Competition: The Draft by Emma Quayle

[SimonH]

I agree with Iddy Biddy that anything before about 1997 was so compromised in various ways, that we're not comparing apples with apples. I have excluded the rookie draft (where the obvious stars are Cox, Kirk, Rutten) because I don't view that as being within the scope of the question. So, with that in mind:

Most inspired: Adam Goodes, pick 43, 1997. Many champion players have come from low picks; but here with a mediocre pick Sydney changed the draft game, putting the focus on body type.

Least inspired: Dylan Smith, pick 6, 2000. There are many top 10 failures. What's notable about Smith? The Roos' recruiters were in sterling form in 2000*. Except for their highest pick.

(* Motlop, Harris, Petrie, Rocca, Pratt, Jones.)

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Most inspired: Scott Pendlebury #5

Everybody was shocked at Hine's decision, two years later, everyone understands the decision.


Least inspired: Danny Meyer #12

The pick was traded so many times, Richmond received it, and then wasted it.

 

[SimonH]

I agree with Iddy Biddy that anything before about 1997 was so compromised in various ways, that we're not comparing apples with apples. I have excluded the rookie draft (where the obvious stars are Cox, Kirk, Rutten) because I don't view that as being within the scope of the question. So, with that in mind:

Most inspired: Adam Goodes, pick 43, 1997. Many champion players have come from low picks; but here with a mediocre pick Sydney changed the draft game, putting the focus on body type.

Least inspired: Dylan Smith, pick 6, 2000. There are many top 10 failures. What's notable about Smith? The Roos' recruiters were in sterling form in 2000*. Except for their highest pick.

(* Motlop, Harris, Petrie, Rocca, Pratt, Jones.)

 

[Team Mo']

Most Inspired:
Franklin:
Took raw talent over media hype. Now they're rolling in premiership glory due to the gutsy but risky decision that is Hawthorn FC. (23 words)

Least Inspired:
Fraser Gehrig:
Quick fix, sympathy drafting and overall shocking and weak decision. Rather then grow their own they took a champ well past his best. (23 words)

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Most Inspired: Pick 23, 1988: Michael Long.
Aborginal players were few in 1988, so when Sheedy plucked an ultra-shy kid out of Darwin to play in Melbourne, he helped inspire Aboriginal recruitment.

Can we stop perpetuating the false 'Sheeds brought blackfellas to the game' myth.

Sheedy drafted Long and embraced indigenous talent after watching what Jim and Phil Krakeour were doing at North, in particular one game under lights at the G where Phil kicked 8.

I was at that game, and heard the most vile racist abuse I've ever heard coming from the Essendon fans - and that includes what I heard at Vic Park. One Essendon type even threw a full can at Phil when he was taking a shot from the boundary.

A few years later and the bastards are waving Aboriginal flags in the cheer square.

Anyway

MOST INSPIRED

Brent Harvey Pick 47 1995 Nat Draft

Too small and too light they said. Thirteen years later he’s proof the game accommodates any body size if the talent and commitment are there.

LEAST INSPIRED

Mick Martyn Pick 78 2002 Nat Draft

Blundered through 13 games a shadow of his former self. Should have retired the one club player he always seemed set to be. A shame.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Most inspired
Troy Wilson (WC), pick #3, 2001 pre-season draft

Unfashionably listed as an untried 29yo, Wilson acquitted himself well in a weak side before injury curtailed his career at the top level.

_______________________________________________________________________

Least inspired
Thomas Roach (Ri), pick #37, 2003 national draft (father/son selection)

Has a son-of-a-gun ever been less true to type? One could be forgiven for suspecting the postman of fulfilling Disco's matrimonial duties.

 

[GoDons]

Can we stop perpetuating the false 'Sheeds brought blackfellas to the game' myth.

Sheedy drafted Long and embraced indigenous talent after watching what Jim and Phil Krakeour were doing at North, in particular one game under lights at the G where Phil kicked 8.

I was at that game, and heard the most vile racist abuse I've ever heard coming from the Essendon fans - and that includes what I heard at Vic Park. One Essendon type even threw a full can at Phil when he was taking a shot from the boundary.

A few years later and the bastards are waving Aboriginal flags in the cheer square.

I never said he was the first to introduce Aboriginal talent. Guys like the Krakouers obvously came before Long.

However, the Long situation's still different. The Krakouers came having already played several seasons in the WAFL. What they could do was well known in a lot of ways. Michael Long was only 19 and had played no higher standard than seniors for St. Mary's. It was a brave move, and a very different move given the amount of Aborginals in the game at that time.

If anything, your last paragraph explains why Long's selection was such an inspired choice. Those Essendon fans were no different to a large proportion of the rest of Australian society. Sheedy was willing to go against that, as North Melbourne had as well as had other sides, and start introducing indigenous players to the game.

Whilst Sheedy wasn't the only one to have a positive attitude towards indigenous footballers, he was one of few. For instance, Hawthorn didn't draft an indigenous footballer till 1999.

 

[pinkus maximus]

Most inspired: Scott Pendlebury #5

Everybody was shocked at Hine's decision, two years later, everyone understands the decision.

I don't know about this one. I have heard that Freo rated Pendlebury #1

 

[Top_4_Tiger]

Most Inspired: Lance 'Buddy' Franklin- Questions were raised about his commitment and attitude which clearly overlooked the genius within!

