Colin Sylvia

[Cheap Seats 3,310]

not sure accurate to say he walked out

i suspect he was "encouraged" but we had to maintain he was required etc to get good fa compo

Another reason to say thanks?

It was a loose statement as I don't know exactly what happened - but I wish Col all the best for his future

[Rob Mac...... 638]

He had 2 years left of contract at say $500k per year. I would imagine he will get his full pay this year and a part of next year.That way they free up a spot and save some money for salary cap and Col gets a great deal.He is also probably free to earn more elsewhere and return home.

I imagine so, and certainly defer to your greater knowledge of the subject Redleg.

Bonds video still had me think Col kindly agreed to a deal favoring the club a bit more than expected under the circumstances however [perhaps a bit lower % of next years pay than he could have pushed for].

[jackaub 1,402]

And we put up with his crap for how many years? Freo only put up with it for 1 and a bit, just hope there isn't anyone like that on our list now.

That AzzKick says everything I have understood the MFC to be over 10 years

Its jsut so horribly poor and pathetic P*7sweak management and oversight

[jnrmac 20,058]

What a bust the 2003 draft was. Cooney and Mundy the two standouts.

[jane02 3,747]

I wish Colin all the best. I still remember him fondly. He helped my close friend's son get through a serious teenage crisis as a mentor through the Reach program.

This boy is now a fine upstanding 22 year old who credits Col for helping him at one of life's major crossroads when he was a sixteen year old.

Just thought I would throw in a different perspective.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

I am still laughing at my Freo mates who, to a man, kept saying things like "Col will come good."

I said the same thing when he was at the Dees, every single year.

[PaulRB 6,361]

What a bust the 2003 draft was. Cooney and Mundy the two standouts.

The problems were with the MFC's inability to pick and develop talent not with the Draft of 2003, 2004, 2005, etc...

If a problem repeats on you often enough (i.e. the bad draft), then it might be that you're the problem (and the draft is/was fine.).

Compare the drafting and developing of the past year and a half with the 10 year period before, and you may start to see that it wasn't the draft of 2003 that was bust.

[jnrmac 20,058]

The problems were with the MFC's inability to pick and develop talent not with the Draft of 2003, 2004, 2005, etc...

If a problem repeats on you often enough (i.e. the bad draft), then it might be that you're the problem (and the draft is/was fine.).

Compare the drafting and developing of the past year and a half with the 10 year period before, and you may start to see that it wasn't the draft of 2003 that was bust.

Really champ?

Who were the standouts for you in 2003?

[PaulRB 6,361]

I wasn't just referring to the 2003 draft (which was a so-so year) but the past decade prior to Roos etc arriving. But for 2003 i'll steal from Roar...

Redrafted

Pick 1 (Western Bulldogs) – Adam Cooney
The dogs got this pick right. In what turned out to be quite an underwhelming draft class as a whole, Cooney has had the most decorated career to date. He’s a classy midfielder who has kicked 186 goals in 219 games for the Bulldogs.

Before injuries deflated him, Cooney used his pace and skills to run through the middle of the ground. He won the Brownlow Medal in 2008, beating out Simon Black by one vote. He is now donning the sash, continuing his career at the Bombers.

Pick 2 (Carlton) – David Mundy
Fremantle selected Mundy with the 19th pick in the 2003 draft. Since his debut in 2005, Mundy has progressively improved each season. For the past five years, he has been the heart and soul of the Dockers midfield.

Mundy is an elite ball-winner, clearance machine, and a great leader for the Fremantle Dockers. He has passed the 200 game milestone and it’s quite astonishing that Mundy slipped through to the second round.

Pick 3 (Melbourne) – Heath Shaw
In any other redraft, Heath Shaw would not be my number three pick. However, in a draft full of quality AFL players (but not superstars), a premiership player gets an advantage over others. Shaw was selected under the father-son rule, at pick 48 by Collingwood. He played 173 games for Collingwood before crossing to GWS in 2013.

