Draft-off Grand Final: Best of 2001 AFL draft against class of 2007

WHICH AFL draft class was the best of the 2000s? Was it 2001 or 2007? We pit the 22-man teams against each other in our Grand Final. VOTE NOW

22/05/2001. TAC player of the Week. Geelong Falcons James Bartel (Jimmy Bartel).

WHICH AFL draft class was the best of the 2000s?

We’ve selected a 22-man team from each national draft between 2001 and 2008 and pitted them against each other over the past week.

Here’s how the results panned out ...

Semi-final 1:‘01 draft (81%) def ‘06 draft (19%)

Semi-final 2: ‘05 draft (37%) def by ‘07 draft (63%)

Quarter-final 1: ’01 draft (98%) def ’03 draft (2%)

Quarter-final 2: ’05 draft (62%) def ’02 draft (38%)

Quarter-final 3: ’07 draft (57%) def ’08 draft (42%)

Quarter-final 4: ’06 draft (74%) def ’04 draft (26%)

So we’ve come to the Grand Final: The class of ‘01 against the class of ‘07.

Does the 2007 team have anything on the Super Draft?

Or would the class of Judd, Ablett and company be too great for the younger squad to overcome?

Remember it’s you who decides who should advance to the Grand Final, so make your votes count.

##### ALERT ALERT ##### BEFORE REUSE OF THIS IMAGE CHECK CONTENT AND COPYRIGHT ISSUES WITH THE /PICTURE /DESK - D/I. Oct 19 2001 - Qld afl hopeful David Hale on the G/C - picGeoff/McLachlan - sport

BEST OF ’01 DRAFT

B: Jason Gram (Pick 19) Brian Lake (71) Brent Reilly (12)

HB: Luke Hodge (1) Matt Maguire (21) Sam Mitchell (36)

C: Leigh Montagna (37) Dane Swan (58) James Kelly (17)

HF: Steve Johnson (24) Jarrad Waite (46) Nick Dal Santo (13)

F: Jimmy Bartel (8) David Hale (7) Adam Schneider (60)

Foll: Mark Seaby (22) Chris Judd (3) Gary Ablett (40 — F/S)

I/C: Luke Ball (2) Campbell Brown (32) Lewis Roberts-Thomson (29) Paul Medhurst (56)

WHEN you look at this team, you feel like singing “here a star, there a star, everywhere a superstar” to the tune of Old Macdonald had a farm.

Six Brownlow Medals, six Norm Smith Medals and 29 premiership medallions have been awarded to players from this Super Draft team. That says it all.

It also says a lot when Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel is named in a forward pocket and premiership captains Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell occupy the half-back flanks. Those selections came about because another star trio — Brownlow Medallists Judd, Ablett and Swan — have undoubtedly earned the right to start in the guts.

Besides having just one genuine ruckman, this side is close to flawless.

Footballer Cyril Rioli. Football - NT vs Qld match at Victoria Park 10 Jul 2007. a/ct

BEST OF ‘07 DRAFT

B: Cale Hooker (Pick 54) Scott Thompson (37) Jack Grimes (14)

HB: Harry Taylor (17) Alex Rance (18) David Myers (6)

C: Jack Steven (42) Callan Ward (19) Levi Greenwood (32)

HF: Brad Ebert (13) Lachie Henderson (8) Chris Mayne (40)

F: Cyril Rioli (12) Taylor Walker (75) Matthew Kreuzer (1)

Foll: Matthew Lobbe (16) Patrick Dangerfield (10) Trent Cotchin (2)

I/C: Ben McEvoy (9) Scott Selwood (22) Chris Masten (3) Craig Bird (59)

IF there was one draft of the 2000s that could challenge the Super Draft, the class of 2007 would go close.

Four players have already played in premiership sides, including three-time premiership player Rioli.

The spine is solid and reliable, especially down back with All-Australian duo Thompson and Rance leading the charge.

While the ‘01 team has one recognised ruckman (Seaby), the ‘07 side has three: Kreuzer, Lobbe and McEvoy. Despite Kreuzer being taken with the first pick of the draft and McEvoy playing in a premiership team this year, Lobbe has quickly established himself as one of the competition’s best big men, hence why he has been selected as the starting ruckman.

Lobbe would have a field day palming the ball down to one of the toughest young midfields ever assembled: Dangerfield, Cotchin and Ward.

But really, as good as this team is, could it really compete with the Super Draft?

Originally published as Draft-off Grand Final: Best of 2001 AFL draft against class of 2007