Hugo Hall-Kahan to the Crows with Pick 10

There was a lot of excitement in Sandringham during the mid-season draft, when former Zebbie Hugo Hall-Kahan was selected by the Adelaide Crows with Pick 10. The excitement levels then went through the roof with the announcement he would debut just days later against Geelong at the Adelaide Oval. Then there was the debut itself, where Hugo's class shown through and his composure with ball in hand seemed like he'd been at the level for years. If making an AFL Debut dream was not a big enough dream, how about fighting out a 1 point win against a top team, in front of a packed home crowd, and having the ball in hand at the final siren.

As for Hugo's journey to the debut, it really is a story of grit, hard work and determination. Hugo was always a very talented junior for the Zebbies and Haileybury where he earned representation at the Sandringham Dragons and VIC Metro sides. Despite missing selection in the 2020 AFL National Draft, Hugo was selected by the Sydney Swans in the 2021 AFL Mid-season Draft. Touted as a promising forward, he would spend the next 18 months on the Swans list as a rookie. Despite going close, he never broke into a talented Swans forward line. He is now only the second player to be selected twice in the mid-season draft.

After being delisted by the Swans, Hugo returned to Sandringham to play with the Zebras VFL side in 2024. However, it was a move to Williamston VFL in 2025 that would ultimately re-shape his footy future. At the Seagulls, the coach recommended a move to the half-back to better utilise his running power and foot skills. The impact of the switch was immediate, Hugo took to the role like a seagull to hot chips, and would earn 11 best on grounds in 27 matches before being drafted.

Now the AFL future looks bright, so hopefully the retail and graphic design career can be placed on hold for a good ten years. Well done Hugo and good luck!