Shaw will play his 200th game this season. During Collingwood’s premiership run, Shaw was one the best rebound defenders in the competition. He has pace, he’s courageous and has good balls skills. He has had his issues off-field, but Heath Shaw has generally been a good leader for both teams he’s played for.

Pick 4 (Western Bulldogs) – Sam Fisher
Remarkably, Sam Fisher was the 55th pick in the 2003 draft, selected by St Kilda. Fisher is a 198-game player who is a two-time best and fairest winner for the Saints. The veteran defender has provided St Kilda with run and carry in the backline for many seasons.

Fisher is a reliable, courageous player who has had a rough run the past few seasons because of injury. I don’t see him winning a premiership in his career, but he did play in three grand finals, coming agonisingly close in 2010 (the first one).

Pick 5 (Melbourne) – Brent Stanton
Stanton was the 13th overall pick in this draft, selected by Essendon, where he has gone on to play 226 games and kicked 147 goals. Stanton has had a fairly consistent career as a hard running midfielder.

Since 2006, Stanton has averaged more than 20 disposals per season. Unfortunately, he has had his moments as Essendon’s whipping boy over the years, but his consistency for the red and black cannot be denied.

Pick 6 (Essendon) – Andrew Walker
Walker was the second overall pick in 2003, selected by Carlton. Personally, I don’t think he has lived up to the hype of a number two pick. He had an extraordinary debut for the Blues, gathering 26 possessions, but has failed to play consistent football over his career.

However, he’s played a respectable 179 games, kicking 118 goals as a versatile utility for the Blues. Walker is a quick player for his size and is a good user of the football. He should have won the Mark of The Year Award in 2011 after taking one the best marks we’ve ever seen.

Pick 7 (Geelong) – Beau Waters
Waters was the 11th pick, selected by West Coast in 2003. He was an incredibly courageous defender who played 120 games in 10 seasons for the Eagles. Ultimately, injuries plagued his career, forcing him to retire in 2014. He was a premiership player in 2006 (the youngest member of the team) and was West Coast’s vice captain in 2011-12.

Pick 8 (St Kilda) – Troy Chaplin
Chaplin was the 15th pick, selected by Port Adelaide. Chaplin played 140 games for the Power before moving to Richmond in free agency period of 2012. He’s played 187 games in total and will play his 200th later this year.

Chaplin is a key defender who has performed consistently throughout his career. He is a good, solid leader of his back six and has been in the top three of the best and fairest three times.

Pick 9 (North Melbourne) – Jed Adcock
Jed Adcock was the 33rd pick, selected by Brisbane. Adcock has played his entire career as a running half back defender who can play quality minutes through the midfield. He has incredible kicking skills and is a courageous player.

In 2013, he was the co-captain of the Lions, before becoming the sole captain in 2014. In what has been a very consistent career to date, he has played 185 games, all with the Lions.

Pick 10 (Fremantle) – Ben Hudson
Hudson was drafted at pick 58 by Adelaide. In 2014, he retired after playing for four clubs and 168 games. His most successful stint was at the Western Bulldogs, where we played 88 games and was a vital part of the Bulldogs’ finals run from 2008-2010.

Hudson was a valuable ruckman who attacked the ball like not many other big men in the competition. He finished his career averaging 17.3 hitouts, 13 disposals and 2.2 tackles a game. A great leader on every team he played for.

[PaulRB 6,361]

In 2004 we didn't have a top ten pick, But the hawks picked (and developed) the three best players in the draft, because they knew what they were doing when other teams didn't...

2004 draft
Pick 1: Brett Deledio (Richmond)
Pick 2: Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)
Pick 3: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs)
Pick 4: Richard Tambling (Richmond)
Pick 5: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)
Pick 6: Tom Williams (Western Bulldogs)
Pick 7: Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)
Pick 8: John Meesen (Adelaide)
Pick 9: Jordan Russell (Carlton)
Pick 10: Chris Egan (Collingwood)

[PaulRB 6,361]

In 2007 we again have a top ten pick (No# 4), we picked Cale.

