![Toby Murray in action for Wangaratta Rovers who are coached by older brother Sam. Picture by James Wiltshire Toby Murray in action for Wangaratta Rovers who are coached by older brother Sam. Picture by James Wiltshire](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/4bb664e9-42df-460c-bdac-f7c2f3fb7878.jpg/r0_262_5123_3302_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Adelaide has secured giant forward/ruck Toby Murray with its No. 7 selection in the AFL's mid-season Rookie Draft on Wednesday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
In an extraordinary achievement for the Murray family, Toby joins his two older siblings Sam and Nick as the third brother to be elevated onto an AFL list.
Their father Peter, also spent time on South Melbourne's VFL/AFL list in the mid-1970s.
Sam was also on the Sydney Swans' list before joining Collingwood where he played 13-matches at the elite level in 2018.
Toby joins Nick at Adelaide who has played 46 AFL matches before rupturing his left anterior cruciate ligament against Melbourne at the MCG in Round 19 last year.
Toby and his two brothers are originally from Henty.
![Murray on the family farm in 2022. Murray on the family farm in 2022.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/2886c659-42ab-4873-bf26-356e19680116.jpg/r0_263_5152_3434_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He played under-18s with the Murray Bushrangers.
Toby also most recently played with Collingwood's VFL team in 2022, before joining the Wangaratta Rovers in the O&M last year who are coached by his brother Sam.
This season he joined Nick in Adelaide and has played five SANFL games for the Crows while working full-time.
Toby has shown some promising signs in the SANFL after he kicked four goals against South Adelaide in round 1.
He also recently had 16 disposals and seven marks against Port Adelaide in round 5.
His unconventional path to an AFL list is similar to Nick who joined the Crows as a rookie during the AFL's pre-season supplemental selection period in March, 2021.
![Murray in action for the Murray Bushrangers in 2022. Murray in action for the Murray Bushrangers in 2022.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/208e8d9a-574a-418d-9e0b-ad79c6582981.jpg/r0_275_5387_3591_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Toby is set to be reunited with Nick this weekend, with Nick set to return for his first match since undergoing a knee reconstruction in the SANFL against West Adelaide.
Adelaide's National Recruiting Manager Hamish Ogilvie said Murray's versatility and ability to play a key position helped him secure an 18-month contract.
"We've had a chance to have a good look at Toby this year and are very pleased with him," Ogilvie said on the club's website.
"He's put on some size and strength while working on a farm full-time which shows a great attitude and appetite for hard work.
"He played strong footy against men for Wangaratta Rovers last year and we think as a 20-year-old 200cm player he's got plenty of scope and time to improve.
"And it's an area of the ground we need some support in going forward so it's pleasing to add to our forward/ruck stocks."
![Murray is a developing 201cm ruck/forward. Murray is a developing 201cm ruck/forward.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/6d631245-9de9-430d-9524-185eb3c79af4.jpg/r0_49_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Murray was Adelaide's only selection in the mid-season draft.
"We need to keep some list flexibility for what we may want to do at the end of the year so we're keen to keep our options open," Ogilvie said.
"And also with the view to the talent pool in this year's national draft being quite strong.
"It was never our intention to select three players just for the sake of it or just to bolster our SANFL team."