HOW DID your club perform in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft?



Our reporters look at who you added to your list and, with five years now gone and the benefit of hindsight, give your draft period a score out of 10.

Our verdict also takes into consideration rookie picks, rookie upgrades, and players traded in.

So did your club nail it, or did it have a stinker? Check it out.

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Matt Crouch (pick No.23); Riley Knight (46)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Charlie Cameron; James Battersby; Jake Kelly; Alex Spina

Rookie upgrades: Kyle Hartigan; Rory Laird

Trade and free agency: Eddie Betts; James Podsiadly

What the club said: "We're really pleased, obviously just two picks but don't forget the two upgrades. We continue to add to the midfield with Riley Knight ticking some boxes in relation to outside speed, which we are addressing. If you put them together; ball-winning capacity, running capacity and defence, it's a lot of hard work for just two picks." - Crows list manager David Noble

Verdict: The Crows knocked it out of the park with some shrewd moves in free agency, a bold trade and astute draft picks. Securing electric small forward Eddie Betts from Carlton was a masterstroke. Having been banned from the first two rounds of the draft as a result of the Kurt Tippett investigation, the Crows traded Bernie Vince to Melbourne in exchange for pick 23. That pick became last year's best and fairest and All Australian midfielder Matt Crouch. The only downside was losing Charlie Cameron to Brisbane last year. However, the Crows turned a rookie pick into the No.12 selection at last year's draft, which they used to get Darcy Fogarty.

Trade and draft period rating: 10/10

- Lee Gaskin

Eddie Betts has been a revelation for the Crows since crossing from the Blues. Picture: AFL Photos





2013 NAB AFL Draft: James Aish (pick No.7); Darcy Gardiner (22); Dan McStay (25); Lewy Taylor (28); Tom Cutler (33); Nick Robertson (34), Jono Freeman (62)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Isaac Conway; Zac O'Brien; Archie Smith

Rookie upgrades: Justin Clarke

Trade and free agency: Luke McGuane, Trent West

What the club said: "Our priority was to collect a couple of tall defenders that could fill some roles, and to add some pace and size to our midfield. We were trying to get some players that filled some areas of the guys that left (in the off-season). Yeoy (Elliot Yeo) leaving left a hole at half-back, but we've got (Tom) Cutler and (Nicholas) Robertson and (Daniel) McStay can all pay half-back and wing, so we think we've covered that well." - recruiting manager Stephen Conole

Verdict: After the disaster of losing first-round picks Jared Polec, Elliot Yeo, Sam Docherty, Billy Longer and Patrick Karnezis, the Lions scrambled reasonably well. The five players they drafted in return are current regular senior team members and are tipped to be for years to come, although none are in the bracket of Yeo or Docherty. First pick Aish was a total miss with the South Australian never settling and leaving after two years.

Trade and draft period rating: 5/10



- Michael Whiting

WATCH Draft Days: We follow three young guns through 2013

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Patrick Cripps (pick No.13); Cameron Giles (39); Nick Holman (51)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Luke Reynolds; Cameron Wood; Blaine Johnson; Heath Scotland; Ciaran Sheehan; Ciaran Byrne

Rookie upgrades: Ed Curnow; Tom Bell

Trade and free agency: Dale Thomas; Sam Docherty; Andrejs Everitt

What the club said: "It's an exciting process, but it is a relief for it to be finished. It's like studying for an exam with the build-up and the build-up and the build-up and then it is finally over, but to get Patrick Cripps is a bonus for the club. We needed a big-bodied midfielder who wins the ball. Cameron Giles can be a swingman and Nick Holman is a competitor. We tried to build midfield strength this year. We only rated five or six talls in the draft. Next year we think there will be a lot better group of talls coming through." – national recruiting manager Shane Rogers

Verdict: Secured both of the club's current co-captains in Docherty and Cripps during this period. Docherty was a steal, with the Blues giving the Lions pick No.33 for the defender. The club set its sights on an inside midfielder at the draft and claimed Cripps with the 13th pick – another big tick, especially when you consider many thought he was a bolter at this position. They overpaid for Thomas via free agency, while they also lost Eddie Betts to the Crows. Giles dealt with injuries throughout his brief time with the Blues, while Holman has forged a serviceable career in the AFL – albeit at the Suns. The club was probably right in its view about there being few talls in this draft class, though James Sicily, Rory Lobb and Tom Barrass were taken late and have all shown plenty at AFL level.

