Draft Review 2015 - Remarkable Rookie Draft

[WillHayward]

The 2015 Rookie draft (held on 3 December 2014) has to be considered the most remarkable rookie drafts of all time.

Below is a list of players picked up in this draft with (games played) in brackets and premiership players in bold.

Many of these players are only just starting out and will play many more games. Castagna and Melican are potential stars.

Jack Sinclair (86)
Aaron Vandenberg (35)
Roarke Smith (17)
Adam Saad (92)
Billy Gowers (30)
Reilly O'Brien (20)
Jayden Short (71)
Shaun McKernan (78)
Ethan Hughes (50)
Brayden Preuss (15)
Jason Castagna (76)
Nic Newman (51)
Kane Lambert (95)
Lewis Melican (37)
Mason Cox (58)
Conor McKenna (73)
Ivan Soldo (22)

This list also raises the 'nature v nurture' argument. i.e Player talent v Club culture/development.

Is it just ure chance/ coincidence that Richmond, Sydney and the Bulldogs have got the most games out of their rookie pick-ups.

 

[Ambrosia]

Throw in Saad as well

 

[TBOW]

Off the top of my head the 2010/11 rookie draft was another strong one - especially considering how crap the 2010 draft was.

Jonathon Giles - 63 games
Andrew Phillips - 41 games
Josh Jenkins - 147 games
Tom Jonas - 139 games (Club Captain)
Cam Pederson - 80 games
Ed Curnow - 165 games
Sam Menegola - 53 games
Luke Dahlhaus - 178 games
Josh Walker - 80 games
Jay Neagle - 28 games
Aaron Mullet - 98 games
Nick Lower - 55 games
Jason Johannisen - 126 games (Norm Smith)
Jeremy McGovern - 126 games (4 x AA)
Tom Hislop - 27 games
Albert Proud - 29 games
Jonathon Simpkin - 41 games (although delisted and picked up DFA in 2012)
Ian Callinan - 32 games
Will Langford - 72 games

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Can't really have Hislop, Proud, Curnow, Neagle, Lower and Simpkin for the 2010 off-season as they were previously on club lists.

In the case of Hislop, Neagle and Proud, redrafted players (Hislop being initially an Essendon draftee) while Lower played about 20 games for Port Adelaide and Simpkin spent 2 seasons for 0 senior games on Sydney's list.

Curnow, himself, was an Adelaide rookie for 2008.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Shaun McKernan (78)

Was previously an Adelaide Crow who played a few games there.

The rest is pretty bloody good.


After being neglected by club recruiters, Kane Lambert's in the midst of 100 senior games in a hurry.

 

[AuntyBlindEye]

Thought this was started by a Richmond fan for a second. Not a bad year for us. Thought essendon did alright here too.

Collingwood also snagged a KPF that will win them many premierships I'm sure.

 

[WillHayward]

Off the top of my head the 2010/11 rookie draft was another strong one - especially considering how crap the 2010 draft was.

Jonathon Giles - 63 games
Andrew Phillips - 41 games
Josh Jenkins - 147 games
Tom Jonas - 139 games (Club Captain)
Cam Pederson - 80 games
Ed Curnow - 165 games
Sam Menegola - 53 games
Luke Dahlhaus - 178 games
Josh Walker - 80 games
Jay Neagle - 28 games
Aaron Mullet - 98 games
Nick Lower - 55 games
Jason Johannisen - 126 games (Norm Smith)
Jeremy McGovern - 126 games (4 x AA)
Tom Hislop - 27 games
Albert Proud - 29 games
Jonathon Simpkin - 41 games (although delisted and picked up DFA in 2012)
Ian Callinan - 32 games
Will Langford - 72 games

Not bad. Two genuine guns and one very good player.

 

[WillHayward]

Throw in Saad as well

Good call.
I missed him!

 

[TBOW]

Can't really have Hislop, Proud, Curnow, Neagle, Lower and Simpkin for the 2010 off-season as they were previously on club lists.

In the case of Hislop, Neagle and Proud, redrafted players (Hislop being initially an Essendon draftee) while Lower played about 20 games for Port Adelaide and Simpkin spent 2 seasons for 0 senior games on Sydney's list.

Curnow, himself, was an Adelaide rookie for 2008.

Yeah but Curnow played for Box Hill in 09/10 so is essentially like any other drafted player.

Menegola and Simpkin shouldn't be there as they were both delsited by the clubs that drafted them in this draft after minimal success.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Yeah but Curnow played for Box Hill in 09/10 so is essentially like any other drafted player.

Menegola and Simpkin shouldn't be there as they were both delsited by the clubs that drafted them in this draft after minimal success.

Hawthorn was Menegola's first club of drafting.

Then they delisted him and he spent a couple of seasons on Freo's rookie list.

Went back to the WAFL and Geelong drafted him in 2015.


So, in short, agree with your Simpkin remark but not Menegola's.

