Hypothetical

[Goose is king]

Swan instead of Houlihan

[Linton Lodger]

Cyril Rioli without a doubt.

I agree with Paul Roos in regard to not using a top 10 pick on a young ruckman for a start. We took McEvoy.

I'll never forget Maurice Rioli's words before that draft in regard to Cyril: "don't worry the kid can play, he's better than I was." Maurice looked deadly serious and on the money and that was proven to be the case.

We would have gone back to back in 09 & 10 with Cyril.

[Myron Gaines]

Cyril Rioli without a doubt.

I agree with Paul Roos in regard to not using a top 10 pick on a young ruckman for a start. We took McEvoy.

I'll never forget Maurice Rioli's words before that draft in regard to Cyril: "don't worry the kid can play, he's better than I was." Maurice looked deadly serious and on the money and that was proven to be the case.

We would have gone back to back in 09 & 10 with Cyril.

Our medical department would've ensured Cryil's career was over before it began.

These hindsite threads are fun but the player Bartell (for example) became at Geelong may not have been the same player at St Kilda.

[Stephen Theodore]

2001 Judd instead of Ball. Judd was an absolute jet and Brownlow winner in 2004.

Put him in our team and we may have gone all the way instead of falling short by a goal in a prelim.

Agree in part. We would've gone all the way at least once, if not more with Judd in our colours, take your pick out of 2004, 2009 & 2010.

[BigMart]

If you believe Cyril is better or as good as Maurice... You are a young supporter or never watched Maurice play. He was a elite midfielder to begin with... Not a 1.5gpg small forward.

Maurice came to Richmond a jet... He won a B&F almost immediately and was a gun in a good side.

Cyril is very handy... Never ever factored in a B&F count or any awards for a reason!

[Scollop]

Gee there were some nice players available in 2007

Callan Ward or Danger or Cyril would do me, but maybe another hypothetical would be that we'd have needed a coach who played youngsters

[stevie]

2001 Judd instead of Ball. Judd was an absolute jet and Brownlow winner in 2004.

Put him in our team and we may have gone all the way instead of falling short by a goal in a prelim.

Agree in part. We would've gone all the way at least once, if not more with Judd in our colours, take your pick out of 2004, 2009 & 2010.

Don't forget 2005. Bigger chance than the previous year

[barneyboyz]

Looking at this, you've got to ask...apart from Gehrig, Maguire, Kosie and Armitage (all due respect to others), what were we thinking???

Apart from taking Judas instead of Judd we really didn't do too badly from 2000-2010 IMO. The last few years have been slim pickings in terms of results but we were regular finalists through most of the draft period we are looking at. Many of the best players in the game represented our club during this time including Lenny, Milney, Riewoldt, Dal, Joey, BJ, the G-Train and even the mighty Bakes who had no peer as a tagger. We were a powerhouse side without a constant stream of father son champions, AFL sponsored hand outs and huge financial resources to draw on. There are plenty of other clubs who went a lot worse. Richmond, Carlton or Melbourne spring instantly to mind.

Fair points, but from that list there's more than a couple of big mistakes that we made. For mine on the choice of Ball, I remember many a game where he came out wearing some kind of bandage on his head, went in pretty hard and was cruelled later in his career with those groins. And I just loved the Bakes...if he'd have played for Hawthorne he wouldn't have missed half the games he did, IMO

[BigMart]

Don't forget

We gave up 4 first round picks in 2000 (98), 2002 (10), 2005 (1), 2009 (0)

For a total f 109 games

[SaintPav]

2001 Judd instead of Ball. Judd was an absolute jet and Brownlow winner in 2004.

Put him in our team and we may have gone all the way instead of falling short by a goal in a prelim.

Agree in part. We would've gone all the way at least once, if not more with Judd in our colours, take your pick out of 2004, 2009 & 2010.

Don't forget 2005. Bigger chance than the previous year

Not it wasn't. Getting run over in the last in a prelim means that you were way off the mark.

Not even close.

2004 was the one that got away.

[BigMart]

2005 - better team

Many more injuries

Out of the side
Hamill, Koschitzke, Maguire, Clarke, Fisher, Penny
All during the finals

2006
We actually copped injuries during the game!! And were run over

2004
We had Trent Knobel and probably too much inexperience... Brisbane flogged us in the first final

[Life Long Saint]

2006 pick 27 Todd Goldstein (37) Howard

With Goldstein drafted then McEvoy wouldn't have been selected in 2007 so Dangerfield, Rioli, Taylor, Rance or Ward might have been.

[stevie]

2001 Judd instead of Ball. Judd was an absolute jet and Brownlow winner in 2004.

Put him in our team and we may have gone all the way instead of falling short by a goal in a prelim.

Agree in part. We would've gone all the way at least once, if not more with Judd in our colours, take your pick out of 2004, 2009 & 2010.

Don't forget 2005. Bigger chance than the previous year

Not it wasn't. Getting run over in the last in a prelim means that you were way off the mark.

Not even close.

2004 was the one that got away.

I dunno bro. i would rather have played Wet Toast at the G then the Lions chasing 4 in a row. People talk about how banged up they were but Port only really overan them late in the 04 GF.

Losing the 05 PF is still one of our worst moments

But yeah with Judd it mighta been different both years.

[farquhar]

I've always been a bit annoyed we didn't pick up Jack Riewoldt. Jack could have been the full forward we needed to let Nick roam further forward.

[Teflon]

Jude then Bartel for sure.

[BigMart]

The non selection of Jack or Frawley in 06 was bizarre

We had a team choc full of mids and at least 3 A Graders

JB was not big on Riewoldt thinking he not athletic or big enough to be a KPP
How wrong he was... Coleman and B&F in 2010
Frawley a big miss as well... He was an AA in 2009

[IluvHarvey]

I would say that Swan over Houlihan is by far the beat deal there... Lose nothing gain a jet.

Oh dear god, could you imagine having Dane Swan on our list during the time we consistently were in the media for the wrong reasons.
We couldn't control our own players, imagine the crap Swan would have got up to.
The papers would have a field day!

In saying that for pure Football reasons yes, Swan for Houlihan is a pretty good deal!

[stonecold]

I would say that Swan over Houlihan is by far the beat deal there... Lose nothing gain a jet.

Oh dear god, could you imagine having Dane Swan on our list during the time we consistently were in the media for the wrong reasons.
We couldn't control our own players, imagine the crap Swan would have got up to.
The papers would have a field day!

In saying that for pure Football reasons yes, Swan for Houlihan is a pretty good deal!

Pretty good deal,.that'sBOLD!!!!!

BSTTT!!!!!