Foxsports.com.au brings you the ultimate guide to the 2010 NAB AFL Draft
* By John Clark, Martin Smith & The Adjudicator
* FOX SPORTS
* November 17, 2010 8:26AM
With the 2010 NAB AFL Draft just around the corner, we debunk the myths and sort through some of the biggest hits and misses in draft history with our Ultimate Guide to the AFL Draft.
SAY WHAT?
You are bound to hear a few favourite phrases from recruiters on Thursday night as the teenage meat market unfolds. To make sense of it all, here's The Adjudicator's guide to debunking the draft speak.
They say: Late bloomer.
Mr A says: Talented as a 10-year-old, this kid spent years at the skate park and dabbled in graffiti. When his old man threatened him with part-time work, the boy said he wanted to go back and play footy. The fear of a job in the real world is driving him.
They say: Project player.
Mr A says: Gangly teenager who grew 20cm in year 11 and now can't get his arms and legs to work in unison. Will spend three seasons adding 20kg to his frame before his back gives way and his AFL dream ends.
They say: In and under.
Mr A says: The boy makes Justin Madden look fleet of foot. He will bash and crash in for 100 games before the pain catches up with him. Think Brock McLean.
They say: Outside player.
Mr A says: Doesn't like watching horror movies on his own in the dark. In fact, he hates the dark. Pace to burn but usually used to get away from any form of physical contact.
They say: Can play anywhere.
Mr A says: They tried him in defence and didn't man up, they used him as a forward but he can't kick straight, and he's not fit enough to be a midfielder or tall enough to ruck. Need to find somewhere to hide him.
They say: He's never rushed.
Mr A says: Hard to tell if he's awake sometimes. Socks down, jumper out, probably grow a beard and go surfing for weeks on end during the off season.
They say: Super competitive.
Mr A says: Once threw a tennis racquet at his sister's head after she called a ball long.
They say: Talented all-round sportsman.
Mr A says: One of those annoying kids who was good at everything he played. And knew it.
They say: Born leader.
Mr A says: Nerd. School captain, did all his homework on time, helped old ladies with their shopping.
BARGAIN BASEMENT
You don't have to go in the first few of the AFL draft to become a superstar of the game. Martin Smith takes a look at 10 bargain buys over the years.
1. Chris Grant (Footscray)
Pick No.105 in 1988
The Bulldogs picked up Grant from Daylesford with one of the final picks in the 1988 draft. He didn’t make his debut until the 1990 season, but from there he developed into one of the club’s greatest players. He won two best-and-fairests, three All Australian honours and if it wasn’t for suspension, he would have been a Brownlow winner too.
2. James Hird (Essendon)
Pick No.79 in 1990
The kid from Canberra joined the club his father and grandfather played for with the Bombers giving up their seventh and final pick in the 1990 draft. When Hird retired 17 years later, he was a Brownlow Medallist, a five-time best and fairest winner and two-time premiership player.
3. Alastair Lynch (Fitzroy)
Pick No.50 in 1986
While his highest honours came after he moved north in 1994, that Brisbane offered Lynch a ten-year deal is testament to his performances while at Fitzroy. He was a ferocious player both in defence and attack, winning All-Australian honours and Fitzroy’s Best and Fairest in 1993. He finished his career with three premierships and 306 games to his name.
4. Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
Pick No.43 in 1997
It took him a year to break into the senior side, but Goodes has been more than worth the No.43 pick that Sydney gave up. After winning the NAB Rising Star in 1999, Goodes’s career went from strength to strength with two Brownlows, a premiership and two best-and-fairests already in his possession.
5. Simon Black (Brisbane Lions)
Pick No.31 in 1997
Part of Brisbane’s brilliant midfield unit in the early 2000s, Black has achieved more than most in his 12-year career. A Brownlow medal, a Norm Smith medal, three premierships and three best-and-fairests are great return for Brisbane’s No.31 pick.
