Trying to ascertain the strength of a club’s draft haul can be fraught with danger.

But with the benefit of time, not to mention a dose of hindsight, it’s easier to decipher where and when clubs hit the jackpot.

Brad Johnson will be revisiting past drafts ahead of this year’s two-night event, with the Western Bulldogs legend reordering the top-10 picks. Here, he takes a look at 2013.

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Finals Week 1

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People are going to call me biased, but there’s no doubt in my mind Marcus Bontempelli has matured into the best player from the draft class of 2013.

Yes, even better than Carlton superstar Patrick Cripps.

While Cripps carries his team on his shoulders every week – sometimes single-handedly getting the Blues over the line – it’s impossible to overlook everything Bontempelli achieved in 2016.

Winning a best and fairest in a premiership year is telling.

Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli both achieved All-Australian honours in 2019. Photo: AAP Image/Scott Barbour Source: AAP

And while Cripps’ numbers may look better on paper, everything the Bont touches turns to gold. He rarely, if ever, wastes a touch.

That’s not to overlook everything the Carlton co-captain has achieved.

It’s cliche, but he really would make his teammates walk taller.

It’s a midfield dream, this draft, because Josh Kelly is the next best. The smooth moving Giant simply oozes class.

Hawthorn’s intercept king, James Sicily, is pretty hard to overlook in the No. 4 slot.

And what makes him such exceptional value is not just his ability to play at both ends of the field, but that he was drafted at Pick 56. What a bargain.

Rounding out my top-five is West Coast premiership hero, Dom Sheed, who was originally the 11th overall selection.

I think his Grand Final performance, capped off by that incredible goal, tells the tale.

That. Goal. Photo: Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

His teammate, Tom Barrass, comes next.

He may not have had the strongest end to 2019, but he’s been a rock for the Eagles in defence and certainly belies his Pick 43.

A pair of Bombers in Zach Merrett and Orazio Fantasia also can’t be ignored.

While Merrett has developed into an ultra consistent and reliable midfielder, Fantasia has the kind of electricity that can turn a game on its head. I’ve got no doubt he’s capable of kicking 40+ goals next season.

Jack Billings and Matt Crouch round out my top-10.

Apologies to Ben Brown, Toby Nankervis, Darcy Gardiner and Jarman Impey.

ORIGINAL 2013 DRAFT

1. Tom Boyd (GWS)

2. Josh Kelly (GWS)

3. Jack Billings (St Kilda)

4. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)

5. Kade Kolodjashnij (Gold Coast)

6. Matthew Scharenberg (Collingwood)

7. James Aish (Brisbane)

8. Luke McDonald (North Melbourne)

9. Christian Salem (Melbourne)

10. Nathan Freeman (Collingwood)

BRAD JOHNSON’S 2013 TOP 10

1. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)

2. Patrick Cripps (Carlton)

3. Josh Kelly (GWS)

4. James Sicily (Hawthorn)

5. Dom Sheed (West Coast)

6. Tom Barrass (West Coast)

7. Zach Merrett (Essendon)

8. Orazio Fantasia (Essendon)

9. Jack Billings (St Kilda)

10. Matt Crouch (Adelaide)