Draft Busts

[Happy Days]

A subject which comes up frequently in American sports but not so much in the AFL is draft busts; players who were drafted in a high position but for what ever reason didn't live up to expectations. And with the draft upon us, theres no time like the present to bring it up.

We've had some howlers (Farren, Sammy Power, etc.), but so has every club. A couple of the most prominent ones I can think of are Luke "the next Silvagni" Livingston to Carlton at pick 4, who was quite simply never good enough to justify the reputation thrust upon him, and Ashley Sampi to West Coast at pick 6, whom the story behind I think we all know.

Who are some of the biggest busts you can remember, from any team?

[ledge]

2002 number 4 Tim Walsh Bulldogs.
1987 number 1 Richard Lounder Tigers was a pearler, but tigers proved that they are very consistent with picking rubbish even back then!
1989 again Richmond number 1 Anthony Banik
1991 John Hutton number 1 to Brisbane burst on the scene for about a year then faded , i remember him as a little bloke with a helmet.

[Sockeye Salmon]

It's often said that every team has draft busts, do they? Ithought I'd look into it a bit.


Adelaide - have a couple of skeletons there, Meeson @ 8 and Angwin @ 7 the worst.
Brisbane - I thought I'd have to go back to the days of the bad news Bears but Damian Cupido (6) helped out. Llane Spaaderman was 18 but their 1st rounder at the time.
Carlton - Livingstone (4) is in the draft busts hall of fame, but Murray Vance (6) is up there too.
Collingwood - Danny Roach (7) is their worst with hinourable mentions to Cole (11) and Egan (10).
Essendon - Daniel McAlister (5) clearly, Bolton (4) played more bad games than nearly any player in history, Bradley (6) and Laycock (10) are still playing.
Freo - Anyone remember Ben Edwards (7)? Drum (10) and Dunn (10) sound nearly alike, went the same number and were both poo.
Geelong - not too many low picks but Kane Tenace (7) is the standout.
Hawthorn - Thorp (6) and Brennan (8) are both shockers.
Melbourne - not too many, suprisingly enough. Luke Molan (9) the biggy.
North - you have to go back a few years but Dylan Smith (6) and David Trotter (9) their worst.
Port - Stevens (5), Michael not Nick and Paul Koulouriotis (12) are their only really bad ones.
Richmond - many to pick from here but Oakley Nichols (8) is more recent so I'll go with him. Loundner and Banik are acient history. Pettifer (9), Pattison (16) and Meyer (12) were bad ones too.
St. Kilda - had the fewest to pick from. Caydn Beetham (9) wins and only because he couldn't be stuffed, he could actually play.
Sydney - big Fitzy went 4 and Daniel O'Keefe went 15. They have just about traded away all of their 1st rounders.
West Coast - nearly Richmond standard, who would have thought? Sampi (6) and McDougall (5) we all know, but who remembers Brandon Hill (10)?

Western Bulldogs - Walsh (4) by the length of the straight. He did spend more time in rehab than on the ground so who knows what he mighht have been able to do with a bit more luck. McMahon, Ray and Power aren't in this class.


So, to answer the original question, "does every side have draft busts"?, the answer is definately "yes".

[Sedat]

It's often said that every team has draft busts, do they? Ithought I'd look into it a bit.


Adelaide - have a couple of skeletons there, Meeson @ 8 and Angwin @ 7 the worst.
Brisbane - I thought I'd have to go back to the days of the bad news Bears but Damian Cupido (6) helped out. Llane Spaaderman was 18 but their 1st rounder at the time.
Carlton - Livingstone (4) is in the draft busts hall of fame, but Murray Vance (6) is up there too.
Collingwood - Danny Roach (7) is their worst with hinourable mentions to Cole (11) and Egan (10).
Essendon - Daniel McAlister (5) clearly, Bolton (4) played more bad games than nearly any player in history, Bradley (6) and Laycock (10) are still playing.
Freo - Anyone remember Ben Edwards (7)? Drum (10) and Dunn (10) sound nearly alike, went the same number and were both poo.
Geelong - not too many low picks but Kane Tenace (7) is the standout.
Hawthorn - Thorp (6) and Brennan (8) are both shockers.
Melbourne - not too many, suprisingly enough. Luke Molan (9) the biggy.
North - you have to go back a few years but Dylan Smith (6) and David Trotter (9) their worst.
Port - Stevens (5), Michael not Nick and Paul Koulouriotis (12) are their only really bad ones.
Richmond - many to pick from here but Oakley Nichols (8) is more recent so I'll go with him. Loundner and Banik are acient history. Pettifer (9), Pattison (16) and Meyer (12) were bad ones too.
St. Kilda - had the fewest to pick from. Caydn Beetham (9) wins and only because he couldn't be stuffed, he could actually play.
Sydney - big Fitzy went 4 and Daniel O'Keefe went 15. They have just about traded away all of their 1st rounders.
West Coast - nearly Richmond standard, who would have thought? Sampi (6) and McDougall (5) we all know, but who remembers Brandon Hill (10)?

