1997 AFL Draft: The Goodes, the Bad and the Ugly
In the next couple of weeks there will be a series of stories about how one draft pick could have changed a team's fortunes. A different player selected, or not trading a pick, could have been the difference between a team winning a premiership or not. While all 16 teams will be covered, for 15 of them the story could be that they missed Adam Goodes in 1997. Goodes went at pick 43, and he is certainly better than any of the players that went before him.
You would think it would have been hard for AFL recruiters to not see Goodes. While he had some injuries playing for North Ballarat in 1997 and missed some games during the year, he did play on the MCG on Grand Final day that year and was best on ground during the Under 18 Grand Final. His performance in the Grand Final was amazing, he just dominated the game with long leads, strong marks and 6 great goals.
Melbourne were the first team to select in the 1997 AFL draft, they chose Travis Johnstone. Goodes might have helped the Demons a lot more in the 2000 Grand Final than Johnstone did.
Richmond were next, after a series of trades they ended up with the second pick. They were sitting back and waiting to take whichever one of Johnstone and Ottens was there. Ottens didn't really turn Richmond around, and would end up being traded to the Cats. Goodes would have been a different type of player for the Tigers in the ruck and up forward than Ottens was.
Hawthorn selected Croad at 3, as well as Chris Obst and Marcus Baldwin with other picks, before Goodes was drafted. Croad has had a roller-coaster career with Hawthorn, and Fremantle, and while Croad is a very good player he is nowhere near Goodes.
Someone at Essendon really likes Mark Bolton, he has had a long stay at the club without cementing a regular spot. Bolton at pick 4, Goodes at pick 43, could be the difference between just the win in 2000 and a run of premierships from 1999 to today for the Bombers.
Brisbane had a good draft in 1997, they traded for a couple of picks that they turned into Luke Power and Simon Black. They also drafted O'Bree at pick 10. They would still take Goodes over any of those players though.
The Dockers drafted James Walker at pick 6, and then picked Clem Michael, Brodie Holland and Troy Johnson when Goodes was still available. Obviously the Dockers wish they had Goodes, and if they did the Dockers would have been in the 2006 AFL Grand Final.
Pick 7 was Carlton's in the 1997 draft, they took Massie and then traded him to the Crows after a few seasons. Carlton have nothing to show from their first round pick in 1997 now. Goodes would have been a useful player for them in the 1999 Grand Final, and his presence would have kept Carlton off the bottom of the ladder in recent years.
Collingwood had the next pick in 1997 and grabbed Tarrant, who has recently been turned into Paul Medhurst and pick 8 in the 2006 draft. Goodes playing for Collingwood against Brisbane in the Grand Finals might have been enough to change at least one of the results.
Port Adelaide chose Chad Cornes with pick 9. They get a pass for that, but they get a fail with pick 42. The Power chose Danny Morton at 42, with Goodes drafted by Sydney with the very next pick.
The Eagles had picks 12 and 13. They don't normally miss with their scouting but in 1997 the return was Jaxon Crabb and Callum Chambers. The rest of the AFL can breathe easier as a team with Goodes, Cox and Judd would not be something they would want to play.
The Kangaroos were one of the league's best teams at the time, they chose Watt with pick 14. What if Watt was Goodes, it would have been an unstoppable team with Goodes teaming with Carey and McKernan.
Geelong used pick 15 on Joel McKay, pick 29 on Marc Woolnough and pick 38 on James Rahilly. Goodes is worth all those picks, and more, but Geelong could have had Goodes with just one of their picks.
The Saints were a team that was very close to winning, but in the 1997 draft they went with Ben Walton at pick 16 and traded pick 32 for Gavin Mitchell. Those players didn't help get the Saints back into the Grand Final but Goodes certainly would have.
Adelaide didn't have a lot to worry about in 1997, they had just won a Grand Final and would go back-to-back winning in 1998 as well. They drafted Lance Picione at pick 17. If they had taken Goodes they would have played in a lot more Grand Finals.
The Bulldogs made several trades in 1997 and their first selection was at pick 18. They added a small player, Mark Alvey, like they always did during those times. Goodes would have been a perfect fit for the Bulldogs, he has the speed to play their way and also has key position size.
Sydney traded away a few of their picks but still missed Goodes with their first two selections. They went with Jason Saddington at pick 11. At the time it was a great pick, Saddington was actually similar to Goodes with a good combination of size and athleticism, but injuries would take a lot of that from Saddington. Sydney then picked at number 40, drafting Fred Campbell. Three picks later they had Goodes.
