Draft-off: Best of 2007 AFL Draft against best of 2008 AFL Draft

WHICH AFL draft class was the best of the 2000s? We select a 22-man team from the 2007 and 2008 drafts and pit them against each other. VOTE

Young players (L-R) Steele Sidebottom, Nicholas Naitanui and Jack Watts at the 2008 AFL Draft camp at the AIS in Canberra.

WHICH AFL draft class was the best of the 2000s?

We’ve selected a 22-man team from each national draft between 2001 and 2008 and pitted them against each other.

And you get to decide which is the best draft by casting your vote.

The opening draft-off match-ups are ...

Quarter-final 1:‘01 draft (98%) def ‘03 draft (2%)

Quarter-final 2:‘05 draft (62%) def ‘02 draft (38%)

Quarter-final 3: ‘07 draft v ‘08 draft

Quarter-final 4: ‘06 draft v ‘04 draft

The winners will progress through to semi-finals, which will be held over the next week.

Remember it’s you who decides who should advance to the grand final, so make your votes count.

AFL Draft 2007. (L to R) No. 2 Trent Cotchin (Richmond), No. 1 Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton) and No. 3 Chris Masten (West Coast).

BEST OF ‘07 DRAFT

B: Cale Hooker (Pick 54) Scott Thompson (37) Jack Grimes (14)

HB: Harry Taylor (17) Alex Rance (18) David Myers (6)

C: Jack Steven (42) Callan Ward (19) Levi Greenwood (32)

HF: Brad Ebert (13) Lachie Henderson (8) Chris Mayne (40)

F: Cyril Rioli (12) Taylor Walker (75) Matthew Kreuzer (1)

Foll: Matthew Lobbe (16) Patrick Dangerfield (10) Trent Cotchin (2)

I/C: Ben McEvoy (9) Scott Selwood (22) Chris Masten (3) Craig Bird (59)

A WELL-BALANCED team, yet it includes just three players who have played in a premiership side: Harry Taylor, Cyril Rioli and Ben McEvoy.

A brilliant yet tough on-ball trio in Patrick Dangerfield, Trent Cotchin and Callan Ward, who all traditionally poll well on Brownlow night. And it’d be no surprised if either one of the three stars won the medal in the future.

Three very solid ruckmen, too, in Matthew Kreuzer, Matthew Lobbe and McEvoy. Despite Kreuzer being taken with the first pick and McEvoy playing in a premiership team this year, Lobbe has quickly established himself as one of the competition’s best big men, hence why he has been selected as the starting ruckman.

The knock on the team would be the lack of run and rebound from the backline, with David Myers the only genuine small defender of the group.

Plenty of bargains in this draft, including Taylor Walker, Cale Hooker, Jack Steven and Scott Thompson, who have become important features at their respective clubs.

Steele Sidebottom taking part in the 2008 AFL Draft camp at the AIS in canberra.

BEST OF ‘08 DRAFT

B: Phil Davis (Pick 10) Jackson Trengove (22) Chris Yarran (6)

HB: Matthew Broadbent (38) Michael Hurley (5) Hamish Hartlett (4)

C: Steele Sidebottom (11) Rory Sloane (44) Stephen Hill (3)

HF: Steven Motlop (39) Jack Watts (1) David Zaharakis (23)

F: Hayden Ballantyne (21) Tyrone Vickery (8) Michael Walters (53)

R: Nic Naitanui (2) Daniel Hannebery (30) Dayne Beams (29)

I/C: Zac Clarke (37) Liam Shiels (34) Jack Ziebell (9) Daniel Rich (7)

A TEAM headlined by a deep midfield, with Rising Star winner Daniel Rich forced to the bench and Luke Shuey, Jack Redden and Mitch Robinson not even selected in the 22-man team.

Three premiership players in the midfield, with Daniel Hannebery and new Lion Dayne Beams in the guts, as well as Steele Sidebottom coming off a wing.

Across the 22, a great mix of speed and toughness, with Chris Yarran and Stephen Hill providing ample outside dash and Rory Sloane and Jack Ziebell extracting the contested ball.

A dangerous, elusive forward line, with Dockers duo Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne occupying the pockets and Steve Motlop named on a half-forward flank. However Tyrone Vickery and Jack Watts haven’t dominated the league like many expected them to — yet.

Barring Walters (pick 53), every player in the side was selected within the first 40 picks.