One Pick From A Premiership: Kangaroos
The Kangaroos were a top 4 team every season from 1994 to 2000. They managed two premierships during those years, which was a good result, but maybe another successful draft pick during the 1990s could have resulted in another premiership cup or two.
The Kangaroos came away with future premiership players in most drafts during the 1990s, but the 1992 draft had a lot of missed chances and only a couple of good selections, Matthew Capuano at pick 55 and Adrian McAdam at pick 98. Picks 6, 23, 38 and 53 were Robert Pyman, Warren Campbell, David Dighton and Matthew Moon.
Many good players were taken after pick 6, one player that could have been a great asset for the Kangaroo teams of the 1990s was Nick Holland. Hawthorn grabbed Holland at pick 14. The marking power of the Kangaroos during those years was difficult to stop with Carey and McKernan dominant, add Dutchy into that team and it would have been unrivalled aerial supremacy.
Jarrad Schofield went at number 49, Che Cockatoo-Collins was pick 42 and Mathew Rogers went at 37 so the Kangaroos could have found better players with their second and third picks in the draft too.
But it is Holland who would have had the biggest impact on the Kangaroos. In 1998 the Crows kept Carey under control, but if Holland was there as another marking option Adelaide may have struggled to stop both Holland and Carey. That is one Grand Final that could have had a different result. Holland might not have been ready to help the Kangaroos in 1994, who were only a kick from a Grand Final, but he would have been useful in 1995 and 1997 and could have been the extra tall that would have taken them past the Semi-final and into the Grand Final those years.
Holland wasn't able to lead Hawthorn deep into the finals, but if he was playing for the Kangaroos during the 1990s he would have had just as many marks but also a lot more help. The Kangaroos would have had a trio of marking players up forward and would have been even more successful with the addition of Holland than they were just with Carey and McKernan.
Tomorrow: Melbourne Demons
The Kangaroos came away with future premiership players in most drafts during the 1990s, but the 1992 draft had a lot of missed chances and only a couple of good selections, Matthew Capuano at pick 55 and Adrian McAdam at pick 98. Picks 6, 23, 38 and 53 were Robert Pyman, Warren Campbell, David Dighton and Matthew Moon.
Many good players were taken after pick 6, one player that could have been a great asset for the Kangaroo teams of the 1990s was Nick Holland. Hawthorn grabbed Holland at pick 14. The marking power of the Kangaroos during those years was difficult to stop with Carey and McKernan dominant, add Dutchy into that team and it would have been unrivalled aerial supremacy.
Jarrad Schofield went at number 49, Che Cockatoo-Collins was pick 42 and Mathew Rogers went at 37 so the Kangaroos could have found better players with their second and third picks in the draft too.
But it is Holland who would have had the biggest impact on the Kangaroos. In 1998 the Crows kept Carey under control, but if Holland was there as another marking option Adelaide may have struggled to stop both Holland and Carey. That is one Grand Final that could have had a different result. Holland might not have been ready to help the Kangaroos in 1994, who were only a kick from a Grand Final, but he would have been useful in 1995 and 1997 and could have been the extra tall that would have taken them past the Semi-final and into the Grand Final those years.
Holland wasn't able to lead Hawthorn deep into the finals, but if he was playing for the Kangaroos during the 1990s he would have had just as many marks but also a lot more help. The Kangaroos would have had a trio of marking players up forward and would have been even more successful with the addition of Holland than they were just with Carey and McKernan.
Tomorrow: Melbourne Demons