Goodes was a star on the MCG on the last Saturday in September in 1997, that all the AFL teams missed it and didn't select him in the first 42 picks of the draft is a mystery. The Swans are regulars in the Grand Final now thanks to Goodes, while the teams that selected Judd Lalich, Brad Stephens and Adam Chatfield instead of Goodes are now contending for the wooden spoon. One pick can make a difference.
You would think it would have been hard for AFL recruiters to not see Goodes. While he had some injuries playing for North Ballarat in 1997 and missed some games during the year, he did play on the MCG on Grand Final day that year and was best on ground during the Under 18 Grand Final. His performance in the Grand Final was amazing, he just dominated the game with long leads, strong marks and 6 great goals.
Melbourne were the first team to select in the 1997 AFL draft, they chose Travis Johnstone. Goodes might have helped the Demons a lot more in the 2000 Grand Final than Johnstone did.
Richmond were next, after a series of trades they ended up with the second pick. They were sitting back and waiting to take whichever one of Johnstone and Ottens was there. Ottens didn't really turn Richmond around, and would end up being traded to the Cats. Goodes would have been a different type of player for the Tigers in the ruck and up forward than Ottens was.
Hawthorn selected Croad at 3, as well as Chris Obst and Marcus Baldwin with other picks, before Goodes was drafted. Croad has had a roller-coaster career with Hawthorn, and Fremantle, and while Croad is a very good player he is nowhere near Goodes.
Someone at Essendon really likes Mark Bolton, he has had a long stay at the club without cementing a regular spot. Bolton at pick 4, Goodes at pick 43, could be the difference between just the win in 2000 and a run of premierships from 1999 to today for the Bombers.
Brisbane had a good draft in 1997, they traded for a couple of picks that they turned into Luke Power and Simon Black. They also drafted O'Bree at pick 10. They would still take Goodes over any of those players though.
The Dockers drafted James Walker at pick 6, and then picked Clem Michael, Brodie Holland and Troy Johnson when Goodes was still available. Obviously the Dockers wish they had Goodes, and if they did the Dockers would have been in the 2006 AFL Grand Final.
Pick 7 was Carlton's in the 1997 draft, they took Massie and then traded him to the Crows after a few seasons. Carlton have nothing to show from their first round pick in 1997 now. Goodes would have been a useful player for them in the 1999 Grand Final, and his presence would have kept Carlton off the bottom of the ladder in recent years.
Collingwood had the next pick in 1997 and grabbed Tarrant, who has recently been turned into Paul Medhurst and pick 8 in the 2006 draft. Goodes playing for Collingwood against Brisbane in the Grand Finals might have been enough to change at least one of the results.
Port Adelaide chose Chad Cornes with pick 9. They get a pass for that, but they get a fail with pick 42. The Power chose Danny Morton at 42, with Goodes drafted by Sydney with the very next pick.
The Eagles had picks 12 and 13. They don't normally miss with their scouting but in 1997 the return was Jaxon Crabb and Callum Chambers. The rest of the AFL can breathe easier as a team with Goodes, Cox and Judd would not be something they would want to play.
The Kangaroos were one of the league's best teams at the time, they chose Watt with pick 14. What if Watt was Goodes, it would have been an unstoppable team with Goodes teaming with Carey and McKernan.
Geelong used pick 15 on Joel McKay, pick 29 on Marc Woolnough and pick 38 on James Rahilly. Goodes is worth all those picks, and more, but Geelong could have had Goodes with just one of their picks.
The Saints were a team that was very close to winning, but in the 1997 draft they went with Ben Walton at pick 16 and traded pick 32 for Gavin Mitchell. Those players didn't help get the Saints back into the Grand Final but Goodes certainly would have.
Adelaide didn't have a lot to worry about in 1997, they had just won a Grand Final and would go back-to-back winning in 1998 as well. They drafted Lance Picione at pick 17. If they had taken Goodes they would have played in a lot more Grand Finals.
The Bulldogs made several trades in 1997 and their first selection was at pick 18. They added a small player, Mark Alvey, like they always did during those times. Goodes would have been a perfect fit for the Bulldogs, he has the speed to play their way and also has key position size.
Sydney traded away a few of their picks but still missed Goodes with their first two selections. They went with Jason Saddington at pick 11. At the time it was a great pick, Saddington was actually similar to Goodes with a good combination of size and athleticism, but injuries would take a lot of that from Saddington. Sydney then picked at number 40, drafting Fred Campbell. Three picks later they had Goodes.
Goodes was a star on the MCG on the last Saturday in September in 1997, that all the AFL teams missed it and didn't select him in the first 42 picks of the draft is a mystery. The Swans are regulars in the Grand Final now thanks to Goodes, while the teams that selected Judd Lalich, Brad Stephens and Adam Chatfield instead of Goodes are now contending for the wooden spoon. One pick can make a difference.
