While the third pick of the draft is the bronze medal selection, that doesn't mean that clubs aren't able to strike gold with the pick. While two clubs get to draft a player first, often a few hidden gems slip through this miniature crack.
Looking over the picks since 2000, there isn't the same depth as the first two selections. However, at the top end of the board, two of the greatest and most damaging players of all time find themselves selected at the 3rd pick.
In what was considered the hardest decision, the choice between Martin vs Judd went back and forth with little separating the two superstars.
Even further down the list, there are multiple club B&F winners, All-Australians and even a player with an (unofficial) award named after them.
This list also looks to get even stronger over the next few years, with Luke Jackson, Izak Rankine and Will Phillips.
Even though each of these names are highly talented players who could someday make their way onto this list, they currently don't have the sustained success to find themselves on this list.
Given a few other star players such as Trent Croad and Shannon Grant were both selected before 2000, this has rendered them ineligible for this list.
We have already looked at the top 10 number 1 and number 2 selections since 2000.
After plenty of thought and collaboration, we now take a look at the 10 best players selected with the 3rd selection of every draft since the 2000 draft.
Ellis was selected by Hawthorn in the 2005 draft. Injuries plagued the midfielder’s career but he still managed to play in three grand finals including the 2008 premiership.
Averaging 16.2 disposals and 4.6 marks for his career, Ellis was a consistent player for both Hawthorn and West Coast. The Western Australian was also an important player in the Hawks' 2008 premiership season, having a career-best playing 23-games for the season.
Ellis beat out others on the list by having the ability to be one of the best players on the ground in a grand final match.
His performance in the 2008 decider is infamous for being ‘robbed’ of the Norm Smith medal. The former Eagle and Hawk has a medal named after him for the ‘Actual best on ground who should have won the Norm Smith medal’.
This was a social-driven campaign by Clemenger BBDO Sydney and TABtouch.
Masten was taken by West Coast in 2007, becoming the 2nd best Chris selected by the club at this position. His durability and consistent play saw him amass 215-games for the Eagles. The tattooed midfielder was also a member of the 2018 premiership team.
He averaged 20.8 disposals throughout his career and had a top 10 finish in three consecutive club best and fairest awards between 2012 to 2014.
Masten was a reliable player who helped the club through the challenges of the mid to late 2000s. He maintained that same success as the club moved back into finals contention throughout the mid-2010s.
Hill was a Western Australian native who found his way to Fremantle in the 2009 draft. Despite growing up an Eagles supporter, he quickly adapted to his new club spending his entire career with the Dockers.
With averages of 19.2 disposals 2.9 tackles and kicking a goal every second game, Hill was a talented midfielder who occasionally struggled with consistency.
While his best form had the ability to alter matches, the midfielder was also prone to going quiet.
Hill was awarded the AFL Coaches Association best young player in 2010 and also earned placed in the Docker's top 25 players since 1995.
The elder of the Hill brothers saved his best for the 2015 season in which he just missed out on All Australian selection, after being named in the 40-man squad.
Unfortunately, injuries brought an end to Hill’s career with the now 31-year-old missing significant time in 2019-2020. He still managed to play 218-games throughout this period which still stands as the 8th highest of any Docker.
Callum Mills grew up in Sydney and was a member of the Swans academy. In the 2015 draft, he was bid on by Melbourne and subsequently matched by the Harbour City side. In doing so, he became the first player to attract a bid under the league's new system.
Receiving the famous number 14 guernsey made famous by Bob Skilton and Paul Kelly, the redhead was quick to live up to his potential. With a stellar first season, he was awarded the 2016 Rising Star Award in which he received 49 out of a possible 50 votes.
Mills has already put together a solid career averaging 19.7 disposals, 3.04 tackles, 2.75 one-percenters and 3.17 rebound 50s. He has also continued to improve throughout his 110-game career, with his 2021 campaign seeing him listed in the All Australian 40-man squad.
By spending more time in the middle, the 24-year-old increased his averages to 27.5 disposals, 5.3 tackles, 4.8 clearances, and 4.2 inside 50s. With 18 Brownlow votes and earning a top-five finish in the club's B&F count, this breakout season could lead to Mills moving higher up the list by the end of his career.
Brayshaw was a highly rated recruit in 2014 and was selected early by Melbourne in that season's draft. While showing promise in his first season with the club, injuries and concussions interrupted his second and third seasons of football.
In 2018, however, Brayshaw was able to have his first full season. With Melbourne making it to the preliminary finals, he was one of the key performers in the Demon’s rise into contention. In a career-best season, he had 26.1 disposals, 4.5 tackles, 4.3 clearances and 5.1 inside 50s.
So solid was his offering, Brayshaw ended up finishing 3rd in the Brownlow Medal count, and 6th in the club's best and fairest count.
Since 2018, the helmeted Demon has had to sacrifice individual stats for the team. By spending less time in the centre, Brayshaw allowed other midfielders to flourish. This forfeiture of minutes helped the Demons win the 2021 Premiership trophy.
