SINCE the first AFL draft was held in 1986, clubs have been trying to perfect the inexact science of identifying and recruiting the best young talent each year.
So, with the 2008 NAB AFL Draft less than a week away, portadelaidefc.com.au continues its review of the Power’s biggest draft hits (and misses) with a look at the early 2000s.
2002 AFL Draft
Port Adelaide made up for its indifferent 2001 AFL Draft, picking up impressive midfielder Steven Salopek with its prized No. 6 pick.
At 16, the Power selected defender Stephen Gilham, who has since become a premiership player with Hawthorn, and used pick number 42 to take Brett Ebert under the father-son rule. West Adelaide’s Wade Champion was the Power’s final pick at number 57.
The club continued to build its premiership team during trade week, adding Byron Pickett and Stuart Cochrane from North Melbourne in exchange for picks 13 (Byron Schammer) and 31 (Joel Perry) – a convoluted deal that also included Fremantle.
Best picks in the draft overall…
St Kilda snapped up Brendon Goddard at No. 1 and North Melbourne took Daniel Wells at two, but Geelong's Andrew Mackie at seven is looking like a winner in this lot.
2003 AFL Draft
The Power unearthed two quality defenders; impressive teenager Troy Chaplin was snapped up with the club’s first pick (number 15), while Michael Pettigrew was secured with the last (46).
Disappointingly, Port Adelaide’s mid-range selections, Brad Symes (30), Luke Peel (34) and Robert Forster-Knight (39) played just 20 games for the club combined.
Overall pick of the draft…
The Western Bulldogs selected SA-born midfielder Adam Cooney with the No. 1 pick and this year he became the first top pick to win a Brownlow Medal.
2004 AFL Draft
The Power rolled the dice on journeyman Josh Mahoney in the 2004 AFL Pre-Season Draft, and that generated a football fairytale when he earned a medallion as a member of the premiership team later that year.
Weeks after the highs of its first AFL flag, the club was dealt a blow when much-loved midfielder Josh Carr expressed a desire to return to his native WA.
The Power reluctantly agreed and were compensated with picks number 11, 27 and 45.
The Port Adelaide recruiting staff locked away Sturt junior Adam Thomson at No. 11 and also selected burly forward Ryan Willits (19), James Ezard (34), ruckman Fabian Deluca (35) and Ben Eckermann (51).
The club also traded mid-range draft picks to acquire Aaron Shattock from the Brisbane Lions and veteran Peter Walsh from Melbourne.
Unfortunately, Jacob Surjan, who was taken alongside Mahoney in the 2004 AFL Pre-Season Draft, is the only player from this crop who remains at Alberton.
Overall pick of the draft…
Richmond, who held picks one and four, has been criticised for its decision-making in this particular draft while reigning premiers Hawthorn have received the highest praise. The Tigers chose Brett Deledio first and overlooked Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead – now premiership players with Hawthorn – when they took Richard Tambling at number four.
The Western Bulldogs nabbed local lad Ryan Griffen at three, but Hawthorn's selection of Franklin looms as one of the all-time draft steals.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
