THE wait is over!

Sam Walsh will officially pull on the Old Dark Navy Blue next season after Carlton selected the midfield jet with its No.1 pick at the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.

After producing a dazzling under-18 season, the talented youngster was the clear standout when the Blues called out his name first overall on Thursday night.

Walsh received just about every individual award possible in his draft year, claiming the Larke Medal for being judged the best player at the Under-18 Championships and was voted by his peers as the Ben Mitchell medallist for best displaying the qualities of the AFL Academy.

Complementing his eye-catching individual performances with remarkable leadership, the 18-year-old was named co-captain of the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, skippered Vic Country in the Under-18 National Championships, led the NAB AFL Academy squad and was named captain of the under-18 All Australian team.

With an average of 32 touches in the TAC Cup and 29 disposals across the under-18 carnival, Walsh’s ability to find and use the football was a consistent highlight throughout the season.

Click here for your chance to meet our No.1 pick and receive a 2019 guernsey by Sam Walsh

He was invited to take part at this year’s AFL Draft Combine where he showcased an impressive athletic ability to accompany his elite skill, coming second in the Yo-Yo test and third in the 2km time trial.

GM of List Management and Strategy Stephen Silvagni said he was delighted to secure Walsh with the No.1 pick.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have secured Sam Walsh as the No.1 draft pick for the Blues,” Silvagni said.

“Our entire recruiting team has done a huge amount of work prior to tonight and we couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of both the person and player we have brought into the Club.

“Sam will add yet another exciting injection of young talent into a midfield that already includes emerging players such as Zac Fisher, Sam Petrevski-Seton and Paddy Dow, as well as the opportunity to learn and develop alongside leaders in Patrick Cripps and Marc Murphy.

“This year’s draft pool is clearly a hugely talented group, so for Sam to stand out is a real testament to how hard he has worked throughout his football journey. The opportunity for our members and supporters to see Sam in the navy blue next year will be another reason to be excited for the 2019 season.

“We can’t wait to have Sam join his teammates next week at pre-season training as we head into phase two of seeing our young talent take this Club into an exciting new era.”

Welcome, Sam!

Position: Midfield/forward
DOB: 02.07.2000
Height: 184cm
Weight: 74kg
Recruited from: Geelong Falcons