AFL Draft Number 1 Picks. From Riewoldt To Hooper
Ranking The AFL Number 1 Picks
2000: Nick Riewoldt (St. Kilda)
1994: Jeff White (Fremantle)
1999: Josh Fraser (Collingwood)
1992: Drew Banfield (West Coast)
2003: Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs)
2001: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
2002: Brendon Goddard (St. Kilda)
2005: Marc Murphy (Carlton)
1993: Darren Gaspar (Sydney)
2004: Brett Deledio (Richmond)
1997: Travis Johnstone (Melbourne)
1988: Alex McDonald (Hawthorn)
1986: Martin Leslie (Brisbane Bears)
1998: Des Headland (Brisbane Lions)
1996: Michael Gardiner (West Coast)
1989: Anthony Banik (Richmond)
1995: Clive Waterhouse (Fremantle)
1991: John Hutton (Brisbane)
1987: Richard Lounder (Richmond)
1990: Stephen Hooper (Geelong)
As you can see from the list, the number 1 pick does not guarantee success. Banfield has a couple of premierships, Headland also won with Brisbane, but neither player was a huge star. Riewoldt, White and Fraser are some of the biggest players taken at number 1 and also the best. But as Geelong found out with Hooper, drafting the best ruck prospect isn't always the way to go.
2000: Nick Riewoldt (St. Kilda)
1994: Jeff White (Fremantle)
1999: Josh Fraser (Collingwood)
1992: Drew Banfield (West Coast)
2003: Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs)
2001: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
2002: Brendon Goddard (St. Kilda)
2005: Marc Murphy (Carlton)
1993: Darren Gaspar (Sydney)
2004: Brett Deledio (Richmond)
1997: Travis Johnstone (Melbourne)
1988: Alex McDonald (Hawthorn)
1986: Martin Leslie (Brisbane Bears)
1998: Des Headland (Brisbane Lions)
1996: Michael Gardiner (West Coast)
1989: Anthony Banik (Richmond)
1991: John Hutton (Brisbane)
1987: Richard Lounder (Richmond)
1990: Stephen Hooper (Geelong)
As you can see from the list, the number 1 pick does not guarantee success. Banfield has a couple of premierships, Headland also won with Brisbane, but neither player was a huge star. Riewoldt, White and Fraser are some of the biggest players taken at number 1 and also the best. But as Geelong found out with Hooper, drafting the best ruck prospect isn't always the way to go.
Are you ranking them on their succes in living up to their potential or on their physical achievements? Banfield is surely the most succesful number 1 pick on achievements alone (he did win a club championship award and is in WCE 'team 20').
Marc Murphy has played 13 games. You can tell he is going to be a gun but if he can't play another game due to injury does he fall from his spot on your list? (hopefully that does not happen)
1 bit of advice, give a brief criteria on which you base your ranking. that way at least your ranking will make more sense.
Buckley joined the Bears from the NT zone scheme for 1 seson before making his infamous move to Collingwood to play in a premiership, a feat he never achieved , whilst his former Bears/Lions went on to win 3 in a row ...