Trade and draft period rating: 8/10

- Riley Beveridge

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Matthew Scharenberg (pick No.6); Nathan Freeman (10); Tom Langdon (65); Jonathon Marsh (77); Sam Dwyer (87); Adam Oxley (92)

2014 AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Corey Gault (pick No.10 – redrafted after being delisted)

Rookie upgrades: Sam Dwyer and Adam Oxley

Trade and free agency: Taylor Adams (Greater Western Sydney – trade); Patrick Karnezis (Brisbane – trade); Jesse White (Sydney – trade); Tony Armstrong (Sydney – delisted free agent)

What the club said: "Pretty well-documented that Matt Scharenberg or James Aish [who was drafted by Brisbane with the next pick, No. 7] were going to be there and there was really a feather between both of those players and we went for the taller utility type that can fill a need right away and Nathan Freeman comes into the system with extraordinary power inside and outside. We went in with an open mind that if there were players at the back end of the draft that we had a shine for we would take them." - national recruiting manager Derek Hine

Verdict: A mixed bag for the Magpies, but a little luck wouldn't have gone astray. In an emotional period for the Pies, they farewelled five premiership stars – Ben Johnson retired, Darren Jolly and Alan Didak were delisted, Heath Shaw was traded to the Giants for promising midfielder Adams (who has become a star and a leader) while injury-hampered free agent Dale Thomas joined Carlton. The Woods traded their Thomas compensation – pick No.11 – in a deal that netted them West Coast’s No.6, with which they claimed gun South Australian defender Scharenberg. (The Eagles used pick 11 on Dom Sheed, a premiership hero this year.) Both Scharenberg and speedy midfielder Freeman have been cruelled by injuries – the latter moving to St Kilda, which has since delisted him. Versatile backman Langdon has proved a steal and mature-aged Dwyer briefly added running depth, but big man White never quite lived up to the hype, Oxley was later delisted and redrafted as a rookie, Marsh retired early after mental health battles, while Karnezis and Armstrong played just four and six games respectively.

Trade and draft period rating: 5.5/10

- Ben Collins

NAB AFL DRAFT HUB Latest news, video and more

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Zach Merrett (pick No.26), Orazio Fantasia (55)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Fraser Thurlow, Patrick Ambrose, Johnny Rayner, Will Hams

Rookie upgrades: Lauchlan Dalgleish

Trade and free agency: Kurt Aylett, Paul Chapman, Shaun Edwards

What the club said: "We were going to always take our time with our selections. There's no records that need to be set by calling names out. We just wanted to pick two players we think can play AFL footy. There weren't many talls in this draft so you had to make wise selections and one of the outcomes we wanted was to get some speed in our team, so including the upgrade of Dalgleish, we've got three boys that have got very good speed, good decisions makers, and it quickens your team up." - list manager Adrian Dodoro

Verdict: The Bombers were hamstrung at the 2013 NAB AFL Draft after losing picks due to the supplements saga, but they traded Stewart Crameri to the Bulldogs for pick 26 and selected Zach Merrett. It's been an inspired choice, with the 23-year-old already an All Australian midfielder and best and fairest. Orazio Fantasia is arguably an even better pick given he was taken at No.55, with the lightning quick forward a key member of Essendon's line-up. They had less success after that – Patrick Ambrose is the only rookie remaining and their traded-in players offered little – but in Merrett and Fantasia they have long-term stars.

Trade and draft period rating: 8

- Callum Twomey

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Michael Apeness (pick No.17); Alex Pearce (37); Brady Grey (58)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Jack Hannath; Jesse Crichton; Michael Wood; Tom Vandeleur; Jacob Ballard

Rookie upgrades: Matt Taberner

Trade and free agency: Colin Sylvia; Scott Gumbleton

What the club said: "To get some talls in Scott Gumbleton, Michael Apeness and Alex Pearce as mobile boys who can play key position was pleasing. To get Colin Sylvia through free agency was a real plus. He's going to really add to our midfield depth. With the boys through the rookie draft, we're pleased to add a couple of mid-range talls, a third tall forward in Michael Wood and then a third tall defender in Tom Vandeleur – they really filled a couple of spots we've been looking for. We see Jacob Ballard as having a really good running capacity and a real competitiveness about him so we feel like we can develop him through the midfield and across half-back. We see Brady Grey as a really talented sportsman that's really improved his football over the last 12 months." - general manager of player management Brad Lloyd

