One Pick From A Premiership: West Coast Eagles
The Eagles' list of draft successes is much longer than the one for failures. They drafted McIntosh at pick 112 in 1989, they traded Alex Ishchenko for the top pick in 1988 and acquired pick 1 in 1992 for the cost of Scott Watters and Tony Begovich. Another example of the Eagles domination of the drafts was in 1992, they traded Paul Peos for the pick that would be used on Shane Bond and after a couple of season the Eagles brought Peos back with a preseason pick. The Eagles know the value of draft picks, and with their ability to spot talent they usually have a very successful draft.
One draft that didn't go to plan was the 1997 AFL draft. The Eagles had again traded for another first rounder, and would have picks 12 and 13. Pick 13 was acquired from Geelong for Brett Spinks. Spinks was picked at number 79 in the 1992 draft but the big forward couldn't get a regular game in the Eagles forward line.
The Eagles used pick 12 on Jaxon Crabb and unlucky 13 was Callum Chambers. Neither player did anything for the Eagles, Chambers might have been the better of the two and he would end up being traded to Carlton, but just for pick 57 in the 2004 draft.
The Eagles did use pick 28 better, with Rowan Jones, but 12 and 13 could have been Dean Solomon, Nick Stevens or even Simon Black. The Eagles passed on drafting Black with three of their picks that day.
Solomon is a player that teams need for Grand Finals, if the Eagles had drafted him in 1997 he would have been a valuable member of the 2005 Grand Final team, and though they didn't need him in 2006 he would have been part of that side too.
A first round pick is usually turned into a future premiership player by the Eagles, except for McDougall and a few others, but in 1997 the Eagles didn't just miss once but with both of their first round picks. Three premierships for the Eagles since joining the league in 1987 is not bad but with someone like Solomon going to the Eagles in 1997, and not Crabb and Chambers, there is a chance that the Eagles might have another cup. They would also have kept Solomon away from the Dockers, who could be the Eagles biggest challenger in season 2007.
Tomorrow: Western Bulldogs
One draft that didn't go to plan was the 1997 AFL draft. The Eagles had again traded for another first rounder, and would have picks 12 and 13. Pick 13 was acquired from Geelong for Brett Spinks. Spinks was picked at number 79 in the 1992 draft but the big forward couldn't get a regular game in the Eagles forward line.
The Eagles used pick 12 on Jaxon Crabb and unlucky 13 was Callum Chambers. Neither player did anything for the Eagles, Chambers might have been the better of the two and he would end up being traded to Carlton, but just for pick 57 in the 2004 draft.
The Eagles did use pick 28 better, with Rowan Jones, but 12 and 13 could have been Dean Solomon, Nick Stevens or even Simon Black. The Eagles passed on drafting Black with three of their picks that day.
Solomon is a player that teams need for Grand Finals, if the Eagles had drafted him in 1997 he would have been a valuable member of the 2005 Grand Final team, and though they didn't need him in 2006 he would have been part of that side too.
A first round pick is usually turned into a future premiership player by the Eagles, except for McDougall and a few others, but in 1997 the Eagles didn't just miss once but with both of their first round picks. Three premierships for the Eagles since joining the league in 1987 is not bad but with someone like Solomon going to the Eagles in 1997, and not Crabb and Chambers, there is a chance that the Eagles might have another cup. They would also have kept Solomon away from the Dockers, who could be the Eagles biggest challenger in season 2007.
Tomorrow: Western Bulldogs
