Bang for buck draft picks

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Hi guys

Since its so boring at the moment I thought I would try and stretch your memories about drafts gone by and like the title says get in all the bang for buck draft picks. I am not ranking them in any order but if we want to do that we can.

I will start with a few that I remember

Luke Breust : Pick 47 Rookie Draft. What a champ
James Hird : Pick 79 Draft. Yes he deserves to be here
Brett Heady : Pick 92 Draft. Unheralded value for money pick
Chris Grant : Pick 105 Draft. Now thats a late draft pick
Dean Cox: Pick 28 Rookie Draft. An absolute steal

I could put up Luke Hodge here just cos i love him and make a case but he was pick 1 so i wont :)

See how you guys go would love to see some of these gun players over the years who literally cost nothing
 
What about

Matt Priddis. Pick #31. 2006 Rookie Draft
Eddie Betts. Pick #3 2004 PSD
Dane Swan. Pick #58 2001 Draft
Brian Lake . Pick #71 2001 Draft
 

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Sicily was pick 56 wasn't he?. Somewhere in the 50s. Anything that qualifys as 3rd round in the draft onwards who are stars of the game should be here. Not sure where Lachie Neale was selected but he would be one if it matches the criteria.
 
Recency bias here, but Mitch Lewis at pick 76 is looking like an absolute steal.

Dane Swan at 58 stands out.
 
Recency bias here, but Mitch Lewis at pick 76 is looking like an absolute steal.

Dane Swan at 58 stands out.
Same draft, Larkey at Pick 73 is another one.
 
Sicily was pick 56 wasn't he?. Somewhere in the 50s. Anything that qualifys as 3rd round in the draft onwards who are stars of the game should be here. Not sure where Lachie Neale was selected but he would be one if it matches the criteria.
Pick 56 is a weird one. There's been a lot of success there by comparison to a lot of other later picks.

Daniel Bradshaw, Cameron Mooney, Ryan O'Keefe, Daniel Cross, James Sicily.

Robbie Gray at Pick 55 is another one. Swanny and Lachie Neale at 58.

Christ Grant at 105 has to be the best value pick of all time, despite being a really early draft.
 
Hi guys

Since its so boring at the moment I thought I would try and stretch your memories about drafts gone by and like the title says get in all the bang for buck draft picks. I am not ranking them in any order but if we want to do that we can.

I will start with a few that I remember

Luke Breust : Pick 47 Rookie Draft. What a champ
James Hird : Pick 79 Draft. Yes he deserves to be here
Brett Heady : Pick 92 Draft. Unheralded value for money pick
Chris Grant : Pick 105 Draft. Now thats a late draft pick
Dean Cox: Pick 28 Rookie Draft. An absolute steal

I could put up Luke Hodge here just cos i love him and make a case but he was pick 1 so i wont :)

See how you guys go would love to see some of these gun players over the years who literally cost nothing
Chris Grant at 105 is just plain nuts 🤣

Was an absolute gun over 300 games and didn't he kick 59 goals as a 17 year old so it's not like he was a late bloomer!
 
In addition to the ones already mentioned...

National Draft
Lachie Neale – Pick 58
Poppy Pick 66

Rookie Draft
Brett Kirk – Rookie Pick 40
Ben Rutten Rookie Pick 40
Aaron Sandilands Rookie Pick 33
Mark Blicavs Rookie Pick 54
Brad Sewell Rookie Pick 7
Matt Suckling Rookie Pick 22
Aaron Davey Rookie Pick 3
Jayden Short Rookie Pick 11
Jack Sinclair Rookie Pick 1
Heath Grundy Rookie Pick 42
Nick Smith Rookie Pick 15
Dale Morris Rookie Pick 19
Jason Johannisen Rookie Pick 39

Preseason Draft
Dylan Grimes Pre-season Pick 2
 
Hi guys

Since its so boring at the moment I thought I would try and stretch your memories about drafts gone by and like the title says get in all the bang for buck draft picks. I am not ranking them in any order but if we want to do that we can.

