2006 AFL Draft Decisions Have Been Made Before
Leuenberger or Gibbs, that is the big question now but plenty of AFL drafts have had a similar dilemma at the top. Going back through the AFL drafts there are equivalents for not just Carlton's choice but for many others.
In 1997 the choice was Ottens or Johnstone, very similar to the Leuenberger versus Gibbs decision this year. The little guy won in 1997, and probably does again. Melbourne do have one bonus though when compared to Carlton this year, the Demons traded for Jeff White that year, while Carlton have only added Ackland to their ruck stocks. Pick 3 in 1997 was Croad, so another equivalent there as this year Hansen might be a similar player picked in a similar spot. In 1998 it was again the small, Headland, who went at pick 1 while the highest-rated tall, Longmuir, went at number 2.
A team will have to decide how early they take a big player from Queensland who has not been playing football for very long. This draft Kurt Tippett is that player, and in 2004 it was Tom Williams. Williams went at number 6, but Tippett is unlikely to go in the top 10 this time.
Collingwood have two picks in the top 10, that will be a rare occurrence now with priority picks moved to after the first round. Some teams in the past have had two picks in a similar spot as Collingwood do this time, with picks 8 and 10. The Bombers were in this position twice in recent drafts. The 2002 draft had Essendon selecting at 10 and 11, taking Laycock and Winderlich. Essendon also had picks 9 and 12 in 1998, they drafted McVeigh and Ramanauskas. Brisbane had picks 5 and 10 in 1997, and went small with both of them, taking Power and O'Bree. It’s been a while since Collingwood had two picks to use so early in a draft. Collingwood went tall in 1992 when they had two early picks, Brett Chalmers and Damian Houlihan were drafted at 10 and 15. The Magpies had much better draft position in 1999, with picks 1 and 7. Fraser went first, their next pick was Danny Roach.
The Saints have to decide if they will go with a player's relative in this draft, and in the past they have. When the Saints drafted Raphael Clarke in 2003 they reunited him with Xavier Clarke, who had been drafted a couple years earlier. Now it is Jack Riewoldt, and he could be their pick at number 9.
The Eagles also have the chance of adding another Morton, the 2004 draft brought in Mitch Morton and the 2006 draft has Jarryd Morton in it.
While the father/son selections have already been made that isn't the end of the story. Hawthorn could have taken Shane Tuck with pick 51 during the 2003 AFL draft, but as they had earlier when designating father/son picks, they again passed. Richmond took Tuck at pick 73. This time it is Carlton who have to make a choice with one or two, or even three, of their late picks. Coincidentally it is pick number 51 in play again, the Blues could draft Jake Williams, Sam Sheldon or Tomi Johnston there. They also have picks 67 and 81 at the end of the draft too, so Carlton have plenty of chances to take one of the players if they want to.
Geelong also have a similar draft to a previous one. They get Hawkins at pick 41 with their father/son selection, and also have pick 7 to add another great player. In 2001 the difference was only one pick away, Gary Ablett Jr was the father/son pick at number 40 while the Cats also had pick 8. In 2001 Geelong took Bartel and in 2006 another midfielder in the first round is also the likely pick.
Troy Makepeace will also have a similar wait as he did in 1999. He entered the league after a Denis Pagan-coached team used pick 81 on him. This season, Denis Pagan's team has pick 81 as well, but Makepeace isn't expected to go there again.
Maybe the clubs make the same types of picks again, maybe they have learned something, but the draft will start off the same as last year's with Carlton going first and drafting an onballer again. If you have any other draft similarities you can post a comment, there will be more than what has been listed here.
In 1997 the choice was Ottens or Johnstone, very similar to the Leuenberger versus Gibbs decision this year. The little guy won in 1997, and probably does again. Melbourne do have one bonus though when compared to Carlton this year, the Demons traded for Jeff White that year, while Carlton have only added Ackland to their ruck stocks. Pick 3 in 1997 was Croad, so another equivalent there as this year Hansen might be a similar player picked in a similar spot. In 1998 it was again the small, Headland, who went at pick 1 while the highest-rated tall, Longmuir, went at number 2.
A team will have to decide how early they take a big player from Queensland who has not been playing football for very long. This draft Kurt Tippett is that player, and in 2004 it was Tom Williams. Williams went at number 6, but Tippett is unlikely to go in the top 10 this time.
Collingwood have two picks in the top 10, that will be a rare occurrence now with priority picks moved to after the first round. Some teams in the past have had two picks in a similar spot as Collingwood do this time, with picks 8 and 10. The Bombers were in this position twice in recent drafts. The 2002 draft had Essendon selecting at 10 and 11, taking Laycock and Winderlich. Essendon also had picks 9 and 12 in 1998, they drafted McVeigh and Ramanauskas. Brisbane had picks 5 and 10 in 1997, and went small with both of them, taking Power and O'Bree. It’s been a while since Collingwood had two picks to use so early in a draft. Collingwood went tall in 1992 when they had two early picks, Brett Chalmers and Damian Houlihan were drafted at 10 and 15. The Magpies had much better draft position in 1999, with picks 1 and 7. Fraser went first, their next pick was Danny Roach.
The Saints have to decide if they will go with a player's relative in this draft, and in the past they have. When the Saints drafted Raphael Clarke in 2003 they reunited him with Xavier Clarke, who had been drafted a couple years earlier. Now it is Jack Riewoldt, and he could be their pick at number 9.
The Eagles also have the chance of adding another Morton, the 2004 draft brought in Mitch Morton and the 2006 draft has Jarryd Morton in it.
While the father/son selections have already been made that isn't the end of the story. Hawthorn could have taken Shane Tuck with pick 51 during the 2003 AFL draft, but as they had earlier when designating father/son picks, they again passed. Richmond took Tuck at pick 73. This time it is Carlton who have to make a choice with one or two, or even three, of their late picks. Coincidentally it is pick number 51 in play again, the Blues could draft Jake Williams, Sam Sheldon or Tomi Johnston there. They also have picks 67 and 81 at the end of the draft too, so Carlton have plenty of chances to take one of the players if they want to.
Geelong also have a similar draft to a previous one. They get Hawkins at pick 41 with their father/son selection, and also have pick 7 to add another great player. In 2001 the difference was only one pick away, Gary Ablett Jr was the father/son pick at number 40 while the Cats also had pick 8. In 2001 Geelong took Bartel and in 2006 another midfielder in the first round is also the likely pick.
Troy Makepeace will also have a similar wait as he did in 1999. He entered the league after a Denis Pagan-coached team used pick 81 on him. This season, Denis Pagan's team has pick 81 as well, but Makepeace isn't expected to go there again.
Maybe the clubs make the same types of picks again, maybe they have learned something, but the draft will start off the same as last year's with Carlton going first and drafting an onballer again. If you have any other draft similarities you can post a comment, there will be more than what has been listed here.
