Watching Fox Sports a month or so ago Dwayne Russell (#moron) said something about how Ryan Griffen was one of the biggest recruitment “what ifs” in the history of the draft. When questioned he referred to the fact that the Bulldogs took him before Buddy Franklin and they have clearly made a massive mistake.
Whilst I obviously don’t think much of the above mentioned moron, he did get me thinking, with 6 and a half years of hindsight, how would the 2004 national draft look now. So firstly I did a bit of a revisit as to what the draft actually looked like.
1 Brett Deledio / Richmond
2 Jarryd Roughead / Hawthorn
3 Ryan Griffen / Western Bulldogs
4 Richard Tambling / Richmond
5 Lance Franklin / Hawthorn
6 Tom Williams / Western Bulldogs
7 Jordan Lewis / Hawthorn
8 John Meesen / Adelaide
9 Jordan Russell / Carlton
10 Christopher Egan / Collingwood
11 Adam Thomson / Port Adelaide
12 Danny Meyer / Richmond
13 Matthew Bate / Melbourne
14 Angus Mofries / Essendon
15 Lynden Dunn / Melbourne
16 Adam Pattison / Richmond
17 Andrew McQualter / St Kilda
18 Cameron Wood / Brisbane
19 Ryan Willits / Port Adelaide
20 Dean Polo / Richmond
21 Thomas Murphy / Hawthorn
22 Jesse Wells / Western Bulldogs
23 Sean Rusling / Collingwood
24 Nathan Van Berlo / Adelaide
25 Adam Hartlett / Carlton
26 Matthew Little / Hawthorn
27 Patrick Garner / Brisbane
28 Chad Gibson / Adelaide
29 Matthew Rosa / West Coast
30 Andrew Lee / Essendon
31 Jarred Moore / Sydney
32 Brent Prismall / Geelong
33 Cain Ackland / St Kilda
34 James Ezard / Port Adelaide
35 Fabian Deluca / Port Adelaide
36 Luke McGuane / Richmond
37 Mark LeCras / West Coast
38 Damian McCormack / Western Bulldogs
39 Travis Cloke / Collingwood
40 Ivan Maric / Adelaide
41 Luke Blckwell / Carlton
42 Jesse Smith / North Melbourne
43 Michael Newton / Melbourne
44 Mitch Morton / West Coast
45 Justin Sherman / Brisbane
46 Henry Slattery / Essendon
47 David Spriggs / Sydney
48 Nathan Ablett / Geelong
49 Mark McGough / St Kilda
50 Jayden Attard / Brisbane
51 Ben Eckermann / Port Adelaide
52 Dean Limbach / Richmond
53 Simon Taylor / Hawthorn
54 Stephen Tiller / Western Bulldogs
55 Adam Iacobucci / Collingwood
56 Chris Knights / Adelaide
57 Bradley Smith / West Coast
58 Brad Moran / North Melbourne
59 Benet Copping / Fremantle
60 Paul Thomas / Essendon
61 Heath James / Sydney
62 Matthew Egan / Geelong
63 James Gwilt / St Kilda
64 Luke Forsyth / Brisbane
65 Mark Graham / Richmond
66 Pass / Collingwood
67 Toby Stribling / Fremantle
68 Ben Schwarze / North Melbourne
69 Daniel Haines / Fremantle
70 Pass / Essendon
71 Pass / St Kilda
72 Pass / Richmond
73 Chris Bryan / Carlton
74 Daniel Pratt / North Melbourne
75 Pass / Fremantle
76 Pass / St Kilda
77 Anthony Raso / Carlton
78 Pass / Carlton
It didn’t take me long to realise that that the 04 draft will hardly go down in history as a classic. Wow what a shocker. Who the hell is John Meesen??? Or even Ryan Willits??? They both played games.
My intention was to give my top 20 pick as I think they would be taken now, but this was made all the tougher when I realised there was barely 20 of them still getting a game. So my criteria got a bit flexible. Anyway here we go.
1.Buddy –
Yep a no brainer, the man is a freak and power forwards are worth their weight in gold. I think all clubs new he had the talent when he was a kid but he had attitude problems that pushed him down the list some. The tales of his various interviews with clubs at the draft camp are now legend.
2.Griffen –
For mine the only other superstar of the draft. Aside from power forwards the next most valuable commodities are midfielders and he is without doubt the pick of this draft. Injuries slowed his early development but despite increased attention he took out the 2010 Bulldogs best and fairest and is set for All Australian status this year.