Verdict: Recruiting blunders don't come much bigger than ex-Demon Sylvia. It was an unmitigated disaster from the get-go, as Sylvia's poor training standards and lack of professionalism jarred with a hardened Dockers outfit in premiership contention. Sylvia left the club 18 months into a three-year contract, having played only six games in the west. His failure sparked an internal review of Freo's free agency recruiting. Trade acquisition Gumbleton retired at the end of 2014 without playing in purple after repeat injury setbacks. It wasn't all bad in 2013, though. Taking key defender Pearce at pick 37 was a brilliant selection. Grey was honest in 21 games before being delisted recently, while injury-plagued Apeness looks to be on his last chance in 2019.

Trade and draft period rating: 3/10

- Travis King

Things didn't go to plan for Colin Sylvia or Fremantle. Picture: AFL Photos





2013 NAB AFL Draft: Darcy Lang (pick No.16), Jarrad Jansen (36), Jake Kolodjashnij (41)

2014 AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: James Toohey, Nick Bourke, Zachary Bates, Michael Luxford

Rookie upgrades: Josh Walker, George Burbury

Trade and free agency: Nil

What the club said: "We really just came in thinking we'd get the best available talent. We knew it was a pretty even bunch of players and we'd have some decisions to make at each choice and we've ended up with a mix. They're all different types of players, so it's been good for us. All the players we drafted this year have got a long way to go with development, but with a pre-season and some good coaching, who knows what 2014 holds for them?" – recruiting and list manager Stephen Wells

Verdict: It was a period of transition for the Cats. Out went premiership heroes like Paul Chapman and Joel Corey and in came a series of draftees. However, the club struggled to hit on any of its draft picks. Lang never fulfilled his first-round potential with the Cats and was traded to the Blues, while Jansen was shipped to the Lions without playing a game for the club. Kolodjashnij was one of the few wins, playing 70 serviceable games since he arrived at the club. The club didn't bring in any new recruits via trade.

Trade and draft period rating: 2/10

- Riley Beveridge

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Kade Kolodjashnij (pick No.5); Jack Leslie (20), Sean Lemmens (27)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Louis Herbert; Jarred Ellis

Rookie upgrades: Nil

Trade and free agency: Nil

What the club said: "You're always balancing team need with best player and we think we've combined both of them with some very talented players and players that can fulfil some positions that we need to strengthen. It just worked out the best player at pick five was that half-back position that Bluey (McKenna) had identified we needed." - list manager Scott Clayton

Verdict: By this stage of their existence the Suns thought they had the makings of a finals-bound list and were drafting for need. Kolodjashnij was a no-brainer at pick five and after his first two seasons it looked like a home-run selection. However, after a flat couple of years and the club trading him to Melbourne, it looks less inspired. Lemmens was a solid get at 27, but after five years Leslie is still struggling to impact and with defenders like Darcy Gardiner, Dan McStay, Alex Pearce and Tom Barrass falling after him, it looks a missed pick at this stage.

Trade and draft period rating: 4/10

- Michael Whiting

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Tom Boyd (pick No.1), Josh Kelly (2), Cam McCarthy (14), Rory Lobb (29), Zac Williams (95), Jake Barrett (97)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Jed Lamb, Sam Schulz

Rookie upgrades: Zac Williams

Trade and free agency: Shane Mumford, Heath Shaw, Josh Hunt

What the club said: "We wanted to pick the best players, really. Our last pick there (Lobb) was maybe on a bit of a needs basis, but certainly our first three we were just picking the best player. We're certainly happy to have Tom. The way footy's going at the moment, certainly that key position player that can go in the ruck, is certainly handy. We saw Josh dominate games. He's a quality kid – a hard worker and he's done everything right and deserves to be a high pick. He's composed and makes good decisions, but he also competes." - list manager Stephen Silvagni

Verdict: The Giants' early years were full of hits and misses considering the amount of draft concessions they were given, but 2013 was their first real crack at it. Boyd gave them little value but the acquisition of pick 2 enabled them to draft Kelly, who is now one of the game's best midfielders. Lobb gave the team some decent service, while the upgrading of Williams was a masterstroke, with the former rookie now an outstanding running defender. Like most years some quality left for other clubs, but the addition of Mumford and Shaw was massive.