Redraft

Pick 1 (Carlton) – Patrick Dangerfield
Explosive. Destructive. Exhilarating. Dangerous. Pick 10? How?

Adelaide will be counting its blessings for the fact that they were able to scoop up Dangerfield with pick 10 in the 2006 draft. He is the most exciting midfielder in the AFL: a goal kicking, match-winning, breathtaking player who will break Crows fans hearts if he skips off to Geelong in the offseason.

He’s a two-time All Australian and club co-captain in 2014. He hasn’t even played 150 games, but is my redrafted number one pick.

Pick 2 (Richmond) – Trent Cotchin
Do you think Richmond would have guessed that Cotchin, at only 25 years of age, would be club captain, three-time best and fairest winner, 2012 All-Australian and AFLCA Player of the Year in 2012?

Cotchin is class. If his 2012 season wasn’t impressive enough, he also polled second best in the Brownlow Medal. He is a classy, skilled player who is also a great leader, although he needs to kick more goals as a midfielder.

He’s a bit stiff not to be number one based on his credentials, but it came down to which player would I pick first in my team.

Pick 3 (West Coast) – Cyril Rioli
West Coast really missed the boat here. They went with Masten, who is a good midfielder who can kick goals – but Cyril! Oh well, all credit to Hawthorn, who just kept adding gems to their eventual premiership list (hindsight is a wonderful thing).

Where do I start with Cyril? He is just so goddamn lovable and exciting to watch. He does every one percenter known to mankind. He chases, he tackles, he does the spectacular – and often. Unfortunately injuries have kept his buzz to a minimum of late, but Cyril will always be Cyril. He is electrifying to watch. He can run through the midfield and crum at your feet in the one play.

I’ll mention briefly that he’s a three-time premiership player, was All-Australian in 2012, and won the Goal of The Year in 2009.

Pick 4 (Melbourne) – Harry Taylor
In hindsight, Melbourne supporters would be fuming at their club’s selection in 2007. With all the talent available, Melbourne and Morton did not turn out to be a happily ever after story.

However, Geelong fans would be rejoicing. The club selected Harry Taylor with the 17th pick in 2006, but he is my fifth redrafted pick in 2015.

Taylor is an incredible footballer who often does not get the credit he deserves. He has been the consistent pillar in defence for the Cats ever since his debut season. He excels in one-on-one contests, can read and intercept the play like very few in the AFL, can kick a goal if you really need him to, and has been extremely consistent over his 160-game career.

He’s a two-time premiership player, two-time All Australian, he famously kept Nick Riewoldt to one goal in the 2009 grand final, and has averaged 16 disposals and six marks over his career.

Pick 5 (Western Bulldogs) – Taylor Walker
It’s almost unbelievable that Taylor Walker was the final draft selection in 2007, the crows taking him with the 75th pick. Remarkable.

He struggled early on with his form and his attitude towards the game, but you get the feeling Walker is the AFL’s next breakout star. He is 24 years of age, the newly appointed captain of Adelaide, and the much-loved ‘Tex’ in South Australia. He’s only played 85 games in his career, partly due to a season-ending injury in 2013 and the early form issues, but Tex is on the verge of something incredible.

He’s kicked 203 goals, is a two-time leading goal-kicker at the Crows (kicked 63 in 2012), and if Round 1’s performance is anything to go by, he could be our game’s next superstar forward.

He is relatively accurate in front of goal, can take a pack mark and has a ferocious attack on the ball.

Pick 6 (Essendon) – Callan Ward
The Bulldogs originally drafted Ward with their 19th pick in this draft, and he played 60 games for the Dogs before moving to Greater Western Sydney in 2012. He was named co-captain of the Giants and actually kicked the first goal in the club’s history.