I will start with a few that I remember

Luke Breust : Pick 47 Rookie Draft. What a champ
James Hird : Pick 79 Draft. Yes he deserves to be here
Brett Heady : Pick 92 Draft. Unheralded value for money pick
Chris Grant : Pick 105 Draft. Now thats a late draft pick
Dean Cox: Pick 28 Rookie Draft. An absolute steal

I could put up Luke Hodge here just cos i love him and make a case but he was pick 1 so i wont :)

See how you guys go would love to see some of these gun players over the years who literally cost nothing

Mark Williams - 2000 National draft - Pick 43

He was one of the most productive small forwards to play for Hawthorn. Instrumental in the 2008 final series. He averaged 3 goals per game from 2004-2009 before injury forced him to retire at the age of 28. :(
 
OK guys, so I would like to present my all time HAWTHORN "bang for buck" selections. My rules: No Top 30 picks when considering bang for buck so while Johnny Platten at Pick 19, Darren Prtichard at 26, Shane Crawford at pick 13 and Cyril Rioli at pick 12 were some of my favourite non Top 10 value selections, they were not eligible as relatively early picks. I also didn't consider what those players offered other clubs, so Brad Scott at Pick 85, Josh Kennedy at pick 40 and Ben McGlynn at rookie draft pick 55 also missed the cut.

Without further ado, here is my top 20 Hawthorn 'bang for buck' selections:

20. Rookie Draft pick 18 – Clinton Young

19. Rookie Draft pick 11 – Michael Osborne

18. Rookie draft Pick 22 – Matthew Suckling

17. Pick 48 – Chance Bateman

16. Pick 78 – Richie Vandenberg

15. Pick 45 – Stewie Dew

14. Pre Season Draft Pick 25 – Tony Woods

13. Pick 43- Mark Williams

12. Pick 77 – Ben Dixon

11. Pick 94 – Jade Rawlings

10. Pick 82 – Nathan Thompson

9. Pick 36 – Sam Mitchell

8. Pick 56 – James Sicily

7. Pick 67 – Dylan Moore

6. Pick 76 – Mitch Lewis

5. Pre Season Draft Pick 3 – Brent Guerra

4. Mid Season Draft Pick 2 – Jai Newcombe

3. Pre Season Draft Pick 2 – Joel Smith

2. Rookie Draft Pick 7- Brad Sewell

1. Rookie Draft Pick 44 – Luke Breust
 
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My 'unlucky 5' who didn't make the top 20 would be: Pick 44 - Blake Hardwick, Pick 66- Paul Puopolo, Pick 46 - Ben Stratton, Pick 86 - Kris Barlow and Rookie Draft Pick 15 - Jon Ceglar.

Other premiership player 'bang for buck' includes Stephen Gilham with Rookie Draft Pick 34, Taylor Duryea Pick 69, Will Langford Rookie Draft pick 85 and Robbie Campbell Rookie Draft Pick 27.

Only AA not mentioned and eligible that I can think of would be Jon Hay - Pick 36 and Campbell Brown - Pick 32.

Expecting Ned Reeves to be a bang for buck of the future as a pre-season supplemental selection.
 
My 'unlucky 5' who didn't make the top 20 would be: Pick 44 - Blake Hardwick, Pick 66- Paul Puopolo, Pick 46 - Ben Stratton, Pick 86 - Kris Barlow and Rookie Draft Pick 15 - Jon Ceglar.

Other premiership player 'bang for buck' includes Stephen Gilham with Rookie Draft Pick 34, Taylor Duryea Pick 69, Will Langford Rookie Draft pick 85 and Robbie Campbell Rookie Draft Pick 27.

Only AA not mentioned and eligible that I can think of would be Jon Hay - Pick 36 and Campbell Brown - Pick 32.

Expecting Ned Reeves to be a bang for buck of the future as a pre-season supplemental selection.
Stratts has to be there doesn't he?
 
Even feel ill writing it but Brent Harvey at pick 47 (would have been end of 3rd round back then) for the games record holder. That's a pretty good selection.

306 games for Lions star Alistair Lynch at pick 50 was a good effort too.
 
What about

Matt Priddis. Pick #31. 2006 Rookie Draft
Eddie Betts. Pick #3 2004 PSD
Dane Swan. Pick #58 2001 Draft
Brian Lake . Pick #71 2001 Draft
Eddie Betts would have to be the greatest mystery why every club overlooked him in the National draft. I know he had Osteitis pubis early on but also played forward pocket in an under 18 game pre match to the AFL GF in 2003 or 2004 and absolutely smoked it. I don't know much but remember thinking wow, this kid's got something special.
 
Eddie Betts would have to be the greatest mystery why every club overlooked him in the National draft. I know he had Osteitis pubis early on but also played forward pocket in an under 18 game pre match to the AFL GF in 2003 or 2004 and absolutely smoked it. I don't know much but remember thinking wow, this kid's got something special.
He also had some off field issues early on in his career
 
Dean Kemp, bnf, AA, dual premiership player, norm smith medalist and captain taken at pick 119 in the 1989 draft by west coast. West coast also took Ashleigh mcintosh as a father son selection at pick 106 in the same draft. Mcintosh was also an bnf, AA and dual premiership player. Incredible bargain picks in the same draft!
 
