AFL draft: Chris McDermott’s top 20 second-round picks

IN the build-up to Tuesday’s AFL draft, Chris McDermott names his top-20 second-round picks of all time.

Brisbane Lions player Simon Black who will play his 319th game this weekend. Pic Peter Wallis

The best young footballers across the land will put their hand up for selection at the annual AFL draft in Adelaide on Tuesday.

As always, there will be a lot of focus on first-round draftees, and no doubt many of those players will go on to stellar careers.

But there will also undoubtedly be players drafted outside the first round who will become champions, just like many have before.

Today and tomorrow, former Crows captain Chris McDermott will look back at some of those diamonds in the AFL draft rough.

Today, he selects his top 20 second-round draft picks. Tomorrow, he selects his top 10 rank outsiders — those selected after pick 50.

BONE’S TOP 20 SECOND-ROUND DRAFTEES

1. Simon Black

Brisbane

Pick 31, 1997

322 games. Three premierships, three-time All Australian, three club best and fairests, Brownlow Medal, Norm Smith Medal.

Bone says: As a player he had it all. Exceptional skills, brilliant hands and great work ethic. He was unselfish, tough as they come and a nice bloke.

2. Nat Fyfe

Fremantle

Pick 20, 2009

112 games. Two AFLPA MVPs, two club best and fairests, two-time All-Australian, Brownlow Medal.

Bone says: The best player in the AFL as we speak and still improving. The prototype of the new midfielder, tall but powerfully strong, great turn of pace and evasive skills. Brilliant over head and below his knees. More honours await.

3. Steve Johnson

Geelong

Pick 24, 2001

253 games, 452 goals. Three premierships, three-time All Australian, Norm Smith Medal.

Bone says: Mixed the magical with the chaotic for much of his career on and off the field. When he is on there are none better. A magician of the game with freakish skills either side of his body and an uncanny goal sense.

Port Adelaide's Kane Cornes.

4. Kane Cornes

Port Adelaide

Pick 20, 2000

300 games. Four club best and fairests, two-time All Australian, 2004 premiership player.

Bone says: One of the most durable players to play the game and without doubt one of the hardest working, switching for much of his career between ball magnet and the game’s best negator. Played 174 games without a miss.

5. James Kelly

Geelong

Pick 17, 2001

273 games. Three premierships, one-time All Australian.

Bone says: Kelly had great poise and used the ball with precision. Rarely made a mistake with ball in hand, Kelly possessed a toughness that made him an even better player.

6. Barry Hall

St Kilda, Sydney, Western Bulldogs

Pick 19, 1995

289 games, 746 goals. Premiership captain, club leading goal-kicker 11 times, four-time All Australian.

Bone says: Big bad Barry, as he was in his early days, never lost the title but became a champion after some early struggles. Powerful in the air, solid at ground level and brilliant in front of goals.

7. Anthony Stevens

North Melbourne

Pick 18, 1989

292 games. Two premierships, two best and fairests, one-time All Australian, ruck rover in the Kangaroos’ Team of the Century.

Bone says: None epitomised the Shinboner spirit more than Stevens. He was as hard and tough and courageous as they come but totally fair. Few players were as loved and respected as this man.

8. Paul Chapman

Geelong, Essendon

Pick 31, 1999

280 games 366 goals. Three premierships, two-time All Australian.

Bone says: Always had time on his side and rarely wasted any opportunity that came his way.

9. Harry Taylor

Geelong

Pick 17, 2007

180 games. Two premierships, two-time All Australian.

Bone says: Reads the ball as well as any defender in the game and was a huge part of the Cats’ premierships in 2009 and 2011 despite having to wait until the age of 21 to make his AFL debut.

10. Darren Pritchard

Hawthorn

Pick 26, 1986.

211 games. Three premierships.

Bone says: An underestimated, hard-running midfielder in a team of absolute champions, his disposal by foot was his major weapon.

Kane Johnson in action for the Crows in 2002.

11. Kane Johnson

Adelaide, Richmond

Pick 27, 1995

220 games. Two premierships. Captain of Richmond 2005-2008, club best and fairest at Richmond.

Bone says: Brilliant at times, tough at others and classy always, his career began as a midfielder and ended as a tagger.

12 Daniel Kerr

West Coast

Pick 18, 2000

220 games, 122 goals. Premiership, All-Australian, two-time Brownlow Medal runner-up.

Bone says: A brilliant, hard-running midfielder with great hands has been haunted by controversy on and off the field for much of his career.

13. Brent Guerra

Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Hawthorn

Pick 28, 1999

255 games. Two premierships.

Bone says: Always strong at the contest and fearless at the ball, his penetrating left leg was a weapon for much of his career. Also won three SANFL premierships with Central District.

14. Jason Johnson

Essendon

Pick 28, 1996

184 games: One premiership, one-time All Australian, two-time club best and fairest winner.

Bone says: A hard-running, ball-winning, in-and-under midfielder who also represented Australia in an international rules series.

Ted Richards gets chaired off after playing his 250th game.

15. Ted Richards

Essendon, Sydney

Pick 27, 2000

253 games. Premiership, All Australian.

Bone says: Now has 253 games to his name and still going strong as one of the toughest defenders in the game.

16. Daniel Gianciracusa

Western Bulldogs

Pick 32, 1999

269 games, 331 goals.

Bone says: List of honours isn’t great but a reliable performer, brilliant at times with a touch of genius around the goals.

17. Brad Hill

Hawthorn

Pick 33, 2011

75 games. Three premierships.

Bone says: Blinding speed is his major weapon and is learning to use it to devastating effect to split games wide open. Aged just 22, still has his best year ahead of him.

18. Luke Parker

Sydney

Pick 40, 2010

101 games. Premiership, club best and fairest, two-time member of the AFL’s under-22 team.

Bone says: Dynamic midfielder, hard and tough at the contest. Still only a pup at 23, so sky’s the limit for this young gun.

19 Michael Long

Essendon

Pick 23, 1988

190 games. Two premierships, Norm Smith Medal, two-time All Australian, Australian football Hal of Fame member, VFL rookie of the year.

Bone says: Recruited from West Torrents, his four-bounce, 80-metre run in the 1993 grand final is part of Aussie footy folklore. Brilliant, running left-footer.

20. Campbell Brown

Hawthorn, Gold Coast

Pick 32, 2001

205 games. Premiership, All Australian, two-time International Rules representative.

Bone says: Tough defender who had the ability to man up on both tall and short opposition forwards. A crowd favourite at Hawthorn, was never at his best at the Suns.