AFL draft: 2005 class reselected, Scott Pendlebury No. 1 pick
CARLTON opted for Marc Murphy, but a fellow on-baller has emerged as the true No. 1 pick. We reselect the top 20 picks of the 2005 draft.
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IN THE lead-up to the 2015 AFL national draft, Fox Footy is taking a look back at previous years to see what the clubs got right and what they got really, really wrong.
The last few years are a bit too recent to judge fairly, so we’re starting in 2005 and counting down a draft a day until this year’s crop is up to be picked on Tuesday 24 November.
Today, we’re revisiting the 2005 draft — a class which produced an array of stars across the league, coming from both the early and later stages of the draft.
Carlton selected Marc Murphy with pick No. 1 — but a fellow on-baller has arguably emerged as the premier player from the draft class.
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And some late, bargain picks gave clubs top-20 value.
With the benefit of hindsight, here’s how the top 20 picks of the 2005 draft should have gone.
PICK 1 — CARLTON (PRIORITY PICK)
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Marc Murphy
NEW SELECTION: Scott Pendlebury
As brilliant as Murphy has been at the Blues (he’s had six top-three club best and fairest finishes), Pendlebury has undoubtedly emerged as the best player of the draft class. Oozing class that Carlton would desperately love in its midfield brigade, Pendlebury won the Norm Smith medal as Collingwood stormed to the 2010 premiership.
PICK 2 — COLLINGWOOD (PRIORITY SELECTION)
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Dale Thomas
NEW SELECTION: Josh J Kennedy
In his prime, Thomas was a gun at the Pies, but Kennedy has developed into the best full-forward in the competition. Strong overhead, quick on the lead and accurate in front of goal, Kennedy claimed his first Coleman medal in 2015 thanks to a haul of 75 goals during the home and away season.
PICK 3 HAWTHORN (PRIORITY SELECTION)
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Xavier Ellis
NEW SELECTION: Marc Murphy
Perhaps sliding to Hawthorn at pick No. 3 mightn’t have been such a bad thing after all for Murphy, who’s still one of the top midfielders in the competition. Instead, he’s plied his trade at the Blues and captained the club for the past three years. At his best, he’s hard to stop.
PICK 4 — CARLTON
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Josh J Kennedy
NEW SELECTION: Nathan Jones
The Blues would’ve missed out on Kennedy at pick No. 4, but they would’ve been able to pounce on now Melbourne skipper and midfield gun Jones. One of the most passionate and respected footballers in the country, Jones could’ve been the engine room for the Blues’ midfield. Imagine Pendlebury and Jones in the same on-ball division?
PICK 5 — COLLINGWOOD
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Scott Pendlebury
NEW SELECTION: Grant Birchall
The Pies, in hindsight, miss out on a gun left-footer, but get their hands on another. When you hear young, aspiring half-backs talk about the AFL player they like to model their game on, Birchall is usually the first name that’s uttered. A smart, efficient ball-user, Birchall is one of six Hawthorn players that have won four premierships since 2008.
PICK 6 — HAWTHORN
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Beau Dowler
NEW SELECTION: Dale Thomas
Beau who, you ask? The highly-rated junior played just 16 games for the Hawks, whereas
Thomas has a premiership to his name. At his best during Collingwood’s tilt at the flag in 2010/11, Thomas was just as influential and damaging as Pendlebury and Dane Swan. With Essendon desperate for outside, explosive pace
PICK 7 — ESSENDON
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Paddy Ryder
NEW SELECTION: Andrew Swallow
Tough one for the Bombers, as Swallow would’ve been overlooked and Ryder would’ve been still available. Swallow — now North Melbourne’s skipper — has managed 186 games in 10 seasons. A hard, tough inside midfielder, Swallow would’ve been a nice fit at the Bombers.
PICK 8 — RICHMOND
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
NEW SELECTION: Paddy Ryder
Oh Richmond and your draft blunders. Oakley-Nicholls managed just 13 games in four seasons. Conversely, Ryder has, at times during his 188-game career, been considered the league’s premier ruckmen. Ryder would’ve been a great addition to the Tigers’ list, considering they lost Brad Ottens to Geelong 12 months earlier.
PICK 9 — BRISBANE LIONS
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Mitch Clark
NEW SELECTION: Bernie Vince
Who doesn’t love Bernie? The charismatic, yet hard-working midfielder has been a star at both Adelaide and Melbourne, averaging over 20 disposals per game for the past seven consecutive seasons. The Crows would steal him with pick No. 32.
