Power forwards are a scarce commodity
Jake Niall | June 4, 2009
DURING what might be unkindly described as "the Kent Kingsley-Henry Playfair era", Geelong was regularly roasted by media and fans alike for its failure to recruit a key forward.
The Cats spent plenty of time, energy and draft picks in their frustrating search for a key forward — only to discover, belatedly, that the grail lay within themselves, in the form of an untamed Cameron Mooney.
Tired of the carping criticism on K-Rock, the Cats did a review of past drafts, and reached the self-serving — but entirely accurate — conclusion that they had not really failed, because they'd had scant opportunity to land a quality tall forward.
Geelong's highest draft pick since the early 1990s had been No. 7, by which stage virtually every key forward of note — with less than a handful of fine-print exceptions — had been grabbed by another club. The Cats, thus, could say that they hadn't stuffed up; they'd never had a chance to get a goal-square messiah to replace Gazza the elder.
Remembrance of Geelong's key forward agony is timely as one considers the fate of Terry Wallace and Richmond. How different would the recent histories of Richmond and Hawthorn have turned out had the Tigers selected one of either Jarryd Roughead or Lance Franklin in the 2004 draft?
Further, unless the Tigers manage to snare a key-position forward in this year's draft via an early choice, the club might not get another opportunity to find a Matthew Richardson replacement for several years. Richmond has had three opportunities to recruit one over a 10-year period and missed each time. Aaron Fiora's selection before Matthew Pavlich in 1999 still rankles with Tiger fans. Roughead and Franklin were available five years hence.
In 1999, Richo was at his zenith, and the need for a power forward was less urgent. And, in fairness, it was not yet evident the extent to which the game's high-calibre key forwards are confined to either the top five picks in the draft or — just as importantly — the father-son rule.
Consider the better power forwards in the competition. Jonathan Brown? He was a father-son, and surely the greatest free kick from the Fitzroy merger. Nick Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke were picks one and two in the 2000 national draft. Roughead and Franklin were Nos. 2 and five in '04.
Matthew Lloyd was the first 16-year-old picked in late 1994 — compensation for losing an uncontracted player, and effectively a pick one. Scott Lucas and Anthony Rocca, old and physically ailing now, were picks four and two from that year. Warren Tredrea was a Port Adelaide zone pick (and a father-son of sorts); "Richo" himself is the son of premiership player Alan "Bull" Richardson.
Travis Cloke was the third father-son from his family and, even if he cost Collingwood three second or third choices — a buy two Clokes, get one free deal — it's still a bargain; try to find a player of his capabilities outside the top five of any draft. Richmond was unfortunate to miss on him, too.
Tom Hawkins, regardless of how good he turns out, was unavailable to 15 clubs. He would otherwise have been selected very early.
There are precious few exceptions to the top-five pick or father-son rule of thumb. Brendan Fevola is one, the late-maturing Mooney is another. Barry Hall was St Kilda's inspired pick No. 19 in 1995. Daniel Bradshaw and Mooney were truly late picks (both at No. 56 in '95 and '96 respectively).
One can see why those players slipped the net, in any case. Fevola's character foibles need no elaboration and were on display in the late '90s documentary The Draft. The same might be said of Mooney and Hall, though I doubt the clubs that originally recruited them were greatly concerned.
Fevola and Bradshaw weren't very tall — under the 190-centimetre mark when picked — and did not shape as big power forwards in the Brown-Roughead mould. Fevola also was a 17-year-old selection, when clubs could only pick one of that age, and his draft number, 38, is thus misleading.
The advent of two new teams that will have the lion's share of premium picks has ramifications for clubs in need of a power forward. Few clubs will have a crack any time soon, and some will have to devise alternative game styles, or become highly inventive in their recruiting.
The Bulldogs have known for some years that they are a key forward short, and that this has made it harder to win a premiership. But the club, rightly, has held the view that there is no point getting a power forward who isn't good enough. They tried this with ex-Eagle Andrew McDougall, without success.
They'd prefer to kick to Bob Murphy and Brad Johnson, with Scott Welsh and Will Minson providing foils, rather than use a 195-centimetre hack. Interestingly, Adelaide, with similar forward woes, has had neither top-five picks nor a single father-son.
It can be argued that midfield and defence are more important to winning than power forwards, as Geelong and West Coast circa 2005-6, have demonstrated. Key forwards, though, are harder to obtain, and as the scarcer commodity, they remain the diamonds of the draft.
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