6. Damien Hardwick (Essendon)
Pick No.87 in 1992
It took him a couple of years to make his senior debut, but Hardwick’s toughness led him to a best and fairest medal in 1998 and then a premiership and All-Australian selection in 2000. After giving the Bombers plenty of value for their No.87 pick, Hardwick picked up another flag in his short stint with Port Adelaide.
7. Dane Swan (Collingwood)
Pick No.58 in 2001
With Collingwood possibly on the verge of a dynasty, Swan’s greatest personal achievements may be yet to come. But with two best and fairests, an AFLPA MVP and a premiership in the bag, Swan has already been worth more than Collingwood’s No.58 pick.
8. Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions)
Pick No.56 in 1995
As if Jonathan Brown wasn’t enough, Brisbane turned this No.56 pick into one of the best key forwards of the past 20 years. Now in the twilight of his career at Sydney, Bradshaw already has three premierships, 230 games and over 500 goals to his name.
9. Scott Burns (Collingwood)
Pick No.90 in 1992
The former captain retired in 2008 after playing 265 games in the black-and-white, including two grand finals. As tough as they come and an inspirational leader who put his body on the line week in, week out for more than a decade.
10. Andrew Dunkley (Sydney Swans)
Pick No.56 in 1991
Dunkley and Paul Roos were the defensive cornerstone of Sydney’s successful run in the mid 1990s. Dunkley never achieved the individual honours that others on this list did, but 217 games over 10 years is a worthy return for pick No.56.
TOP TURKEYS
Going in the top 10 of the draft carries great expectation and pressure. Recruiters, however, don't always get it right. Over the past 20 years, there have been some wide-of-the-mark deliveries that would make Steve Harmison blush. Here's John Clark's thoughts on some top-10 misses since 1990 and what might have been if recruiters had taken a different path. We've let those taken in drafts after 2006 have the chance to prove themselves but, be warned, we are watching.
1990: A shallow talent pool was how this crop was described. More like a half-filled coffee mug. The top 10 contained two blokes who didn't play a game for the clubs that nabbed them while enigmatic Melbourne forward Allen Jakovich was the best performed. Demons fans wouldn't give up a minute of Jakovich's 47 games for anyone else in this draft, except for the fellow called Hird who went at No.79.
1991: They were still getting the hang of talent identification in 1991. John Hutton was the top pick, off to Brisbane with his helmet and a few tricks in his suitcase. The full forward kicked eight goals twice in his 36 games in the AFL. It's hard on the likes of rugged defender Marcus Seecamp, dashing Demon Darren Kowal and excitable Bomber Michael Symons, but the top 10 all look like poor choices when you recall that Shane Crawford went to the Hawks at No.13.
1992: Things really picked up here at the pointy end. Headline act Drew Banfield was a wonderful servant for West Coast and fellow draftees in the first round Justin Leppitsch, Martin Pike, Michael Prior and NFL punter Nathan Chapman were solid citizens. But Jason Spinks (No.5) couldn't manage a game for the Swans after serious knee injuries and Wayne Hernaman's three games for the Tigers hardly did the No.7 outlay justice.
1993: Usually Adam Heuskes is the odd man out but from the first five in the 1993 draft it's Glenn Gorman. Darren Gaspar went to Richmond, followed by the brilliant Nigel Lappin (Brisbane), up-and-down Justin Murphy (Richmond), Gorman to Fitzroy and Heuskes (Sydney). Heuskes was a flamboyant footballer prone to pulling a dress on while we know little about Gorman, who played two games for North Melbourne in 1996.
1994: Poor old Fitzroy were at it again in '94. The opening five selections in the draft were packed full of quality, even if some of the clubs who punted on the prodigious talents didn't reap the rewards. Jeff White (Fremantle), Anthony Rocca (Sydney), Shannon Grant (Sydney), Scott Lucas (Essendon) and Joel Smith (St Kilda) were head of the class. Then there was Robert McMahon, Fitzroy's two-game option at pick six. After Bobby came the likes of Daniel Harford, Blake Caracella, Scott Camporeale and Adem Yze.
