Tom Liberatore, Jack Watts and Ben Reid were some of the biggest names to be dropped in 2017

CLUBS weren’t afraid to dump a big name in 2017 and we look back at some of the biggest selection surprises from the home and away season.

Josh Bruce was dropped during the 2017 season. Picture: AAP Images

In 2017, there was officially nowhere to hide.

This season has thrown up some of the biggest selection surprises in recent years, with premiership players, All-Australians, big-name recruits and leading goalkickers just some of the stars to be given the chop.

For most of these players, their time running around in the twos was short lived. But for others, they faced an uphill battle to get back into their club’s best 22.

With one round remaining before the finals, we’ve looked back at the biggest selection stunners from the home and away season.

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TOM LIBERATORE

When Luke Beveridge is at the head of the selection table, no one is safe.

Premiership player and star midfielder Tom Liberatore found that out the hard way. Less than 10 months after lifting the premiership cup, ‘Libba’ was banished to the VFL following the Dogs’ Round 8 loss to West Coast.

Amazingly, against the Eagles Liberatore had just one kick among his eight touches.

The 25-year-old returned to the senior side in Round 13 and has missed just one more game with injury.

It is easy to see why Beveridge lost patience with the star Dog.

Compared to his 2016 season, Liberatore is down in almost every major stat category including kicks, marks, handballs, goals, goal assists and clearances.

Tom Liberatore was dropped by the Western Bulldogs. Picture: AAP Images

JACK WATTS

Talk about a rollercoaster year for Jack Watts.

It started with questions being raised over whether he returned to pre-season training in good enough condition to be selected for Round 1.

However, all that was forgotten by midyear with the former top draft pick in career best form, most memorably extracting his Queen’s Birthday revenge against Collingwood with a matchwinning performance.

That now feels like a lifetime ago.

After coming back from injury in Round 18, Watts averaged 11 touches and kicked just one goal in his next three games. Then, just like that, he was gone from Melbourne’s best 22.

Watts hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in his two VFL hit-outs and it remains to be seen if he will return for finals.

TY VICKERY

For years, the Hawks have been the trade period kings.

From superstar additions like Shaun Burgoyne and Josh Gibson to James Frawley and Tom Mitchell, almost everything they touch turns to gold.

However, that wasn’t the case with free agent Ty Vickery, who struggled to make an impact in the brown and gold.

In games without Vickery in 2017, the Hawks are 8-6-1 and on track to play finals. But in games with Vickery they are 1-5. Ouch!

Alastair Clarkson lost patience with the former Tiger, dropping him after the club’s Round 3 loss to the Gold Coast.

He returned briefly in the middle of the season but was again dumped after Round 11. Vickery has one year left on his deal.

Collingwood fans were shocked when Ben Reid was dropped. Picture: Getty Images

BEN REID

With Collingwood’s season on the line ahead of a Round 15 clash against Hawthorn, the Magpies match committee decided they had a better chance of coming out on top if All-Australian and premiership player Ben Reid was playing in the VFL.

The club later said there was no defensive match-up for Reid — who has been more than capable of playing forward throughout his career.

It was a head scratcher at the time and almost two months later, it still is.

The Magpies lost the match by four goals, all but ending the club’s finals hopes.

Since being recalled in Round 16, Reid has played mostly forward and kicked 12 goals in seven weeks. In that time the Magpies have had three wins, three losses and a draw against flag favourites Adelaide.

Would they have an extra win if Reid played forward against the Hawks?

MATTHEW BOYD

A former club captain and long-time champion of the Western Bulldogs, Matthew Boyd was on track to play 300 games this season.

But that all changed when he was sent to the VFL after the Dogs were smashed in Round 12 by Sydney.

An All-Australian last year, Boyd has played just one senior match since that moment and will retire at the end of the season.

He averaged around six possessions less per game this year than in 2016 and was also down on inside 50s and tackles.

