What is the greatest draft pick ever in the history of the world?

[tigersnake]

I think we tend to forget what a crapshoot the draft was back in those days, the top 20 looks like a Greek tragedy on steroids. Only three players past 100 games, Graham Wright (201), Chris McDermott (117) & Andrew Jarman (110). Ten of those players failed to register 10 games of AFL football & eight didn't even scrape in a debut. That year was also notorious for the beer swilling number 1 pick, only 4 games and arguably the worst performed number 1 in AFL history. But yeah, Benny was a gem, a diamond in the rough with very dicey kicking technique. Once he moved on the ball everything seemed to click, the rest is history and good history at that.

Yes. Early days a raffle. Mid 80s to mid 90s. Some sides started to get it together around the mid 90s, and by the turn of the millenium we'd gotten reasonably good at it. The data takes 10 years to come in obviously, but my gut feeling we've plateaued sometime around 2010. We as in footy, not the tigers. I'd love to see updated data for up to 2013, and a breakdown by 5 year periods 1990 onwards.

 

[tigermike]

One of best picks by Sydney in 2010 - Luke Parker pick 40. Has played 260 games. 190 goals, 2012 flag; B&F 2014, '17, '19; AA 2016; R.Rose medal (2); B.Kirk medal (5). Still makes me disappointed every time I see him because we picked Conca at 6 then Batchelor at 30, and, both Batch and Parker were together at the Dandenong Stingrays! How could we miss him?
Selections like Dusty, Riewoldt, Cotchin were quite easy because they stood out in their draft years but our rookie selections of Premiership players Grimes, Butler and Castagna deserve mention. Our mid-year draft pick M.Pickett and Bolton at pick 29 as mentioned earlier were damn good picks.

 

[bullus_hit]

One of best picks by Sydney in 2010 - Luke Parker pick 40. Has played 260 games. 190 goals, 2012 flag; B&F 2014, '17, '19; AA 2016; R.Rose medal (2); B.Kirk medal (5). Still makes me disappointed every time I see him because we picked Conca at 6 then Batchelor at 30, and, both Batch and Parker were together at the Dandenong Stingrays! How could we miss him?
Selections like Dusty, Riewoldt, Cotchin were quite easy because they stood out in their draft years but our rookie selections of Premiership players Grimes, Butler and Castagna deserve mention. Our mid-year draft pick M.Pickett and Bolton at pick 29 as mentioned earlier were damn good picks.

That was a head scratcher, 2010 was the big drop off for Jackson, but it did force him into a rethink and a recalibration of kicking credentials and counterbalancing that with athleticism & ball winning ability. Sometimes getting it wrong can lead to positive outcomes & his subsequent drafts were instrumental in acquiring the final pieces of the premiership puzzle. If you asked me in 2006-2010 whether players like Butler & Castagna fitted the Jackson template I would have given an emphatic no, but credit where credit is due, he moved on pretty quickly and switched the focus to pace. Grimes was also one of the best examples of due dilligence I can recall, instead of reeling off the next name on his list he rounded up the next 4 and had them train with the club. Grimes shone and the rest is history. Small initiatives like this can make the world of difference.

 

[Scoop]

One of best picks by Sydney in 2010 - Luke Parker pick 40. Has played 260 games. 190 goals, 2012 flag; B&F 2014, '17, '19; AA 2016; R.Rose medal (2); B.Kirk medal (5). Still makes me disappointed every time I see him because we picked Conca at 6 then Batchelor at 30, and, both Batch and Parker were together at the Dandenong Stingrays! How could we miss him?

I wanted Parker at the time, won every best and fairest for every team he played in from 8-17. Will never understand how we couldn't have thought Parker was a better option. That draft I wanted Dyson Heppell and Parker. We butchered that one.