And one more time our thanks go to Sam the Stats Man for providing the history of ... 

SELECTION 54

Carlton hit the jackpot with 200 gamer Michael Sexton in the 1988 draft but that was in the early days when some clubs didn't have a clue what they were doing at the draft table. Sexton played in a back pocket alongside Stephen Silvagni in the Blues' 1995 premiership.

Most of the others have barely made an impact. Current Bomber Cale Hooker (2007)  is one game shy of his fifty but the last three 54s have managed a total of one game between them.

The Demons drafted tall, gangly ruckman Daniel Clarke from Queensland in 1993 but he failed to get a senior game and ended up a bit of a legend in the VFL with Frankston. Lightly built Cameron Hunter (2002), son of Carlton great Ken, managed two games with the Demons before heading off to Box Hill.

The odds are not good for success at this selection, particularly in a shallow draft of the likes of this one.

1986 - Paul Page, Kennington (St. Kilda): 0 games 

1987 - Adam Ladbrook, Pakenham (Brisbane): 0 games 

1988 - Michael Sexton, Sandurst (Carlton): 200 games

1989 - Steve Bozicevic, Myrtleford (Sydney): 0 games

1990 - Brian Stanislaus, St. Marys NT (Sydney): 1 game

1991 - Leigh Snooks, Derinallum (Carlton): 0 games

1992 - Daniel Clarke, West Brisbane (Melbourne): 0 games

1993 - Sedat Sir, Central Dragons (Western Bulldogs): 24 games

1994 - Ian Downsborough, West Perth (West Coast): 20 games (Port Adelaide 7 games, Adelaide 12 games)

1995 - Adam Ansell, West Adelaide (Hawthorn): 0 games

1996 - Matthew Watson, Essendon (Essendon): 1 game

1997 - Justin Wood, Tassie Mariners (Geelong): 7 games

1998 - Derek Murray, Murray Bushrangers (Port Adelaide): 23 games

1999 - Murray Pitts, St. Kilda (St. Kilda) 0 games

2000 - Jarrad Sundqvst, Glenelg (Sydney): 9 games

2001 - Ben Robbins, Brisbane (North Melbourne): 40 games (previously Brisbane 52 games)

2002 - Cameron Hunter, Calder Cannons (Melbourne): 2 games

2003 - Pass (Geelong) 

2004 - Stephen Tiller, West Adelaide (Western Bulldogs): 21 games

2005 - Kristin Thornton, Peel (Sydney): 0  games (Sydney 8 games)

2006 - Matt Tyler, North Ballarat Rebels (Brisbane): 0 games

2007 - Cale Hooker, East Fremantle (Essendon): 49 games

2008 - Jarrad Redden, Woodville-W T (Port Adelaide): 0 games

2009 - Byron Sumner, Woodville-W T (Sydney):  1 game

2010 - Jordan Schroder, Calder Cannons (Geelong):  0 games

Well, we'll just have to beat the odds then!

I think with modern day coaching and training methods someone like Daniel Clarke might have made it as an AFL ruckman. In those days the big lumbering ruck men weren't expected to work as hard on their fitness and their skills as they do today. I saw him a few times late in his career at Frankston and I thought he wasn't far off some of the lumbering types going around the competition atmthe time.

Well, we'll just have to beat the odds then!

We shouldn't forget that beyond 54 the following players were taken:-

• 55 Sam Fisher and Chris Newman

• 56 Daniel Bradshaw and Ryan O'Keefe

• 58 Dane Swan

James Hird (79)

• 64 Cameron Bruce

• 71 Brian Lake

• 78 Richie Vandenberg

• 79 James Hird and

• 105 Chris Grant

Premiership players, club captains and Brownlow Medallists.

OK so now we expect nothing less than that from Mr. Prendergast.

We shouldn't forget that beyond 54 the following players were taken:-

55 Sam Fisher and Chris Newman

56 Daniel Bradshaw and Ryan O'Keefe

58 Dane Swan

James Hird (79)

64 Cameron Bruce

71 Brian Lake

78 Richie Vandenberg

79 James Hird and

105 Chris Grant

Premiership players, club captains and Brownlow Medallists.

OK so now we expect nothing less than that from Mr. Prendergast.

That's a fairly compelling argument you've made there WJ. While not wanting to let Barry off the hook, recruiting is a more exact science now than it was when any of them were selected, but its interesting that roughly half of them are still going around.

Surely we can trust Barry and the recruiting tam after picking up Troy Davis (no.50) & Tom McDonald (53) in last year's draft.

If we could do the same this year, I for one, would be rapt. Furthermore, picking up Nicholson, Evans & Lawrence as rookies just added the icing on the cake.

At least if we make mistakes in the rookies area , we can easily drop them off next year for the Super draft of 2012.

So Geelong's decision in 2003 was as successful as eleven other selections over 25 years and had no negative salary cap implications.