Draft Review 2008 - Re-do the 2008 draft

Belnakor

Brownlow Medallist
Apr 10, 2005
26,274
18,834
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
I get that he has an excitement factor about his game and he is from an exotic background, but when you do the hard numbers, it's not hard to conclude that the bloke has been massively over-hyped up until this point.

How many matches has he won for the Eagles? Two? Three?

If he's worth a million bucks a year, the Josh Kennedy is worth $2 million.

he makes the West Coast midfield not look like complete s**t when he is playing. The guy is definitely worth $1 million.
 
Apr 24, 2013
81,024
153,170
Arden Street Hill
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Essendon Lawn Bowls Club
he makes the West Coast midfield not look like complete s**t when he is playing. The guy is definitely worth $1 million.

He'll have a picnic this week vs Geelong. You can pen that in.
 

TheSierBear

Premiership Player
Jan 25, 2016
4,487
4,080
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
soft spot for Carlton out of pity
Beams would have been another one of our premiership stars who would have faded into oblivion had he not asked for a trade who for the sake of this thread happens to be from the 2008 draft. Used to be the best player taken from this draft. Right now he's behind many, had a very disappointing career at Brisbane, injuries or no injuries.

Has a lot of similarities to Ben Reid and his decline.
 
Nov 26, 2012
7,646
8,554
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Beams would have been another one of our premiership stars who would have faded into oblivion had he not asked for a trade who for the sake of this thread happens to be from the 2008 draft. Used to be the best player taken from this draft. Right now he's behind many, had a very disappointing career at Brisbane, injuries or no injuries.

Has a lot of similarities to Ben Reid and his decline.
Despite his injuries he has won a bnf and come second in another. Also captain of a club. He maybe hasnt been absolute top shelf but I'd say very disappointing is a bit of the mark. I'd more say that people havent been paying attention (when he has been fit)
 

TheSierBear

Premiership Player
Jan 25, 2016
4,487
4,080
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
soft spot for Carlton out of pity
Despite his injuries he has won a bnf and come second in another. Also captain of a club. He maybe hasnt been absolute top shelf but I'd say very disappointing is a bit of the mark. I'd more say that people havent been paying attention (when he has been fit)

Ive watched him closely the past three years due to supercoach. Ive wanted him to do well, and its a shame because when, if ever fit he's a gun. But he's rarely fit.
 

RobbyRoy

Norm Smith Medallist
May 3, 2007
6,385
3,881
Perth
AFL Club
GWS
Other Teams
Victory
Ive watched him closely the past three years due to supercoach. Ive wanted him to do well, and its a shame because when, if ever fit he's a gun. But he's rarely fit.
So fitness is the issue then? You said "injuries or no injuries", implying no excuses but the reality is he simply can't stay fit. Has had short periods of excellent football with Brisbane, very frustrating for him and the club that he can't get a good run at it.
 

hippyhippy

Premiership Player
Feb 18, 2008
4,860
5,322
Sydney
AFL Club
Adelaide
1 Dan Hannebery Sydney
2 Steele Sidebottom Collingwood
3 Dayne Beams Collingwood
4 Rory Sloane Adelaide
5 Tom Rockliff Brisbane Lions
6 Jack Ziebell North Melbourne
7 Luke Shuey West Coast
8 Stephen Hill Fremantle
9 Sam Jacobs Carlton
10 Michael Hurley Essendon
11 Nic Naitanui West Coast
12 Michael Walters Fremantle
13 David Zaharakis Essendon
14 Tom Lynch Adelaide
15 Steven Motlop Geelong
16 Hamish Hartlett Port Adelaide
17 Luke Breust Hawthorn
18 Daniel Rich Brisbane Lions
19 Liam Shiels Hawthorn
20 Mitch Robinson Carlton
im sorry .. but how many of these players has kicked 10 in a game? 10 goal tommy is a bit underrated.

ziebell is overrated.
zaharakis is overrated.
hartlett is overrated.
rocky is a bit overrated.
hurley is underrated.

otherwise.. pretty good.
 
1 Dan Hannebery Sydney
2 Steele Sidebottom Collingwood
3 Dayne Beams Collingwood
4 Rory Sloane Adelaide
5 Tom Rockliff Brisbane Lions
6 Jack Ziebell North Melbourne
7 Luke Shuey West Coast
8 Stephen Hill Fremantle
9 Sam Jacobs Carlton
10 Michael Hurley Essendon
11 Nic Naitanui West Coast
12 Michael Walters Fremantle
13 David Zaharakis Essendon
14 Tom Lynch Adelaide
15 Steven Motlop Geelong
16 Hamish Hartlett Port Adelaide
17 Luke Breust Hawthorn
18 Daniel Rich Brisbane Lions
19 Liam Shiels Hawthorn
20 Mitch Robinson Carlton

Jack Ziebell @ 6. ******* lol

Bloke is a mediocre midfielder at best. Doesn't get much of the ball for a midfielder (22.4 ppg is his best season), is not very damaging on the rare occassions he gets it, for all the talk of hims being a contested beast his clearance and tackle numbers are hardly elite either.

