Top 10 from every draft for the past decade reranked

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... b558979562

[happy feet]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... b558979562

Paywall…..sigh

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... b558979562

Paywall…..sigh

indsight is a wonderful thing.

One of the AFL’s toughest, most unforgiving jobs is being a talent scout charged with uncovering, rating and projecting how good a footballer will be.

News Corp Australia sports journalist Marc McGowan has looked back at the past 10 drafts and re-ranked the top 10 based on output – not potential.

Achievements, games played, consistency and team strength were among the criteria, with any player drafted, signed or pre-listed in that year being eligible.

Players picked in the mini-draft era were considered for the national draft they would have been selected from, so Jaeger O’Meara, for example, was part of the 2012 crop.

Each draft from 2011 onwards has also been graded on top-end quality and depth of talent.

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Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was the dux of last year’s AFL draft class. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was the dux of last year’s AFL draft class. Picture: AFL Photos via Getty Images
2020

Actual top 10

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1. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan

2. Riley Thilthorpe

3. Will Phillips

4. Logan McDonald

5. Braeden Campbell

6. Denver Grainger-Barras

7. Elijah Hollands

8. Nik Cox

9. Archie Perkins

10. Zach Reid

Re-ranked top 10

1. Errol Gulden (32)

2. Riley Thilthorpe (2)

3. Tom Powell (13)

4. Jake Bowey (21)

5. Archie Perkins (9)

6. Lachie Bramble (SSP)

7. Nik Cox (8)

8. Josh Treacy (rookie)

9. James Rowe (38)

10. Caleb Poulter (30)

The toughest draft to re-rank because, in reality, it’s far too early to make a judgment. It was also hard to compare the seasons of players competing in teams of differing strength and opportunity. Bowey played one-third of Perkins’ games but was a genuine contributor for Melbourne and kept out more seasoned teammates to help win a flag. There are footballers who didn’t appear on the re-rank list – such as Grainger-Barras and Campbell – who looked promising but didn’t play enough. Gulden and Thilthorpe were the standouts, while Max Holmes was the unluckiest to miss out.
Draft Special: A Giant insight to this year's AFL Draft
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Draft Special: A Giant insight to this year's AFL Draft
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How do the first-round draft picks from 2019 compare two years on? Picture: Getty Images
How do the first-round draft picks from 2019 compare two years on? Picture: Getty Images
2019

Actual top 10

1. Matt Rowell

2. Noah Anderson

3. Luke Jackson

4. Lachie Ash

5. Dylan Stephens

6. Fischer McAsey

7. Hayden Young

8. Caleb Serong

9. Liam Henry

10. Tom Green

Re-ranked top 10

1. Luke Jackson (3)

2. Caleb Serong (8)

3. Kozzy Pickett (12)

4. Noah Anderson (2)

5. Tom Green (10)

6. Mitch Georgiades (18)

7. Trent Rivers (32)

8. Cody Weightman (15)

9. Harry Schoenberg (24)

10. Matt Rowell (1)

This draft class hasn’t had the same time to rack up the accolades as their older peers but they are already making a splash. Jackson and Serong won the past two Rising Star awards and Pickett kicked 40 goals as a small forward in just his second season. Schoenberg might have the lowest profile of this bunch but played every game in 2021 and finished strongly. Rowell slid because of injuries and not being able to match this year the blistering start to his career. He narrowly edged out Will Day, who’s also been promising but impacted by injury.

DRAFT PROFILES: TOP PROSPECTS IN EVERY POSITION
The 2017 top-10 picks: (back row from left) Lochie O'Brien, Jaidyn Stephenson, Aaron Naughton, Nick Coffield, Hunter Clark, (front row from left) Adam Cerra, Paddy Dow, Cam Rayner, Andrew Brayshaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke. Picture: Getty Images
The 2017 top-10 picks: (back row from left) Lochie O'Brien, Jaidyn Stephenson, Aaron Naughton, Nick Coffield, Hunter Clark, (front row from left) Adam Cerra, Paddy Dow, Cam Rayner, Andrew Brayshaw and Luke Davies-Uniacke. Picture: Getty Images
2017

