1997 Retro-Phantom Draft

[footyfan1978]

This is a look back at players born in 1979 that played in senior AFL system.
It does not mean they were part of the draft pool in the year of actual 1997 but it does mean that under current AFL conditions since 2009 all the eligible types that turned 18 in that year of 1997 are included if they made their debut at some point.

I did a series of retrospective draft pools last year that I 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 the time that 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've been done since 2009, which is to have no players younger than 18 at end of that year able to be drafted.

If you watched football at least from the later 1990's feel free to add your own thoughts on players you felt would have been number 1 in the 1997 retro-draft and the following years.

This particular one of players born in 1979 for a retro-draft of 1997 had quality players for various positions with players such as Matthew Scarlett, Michael Gardiner, Simon Black and Chad Cornes just some of the names that would get to play in some finals series ups and downs over their careers. All have become household names during around the turn of the century. Fair to say one of these I would expect to be most people's choice as a retrospective pick number one pick of players born in 1979.

Here is the retrospective draft pool of 18 year olds in year 1997:

1979 Born players (retrospective 1997 Draft)
Williams, Luke
Bowyer, Glen
Hilton, Mark
Wood, Justin
Campbell, Fred
Proctor, Lionel
Chambers, Callum
Jones, Rowan
Gallagher, James
Whelan, Matthew
Cornes, Chad
Walton, Ben
Crabb, Jaxon
McDonald, Beau
Lockyer, Tarkyn
Clarke, Nathan
Baldwin, Marcus
Saddington, Jason
Read, Phillip
Morrell, Digby
Picken, Marcus
Obst, Chris
Grgic, Brent
Bruce, Cameron
Mooney, Cameron
Doering, Jordan
Raso, Frankie
Green, Kasey
Fletcher, Chad
Tuckey, Brent
Whitnall, Lance
Kinnear, Mark
Dew, Stuart
Hay, Jonathan
Doughty, Michael
Wirrpunda, David
Wasley, James
McKay, Joel
Holmes, Todd
Peverill, Damien
Stephens, Brad
Shipp, Andrew
Ugle, Keren
Gardiner, Michael
OLoughlin, Ricky
Bode, Matthew
Chatfield, Adam
Finocchiaro, Tim
Rahilly, James
Scarlett, Matthew
Eccles, Andrew
Black, Heath
Longmuir, Troy
Cranage, Sam
Tivendale, Greg
Hilton, Rory
Perrie, Ian
Bennett, Gerrard
Black, Simon
Bolton, Mark
OBree, Shane
Makepeace, Troy
Williams, Andrew
Kinnear, Ben
Hudson, Ben
Hynes, John
Hoppner, Trent
McGrath, Cory
Heffernan, Chris
Walker, James
Lange, Adam



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
1983 retro-draft
1984 retro-draft
1985 retro-draft
1986 retro-draft
1987 retro-draft
1988 retro-draft
1989 retro-draft
1990 retro-draft
1991 retro-draft
1992 retro-draft
1993 retro-draft
1994 retro-draft
1995 retro-draft
1996 retro-draft

 

[yyou]

Simon Black was Brisbane's best ever player in their best ever team.
Bona fide superstar of the game!

 

[adammania9]

1. Melbourne select - Simon Black
2. Richmond select - Adam Goodes
3. Hawthorn select - Matthew Scarlett
4. Essendon select - Luke Power
5. Brisbane Lions select - Chad Cornes
6. Fremantle select - Chris Tarrant
7. Carlton select - Brad Ottens
8. Collingwood select - Travis Johnstone
9. Port Adelaide select - Nathan Thompson
10. Brisbane Lions select - Shane O'Bree

 

[M Malice]

Simon Black followed by-

 

[footyfan1978]

Looking indeed like Black clear cut pick 1 and Scarlett seems as the likely 2.
Reckon if a bidding system existed back in this time Scarlett may not have been matched by Geelong in such a bid as father-son prospect. Rare key defenders rated so highly in a pool.

 

[Bronze]

Rory Hilton? lulz

 

[footyfan1978]

Rory Hilton? lulz

Was actually still drafted at number 3 in the draft from year before when you could be drafted at 17.
Had some serious injury issues and after finally make a debut for Lions wanted to be back in Victoria. Richmond traded pick 24 for him after his two years up at Lions.