AFL Draft: Geelong Falcons’ best team of the century revealed
The Geelong region has produced All Australians and a host of AFL greats since 2000. And the late Mick Turner was central to forming the Falcons ‘footy factory’. See the full team.
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The Geelong Falcons team of the century is stacked with champions and accolades.
The 23 players, 14 of those first round selections, have 37 All-Australian blazers, 27 best and fairests and 19 premierships to their name.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL TEAM
And long-time talent manager Mick Turner, who died late last year, was central to forming what his great mate Brian Taylor dubbed the Geelong Falcons footy factory.
Dual Brownlow medallists Gary Ablett Jr and Patrick Dangerfield headline a star-studded line-up, while premiership players fill the other lines.
The 2001 Falcons draft class featured Ablett, Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel, four-time flag Hawk Luke Hodge and Ablett.
Brisbane champion Jonathan Brown, Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling (both 1999 draft) and Matthew Scarlett (1997) just miss out on the 2000 cut-off
Check out the best Falcons team from the last 25 years below.
BACKS
Nick Maxwell (Collingwood) – Drafted pick 15, 2002 rookie draft
St Joseph’s College/North Ballarat
Maxwell drew criticism from rival fans for guarding grass rather than an opponent, but he played the general role perfectly in the Magpies’ defence. An All-Australian in 2009, a premiership captain in 2020 and a four-time Gavin Brown Award winner for his team-first approach across his 208 games for Collingwood. Not bad for a rookie.
Lachie Henderson (Brisbane/Carlton/Geelong) – Pick 8 2007 national draft
Birregurra
The swingman joined Carlton as part of the Brendan Fevola trade in 2009 and a key player at both ends for the Blues before being traded for a first-round pick to Geelong in 2016. In all he played 208 senior games and kicked 117 goals, spending his final six seasons at the Cats down back.
Tom Stewart (Geelong) – Pick 40, 2016 national draft
South Barwon/Geelong VFL
One of the all-time great mature-age pick-ups, Stewart has come a long way since winning flags alongside Matthew Scarlett at South Barwon. The intercept king has five All-Australian jackets and two Carji Greeves medals to his name across his 171-games and was a pivotal part of Geelong’s 2022 premiership. Turning 32 in March, Stewart has showed no signs of slowing down.
HALF BACK
Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn/Melbourne) – Pick 7, 2004 national draft
Warrnambool
Lewis flew under the radar a touch in the star-studded Hawthorn midfield but he was central to their premiership era. The Warrnambool product was a best and fairest and All-Australian in a flag year in 2014 and was named in the All-Australian squad in 2015. Finished with 319 games – 55 of those with Melbourne - and 161 goals.
Will Schofield (West Coast) – Pick 50, 2006 national draft
Newtown & Chillwell
A premiership player with West Coast in 2018 and an important stopper for the Eagles across his 194 games. None were more important than his critical contests against Jordan De Goey in the 2018 flag, where Schofield played 100 per cent time on ground.
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn/Brisbane) – Pick 1, 2001 national draft
Colac
Takes the captain’s armband in the Geelong Falcons team of the century after captaining Hawthorn’s three-peat. Hodge stood up when it truly counted across his illustrious 346-game career, winning two Norm Smith Medals, two best and fairests, four premierships and earning three All-Australian jackets.
CENTRE
Sam Walsh (Carlton) – Pick 1, 2018 national draft
St Joseph’s
Walsh has polled 79 Brownlow votes in just 119 games to date, making a name for himself from his very first season where he took out the Rising Star award. The prolific Blue took out Carlton’s best and fairest at the age of 21 and was All-Australian in that same year.
Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide/Geelong) – Pick 10, 2007 national draft
Anglesea
Dangerfield holds the joint record for most All-Australians with eight, and that’s not all. The Crows and Cats superstar has a Brownlow (2016), four best and fairests and was the best finals player in Geelong’s 2022 premiership. He was crowned by the Herald Sun as the fifth-best player this century, but he might not be the best player in this side.
Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) – Pick 5, 2006 national draft
Torquay
The ultimate professional, Boak is about to start his 19th AFL season. The Power games record holder has claimed back-to-back All-Australians in 2013 and 14 and another in 2020 at the age of 32, underlining his evergreen career. He also has two John Cahill Medals and three Showdown Medals in his kitbag across his 371 games and counting.
HALF FORWARD
Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs/North Melbourne/Geelong) – Pick 11, 2005 national draft
Newtown & Chillwell
Higgins overcame injury issues early on his career to reach 100 games at both the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne. The smooth-mover’s best footy came at the Roos, where he won back-to-back best and fairests and received All-Australian recognition in 2018. He returned to his hometown club of Geelong to finish his career as he finished with 260 games and 229 goals.
