The Davey twins loom as the silver lining to one of the darkest moments in Essendon's history.
Alwyn Jnr and Jayden joined the Bombers as father-son selections on Tuesday night near the end of the AFL draft.
Hawthorn did not pick Alwyn until 45, meaning he was a bargain selection for Essendon as they immediately matched the Hawks under the father-son rules.
Jayden, who is recovering from his second knee reconstruction, then joined his twin brother with pick 54.
They are the two oldest sons of speedster forward Alwyn, who played 100 games for the Bombers from 2007-13.
But for his four sons to be eligible as father-son picks, Davey had to reach that 100-game milestone.
He was banged up at the end of the 2013 season and so were the Bombers, with coach James Hird suspended for the last game against Richmond because of their drugs scandal.
But caretaker coach Simon Goodwin - now the Melbourne premiership coach - made sure Davey reached 100 games.
Given the Davey twins have been rated as potential first-round draft talent, Goodwin could have left a big legacy in his one game as Essendon's senior coach.
Long-time Essendon recruiting boss Adrian Dodoro said it was no accident that Goodwin and the Bombers were so determined for Davey to reach 100.
"We thank Goody for picking Alwyn in that game," he said
"But it was part of a plan, believe it or not, to make sure we got him to 100 games.
"The boys were growing up in our change room and they looked special at three, four, five years of age.
"We just knew there was something about the boys ... it was a great club decision, put it that way (getting Davey to his 100th game)."
There was more good news for Essendon after the end of the draft on Tuesday night, with Dodoro confirming their next generation academy prospect Anthony Munkara would join the club as a category B rookie.
Munkara, like the Daveys, will soon fly down from the Northern Territory to join the club.
Another big father-son selection was North Melbourne picking Cooper Harvey at No.56.
His father Brent played an AFL-record 432 games for the Kangaroos.
The story of Tuesday night was a Victorian country player whose persistence has paid off.
Wangaratta schoolteacher Joe Richards was overlooked by all clubs five years ago when he was first eligible for the draft.
But the 23-year-old was the bolter among this year's 59 selections when Collingwood picked him at No.48 after another excellent season with the Wangaratta Rovers.
