Some of the AFL’s modern day greats have slipped through to the second round of the AFL Draft

IF your club doesn’t have a first-round pick, don’t worry. History has shown some of the AFL’s modern day greats can be found in the second round. How did your club fare?

Nat Fyfe was selected in the second round by Fremantle.

DON’T have a first-round pick? Don’t sweat.

History tells us there are some out-and-out superstars to be found in the second round.

TOP PICKS: THIRD-ROUND UNKNOWNS THAT BECAME STARS

BEST STEALS: WHO ARE THE BEST FOURTH-ROUND PICKS

RARE GEMS: FIFTH-ROUND OR LATER DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

A host of premiership players, club captains, a Norm Smith Medallist and Brownlow Medallist have all been snapped up after being overlooked in the first round.

With just one day to go before the 2017 AFL draft, we’re looking at the best players to have come out of the second round since 2000.

2000

BEST PICK: Daniel Kerr (No.18, West Coast)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Drew Petrie (No.23, North Melbourne), Kane Cornes (No.20, Port Adelaide)

While off-field issues have now clouded his contribution, Kerr will be remembered as a star at West Coast. A premiership player in 2006 and Brownlow Medal runner-up in 2005 and 2007 and third in 2006 and All-Australian in 2007. Petrie will be fondly remembered by North Melbourne fans during his 316 games in blue and white while Cornes is a Power legend after playing 300 games - the Port Adelaide games record - and winning four best-and-fairests and two All-Australian caps.

Steve Johnson won three premierships in his time at Geelong. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

2001

BEST PICK: Steve Johnson (No.24, Geelong)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Campbell Brown (No.32, Hawthorn), Matt Maguire (No.21, St Kilda)

What can you say about Stevie J? A key member of Geelong’s triple-premiership winning team, three-time All-Australian, A Norm Smith Medal and 293 AFL games. A certain Hall of Famer in the coming years. Brown’s AFL career ended acrimoniously but a premiership player and All-Australian at Hawthorn before a move to Gold Coast. Finally, Maguire was a key part of St Kilda’s successful years, playing 99 games before moving to Brisbane.

2002

BEST PICK: Ton Lonergan (No.23, Geelong)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jared Rivers (No.26, Melbourne), Will Minson (No.20, W.Bulldogs)

It might surprise some but Lonergan’s shutdown role at Geelong cannot be underestimated. After coming back from a life-threatening kidney injury, Lonergan won one premiership and finished his AFL career this year with 209 hard-fought games. Rivers was the AFL Rising Star in his debut season but injuries conspired against him, limiting him to just 194 games. Thirdly, Minson, for a time, was the No.1 ruckman in the AFL and was named All-Australian in 2013. Unfortunately, after 191 games of service he missed out on the 2016 premiership.

David Mundy went on to captain Fremantle after being picked in the second round.

2003

BEST PICK: David Mundy (No.19, Fremantle)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jed Adcock (No.33, Brisbane), Sam Butler (No.20, West Coast)

Mundy, the former Fremantle captain was a clear No.1 from the second round in 2003. Mundy has one Doig Medal to his name, an All-Australian cap and is closing in one 300 AFL games. Adcock was Brisbane captain for two years and finished his career with 213 games while Butler was the last surviving member of West Coast’s 2006 premiership before retiring this year after 166 games.

2004

BEST PICK: Nathan van Berlo (No.24, Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Matt Rosa (No.29, West Coast), Tom Murphy (No.21, Hawthorn)

Van Berlo takes top spot here on the back of his Adelaide captaincy and 205 career games. He retired in 2016. Rosa has 202 AFL games between West Coast and Gold Coast but injury has often interrupted his momentum. Murphy is perhaps one of the unluckiest players in history, listed as an emergency for the 2008 and 2012 Grand Final during his time at Hawthorn before a short stint at Gold Coast.

2005

BEST PICK: Bernie Vince (No.32, Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Sam Gilbert (No.33, St Kilda), Garrick Ibbotson (No.26, Fremantle)

Not many players can claim to have won best-and-fairests at two clubs. Vince can. A Malcolm Blight Medal at Adelaide in 2009 and a Bluey Truscott Medal at Melbourne in 2015. Add in a Michael Tuck Medal in 2012 and Vince is an under-rated star. Gilbert and Ibbotson are perhaps maligned by the Saints and Dockers fan base but have served their clubs well.

Bernie Vince in action for Adelaide.

Bernie Vince in action for Melbourne. Picture: Sarah Reed

2006

BEST PICK: Shane Edwards (No.26, Richmond)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kurt Tippett (No.32, Essendon), Shaun Grigg (No.19, Carlton)

An even field in 2006 but Richmond’s premiership elevates Edwards’ and Grigg’s legacies. Edwards now has more than 200 games to his name while Grigg has managed 147 after starting his career at Carlton. Splitting the Tigers, Tippett is a maligned figure since his infamous exit from Adelaide but when on song is one of the AFL’s most damaging big men. Eric McKenzie and Chris Dawes can count themselves unlucky to miss out.

