There is certainly some history with pick 42 – on both sides of the ledger and somewhere in between.
The Cats will make their third selection in the 2016 draft at this position, having held the same pick twice previously since 1986.
Geelong drafted Nathan Vardy at pick 42 in 2009 and, prior to a trade to West Coast just months ago, the mobile ruck/forward went on to play 25 games for the Cats.
Matthew Spencer is the only other Cat selected with pick 42; a key defender who managed two senior games and was drafted in 2003.
There are, however, a host of well-known names associated with pick 42 as well as a slight bit of controversy.
Former Geelong Falcon and Lorne-local Jack Steven was selected at pick 42 in 2007 and has since developed into one of the competition’s most damaging young midfielders. The now 26-year-old has 134 games under his belt and looms as a potential captain of St Kilda in 2017.
A year prior in 2006, defender Bachar Houli was picked up by Richmond with pick 42 after beginning his career at Essendon. Houli is on the verge of playing his 150th game and has become an integral part of the Tigers’ backline as one of their most consistent players.
The pick also brought its fair share of service to North Melbourne when used to select Martin Pike on the back of his former club Fitzroy merging with Brisbane in 1996.
Pike would go on to play 81 games for the Kangaroos, including the 1999 premiership before moving to Brisbane and enjoying a further three flags.
Overall, pick 42 has been used in 29 of 30 drafts since 1986. The lone time it was not utilised was in 1998 when the West Coast Eagles were fined $100,000 and forced to forfeit their third round selection due to salary cap breaches across the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
EVERY PICK 42 IN VFL/AFL HISTORY
2015: Mitch King (Melbourne)
2014: Billy Stretch (Melbourne)
2013: Matthew Fuller (Western Bulldogs)
2012: Matt McDonough (Richmond)
2011: Jimmy Webster (St Kilda)
2010: Luke Mitchell (Carlton)
2009: Nathan Vardy (Geelong)
2008: Mitch Banner (Port Adelaide)
2007: Jack Steven (St Kilda)
2006: Bachar Houli (Richmond)
2005: Robert Warnock (Fremantle)
2004: Jesse W. Smith (North Melbourne)
2003: Matthew Spencer (Geelong)
2002: Brett Ebert (Port Adelaide)
2001: Kieran McGuinness (Western Bulldogs)
2000: Daniel Pratt (North Melbourne)
1999: Michael J. Clark (Melbourne)
1998: Forfeited: breach of salary cap rules (West Coast)
1997: Matthew Dennis (Hawthorn)
1996: Martin Pike (North Melbourne)
1995: Troy Johnson (Brisbane)
1994: Doug Headland (Fremantle)
1993: Michael Prentice (Melbourne)
1992: Che Cockatoo-Collins (Essendon)
1991: Peter Freeman (West Coast)
1990: Mark McQueen (Richmond)
1989: Matthew Robran (Hawthorn)
1988: Dion Rhook (Hawthorn)
1987: Tim Wilson (Collingwood)
1986: Andy Lovell (Melbourne)
