Review Best Draft Year - Worst Draft Year

[Vader]

Thank you Vader for doing the work I should have.

2011 should have Luke Brown? I think this has the potential to be great if Brad can get right.

2013 in a compromised draft also looks good. Cameron should get to 100 games

Brown was traded, not drafted. He was part of the deal which gave us the mini-draft pick we used on Brad Crouch.

 

[Vader]

Spotty Dodges

Is that legit?

Scott Hodges

 

[Vader]

He can now be found sniping blokes in the Gawler and Barossa league
Also what was Hudsons Hissy fit over?

He missed curfew. Craig & the leadership group called him on it, and gave him a club suspension for one game. He walked out on the club at the end of the season.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

2011
National Draft
27 - Sam Kerridge
41 - Mitchell Grigg
46 - Nicholas Joyce
64 - Cameron Ellis-Yolmen

Rookie Draft
5 - Rory Laird
23 - Dylan Orval
41 - Tim McIntyre
58 - Will Young (again)
73 - James Craig (again)
89 - Ben Dowdell

The National Draft is a disaster zone. Kerridge & CEY are both still on AFL lists, but there's not much in the way of quality here.

Laird is easily the pick of this group, and he came from the rookie draft.

Dowdell was our 2nd shot at the Irish experiment. It ended just as badly as the first.

** This draft was heavily compromised by the GWS draft concessions.

Gee CEY starting to look like a real steal now

 

[Stiffy_18]

2000
National Draft
7 - Laurence Angwin
38 - Michael Handby
48 - Matthew Smith (calling macca23)
53 - Hayden Skipworth
67 - Graham Johncock

Pre-Season Draft
5 - Chris Ladhams
12 - Adam Richardson

Rookie Draft
6 - Kane McLean
22 - Justin Cicolella (again)
37 - Matthew Golding (again)
40 - James Gallagher

Angwin was our highest ever draft pick, and he was a complete and utter head case. Thank-you Gary Ayres.

Skippy had a surprisingly long AFL career. Adelaide delisted him in 2006, after 44 games. He went back to the VFL, and was rewarded when Essendon drafted him in 2008. He played 11 games for them in 2009, before being delisted once again.

Johncock will be remembered as one of Adelaide's favourite defenders. 227 games is a great return for pick #67.

Smith spent 5 years on Adelaide's senior list, and never even looked like playing a senior game. Macca will tell you that he was the ultimate "built like Tarzan, plays like Jane" player. That's probably not PC any more, now that we have an AFLW team.

You had to do it didn’t you?! You had to tag macca! He is going to get a heart attack, elevated blood pressure at least at the mention of Matthew Smith and 5 years on the list!

 

[Stiffy_18]

2003
National Draft
8 - Fungus Watts
31 - Joshua Krueger
58 - Benjamin Hudson

Rookie Draft
11 - Tim Hazell
28 - Rowan Andrews
43 - Brad Dabrowski
57 - Matthew Smith (again)

Anyone who thinks we always win the Rookie Draft should have a long hard look at these selections...

Our National Draft was heavily compromised by the need to find a long-term replacement for Matthew Clarke. All 3 of our draftees this year were talls. Hudson had a hissy fit and walked out on the club, but overall I still have to rate his AFL career as a successful one.

This draft was, thankfully, the last of the James Fantasia era. Things would only improve from here on in.

Actually 2006 was Fantasia’s last draft and arguably his best.

 

[Scorpus]

I kind of think any drafts before 2000 were almost in the prehistoric dart-board stage- so here's post 2000 (I have Hugh and CEY as 22-49 gamers, as they're 1&2 games off that, and clearly will get there)

View attachment 491290
2001 was a cracker - esp the rookie draft. 2007 was excellent, and 2013 was a brilliant strike rate.

We nailed the 2001 rookie draft but we managed to pick Brent Reilly ahead of Nick Dal Santo (taken the very next pick) in the first round.

 

[StonesThrow]

Whenever I look through our draft history I struggle to see how we've managed to field a team of afl footballers. Trades have worked quite well

 

[Vader]

2012
National Draft
62 - Sam Siggins
81 - Rory Atkins

Rookie Draft
14 - Kyle Hartigan

This was the first of two years affected by the Pond Scum draft penalties. As a result, our draft involvement was minimal. With only 3 players drafted for the entire year, it's easily Adelaide's smallest ever draft class. Given that we had no picks inside the top-60, and only 3 picks in total, for 2 of those picks to be regular AFL selections is an astounding result.

Atkins already holds the record for most games played by a #81 draft selection, and it's daylight 2nd.

Our draft team were handed a shit sandwich, and somehow managed to come away with something that smelled more than vaguely of roses. Kudos to them, on a job that was very, very, well done.