Actual top 10

1. Cam Rayner

2. Andrew Brayshaw

3. Paddy Dow

4. Luke Davies-Uniacke

5. Adam Cerra

6. Jaidyn Stephenson

7. Hunter Clark

8. Nick Coffield

9. Aaron Naughton

10. Lochie O’Brien

Re-ranked top 10

1. Tim Kelly (24)

2. Liam Ryan (26)

3. Bayley Fritsch (31)

4. Aaron Naughton (9)

5. Andrew Brayshaw (2)

6. James Worpel (45)

7. Jaidyn Stephenson (6)

8. Zac Bailey (15)

9. Brody Mihocek (rookie)

10. Adam Cerra (5)

The 2017 draft has been maligned at times, especially at the top, but has produced All-Australian teammates Kelly and Ryan and premiership forward Fritsch – all as mature-agers. Brayshaw has back-to-back top-three best-and-fairest finishes, while Naughton led the league in contested marks and was second for marks inside 50 this year. Worpel was Hawthorn’s club champion in 2019, too. There are players still to fully emerge that look great prospects long term, including Davies-Uniacke, Clark, Wil Powell, Brandon Starcevich and key defenders Sam Taylor, Tom McCartin and Noah Balta.
The top 10 from the 2016 draft (from left): Andy McGrath, Tim Taranto, Hugh McCluggage, Ben Ainsworth, Will Setterfield, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Jack Scrimshaw, Griffin Logue, Will Brodie and Jack Bowes were selected at the top of the 2016 AFL draft. Picture: Jonathan Ng
The top 10 from the 2016 draft (from left): Andy McGrath, Tim Taranto, Hugh McCluggage, Ben Ainsworth, Will Setterfield, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Jack Scrimshaw, Griffin Logue, Will Brodie and Jack Bowes were selected at the top of the 2016 AFL draft. Picture: Jonathan Ng
2016

Actual top 10

1. Andy McGrath

2. Tim Taranto

3. Hugh McCluggage

4. Ben Ainsworth

5. Will Setterfield

6. Sam Petrevski-Seton

7. Jack Scrimshaw

8. Griffin Logue

9. Will Brodie

10. Jack Bowes

Re-ranked top 10

1. Tom Stewart (40)

2. Hugh McCluggage (3)

3. Tim Taranto (2)

4. Luke Ryan (66)

5. Jy Simpkin (12)

6. Andy McGrath (1)

7. Sean Darcy (38)

8. Jordan Ridley (22)

9. Nick Larkey (73)

10. Oscar McInerney (rookie)

Stewart is the undeniable main man from this draft after being plucked from relative obscurity, but isn’t the only club champion or All-Australian in this class. Taranto, Simpkin, Darcy and Ridley are also best-and-fairest winners, while McCluggage has made the All-Australian squad of 40 three-years straight. Ryan was an All-Australian defender in 2020. McGrath’s consistency from the get-go earns him a spot, while Larkey and McInerney are the No.1 key forward and ruckman at their respective clubs. Jack Henry, Shai Bolton, Tim English, Harry Perryman, Jack Graham and Ollie Florent were unlucky.

DRAFT GRADES: EVERY CLUB’S RECRUITING RATED FROM 2016-2020
Sam Walsh (left) and Jack Lukosius were the No.1 and 2 picks, respectively, in the 2018 AFL draft. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images
Sam Walsh (left) and Jack Lukosius were the No.1 and 2 picks, respectively, in the 2018 AFL draft. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images
2018

Actual top 10

1. Sam Walsh

2. Jack Lukosius

3. Izak Rankine

4. Max King

5. Connor Rozee

6. Ben King

7. Bailey Smith

8. Tarryn Thomas

9. Chayce Jones

10. Nick Blakey

Re-ranked top 10

1. Sam Walsh (1)

2. Bailey Smith (7)

3. Ben King (6)

4. Max King (4)

5. Connor Rozee (5)

6. Callum Wilkie (rookie)

7. Zak Butters (12)

8. Tarryn Thomas (8)

9. Jack Lukosius (2)

10. James Rowbottom (25)

This re-ranking has the closest correlation with the original in the past decade. Walsh is already a bonafide star and there’s plenty else to like in this class. Smith’s off-field fame is surging but he’s also producing on-field, while the King brothers are standing up as their teams’ top marking options in attack. The odd one out here is Wilkie, who’s gone from a mature-age rookie to finishing in the top seven of St Kilda’s best-and-fairest count in each of his seasons at the club. Thomas enjoyed a breakout campaign this year in graduating to the midfield. Rowbottom barely pipped Isaac Quaynor and fellow Swans Nick Blakey and Justin McInerney to sneak into the top 10.
Carlton defender Jacob Weitering has lived up to being the No.1 pick in the 2015 AFL draft. Picture: Getty Images
Carlton defender Jacob Weitering has lived up to being the No.1 pick in the 2015 AFL draft. Picture: Getty Images
2015

