CURRENT North Adelaide coach and Port Adelaide AFL premiership player Josh Carr was beaming with pride when a number of his players were selected in the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.

Carr - coaching in his fourth season at the Roosters - says it was a special season for the club after winning the league and reserves premierships, but it was on draft night when it really hit home.

“I think this year has been more special than any other year,” Carr told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“We experienced a premiership together.

“To then see your players go on and get drafted into the AFL - and so far to see two of them, Connor Rozee and Callum Wilkie over at St Kilda - you don’t sort of understand the feeling you’d have until you go through it.

“There’s a lot of pride about what we did together but also follow their footsteps on where they’re going now and watching them grow up as footballers is really special.

“We’ve had two play their debuts this year and I’m looking forward to seeing a few more.”

The 38-year-old was also extremely proud of the progression of Boyd Woodcock, who was selected at pick 76 by the Port Adelaide last year.

“I think from where Boyd came from at the start of the year - playing 18s in Round 1 - we had a few chats about his game on what he needed to work on and he went away and worked really hard,” Carr said.

“He had the state championships and then after that he managed to fight his way into the team and played a really important part in us winning the grand final.

“When I needed him to play a role up forward, he did that.

“He lived and breathed North Adelaide as a kid coming through and he played with that passion so it was really nice to have that winning grand final with him.”

While Woodcock grew up passionately supporting the Roosters, he says the Port Adelaide connection has helped him settle in quicker at Alberton, after hearing his name read out in last year’s draft.

“It was amazing. I don’t think I can describe it in words the feeling you get when your name is called out,” Woodcock said.

“To be able to stay home and go to a great club like Port Adelaide is really awesome.

“To have blokes like Carry and Surj (Jacob Surjan) who have already got such a great history at Port Adelaide - people I’ve already been involved with and to be able to stay with Connor as well, who I’ve grown up playing football with is just an awesome experience.

“Every day your pride for the club grows.

“Port Adelaide has got such a rich history and to be able to play for the Magpies is awesome.

“Hopefully in the future I will get to play for Port Adelaide in the AFL.”