The best 22 from the 2001 draft class

This is the first in a series of articles where I’ve set myself the task of going through each draft year from 2001 onwards and picking the best 22 out of that draft year.

We are starting with 2001, the so-called super draft, because it is the most interesting to me.

Best 22
Backs: Jimmy Bartel, Ben Rutten, Campbell Brown

Halfbacks: Luke Hodge, Brian lake, Martin Mattner

Centres: Chris Judd, Sam Mitchell, Leigh Montagna

Rucks: Aaron Sandilands, Gary Ablett Jr, Luke Ball

Half-forwards: Nick Dal Santo, Jarrad Waite, Dane Swan

Forwards: Steve Johnson, James Podsiadly, Adam Schneider

Bench: Quentin Lynch, Brett Reilly, Paul Medhurst, Matthew Boyd

Backs
I believe that finding key backs was the hardest position to discern for this year’s draft. They have a stacked midfield and a reasonably strong forward line but no suitable key defenders.

I settled on Ben Rutten, who played over 200 games for the Crows and at 190 cm is a little short for a key back, but he played above his height. At centre halfback I brought in Brian Lake, the multi-premiership-winning back who was always talented but really turned it around when he moved to the Hawks, operating as a fantastic lockdown tall to the point where he won the Norm Smith in the 2013 grand final.

Occupying the smaller defensive roles and drastically increasing the shirt-front rate of this side are Campbell Brown, Martin Mattner, and Luke Hodge. Each player is hard and tough at the contest in their own right and Luke Hodge provides one of the best offensive weapons out of the backline for his leadership and use.

Finally, there is Jimmy Bartel because I knew I needed to find a spot for him and he couldn’t fit in the midfield for much the same reasons that Dane Swan couldn’t fit.

Midfield
The pièce de résistance of the 2001 draft, there are six Brownlow medals in this midfield along with one of the best ruckmen of the past 30 years in Big Sandi. This midfield is a powerhouse on the inside and outside.

Gary Ablett is objectively one of the most talented players ever to cross the white line, Luke Ball is an inside beast and Sam Mitchell is mercurial on both sides of his body. Leigh Montagna and Chris Judd are running down the wings. Rounding out the midfield from the bench are Matthew Boyd and Brett Reilly, each assisting in providing assistance in the tackling department and each being able to rest in the backline.

Forward line
Nick Dal Santo, Dane Swan and even Steve Johnson could operate as resting midfielders allowing Judd, Ablett and Montagna to rest. Jarrad Waite and James Podsiadly are in the key posts, each providing strong marking while Waite is able to provide greater mobility up the ground.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Adam Schneider provides defensive tackling. Paul Medhurst rotates off the bench as a small forward providing leap and dare for the forward line in small doses, while the Big Q provides crash and bash for the key forwards while also allowing a chop out in the ruck.

Final thoughts
The 2001 draft is known as a super draft with good reason as the draftees comprise a third of all future Brownlow winners along with six Norm Smith medals and ten grand final-winning sides. The other thing is the success of the rookie draft with players such as Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Boyd, Ben Rutten, Martin Mattner and Quentin Lynch all contributing to deep September runs and long, storied careers at their respective clubs despite starting on the rookie lists.

Join us tomorrow as we deconstruct the 2002 draft.