I think we have drafted extremely well the last four years. In the previous years drafting before this we had plenty of misses, misfortune and poor judgements (including Nick Smith, Luke Molan, Steven Armstrong being among the misses). However I think we've turned it around recently, and the success of the recent drafts could form the basis to our team in years to come.

2003 draft-

Colin Sylvia (3) - in our best 18 players. A future leader of the club and 200 game player.

Brock Mclean (5) - in our best 18 players. A future captain and 200 game player. Could be our first champion in years.

Chris Johnson (36 F/S) - Might not make it. But did not pay a high price for him (3rd rounder).

2004 draft-

Matthew Bate (13) - in our best 18 players. A future CHF. Terrific player. 200 game player.

Lynden Dunn (15) - in our best 22 players and will be in our best few players when he fully develops. Future 200 game player.

Michael Newton (43) - Could be great, not fully developed. Potential to be a 200 game player).

(Paul Johnson (36 - West Coast)- in our best 22 players. Could be a 200 game player.

2005 draft-

Nathan Jones (12) - In our best 18 players. A future leader and 200 game player.

Clint Bartram (60) - In our best 18 players. A future 200 game players. Has been injured this season, but do not underestimate his ability.

Simon Buckley (53)- Could be great, not fully developed. Will play by seasons end. Similar position to Newton. Has the talent.

Heath Neville (68)- might not make it. But did not pay a high price for him.

2006 draft-

James Frawley (12)- In our best 22 players. Will be a certain best 18 player in years to come. Future 200 game player.

Ricky Petterd (30)- in our best 18 players. A future 200 game player

Colin Garland (46)- potential to make it. A first year player, so too early to tell really. Has a lot of development to go

Isaac Weetra (62)- who knows...too early? Has lots of development to go. Did not pay a high price for him.

Of the 15 players, at this extremely early stage 9 are already in our best 22. Three have shown with further development will move into our starting 22. And three might make it, might not, but none of these were high draft picks.

Take into consideration that apart from the 2003 draft, all our picks were mid range picks.

To pick a great player from pick 12-16 requires skill.

Will we look back at these drafts one day and say they were the foundation to a premiership team?

Yes Sylvia and Mclean are both top shelf and think Bartram and Nathan Jones will be very good as well. Bate will also be very good.

Jury is still out on Dunn. Lovely kick but don't know if he is as robust as say Miller. If he makes it , what position will he play?. Time will tell but may not make it.

Johnson I thought looked the goods last year for a while but you need a bit of mongrel and ability to get the ball at this level. He has good pace for his height and would be more than handy but he needs his dads tenacity. wasn't he great for Melbourne. Still hope yet.

Petterd looks a real gem early. Appears fearless at times.

be wonderful to get 200 games out of Petterd, Jones, Mclean,Bartram, Sylvia and even Moloney who all thrive on the hard stuff.

Can we actually get a hard team at Melbourne who can play. Last hard team was late eighties but had no skill.

When you look at that list it sounds very exciting.

it goes to show how hard we suffered when we lost draft picks for the salary cap thing...

I'm quietly hoping that the 2003 draft will turn out as good as our incredible 1999 draft.

Sylvia, Mclean, C. Johnson and Davey(rookie)

vs

Green, Wheatley, Bruce, Whelan and Godfrey(pre-season)

Note that with Wheatley having just played his 100th and Godfrey just three games shy of also clocking 100, that would mean that all five draftees from 1999 will have passed the 100, which is a fair mark of whether they 'made it' at AFL level.

There is no denying that 1999 set the shape of our team since (for better or worse), but I actually feel even better about '03 because that draft has been backed up by some good solid drafting in the years after, whereas the '99 draft preceded a drafting slump where we only did OK for a few years.

Anyway, Sylvinator, you basic call looks right to me, though I would be quite so quick to tip '200 games' for everyone. Even Whelan might not make 200, and that's just been through bad luck, obviously not a shortage of ability or effort. I like the '100' line because it gets the player's name on a locker.

Craig Cameron

Paul Johnson better get a wriggle on if he's to make it to 200 games. B)

Paul Johnson better get a wriggle on if he's to make it to 200 games. B)

dont get too worked up about the '200 game' mark i mentioned.... i just meant it as a statement to show that they will make it as great afl footballers...

i think it is significant how many of these players drafted have already proven to be in the best 22 players on our list. This doesnt happen very often that 9 players drafted in the last 4 years can do that.

Next year will be another important drafting year because we could have 3 first rounders...

it goes to show how hard we suffered when we lost draft picks for the salary cap thing...