 

[Vader]

2013
National Draft
23 - Matt Crouch
46 - Riley Knight

Rookie Draft
7 - Charlie Cameron
24 - James Battersby
40 - Jake Kelly
52 - Alex Spina

This was the 2nd year of the Pond Scum draft penalties. Once again, this resulted in minimal draft participation. Between the GC/GWS concession drafts, and the Pond Scum draft penalties, the club only made 10 selections in the National Draft from 2010-2013.

Matt Crouch is already an AA player and Club Champion, so put a big tick next to his name. Knight has played plenty of AFL games, but is probably still close to the fringe of our best 22. Cameron is now at Brisbane, but will finish his career with well over 100 AFL games to his credit. Kelly is another rookie listed player who has established himself in our best 22.

With 4 of 6 players becoming AFL regulars, the draft team would be happy with their work in this draft year.

 

[Vader]

2014
National Draft
14 - Jake Lever
35 - Harrison Wigg
43 - Mitch McGovern
58 - Harry Dear

Rookie Draft
9 - Reilly O'Brien
27 - Keenan Ramsey
44 - Anthony Wilson

Lever is definitely an AFL player, though he's now a massively overpaid sheet anchor around Melbourne's neck. Mitch McGovern is an exciting forward, who is a regular in our best 22, but has yet to really tear a game apart. O'Brien is still Jacobs' heir in waiting. That's the positive side of the story.

On the other side, Wilson never looked like it, and Ramsey's one eye proved too much of a limitation. Wigg has already been traded, and Dear hasn't done enough to earn himself an AFL debut.

This draft is a real mixed bag. Definitely not as positive as 2013, or even 2012 for that matter.

 

[jo172]

The work Ogilvie did during the Tippett sanction years is phenomenal in retrospect. Should get 5 x 100 game players, one out and out superstar, and what turned into the currency to get Fog.

In the circumstances that's an amazing effort

 

[jo172]

On the other side, Wilson never looked like it, and Ramsey's one eye proved too much of a limitation. Wigg has already been delisted, and Dear hasn't done enough to earn himself an AFL debut..

Wigg was traded, essentially ended up with the pick we nabbed McPherson for him

 

[Stiffy_18]

Wigg was traded, essentially ended up with the pick we nabbed McPherson for him

Not McPherson. Poholke!

Wiggy is currently recovering from a broken ankle at Gold Coast.

 

[jo172]

Not McPherson. Poholke!

Nah McPherson, Poholke was drafted the year before (same year as Galluc)

 

[Vader]

2015
National Draft
11 - Wayne Milera
17 - Tom Doedee

Rookie Draft
Paul Hunter
Jonathon Beech
Hugh Greenwood
Alex Keath

We're now getting into the "too early to tell" category. If you'd asked me about this draft 6 months ago, you'd get a very different response to what I give you today.

Milera & Doedee are both currently in our best 22, and are well on their way towards establishing themselves as permanent regular team selections.

Greenwood & Keath were both Cat B rookie signings, "alternative talent" players who hadn't been registered with an Australian Rules football club for 3 or more years. However, they're not your typical "alternative talent" player. Both were very highly regarded junior footballers, before choosing professional careers in other sports (basketball & cricket respectively). Adelaide convinced them to give up those sports and sign with the Crows. It wasn't conventional, but it's definitely worked. Both have played AFL matches, and Greenwood is well on his way to establishing himself as a permanent best 22 selection. Keath's future is less certain, not because of ability, but because of a lack of opportunity.

Beech played a handful of AFL games, but wasn't able to make the jump from "good SANFL player" to AFL player. Hunter remains on our list, but hasn't been selected at AFL level.

Things are looking positive for Milera, Doedee & Greenwood, but it's still too early to make any long-term calls on this draft class.

 

[Vader]

** You're right.. Wigg was traded. Either way, he's not on our list and hasn't played an AFL game.

I've made a ninja-edit to correct the previous post.

 

[Squiba]

2014
National Draft
14 - Jake Lever
35 - Harrison Wigg
43 - Mitch McGovern
58 - Harry Dear

Rookie Draft
9 - Reilly O'Brien
27 - Keenan Ramsey
44 - Anthony Wilson

Lever is definitely an AFL player, though he's now a massively overpaid sheet anchor around Melbourne's neck. Mitch McGovern is an exciting forward, who is a regular in our best 22, but has yet to really tear a game apart. O'Brien is still Jacobs' heir in waiting. That's the positive side of the story.

On the other side, Wilson never looked like it, and Ramsey's one eye proved too much of a limitation. Wigg has already been delisted, and Dear hasn't done enough to earn himself an AFL debut.

This draft is a real mixed bag. Definitely not as positive as 2013, or even 2012 for that matter.

Ignore

I need to refresh before posting

 

[Vader]

2016
National Draft
15 - Jordan Gallucci
44 - Myles Poholke
51 - Elliot Himmelberg
62 - Matthew Signorello
75 - Benjamin Davis

Rookie Draft
13 - Sam Shaw (again)
45 - Ben Jarman

If 2015 was "too early to tell", 2016 is "way too early". To date, only 2 of these players have made their AFL debut - Gallucci & Poholke have played 5 AFL games between them.

