AFL rookie draft: Ruck stars have emerged from league’s second-chance saloon
DEAN Cox, Shane Mumford and Aaron Sandilands are among the big men to have graduated from AFL footy’s second-chance saloon. Will your club land a bargain on Wednesday?
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DEAN Cox, Shane Mumford, Sam Jacobs. And you can throw in the likes of Mike Pyke and Aaron Sandilands, too.
They’re just some of the ruckmen to graduate from AFL rookie lists to senior ranks, and then go on to become stars of the game.
It was evident at last week’s national draft just how few big men were selected by AFL clubs.
THE ORDER: PRE-SEASON AND ROOKIE DRAFTS
The thought that ‘big men take longer’, coupled with the uncertainty of whether a lanky, raw youngster can one day fulfil the promise of his junior days is perhaps one reason why AFL clubs seem more and more inclined to shy away from using high draft picks on an out and out ruckman.
ROOKIE CHANCE: MEET MUMMY, MARK II
We decided to look through each club’s ruck stocks ahead of the 2015 season, to see where each big man has come from in terms of their draft history.
We’ve italicised all those who were selected as rookies, and therefore forced to take the long route to the top. As you can see, many of today’s best have done it the hard way.
Theirs are stories of hope for all those whose names are plucked by an AFL club on Wednesday.
Who knows? Maybe your club will strike gold in Wednesday’s AFL rookie draft ...
YOUR CLUB’S RUCKMEN AND THEIR DRAFT HISTORY:
* Only senior-listed ruckmen or those who played AFL football in 2014 listed below
ADELAIDE
Sam Jacobs — rookie selection 2007 and 2009 (Carlton)
Josh Jenkins — rookie selection 2011 (Essendon)
Luke Lowden — pick 63 national draft 2008
BRISBANE
Matthew Leuenberger — pick 4 national draft 2006
Stefan Martin — pre-season draft selection 2008 (Melbourne)
Trent West — pick 31 round selection 2005 (Geelong)
CARLTON
Matthew Kreuzer — pick 1 national draft 2007
Robert Warnock — pick 42 national draft 2005
Cameron Wood — pick 18 (Brisbane) 2004; rookie selection 2014
COLLINGWOOD
Brodie Grundy — pick 18 national draft 2012
Jarrod Witts — pick 67 (NSW scholarship pick) 2011
ESSENDON
Tom Bellchambers — pre-season draft selection 2008
Joe Daniher — pick 10 (father-son) national draft 2012
Jonathan Giles — pick 70 2005 (Port); rookie selection (GWS) 2011
FREMANTLE
Zac Clarke — pick 37 national draft 2008
Jonathon Griffin — rookie selection 2005 (Adelaide)
Jack Hannath — pre-season selection 2013
Aaron Sandilands — rookie selection 2002
GEELONG
Mark Blicavs — rookie (three-year non-registered) 2012
Mitch Clark — pick 9 national draft 2005
Hamish McIntosh — pick 9 national draft 2002 (North Melbourne)
Dawson Simpson — pick 34 national draft 2007
Nathan Vardy — pick 42 national draft 2009
Rhys Stanley — pick 47 national draft 2008
GOLD COAST
Charlie Dixon — local talent selection 2010
Daniel Gorringe — pick 10 national draft 2010
Tom Nicholls — 17-year-old access selection 2010
Zac Smith — local talent access selection 2010
Peter Wright — pick 8 national draft 2014
GWS
Tom Downie — pick 56 national draft 2011
Rory Lobb — pick 29 national draft 2013
Shane Mumford — rookie selection 2008 (Geelong)
Andrew Phillips — rookie selection 2010 (GWS)
HAWTHORN
Jonathan Ceglar — Trade by Gold Coast for pick 25 in 2010; rookie selection 2013
David Hale — pick 7 national draft 2001
Ben McEvoy — pick 9 national draft 2007
Marc Pittonet — pick 50 national draft 2014
MELBOURNE
Jack Fitzpatrick — pick 50 national draft 2009
Max Gawn — pick 34 national draft 2009
Mark Jamar — rookie selection 2002
Jake Spencer — rookie selection 2008
NORTH MELBOURNE
Daniel Currie — pick 49 national draft 2006 (Sydney)
Majak Daw — rookie selection 2010
Todd Goldstein — pick 37 national draft 2006
PORT ADELAIDE
Billy Frampton — pick 84 national draft 2014
Matthew Lobbe — pick 16 national draft 2007
Jarrad Redden — pick 54 national draft 2008
Patrick Ryder — pick 7 national draft 2005
Justin Westhoff — pick 71 national draft 2006
RICHMOND
Ben Griffiths — pick 19 national draft 2009
Shaun Hampson — pick 17 national draft 2007
Ivan Maric — pick 40 national draft 2004
Ty Vickery — pick 8 national draft 2008
ST KILDA
Tom Hickey — local talent selection 2010 (Gold Coast)
Billy Longer — pick 8 national draft 2011 (Brisbane)
Lewis Pierce — pick 75 national draft 2012
SYDNEY SWANS
Tom Derickx — pick 63 national draft 2010 (Richmond)
Sam Naismith — rookie selection (NSW zone) 2013
Toby Nankervis — pick 35 national draft 2013
Mike Pyke — rookie selection 2009
WEST COAST
Scott Lycett — pick 29 national draft 2010
Nic Naitanui — pick 2 national draft 2008
Callum Sinclair — rookie selection 2013
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Tom Campbell — rookie selection 2012
Ayce Cordy — pick 14 national draft 2008
Will Minson — pick 20 national draft 2002
Originally published as AFL rookie draft: Ruck stars have emerged from league’s second-chance saloon
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