Actual top 10

1. Jacob Weitering

2. Josh Schache

3. Callum Mills

4. Clayton Oliver

5. Darcy Parish

6. Aaron Francis

7. Jacob Hopper

8. Callum Ah Chee

9. Sam Weideman

10. Harry McKay

Re-ranked top 10

1. Clayton Oliver (4)

2. Jacob Weitering (1)

3. Harry McKay (10)

4. Tom Papley (rookie)

5. Callum Mills (3)

6. Jacob Hopper (7)

7. Darcy Parish (5)

8. Josh Dunkley (25)

9. Sam Menegola (66)

10. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (rookie)

An incredible collection of young talent. Oliver is a dual All-Australian and favoured to win a third Demons best and fairest this year, while Weitering and McKay give Carlton the best young bookends in the game. Papley finally received All-Australian honours this year, as did Parish in his breakout season. Mills and Hopper don’t have that on their resume but have been consistently excellent. Dunkley is a premiership player, a best and fairest runner-up and made an All-Australian squad of 40. The depth is summed up by Eric Hipwood missing out despite kicking 163 goals in 110 games. Charlie Curnow, Jordan Dawson, Jade Gresham and Ben McKay were also in this class.
The top 10 picks from the 2014 AFL draft: (back row from left) Jordan De Goey, Paul Ahern, Darcy Moore, Peter Wright, Caleb Marchbank, Nakia Cockatoo, Jarrod Pickett, (front row from left) Christian Petracca, Paddy McCartin and Angus Brayshaw. Picture: Stephen Harman
The top 10 picks from the 2014 AFL draft: (back row from left) Jordan De Goey, Paul Ahern, Darcy Moore, Peter Wright, Caleb Marchbank, Nakia Cockatoo, Jarrod Pickett, (front row from left) Christian Petracca, Paddy McCartin and Angus Brayshaw. Picture: Stephen Harman
Which year boasts the best draft class?
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2014

Actual top 10

1. Paddy McCartin

2. Christian Petracca

3. Angus Brayshaw

4. Jarrod Pickett

5. Jordan De Goey

6. Caleb Marchbank

7. Paul Ahern

8. Peter Wright

9. Darcy Moore

10. Nakia Cockatoo

Re-ranked top 10

1. Christian Petracca (2)

2. Harris Andrews (61)

3. Jack Steele (24)

4. Caleb Daniel (46)

5. Jake Lever (14)

6. Isaac Heeney (18, Academy)

7. Darcy Moore (9, father-son)

8. Touk Miller (29)

9. Kane Lambert (rookie)

10. Brayden Maynard (30)

Petracca might be the AFL’s No.1 player, having put together consecutive All-Australian campaigns capped by winning the Norm Smith Medal in Melbourne’s drought-busting premiership. It takes a special footballer to relegate fellow dual All-Australians Andrews and Steele. It gets murky from there, with little separating Daniel, Lever, Heeney and Moore, who have all had great careers. Miller is the latest All-Australian from this class, while premiership Tiger Lambert and Maynard are strong performers year after year. How deep is this group? De Goey, best-and-fairest winner Jayden Short, All-Australian Bailey Dale, Ed Langdon, Adam Saad and Brayshaw didn’t make the cut.

MOCK DRAFT: HOW THE TOP 30 PICKS COULD FALL
Ollie Wines (left) with fellow 2012 Port Adelaide draftees Tom Clurey and Mason Shaw. Picture: Tait Schmaal
Ollie Wines (left) with fellow 2012 Port Adelaide draftees Tom Clurey and Mason Shaw. Picture: Tait Schmaal

3. 2012

Actual top 10

1. Lachie Whitfield

2. Jono O’Rourke

3. Lachie Plowman

4. Jimmy Toumpas

5. Jake Stringer

6. Jack Macrae

7. Ollie Wines

8. Sam Mayes

9. Nick Vlastuin

10. Joe Daniher

Re-ranked top 10

1. Jack Macrae (6)

2. Brodie Grundy (18)

3. Ollie Wines (7)

4. Lachie Whitfield (1)

5. Dane Rampe (rookie)

6. Jake Stringer (5)

7. Joe Daniher (10, father-son)

8. Jake Lloyd (rookie)

9. Lachie Hunter (49)

10. Nick Vlastuin (9)

Macrae’s third All-Australian nod and continued ball magnet ways saw him take the honours as the best player to date from this draft. That’s despite Wines winning the 2021 Brownlow Medal and Grundy arguably being the AFL’s best ruckman across the 2018-19 seasons. Whitfield’s proven a very good No.1 selection, winning two Giants best and fairests and being an All-Australian. Rampe is an All-Australian defender, while Stringer and Daniher have also earned that recognition for their match-winning exploits in attack. Dual Swans best and fairest Lloyd, Dogs club champion Hunter and premiership player Vlastuin are consistently strong contributors. Among those to just miss out were Jack Viney, Tim Membrey, Jaeger O’Meara, Zac Williams and Brad Crouch.
(from left) Josh Kelly, Tom Boyd and Cam McCarthy at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast after being drafted to the Giants in 2013. Picture: Getty Images
(from left) Josh Kelly, Tom Boyd and Cam McCarthy at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast after being drafted to the Giants in 2013. Picture: Getty Images