Gary Rohan (Sydney/Geelong) – Pick 6, 2009 national draft
Cobden
Rohan’s best was game-changing and he managed to reach 204 games despite knee issues earlier in his career. He came close to playing 100-games at two clubs like Higgins, but fell just short with 98 at the Cats.
Taylor Adams (GWS/Collingwood/Sydney) – Pick 13, 2011 national draft
St Joseph’s
An All-Australian and best and fairest at Collingwood, Adams has been a quality contributor in his 225 games. Adams was an original Giant but crossed to Collingwood after two seasons. He is back in the harbour city at Sydney after moving in the 2023 off-season.
FORWARDS
Jack Steven (St Kilda/Geelong) – Pick 42, 2007 national draft
Lorne
It is easy to forget just how good Steven was at St Kilda. The electric midfielder claimed four best and fairests in the space of six seasons. The Lorne product was traded to the Cats but retired at the age of 30 with a year left on his contract.
Charlie Curnow (Carlton) – Pick 12, 2015 national draft
Torquay
Injury has been the only thing holding the Carlton spearhead back at the Blues. Curnow has booted 281 goals in 131 games, including 64 in 2022 and 81 in 2023 on the way to consecutive Coleman Medals.
Luke Dahlhaus (Western Bulldogs/Geelong) – Pick 22, 2010 rookie draft
Leopold
Mick Turner watched Dalhaus’ career unfold with pride after putting his name forward to anyone who would listen. The Dogs did, and he became a premiership player before crossing to Geelong. Was part of the 2015 All-Australian squad and finished with 225 games and 141 goals. A handy return for a rookie.
FOLLOWERS
Sean Darcy (Fremantle) – Pick 38, 2016 national draft
Cobden
Darcy has stamped himself as one of the leading rucks in the competition amid a series of injury setbacks. He took out Fremantle’s best and fairest in 2021 and was also named in the All-Australian squad that year. Darcy would be licking his lips hitting it down to this midfield.
Gary Ablett Jr (Geelong/Gold Coast) – Pick 40, 2001 national draft (father/son)
Modewarre
Where do we start? Ablett may well be the greatest player of the century, winning every single accolade you could possibly think of. Eight All-Australians, six best and fairests, five AFL MVPs, three AFLCA awards, two Brownlows and two premierships in his 357-games which yielded 445 goals and 252 Brownlow votes. The ‘Little Master’ is best remembered for his time at Geelong but he single-handedly carried the foundation Suns during his seasons on the Gold Coast.
Jimmy Bartel (Geelong) – Pick 8, 2001 national draft
Bell Park
Need a hero to step up anywhere on the ground ... Bartel was your man. He claimed the holy trinity in 2007 – a premiership, Brownlow and All-Australian – and a Norm Smith and premiership in 2011. We have slotted him in on-ball here but he could realistically play anywhere on the ground in this side.
INTERCHANGE
Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne) – Pick 5, 2009 national draft
Cobden
Cunnington personified the ‘Shinbone spirit throughout his 238 games. The tough inside midfielder was adjudged as the Roos’ best player in 2014, the year they advanced to a preliminary final, and took out another Syd Barker Medal in 2019.
Gryan Miers (Geelong) – Pick 57, 2017 national draft
Grovedale
A late pick, Miers has improved exponentially over the past two years and is only getting better. He broke Jason Akermanis’ home-and-away goal assist record in 2023. Some have jokingly likened him to football icon Lionel Messi, and he did his best Messi impression in the 2024 preliminary final.
Darcy Parish (Essendon) – Pick 5, 2015 national draft
Winchelsea
Parish was named on the interchange in the 2021 All-Australian side after a sparkling breakout season. The Winchelsea export has continued his ball-winning exploits since, averaging above 30 disposals in 2022 and 2023.
Devon Smith (GWS/Essendon) – Pick 14, 2011 national draft
Lara
Smith took out Essendon’s best and fairest and was part of the All-Australian squad in his first season at the Bombers. Retired young at 29 due to persistent knee injuries but still managed to kick 146 majors in 184 games.
Jack Henry (Geelong) – Pick 16, 2016 rookie draft
St Mary’s
Henry sneaks into the side as the sub narrowly ahead of fellow key defenders Tom McCartin and Matt Maguire. If we redo this list in a few years time, McCartin may well be ahead. Henry blanketed legend Lance Franklin in the 2022 grand final and has been an integral part of the Cats defence when he has been on the park.
Originally published as AFL Draft: Geelong Falcons’ best team of the century revealed
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