WAFL Draft Bargains - a dozen of the bestTuesday, November 15, 2016 - 11:40 AM

As the anticipation builds towards the 2016 AFL National Draft on November 25 and young WAFL players eagerly wait for their name to be called out, we’ve taken a look back at some of the greatest AFL National Draft bargains to come out of the WAFL competition since 1986.

From Norm Smith Medallist Andrew Embley to Hawks’ triple-premiership player Ben Stratton, some of the AFL’s great champions have been selected late in the National Draft, proving top talent can run deeper than the first couple of rounds.

Recruiters are always searching to unearth a new star and the WAFL has proven to be a great source of AFL-ready talent over the past decades.

The list of a dozen players below is compiled from those selected from the WAFL outside the Top 30 in AFL National Drafts between 1986 and 2015 who have gone on to achieve both individual and team success at the highest level.

Of course this doesn’t include former WAFL stars such as Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis, who was listed as an AFL Rookie by West Coast in 2005, Norm Smith Medallist Dean Kemp who was a ‘Post Draft Selection’ in 1989 or Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands, who was elevated from the club’s rookie list in 2002.   

 

 

Ashley McIntosh (Claremont)

#112 – West Coast Eagles 1989

After being selected by West Coast with pick 112 in the 1989 National Draft, Ashley McIntosh went on to become one of the greatest full-backs of his era, playing 242 games for the Eagles including two premierships.

After making his debut in Round 10, 1991 against Richmond, McIntosh showed he could nullify stars such as Jason Dunstall, Tony Lockett, Matthew Lloyd and Tony Modra in an era when key forwards were attacking focal points.

McIntosh relished the challenge of combatting the big-name forwards and was a dual premiership player in 1992 and 1994, Club Champion and All-Australian in 1998, club player of the finals in 1996 and selected in the West Coast Eagles Team of the Decade and Team 20.

He was inducted into the WA Football Hall of Fame 2012 and the West Coast Eagles Hall of Fame in 2014.

Brett Heady (Subiaco)

#92 – West Coast Eagles 1989

One of the great drafting coups of all time, Heady was snared at selection 92 in the 1989 National Draft.

Heady went on to play 156 games for West Coast after making his debut in Round 4, 1990 v Carlton and was a key member of both the 1992 and 1994 Premiership teams.

He finished top 10 in Club Champion Award twice and was selected in the West Coast Eagles Team of the Decade and Team 20 and inducted to the club’s Hall of Fame in 2014.

A fearless half-forward, Heady’s career was cut short because of his selfless attitude, often flying in the face of oncoming packs with no regard for his own safety.

Ryan Hargrave (Perth)

#66– Western Bulldogs 1999

After being selected with pick 66 in the 1999 AFL Draft from the Perth Football Club, Ryan Hargrave developed into an elite defender for the Western Bulldogs and a 200-game AFL player.

Throughout 2002 he grew and developed as a defender and became an essential part of the Western Bulldogs' line-up. In the same year, Hargrave was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award and also won the Western Bulldogs' Best First Year Player award.

He continued to be a key part of the Bulldogs side until he reached his 200-game milestone in Round 10 of the 2012 AFL season and retired at the end of that year.

Andrew Embley (Swan Districts)

#57 – West Coast Eagles 1998

An AFL Rising Star nominee, Premiership Player and a Norm Smith Medallist – Andrew Embley’s achievements exceeded most expectations of a 57th pick in the 1998 AFL National Draft.

After making his debut in the first match of the 1999 season, Embley was an AFL Rising Star nominee in 2000 and established himself in the club's side playing mainly as a wingman.

He went on to represent Australia in the 2004 International Rules Series and served as West Coast Eagles vice-captain between 2004 and 2006. He played a key part in West Coast's victory over Sydney in the 2006 Grand Final, and was awarded the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground.

He retired at the end of the 2013 season after 250 games for the club. He also kicked 216 goals, finishing second in the club's goal-kicking in both 2003 and 2006.

Paul Medhurst (Claremont)

#56 – Fremantle 2001

Medhurst was originally selected by Fremantle Football Club in the 2001 AFL Draft and made a successful debut in round 1, 2002 against the West Coast Eagles, kicking three goals and earning an AFL Rising Star nomination.

At the end of 2002, he won the Beacon Award as Fremantle’s best young player. He was the club's leading goalkicker in 2003 and 2004, kicking 50 and 41 goals respectively, including nine against Brisbane in 2004. His 166 career goals in 99 games for Fremantle is the club's equal-seventh highest.

Medhurst was traded to Collingwood in 2007 as part of the deal that sent Chris Tarrant to Fremantle and he played 69 games for the Magpies.

In 2008, Medhurst won the ANZAC Day Medal for Collingwood after kicking six goals against Essendon. He was also selected in the 2008 All-Australian team, finished runner-up in Collingwood's best-and-fairest award and won the Gordon Coventry Trophy as Collingwood’s leading goal kicker.