Over the course of his 119-game career, he averaged 19.3 disposals, 3.8 tackles and 3.4 clearances. While still playing great football for Melbourne, if Brayshaw was on a less star-studded team, his numbers would be a lot closer to his 2018 campaign.
McCluggage was selected by the Brisbane Lions in the 2016 draft. After an exodus of players from the club due to the want to return home, McCluggage was dedicated to the Lions and has helped make them an attractive destination again.
Being a consistent performer throughout his career, the Victorian has finished in the top three of the club's B&F in each of the past three seasons. This stretch of success includes being finishing as the runner-up this season.
This rise to prominence has come about due to McCluggage's means of 21.1 disposals, 3.7 tackles, 3.4 inside 50s and 0.6 goals across the course of his career thus far.
While being one of the Lion's most important players, the wingman has become one of the better players in the league earning selection in the All-Australian squad of 40 in each of the past three seasons.
At just 23-years of age, it's almost scary to think that he is still a few years away from reaching his prime.
Griffen was taken in the 2004 draft by the Western Bulldogs before playing over 200 games for the Dogs ahead of joining Greater Western Sydney in 2015.
This moved shocked many, having captained the Dogs the season prior to departing.
After starting his career in defense, Griffen began spending more time in the midfield from 2008 where his career began to take off. Over the course of his 257-game stint, he averaged 21.1 disposals, 3.7 tackles, 4.2 inside 50s and 2.24 bounces.
Griffen was at his best in the early 2010s, where he won the 2010 and 2013 club B&F. He was also selected for the All-Australian team in 2013.
Known for his speed and running, the South Australian was willing to take the game on and carry the ball. His run in the middle was an important part of a Bulldogs' sides that were a win away from making the Grand Final in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
In a testament to this, Griffen still holds the Bulldogs club record for the highest disposals in a game with 47 against Sydney in Round 21, 2012.
Didak was a South Australian player who played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL. In the 2000 draft, he was taken by the Collingwood Football Club where he continued his career in a black and white guernsey.
The small-forward was a talented player who was accurate in front of goal and damaging whether he was up forward or in the midfield. He averaged 1.3 goals a game, while also gathering 16.6 disposals, 3.4 inside 50s and 4.1 marks. 2006 was a breakout season for Didak, with the dead-eye winning the club B&F and obtaining his first All-Australian selection.
Didak was a club legend, having many highlights and routinely playing well in big matches. He was an important leader in the 2010 premiership-winning season, getting selected for one of his two All-Australian teams. He ended his career as one of the most exciting and best small forwards, often being compared with another club legend inPeter Daicos.
Martin was selected by Richmond in 2009 and has since become one of the game's most important and talented players.
In what was the most debated selection, there is a genuine case for Martin to be the number one selection.
'Dusty' has been a durable player, rarely missing a game of footy until the back half of 2021. Over his career, he turned himself from a solid player into the league’s best since 2017.
With current averages of 24.8 disposals, 1.1 goals, 4.1 clearances and 4.8 inside 50s, his statistics are impressive but don’t tell the whole picture. His ability to dominate a game (especially in the finals) is unmatched in the league, with the tattooed Tiger proving able to change the tide of a game off his own boot.
Since 2017, there has been no better player in the league than Martin. This is especially true in the biggest games of the season. In all three of the Tigers Premiership seasons, he won the Ayres and Norm Smith Medal being the best player throughout the finals and on Grand Final day.
Martin has also been selected for the All-Australian team four times, the All-Australian squad a further three times and was the winner of the 2016 and 2017 club B&F.
With such an incredible career, he would be a consensus number 1 at most other selections, however, Martin has been beaten out by a worthy advisary.
The Melbourne-born Judd was selected by the West Coast Eagles in 2001 and immediately proved to be an excellent choice.
By winning the AFLPA Best First-Year Player and earning runner-up honours in the Rising star, Judd quickly became one of the Eagles' most important and talented players.
After flashing brilliance early in his career, Judd took a leap in 2004. This helped solidify himself as one of the league’s best players at a young age. Being the leader of one of the best midfields of all time, Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr and Dean Cox joined him to create a devastating line-up.
Over his 279-game career, he spent roughly half his time at both the Eagles and the Blues, ending his career averaging 22.9 disposals, 0.82 goals, 4.0 tackles, 5.3 clearances and 4.6 inside 50s.
Judd is also one of the rare examples of a player who was awarded the Norm Smith Medal on a losing team in 2005.
While often remembered for his time at Carlton, it is often forgotten just how good Judd was while at West Coast.
Early on, his speed, explosiveness and strength were unrivaled and provided him the ability to take over a game. In the latter half of his career, injuries began to plague Judd. Due to this, he had to change his game style. Judd was able to play through this and still managed to be one of the league’s best players.
His versatility made him an incredible player that managed to obtain a range of accolades. He was a six-time All-Australian (2004, 2006, 2008-2011), two-time AFLPA MVP (2006, 2011), five-time B&F winner (2004, 2006, 2008-2010) and won a Brownlow at both clubs he played at (2004, 2010).
In what was a close decision, Judd’s best football, and extended success, helped him just edge out Dustin for the best number three selection since 2000.