Most Inspired:
Franklin:
Took raw talent over media hype. Now they're rolling in premiership glory due to the gutsy but risky decision that is Hawthorn FC. (23 words)

Forget that I am a Richmond supporter for a second.

But I don't think there was anything inspiring about the Franklin selection at all.

Out of the big 5, he was picked last.


An inspiring selection would have been taking Franklin at #2.

 

[Haggard H]

Most inspired: Scott Pendlebury #5

Everybody was shocked at Hine's decision, two years later, everyone understands the decision.


Least inspired: Danny Meyer #12

The pick was traded so many times, Richmond received it, and then wasted it.

I'm sure this is just a typo, and you meant to say Danny Roach, Pick 7, 1999.

 

[James23]

What part of "25 words" do people not understand?

Is the word limit strictly applied, or is it just, 'around 25 words'?

 

[ToO]

Most inspired:

Wayne Carey
Stolen by Greg Miller in 1987 from right under the Swans nose for a $10,000 transfer fee and went on to become a Kangaroo champion.

Least Inspired

Luke Livingstone
Pick 4 2000 draft. Makes you wonder why Richard Tambling cops any flak whatsoever. Simply terrible.

 

[LennyLeonard]

Most inspired:

Wayne Carey
Stolen by Greg Miller in 1987 from right under the Swans nose for a $10,000 transfer fee and went on to become a Kangaroo champion.

Least Inspired

Luke Livingstone
Pick 4 2000 draft. Makes you wonder why Richard Tambling cops any flak whatsoever. Simply terrible.

Big difference is Lance Franklin was the next pick after Tambling. McDougall was taken after Livingston. It would have been a loss either way.

 

[Silvagnis]

Luke Livingstone
Pick 4 2000 draft. Makes you wonder why Richard Tambling cops any flak whatsoever. Simply terrible.

Has Tambling had bad coaching and development, a knee injury, a bad back injury and serious surgery like Livingston?

The surgeons removed half a foot or a foot of Livo's instestines when he had a life threatening bowel disorder.

 

[MadDawg]

Grant Birchall – best player of his class at pick 14

Matthew Kruezer – Everyone said to draft him. Ok ruck, ok forward is what they got.

 

[Beckers]

MOST INSPIRED: 2007 pick 45 - Stewart Dew - Overweight, unfit and retired but Hawk coach Clarkson HAD to have him!


LEAST INSPIRED: 1999 pick 3 - Aaron Fiora - How on earth Richmond chose him over Pavlich only they will ever know.

 

[Beckers]

double post.....

 

[hawker5]

Most Inspired - Robert Campbell 2001 Rookie elevation - Here is a player who sent a video tape to all clubs with highlights and reasons as to why he should be drafted - now a premiership ruckmen.

Least Inspired - Ashley Sampi - 2001 Draft - Here is a guy who had all of the talent but lacked committment to the game. Given his time over I bet he would change a few things

 

[FIGJAM]

Grant Birchall – best player of his class at pick 14

You say what now???

 

[Beckers]

triple post....things are not going well with my network today!

 

[RuthlessRichmond]

Most Inspired: 1988 Pick 105 Footscray: Chris Grant

Gun, Champion and 104 players were picked before he was deemed worthy!

Least Inspired: 1987 Pick 1 Richard Lounder or any other pick 1 for that matter!

Testimony to the absolute lottery that the AFL Draft is, look at a list of number one picks and how many truly gun footballers are on that list 3,4 maybe 5?

 

[Dragonfire]

Least Inspired: Luke Molan - Pick 9 in 2001.

The first super draft in 2001 and the first Rd 1 draft pick from that year to be cut. Melbourne missed a very handy group of players including the likes of Nick Dal Santo, Brent Reilly, James Kelly, Jason Gram and Steve Johnson that were picked not long after.

Most Inspired: Sam Mitchell - Pick 36 in 2001

A surprise choice at the time Sam had been overlooked the year before due to percieved pace issues. The former Eastern Ranger midfielder was forced to do it the hard way, and is now a premiership captain.

 

[Quixote]

MOST INSPIRED:

1997 Draft, SIMON BLACK. All-Australian, Brownlow Medalist, Norm Smith Medalist, crucial player in the Lions' three consecutive Premierships. #31.


LEAST INSPIRED:

1998 Draft, MURRAY VANCE, Carlton. 5 games, averaged 3 kicks and 2 handballs per game. Never laid a tackle. #6.

 

[Books]

Just wanted to say thanks guys for all the nice feedback the book has received on this site so far (not that I have looked ... or that any family members have ). It's a bit scary to send a book out into the world, especially after working on it for so long, so it makes me feel good that people seem to be liking it!

Look forward to seeing what comes up in this thread and giving a few copies away.

An excellent book Emma. Great concept, well written, insightful. I really enjoyed reading it, particularly the chapters about Hawthorn and Junior (being a Hawks fan).
Any chance you could do another one soon?

 

[James23]

Most Inspired

Bryce Gibbs (Pick 1, 2006). Although the obvious pick 1, it gave Carlton a sense that the tough times were coming to an end and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Least inspired

Michael Gardiner (Pick 1, 1996). Played a big role in West Coast’s spiral from respected AFL Powerhouse to the laughing stock of the league. Traded for a 3rd round upgrade.