Shaw was drafted as an act of charity, making him a party to the new AFL/AFLPA CBA, which was expected to have improved provisions for the care of players post-career.

Jarman will be remembered as Adelaide's first Father Son selection, 10 years after the Bryce Gibbs debacle.

I really can't judge the success or failure of this draft class. It's just too early, and these kids are all still very much in the development phase of their careers.

 

[Vader]

2017
National Draft
12 - Darcy Fogarty
40 - Andrew McPherson

Rookie Draft
17 - Patrick Wilson
31 - Cam Ellis-Yolmen (again)
38 - Lachlan Murphy
41 - Jackson Edwards

This was the 5th National Draft in 7 years in which Adelaide made only 2 selections. Our long-term average is around 4-5 per year, so this is a remarkable trend which hasn't been discussed on BF.

Another remarkable fact about this draft is that 3 of the 6 players drafted have already played AFL. Admittedly one of them is CEY, who is actually in his 8th AFL season, but Fogarty & Murphy both made their AFL debuts in R1.

McPherson hasn't played at any level to date, due to injury.

Overall though, it's far, far, far too early to make any long-term calls regarding the success or failure of this draft class.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Nah McPherson, Poholke was drafted the year before (same year as Galluc)

You are right. I had my trades with Lyons and Wigg confused. We essentially traded Lyons for Poholke and Wigg for McPherson! Both trades with Gold Coast obviously.

 

[Vader]

Looking back over those lists, 1993 is a clear standout as the Adelaide's worst draft of all time, with no quality AFL players drafted in any of that year's drafts. 2002 & 2003 are probably tied for equal worst, if you're only interested in selections made since 2000.

It's much harder to make a call on the best draft year of all time. 2001 produced 5 very, very good footballers. 2007 produced the most outrageously talented player Adelaide has ever drafted (Roo & Macca weren't drafted). 2012 was remarkable for producing 2 quality AFL players, despite having only 3 selections and none inside the top-60. You could make a case for any of these years.

 

[jo172]

The other bit of this analysis Vader is it shows how we tend to overrate the importance of the development of each individual draft pick.

There's a lot of fretting around these parts if we take 6 kids and 3-4 don't come on. Looking at it historically if only two from any given year come on it tends to work out just fine.

 

[Vader]

The other bit of this analysis Vader is it shows how we tend to overrate the importance of the development of each individual draft pick.

There's a lot of fretting around these parts if we take 6 kids and 3-4 don't come on. Looking at it historically if only two from any given year come on it tends to work out just fine.

You don't need every player drafted to be a winner. That rarely happens. Getting 2-3 good players from a draft class of 6-7 is closer to the norm.

However, it does help having a large group of players around the same age, coming through the system together. Look at the Geelong class of 2001, and the impact that had on their fortunes. Having a large group of similarly aged players allows them to form a bond, which younger players will never have with someone 5-6 years their senior. These bonds can lead to a closeness, which results in a stronger team overall. Of course, those players also have to be talented - having a group of 20 C-graders coming through together isn't going to get you anywhere either.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

2007
National Draft
10 - Patrick Dangerfield
27 - Andy Otten
30 - Jarrhan Jacky
38 - Myke Cook
57 - Tony Armstrong
71 - Aaron Kite
75 - Taylor Walker

Rookie Draft
9 - James Moss
25 - Jared Petrenko
40 - Ed Curnow
52 - Brodie Martin

How on earth do you judge this draft group?

Petrenko played 76 games for the AFC, which is good value for a player off the rookie list. It also speaks volumes about how poor our "small forward" stocks were at the time, and the AFC's failure to correct this obvious problem with their list structure. But I digress...

Dangerfield played 154 games for the Crows, and is clearly the best player from his draft year. He did his best to ensure that the Crows were fairly compensated when he left (he didn't opt for Free Agency when he had the choice). He's a 1st Class, A-Grade narcissist, but he's also a damn good footballer.

Ed Curnow was delisted by the Crows, without playing a single game. He was subsequently drafted by Carlton, and has 128 AFL games under his belt as of today. Is that a pass, or a fail, for Adelaide's drafting?

Walker & Otten are the stand out wins for Adelaide in this draft class. Otten played his 100th last Saturday, and Walker is the team's Captain. Don't read too much into Walker being taken late in the draft, as he was a product of the NSW Scholarship system.

Don't forget Dangerfield helped us net Wayne Milera

Surely this has to be the recruiters best effort of all time ( if you are judging it purely on recruitment and not development or retention)

A Brownlow medallist , a club captain ( one of our best ever captains) , a rising star who was unfortunately cruelled by injury and a very workmanlike bloke who plays for Carlton . Added to that Petrenko and Martin who are better than most of our 1990s draftees