1995: Fremantle fans had their ups and downs with Clive Waterhouse, the No.1 selection, in his 106 games with the Dockers. If Matthew Primus hadn't been cut down by knee injuries he may have been a better option at the head of the draft. After that, however, the talent thins out. Brendon Fewster (West Coast) played a combined total of 70 games with the two WA teams, Scott Bamford (Fitzroy) had some pace but could have ridden at Flemington during the spring and Brendan Krummel (Hawthorn) is best remembered for being the head Byron Pickett caved in with one of the nastiest bumps in recent memory. Jared Crouch and Simon Prestigiacomo add some respectability to the top lot.
1996: Michael Gardiner (West Coast), Chris Heffernan (Essendon) and Rory Hilton (Brisbane) aren't quite the cream of the AFL crop but the top three in 1996 get ticks. No.4 choice Mark Kinnear, who landed in the Harbour City from suburban Melbourne, was a miss though. He kicked a goal in six games but word is his heart was never in it. Maybe St Kilda's No.15 Max Hudghton would have been a better move. One thing Maxy never lacked was passion for the game.
1997: Melbourne went for Travis Johnstone at No.1 in 1997 and had to live with his nonchalant ways before sending him to Brisbane (and getting the draft pick that would be Jack Grimes in return). Johnstone was very good on his day but didn't have enough days. Brad Ottens (Richmond) struggled to match the hype before joining Geelong while Trent Croad (Hawthorn) also took a long time to come good. Essendon, though, would have taken either of that trio or fellow top-10 picks Luke Power, Chris Tarrant and Chad Cornes, if they had their time over. The Bombers went for Mark Bolton. He is one of the most upstanding gentlemen the game has ever seen but the No.4 choice never looked settled in his time at Windy Hill.
1998: What springs to mind when you hear the name Ryan Fitzgerald? Big Brother, Before The Game, No.4 selection in the 1998 draft. That's right, Sydney Swans swooped on the highly-touted teen but the reality television star's body couldn't stand up to the rigours of AFL. Seeing NSW/ACT product Lenny Hayes become one of the decade's finest midfielders after being selected seven picks later must burn Swans fans still.
1999: Hardly a week in Aaron Fiora's nine-year AFL career went by without comparisons to Matthew Pavlich. Fiora, a slight wingman with super skills, went at No.3 behind Josh Fraser and Paul Haselby, solid citizens in the big league. But it was the greatest player in Fremantle history, Pavlich, who went at four. Would've, could've, should've...
2000: The top 10 of this draft was boom or bust. Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke and Alan Didak - the first three choices stand up today. After that, things got a little weird. Carlton opted for tall defender Luke Livingston at No.4. His 46 games were serviceable, nothing more. Andrew McDougall went to West Coast at pick five, but has since been delisted by Western Bulldogs. Dylan Smith was shipped off to Fremantle at pick six, had a stint at North Melbourne, and after a 21-game career is working in the real world. Then there's Lawrence Angwin, who found himself at Adelaide at pick No.7. Lawrie had a few issues, it's fair to say, and hasn't been seen since Carlton sacked him for turning up to training in an ordinary state after a big night out on the tiles.
2001: The super draft that contained Luke Hodge, Luke Ball and Chris Judd in its first three wasn't all speed, skill and premierships. After the almighty trio came the luckless Graham Polak to Fremantle at pick four, injury-prone Xavier Clarke to St Kilda at five and No.6 selection Ashley Sampi, who has a mark of the year in 2006 to show for his 78 games with the Eagles.
2002: They've got Barry Hall now but the Bulldogs search for a big man who could take a mark up forward led them to No.4 selection Tim Walsh in 2002. One game, one goal and countless hours in the medical room isn't return on investment. Jarrad McVeigh, Steven Salopek, Andrew Mackie and Hamish McIntosh were selected after Walsh in the top 10 that year.
