One Pick From A Premiership: Collingwood Magpies
The 1990 premiership was setup with some good drafts. A couple of star South Australians in one draft, Russell and Francis, and a Tasmanian star in another draft, Wright. The Magpies had the scouting ability to find players interstate, but they missed one in 1989. The Magpies used pick 10 on Daryl Groves, Essendon drafted Gavin Wanganeen at pick 12.
This isn't a case of a team with poor talent identification, the Magpies were one of the best at that time at finding the stars outside of Victoria. This was just a player that they missed. They did select Troy Lehmann of North Adelaide at pick 82 in the 1989 draft, so they did find one player from South Australia in 1989. Lehmann would end up being part of the trade for Buckley, so what a team Collingwood could have had with both Gavin and Nathan. They also drafted Paul Williams at pick 70, continuing their successful scouting of Tasmania.
It is difficult to imagine Wanganeen at Collingwood but he would have been a valuable addition to them if he had joined Collingwood and not Essendon in 1991. Wanganeen would have left the SANFL Grand Final winning Magpies, and joined the AFL Grand Final winning Magpies.
The Magpies would have been improved with Wanganeen rebounding out of defense. While Christian, Gayfer, Kerrison and Kelly were very solid backmen, one thing the Magpies needed at that time was a quick defender.
Collingwood were very good at selecting players in the very first AFL drafts. But they missed Wanganeen and that could have been the player Collingwood needed for getting back into Grand Finals during the 1990s.
Tomorrow: Essendon Bombers
This isn't a case of a team with poor talent identification, the Magpies were one of the best at that time at finding the stars outside of Victoria. This was just a player that they missed. They did select Troy Lehmann of North Adelaide at pick 82 in the 1989 draft, so they did find one player from South Australia in 1989. Lehmann would end up being part of the trade for Buckley, so what a team Collingwood could have had with both Gavin and Nathan. They also drafted Paul Williams at pick 70, continuing their successful scouting of Tasmania.
It is difficult to imagine Wanganeen at Collingwood but he would have been a valuable addition to them if he had joined Collingwood and not Essendon in 1991. Wanganeen would have left the SANFL Grand Final winning Magpies, and joined the AFL Grand Final winning Magpies.
The Magpies would have been improved with Wanganeen rebounding out of defense. While Christian, Gayfer, Kerrison and Kelly were very solid backmen, one thing the Magpies needed at that time was a quick defender.
Collingwood were very good at selecting players in the very first AFL drafts. But they missed Wanganeen and that could have been the player Collingwood needed for getting back into Grand Finals during the 1990s.
Tomorrow: Essendon Bombers
