We know they’ve been dominant so far this season, but here’s something you possibly didn’t know about the Fremantle Dockers: their draft work since 2001 has been something special.
Like every other club, they’ve had their sour moments (and we’ll get to those shortly). However, their ability to pick out the diamonds in the rough has been sweeter than a delicious strawberry shortcake.
Remember, the draft selections below will be labelled either sweet or sour depending on how that player’s career turned out. This could include playing 250 games, asking for a trade, captaining the side or being delisted after two games.
Top five sweets
1. Aaron Sandilands
Pick three, 2001 Rookie Draft. Okay, next.
Sorry, I needed a moment. The Dockers drafted Aaron Sandilands with pick three in the 2001 rookie draft. Fremantle Dockers, take a bow. What a sensational drafting decision that has turned out to be.
With 224 games, four All-Australians, and a best and fairest winner, this 211-centimetre giant, along with Dean Cox, has been the most dominant, champion ruckman for well over a decade. You can’t ask for much more than that can you?
In the wise words of Toyota, ‘oh what a feeling’.
2. David Mundy
Fremantle selected David Mundy with the 19th pick in the 2003 National Draft. For most of his 218-game career, he has been a premier midfielder in the AFL. However, despite a lack of recognition for many years it’s great to finally see the wider AFL community appreciating Mundy and his elite talent.
He is a best and fairest winner with the Dockers, has averaged 20 disposals, four tackles and five marks a game over his career and should finish his AFL career as a one-club player. If he’s not in All-Australian discussions this year, I will be staggered.
3. Nat Fyfe and Michael Barlow in 2009
Nat Fyfe was pick 20 in 2009 National Draft, while Barlow was pick 8 in the 2010 Rookie Draft (drafted in 2009 off-season). Two different paths, two different players, but Fyfe and Barlow were one brilliant duo of drafting in 2009.
I’m going to go with a simple description. Fyfe is the best player in the AFL. Back-to-back best and fairest medals in the past two years, the AFL’s MVP in 2014 and an All-Australian to go along with that.
He hit the 100-game milestone just last week, which is still hard to comprehend. He can do just about everything on the footy field, but most importantly, he is absolutely fascinating to watch. Will he be adding Brownlow Medalist to his CV this year?
Michael Barlow has travelled a different path on his way to 100 games for the Dockers. He’s currently at 98, but in two games’ time, Barlow’s 100th will be one of the most hard earned, well deserved milestone matches for some time. Injuries have hurt him early on, but he’s now a consistent, exciting, ball-winning player in the best midfield in the competition.
Don’t ever rule out rookie drafted players.
4. Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson joined the Dockers via the eighth pick in the 2003 Pre-season Draft. The versatile defender has gone on to play 199 games, with an All-Australian and B&F runner-up to add to his credentials. He’s an extraordinary player to watch, from his unorthodox ball drop to his puzzling speed for his size. Michael Johnson has carved out an amazing career, all with the purple.
5. The 2008 draft class
In one draft, the Fremantle Dockers selected Stephen Hill (pick three), Hayden Ballantyne (pick 21), Nick Suban (pick 24), Zach Clarke (pick 37), Michael Walters (pick 53), Matt De Boer (pick 19, RD) and Clancee Pearce (pick 48, RD).
Simply outstanding.
Worthy mentions
Paul Medhurst (#56, 2001 ND), Byron Schammer (#14, 2002 ND), Ryan Crowley (#55, 2002 ND), Steven Dodd (#51, 2002 RD), Paul Duffield (#10, 2003 RD), Brett Peake (F/S #43, 2002 ND), Garrick Ibbotson (#26, 2005 ND), Chris Mayne (#40, 2007 ND), Alex Silvagni (#24, 2009 RD), Thomas Sheridan (#16, 2011 ND), Hayden Crozier (#20, 2011 ND), Lachie Neale (#58, 2011 ND), Cameron Sutcliffe (#71, 2011 ND), Lee Spurr (#8, 2011 RD) and Matthew Taberner (#11, 2012 RD).