2. 2013

Actual top 10

1. Tom Boyd

2. Josh Kelly

3. Jack Billings

4. Marcus Bontempelli

5. Kade Kolodjashnij

6. Matt Scharenberg

7. James Aish

8. Luke McDonald

9. Christian Salem

10. Nathan Freeman

Re-ranked top 10

1. Marcus Bontempelli (4)

2. Patrick Cripps (13)

3. Zach Merrett (26)

4. Charlie Cameron (rookie)

5. Josh Kelly (2)

6. Ben Brown (47)

7. Matt Crouch (23)

8. Darcy Byrne-Jones (52)

9. Christian Salem (9)

10. James Sicily (56)

If Petracca’s not the AFL’s best player then that title belongs to Western Bulldogs captain Bontempelli. He’s a four-time All-Australian and Bulldogs club champion, along with winning a premiership and the AFLCA and AFLPA footballer of the year in separate seasons. The resumes are bulging behind him, too, with Cripps and Merrett multiple All-Australians and three-time best and fairest winners. Cameron kicked 143 goals across the past three seasons, while fellow All-Australian Kelly returned to his silky best in 2021. Sicily barely held off All-Australian Aliir Aliir for a top-10 place. Also missing out were Jesse Hogan, Dom Sheed, Jack Billings, Jarman Impey, Toby Nankervis, Rory Lobb and Karl Amon.
(from left) Dom Tyson, Jon Patton and Stephen Congilio all went to the Giants as the top three draft picks in 2011. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
(from left) Dom Tyson, Jon Patton and Stephen Congilio all went to the Giants as the top three draft picks in 2011. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
2011

Actual top 10

1. Jon Patton

2. Stephen Coniglio

3. Dom Tyson

4. Will Hoskin-Elliott

5. Matt Buntine

6. Chad Wingard

7. Nick Haynes

8. Billy Longer

9. Adam Tomlinson

10. Liam Sumner

Re-ranked top 10

1. Jeremy Cameron (pre-listed)

2. Toby Greene (11)

3. Lachie Neale (66)

4. Tom Mitchell (21, father-son)

5. Elliot Yeo (30)

6. Rory Laird (rookie)

7. Chad Wingard (6)

8. Nick Haynes (7)

9. Mark Blicavs (rookie)
More Coverage
Draft grades: Who snared the best 2020 AFL Draft haul?
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Draft guide: How Tigers could use top-30 bonanza
Is this the draft’s biggest bust?

10. Taylor Adams (13)

This is unquestionably the best draft class in the past decade. The first seven players are all dual All-Australians, Neale and Mitchell are Brownlow medallists and Cameron won the 2019 Coleman Medal. Only Blicavs isn’t an All-Australian out of this bunch but he’s been shortlisted the past three seasons and is a two-time Geelong best and fairest. Adams had stiff competition to make this list, keeping out Adam Treloar, All-Australians Dylan Shiel and Sam Docherty and Giants captain Stephen Coniglio. Seb Ross (two), Jack Crisp, Bradley Hill, Devon Smith and Jarrod Witts also missed out despite having best and fairests to their name.

[shanegrambeau]

Ha!
St Kilda shines again!!

[Impatient Sainter]

Thanks for posting Saynta.

It really highlights how poor our drafting record was in the Elshaugh/Bains era. What an indictment on the club (Finnis) for allowing it to continue for so long.

That is why Lethlean has been so important as the Football Operations Manager, as Finnis had NFI who to employ in those important roles.

I never rated Richardson, but with that drafting and recruiting record he never had a chance over that period! Is it any wonder he became so negative about all things St Kilda, as the entire system stunk during his tenure.

[Wayne42]

I never rated Richardson, but with that drafting and recruiting record he never had a chance over that period! Is it any wonder he became so negative about all things St Kilda, as the entire system stunk during his tenure.

There has nearly always been a stench emanating from the St Kilda Football Club, unfortunately, hence it's history of 1 Flag, 27 Wooden Spoons, 46 Senior Coaches and 13 Presidents.

[Ghost Like]

Ahhh, that sweet smell of St Kilda. Love it! Could not support anyone else.