As Distance Demon points out we did very well out of the draft effected by the salary cap breach, but that group sure would look better with the name Pavlich included...

Have to agree with the consensus that the results of the drafts since 2003 have been very impressive so far. Hopefully Cac has another ripper this season with what is likely to be a couple of very nice picks.

As Distance Demon points out we did very well out of the draft effected by the salary cap breach, but that group sure would look better with the name Pavlich included...

Have to agree with the consensus that the results of the drafts since 2003 have been very impressive so far. Hopefully Cac has another ripper this season with what is likely to be a couple of very nice picks.

didnt we also loose picks in 2000?

i think we lost our second round pick in 200, perhaps our 3rd also...

we got thompson with pick 16

breese with 62

funcke with 72

mitchell craig with 80.

we also got godfrey (not 1999 according to wikipedia) along with james cook and steven pitt from the preseason.

and broadbridge from the rookie list.

that season hurt us, because thompson and broadbridge would both be handy about now.

2001 saw us get tingay and nick gill in the preseason draft.

luke molan, steven armstrong, aaron rogers and brad miller came from the national draft that year.

2002 got:

daniel bell 14

nick smith 15

gary moorcroft 39

cameron hunter 54

ryan ferguson 66

heffernan preseason, and jamar rookie.

nick smith was bad luck and the essendon boys didnt work out for us...

take note at the lack of key positon players

didnt we get Ryan Ayres one of those years as well?

that season hurt us, because thompson and broadbridge would both be handy about now.

Farkin tsunamis, was just starting to blossom...

CAC is the best in the business

Make no mistake

wow, 9 200 game players out of 15 in 4 years. hope you're right mate, cos if you are, that's premiership material.

Still like the look of simon buckley and juice even thought they have not played a game. weetra and garland could be anything from a dud to a star, and i think neville has come down with the injury bug too early in his career to make it at the top level.

CAC does his job well.

i think we lost our second round pick in 2000, perhaps our 3rd also...

we also got godfrey (not 1999 according to wikipedia) along with james cook and steven pitt from the preseason.

Godfrey was technically in the 2000 pre-season draft, you're right. But I lump a 'drafting session' together - so I refer to the draft period between 1999 season and start of 2000 season as '1999'. He debuted in 2000, so I'm assuming the 'pre-season' draft was before the season.

i think it is significant how many of these players drafted have already proven to be in the best 22 players on our list. This doesnt happen very often that 9 players drafted in the last 4 years can do that.

While I agree with the sentiments regarding our exciting youngsters who are already pressing claims on a senior berth I think you're exaggerating a little.

Colin Sylvia (3) - in our best 18 players. A future leader of the club and 200 game player.

I think you've over-rated Sylvia IMO (looking at your nick I assume you're a big fan). In the best 25 atm but not the 18 for me. I'm not sure where he fits in yet - currently not fit enough to play as a midfielder and hasn't shown he can consistently kick goals at AFL level.

Lynden Dunn (15) - in our best 22 players and will be in our best few players when he fully develops. Future 200 game player.

Best 25 for me - hasn't nailed down a spot yet but probably not helped in that regard by playing a Bruce-style role.

(Paul Johnson (36 - West Coast)- in our best 22 players.

Agree that he's in the 22, but probably more to do with Jamar's lack of...everything. Now that he's got his chance he's going really well though.

James Frawley (12)- In our best 22 players. Will be a certain best 18 player in years to come. Future 200 game player.

Only in the best 25 - let alone 22/18 - on potential right now - let's not get carried away! He's played two games and hasn't dominated at all. To make it clear for those looking for an argument, this isn't writing him off. I just believe that right now that if everyone was fit he would not earn a spot in the 22.

Ricky Petterd (30)- in our best 18 players. A future 200 game player

Another one in the best 18? Who isn't in the starting 18? I'd try and squeeze him into my 22.

Out of interest what is your best 22?

Regardless we do agree that we have plenty of exciting prospects. Certainly a lack of players in particular positions though; as someone said you haven't listed too many KPPs.

Out of interest what is your best 22?

Regardless we do agree that we have plenty of exciting prospects. Certainly a lack of players in particular positions though; as someone said you haven't listed too many KPPs.

Some people have short memories.

On last year's form Bartram is a definite starter in our best 22.

Some people have short memories.

On last year's form Bartram is a definite starter in our best 22.

i would have a 5 man bench if i could fit him in...

i would have a 5 man bench if i could fit him in...

Bartram gets a game ahead of Dunn.

In fact, Bartram has more of a claim in our best 22 than Petterd, Sylvia or PJ (who is in our best 22 because he is a ruckman, not because he is actually better than some of the players who miss out).