The top AFL talents to roll off the Northern Knights’ production line
The Northern Knights have been a production line of AFL talent since the club started as Preston in 1992. We’ve named out top 20 players and our best 22 from the TAC Cup/NAB League club.
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The Preston Knights were a dominant force in the early days of the TAC Cup, winning four straight premierships between 1993 and 1996.
The club was a veritable production line of talent.
Now the Northern Knights, playing in the NAB League, the program continues to produce some of the best players in the AFL.
TALENT: WHO ARE THE TOP 20 EASTERN RANGES PRODUCTS?
LEADER: GET YOUR NAB LEAGUE FOOTY NEWS HERE
BEST 22: FLANIGAN’S FINEST STINGRAYS TEAM
Such is the depth of talent, some genuinely good players missed selection in the top 20, including the likes of David Zaharakis, Daniel Harford and Josh Caddy.
Young guns like Jade Gresham, Jayden Short and Gabby Newton will no doubt make their case in the coming years.
See our list of the Northern Knights’ best graduates below and have your say.
20. GARY MOORCROFT (Essendon, Melbourne)
Junior club: Keon Park
Drafted: No.45, 1994
Moorcroft starred in the 1994 TAC Cup season, winning the Morrish Medal as the under-18 league’s best-and-fairest before being drafted by Essendon. A reliable small forward, Moorcroft was a part of Essendon’s all-conquering premiership in 2000, kicking 23 goals in 18 games that season. However, he’s best known for his 2001 Mark of the Year when he used Western Bulldog Brad Johnson as a stepladder to haul in one of the best marks of all time.
TALENT: WE SELECT THE WESTERN JETS TOP 20 PLAYERS
CHECK OUT OUR NORTHERN KNIGHTS BEST 22 SINCE 1992 AND VOTE FOR YOUR NO.1 PLAYER IN OUR POLL BELOW
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19. RHYCE SHAW (Collingwood, Sydney)
Junior club: Diamond Creek
Drafted: No.18 (father-son), 1999
Arrived at Collingwood as a father-son pick but never really found his feet in black and white. Instead, it was at Sydney were Shaw shone brightest. After nine years and 94 games, he was traded to the Swans in 2008 and played 143 games in seven seasons. He made an instant impact, finishing second in the 2009 Skilton Medal and again in 2011 before achieving the ultimate – a premiership medal – in 2012. Now North Melbourne’s coach.
18. MATTHEW KREUZER (Carlton)
Junior club: St Mary’s, Bundoora
Drafted: No.1, 2007
The promising big man was the 2006 Morrish Medallist and clear No.1 draft pick in his draft class. In fact, the Knights made history when Kreuzer and Trent Cotchin were taken No.1 and No.2 as the first teammates to be selected with the top two picks. One of the best ruckman in the game during the 2010s but injuries have curtailed Kreuzer’s career, limiting him to 189 games. Carlton’s struggles throughout his time at Ikon Park haven’t helped either.
17. BEN JOHNSON (Collingwood)
Junior club: St Mary’s
Drafted: No.62, 1999
The dashing defender is usually remembered as a member of Collingwood’s rat pack but he was much more than that. A key member of the Magpies’ 2002 and 2003 grand final sides and the breakthrough 2010 premiership, Johnson finished runner-up in the Copeland Trophy twice (2004, 2006) and polled the most Brownlow Medal votes at Collingwood in 2004.
16. KANE LAMBERT (Richmond)
Junior club: Preston Bullants
Drafted: Rookie pick No.46, 2015
Lambert is the only man on this list not to get drafted directly out of the Knights. Won the 2009 best-and-fairest but then spent several seasons proving himself at VFL level before Richmond came calling. He’s now a two-time premiership star, All-Australian in 2018 and has finished second and third in the Jack Dyer Medal. A great example of perseverance and the fact a player’s career is far from over if they’re not drafted at 18.
