The Herald-Sun lists Newy as the 8th best post-50 draft pick. They also typically couldn't resist a few whacks at our past recruiting along the way
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The best draft long shots by: Al Paton
From: Herald Sun
November 07, 2011We start with the hail Mary selections, players taken with pick 51 or higher.
Over 25 years most of those guys have disappeared into football history, many of them without ever kicking a ball in anger at the top level. Remember Leigh Snooks, Austin Lucy and Ben Judd? Neither do we.
But they were all legitimate AFL draft picks, in some cases ahead of the names below. These are the choices recruiters are still taking credit for - and rightly so - from 10 to 1.
10. Chris Grant – pick 105, 1988 (Western Bulldogs)
The original and arguably the best draft long shot. But those early years are hard to gauge by today's standards. Recruiters largely took stabs in the dark, picking top selections without asking if they wanted to play, or knowing if they could even if they wanted to (remember Richard Lounder?).
9. Richie Vandenberg – pick 78, 1997 (Hawthorn)
8. Chris Newman – pick 55, 2000 (Richmond)
The Tigers have had plenty of failures at the draft table but Newman ranks as one of their best success stories. Picked up from the Dandenong Stingrays, he is another example of a good player who's leadership is worth more than his on-field contribution - although Newman is no mug as a back pocket. Has played 192 games at 29 and hopes to lead a new era of Richmond success. Jury still out on that.7. Brian Lake – pick 71, 2001 (Western Bulldogs)
6. Cameron Bruce – pick 64, 1999 (Melbourne)
5. Ryan O’Keefe – pick 56, 1999 (Sydney)
4. Sam Fisher – pick 55, 2003 (St Kilda)
The 2005 draft was one of the strangest in recent history. Marc Murphy was a deserving No.1 pick and he was closely followed by stars Dale Thomas, Scott Pendlebury and, um, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls? The Tigers pounced on the rangy East Perth wingman, somehow overlooking West Adelaide defender Fisher.
3. Daniel Bradshaw – pick 56, 1995 (Brisbane Lions)
2. Dane Swan – pick 58, Collingwood 2001 (Calder u18)
1. James Hird – pick 79, 1990 (Essendon)
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-best-draft-long-shots/story-e6frf9jf-1226185754726