Medhurst retired from the AFL at the end of the 2010 season after kicking a total of 274 goals in 168 games.

Michael Walters (Swan Districts)

#53 – Fremantle 2008

Having now kicked 177 goals in 94 games and finishing as Fremantle’s leading goal kicker for the season on three occasions, Michael Walters has proven a valuable addition to the Dockers side since making his AFL debut in 2009.

Walters had one of his best seasons in 2013, kicking 46 goals and being named in the All Australian squad.

In 2015, he improved his goal kicking efficiency with 44 goals and 19 behinds en-route to finishing as the club’s leading goal kicker for the third time. He also set a career-high 54 tackles.

Domenic Cassisi (East Fremantle)

#50 – Port Adelaide 2000

After being drafted from East Fremantle with pick 50 in the 2000 AFL National Draft, Domenic Cassisi went on to play 228 games for Port Adelaide including a premiership in 2004.

He played his best season in 2008, averaging 22.7 possessions and 6.3 tackles per game and finishing second in the club best and fairest.

He was also named club captain at the end of that year and served as skipper from 2009 to 2012.

A hard in-and-under defender who also played through the middle, Cassisi officially retired from the AFL in July 2014 and played his final game in a three-point win against Melbourne.

Jarrad Schofield (Subiaco)

#49 – West Coast Eagles 1992

After being selected by West Coast with the 49th pick in the 1992 National Draft, Schofield played more than 200 AFL games for three clubs in a successful AFL career spanning 14 years that included a Rising Star nomination in 1996 and premiership with Port Adelaide in 2004.

His 206 senior matches with West Coast, Port Adelaide and the Fremantle Dockers concluded in 2006 when he returned to the WAFL to play a key role in Subiaco’s hat-trick of flags between 2006 and 2008.

He was appointed Subiaco League coach in 2013 and led the club to back-to-back premierships in 2014 and 2015.

Chance Bateman (Perth)

#48 – Hawthorn 1999

Chance Bateman was Hawthorn's first indigenous player to reach 100 games, first Aboriginal life member, and remains the club's longest-serving WA recruit.

Drafted by Hawthorn with pick 48 in the 1999 AFL Draft, he reached his peak as one of the club's most valuable players in 2006.

His speed and hardness at the ball while playing on the wing allowed the team to play a free-flowing brand of game and he averaged 20 possessions a game in his 21 games that season. His elite speed was recognised when he was named in the 2006 International Rules Series side to tour Ireland.

His 177 games across 13 seasons included a premiership in 2008 – a Grand Final where he kicked Hawthorn's first goal of the game.

Bateman returned to play for Perth in the WAFL after retiring from Hawthorn and played for another three seasons, adding 28 League games to the 11 he played prior to being drafted in 1999.

Ben Stratton (East Perth)

#46 – Hawthorn 2009

This triple premiership player has entrenched himself in Hawthorn’s backline as a versatile defender and an integral part of the team’s defensive mix.

After being drafted from East Perth in 2009, Stratton earned a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in his debut season in 2010 and went on to play in Hawthorn’s 2013, 2014 and 2015 premiership sides.

He has now played 138 consistent games with the Hawks and continues to be an important player for the club.

Andrew Swallow (East Fremantle)

#43 – North Melbourne 2005

After being selected by North Melbourne at number 43 in the 2005 AFL National Draft from East Fremantle, Swallow progressed rapidly to receive a NAB Rising Star nomination after collecting 28 possessions and kicking a goal against Geelong in Round 17, 2006.

His form continued to improve over the next two seasons and in 2009 he was awarded the Syd Barker Medal as North Melbourne's best and fairest player for the season.

After finishing runner-up in 2010, Swallow claimed his second Syd Barker Medal in 2011 and was named in the All Australian squad.

In February 2012, Swallow was announced captain of North Melbourne Football Club replacing Brent Harvey and capped off a fantastic year to become a three-time Syd Barker Medalist.

Mark LeCras (West Perth)

#37 – West Coast 2004

LeCras made his debut for West Coast in round 10 of the 2005 AFL season, kicking two goals and recording 12 disposals.

He was an AFL Rising Star nominee in 2007.

By round 13, 2009, he had scored his 100th AFL career goal and become the most potent forward in the team kicking 30 goals in the first 12 rounds, and 58 for the season, topping the Eagles' goalkicking list.

In round 16 of 2010, LeCras kicked a personal best of 12 goals in an outstanding individual display against Essendon at Etihad Stadium, which set a new record for the most goals kicked by an individual in a game at the stadium.

He earned All-Australian honours in 2010, finished third in the Coleman Medal with 63 goals from 21 games and won the West Coast Eagles Club Champion Award.

He has now kicked 377 goals in 177 career games and twice been the West Coast Eagles’ leading goal kicker.