AFL Draft 2023: Oscar Ryan and Charlie Edwards on the moment they became Crows

Charlie Edwards has never completed a full pre-season – and it held him back for most of his draft year. Did it keep interest down? The new Crow opens up on his move to West Lakes.

Adelaide draftee Charlie Edwards reckons his new life as an AFL player probably will not sink in until he is kicking to Taylor Walker on day one of pre-season.

The Crows selected Edwards, a 191cm midfielder from Sandringham Dragons, with pick 21 during the national draft last Monday and he toured the club on Friday.

Edwards has never completed a full pre-season because of school cricket commitments.

So the 18-year-old, a former batting all-rounder, was excited to hit the track at West Lakes with his new teammates this coming Monday.

“I don’t think it (being a Crow) has fully sunk in yet,” Edwards said.

“It’ll probably settle in once I’m kicking it to Taylor Walker and those sort of guys.

“I’m really excited that I finally get to do a pre-season and can get stuck in.

“Footy’s always been the number one.”

Crows draftee Charlie Edwards. Picture: Adelaide Football Club

Edwards’ draft stocks rose during the back half of the campaign after moving into the midfield.

Not having a full pre-season meant he started down the ground before getting an opportunity on-ball when Sandringham teammates played in the national under-18 titles.

“I’ve probably come on a bit later with my form and attention,” he said.

“When the championship boys went interstate, I got to play some midfield time.

“I played a couple of good games, got to stay there and it was good for me come the back half of the year.”

Edwards was at a pub in his hometown, Bendigo, when Adelaide selected him on Monday night.

“I probably had 60 or 70 of my best mates and family and friends there,” he said.

“There was a lot of anxious drinking on the night – I don’t drink much, so I didn’t have any – but my friends and family were all pretty nervous.

“When it got to Adelaide’s pick, everyone started shuffling forward and people were standing up.

“It was a pretty special night.”

Edwards in action for Sandringham Dragons in the Coates Talent League. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

Edwards had an inkling the Crows might select him.

He already had connections at the club – Sam Berry was his house captain while he was in Year 9 at Melbourne Grammar and Edwards stayed with Billy Dowling on a trip to Adelaide.

Edwards received texts from about 30 Crows after his name was called.

“(Being an AFL player) is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he said.

Adelaide’s full squad is back for the start of pre-season on Monday.

The moment that altered new Crow’s path

– Simeon Thomas-Wilson

As Adelaide senior coach Matthew Nicks and captain Jordan Dawson stood behind young defender Oscar Ryan, the Murray Bushranger had no idea he was about to become a Crow.

Not invited to Monday’s first night of the 2023 draft, in the room as a plus one of teammate Connor O’Sullivan, Ryan was starting to have some belief that he could hear his name called out after Phoenix Gothard’s shock selection by GWS at No. 12.

So as AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon was about to read out who the Crows were going to take with pick No. 27, Ryan felt a tap on his shoulder.

“It was pretty surreal, seeing Phoenix go first and then I started to think oh I might be on here and then a couple of picks passed and it just happened really and I was kind of speechless,” Ryan said.

“As soon as he (Nicks) touched my shoulder, I turned around and saw him and thought oh my god this is crazy and it sort of set in there I was like ‘crap’.”

New Crows draftees Daniel Curtin and Oscar Ryan. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Like Gothard, Ryan didn’t have his Bushrangers polo but after O’Sullivan gave out his previously, the new Geelong key defender was more than happy to lend it out again.

“It was pretty surreal that we had to both do the same thing,” Ryan said of borrowing O’Sullivan’s top, like Gothard.

“I think it gave it a bit more of an atmosphere and everyone really enjoyed it seeing how much it means to us boys.”

It meant plenty to Ryan given his journey over the past 12 months.

Last year, he didn’t make the Victoria Country side as a 17-year-old.

Then, to rub it in, he wasn’t invited to their pre-season.

So, he made the big decision to do a social media blackout.

“For that pre-season I just got rid of every social media and I think that was a big part of where I am now, it definitely helped me,” he said.

“I just did everything I could, training wise, eating wise, just everything I possibly could to try and get on the list.

“Basically no distractions and just how far I can go and even if I didn’t get on a list I could be proud of whatever happened.

“So I just wanted to put my best foot forward and see what happened, I’m happy I did it.”

While he didn’t get an original invite to the Vic Country side, Ryan’s performances for the Bushrangers in the Talent League meant that was quickly rectified.

Ryan quickly broke into the Vic Country team. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos

Ryan was always rated highly by the Crows. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Ryan averaged 22 disposals, five marks and four tackles per game to finish runner-up in the Bushrangers’ best-and-fairest.

He also played every game for Vic Country in the national championships.

His rebounding, intercepting and speed had the Crows enamoured with the Shepparton product.

So keen were the Crows on Ryan, national recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie didn’t want to take any risks on Monday night.

“That one was more on our talent order more so than need, we rated him highly and knew that we could probably manipulate a little bit depending on what was left but I didn’t want the guys to take a risk,” he said.

“I wanted to take him then rather than try and accumulate stock because we knew West Coast and Brisbane were coming pretty quickly behind us.

“We rated him really highly, he was a player we sort of targeted if we were going to have three or four picks and he was going to be one we hoped we would take with our third or fourth pick.

“He is a great kid and you are going to love to watch him play, he has movement, skill and is really dynamic.”

Originally published as AFL Draft 2023: Oscar Ryan and Charlie Edwards on the moment they became Crows