Trade and draft period rating: 8/10

- Adam Curley

Josh Kelly has become one of the AFL's premier midfielders. Picture: AFL Photos



2013 NAB AFL Draft: Billy Hartung (pick No.24); Dayle Garlett (38); James Sicily (56)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Dallas Willsmore; Derek Wanganeen; Zac Webster; Ben Ross; Shem-Kalvin Tatupu

Rookie upgrades: Jonathan Ceglar; Will Langford

Trade and free agency: Ben McEvoy; Jed Anderson

What the club said: "Midfield was a real focus for us, but we were still prepared to look at any player on a talent basis and we were able to fill those needs. We felt like we covered off the midfield and then getting James Sicily at the end, that high half-forward who can go into the midfield. We knew that Xavier (Ellis) and Shane Savage going out would have an effect on our depth in that area. We feel as though with Will Langford and Mitch Hallahan and Jed Anderson we've got some depth to cover some of those. We were just hoping to add some run and talent to that midfield group." – list manager Graham Wright

Verdict: This was the height of the Hawks not placing great store in the draft given a) their ladder position and b) the glut of talent heading to the expansion clubs. So trading down with the Saints and landing McEvoy ended up a smart move. Hartung ended up a disappointment and they whiffed totally on Garlett. Sicily, however, is shaping up as one of the great draft steals. Their rookie upgrades proved worthwhile as well all things considered. Anderson was highly rated but couldn’t get his body right at the Hawks.

Trade and draft period rating: 7/10

- Ashley Browne

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Christian Salem (pick No.9); Jay Kennedy Harris (40); Jayden Hunt (57)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: James Harmes; Max King; Alexis Georgiou; Neville Jetta

Rookie upgrades: Mitch Clisby

Trade and free agency: Daniel Cross; Aidan Riley; Viv Michie; Dom Tyson; Bernie Vince

Verdict: Completed one of the most debated trades in recent history when it parted with picks No.2, 20 and 72 for Dom Tyson and picks No.9 and 53. Essentially, it proved to be Josh Kelly for Tyson and Salem. Although that hasn't been a great success in hindsight for the Dees, the club hit on some later picks. Harmes and Jetta were both plucked from the rookie draft and played crucial roles in Melbourne's rise up the ladder last season. Kennedy Harris and Hunt remain on the list and have enjoyed promising periods. Cross played a valuable leadership role to finish his career with the club, while Vince also gave the Demons a few years of quality football.

What the club said: "We're pleased because we rated Christian Salem, who has got some elite ability and will add to our midfield mix. Jay Kennedy Harris fulfils a need for us with speed and endurance, he has really good character and is a nice kid. On that alone we are rapt to get him into our footy club. Jayden Hunt came through school footy at Brighton Grammar with Josh Kelly and Salem and was right up with them as a player when he was much younger early, but they grew and he didn't and he dropped off until he grew again. He did some eye-catching things in school games this year." – national recruiting manager Jason Taylor

Trade and draft period rating: 7/10

- Riley Beveridge

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Luke McDonald (pick No.8); Trent Dumont (30); Ben Brown (47)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Draft: Joel Tippett; Kayne Turner

Rookie upgrades: None

Trade and free agency: Nick Dal Santo; Robin Nahas

What the club said: (after NAB AFL Draft) "We were just picking the best available player at our selection. At (pick) 30 and 47 we were a bit at the mercy of what the other clubs did. It was as simple as that."

(after AFL Rookie Draft) "We had Luke Delaney go out (traded to St Kilda), so we wanted to get a key back to replace him if we could. Joel has spent time on rookie lists at two other clubs, but he was a late starter to football, and he had injuries in his time at both Brisbane and Gold Coast. He's been really consistent since moving across to West Adelaide, playing 41 games in the last two years, as that last-line defender with the capability of playing on the power forwards. Kayne Turner will be a development player. If he had been born six hours later, he wouldn't have been eligible for the draft. He's a slightly built lad, but he's unconditional in his attack on the ball. He's got very good hands, he sees the game well, and he's got a lot of speed as well. We think he can play small back, small forward and even wing." – recruiting manager Bryce Lewis

Verdict: Pretty solid performance, with Brown the pick of the bunch. McDonald was a father-son selection and is due to play his 100th match as early as round four next year. He hasn't quite lived up to his top-10 billing, but will be only 24 entering the 2019 season, so he has time on his side. Dumont finished this year like a steam train and is blossoming nicely, while Tasmanian and Werribee VFL product Brown is one of the AFL's best key forwards and was runner-up in the 2018 Coleman Medal – a huge bargain just shy of pick 50. Turner played in preliminary finals in 2014 and 2015 and appeared in all 22 games this past season. Dal Santo was a strong contributor in three seasons at Arden St, at a time North was pushing for a flag. Nahas and Tippett both played limited matches, but the Roos gave up little to recruit them.