At the time, Beveridge spoke of how tough it was to drop Boyd.

“Of all the players historically to have walked the corridors of the Whitten Oval, he’s one of the most dignified and respected characters at our football club. He’s such a stand-up character and leader at our club.”

If Boyd is given a final round farewell match, he will finish his career on 292 games.

JOSH BRUCE

Across 2015 and 2016, Josh Bruce booted 88 goals. Then, in a massive shock, he was playing VFL in 2017.

Bruce’s dumping came after St Kilda’s Round 8 win over Carlton. At the time he had kicked 13 goals for the season.

An “angry” Bruce spent three weeks with Sandringham, before being recalled to the senior side.

“It was a bit of a kick in the guts,” he said of the dropping.

“But I’ve implemented a few things and feel like I’ve come back a better player for it.

“There was a little bit of anger — not at the coach but anger at the situation that I didn’t want to be in.”

Since earning his recall, Bruce has booted 22 goals and is in the mix to better his 38 majors from last year.

TODD GOLDSTEIN

For weeks and weeks the calls for Todd Goldstein to be dropped were getting louder and louder, with the likes of Jonathan Brown and Jason Dunstall encouraging the Kangaroos to give the former All-Australian a run in the VFL.

Despite constant backing from coach Brad Scott throughout the season, Goldstein was finally sent packing after North’s Round 17 loss to Port Adelaide.

In his two games for Werribee, Goldstein was named in the best players both times and was recalled to the seniors by Round 20.

So where has it all gone wrong for Goldstein?

Across the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the ruckman finished either first or second in total hit-outs for the entire league. This year he is only just inside the top 10. For average hit-outs per game, Goldstein has dropped from outright second last year to 17th in 2017.

Todd Goldstein was dropped to the VFL. Picture: AAP Images

JOSH JENKINS

In 2016 Josh Jenkins was one of the most in-demand out of contract forwards in the AFL before eventually signing a five-year-deal to remain with the Crows.

However, year one of that deal didn’t exactly get off to the best of starts.

The big man was dumped to the SANFL following Adelaide’s Round 8 loss to Melbourne. Adelaide was 6-2 and on top of the ladder at the time.

The dropping certainly lit a fire under Jenkins, who returned two weeks later in ripping touch. He booted 18 goals across the next six weeks and is on target to finish with close to 50 majors by the time the finals series is over.

CHRIS MAYNE

When a club signs a free agent to a four-year deal worth around $500,000 a season, they have pretty high expectations.

Those expectations don’t stop at three senior games, two goals and the rest of the year playing in the VFL.

That is what Collingwood has got from former Docker Chris Mayne, who was sent packing from the senior team after the club’s Round 3 win against Sydney.

Since then, Mayne has played 16 matches in the VFL and kicked 18 goals.

He has been overlooked at the selection table countless times, with the Magpies instead going with youngsters like Callum Brown, Josh Daicos and Ben Crocker throughout the year.

Former Melbourne great David Schwarz was scathing of the Magpies for recruiting Mayne.

“If I’m Collingwood, I go to Mayne and his manager and say, let’s cut a deal,” Schwarz said on SEN 1116.

“We will pay you 650 thousand now to pack your bags and go home. The person who did the deal, hang your head in shame. They should never work in the AFL again.”

Chris Mayne playing in the VFL for Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

KURT TIPPETT

When you have a start to the year like the Swans did, there were always going to be a few big-name casualties. Million-dollar man Kurt Tippett was that big name.

Tippett was dropped following Sydney’s Round 10 loss to Hawthorn which, at the time, appeared to be the end of the Swans’ finals hopes. How wrong that turned out to be.

But even as the Swans have surged, Tippett has still struggled to find consistency in his game. After being recalled in Round 20, he has kicked three goals and is averaging under 12 touches a game. Going into finals, the Swans will likely only play two of Tippett, Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair. Will Tippett be the unlucky one to be axed again?