Curnow I'm iffy on.

 

[TBOW]

Not bad. Two genuine guns and one very good player.

Bit harsh - I would say McGovern, Dalhaus, Jenkins, Jonas and Johannisen are all very good players with Curnow and Mullet solid also.

 

[TBOW]

Hawthorn was Menegola's first club of drafting.

Then they delisted him and he spent a couple of seasons on Freo's rookie list.

Went back to the WAFL and Geelong drafted him in 2015.


So, in short, agree with your Simpkin remark but not Menegola's.

Curnow I'm iffy on.

I think we're in agreeance on Menegola not being included based on the reasons you have stated.
Simpkin I am counting out for the same reason as he really only had success at Hawthorn.

 

[Mofra]

Off the top of my head the 2010/11 rookie draft was another strong one - especially considering how crap the 2010 draft was.

Jonathon Giles - 63 games
Andrew Phillips - 41 games
Josh Jenkins - 147 games
Tom Jonas - 139 games (Club Captain)
Cam Pederson - 80 games
Ed Curnow - 165 games
Sam Menegola - 53 games
Luke Dahlhaus - 178 games
Josh Walker - 80 games
Jay Neagle - 28 games
Aaron Mullet - 98 games
Nick Lower - 55 games
Jason Johannisen - 126 games (Norm Smith)
Jeremy McGovern - 126 games (4 x AA)
Tom Hislop - 27 games
Albert Proud - 29 games
Jonathon Simpkin - 41 games (although delisted and picked up DFA in 2012)
Ian Callinan - 32 games
Will Langford - 72 games

Would love to run the numbers compared to the actual 2010 draft. It might be the only draft year where the rookie draft had a higher hit rate. McGovern for example, a 4 x AA KPD, is crazy as a rookie pick up. From memory JJ is the only former rookie to win the Normie as well.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

By comparison, the first ever RD. (1997.)

Pick	Club	Player	Age at the draft.	Height.	Weight.	Clubs (and schools) of origin	Total games (games played as the draft selection.	Goals.	Brownlow Medal votes.	Honours.
78	Melbourne	James McDonald	20yr	181cm	75kg	Damascus College/St Patrick's College/Ballarat YCW/North Ballarat U18/Old Xavs	264 (251)	60	22	AA: 2006; B&F: 2006, 2007
6	Collingwood	Mal Michael	19yr	190cm	99kg	St Peters College (Qld)/Morningside	238 (61)	33	5	Prem: 2001, 2002, 2003
48	Melbourne	Russell Robertson	18yr	187cm	91kg	Burnie/Tasmania U18	228	428	17	B&F: 2003
3	Melbourne	Nathan Bassett	20yr	190cm	88kg	Norwood Morialta HS/Norwood	210 (0)	25	23	AA: 2006
12	Essendon	Mark Johnson	18yr	179cm	83kg	Calder U18	208 (194)	100	26	B&F: 2002; Prem: 2000
33	Melbourne	Matthew Bishop	21yr	195cm	96kg	Box Hill Mustangs	150 (18)	8	1	Prem: 2004
18	Melbourne	Daniel Ward	19yr	185cm	86kg	Western U18	136	31	5
10	Carlton	Mark Porter	20yr	199cm	103kg	Coburg Tigers	110 (55)	20	9
27	Essendon	Gary Moorcroft	20yr	173cm	86kg	Reservoir/Preston/Northern U18	97 (94)	104	9	Prem: 2000
34	Fremantle	Rupert Betheras	21yr	181cm	85kg	De La Salle College/De La Salle Old Collegians/East Perth	85 (0)	35	2
5	Adelaide	Ben Marsh	20yr	201cm	102kg	West Adelaide	55 (48)	18	0	Prem: 1998
2	Western Bulldogs	Adam Contessa	20yr	176cm	81kg	Coburg/Northern U18/North Melbourne Reserves	45	8	1
7	Richmond	Justin Plapp	19yr	189cm	83kg	Burnie	44 (18)	30	1
30	North Melbourne	Bryan Beinke	21yr	185cm	88kg	St Peter's College (SA)/Port Adelaide (SANFL)	38 (0)	42	0
21	Collingwood	Andrew Pugsley	18yr	186cm	81kg	Scoresby/Eastern U18	5	2	0
16	Port Adelaide	Luke Ottens	20yr	194cm	96kg	Glenelg	4 (0)	0	0
15	North Melbourne	Julian Kirzner	20yr	188cm	90kg	Ajax/Sandringham U18	3	5	0
4	Fremantle	Cameron Venables	21yr	193cm	88kg	Hale School/Subiaco	3 (0)	0	0

Information is sourced from DraftGuru.com.au.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Note: I sorted it by games played and only included those who played at least 1 senior game after this draft.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Another Menegola comment.

Incredible how, after he was delisted by both Hawthorn and Freo to 0 games between them, he debuts 4 years after Andrew Phillips yet is in front by 12 games.