2003: While Adam Cooney, Andrew Walker and Colin Sylvia should have their best footy in front of them, there are others from the leading names of the 2003 draft who are already washed up. Kane Tenace (No.7) couldn't crack Geelong's midfield for a game, David Trotter (North Melbourne) is done and Ryley Dunn (Fremantle) also out of work as an AFL footballer. For every star there's dozens drafted who couldn't quite cut it.
2004: Ask any Richmond supporter why their club's off the pace and they'll inevitably point to their recruiting. The most glaring error of recent times dates back to 2004 when the Tigers believed the flashy Richard Tambling would be a more sturdy purchase than the ultra-confident Lance Franklin. Tambling will play for the Crows next year, Buddy's the biggest thing in the game.
2005: It hasn't all been beer and skittles for Hawthorn's recruiting department mind you. Beau Dowler is clubless after the Hawks set him free at the conclusion of 2010. He was taken at No.6 in 2005, ahead of Paddy Ryder, Mitch Clark and Adelaide midfielder Bernie Vince.
2006: Let's finish by giving the Hawks one more whack. Mitch Thorp might end up at Melbourne as a rookie this time around but not that long ago, the boy was good enough to be nabbed at pick six. After him came Joel Selwood (Geelong), James Frawley (Melbourne) and Jack Riewoldt (Richmond).
SON OF A GUN
Clubs have built premiership sides on the old-fashioned bylaw which states that a player is eligible to join his father's club for free (or thereabouts) if said father had a distinguished career at said club. It's antiquated, it's heart-warming and it's got Essendon fans hoping James Hird's boys are as good as the old man. Here's John Clark's best 10 father-son selections from over the years.
1. Ben Cousins (West Coast)
His old man was a WAFL star who also played 67 games for Geelong. Ben opted to stay in Perth and forge an unforgettable career with the Eagles.
2. Gary Ablet Jnr (Geelong)
The son of 'God' had mighty big shoes to fill but in his time in blue and white hoops, he became one of the most brilliant midfielders of the past decade.
3. Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions)
The Lions skipper provides one of the few remaining ties to Fitzroy. His father, Brian, played 51 games for the Roys and a couple of matches for Essendon. JB gets a real thrill pulling on the Fitzroy jumper.
4. Dustin Fletcher (Essendon)
Ken was a brilliant wingman and defender at Windy Hill who managed 264 appearances and the Bombers best and fairest in 1978. The 'young' bloke keeps on keeping on at full back.
5. Matthew Richardson (Richmond)
Matthew grew up a passionate Tigers supporter thanks to his father Allan 'Bull' Richardson's 103-game career in yellow and black. As a player, 'Richo' played with the passion every Tigers fan has.
6. Matthew Scarlett (Geelong)
John Scarlett was a full-back before his time. A dependable defender who loved taking the game on from the last line, Scarlett Snr flew for his marks and backed his judgement. The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.
7. Ashley McIntosh (West Coast)
If John McIntosh had moved east earlier than his 1970 VFL debut then he'd likely be discussed as one of the league's greats. Fifth in the Brownlow that year and second in 1971 with St Kilda, McIntosh managed 51 games for the Saints. He also represented WA 17 times. His son was one of the best defenders of the 1990s, described by Wayne Carey as his strongest opponent.
8. Luke Darcy (Western Bulldogs)
David Darcy was a key-position defender with Footscray in the 1960s. Before becoming a netball expert, his son Luke was part of the near-miss Bulldogs teams who couldn't quite break the flag drought at the Whitten Oval.
9. Joel Bowden (Richmond)
Three of Michael Bowden's boys - Sean, Patrick and Joel - managed to follow in their father's footsteps and make the grade at Punt Road. Joel was the standout, a 265-game utility who managed All Australian selection twice and won the club best and fairest a couple of times.
10. Lance Whitnall (Carlton)
The burly Blues teenager made an instant impression after qualifying to play at Carlton thanks to his father Graeme's 65-game stint in the 1970s and 80s. Lance enjoyed his best season when he kicked 70 goals in 2000 and was named in the All Australian team.
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