Would be lucky to sneak into the top 20!
 
Mar 18, 2013
14,614
31,082
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
University
Definitely one of the more fascinating drafts and one of the toughest to rank, keen to know how others see it. I reckon there’s about six or seven players who have each made claims to the #1 spot over their careers and each bloke has hit their peak at different times making this so difficult but now I think we’re starting to see some holes in the top contenders.

Maybe it’s biased, but I don’t think it’s far fetched to suggest Beams and Sidebottom are #1 and #2 of this draft now. Beams at least for me I am confident of having at number one - he’s been in the league’s top echelon of midfielders for seven seasons running now and has always had a constant eye for goal that other mids didn’t have. Sidebottom has been marvellous in an array of different roles around the ground across his career, culminating in him becoming arguably the game’s most recognised ‘big game player’ with memorable performances in the 2010 and ‘11 Grand Finals, many important H&A games for Collingwood including ANZAC Day games and more recently, the Gary Ayres Medal for the standout player in the 2018 finals series.

Sloane at times particularly early 2017 looked genuinely like the league’s best player which is something that no other player in this draft besides Jack Watts has had the privilege of having. That said, I’d argue he’s only been in the league’s top group of midfielders for about three years and he is now effectively tagged out of games fairly regularly. His best is the best of any player from this draft, but I’d argue the duration of his peak leaves him in the shadows of other midfielders from this draft.

From late 2012 to the end of 2016, Hannebery was probably in the game’s top 5-10 midfielders. His last two seasons have been write-offs but for over four years, he was one of the game’s most consistent and most feared players. With some impressive form at St Kilda, he’s not too far behind to mount the climb back up to #1 which I think he held for a long time.

Then there’s Luke Shuey who like Sidebottom has always been a top performer in important games and is the only Norm Smith medallist in this draft. He’s probably not in the conversation for #1 but he’s had a marvellous career nonetheless.

Naitanui and Hurley are the two standout talks of this draft, who both have made claims at different times as being the best player from this draft. Injury and suspension them in the dark but they’re still hanging around.
 

Topkent

Confirmed ITK Drafting King
Aug 29, 2010
61,053
84,965
Canada
AFL Club
Melbourne
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Winnipeg Jets
Beams and Sidebottom top 10 but not 1/2.

This crap is one of the reasons the main board sucks. Instead of just criticizing why not debate it and provide contrary opinions instead of just shitting on a blokes.

Normally I'd write that stuff off as Collingwood nuff talk but can you really definitively say others are better?
 
This crap is one of the reasons the main board sucks. Instead of just criticizing why not debate it and provide contrary opinions instead of just shitting on a blokes.

Normally I'd write that stuff off as Collingwood nuff talk but can you really definitively say others are better?

Beams has been inconsistent in terms of his defensive play. Sidebottom seems to come and go in terms of his impact. He'll pop up and dominate a game or several in a row and then suddenly drop back to a mid-teen disposal getter.

Theres others drafted before those two, but I could see them going 5-10 if drafted with future knowledge was available back in 2008.
 
Feb 23, 2009
32,141
45,744
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
New York Jets
Beams would have been another one of our premiership stars who would have faded into oblivion had he not asked for a trade who for the sake of this thread happens to be from the 2008 draft. Used to be the best player taken from this draft. Right now he's behind many, had a very disappointing career at Brisbane, injuries or no injuries.

Has a lot of similarities to Ben Reid and his decline.
Bet you this guy has a different view now ;)
 

Topkent

Confirmed ITK Drafting King
Aug 29, 2010
61,053
84,965
Canada
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Winnipeg Jets
Beams has been inconsistent in terms of his defensive play. Sidebottom seems to come and go in terms of his impact. He'll pop up and dominate a game or several in a row and then suddenly drop back to a mid-teen disposal getter.

Theres others drafted before those two, but I could see them going 5-10 if drafted with future knowledge was available back in 2008.

He has had less than 20 disposals 8 times in his last 84 games.

Sloane has done it 11 times in his last 27 games

Shuey 8 times in his last 68 games.

He's easily been the most consistent midfielder with beams of the last 5 years.

Pure disposal numbers are a joke anyway, I bet any colligwood supporter would prefer 18 kicks from Sidebottom over 30 from Adams or Treloar.
 
Last edited:
Oct 1, 2006
26,018
20,062
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Everton, Storm, Victory
Beams is clearly number 1 IMO. Done it in great teams and poor teams. Probably the best pure goal kicking mid in the comp. Sidebottom not so much, he’s been great in great teams but his form waned significantly when the Pies were down.
 
Definitely one of the more fascinating drafts and one of the toughest to rank, keen to know how others see it. I reckon there’s about six or seven players who have each made claims to the #1 spot over their careers and each bloke has hit their peak at different times making this so difficult but now I think we’re starting to see some holes in the top contenders.