[Teflon]

It’s sad reading
To screw up Mcarrtin the Billing’s (it’s true he’s not even top 10 in his year nowadays) is just horrendous
Get those picks right and we have bona fide stars in our lineup
Yes Steele was a find and Wilkie is excellent but geez that’s disappointing reading
Baynes, Trout, Richardson - all driving the footy operations it really was amateur hour
I think Libba and Gallagher along with Lethers have done well in a short time to at least inject enough talent into the list that we are competitive at our best
We lack depth for sure but let’s hope we fix that along the way
It’s going to fascinating watching how they go with our top pick at this years draft
IF we nail it my confidence in them sky rockets

[Waltzing St Kilda]

That's a hundred players right there.

Divide by 18 and a bog-average team has 5.5 players among them.

St Kilda has two: Steele and King.

We're ****ed.

[kosifantutti]

That's a hundred players right there.

Divide by 18 and a bog-average team has 5.5 players among them.

St Kilda has two: Steele and King.

We're ****ed.

And Wilkie.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shanegrambeau]

That's a hundred players right there.

Divide by 18 and a bog-average team has 5.5 players among them.

St Kilda has two: Steele and King.

We're ****ed.

And Wilkie.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don’t forget we were traveling better in mid ‘17 without Wilkie and Max and co.

[Banger9798]

What year was Roma taken as a rookie?

[wally]

I think it shows how hit and miss identifying talent is. We are not the only ones to get it wrong and there is a lot of lower picks that have upgraded to top 10.
I wonder where Coffield and Clarke would fare if we redid that draft year based this time last year

[happy feet]

Thanks Saynta, I refuse to spend $$ with the Murdoch empire.

[Sanctorum]

Thanks for posting this saynta.

By far the biggest misjudgement of those still playing, apart from Petracca and Bontempelli, is Jack Riewoldt, who was overlooked in 2006 at pick 9 to take the unknown David Armitage from Mackay in Qld - the kid was really keen to play alongside his older cousin Nick.

These 3 could easily have got St Kilda multiple premierships....

[Moods]

Thanks for posting this saynta.

By far the biggest misjudgement of those still playing, apart from Petracca and Bontempelli, is Jack Riewoldt, who was overlooked in 2006 at pick 9 to take the unknown David Armitage from Mackay in Qld - the kid was really keen to play alongside his older cousin Nick.

These 3 could easily have got St Kilda multiple premierships....

Spot on

[Teflon]

Judd was a fair miss.....
Grant said Balls “moral fibre was better”
We know how Judd and Hodge turned out
Who doesn’t think Judd streaming out of the middle to deliver to Riewoldt doesn’t get you a flag or 2
Shot ourselves again cause Grant knew better..

[saint6709]

Thanks for posting this saynta.

By far the biggest misjudgement of those still playing, apart from Petracca and Bontempelli, is Jack Riewoldt, who was overlooked in 2006 at pick 9 to take the unknown David Armitage from Mackay in Qld - the kid was really keen to play alongside his older cousin Nick.

These 3 could easily have got St Kilda multiple premierships....

Spot on

2 of those 3 ( Bont was a bit smokier) 99% of the football public would have pencilled in for the saints - FOR FREE - its a shame we had to pay complete imbeciles to be making those decisions for the club

[Impatient Sainter]

Its like watching a train wreck reading through the lists year after year of getting calls so wrong. We do have Steele, Roma, Crouch, Wilkie & King on the list, but the damage had perpetuated for years. Its disgraceful management measured against any other club.

[Devilhead]

Give it few more years and those lists will likely change again .....and we may even see a few more Saints players listed

[saynta]

Thanks Saynta, I refuse to spend $$ with the Murdoch empire.

I originally tried to send it to you as a pm, but function not available. So, instead I posted it for all to read. A one off thing.

[stfiddler]

That is depressing reading. Every one of our top ten picks has slid out of the top ten. Not one has advanced a ranking. Only one has maintained their position and even his twin brother has leapfrogged him. Not only does this obviously affect our ability to win games but the lack of star power seriously impacts the saleability of the club, particularly with kids. These mistakes last decades.

[stfiddler]

That is depressing reading. Every one of our top ten picks has slid out of the top ten. Not one has advanced a ranking. Only one has maintained their position and even his twin brother has leapfrogged him. Not only does this obviously affect our ability to win games but the lack of star power seriously impacts the saleability of the club, particularly with kids. These mistakes last decades.

[B.M]

That’s one opinion- from a nobody

Billings is still top 10 IMO

Some of those rankings - absurd

[B.M]

And Jade Gresham would be top 10

As would Hunter Clark