Wayne Carey celebrates a goal
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SINCE the first NAB AFL Draft was held in 1986, clubs have been trying to perfect the inexact science of identifying and recruiting the best young talent each year.
So, with the 2008 NAB AFL Draft less than a week away afc.com.au continues its review of Adelaide’s biggest hits (and misses) of drafts gone by with a look at the early 2000s.
2001 NAB AFL Draft
The 2001 NAB AFL Draft generated a lot of debate in Adelaide and the wider football community. The Crows used their first pick, No.12, on Victorian onballer Brent Reilly, leaving Nick Dal Santo to go to St Kilda with the very next pick.
Reilly, like Ken McGregor with Matthew Pavlich, has endured constant comparisons to the St Kilda star, but with both players in their mid-20s, you get the feeling this battle has more to play out.
Adelaide lucked out with its other two picks, Ben Finnin (pick No.44) and Jacob Schuback (59) and took punts on bringing injury-riddled Sydney forward Ryan Fitzgerald and former Carlton first-round draft pick Kris Massie to West Lakes.
Best picks of the draft overall…
The 2001 ‘super’ draft produced some of the finest footballers in the game today, including Brownlow Medallists Chris Judd (pick No.3) and Jimmy Bartel (No.8) and also Norm Smith Medallist Luke Hodge (No.1) - we’ll let you pick the best player.
2002 NAB AFL Draft
Draft day and the exchange period, in general, didn’t get any less controversial for the Crows in 2002 when they opted to bring troubled star Wayne Carey to the club.
Adelaide, which ended up with pick No.2 when Carlton was stripped of its picks as a result of salary cap breaches, traded its first selection along with pick No.18 (Kris Shore) to get the premiership captain to West Lakes.
North Melbourne later used the prized No.2 pick to grab star Daniel Wells.
The Crows also recruited former Cat Ronnie Burns and ex-Tiger Jason Torney in a bid to bring immediate premiership success to the club.
But history shows Adelaide’s greatest success in 2002 came from its rookie list, when it promoted All-Australian duo Nathan Bock and Ben Rutten and also dashing defender Marty Mattner.
Trent Hentschel followed in the footsteps of Simon Goodwin and Tyson Edwards and emerged from the pre-season draft.
Best picks of the draft overall…
St Kilda snapped up Brendon Goddard at pick No.1 and Wells went at two, but Geelong’s Andrew Mackie at pick No.7 is looking like a winner in this lot.
2003 NAB AFL Draft
Once again the Crows took a chance on a tall forward, this time Fergus Watts, with its first-round pick. And, unfortunately, it again failed to pay off.
Watts, who was taken at pick 14, played just five games for Adelaide before seeking a trade back to his native Victoria two years later.
Adelaide balanced up this misfortune by unearthing little-known ruckman Ben Hudson from virtual obscurity at pick No.58. Hudson played 55 games for the Crows before disappointing fans by, also, seeking a trade to Victoria.
Reliable defender Scott Stevens, who was traded to Adelaide from the Swans in exchange for pick 29, proved to be a handy acquisition during trade week.
Best picks of the draft overall…
The Western Bulldogs selected SA-born midfielder Adam Cooney with the No.1 pick and his Brownlow Medal win this year suggests they made the right choice.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
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