1983 Phantom Draft

[footyfan1978]

This is the ninth in a series of retrospective drafts pools I've posted here starting with players turning 18 during the year 1975 and each subsequent year the next batch of 18 year olds. This is just a fun task to look back in time I been watching football in this league and wondering the quality of players that can be found retrospectively, as if drafts were done the same as they are now for the AFL. Obviously in the past drafts as we have known them now did not exist. The late 1970's and 80's before the league expanded progressively from 12 to 16 clubs there were clubs having under 19's and no real restriction on ages to play seniors and later the early drafts of league had different rules regarding birth date eligibility to be in some draft pools. This series is to look back at each batch of players from same birth year and wonder whom would be the top draft picks and how deep in quality each yearly draft pool could have been.

If you watched football in the league from these years please feel free to add your own thoughts on players you felt would have been number 1 in such retro-drafts. Pick a team of best 22, if you like, if it takes your fancy to ponder on.
Some of these retro-drafts have pools of players such as Kernahan, Roos, Williams, Bradley, Platten etc. from the same birth year so a high quality retro-draft pool at top end. Others like years where Gary Ablett, Timmy Watson, Peter Daicos and Gerard Healy all from same birth year is another high quality pool. It does make for interesting comparisons of whom would have been taken as number one pick in such drafts and then to look at some other years where the elite quality seem to drop away more quickly from likely early picks.

Here is the retrospective draft pool of 18 year olds in year 1983:

1965 Born players (retrospective 1983 Draft)
Mainwaring, Chris
Littler, Brendan
Bayliss, Mark
Erwin, Michael
Mitchell, Barry
Love, Jason
Newman, Steven
MacNish, Andrew
McNicholl, Dermot
Newport, Stephen
Nichols, Jeremy
Rowe, Stephen
Gibson, Michael
Nixon, Richard
Hickey, Steve
Breman, Todd
Garvey, Michael
Davies, Darren
Herman, Ian
Caton, Kevin
Phyland, Michael
Klug, John
Patterson, Paul
Winmar, Nicky
Healy, Greg
Christensen, Martin
Murphy, Michael
Hunter, Mark
Rugolo, Joseph
Bennett, Darren (after his AFL career he took up Gridiron in USA)
Wittman, Chris
Turley, Craig
Gayfer, Michael
Harris, Darren
Irvine, Gary
Saunders, Darren
Beers, Mark
Sizer, Greg
Millane, Darren
Lloyd, Matthew
Mifka, Paul
Saggers, Robert
Crutchfield, David
Tarpey, Andrew
Muller, Ian
Kernahan, David
Lockyer, Andrew
Taylor, Andrew
Brennan, Michael
Roberts, Mark
Spencer, Trevor
Barling, Tim
McAsey, Darren
Harvey, Mark
Glascott, Stuart
Pert, Gary
Grinter, Rod
Richardson, Alan
ODonnell, Gary
Tzatzaris, Zeno
Brown, Darren
Bayes, Gavin
Collins, Andrew
Simpson, David
Morgan, Darren
Bourke, Daryl
Carbone, Frank
Vidovic, Lazar
James, Stephen
Kerrison, Shane
Louttit, Darren
Sterrett, Ray
Morphett, Scott
Baxter, Darren
Spalding, Earl
Dean, Peter
Howard, Michael
Payne, Paul
Russell, Dwayne
McLean, Michael
Evans, Craig
Sumner, Gordon
Smith, Darren
Smith, Ross
German, Peter
McCrabb, Austin
Kappler, Darren
Pekin, Tim
Banfield, Peter
Salmon, Paul
Spassopoulos, Tony
Bourke, Damian
Hocking, Steve
Handley, Robert
Walsh, Nick
McLean, Paul
Foy, Patrick


Previous Retro-Draft Polls
1975 retro-draft
1976 retro-draft
1977 retro-draft
1978 retro-draft
1979 retro-draft
1980 retro-draft
1981 retro-draft
1982 retro-draft

 

[Frank J Moose]

Shame Darren Bennett couldn't stay healthy enough to have a long career. Prodigious talant, and prodigious kick. San Diego Chargers hall of fame and NFL team of the decade so had a handy NFL career.

Coming back from injury while at the Eagles played in the WAFL reserves. Kicked 23.1

 

[footyfan1978]

Turning into a close battle between Winmar and Salmon in poll as pick one.
I struggled on this one whom to pick.

 

[King Corey]

Pains me to say it but Paul Salmon is all over this one.