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It’s always interesting to look back on the hits and the misses of the AFL draft. Who should have been taken at pick #1? And can you believe that guy was taken at pick #47?
Starting with the 2001 AFL draft class, I will redraft the top 10 picks.
I am not taking under consideration the father-son rule, because it ruins the fun.
I will start by listing the draft class in its real order, and then redraft them based on how their careers ended up.
2001 draft
Pick 1: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
Pick 2: Luke Ball (St Kilda)
Pick 3: Chris Judd (West Coast)
Pick 4: Graham Polak (Fremantle)
Pick 5: Xavier Clarke (St Kilda)
Pick 6: Ashley Sampi (West Coast)
Pick 7: David Hale (North Melbourne)
Pick 8: Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)
Pick 9: Luke Molan (Melbourne)
Pick 10: Sam Power (Western Bulldogs)
Redrafted
Pick 1 (Hawthorn) – Gary Ablett Jr
Ablett was taken under the father-son rule by Geelong with pick 40. Although Hawthorn would never of had the chance to draft him, it’s still fun to ponder what if.
Wow. Ablett. The best player in the game. Two premierships. Two Brownlow Medals (three if he didn’t do his shoulder) and eight All-Australians.
What a career for the little master.
Pick 2 (St Kilda) – Luke Hodge
The Hawks would be very pleased with their #1 pick: club captain, three-time premiership player (captained two of these premierships), two-time North Smith medallist, 250-gamer Luke Hodge.
What an amazing player he has turned out to be. The Hawks struck gold and got this one right. Poor Saints fans.
Pick 3 (West Coast) – Chris Judd
Knowing what we know today, Chris Judd would still be the #3 pick in the 2001 draft. Everyone thought Judd was finished last year, but the premiership player, dual Brownlow medallist, West Coast and Carlton captain is playing into his 13th season. Will Judd play on to 300?
Pick 4 (Fremantle) – Sam Mitchell
Mitchell was taken at pick 36 by Hawthorn, where he is about to begin his 13th season. Like Hodge, he’s a three-time premiership player, captaining the side to the 2008 flag. Mitchell has been a consistently solid player for Hawthorn.
Pick 5 (St Kilda) – Jimmy Bartel
Jimmy moves up four places from his original draft position as he has put together an illustrious career for the Geelong Football Club. He is another one of the three-time premiership players this draft class boasts, and won the Norm Smith in the 2011 flag, and the Brownlow Medal in 2007.
259 games later, all in the blue and white, Bartel is a much-loved player in the competition.
Pick 6 (West Coast) – Dane Swan
Collingwood took Swan with the 58th pick in the 2001 draft. His career started off poorly, with doubts over his work ethic and commitment to the game. But from 2008, Swan has become one of the AFL’s most prolific ball-winning, goal kicking midfielders.
He won the Brownlow Medal in 2011, is a premiership player and a five-time All-Australian.
Pick 7 (North Melbourne) – Steve Johnson
Stevie J was pick 24, drafted by his current club, Geelong. What can you say about Johnson? He has become one the most exciting, freakishly skilled players in the AFL.
The three-time premiership player and Norm Smith medallist has kicked 414 goals in 224 games. I estimate 300 of his goals have left fans in disbelief.
Pick 8 (Geelong) – James Kelly
Kelly was drafted pick 17 by Geelong. Not only can he boast three premierships with Geelong, he was also one of the competition’s most consistent, skilled, courageous midfielders in Geelong’s prime.
He has carved out an incredible career, albeit one often overshadowed by his great Geelong teammates.
Pick 9 (Melbourne) – Luke Ball
Ball was the #2 pick in the 2001 draft, and had a great career, playing 223 games with St Kilda and Collingwood, winning a premiership with the Pies in 2010.
He was a courageous, in-and-out, hard-nut midfielder who put his body on the line for his team. Ball had injury concerns throughout his career and ultimately retired at the end of 2014 with a back injury.
Pick 10 (Western Bulldogs) – David Hale
Originally taken pick seven by North, Hale is a goal-kicking ruckman who has thrived since being traded to Hawthorn in 2010. The two-time premiership player has played 219 games, kicking 204 goals in an awesome, quiet achieving career.
My next three redrafted picks: Pick 11 – Brian Lake, Pick 12 – Nick Dal Santo, Pick 13 – Leigh Montagna.
What an incredible amount of superstars and premiership-winning players this draft produced. No wonder the 2001 draft class has been known as ‘The Superdraft’.
The big winners are obvious – Geelong and Hawthorn. Take a bow.
Did I get it right? Who would you redraft for the top 10 picks in the 2001 AFL draft?
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