Biggest third-round steals from the AFL draft since 2000

WORRIED your club doesn’t have a pick until the third round of Friday’s national draft? Look at these names and you’ll see there’s no reason to panic.

WORRIED your club doesn’t have a pick until the third round of Friday’s national draft? There’s no reason to panic.

Essendon (pick 48), Port Adelaide (pick 47) and Hawthorn (pick 43) don’t enter the draft until late after parting with their early selections in trades.

But there have been plenty of gems taken with those selections — scroll down to see our pick of the third-rounders this century — and follow the countdown all week.

PART ONE: BEST PICKS IN FIFTH ROUND OR LATER

PART TWO: BEST FOURTH-ROUND DRAFT PICKS

FAST FACTS: 10-MINUTE GUIDE TO THE 2017 DRAFT

Gangly 17-year-old draft prospect Max Gawn in 2009.

Melbourne recruiters got this one right.

2000

BEST PICK: Martin Pike (No.33, Brisbane)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Josh Hunt (No.44, Geelong), Adam McPhee (No.39, Fremantle)

Pike might have already played 141 games and won a premiership before being picked up here by the Lions, but he would go on to play a vital role in Brisbane’s three straight flags. Can you believe he was pick No.9 in 1992? Josh Hunt added two flags of his own in another astute pick by the Cats.

2001

BEST PICK: Gary Ablett Jnr (No.40, Geelong)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Sam Mitchell (No.36), Leigh Montagna (No.37, St Kilda)

The 2001 super draft wasn’t super just because of its star-studded first-round. The third round was filled with future stars led by dual Brownlow Medallist, two-time premiership Cat and inaugural Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett. It’s unlikely he’d go that late under today’s father-son rules, but he may not have been a top-10 pick, either. On his heels is Brownlow medallist and four-time premiership Hawk Sam Mitchell. Montagna is relegated to third in a round that also included premiership Eagle Ashley Hansen, Jarrad Waite and, unbelievably, Paul Salmon.

Where would Gary Ablett have gone in 2001 if the father-son rule didn’t exist?

2002

BEST PICK: Jobe Watson (No.40, Essendon)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Sean Dempster (No.34, Sydney), Brett Ebert (No.42, Port Adelaide)

Essendon benefited from the father-son rules at the time to pluck Jobe Watson at 40 — see the Ablett reference above regarding father-son rules. Jobe has lost his Brownlow Medal and a year of his career but retired with three best-and-fairests and two All-Australian guernseys. Sean Dempster was a low-profile champion, a premiership Swan in his debut season who added another 158 games and three Grand Finals at St Kilda.

2003

BEST PICK: Heath Shaw (No.48, Collingwood)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Amon Buchanan (No.45, Sydney), Zac Dawson (No.41, Hawthorn)

Collingwood had two father-son picks that year and took Brayden Shaw with pick 32 and his cousin Heath in the next round. “Heater” developed into one of the AFL’s best attacking defenders and was a part of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership before heading north to GWS, where he’s become a two-time All-Australian. Another year, another Sydney premiership star found in the third round — Buchanan played a key role in the Swans’ 2005 flag. Dawson was often ridiculed but after an ill-fated beginning at Hawthorn he became a dependable defender at St Kilda and Fremantle.

2004

BEST PICK: Travis Cloke (No.39, Collingwood)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Mark LeCras (No.37, West Coast), Ivan Maric (No.40, Adelaide)

Another father-son Magpie who became a premiership star. Cloke was without doubt the game’s most dominant power forward in his prime, winning a Copeland Trophy and two All-Australian caps. Taken two picks earlier, LeCras has also built himself an excellent career, winning an Eagles best-and-fairest and All-Australian jumper.

2005

BEST PICK: Andrew Swallow (No.43, North Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Alipate Carlile (No.44, Port Adelaide), Sam Lonergan (No.50, Essendon)

A future club captain and three-time best-and-fairest is a steal at No.43 and so it was for the Kangaroos with Swallow, who retired this month after 224 games. Carlile might not have the same profile but in 10 years and 167 games for the Power he was as reliable as any defender in the AFL.

Hawthorn recruit Josh Kennedy with his grandfather John Kennedy Snr (left) and father John Kennedy Junior.

2006

BEST PICK: Josh Kennedy (No.40, Hawthorn)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Tom Hawkins (No.41, Geelong), Todd Goldstein (No.37, North Melbourne)

Kennedy played only 13 games at the Hawks but it was at Sydney that he rose to stardom. Since he and Ben McGlynn were traded for picks 39, 46 and 70, Kennedy has won a premiership, three Bob Skilton Medals, three All-Australian caps and is now Swans captain. With the very next pick the Cats snapped up Hawkins — a two-time premiership player and best-and-fairest winner — under the father-son rule. Todd Goldstein is one of the AFL’s premier big men and a Kangaroos best-and-fairest winner, rounding out one of the strongest third rounds in history.

2007

BEST PICK: Easton Wood (No.43, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Jack Steven (No.42, St Kilda), Scott Thompson (No.37, North Melbourne)

Wood takes the spoils here. The now full-time Bulldogs captain, Wood won a Charles Sutton Medal in 2015 before being elevated to premiership captain in Bob Murphy’s absence in 2016. Just edged out, Steven is a three-time Trevor Barker Award winner in 154 games. Another on this list who might not get the plaudits he deserves, Thompson is a North Melbourne best-and-fairest winner and All-Australian.