 

[Freomaniac]

Off the top of my head the 2010/11 rookie draft was another strong one - especially considering how crap the 2010 draft was.

Jonathon Giles - 63 games
Andrew Phillips - 41 games
Josh Jenkins - 147 games
Tom Jonas - 139 games (Club Captain)
Cam Pederson - 80 games
Ed Curnow - 165 games
Sam Menegola - 53 games
Luke Dahlhaus - 178 games
Josh Walker - 80 games
Jay Neagle - 28 games
Aaron Mullet - 98 games
Nick Lower - 55 games
Jason Johannisen - 126 games (Norm Smith)
Jeremy McGovern - 126 games (4 x AA)
Tom Hislop - 27 games
Albert Proud - 29 games
Jonathon Simpkin - 41 games (although delisted and picked up DFA in 2012)
Ian Callinan - 32 games
Will Langford - 72 games

ironic you brought this up....... considering the suns had 9 picks in the top 15

 

[Bastyy]

2016 rookie draft has had some gems as well

Anthony McDonald Tipungwuti (83)
Tom Papley (83)
Jesse Joyce (64)
Dan Houston (60)
Hugh Greenwood (52)
Darcy Macpherson (40)
Daniel Lloyd (39)
Josh Smith (34)
Alex Keath (30)
Tom Ruggles (22)
Conor Glass (17)
Colin O'Riordan (15)
Sam Murray (13)
Brad Lynch (9)
Will Snelling (6)

Sam Reid also got redrafted and went on to play in a Grand Final.

Some real talent here with some already considered elite (Papley, AMT for some people) and some players who have a lot of potential still (Macpherson, Houston)

 

[andleanback]

The 2015 Rookie draft (held on 3 December 2014) has to be considered the most remarkable rookie drafts of all time.

Below is a list of players picked up in this draft with (games played) in brackets and premiership players in bold.

Many of these players are only just starting out and will play many more games. Castagna and Melican are potential stars.

Jack Sinclair (86)
Aaron Vandenberg (35)
Roarke Smith (17)
Adam Saad (92)
Billy Gowers (30)
Reilly O'Brien (20)
Jayden Short (71)
Shaun McKernan (78)
Ethan Hughes (50)
Brayden Preuss (15)
Jason Castagna (76)
Nic Newman (51)
Kane Lambert (95)
Lewis Melican (37)
Mason Cox (58)
Conor McKenna (73)
Ivan Soldo (22)

This list also raises the 'nature v nurture' argument. i.e Player talent v Club culture/development.

Is it just ure chance/ coincidence that Richmond, Sydney and the Bulldogs have got the most games out of their rookie pick-ups.

Melican potential star? Castagna role player in a good side at best.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Dan Houston (60)

I like Houston and felt he played well on Saturday night.

 

[Virgin Dog]

The 2013 rookie draft (held in 2012) had some pretty decent players. Sydney cleaned up especially. Bolded players are the standouts

Matt Taberner (73 games)
Ricky Petterd (84 games)
Callum Sinclair (101 games)
Kyle Hartigan (101 games)
Jon Ceglar (81 games - Hawks grabbed him after 0 games for the Pies in 2 years)
Jake Lloyd (137 games)
Xavier Richards (12 games, including 2016 GF)
Sam Naismith (28 games)
Dane Rampe (159 games, AA, captain)
Jack Frost (56 games)
Zac Williams (102 games)

 

[Rooboys Rool]

Sorry if it's a bit off topic, but Adelaide's 2002 rookie draft haul would have to be just about the best ever. Nathan Bock at pick 25, Ben Rutten at 40 and Marty Mattner at 51. From their 2nd, 3rd & 4th rookie picks they got 440 games, 1 x B&F (Bock) and 2 x AA (Bock & Rutten), as well as having their FB & CHB positions sorted.

Bock & Mattner went onto play 27 and 124 games respectively elsewhere, so it was actually 591 games in total from those three rookie picks. Amazing.

 

[eth-dog]

2016 has a pretty decent haul so far as well with Draper, Duman, Ladhams, Marshall, Zurhaar, Hanrahan, Henry, Fox and McInerney all looking pretty solid (going early on Draper, Ladhams and Hanrahan, I know)

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Jack Sinclair (86)
Aaron Vandenberg (35)
Roarke Smith (17)
Adam Saad (92)
Billy Gowers (30)
Reilly O'Brien (20)
Jayden Short (71)
Shaun McKernan (78)
Ethan Hughes (50)
Brayden Preuss (15)
Jason Castagna (76)
Nic Newman (51)
Kane Lambert (95)
Lewis Melican (37)
Mason Cox (58)
Conor McKenna (73)
Ivan Soldo (22)

Bump.

The players in bold and not underlined are about to enter season 9 on respective lists.

The player not in bold or underlined retired just before the start of the 2023 AFLM season.

The player in bold and underlined has returned to the AFL.

Not too bad hey.