Talented utility: Troy Menzel was one of several fine players picked by Carlton. Photo: John French
WHO WON?
We'll find out in a few years. Obviously, what happens to players after the draft and how their new clubs develop them is more important than anything they've done in the lead-up. Greater Western Sydney has done well, but it's hard not to when you have such a large number of early picks. They've chosen well, though they had to make some tough calls and it will be interesting to see how the careers of Jimmy Toumpas and Brodie Grundy unfold - Grundy, in particular, given that while most clubs in the first round overlooked the ruckman once, the Giants said no five times.
Carlton got a good mix of players - Troy Menzel is a talented utility who would have gone in the top few if not for his history of knee injuries, Tom Temay could give some run off the half-back line and Morrish medallist Nick Graham couldn't have done much more as an inside midfielder this year. Some clubs were concerned about his knees, but at No. 54 the Blues got one of the best tacklers in the pool.
The Western Bulldogs used their high picks well and, with Jake Stringer and Jackson Macrae, found a combination of brute force and flair. Nathan Hrovat was a nice surprise at 21 and justified their decision to trade Brian Lake for a pick upgrade. Collingwood scored in a big way with Grundy and Ben Kennedy both reaching their early picks, and were able to target another midfielder, Tim Broomhead.
With Jimmy Toumpas and father-son pick Jack Viney, the Demons basically got two top-seven players, while Port Adelaide has assembled a solid group. Midfielder Ollie Wines is a desperate competitor and with 29 and 30 the Power was well placed to grab a couple of the better talls, defender Tom Clurey and forward Mason Shaw, given the first round was dominated by onballers.
HOW DID THE CROWS DO?
This wasn't a terrible draft for Adelaide to step mostly out of, for several reasons. It means the club has already served part of its punishment pending next week's full commission hearing, a first-round pick of No. 20 is in no man's land and the Crows were never planning to play a big role in this draft anyway, taking just two live picks. They also have Brad Crouch, their pick in last year's 17-year-old mini draft, coming on to the list and he would have been a top-three or -five choice this year if on offer to everyone else. Recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie, running his first draft, had choices 62 and 81 and was able to use them well. Sam Siggins is a key defender who got down that far because he doesn't win as much of the ball as others, and Rory Atkins is a creative, clever forward who could be a very good player, even in the midfield, if he improves his defensive mindset and knuckles down. If the Crows were on the lookout for two things at this draft, they were defensive depth and some outside skill. With Siggins and Atkins, they addressed both those needs.
THE SLIDERS
That Grundy got right down to Collingwood's pick 18 indicates how reluctant many clubs are to use their first pick in a draft on a player who could take four or five years to start making a significant impact. They figure they can trade for a ruckman when they need one or draft them later, even as rookies that could become good trade bait. Nic Naitanui is an obvious exception, and most clubs would have chosen Matthew Kreuzer first in 2007, but it's surprising that Grundy didn't go earlier given he has already played senior football, already weighs 100 kilograms, is an aggressive competitor and likes to work hard. His slide was the biggest eyebrow-raiser, while Kennedy (Collingwood, pick 19), Tim O'Brien (Hawthorn, pick 28), Mason Wood (North Melbourne, pick 41), Tim Membrey (Sydney, pick 46) and Graham (Carlton, pick 54) could also prove big bargains. And, of course, there is Menzel, who has enough talent to become the best player from this draft.
WHO MISSED OUT?
Jason Pongracic can consider himself very unlucky, having played catch-up this year after injury. South Australian onballer Sam Colquhoun didn't do much wrong this year either and both should be in the mix as rookies, as well as Northern Knight runner Matthew Haynes. At the start of the year Jordan Bourke was available to Geelong as a father-son pick and Gold Coast as a zone selection but wound up being overlooked by every club. Shannon Taylor is a talented player and good kid who is juggling a lot in his personal life and hasn't developed a strong enough work ethic, but it was surprising that no one took a chance on him. Chris Yarran (a new one, not the Carlton player) has gone from an AIS-AFL Academy player to a kid who runs just a level-eight beep test, and then there is the gifted Dayle Garlett, a top-10 player on talent alone. His off-field problems are more significant, prompting every club to put a line through his name. What happens from here is up to him, because he has the talent to become a very, very good player.
WHO ELSE MISSED OUT?
Ben Jacobs and Taylor Hine made their way to North Melbourne, which had looked at trading for both but not offered Port Adelaide or Gold Coast anything they wanted. But no other delisted players had their careers restarted. This wasn't hugely surprising given free agency has begun, enabling players cut loose to find a new club more easily, but there are still plenty who probably woke up on Friday morning wondering what had just happened. Dylan Roberton and Josh Toy, talented youngsters, are two of them.
REMEMBER THESE NAMES
James Aish is a premiership player at Norwood already. Josh Kelly is a run-all-day midfielder, Jack Billings kicks brilliantly and Tom Boyd is a big, marking forward. In 12 months' time we'll be back to do it all over again and, all going well, these boys will be near the top of the list.
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