15. BLAKE CARACELLA (Essendon, Brisbane Lions, Collingwood)
Junior club: St Mary’s
Drafted: No.10, 1994
Caracella enjoyed a charmed, if short-lived, career. A member of Essendon’s all-conquering premiership team in 2000, Caracella had career high goals (35) and disposals (489) that season. The Bombers’ salary cap squeeze saw the talented half-forward traded to Brisbane in 2003 and he played in the Lions third straight premiership win. Salary cap issues again saw him traded, this time to Collingwood, in 2005. However, the following year a frightening neck injury would cut his career short.
14. MICHAEL HURLEY (Essendon)
Junior club: Macleod
Drafted: No.5, 2008
A two-time All-Australian and TAC Cup Team of the Year member as an 18-year-old, so it was no surprise Essendon pounced early. Hurley has been the bedrock of the Bombers’ defence since. Adding to his under-18 honours, he’s a two-time All-Australian at AFL level as well (2015, 2017). Injuries and the supplements suspension have limited Hurley to 179 games over 12 seasons but when he’s on the park there are few better one-on-one defenders in the competition.
13. LEIGH MONTAGNA (St Kilda)
Junior club: Ivanhoe
Drafted: No.37, 2001
Such was the depth of talent in the 2001 “Super Draft” that Montagna was still available at pick No.37. The highly-skilled midfielder helped St Kilda become one of the dominant teams of the era, playing in three grand finals, but sadly not being able to win one. A two-time All-Australian, Montagna can also consider himself desperately unlucky not to win a Trevor Barker Medal at St Kilda, finishing second and third in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
12. SIMON PRESTIGIACOMO (Collingwood)
Junior club: Research
Drafted: No.10, 1995
One of Collingwood’s great cult heroes, ‘Presti’ was originally drafted as a forward before then assistant coach Danny Frawley moved him to full-back in the reserves. Jonathan Brown and Matthew Richardson rated him one of the toughest defenders in the league. A true team player, Prestigiacomo was in contention to play in the 2010 grand final after recovering from injury but selflessly ruled himself out and watched on from the stands as the Magpies won in a replay.
11. NICK VLASTUIN (Richmond)
Junior club: Eltham
Drafted: No.9, 2012
It seems every season Vlastuin improves and becomes ever more important to Richmond’s defence. A two-time under-18 national championship winner with Vic Metro, All-Australian and Metro captain in 2012, and now a two-time AFL premiership player with the Tigers. One of the competition premier intercept-marking defenders and an excellent user of the ball make him a serious threat to opposition teams. No doubt will be higher on this list when he retires.
10. PAUL LICURIA (Sydney, Collingwood)
Junior club: Keon Park
Drafted: No.24, 1995
Knee reconstructions as a 16 and 17-year-old saw Licuria slip to Sydney in the second round in 1995 but two seasons later he was traded for pick No.3 to Collingwood. A brilliant, hard-as-nails midfielder, Licuria formed a dynamic combination with Nathan Buckley in the Magpies’ engineroom and was rewarded with a Copeland Trophy in 2001 and 2002 and finished runner-up in 2004. Together with Gary Moorcroft is behind a push for Keon Park to return to senior football.
9. LANCE WHITNALL (Carlton)
Junior club: Lalor
Drafted: Father-son, 1996
Imagine picking up one of the best under-18 players in the country without having to use a draft pick. Those were the rules in 1996 and Carlton secured Whitnall, thanks to father Graeme’s 66 games. Lance would become one of the dominant centre half-forwards in the AFL, winning All-Australian honours in 2000 with 70 goals and a league-high 208 marks. A shift to defence later in his career secured a John Nicholls Medal in 2006 and the captaincy in 2007. However, just a year later a degenerative knee injury forced him into retirement at 28.