Top five sours
1. Graham Polak
Hodge. Ball. Judd. Polak. Fourteen years on, and Polak’s name just doesn’t fit in with those superstars who were drafted before him.
Fremantle drafted him with pick four in the ‘superdraft’ of 2001, but he did not live up to the hype of a top five player in the AFL. He played in 73 games for the Dockers before being traded to the Tigers where he played 38.
Injuries and a lack of opportunities at times stilted his career. In 2008, he was tragically struck by a tram, putting major doubts over his health and his football career. He eventually was forced to retire in 2010.
2. Ryley Dunn and Ryan Murphy in 2003
In 2003, Fremantle had an incredible opportunity to raid some of the best talent in the draft. After receiving pick 10 from Hawthorn as a part of the Trent Croad deal, the Dockers were in prime position with picks 10, 12 and 27.
With pick 10, they drafted Ryley Dunn, who went on to play in only eight career games, in four years with the Dockers. Injuries were cruel to him. With pick 12, they drafted Ryan Murphy. Murphy played in 48 games, kicking 50 goals in six years up at Fremantle.
2003 wasn’t the deepest draft, but there are some quality players who have gone to have quality careers. Unfortunately for Dunn and Murphy, their relationships with the Dockers were short-lived.
3. Marcus Drum
In 2005, Fremantle selected Marcus Drum with the 10th pick in the national draft. The defender played in only 22 games over three years with the Dockers. In 2009, he was traded to Geelong for pick 49. Fremantle went on to selected Dylan Roberton with that pick. He played in only 37 games before requesting a trade to a Victorian team.
A 22-game career for a pick 10 is extremely disappointing, especially considering that Nathan Jones, Shannon Hurn, Grant Birchall, Joel Patfull and Andrew Swallow were drafted after him. Sour grapes.
4. Rhys Palmer
Rhys Palmer has had an interesting AFL career. It began when Fremantle drafted him with the seventh pick in the 2007 national draft. In three years and 53 games for the club, he had an outstanding debut season where he won the AFL’s Rising Star award.
However, in his second season, he missed most of the year with a knee reconstruction. Now he resides in greater western Sydney, where he has played a consistent 47 games for the Giants. 2007 was an extremely deep draft. Dangerfield was drafted with pick 10. Rioli with pick 12 and Callan Ward at pick 19. Rhys Palmer did not do justice to a pick seven selection for Fremantle.
5. Josh Simpson
In the 2012 national draft, Fremantle selected the exciting midfielder Josh Simpson. Two games and two years into his career, Simpson was delisted. Unfortunately for Fremantle and Simpson, off-field issues troubled the first-round draft selection.
Considering GWS and Gold Coast had the cream of the crop for consecutive years, the Dockers would have cherished this pick. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.
(Not) worthy mentions
Adam Campbell (#27, 2003 ND), Robert Warnock (#42, 2005 ND), Clayton Collard (#31, 2006 ND), Clayton Hinkley (#24, 2007 ND), Joel Houghton (#36, 2009 ND), Dylan Roberton (#49, 2009 ND), Jayden Pitt (unfortunate circumstances – #20, 2010 ND) and Viv Michie (#44, 2010 ND)
Sweet and sour: Anthony Morabito
Fremantle fans, this one is completely up to you. Is Morabito a sweet or sour draft selection?
Pick four in 2009. Twenty-six games in five years due to a cruel run of injuries. If you had your time again, knowing what you know now, would you redraft Morabito with pick 4?
Final words
Fremantle’s drafting since 2001 has been exceptional. Their ability to draft a number of quality players from one draft pool is clearly a strength. Their 2008 and 2011 drafting is the best example of this.
They had an interesting one in 2003, where they absolutely wasted their high draft picks but still managed to scoop up Mundy, Johnson and Duffield. Then they had a sour one in 2006, where they drafted a total of seven players. Only 13 AFL games were played between those players.
Their 2009 draft will always be one for conversation. It’s sweet, knowing Fyfe and Barlow joined them that year, but it would also have to be sour, knowing their pick four, Anthony Marobito, has been crippled by a horrible luck of injuries to start off his career.
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