Ward is a leader. He is a tough midfielder, courageous player and will always be the player you find at the bottom of the pack. He is flat-out aggressive, and will always be one of the best players in a GWS performance, win, lose or draw.

He won the Giants’ very first best and fairest medal in 2012, and has averaged 22 disposals and 5 tackles over his 122 games.

Pick 7 (Fremantle) – Alex Rance
Rance was a priority pick for the Tigers, selected at 18th overall in 2006, and he has slowly improved every season he’s been on Richmond’s list, elevating himself to one of the best defenders in the AFL.

A physical player, Rance isn’t afraid of a one-one-one contest with the opposing team’s best forward. He is a courageous, skilled player who you can rely on.

Rance had an awesome 2014 season, named All-Australian and his team made the eight. He’s played 108 games, and other than Dangerfield, he could be the biggest free-agent target in the offseason. Ironic that Fremantle is pursuing him and I’ve redrafted him with their pick in 2006.

Pick 8 (Brisbane) – Brad Ebert
West Coast selected Ebert with their 13th pick in this draft. He played three seasons in the west, before asking to be traded home to Port Adelaide, where his brother Brett was playing.

Ebert has put together an excellent career, considering he was dropped every so often at West Coast due to his form. He’s played 148 games, kicking 77 goals and is known for being one of Port’s hardest working, most professional players. He is a tough midfielder, who will win the contested ball and tackle all day long. He is 25 years of age, in the prime of his career and should be one of the AFL’s premier midfielders in the next two seasons.

He’s the vice captain of the Port Adelaide football club since 2013, and has averaged 20 touches and five tackles over his young career.

(FYI, Brisbane selected Henderson with this pick, who they traded for Brendan Fevola… And, well, you know how that turned out.)

Pick 9 (St Kilda) – Scott Selwood
Coming from a highly talented family, Scott Selwood has held his own in his 123-game career to date. He was drafted by West Coast, at pick 22 in 2007, one year after his brother was drafted by Geelong in 2006.

He started his career as a tagger, but has since moved into an inside midfielder role, which suits his hard attack on the ball, courageous, balling winning style. He’s incredibly talented, and a natural leader. He won West Coast’s best and fairest in 2012 and was named vice captain in 2014. He’s averaged 20 disposals and six tackles over his career, and although St Kilda went with a ruckman, Selwood is a top-10 talent in this draft.

Pick 10 (Adelaide) – Chris Mayne
Fremantle drafted Chris Mayne with their 40th pick in 2007. Mayne isn’t a superstar, but he is a hardworking, consistent and well-performing forward who will probably be overshadowed by Matthew Pavlich until his retirement.

Mayne is known for his defensive pressure in the forward line. He tackles, he smothers, he chases and he sets up a lot of Fremantle’s goals with his pressure acts that often go unnoticed. He is one of the AFL’s most reliable, accurate shots at goal, and has kicked a very impressive 150 goals in his 129-game career.

He topped Fremantle’s goal kicking in 2011 and can be used down back if Freo needs. A remarkable talent who is just starting to come into his own.

[monoccular 17,418]

I wish Colin all the best. I still remember him fondly. He helped my close friend's son get through a serious teenage crisis as a mentor through the Reach program.This boy is now a fine upstanding 22 year old who credits Col for helping him at one of life's major crossroads when he was a sixteen year old.Just thought I would throw in a different perspective.

That is good to hear. I must say you have revealed a part of him that I doubt many Demon fans would be aware of. Well done. Never thought that he would be bothered, quite frankly.

[rjay 24,916]

In 2004 we didn't have a top ten pick, But the hawks picked (and developed) the three best players in the draft, because they knew what they were doing when other teams didn't...

2004 draft

Pick 1: Brett Deledio (Richmond)

Pick 2: Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)

Pick 3: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs)

Pick 4: Richard Tambling (Richmond)

Pick 5: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)

Pick 6: Tom Williams (Western Bulldogs)

Pick 7: Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)

Pick 8: John Meesen (Adelaide)

Pick 9: Jordan Russell (Carlton)

Pick 10: Chris Egan (Collingwood)

The priority pick didn't seem to hurt them either...oh! no not the Hawks helped by AFL charity....

