In 2005 we had 5 picks in the first 22 and only one of those players is a regular 22 player, Birchall. People laugh at Richmond for doing the exact same thing in 2004 (only Delidio remains). 2006 was just as bad, we have no players from 2006 left on our list, we also had some good picks (6 and 24) plus a f/s by the name of Kennedy. Fair to say we f@cked it massively, in fact cost us a premiership.
Then in the last 6 years we have only used our first pick 3 times (for good results) however traded out 3 times. Hardly a big thumbs up, in fact it tells me that we are more willing to bank on established talent than back our own recruiting on earlier picks.
I am not trying to be overly critical on our recruiting, its great that Hawthorn are making use of others sources, international, NSW scholarships and rookies (Sewell, Suckling, Bruest?) however just trying to bring some balance to the discussion.
Balance? Pretty slanted view actually. Firstly, you claimed we stuffed up "a fair few first rounders in the last few years". Clearly, that isn't the case. As of our last match, Ellis was in our best 22 available and was also in our best 22 in 2008 premiership. Sure he has had injury troubles but can you say anyone predicted this? Same with Bailey. Did we stuff his selection up because he had three knee recos on the back of zero knee issues prior to drafting? How about comparing our record against historical performance of other clubs? That would put our success and failures in PERSPECTIVE and would be a lot more BALANCED than a throw away remarked based on Dowler and Thorpe not making it and angst over Ellis' Bailey's durability.
As for bringing in drafted players outside the top 20 well given in 2006 we drafted Renouf and traded him away ( Premiership player in 2008 and still on AFL list) and we also have Suckling (played in GF 2012). We traded Kennedy away for less than he is worth now but we did manage to snare Stratton with that pick. We didn't actually have much of a choice there as you would know.
In 2007 we also drafted Whitecross and Dew (Premiership Player 2008). I think we can all agree that was a very successful draft.
2008 we drafted Sheils (GF 2012), Lisle (still on AFL list), Lowden (still on our list), Savage (GF 2012), and Bruest (GF 2012). We also drafted Suckling. Again, I'd say we did well in that draft.
2009 We traded our first pick for Gibson who has been close to AA twice. How is that a bad thing? We also took Grimely (still on list), Stratton (GF 2012) and Dureaya (still on our list) in that draft as well as promoting Suckling. Given our picks not too bad - Stratton is a gun but jury still out on the other two.
2010 Gets a lot harder to judge the lower draft picks from here on in but Poupolo has been pretty good for us over the last two years and Halahan is looking very promising. Managed to bring in Hale via trade who was very valuable.
2011 We brought in Gunston for our first round pick. Enough said?
2012 We brought in Lake for our first round pick plus upgraded our second round pick. Also managed to snare a likely top 20 pick in Anderson too.
So from a draft point of view I think we have done well. But from a list management point of view we have done extremely well. Only about 10 premiership players played in our 2012 GF defeat. That tells us we have successfully turned over more than half our best 22 in 4 years all done via drafting and trading completed after 2004. Tell me one other team who has done so and remained at the top end of the ladder for most of that period (played finals 3/4, top 4 2/4)? I call that amazing list management.