Eastern Ranges draft hopeful Rory Sloane in 2008.

2008

BEST PICK: Rory Sloane (No.44, Adelaide)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Steven Motlop (No.39, Geelong), Mitch Robinson (No.40, Carlton)

Where would Sloane be picked if 2008 was redrafted? Not at No.44. A two-time best-and-fairest winner and modern superstar. Motlop might be hot and cold but there can’t be any doubting his impact when “on” and now has a fresh start at Port Adelaide, while Robinson moved to Brisbane for a fresh start of his own and claimed a Merrett-Murray Medal in 2015.

Rory Sloane was a huge bargain at pick 44. Picture: Michael Klein

2009

BEST PICK: Max Gawn (No.34, Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Ben Stratton (No.46, Hawthorn), Sam Reid (No.38, Sydney)

Stratton might have three premierships but we’re giving the nod to Gawn here. The Demons big man has improved at warp speed in the past few years and is now the No.1 big man in the AFL. Reid is a premiership Swan but injuries have limited his career. He edges out Dylan Roberton (pick 49) for the final spot on the podium.

2010

BEST PICK: Tom McDonald (No.53, Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Alex Fasolo (No.45, Collingwood), Alex Johnson (No.57, Sydney)

Demon McDonald was one of the AFL’s best intercepting key defenders before being moved forward in the past two years. He edges out Fasolo, who reached 100 games this year and was Collingwood’s leading goalkicker the year before. In third, Johnson is on the list for inspiration alone after five knee reconstructions. The 2012 premiership Swan fought back from countless injury setbacks to finally return to the field at NEAFL level before being delisted at the end of the season.

2011

BEST PICK: Lachie Neale (No.58, Fremantle)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Tory Dickson (No.57, W.Bulldogs), Alex Woodward (No.53, Hawthorn)

Neale has developed into one of the AFL’s best midfielders, forming a dynamic duo with Dockers star Nat Fyfe and winning a club best-and-fairest in 2016. Dickson was a mature-age recruit and was a key plank in the Bulldogs’ fairytale premiership. Finally, Woodward — like Johnson — is here for inspiration. While the midfielder only played two AFL games, he fought back from three knee reconstructions to win the VFL league B & F, only to rupture his ACL again in 2015 and 2017 while playing with Collingwood’s VFL team.

2012

BEST PICK: Lachie Hunter (No.49, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Tim Membrey (No.46, Sydney), Martin Gleeson (No.53, Essendon)

Father-son pick Hunter was a key part of the Dogs’ fairytale premiership, playing all 26 games and collecting more than 700 disposals. He’s racked up 84 games so far. Membrey started slowly at the Swans and moved to St Kilda for more opportunity and it’s paid dividends. His 91 goals in 49 games as seen him claim back-to-back club goalkicking awards.

Father son draft prospects James Stewart and Lachie Hunter in 2012.

2013

BEST PICK: Ben Brown (No.47, North Melbourne)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: James Sicily (No.56, Hawthorn), Orazio Fantasia (No.55, Essendon)

Three of the games’s most exciting young talents. We’ve given the nod to Brown, the Kangaroos’ next big thing, after he kicked 63 goals this season to finish third in the Coleman Medal. Sicily started as a forward but proved himself a promising key defender this year while Fantasia kicked 39 goals as an exciting small forward with the Bombers.

2014

BEST PICK: Caleb Daniel (No.46, W.Bulldogs)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Mitch McGovern (No.43, Adelaide), Oscar McDonald (No.53, Melbourne)

The Bulldogs third top pick on this list had all the numbers to justify a higher draft ranking but one — his 168cm frame — meant he was still around when the Dogs’ third-round pick came around. Two years later he was a member of the 2016 premiership team and AFL Rising Star award runner-up. McGovern was one of the most in-demand youngsters this off-season with a return to Perth mooted, but he re-signed with the Crows and is a part of the AFL’s most potent forward line. McDonald joins his brother on this list, just edging out Bulldog Bailey Dale.

2015

BEST PICK: Jack Silvagni (No.53, Carlton)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Blake Hardwick (No.44, Hawthorn), Rhys Mathieson (No.39, Brisbane)

Silvagni is one of the batch of exciting young stars at Ikon Park with 20 games under his belt in his first two seasons. In second, Hardwick enjoyed a breakout season in 2017, playing 19 games as the Hawks “rebuilt”. Mathieson was a slider on draft night but has shown promising signs at the Lions.

2016

BEST PICK: Jack Graham (No.53, Richmond)

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Mitch Hannan (No. 46, Melbourne), Lewis Young (No.49, W.Bulldogs)

When you’ve only played one season, it’s hard to beat a premiership player. He might have played only five games but Graham is the No.1 pick from the third round of 2017 after shutting down Rory Sloane — another third-rounder — on Grand Final day in a nice bit of draft symmetry. Hannan and Lewis could have something to say about that next year. Hannan played 20 games in his debut season with the Demons while Young burst on to the scene as an intercepting key defender with the Dogs, finishing the year with seven games.

Jack Graham in action for South Australia at the 2016 under-18 titles. Picture: Mark Stewart

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