been 565 players taken in total. However 531 of those came in the first 20 years of the system, compared with just 34 players in the past six years for an average of less than six moves per season.

Former captain and two-time premiership player Simon Goodwin was one of several Crows Pre-Season Draft steals.

Selected with Pick No.18 in 1996 from South Adelaide, the bullocking left-footer proved himself on the finals stage in just his second and third AFL seasons to win back-to-back premierships and by 2000 he was already a deserved All Australian.

Goodwin was voted by his peers as the best player of the season in 2006. He went on to win five All Australians and three Club Champion awards – an equal Club record. A captain for three seasons, Goodwin played 275 games and kicked 162 goals in the tri-colours, and was an inaugural inductee into Adelaide’s Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Fellow midfielder Tyson Edwards was another Pre-Season Draft product, heading to the Crows with pick No.21 in 1995.

Edwards began his career as a defender but developed into one of the most reliable and consistent midfielders of his time. He was a member of Adelaide’s 1997 and 1998 premiership teams and finished top five in Adelaide’s Club Champion count a remarkable eight times, including three runner-up placings.

Edwards sits second behind only the great Andrew McLeod for games played for the Crows with 321 appearances.

Current Crow Eddie Betts was originally picked up by Carlton with pick 3 in 2005’s Pre-Season Draft.

Betts developed into one of the League’s leading small forwards in his time at the Blues, claiming the club’s goalkicking award in both 2010 and 2012. He moved back to his home state ahead of Season 2014 to join Adelaide and has quickly become a Crows cult figure. Betts earned his first All Australian berth and won his second straight leading goalkicking honour in Season 2015.

Grand Final hero Shane Ellen came to the Crows via the 1996 Pre-Season Draft with pick No.8.

Ellen made his AFL debut with Footscray in 1993 but could not consolidate his spot in the Bulldogs side and was delisted in 1995. Malcolm Blight and Adelaide offered Ellen a fresh start in 1996 and he took the opportunity with both hands, playing a career-best 17 games in his first year. Predominately a defender, Ellen became a household name when he started forward in the 1997 Grand Final and kicked five goals. He also featured in Adelaide’s 1998 premiership triumph.

Peter Vardy was another premiership hero who came to the Club via the Pre-Season Draft, joining Adelaide in 1995 with pick 7.

An elusive goalkicker, Vardy was a Rising Star nominee in 1997 and played a crucial role in both of Adelaide’s winning finals campaigns. He kicked a match-defining goal in the Semi-Final clash with Geelong despite fracturing his collarbone during the contest. The injury meant Vardy unluckily missed Adelaide’s maiden flag.

But Vardy returned the following season and bagged multiple goals in all of Adelaide’s 1998 finals, including six goals in the Semi-Final against Sydney. A popular fan favourite, Vardy kicked 150 goals in 96 games with the Crows before finishing his career with Melbourne.

Luckless forward Trent Hentschel was a Pre-Season draftee in 2002.

Hentschel never reached his full potential during his time with the Crows, with his career ravaged by several serious knee injuries. Crows fans saw a glimpse of his true talents in 2006 when he kicked 42 goals from 19 games to be Adelaide’s second-best goalkicker behind Mark Ricciuto.

The strong-marking forward wouldn’t play again until Season 2009 as he recovered from another bout of reconstructive knee surgery, and would only make 10 more appearances in the tri-colours before retiring from the sport.