Trade and draft period rating: 8/10

– Marc McGowan

Ben Brown was a bargain pick for the Roos at 47. Picture: AFL Photos





2013 NAB AFL Draft: Jarman Impey (pick No.21); Mitchell Harvey (45), Darcy Byrne-Jones (52), Karl Amon (68)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Samuel Russell; Sam Gray; Brent Renouf; Daniel Flynn

Rookie upgrades: None

Trade and free agency: Jared Polec; Matthew White

What the club said: "We were pretty keen to get some speed into the place. Jarman Impey brings that and (Darcy) Byrne-Jones brings that, (Karl) Amon, so three of our four players bring that. We've openly talked about trying to get some key position forwards in and we've done that with (Mitchell) Harvey. We think with (Jared) Polec and (Matt) White in the trade period and these young kids we've really done a bit about our speed. We really thought small forwards and small backs [because] we needed some real speed, and outside run." - then Port Adelaide general manager of football Peter Rohde

Verdict: The Power wanted to add speed, and they got that in Polec, Impey, Byrne-Jones and Amon. The only problem is that five years on, Polec and Impey are at new clubs, while Amon – albeit a speculative pick at No.68 – isn't in their best 22. Crows star Matt Crouch and Essendon ball magnet Zach Merrett were both on the board at the Power's first pick, but didn't fit their need for speed. Key forward Harvey – taken two spots ahead of North Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown – was a bust, delisted after not playing a game in two years. Byrne-Jones is a reliable defender, while Gray can be dangerous in attack.

Trade and draft period rating: 3/10

- Lee Gaskin

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Ben Lennon (pick No.12), Nathan Gordon (50), Sam Lloyd (66)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Todd Banfield, Anthony Miles, Matt Thomas

Rookie upgrades: Ricky Petterd

Trade and free agency: Shaun Hampson

What the club said: "We scanned the pool and ranked the players and felt perhaps this draft wasn't all that deep, so we did look at a few experienced players consequently. It wasn't specific we'd go for mature-aged but we felt the draft dropped off a fair bit and obviously we didn't have a second-round pick in trading for Shaun Hampson so with those back-end picks, we were looking for players who could compete and are perhaps ready to go." – Francis Jackson, recruiting manager

Verdict: Five years later and no-one is left. That's not a good start. Whiffing on a first-round selection is hard to defend, while giving up a second-round selection for Hampson doesn't look wise with the benefit of hindsight. On the other hand, rookies don't often offer as much as Miles did – he twice finished in the top-six of Richmond's best and fairest – and Lloyd provided good value at a late pick. The Tigers ended up winning a premiership four years later, so they're probably not too concerned about not having any of their 2013 recruits remaining.

Trade and draft period rating: 3/10

- Dinny Navaratnam

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Jack Billings (pick No.3), Luke Dunstan (18), Blake Acres (19)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Jason Holmes, Eli Templeton, Mav Weller

Rookie upgrades: Tom Curren

Trade and free agency: Josh Bruce, Luke Delaney, Billy Longer, Shane Savage

What the club said: "First and foremost, we needed talent. There's no doubt that we are rebuilding and that's been identified outside the club now, not just within the club. Second to getting talent was to get a good mix of players – also with good character – and if you look between Billings, Dunstan and Acres, we've actually got three very different players and that's the most pleasing aspect outside of having three very good players." – Chris Pelchen, head of football

Verdict: With three selections inside the top 20, the Saints would have expected to nab at least one genuine star. However, after a promising 2017, Billings couldn't back it up in the first half of this year and he was eventually dropped. While he returned in reasonable form, the left-footer should have been delivering earlier. It's hard to see how Dunstan fits in the best 22 next season, while the jury is out on Acres. Weller gave St Kilda decent service but struggled the past couple of years, and while Bruce, Longer and Savage have had decent stretches, they haven't been game changers. In fairness though, Bruce and Savage in particular came relatively cheaply.