2007

BEST PICK: Callan Ward (No.19, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Scott Selwood (No.22, West Coast), Levi Greenwood (No.32, North Melbourne)

A budding star at the Bulldogs, Ward has become a superstar as GWS Giants captain. The Kevin Sheedy Medallist is on the cusp of 200 games. Selwood also has a best-and-fairest on his resume but was been dogged by injuries during his time at the Eagles before a move to join brother Joel at Geelong. Greenwood has been a solid contributor in his 192 games at the Kangaroos and now Collingwood.

2008

BEST PICK: Dayne Beams (No.29, Collingwood)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Dan Hannebery (No.30, Sydney), David Zakarakis (No.23, Essendon)

Arguably the best second-round pick since the turn of the millennium. Beams and Hannebery are hard to split. Magpie-turned-Lion captain Beams has a Copeland Trophy and Merrett-Murray Medal and a 2010 premiership medal. Hannebery is a 2012 premiership player and the 2010 Rising Star. Zaharakis isn’t far behind in third with a best-and-fairest to his name and Anzac Medal. In a stacked second round, Hayden Ballantyne, Jackson Trengove, Jack Redden, Jordan Roughead and Liam Shiels were also snapped up.

Dayne Beams is now captain of Brisbane.

2009

BEST PICK: Nat Fyfe (No.20, Fremantle)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jack Gunston (No.29, Hawthorn), Mitch Duncan (No.28, Geelong)

How did Fyfe get overlooked so many times? The Dockers superstar has gone on to win a Brownlow Medal, two AFL MVPs, two best-and-fairests and is now Fremantle captain. Jack Gunston was drafted by Adelaide but after a trade to Hawthorn is now a three-time premiership star while Mitch Duncan was a part of Geelong’s 2011 premiership and an under-rated member of the Cats’ powerhouse midfield. In a draft quirk Luke Ball taken pick at No.30 by Collingwood following 142 games and acrimonious split from St Kilda.

2010

BEST PICK: Luke Parker (No.40, Sydney)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Tom Liberatore (No.41, W.Bulldogs), Jeremy Howe (No.33, Melbourne)

A tough choice, Parker v Libba. Dogs fans might suggest we look to the 2016 Grand Final but we’ve given the nod to Parker. A premiership player himself in 2012, Parker is a dual Bob Skilton Medallist and one-time All-Australian. Liberatore has one Charles Sutton Medal and the 2016 flag. Not to be outdone, Howe has more highlights than most of the competition put together with his high-flying antics an almost weekly event.

2011

BEST PICK: Brad Hill (No.33, Hawthorn)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jack Newnes (No.37, St Kilda), Joel Hamling (No.32, Geelong)

A three-time premiership Hawk and now Fremantle best-and-fairest winner, Hill is a standout from the second round of 2011. After 95 games at Hawthorn, he moved to Fremantle this year. Newnes is one of the Saints exciting young stars with 113 games already under his belt while Hamling didn’t manage to break through for a debut at Geelong but his move to the Bulldogs paid off with a premiership medal before he joined Fremantle this year.

2012

BEST PICK: Jack Viney (No.26, Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Kamdyn McIntosh (No.31, Richmond), Mason Wood (No.41, North Melbourne)

Viney, the last of the father-son steals before the AFL tightened the bidding process. The son of Todd was appointed Demons co-captain this year after winning his first best-and-fairest in 2016. Meanwhile, McIntosh and Wood are both exciting young prospects but the Tiger gets the nod after winning a premiership this year.

Zach Merrett in action for Essendon.

Matt Crouch in action for Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

2013

BEST PICK: Zach Merrett (No.26, Essendon)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Matt Crouch (No.23, Adelaide), Lewis Taylor (No.28, Brisbane)

Merrett v Crouch. A clash of the future superstars but for now, Merrett wins. Both Merrett and Crouch have one best-and-fairest and All-Australian cap to their names. Merrett has played 81 games while Crouch isn’t far behind on 72. In third, Taylor was a contentious Rising Star winner and hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success since his debut season.

2014

BEST PICK: Touk Miller (No.29, Gold Coast)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Toby McLean (No.26, W.Bulldogs), Daniel Howe (No.31, Hawthorn)

Perhaps a bit contentious putting Miller ahead of premiership Dog McLean but there’s no doubting Miller’s impact at the Suns. He’s been a rare constant in a team in flux, paying 60 games in his first three years. McLean can perhaps consider himself lucky to be a part of the 2016 premiership after injuries ravaged the Bulldogs but once he got his chance he grabbed it, playing key roles in three finals.

2015

BEST PICK: Josh Dunkley (No.25, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Darcy Tucker (No.27, Fremantle), Ryan Clarke (No.31. North Melbourne)

Pretty hard to beat a premiership player in his debut season. Dunkley played 17 games on the way to the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership but was cut down by a serious shoulder injury this year. Darcy Tucker established himself in Fremantle’s senior team this year while Clarke is seen as a future star in North Melbourne’s rebuild.

2016

BEST PICK: Alex Witherden (No.23, Brisbane)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Sean Darcy (No.38, Fremantle), Shai Bolton (No.29, Richmond)

Witherden looks a star already at Brisbane and a steal in the second round after he overcame an early-season injury to play nine games, averaging 23 disposals a game and snaring a Rising Star nomination. Darcy also looks a future star and the obvious replacement for Dockers giant Aaron Sandilands when he calls time.

Originally published as Some of the AFL’s modern day greats have slipped through to the second round of the AFL Draft