Tim Kelly has to be up there.

Picked him at 24, becomes an AA, leaves and gets you the picks to trade in Jeremy Cameron who nabs an AA, a flag and 100+ goals in <2 seasons.
 
OK guys, so I would like to present my all time HAWTHORN "bang for buck" selections. My rules: No Top 30 picks when considering bang for buck so while Johnny Platten at Pick 19, Darren Prtichard at 26, Shane Crawford at pick 13 and Cyril Rioli at pick 12 were some of my favourite non Top 10 value selections, they were not eligible as relatively early picks. I also didn't consider what those players offered other clubs, so Brad Scott at Pick 85, Josh Kennedy at pick 40 and Ben McGlynn at rookie draft pick 55 also missed the cut.
Huh? There was no draft in the mid 80s... I'm curious where you got pick 19 from for Platten?
 
Huh? There was no draft in the mid 80s... I'm curious where you got pick 19 from for Platten?

I made my shortlist and evaluated all selections from here: Hawthorn - Every Draft Pick Ever - Draftguru

The first incarnation of a draft in the VFL actually occurred all the way back in 1981. Each team could draft 2 interstate players in reverse ladder order. Hawthorn originally drafted Johnny Platten this way. Here are the selections from that draft:


However, Platten wanted to play for his childhood team first and played with Central Districts instead. He signed a form saying he would play for no other VFL team for 3 years. After the 3 years (and the agreement was up), Platten had racked up over 100 games for Centrals and won the Magaery medal. He felt he had achieved what he needed to for them and was keen to play football at the highest level. Carlton and their cheque book came knocking (as they were already there signing Kernahan, Bradley and Motley) and Platten originally signed with them.

However, Allan Jeans, who was already close to Platten, called and while we couldn't match the $$$, were convincing in our culture, desire for success, the command of Jeans and the role we had for him (to replace Leigh Matthews who had just retired).

This led to a protracted court case by Carlton which we won, with one of the keys to this success a demonstrated interest in him prior to Carlton's interest, which drafting him 5 years earlier before he was on anyone's radar helped make the case.

Interestingly enough, his debut came against Carlton and their new SA recruits. Carlton's recruits played well but Platten was the star of the show and was best on ground. Just to add to the bitterness for Blus fans, we went to play and beat Carlton in the GF that year (with PLatten going on to All Australian honours).

(FWIW, the year he came across (1986) was also the year of the first draft in its current format).
 
I made my shortlist and evaluated all selections from here: Hawthorn - Every Draft Pick Ever - Draftguru

The first incarnation of a draft in the VFL actually occurred all the way back in 1981. Each team could draft 2 interstate players in reverse ladder order. Hawthorn originally drafted Johnny Platten this way. Here are the selections from that draft:


However, Platten wanted to play for his childhood team first and played with Central Districts instead. He signed a form saying he would play for no other VFL team for 3 years. After the 3 years (and the agreement was up), Platten had racked up over 100 games for Centrals and won the Magaery medal. He felt he had achieved what he needed to for them and was keen to play football at the highest level. Carlton and their cheque book came knocking (as they were already there signing Kernahan, Bradley and Motley) and Platten originally signed with them.

However, Allan Jeans, who was already close to Platten, called and while we couldn't match the $$$, were convincing in our culture, desire for success, the command of Jeans and the role we had for him (to replace Leigh Matthews who had just retired).

This led to a protracted court case by Carlton which we won, with one of the keys to this success a demonstrated interest in him prior to Carlton's interest, which drafting him 5 years earlier before he was on anyone's radar helped make the case.

Interestingly enough, his debut came against Carlton and their new SA recruits. Carlton's recruits played well but Platten was the star of the show and was best on ground. Just to add to the bitterness for Blus fans, we went to play and beat Carlton in the GF that year (with PLatten going on to All Australian honours).

(FWIW, the year he came across (1986) was also the year of the first draft in its current format).
Yep, you're right, I had a vague memory we offered Platts a form four (for interstate recruits) when he was 17, but I think based on advice from his dad he begrudgingly declined the offer at the time (though he really wanted to jump at it).
 
Yep, you're right, I had a vague memory we offered Platts a form four (for interstate recruits) when he was 17, but I think based on advice from his dad he begrudgingly declined the offer at the time (though he really wanted to jump at it).


didn't Carltank give him a car as well to sign the original form?
 

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