A blast from the past. A few current and former Tigers made the "best" player from a specific draft pick on the AFL website:
Pick 103 – SEAN BOWDEN (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Mildura Imperials (1988)
Bowden, the brother of Richmond's Joel and Patrick, earns this position despite Ben Harrison playing 161 AFL matches. Bowden played six matches from 1990-01 – the most directly from a No.103 pick – whereas Harrison played just two of his 161 AFL matches with Carlton when he was drafted at this pick. Brett Chalmers (Richmond – 1989) played 75 matches with Adelaide and Port Adelaide, but none with the Tigers.
97 – JOHN HOWAT (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Melbourne (1992)
After playing 20 matches with Melbourne from 1989-92, Howat was drafted by Richmond with its eighth selection in the 1992 AFL Draft. He added 40 matches with the Tigers from 1993-96 and spent most of his senior career under coach John Northey. Howat was the only No.97 pick to make an AFL appearance.
89 – JASON SMITH (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Lockington (1989)
Paul Dimattina (1991) clearly went on to have the best AFL career of any player picked at No.89, but under our criteria he doesn't get the nod, as he never played a match with Richmond, the team that originally drafted him. Only two of the eight players selected at No.89 played an AFL match – Smith and Collingwood's Dwayne Griffin. They both played one match each, with Smith's six disposals in 1991 edging out Griffin's none in 1997 for the gong.
71 – ANDREW KELLAWAY (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Richmond (1997)
A Richmond supplementary list player before drafted, Kellaway became a highly respected backman, winning the club's best-and-fairest and All-Australian selection in 2000. He edged out another key defender, Brian Harris (Western Bulldogs – 2001), who had a first-class 2007, winning the club's best-and-fairest award.
68 – CHRIS HYDE (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Richmond (2001)
Russell Robertson (Melbourne – 1996) might be the best player selected at No.68, but he never featured in a match from this selection. He was delisted and then redrafted in the first AFL Rookie Draft in 1997 (No.48). This gives Hyde the nod, after he was redrafted by the Tigers. He made his AFL debut in 2002 and has since played 82 games.
65 – MARK GRAHAM (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Hawthorn (2004)
Remarkably, Graham's 20 appearances with Richmond in 2005 – after 223 matches with Hawthorn – are the most matches from a pick No.65. In fact, a combined total of just 38 matches have come directly from this number.
52 – PAUL BULLUSS (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Woodville West Torrens (1992)
Bulless gets the guernsey (97 matches with Richmond from 1993-98).
49 – NICK DAFFY (RICHMOND)Recruited from: North Gambier (1990)
Daffy played the most matches (165) directly from No.49. He then went on to win Richmond's 1998 club champion award.
41 – ANDREW KRAKOUER (RICHMOND)Recruited from: South Fremantle (2000)
The recently delisted Krakouer comes out on top, after playing 102 matches from 2001-07. He is the only No.41 pick to play more than 100 games directly from this number.
35 – MARK CHAFFEY (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Caulfield Grammar (1996)
The tenacious Tiger played 166 matches from 1997-06 and was the best pick at No.35.
29 – WAYNE CAMPBELL (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Golden Square (1989)
The former Richmond captain played 297 matches from 1991-05 and was the standout at No.29. Defender/forward Adam Hunter (West Coast – 1999) followed. He was a member of West Coast's 2006 flag and also finished runner-up in its best-and-fairest award this year. Jamie Charman (Brisbane Lions – 2000) then edged Tyson Stenglein (Adelaide – 1998). Stenglein played 106 matches at the Crows and Charman is on 105 games.
27 – BRENDON GALE (RICHMOND)Recruited from: Burnie (1987)
Either at centre half-forward or in the ruck, Gale provided excellent service for the Tigers from 1990-2001, playing 244 matches. He won out over Steven Baker (St Kilda – 1999), who has featured 152 times and remains one of the best run-with players in the business.
Kane Johnson (Adelaide – 1995) was next, as he played 104 of his 202 AFL matches with the Crows, including the club's flags in 1997-98, before heading to Punt Rd.
10 – NATHAN BROWN (WESTERN BULLDOGS)
Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers (1996)
Brown got the guernsey over Blake Caracella (Essendon – 1994) and Simon Prestigiacomo (Collingwood – 1995). Although Brown played 56 fewer matches than 'Presti' at this pick, his sheer class and achievements with the Dogs came to the fore. He was twice All-Australian, a dual club leading goalkicker and also finished in the top three of the Dogs' best and fairest on two occasions – all before he headed to Richmond.
7 – LEON CAMERON (FOOTSCRAY)
Recruited from: South Warrnambool (1988)
Cameron gave the Dogs top service, playing 172 games from 1990-99, during which he won the 1993 club championship. He then finished with 256 to his name after crossing to Richmond. As a No.7 selection, Cameron has played the most matches directly from this pick.
http://www.afl.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=208&newsId=53393
