Here’s a list of our first round draft picks that have played at least 100 games for us:
1995 #1 C.Waterhouse 106 games
1996 #12 H.Black 138 games (in 2 stints)
1997 #6 J.Walker 151 games
1998 #2 J.Longmuir 139 games
1999 #2 P.Haselby 208 games
1999 #4 M.Pavlich 353 games
2002 #13 B.Schammer 129 games
2008 #3 S.Hill 190* games
Our 1st round picks for 2011 (Sheridan) & 2013 (Apeness) are still going and 2014 onwards have yet to have the opportunity to play 100 games (including Weller).
It should be noted that we had no first round selections in 2000, 2004 & 2006.
So for all the criticism at the time that our early drafting was poor (and it was, even if this analysis makes it look better), our best return (and longest streak) as far as at least 100 games played from first round draft picks was between 1995-1999.
Been pretty slim pickings since then but Mora was robbed through injury (2009). Same could be said of Pitt (2010) due to his heart condition.
That said, we managed to make our first GF in 2013 and our longest sustained finals run (2012-2015) without getting much out of our first round draft picks from 2003 onwards.
Guess it just goes to show that the draft really is a lottery and it’s a clubs ability to find gems with later picks and through the rookie list that is of far greater significance. In that respect, we have done particularly well.