Western Bulldogs - Walsh (4) by the length of the straight. He did spend more time in rehab than on the ground so who knows what he mighht have been able to do with a bit more luck. McMahon, Ray and Power aren't in this class.


So, to answer the original question, "does every side have draft busts"?, the answer is definately "yes".
Great list Sockeye, and an overdue healthy sense of perspective when it comes to the ND - every club has high draft pick skeletons since the ND began to be taken seriously (around 1996 onwards) precisely because it is a future's market and there are no iron-clad guarantees. Maybe that's why Sydney are happy to trade away their first rounders every season (and win a flag, nearly win another one and make the finals 6 years in a row) to pick up established talent in their mid 20's.

Just on West Coast, you can also add Jaxon Crabb, Callum Chambers and David Antonowicz to their list of first round ND shockers since the late 90's.

[Go_Dogs]

So, to answer the original question, "does every side have draft busts"?, the answer is definately "yes".

Did you get a feel at all that more recently the first round has become much more certain in terms of players making it? I have a little theory there will be more first round hits than misses in comparison between the more recent drafts to earlier ones, and I'm talking a short time frame from perhaps 2005-06 onwards compared to say 2001-04.

It'll be a few years yet before that can be said with any kind of certainty or factual evidence though.

[Mantis]

Did you get a feel at all that more recently the first round has become much more certain in terms of players making it? I have a little theory there will be more first round hits than misses in comparison between the more recent drafts to earlier ones, and I'm talking a short time frame from perhaps 2005-06 onwards compared to say 2001-04.

It'll be a few years yet before that can be said with any kind of certainty or factual evidence though.

That would have a lot to do with the amount of money most clubs are now spending on their recruiting and their recruiting team.

[Go_Dogs]

That would have a lot to do with the amount of money most clubs are now spending on their recruiting and their recruiting team.

No doubt, that was sort of my point. It's a much more accurate science these days - and you'd want it to be given the $$ and number of people involved.

It's interesting how it has really evolved over the past few years - would you say recruiting budgets changed dramatically over the past couple of years, or are recruiters just getting better at identifying the requirements of successful AFL players? Or more likely, a combination.

[Cyberdoggie]

Is it too soon to add Jarryd Grant (pick 5) to our list? ;)

[strebla]

Is it too soon to add Jarryd Grant (pick 5) to our list? ;)

Way too early cyber unless you want it to come back and bite you on the bum!!!

[Dancin' Douggy]

Aaron Fiora, Another Richmond classic

[mjp]

Is it too soon to add Jarryd Grant (pick 5) to our list? ;)

Not all that much too early.

When a top 5 pick finishes his second year playing VFL reserves that is a major concern.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Aaron Fiora, Another Richmond classic

OMG. How could I forget?

[Mantis]

It's interesting how it has really evolved over the past few years - would you say recruiting budgets changed dramatically over the past couple of years, or are recruiters just getting better at identifying the requirements of successful AFL players? Or more likely, a combination.

I would say it would be a combination.

I also think the talent identification programs that now exist mean the recruiters get to see more of these kids and for a longer period than they did 5+ years ago.

[Mofra]

Aaron Fiora, Another Richmond classic
He ended up playing 150+ games which is a fair bit above average. Granted he finished with another club and was probably below expectations, but not sure if it wa sa true bust.

Farren Ray I wouldn't call a bust either, he will end up a 200+ gamer.

[chef]

Is it too soon to add Jarryd Grant (pick 5) to our list? ;)

Yeah, probably 12-24 months early.

[mighty_west]

He ended up playing 150+ games which is a fair bit above average. Granted he finished with another club and was probably below expectations, but not sure if it wa sa true bust.

Farren Ray I wouldn't call a bust either, he will end up a 200+ gamer.

You can probably have 3 catergories for first rounders, the guns, the good ordinary's, and then, the hacks, the definate FAILS.

If a player goes onto play 50 plus games, even if that means playing at another club, then he isn't a complete fail.

An example : Pavlich, Cooney, Reiwoldt, J Selwood etc are in your first column, the gun first round picks.

The good ordinary's would include : Power, McMahon, Sharon Fiona, Sharon Ray etc, not guns, but wouldn't call them hacks either, i guess what makes Fiora stand out, was who they missed on selecting, and he was the first player i mentioned in the guns column!, and yes, was a Richmond selection.

The Hacks : TIM WALSH, Jon, in fact, quite a few at Richmond which is very pleasing..:D