How Hawthorn fooled Richmond to scoop Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis in 2004 draft Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
April 05, 2015 7:00PMVICTORY has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan.
So it follows that the fabulous 2004 draft has been shrouded in mystery, misinformation and claims of credit from a hundred different officials.
Hawthorn famously secured the building blocks of its next three flags in Jarryd Roughead (pick 2), Lance Franklin (pick 5) and Jordan Lewis (pick 7).
Yet the definitive inside story is full of twists, turns and dramas and it may surprise to learn who the Hawks might have taken if they had just a single pick.
“At the time Nathan Thompson really felt like he needed a change because he had been battling with his mental issues and when that happened Alastair Clarkson was adamant we needed to get two talls,’’ says football manager John Hook, who would depart soon after that draft.
So would begin a trade/draft masterclass rarely seen now but unheard of a decade ago.
Hawthorn knew it needed a third high selection after receiving picks 2 and 5 after a poor 2004 season and Thompson’s trade added picks 10 and 26.
Yet recruiter Gary Buckenara had pored over the draft and identified two talls — Franklin and Roughead — plus a Geelong Falcon in Lewis who fitted every need.
The problem was Lewis wouldn’t be around at pick 10.
Hook’s masterstroke was to give 10 to Collingwood (who used it on Chris Egan — ouch!) as well as a later pick, accepting pick 7 and Bo Nixon (surplus to requirements but necessary because clubs couldn’t then make pure swaps involving only picks).
“Bucky at the time felt through the footy grapevine Lewis might not last to 10. So we got 10 for Thompson, traded down a few rungs, and it was on,’’ says Hook.
The Hawks had the guns loaded, but needed another slice of genius.
Northern Territory star junior Richard Tambling had stayed with recruiter Buckenara in the lead-in to the draft, and rivals were sure the Hawks were in love with him.
Richmond was so keen on Gippsland tall Roughead the Tigers had already invited him to a post-draft barbecue.
WA colt Franklin, brilliant the previous year but having endured a moderate under-18 season, was the wildcard.
The Hawks knew Richmond would take Brett Deledio at pick 1 and the Dogs would snare Ryan Griffen at selection 3.
Richmond had cooled on Franklin, but if Hawthorn took its first-choice tall in Franklin with selection two Richmond would snare Roughead at pick 4.
Instead, they took Roughead at pick 2, with the player himself shocked to be taken so early given the lack of contact.
Richmond, so desperate for a tall-small combo, had to take Tambling at four.
Some in Hawthorn still believe if the Hawks had just one pick that draft Franklin would have been their man, although Hook isn’t quite as sure.
“We took the calculated punt with Roughead to short-circuit Richmond,’’ says one Hawk insider.
“It was the only way we would get them both.”
“Bucky did such a good job with that draft,’’says Hook.
“They have all been terrific players but also great leaders as well.”
Franklin remains the game’s dominant forward, Roughead’s career speaks for itself and Lewis was the best-and-fairest winner in last year’s premiership season.
And the picks after Hawthorn’s steal? John Meesen (8, Melbourne), Jordan Russell (9, Carlton), Egan (9, Collingwood), Adam Thompson (11, Port Adelaide) and Danny Myer (12, Richmond).
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-hawthorn-fooled-richmond-to-scoop-lance-franklin-jarryd-roughead-jordan-lewis-in-2004-draft/story-fnp04d70-1227292150371
