The 2009 draft was a blessing or a curse for a number of clubs, as stunning selections and unlucky injuries would soon write as a major theme for many draftees.
A year Demon fans will try to forget for most parts, the club was gifted the first two selections of the crop. After two season their prized No.1 selection had departed and eventually their trusty number two would be plagued with injuries, leaving the club after just 86 games across eight seasons. However, an early third-round selection would soon turn those sour fans.
For many others however, they left draft night not knowing they had found a star they were soon to call their own. Many selections outside of the first round went on to become Brownlow medalists, premiership players and All-Australians - leaving many clubs to wonder "what if?".
Across the entire field, the 17-man first-round shapes very differently when given the chance of a do-over, and that's exactly what we've done.
*Certain player movements were negotiated in this draft (eg. Luke Ball to Collingwood, Matt Maguire to Brisbane), these players who arranged moves were not included in our list.
Let's begin...
Western Bulldogs
Pick 15. Gary Rohan
Another plagued with injury, Rohan battled leg injuries and concussions to miraculously return to the game time and time again. Had it not been for the sustained setbacks, Rohan may have matched the pedigree that warranted him 6th overall in the draft.
Rohan ended his time with Sydney after 106 games, joining Geelong at the end of the 2018 season and currently looks to have overcome setbacks to boot 26 goals across his 20 games under Chris Scott.