8. ANTHONY ROCCA (Sydney, Collingwood)
Junior club: West Preston-Lakeside
Drafted: No.2, 1994
Originally drafted by Sydney, Rocca lasted just two years in the Harbour City before joining brother Saverio at Victoria Park. He would become a key part of the Magpies’ forward line as the club reached the grand final in 2002 but was infamously suspended for the 2003 rematch against Brisbane. Rocca finished his career with 415 goals in 242 games and remains an assistant coach at Collingwood, while also helping out at his junior club.
7. HEATH SHAW (Collingwood, GWS Giants)
Junior club: Diamond Creek
Drafted: No.48 (father-son), 2003
The dashing half-back has been one of the AFL’s best for more than a decade having entrenched himself in the Magpies line-up in 2006. A critical part of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership, Shaw will long be remembered or his smother on Nick Riewoldt in the grand final replay. He’s arguably taken his game to new heights at GWS, winning a club best-and-fairest in 2015 and two All-Australian jackets since being traded after 2013.
6. DYLAN GRIMES (Richmond)
Junior club: Hurstbridge
Drafted: Pre-season pick No.2, 2009
Deserves to be this high on value for money alone. The Tigers got a bargain when they called out Grimes’ name in the 2009 pre-season draft. There were 92 players selected before the key defender who has since gone on to win two premierships and an All-Australian jacket. Grimes is a key pillar in Richmond’s defence and his ability to shut down talls and smalls alike is arguably the best in the competition.
5. MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (W.Bulldogs)
Junior club: Eltham
Drafted: No.4, 2013
Has the potential to be No.1 on this list when he’s finished but for now there’s still a couple of big names ahead of the Western Bulldogs skipper. ‘The Bont’ has been a key member of the Bulldogs since arriving at Whitten Oval, winning three Charlie Sutton Medals. He’s a two-time All-Australian and AFL Coaches Association champion player and still only 24. Took over the captaincy this season in a sign of his growing leadership capabilities.
4. CHRIS JOHNSON (Fitzroy, Brisbane Lions)
Junior club: Jacana
Drafted: No.7, 1993
It’s hard to argue with three premierships and Johnson was a key member of the Brisbane Lions juggernaut between 2001 and 2004. Having been drafted by Fitzroy, Johnson showed plenty of promise and was one of eight players taken by the merged Brisbane Lions. He became an dashing defender at the Lions, winning All-Australian honours in 2002 and 2004 and was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century in 2005. Johnson also had the privilege of captaining his country in the International Rules series.
3. ADAM SIMPSON (North Melbourne)
Junior club: Eltham
Drafted: No.14, 1993
One of the most underrated stars of his generation. Simpson was all class in 306 games for the Kangaroos. A premiership player in 1996 and 1999, he would then help lead the post Carey-era, winning the 2002 Syd Barker Medal and taking the captaincy from 2004 to 2008. An example of amazing consistency, Simpson played at least 19 games in 13 of his 15 seasons in the AFL and averaged more than 20 disposals a game in eight of his final nine years.
2. TRENT COTCHIN (Richmond)
Junior club: West Preston-Lakeside
Drafted: Pick 2, 2007
The captain of our list, Cotchin’s leadership at Richmond can’t be undervalued. From being called on to step down in 2016, the star midfielder is now looked upon as the AFL’s gold standard. While he’s happy to play second fiddle to Dustin Martin these days, Cotchin has plenty of personal accolades – a Brownlow Medal in 2012 (after Jobe Watson was disqualified), three Jack Dyer Medals and AFL Coaches Association champion player.
1. BRENT HARVEY (North Melbourne)
Junior club: Preston RSL
Drafted: No.47, 1995
When the club’s best-and-fairest is named after you, it would be harsh not to be considered the best that it’s produced. The resume speaks for itself; VFL/AFL record 432 games, 1999 premiership, five-time Syd Barker Medallist, Whitten Medal and Australia International Rules captain. Harvey came through the ranks when the then Preston Knights were an unstoppable force and a best-on-ground performance helped seal the 1995 TAC Cup premiership.