One Pick From A Premiership: Geelong Cats
It's been over 40 years since Geelong won so they have made more than a few mistakes. They were practically given the top pick in the 1990 draft, trading Shane Hamilton and David Cameron for it, but then Geelong drafted Stephen Hooper. In 1989 the Cats traded picks 13, 27 and 41 for Trevor Poole and Gary Keane when they could have drafted Ben Allan, who went at pick 14, Shaun Hart, picked at number 33, and Mathew Robran who was taken at pick 42.
If Geelong had drafted a star in either of those drafts it might have helped them during their three Grand Finals in the 1990s. Geelong also missed with their first three selections in the 1993 draft, and if they had picked a different Murray Bushranger prospect that year they could have had a player to help them in 1994 or 1995 and the player would still be a big star today.
In 1993 the Cats went with David Ugrinic at pick 13. For their next pick they chose Paul Lewis of the Murray Bushrangers. If only they had gone with Lewis' teammate with their first selection, Fraser Gehrig was available when Geelong picked at number 13. The Eagles used number 16 to take Gehrig.
Gehrig didn't play for a loaded Eagles team in 1994 and may not have debuted with Geelong that year either. But he would have been ready to play in 1995. Geelong could have played Colbert on one wing and Gehrig on another, or Gehrig could have been an extra tall defender for the Cats. When Gehrig was young he played all over the ground, and wherever Geelong played him he could have made a difference. Maybe his addition could have changed the result for Geelong in 1994 or 1995, but even if he was too young then he would have been a big player for Geelong in 2005.
Gehrig in the goalsquare for Geelong, instead of Kingsley, and the Cats might have made it to the Grand Final in 2005. The Cats have been looking for a full forward ever since the original Ablett retired, if they had Gehrig then they would have had the player who could step in and fill the role.
While a lot of the Geelong team has been recruited using the father/son rule, another big contributor to their list is the Murray Bushrangers. Paul Lewis was their first pick from the Bushrangers, and in the following years they also drafted Steven King, Adam Houlihan, Joel McKay, Steven Johnson, Kane Tenace and Shannon Byrnes from them.
The Cats scouted Gehrig's team in 1993, but they picked one of his teammates and not him. Gehrig and Geelong would have been a perfect fit if the Cats had drafted him.
Tomorrow: Hawthorn Hawks
If Geelong had drafted a star in either of those drafts it might have helped them during their three Grand Finals in the 1990s. Geelong also missed with their first three selections in the 1993 draft, and if they had picked a different Murray Bushranger prospect that year they could have had a player to help them in 1994 or 1995 and the player would still be a big star today.
In 1993 the Cats went with David Ugrinic at pick 13. For their next pick they chose Paul Lewis of the Murray Bushrangers. If only they had gone with Lewis' teammate with their first selection, Fraser Gehrig was available when Geelong picked at number 13. The Eagles used number 16 to take Gehrig.
Gehrig didn't play for a loaded Eagles team in 1994 and may not have debuted with Geelong that year either. But he would have been ready to play in 1995. Geelong could have played Colbert on one wing and Gehrig on another, or Gehrig could have been an extra tall defender for the Cats. When Gehrig was young he played all over the ground, and wherever Geelong played him he could have made a difference. Maybe his addition could have changed the result for Geelong in 1994 or 1995, but even if he was too young then he would have been a big player for Geelong in 2005.
Gehrig in the goalsquare for Geelong, instead of Kingsley, and the Cats might have made it to the Grand Final in 2005. The Cats have been looking for a full forward ever since the original Ablett retired, if they had Gehrig then they would have had the player who could step in and fill the role.
While a lot of the Geelong team has been recruited using the father/son rule, another big contributor to their list is the Murray Bushrangers. Paul Lewis was their first pick from the Bushrangers, and in the following years they also drafted Steven King, Adam Houlihan, Joel McKay, Steven Johnson, Kane Tenace and Shannon Byrnes from them.
The Cats scouted Gehrig's team in 1993, but they picked one of his teammates and not him. Gehrig and Geelong would have been a perfect fit if the Cats had drafted him.
Tomorrow: Hawthorn Hawks
