Modern day greats among the best late-round picks in the AFL draft since 2000

PREMIERSHIP players, a Norm Smith Medallist and club captain. Some of the best players of the last decade have been unearthed with late-round draft picks.

WHILE the first-round picks get all the glory, some of the AFL’s stars have had to wait much longer to hear their name called on draft night.

Some of the AFL recruiters proudest moments are finding hidden gems late in the draft and there’s been some diamonds since 2000

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Premiership players, a Norm Smith Medallist, club captain, All-Australians and Rising Star nominees can still be snapped up in the fifth round or later.

In the lead up to Friday night’s AFL draft, we’re looking at the best picks in each round, starting with the fifth round or later.

Adelaide captain Taylor Walker was taken with pick No.75. Picture: Michael Klein

2000

BEST PICK: Graham Johncock (No.67, Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Wayde Skipper (No.70, W.Bulldogs), Scott Thornton (No.66, Fremantle)

Johncock’s 227 games were gold for the Crows at pick No.67 and he added a Showdown Medal and club goalkicking award to his resume in 2003. Skipper played 45 games for the Bulldogs before one season with Hawthorn while Thornton played 88 games for the Dockers.

2001

BEST PICK: Brian Lake (No.71, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: David Johnson (No.81, Geelong), Chris Hyde (No.68, Richmond)

The Bulldogs took a punt on Lake and he went on to play 197 games and win one best-and-fairest and two All-Australian caps before being traded to Hawthorn were he played an integral role in the Hawks premiership three-peat, winning a Norm Smith Medal. David Johnson missed out on Geelong’s AFL premiership success but played 79 senior games for the Cats and won two VFL premierships.

Nick Malceski was a premiership player in Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard

2002

BEST PICK: Nick Malceski (No.64, Sydney)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Brad Fisher (No.72, Carlton), Matthew Lokan (No.70, Collingwood)

Malceski finished his time in Sydney with a premiership and All-Australian selection to his name and retired in 2016 with 210 games under his belt after a short stint with Gold Coast. Fisher was a fan favourite at Carlton but sadly for him finished his career on 99 games.

2003

BEST PICK: Shane Tuck (No.73, Richmond)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Andrew Raines (No.76, Richmond), Jordan Bannister (No.69, Carlton)

Richmond fans will remember Tuck and Raines fondly after picking them up late in 2003. Tuck played 173 games for the Tigers while Raines managed 56 as a father-son selection. In 2006, Raines finished second in both the AFL Rising Star award and the Jack Dyer Medal. Bannister added 53 games at the Blues after 14 with Essendon.

2004

BEST PICK: Daniel Pratt (No.74, North Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Chris Bryan (No.73, Carlton), Daniel Haynes (No.69, Fremantle)

Originally picked by North Melbourne in 2000, Pratt failed to play a game and was given a second chance by Brisbane where he managed three games. After being delisted again, Pratt was given another shot by the Kangaroos and went on to play 116 games. Bryan played 46 AFL games for the Blues and Collingwood before moving to the US to make a name for himself in the NFL, playing one season with Tampa Bay.

Justin Westhoff is a late-round gem for Port Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

2005

BEST PICK: Jon Giles (No.70, Port Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: -

There’s not a whole lot to mention here. Giles is the clear pick but only five players were drafted after the fourth round in 2005 and Justin Sweeney (one game) was the only other to play AFL.

2006

BEST PICK: Justin Westhoff (No.71, Port Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jesse White (No.79, Sydney), Aaron Edwards (No.82, North Melbourne)

With 226 games to his name, Westhoff is the definition of a draft bargain at pick No.71. Queensland product Jesse White managed 127 between Sydney and Collingwood after being plucked from Southport by the Swans, while Edwards was thrown a lifeline by the Kangaroos and rewarded them with 78 games.

2007

BEST PICK: Taylor Walker (No.75, Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kepler Bradley (No.69, Fremantle), Tom McNamara (No.66, Melbourne)

You’ve got to be chuffed picking up a future club captain with pick No.75 with Walker arriving at Adelaide as a NSW Scholarship holder. There were only seven picks made after the fourth round with just four of those featuring at AFL level. Kepler Bradley proved an astute pick for Fremantle as he added 68 games to the 49 at Essendon.