3. Lecras –
The bargain of the draft. Bit of a stretch to have a small forward taken at number 3 as it rarely if ever happens but no one can doubt how good he has been up forward. Best and fairest and All Australian last year support that.
4.Deledio –
In all honesty he has been a bit of a disappointment but that’s not to say he has been terrible, quite the opposite. A lot was expected of him naturally enough and saving Richmond was always going to be a job too big for one man. Anyway he has been adequate and the Richmond fans are no doubt glad he is in their side.
5.Matthew Egan –
Ok this is a bit out of left field but see my comments above about being flexible. The only player in my top 20 not currently on an AFL list but that is through no fault of his own. Being forced to retire prematurely due to a foot injury after appearing set for a hugely successful career at centre half back. Did not play another game after being named to the 2007 All Australian team. No doubt would go this high if had not been injured.
6.Roughy –
He’s no Buddy but by now the quality of this draft is starting to drop away. Key forwards are always at a premium and he has kicked 75 goals, with at least 50 in his last three years.
7.van Berlo –
Cool name, reason enough.
8.Jordan Lewis –
Ok seriously I really do rate NVB. By no means a star but a hard worker who has been used as a lock down player in the past, but is now being used to get his own ball. Craig rates him too and has him as skipper. As far as Lewis goes he has shown he can excel in both the midfield and the forward line and if it wasn’t for those stupid car ads may well have been higher.
9.Jordan Russell –
Lot of questions about him early on but seems to have turned it around of late. Very important to Carlton and that’s usually a good sign.
10.Tom Williams –
Deemed a project player when taken at 6 and has turned out to be exactly that. Injuries made the progress longer than it could have been but he finally seems to be doing the right things. For the doubters, you only need to look at the fact that the Bulldogs have not seen any need to rush All Australian Full Back Brian Lake back into the line-up as evidence of the progress Williams has made. Strangely 6 and a half years on still has potential.
11.Gus Monfries –
Don’t particularly rate him but there’s not much left. Definitely has the skills to do damage in the forward line and midfield but just not consistent enough.
12.Daniel Pratt –
Was mature age when North drafted him for a second time in the 04 draft. Never been a star but a solid and reliable defender for a number of years and that’s valuable enough to make 12 in this draft.
13.The Sherminator –
Never going to be the type of bloke to have opposition fans heap praise on him, yet he would still find a spot in most sides easily enough. Doesn’t have the tank to play midfield but has enough speed to be dangerous off half back or around goals. Muppet.
14.Lynden Dunn –
Good if not spectacular tagger that may have reached the point where his coaches need to decide which way he is going to go. Is he good enough to become a running midfielder himself or does he commit to a career as a pest.
15.Knights –
Useful enough and capable of kicking bags of goals.
16.Gwilt –
Whatever
17.McGuane –
See above
18.Slattery –
Clearly battling now
19.Matthew Bate –
Bit strange given he can’t even get a game for the Dees but I do rate the Red Prawn on his day. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him traded to play a role on the forward line somewhere next year.
20.Tambling –
To be honest I don’t think he deserves a spot inside the top 20 but I had to give him one only to highlight just how much of a failure he has been. Taken number four and still to deliver anything to suggest this would be justified. Had he been taken at pick 50 he would have been de-listed after two years yet because he went pick four Richmond gave him over 100 games. Adelaide actually traded for him, but don’t expect them to persist with him anywhere near as long.
So there you have it. A pretty poor draft on review, two genuine stars and only a handful more to get excited about. With Buddy at pick one and Griff at pick two you could say that the moron Dwayne Russell has a point as the Bulldogs could have picked Franklin. But in all honestly that is just not fair, as Griffen is a star in his own right and ask the Bulldogs if they are happy to have him and I can guarantee you what the answer will be. Maybe the more accurate call my mate Dwayno should have made was in regards to Richard Tambling. Given that he was also taken before Franklin and has played fewer impressive games than Ty Zantuck it would seem more logical to question his selection. Maybe he should focus on just calling the games instead of trying to make outlandish statements and always calling highlights that aren’t there.
In regards to the draft in general, how bad did Richmond draft? Five picks in the top 20 and Deledio was the only decent player they ended up with. Tambling, Meyer, Pattison and Polo were all failures so I’m starting to understand the frustrations of the Tiger supporters. Have no doubt I would find a similarly poor showing if I was to look through other drafts. Also probably worth mentioning that Travis Cloke was not really eligible for my top 20 as he was taken as a father son selection.
That’s it for now, just remember should you get stuck watching the footy on Fox Sports anytime soon, be sure to send some abuse the way of @_DwayneRussell
@Mal68Au
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