[Earl Hood 6,086]

The priority pick didn't seem to hurt them either...oh! no not the Hawks helped by AFL charity....

Yes rjay I believe the Dorks have had more first round priority picks than ourselves. Back then reward for failure was expected, now its an abomination. However if the Queensland teams continue to struggle I get the feeling the AFL will find a way to help out.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

In 2004 we didn't have a top ten pick, But the hawks picked (and developed) the three best players in the draft, because they knew what they were doing when other teams didn't...

2004 draft

Pick 1: Brett Deledio (Richmond)

Pick 2: Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)

Pick 3: Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs)

Pick 4: Richard Tambling (Richmond)

Pick 5: Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)

Pick 6: Tom Williams (Western Bulldogs)

Pick 7: Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn)

Pick 8: John Meesen (Adelaide)

Pick 9: Jordan Russell (Carlton)

Pick 10: Chris Egan (Collingwood)

It's amazing really, five of those picks in that top 10 aren't just average footballers, they are absolute spuds. Four are stars and the other (Delidio) is very good.

[chook fowler 19,458]

I wish Colin all the best. I still remember him fondly. He helped my close friend's son get through a serious teenage crisis as a mentor through the Reach program.This boy is now a fine upstanding 22 year old who credits Col for helping him at one of life's major crossroads when he was a sixteen year old.Just thought I would throw in a different perspective.

Jim Stynes had a really big influence on Col and perhaps the outcome for his career may have been different if it could of been ongoing.

[Viscount Cardwell 181]

Bye Col, moving on !

[Biffen 12,940]

SYLVOOOOOO!

MAAAATE!!!

Party time begins now Bro.

You know what to do.

Thanks you for a handful of awesome games,some really good ones,some OK.

You wore the colours well for us .

and you were a nightmare at times, but you were not the only one.....

GO COLLLLL....

[Phadraig 760]

It's amazing really, five of those picks in that top 10 aren't just average footballers, they are absolute spuds. Four are stars and the other (Delidio) is very good.

Egan looked very promising before suffering that career ending foot injury didn't he?

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Egan looked very promising before suffering that career ending foot injury didn't he?

Wrong Egan.

[Phadraig 760]

Wrong Egan.

Oooops! Had the right last name at least though right, haha

Edited April 29, 2015 by Rafiki

[Adam The God 30,216]

BS he did have games where he proved he was/couldvebeen a star, it was only about 3 times in 163 games. R9 2009, 37 disposals and 4 goals, just about the best game of any individual for that season (we still lost of course)

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2009/101120090524.html

ps: 3 out of 163, otherwise known as the brad miller ratio

Darren Cuthbertson.

[Adam The God 30,216]

I am still laughing at my Freo mates who, to a man, kept saying things like "Col will come good."

You have Freo mates?

Not sure I take kindly to this Robbo article. Does he do any research?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/colin-sylvia-retired-after-failing-to-maximise-his-immense-talent-writes-mark-robinson/story-e6frf3e3-1227325516212

"Leaders" at Melbourne when he arrived:

David Neitz

James McDonald

Jeff White

Adam Yze

To name a few.

And 'Robbo' is the most inarticulate journalists in the history of drunk journalists. An absolute f log.

Edited April 29, 2015 by AdamFarr

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I said the same thing when he was at the Dees, every single year.

just threw in the odd BOG once or twice a year to keep us all believing

[dazzledavey36 54,832]

I wish Colin all the best. I still remember him fondly. He helped my close friend's son get through a serious teenage crisis as a mentor through the Reach program.This boy is now a fine upstanding 22 year old who credits Col for helping him at one of life's major crossroads when he was a sixteen year old.Just thought I would throw in a different perspective.

Good stuff.

Unfortunately you will never see these stories written in the papers.