2008

BEST PICK: Shane Savage (No.75, Hawthorn)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Leigh Brown (No.73, Collingwood), Rohan Bail (No.64, Melbourne)

Shane Savage gets top spot as a late-round pick in 2008. After starting at Hawthorn, he’s proved himself a damaging rebound defender at St Kilda. Leigh Brown wasn’t far behind after being given a third chance by Collingwood - after stints at Fremantle and North Melbourne - he went on to become a premiership player.

Taylor Duryea has played in two premierships at Hawthorn. Picture: Sarah Reed.

2009

BEST PICK: Taylor Duryea (No.69, Hawthorn)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Josh Thomas (No.75, Collingwood), Matt Maguire (No.91, Brisbane)

Dual premiership player Duryea was a sensational pick up for the Hawks so late in the draft and now has more than 100 games under his belt. Despite a drugs suspension, Josh Thomas is favourite at Collingwood with 41 games to his name. Matt Maguire was picked up by Brisbane at pick No.91 and provided valuable service after 99 games at St Kilda.

2010

BEST PICK: Tom Young (No.104, Collingwood)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Dean Polo (No.103, St Kilda), Ryan Gamble (No.90, St Kilda)

The start of the expansions drafts certainly had an impact late in the draft. Tom Young is the pick of the bunch here after being selected by the Magpies as a NSW scholarship holder and going on to play nine games. Dean Polo and Ryan Gamble for both given second chances by St Kilda but never prospered.

2011

BEST PICK: Jed Bews (No.86, Geelong)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Alex Sexton (No.88, Gold Coast), James McDonald (No.87, GWS)

Geelong picked up rugged defender Bews under the father-son rule and he’s gone on to feature in 50 games for the Cats. Sexton has developed into one of Gold Coast’s most reliable players after being picked up as a zone selection from Redland while James McDonald came out of retirement for the Giants.

2012

BEST PICK: -

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: -

Sean Gregory (No.88, Essendon) was the only player drafted after fourth round and unfortunately he didn’t play a game. However, there were some now famous names elevated from the rookie list, including Norm Smith Medallist Jason Johannisen, Tom Jonas, Levi Casboult, Zach Tuohy, Majak Daw and Tom Campbell.

Jed Bews was a father-son pick at No.86. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Sam Menegola is making the most of his third chance at AFL.

2013

BEST PICK: Jake Barrett (No.97, GWS)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jonathon Marsh (No.77, Collingwood)

Barrett gets the nod almost by default. While he only played one game at GWS, his move to Brisbane this season paid dividends after playing 17. Jonathon Marsh was the only other player drafted that late and he went onto play 15 games before retiring. Again, there were a host of big name players elevated from the rookie list, including Jeremy McGovern, Rory Laird, Ed Curnow and Dane Rampe.

2014

BEST PICK: Jermey Finlayson (No.85, GWS)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jaden McGrath (No.73, Brisbane), Jesse Palmer (No.78, Port Adelaide)

Of the players to have played a game only Finlayson is still on an AFL list while Billy Frampton is still with Port Adelaide but is yet to break into the senior side. McGrath and Palmer both played three games before being delisted.

2015

BEST PICK: Sam Menegola (No.66, Geelong)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Michael Hartley (No.68, Essendon), Nathan Broad (No.67, Richmond)

A rarity in recent years, several strong picks in the late rounds with Menegola the pick of them in the fifth round after fruitless stints at Hawthorn and Fremantle. Hartley stepped into an Essendon team bereft of key defenders as a result of the supplements saga bans while Broad is now a premiership player in Richmond. Wylie Buzza another to show promising signs.

2016

BEST PICK: Nick Larkey (No.73, North Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Harry Morrison (No.74, Hawthorn), Mitchell Lewis (No.76, Hawthorn).

Alright, so these youngsters haven’t had much of a chance, in fact only two have made their AFL debut of the seven taken in the fifth round. Larkey managed two games for the Kangaroos as a key forward/pinch-hitting ruckman while Morrison got one game. Lewis gets an honourable mention simply for the fact his name replaces Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis on the Hawthorn list.

Originally published as Modern day greats among the best late-round picks in the AFL draft since 2000