Maybe it’s biased, but I don’t think it’s far fetched to suggest Beams and Sidebottom are #1 and #2 of this draft now. Beams at least for me I am confident of having at number one - he’s been in the league’s top echelon of midfielders for seven seasons running now and has always had a constant eye for goal that other mids didn’t have. Sidebottom has been marvellous in an array of different roles around the ground across his career, culminating in him becoming arguably the game’s most recognised ‘big game player’ with memorable performances in the 2010 and ‘11 Grand Finals, many important H&A games for Collingwood including ANZAC Day games and more recently, the Gary Ayres Medal for the standout player in the 2018 finals series.

Sloane at times particularly early 2017 looked genuinely like the league’s best player which is something that no other player in this draft besides Jack Watts has had the privilege of having. That said, I’d argue he’s only been in the league’s top group of midfielders for about three years and he is now effectively tagged out of games fairly regularly. His best is the best of any player from this draft, but I’d argue the duration of his peak leaves him in the shadows of other midfielders from this draft.

From late 2012 to the end of 2016, Hannebery was probably in the game’s top 5-10 midfielders. His last two seasons have been write-offs but for over four years, he was one of the game’s most consistent and most feared players. With some impressive form at St Kilda, he’s not too far behind to mount the climb back up to #1 which I think he held for a long time.

Then there’s Luke Shuey who like Sidebottom has always been a top performer in important games and is the only Norm Smith medallist in this draft. He’s probably not in the conversation for #1 but he’s had a marvellous career nonetheless.

Naitanui and Hurley are the two standout talks of this draft, who both have made claims at different times as being the best player from this draft. Injury and suspension them in the dark but they’re still hanging around.
Its not far fetched to have Beams and Sidebottom at 1 and 2 but its not the way I would go. Sidey definately had the best 2018 and would rise if he keeps this form up over the next 12-24 month but doesnt have the runs on the board that a few others do imo.

A valid and solid arguement could be made for Beams, Sidey, Hurley, Sloane, Hannerbury and/or NikNat to be in the top 2. They are the clear top 6 imo with Breust, Shuey and Davis closely behind them. Then there is another pack of 10-15.

I would have Beams at 1, absolute star just a pity he missed a chunk of footy with injuries.
2. Hannebery- 3 x AA. Because he has been slaughtered with injuries over the last 18 months that shouldn't take away from how much of a star he was
3. Hurley - Dual AA. Probably the 2nd best defender in the league over the last 5-6 years
4. Sloane- If the game is in the balance he is the guy you want playing. His defene is equally as good as his offense. A couple of b&fs and an AA too
5. Sidebottom- Probably the most skilled in this draft with a couple of b&fs, an AA and had the best 2018 of this draft class
6. NikNat- topline ruckman who is a highlight real. Goes missing a bit though and has been injury prone.
7. Shuey- Really high level player for a long time. A bit under rated in Victoria but now has a b&f & Norm Smith
8. Breust- Duel AA small forward. Been a high level player for a long time
9. Davis- Been one of the best defenders for 5 years now. Very dependable and under rated.
10. Toss of the coin but there is a big gap from the top 9

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Ambrosia

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 11, 2010
15,596
10,422
AFL Club
Essendon
Its not far fetched to have Beams and Sidebottom at 1 and 2 but its not the way I would go. Sidey definately had the best 2018 and would rise if he keeps this form up over the next 12-24 month but doesnt have the runs on the board that a few others do imo.

A valid and solid arguement could be made for Beams, Sidey, Hurley, Sloane, Hannerbury and/or NikNat to be in the top 2. They are the clear top 6 imo with Breust, Shuey and Davis closely behind them. Then there is another pack of 10-15.

I would have Beams at 1, absolute star just a pity he missed a chunk of footy with injuries.
2. Hannebery- 3 x AA. Because he has been slaughtered with injuries over the last 18 months that shouldn't take away from how much of a star he was
3. Hurley - Dual AA. Probably the 2nd best defender in the league over the last 5-6 years
4. Sloane- If the game is in the balance he is the guy you want playing. His defene is equally as good as his offense. A couple of b&fs and an AA too
5. Sidebottom- Probably the most skilled in this draft with a couple of b&fs, an AA and had the best 2018 of this draft class
6. NikNat- topline ruckman who is a highlight real. Goes missing a bit though and has been injury prone.
7. Shuey- Really high level player for a long time. A bit under rated in Victoria but now has a b&f & Norm Smith
8. Breust- Duel AA small forward. Been a high level player for a long time
9. Davis- Been one of the best defenders for 5 years now. Very dependable and under rated.
10. Toss of the coin but there is a big gap from the top 9

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I have real trouble placing Nic Nat. When up and running he was clearly the most influential player in this draft and worthy of number 1. Given his injury history though I have don't see him ever getting back to that form which means I have trouble taking him in the top 10 considering that the other players likely have 2-3 year of peak football left .

For a similar reason I'm not as high on Hannebery who if he doesn't turn it around this year could well be cooked.

And I rate Walters with the group you've mentioned.

My list would be:

1. Beams
2. Hurley
3. Sloane
4. Shuey
5. Sidebottom
6. Hannebery
7. Bruest
8. Davis
9. Walters
10. Nic Nat

Sloane, Shuey and Sidebottom are hard to split and wouldn't object to putting them all above Hurley given he had an average 2018 by his standards .
 
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