AFL Draft 2020: Former Crows assistant Scott Camporeale agrees Adelaide should take Riley Thilthorpe over Logan McDonald with the No. 1 pick

Former assistant coach Scott Camporeale is the latest former Crow to call for the club to take Riley Thilthorpe in the draft. But for different reasons. Have your say.

The ability of South Australian Riley Thilthorpe to also play in the ruck means he is a better fit for Adelaide, with its first draft pick, over Western Australia’s Logan McDonald, former Crows assistant Scott Camporeale says.

The Crows hold the first selection of the draft for the first time in their history and the player they will take with the prized selection looks to have narrowed to the two standout tall players of the pool, with the widely regarded Jamarra Ugle-Hagan tied to the Western Bulldogs through its Next Generation Academy.

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Former assistant coach Scott Camporeale says the Crows should take Riley Thilthorpe with the first pick in the draft. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The history of players coming to Adelaide and quickly wanting to go home again has prompted former Crows recruiter Matt Rendell and inaugural coach Graham Cornes to call for the club to go with the SA product Thilthorpe.

Camporeale said the Crows should go with whatever their need is, and Thilthorpe’s ability to also play as a ruckman was something Adelaide required.

“I can see both sides of the argument. Riley as an Adelaide boy there has always been an issue with the go-home factor,” he said on Grandstand SA.

“For me, it is what they think the list needs at this point.

“If he (Thilthorpe) is a ruck/forward, I think that would add a fair bit to that group given they really only have Reilly O’Brien and Kieran Strachan.

“So he adds to that group but if they are looking for a key forward, if you look at what Hawthorn did with (Jarryd) Roughead and (Lance) Franklin when they were rebuilding, you go the other way (McDonald) and you pick the best talent with that pick to suit what you need and hopefully you can bank on your culture and environment and make them feel home here.”

Logan McDonald was arguably the best-perfomed AFL Draft prospect in the country this year.

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Thilthorpe starred at junior level, before playing six impressive league games at SANFL level in 2019.

But he struggled with injury in 2020, playing nine games in West Adelaide’s league side, before sitting out the remainder of the year.

McDonald, on the other hand, starred in the WAFL for Perth to put his name well and truly in contention to be the No. 1 selection.

The Crows have also showed interest in hybrid-midfielder Elijah Hollands, but the boyhood Adelaide fan is still recovering from ACL surgery.