All time best draft smokee

[Kildonan]

Didn't Hird's grandfather play for the Saints

...maybe we should have got him...

probably was the Tim Watson era - draft pick desert.

 

[wooshta_9]

We've got some really good rookie list players, have a look at this list of guys.
Haddrill, Hayden, Wesbter, Grover, Sandilands, Dodd, Siegert.

From the draft itself:
Medhurst - 56
Thornton - 66
Woods -51

Thy;'re probably our best efforts from recent years.

 

[thrylos7]

hird is clearly the best of the smokies.

as for our boys, t-bird as a rookie was a find and a half.

 

[mudshake]

Sammy Mitchell, will win a Brownlow

 

[HighReeve]

Hird wasn't a smokey as Essendon just hid him, am I right?

 

[Ching]

nowadays it's alot harder to find a smokie so i think Karl Norman will be a good one.

Thought Norman was on the E not a "smokie"?

 

[WoeyFanclub]

Mal michael- off the rookie list

 

[BulldogMike]

Taking Hadrill via the rookie list is a crime in my book.

 

[The Fanatic]

James Hird pick 79. Chris Grant pick 105 hard to separate.

 

[Hammerfire]

Hird shouldn't be classed as a smokey, as Essendon done something dodgy to get him so low.

Chris Grant is probably the best national draft smokie.

For Richmond, Hartigan at pick 70 looks alright and Tivendale off the rookie list looks good aswell.

 

[Weaver]

Why not ? Was he a F/S? I thought it was his Grandfather that played with
the bombers, which doesn't qualify him.

His grandfather and father both played with the Bombers, allthough his dad did not play enough. Hird was technically a NSW/ACT player and at the time this area was zoned to Sydney. Therefore other clubs didn't scout heavily there. Essendon got him to Melbourne and did some deal, or found some loophole to get him through.

There were a few like that back in those days. Richmond got Nick Daffy and Mathew Clarke at a time when SA was off limits because they were Mt Gambier boys and those teams played in the VCFL despite being SA teams. Essendon knew Michael Long was actually an NT registered player being leased to an SA team.

Carey and Longmire were famously zoned to Sydney but Greg Miller paid cash to have them cleared by the Swans so North could sign them.

 

[SBI]

Harris at 71 was a gooden.

 

[F/D]

His grandfather and father both played with the Bombers, allthough his dad did not play enough. Hird was technically a NSW/ACT player and at the time this area was zoned to Sydney. Therefore other clubs didn't scout heavily there. Essendon got him to Melbourne and did some deal, or found some loophole to get him through.

There were a few like that back in those days. Richmond got Nick Daffy and Mathew Clarke at a time when SA was off limits because they were Mt Gambier boys and those teams played in the VCFL despite being SA teams. Essendon knew Michael Long was actually an NT registered player being leased to an SA team.

Carey and Longmire were famously zoned to Sydney but Greg Miller paid cash to have them cleared by the Swans so North could sign them.

Yep...he paid $10,000 for the both of them....

 

[Weaver]

Yep...he paid $10,000 for the both of them....

Which was a fair sum of money back then. The modern transfer fee maxes out at about $30k per player.

 

[WestCat]

Which was a fair sum of money back then. The modern transfer fee maxes out at about $30k per player.

Still a bargain.

If you discount Hird due to dodgyness, then Grant would have to be the pick. How he got through, I don't know. He was a superstar form when he started, until he started getting injuries. Still is a quality player, to get him at 105 is an absolute steal.

 

[grub29]

Still a bargain.

If you discount Hird due to dodgyness, then Grant would have to be the pick. How he got through, I don't know. He was a superstar form when he started, until he started getting injuries. Still is a quality player, to get him at 105 is an absolute steal.

Chris Grant was picked up so low because he was only 16 at the time and playing for Daylesford thirds.I'm tipping Gary Merrington was the only scout to see him.

 

[Snickers]

Thought Norman was on the E not a "smokie"?

hahahaha

 

[Snickers]

james gwilt, a 6;2 wingman will be a gun! 188cm, 88kg.

 

[BB gun]

Medhurst

 

[dutchy12]

Cameron Bruce

 

[Snickers]

Medhurst

Medhurst?? He is rated to highly