Trade and draft period rating: 4/10

- Dinny Navaratnam

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Zak Jones (pick No.15), George Hewett (32), Toby Nankervis (35), Aliir Aliir (44), Brandon Jack (80), Dane Rampe (90)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Patrick Mitchell, Lloyd Perris

Rookie upgrades: Brandon Jack, Dane Rampe

Trade and free agency: Lance Franklin

What the club said: "We were keen to bolster the midfield and we were keen to find a guy that could play down back as that smaller defender. We needed to bolster our ruck department and we were keen, if the opportunity was there, to find a potential defender that can come through with Teddy (Richards) and Reg (Heath Grundy) getting a little bit older. Like everybody, we're pleased with how it's panned out." – Sydney Swans list manager Kinnear Beatson

Verdict: Franklin's arrival has been huge with the superstar forward highly influential both on and off the field in Sydney, but his pay packet caused some issues with the salary cap, and the club was also handed a harsh trade ban by the League, which was also a hindrance in the years afterwards. It also meant that Mumford left for GWS and the ruck has been an issue ever since, but ironically Nankervis left for more senior opportunities and became a premiership player at Richmond. Rampe is the success story of this draft having been overlooked on multiple occasions before becoming an All Australian defender, while Jones, Hewett and Aliir look to be entering their primes and will be regulars for the next few years.

Trade and draft period rating: 7.5/10

- Adam Curley

2013 NAB AFL Draft: Dom Sheed (pick No.11); Malcolm Karpany (31); Tom Barrass (43); Dylan Main (49)

AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: Will Maginness; Rowen Powell; Murray Newman

Rookie upgrades: Jamie Bennell; Jeremy McGovern; Simon Tunbridge

Trade and free agency: Xavier Ellis; Elliot Yeo

What the club said: "We could not be happier with the players we have brought into the club via the trade and draft. We felt we needed to add some depth within the midfield and that has certainly been delivered. Elliot has played mainly at half-back but we expect in the longer term he will develop into a quality midfielder. Not only that but Xavier Ellis came to us as a free agent and of course we recruited four exciting young players tonight. We were quietly confident that Dom would be available to us at pick 11 and that was why we made the decision to swap first round selections with Collingwood (pick six). To also draft Malcolm Karpany, who adds skill and class to our midfield and forward half, Tom Barrass is a developing tall defender and Dylan Main is a smooth moving tall half-back with potential midfield attributes." - football operations manager Craig Vozzo

Verdict: The Eagles had a blinder here. They traded their pick No.6 for Collingwood's 11th selection and a second-round pick, helping them secure Grand Final hero Sheed and dual club champion Yeo from Brisbane in exchange for pick 28 (Lewis Taylor). That deal also saw them retain a presence in the second round of the draft, although Karpany didn't come on as hoped and has been delisted. Taking local product and Grand Final star Barrass at No.43 overall was another huge tick. Xavier Ellis' injury troubles still dogged him at West Coast but the ex-Hawk helped the Eagles reach the 2015 decider, a disastrous day which ultimately had a silver lining this September.

Trade and draft period rating: 9/10

- Travis King

Grand Final hero Dom Sheed was an astute selection at No.11. Picture: AFL Photos





2013 NAB AFL Draft: Marcus Bontempelli (pick No.4); Matthew Fuller (42); Mitch Honeychurch (60)

2014 AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Drafts: No selections

Rookie upgrades: Brett Goodes

Trade and free agency: Stewart Crameri; Sam Darley

Verdict: When you select a superstar of the competition in Bontempelli, the 2013 post-season should be considered a success. In his five seasons at Whitten Oval, the 'Bont' has won a premiership, claimed a best and fairest, captained the club and has become the Bulldogs' best player. While the club got that selection right, the rest of the players it brought in haven't worked out. The Dogs never saw the best of former Bomber Crameri (42 games) due to a year-long doping suspension and a nagging hip complaint. Honeychurch, who is likely to be delisted, hasn't had too many opportunities (35 games), but has failed to nail the ones he's been afforded. Fuller (zero games), Darley (seven) and Goodes (22) were late punts that didn't pay off.

Trade and draft period rating: 6/10

What the club said: "We've got a strict criteria in terms of the type of people we want to bring in to the club, so their character level, as well as their competitiveness – and their talent level – was the basic philosophy. Having picked up Stewie Crameri and Sam Darley in the trade period, we were quite happy to go with some younger players and Matt Fuller, as a 23-year-old, was a guy we identified pretty early in the season." – Simon Dalrymple, Recruiting manager

- Ryan Davidson

Marcus Bontempelli helped the Dogs grab a surprise premiership in 2016. Picture: AFL Photos



