We look at Australia’s top talent factories as the AFL Draft turns 31

THERE’S been 300 players taken as top-10 picks in the AFL Draft since 1986. We look at the clubs that have been the best at producing young talent.

Steele Sidebottom in action for Murray Bushrangers.

YOUNG talent is the lifeblood of the AFL, so who produces the most?

We’ve looked back at the past 30 editions to see which clubs have produced the most top-end talent.

When we say top-end talent, we mean top-10 picks, that’s 300 players.

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Yes, not every pick has been spot on, in 1986 the draft was little more than a guessing game.

It has since become an art with recruiters, list managers and scouts from across Australia eyeing the best young talent available.

So it comes as no surprise that TAC Cup teams - Victoria’s major underage competition - have dominated since its inception in 1992.

Patrick Dangerfield in action for Geelong Falcons. Picture: Phillip Stubbs

Jack Ziebell in action for Murray Bushrangers. Picture: Michael Klein

SANFL clubs were major talent factories during early draft years before WAFL talent started to become more prevalent after the West Coast Eagles were born.

South Australia provided 13 of the first 20 top-10 picks as Victorian clubs looked to pilfer the state’s best talent while Western Australia provided 14 of 30 top-10 picks between 1988 and 1990, including six consecutive selections in 1989.

WAFL powerhouse Claremont reached 10 top-10 draft picks in 1992 a staggering 18 years before the next club, TAC Cup club Gippsland Power.

However, since 1992 the Victorian elite junior competition has taken over, providing a massive 131 top-10 draft picks after Justin Leppitsch was first drafted at pick No.4 of that year.

Of individual clubs, the Murray Bushrangers have the most top-end talent.

STATE/COMPETITION	TOP-10 PICKS
TAC Cup	131
WAFL	71
SANFL	52
Country Victoria	15
Tasmania	15
Northern Territory	5
AFL/VFL	4
Queensland	4
NSW/ACT	3

NB: TAC Cup includes Victorian clubs only. Tassie Mariners and NSW/ACT Rams have been included in their state totals.

Drawing from the Riverina and northern Victoria, the Bushrangers have had 19 players taken inside the top-10 ahead of fellow TAC Cup club Geelong Falcons (17) and the WAFL’s East Fremantle (14).

At the other end of the table there are more than a few surprises.

North Hobart is the first non-TAC Cup, WAFL or SANFL club with three top-10 picks in its history thanks to Darren Davies (No.7, Footscray, 1987), Jody Arnol (No.3, St Kilda 1989) and James Cook (No.2, Carlton, 1990).

Fellow Tasmanian club Devonport has had two as has the tiny Victorian town of Port Fairy with Michael Taylor (No.5, Geelong, 1986) and John McNamara (No.4, North Melbourne, 1988).

Other surprise clubs to have produced top-10 draft picks include Myrtleford, Moe, Won Wron Woodside, Nhill, Kangaroo Flat and Chiltern.

Chris Masten in action for East Fremantle. Picture: Theo Fakos

Matthew Pavlich in action for Woodville-West Torrens. Picture: Sarah Reed

AFL TALENT FACTORIES

Which clubs have produced the most top-10 draft picks between 1986 and 2015.

19 - Murray Bushrangers (TAC)

17 - Geelong Falcons (TAC)

14 - East Fremantle (WAFL)

13 - Claremont (WAFL), Southern/Dandenong Stingrays (TAC), Northern Knights (TAC)

12 - Oakleigh Chargers (TAC)

11 - Sandringham Dragons (TAC), Gippsland Power (TAC), Calder Cannons (TAC)

10 - Bendigo Pioneers (TAC)

Dustin Martin was plucked out of the Bendigo Pioneers.

9 - Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL), Norwood (SANFL)

8 - Glenelg (SANFL), East Perth (WAFL)

7 - South Fremantle (WAFL), Swan Districts (WAFL), Eastern Ranges (TAC)

6 - Subiaco (WAFL), Tassie Mariners (TAC), Peel Thunder (WAFL)

5 - Port Adelaide (SANFL), West Adelaide (SANFL), North Adelaide (SANFL), West Perth (WAFL), North Ballarat Rebels (TAC)

Martin Leslie was the No.1 pick in 1986 from Port Adelaide.

4 - Central Districts (SANFL), Sturt (SANFL), Perth (WAFL)

3 - South Adelaide (SANFL), North Hobart (Tasmania)

2 - Devonport (Tasmania), Port Fairy (Victoria), Western Jets (TAC), NSW/ACT Rams (TAC), St Mary’s (NTFL), Southern Districts (NTFL), Morningside (QAFL)

1 - Barooga (Victoria), East Devonport (Tasmania), Myrtleford (Victoria), Moe (Victoria), Ballarat (Victoria), Wangaratta (Victoria), South Warrnambool (Victoria), Won Wron Woodside (Victoria), Mildura (Victoria), Maryborough (Victoria), Clarence (Tasmania), Nhill (Victoria), Horsham (Victoria), Hobart (Tasmania), Kangaroo Flat (Victoria), Chiltern (Victoria), Footscray (AFL), Fremantle (WAFL), Melbourne (AFL), Fitzroy (AFL), Southport (NEAFL), Broadbeach (NEAFL), Launceston (Tasmania), Werribee (VFL), NT Thunder (NEAFL), North Shore (NSW)

Originally published as We look at Australia’s top talent factories as the AFL Draft turns 31