The 10 best smokies in the national draft

by PAUL DAFFEY

1. James Hird, No.79, 1990

It should come as no surprise that injury played a large part in Hird's status as arguably the greatest smoky in the history of the draft. As a teenager, he lined up for the ACT in successive national under-17 carnivals, but after injury had restricted him to a tally of less than two quarters over two carnivals, he was more or less overlooked. Essendon punted on the Ainslie prospect with a late choice largely through bloodlines; his grandfather and father had both played senior football with the club. Any claims of inspiration from the Bombers are quashed by a glance at their earlier selections in the same draft: Todd Ridley (No.13), Richard Ambrose (21), John Fidge (24), Glen Hoffman (37), Jarrod Carter (51) and Stephen Fry (67). (Yeah but how many Sandover Medals has Hird won? Editor)

2. Alistair Lynch, No.50, 1986

After spending a good part of his teenage years playing soccer on Tasmania's North-West coast, Lynch was an Australian-football novice when his father sent him to the Hobart Football Club to be coached by Peter Hudson at 17. His skinny limbs earned him the nickname "Sticks". His capacity to spray the ball at right angles to his foot earned wonder. But there was something in his heart and coltish athleticism that inspired Fitzroy recruiting man Arthur Wilson to recommend him. The Roys selected him in the inaugural national draft. Lynch spent another year at Hobart before arriving at Fitzroy after the 1987 season, at 19, by when he was developing just nicely.

3. Chris Grant, No.105, 1988

In the days when 16 was the minimum drafting age, Footscray recruiting man Gary Merrington was keen on a bony prosect from Dayleford who had impressed at under-age level. The prospect himself, Chris Grant, was astounded when Merrington sounded him out; he thought the Bulldogs would be after his older brother Jamie. After being drafted in triple figures when he was barely 16, Chris Grant mushroomed the next year, 1989, playing in the Victorian Country team that won the under-17 national carnival. By then, all league clubs were aware of his ability. But Grant was already off-limits.

4. Paul Williams, No.70, 1989

In a similar vein to Grant's story, Collingwood drafted Williams from North Hobart when the hard-running midfielder was a 16-year-old unknown. The next year, 1990, when Williams represented Tasmania in the national under-17 carnival, he came under notice by winning the Larke Medal for the premier player in the carnival. Already, however, he was tied to the Pies.

5. Dermot McNicholl, No.99, 1988

Speaking of hard-running, McNicholl so impressed his Australian opponents while playing for Ireland during the 1987 international rules series that Danny Frawley, the Australian defender and St Kilda captain, took to hounding him about switching codes. The Saints drafted McNicholl, who is only 175cm, from County Derry when he was 22. After a stint with Prahran in 1989, McNicholl tore his groin during St Kilda's pre-season in 1990. The injury forced him to miss the first half of the season, after which he recovered and made his senior debut-at 24! He played three senior games, only to return to Derry at the end of the year because his university refused to let him defer his course any longer.

6. Adrian McAdam, No.98, 1992

Speaking of hard-running, you'll need to look past McAdam, who was more inclined to stylishly walk around opponents rather than burn up the track. McAdam's early years of senior football were spent at South Alice Springs. But considering his older brothers were Greg and Gilbert McAdam, both of whom had played at St Kilda, Adrian's pedigree prompted North Melbourne football manager Greg Miller to plump for him when he was 21. The youngest McAdam kicked 23 goals in his first three games before sauntering away from the AFL a few years later.

7. Adam Goodes, No.43, 1997

Goodes could run and jump like no one else during his final year at TAC Cup team North Ballarat, in 1997. The only query was on his kicking, but this query seemed superfluous after he had kicked six goals during North Ballarat's victory in the TAC Cup 1997 grand final. In the draft after the season, Goodes lasted until 43 before Sydney selected him. The Swans' reward for their late selection has been ample.

8. Simon Black, No.31, 1997

Having grown up kicking the footy with Ben Cousins, and playing colts football with East Fremantle, Black's capabilities were well-known to AFL clubs, especially to West Coast and Fremantle. Black made a favourable impression with Western Australia in the national teenage showcase, which by then was an under-18 carnival. But the Eagles and the Dockers had six picks between them before he was eventually taken at 31 by the Brisbane Lions. Every time Black wins another honour, which is frequently, his late selection is mentioned.

9. Luke McPharlin, No.10, 1999

Hawthorn excited the football world when it used its first pick in 1999 on an unknown. The rangy McPharlin had played only one game in an elite under-age competition, with the East Fremantle colts. But that solitary game, played at the Hawks' behest, was enough for him to qualify for the draft. McPharlin spent two injury-plagued years at Glenferrie before returning to the West, where his performances with Fremantle threaten to provide long-lasting regret for the Hawks.

10. Karl Norman, No.79, 2002

Carlton's punishments for its salary-cap indiscretions prompted all sorts of drafting gambles by the Blues' football staff; many proved a breath of fresh air. Arguably the most off-the-wall recruiting decision by the Blues in recent years has been the one to select Norman. In an era in which every Victorian teenager is drafted from a TAC Cup team, Norman was plucked from country club Wangaratta Rovers. I saw him play for the Rovers once during the 2002 season. He rolled up in board shorts before taking 15 marks with an injured hand. Without being a star for Carlton, his performances have suggested he was certainly worth a punt.

From The Age.

James Hird. Reasonable value as a late draft choice. Photo by Les Everett

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