PICK 10 — FREMANTLE
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Marcus Drum
NEW SELECTION: Joel Patfull
With Luke McPharlin retiring, as well as Michael Johnson and Zac Dawson not getting any older, how handy would Patfull be at the Dockers now? Patfull, who can play on both small and tall forwards, was a star at the Brisbane Lions, winning the club’s best and fairest in 2012 and 2013 before slotting into the Giants’ defensive unit with aplomb in 2015. A steal for the Lions at pick No. 56.
PICK 11 — WESTERN BULLDOGS
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Shaun Higgins
NEW SELECTION: Shannon Hurn
The Dogs loved Higgins during his time at the Kennel, but they would’ve loved Hurn marshalling the troops in defence and running off half-back. One of the best kicks in the league, Hurn is now the skipper of the Eagles, leading them to a surprise grand final appearance in 2015.
PICK 12 — MELBOURNE
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Nathan Jones
NEW SELECTION: Alipate Carlile
The Dees wouldn’t be regretting their selection of Jones. But if he had been snapped up earlier in the draft, big full-back Carlile would’ve been a valuable addition. He’s one of the most reliable backmen in the competition, turning into Port’s defensive cornerstone in recent years after being selected with pick No. 44.
PICK 13 — WEST COAST EAGLES
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Shannon Hurn
NEW SELECTION: Richard Douglas
It probably took Douglas a few years to settle at the Crows, but he’s established himself as a key member of the club’s midfield brigade since his breakout 2010 season. Douglas not only kicks goals — he’s booted 114 from 171 games — but he also sets them up for his teammates, ranking in the league’s top 10 for inside 50s per game for the past three consecutive seasons.
PICK 14 — HAWTHORN
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Grant Birchall
NEW SELECTION: Shaun Higgins
The Hawks would look back at their Birchall selection and pinch themselves. But, now in hindsight, with Birchall at the Pies, Higgins would be the next best on offer. Cruelled by injury for a fair chunk of his career, Higgins settled at the Roos in 2015 and missed just one of the Roos’ 25 games on his way to a career-high 39-goal season.
PICK 15 — GEELONG
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Travis Varcoe
NEW SELECTION: Travis Varcoe
They might’ve traded him 12 months ago, but the Cats wouldn’t regret picking up speedster Varcoe if they had their time again. Varcoe was a key member of Geelong’s 2009 and 2011 premiership sides — who could forget his goal within the first 10 seconds of the 2011 grand final — before being traded to Collingwood and having arguably a career-best year.
PICK 16 — ADELAIDE
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Richard Douglas
NEW SELECTION: Garrick Ibbotson
Underrated by many footy fans in the eastern states, Ibbotson has become an important backmen at Fremantle, with teammates always on the lookout for him as they rebound — or switch — out of defence. The Dockers snared him with pick No. 26 a decade ago.
PICK 17 — ADELAIDE
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Darren Pfeiffer
NEW SELECTION: Mathew Stokes
The greatest steal of the 2005 draft was picked up by the Cats with pick No. 61. In hindsight, he should’ve been a top-20 pick, such was the impact he had at the Cats during his 10-year career as a small forward turned midfielder.
PICK 18 — HAWTHORN
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Max Bailey
NEW SELECTION: Sam Gilbert
While his gradual demise as a player has mirrored his team’s fall down the ladder, Gilbert was one of the Saints’ most important players during their stint as premiership contenders. While his kicking was always suspect, his dash and rebound was critical. The Saints stole him at pick No. 33 in 2005.
PICK 19 — ESSENDON
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Courtenay Dempsey
NEW SELECTION: Xavier Ellis
Ellis is the big hindsight slider, despite a solid start to his career. After being selected with pick No. 5, he played 70 games in his first four seasons — including a premiership in 2008 — but just 48 in the past five.
PICK 20 — CARLTON
ORIGINAL SELECTION: Paul Bower
NEW SELECTION: Mitch Clark
It’s been a tough footy ride for Clark — both on and off the field — but the power forward sneaks into the revised top 20. Clark’s best form at all three of his clubs — Brisbane, Melbourne and Geelong — have been outstanding, but he’s always struggled for on-field consistency. Is 2016 his year?
Originally published as AFL draft: 2005 class reselected, Scott Pendlebury No. 1 pick
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