AFL Draft

Re-selecting the first round of the 2015 AFL Draft

Plenty of stars of the game have emerged from this crop. Who do the Blues take at Pick 1?

Published by
Benjamin Millard

The 2015 draft was a bumper draft, with many of the players who went in these proceedings going on to be stars of the competition.

Whilst there have been some who haven't exactly lit up the competition that were drafted highly, there have also been some massive movers who have come from later picks to achieve big things.

Here is the original first 18 of the draft for context:

  1. Jacob Weitering (Carlton)
  2. Josh Schache (Brisbane)
  3. Callum Mills (Sydney)
  4. Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
  5. Darcy Parish (Essendon)
  6. Aaron Francis (Essendon)
  7. Jacob Hopper (GWS)
  8. Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast)
  9. Sam Weideman (Melbourne)
  10. Harry McKay (Carlton)
  11. Wayne Milera (Adelaide)
  12. Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
  13. Matthew Kennedy (GWS)
  14. Eric Hipwood (Brisbane)
  15. Daniel Rioli (Richmond)
  16. Harrison Himmelberg (GWS)
  17. Tom Doedee (Adelaide)
  18. Jade Gresham (St Kilda)

For context, in this draft, several teams bid for Academy players and shuffled up the draft order (i.e. Sydney with Callum Mills). However, to avoid hypotheticals, the draft order will stay the same, so Sydney for example still will slide in at Pick 3 regardless of the player they draft. Teams will also be drafting for need, and not necessarily the best player.

Without further ado, here is the 2015 draft, re-done.

Sam Collins - St Kilda (Original position - Pick 55)

The 2020 Gold Coast best-and-fairest winner has been one of the pillars of their side since that time. He has shone in an otherwise under-fire back six over the past few years, and his efforts have earned him Pick 18 in this re-draft, taking him to Moorabbin.

Collins would be a great fit for a St Kilda back six that hasn't been able to be at the levels fans would like, especially in 2015 when the side was coming off another below-par season.

Rebuilds usually start in defence, and should he have been taken at Pick 18, Collins would not be a bad start to the Saints' rise back up the ladder.

Jade Gresham - Adelaide (Original position - Pick 18)

Sometimes maligned by St Kilda fans, it suffices to say that Jade Gresham is a great player to watch when he is on.

Injuries marred his campaign this year, however, 115 goals in 113 games for St Kilda is still a great record to boast of, especially considering he has divided his time between midfield and forward.

In this re-draft, it'll be the Crows that get him across to South Australia, putting him in a forward line that already contained Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker and Charlie Cameron. Should he have stayed fit and featured in their 2017 campaign, could things have turned out different for Don Pyke's side?

Harry Himmelberg - GWS (Original position - Pick 16)

Harry Himmelberg's ability to play in defence as well as be a threat down forward solidifies his integral status to the Giants, meaning that nothing will change in his re-draft position from his real-life pick.

The imposing figure is able to shift around where he is needed and has appeared 127 times for GWS in his seven-year career, rarely missing a game for them.

There isn't really anyone else in this current crop to follow that would be a better choice in hindsight than Himmelberg, emphasising the Giants' recruitment staff's excellent foresight.

Ben Keays - Richmond (Original position - Pick 24)

Although the Tigers currently wouldn't want to have taken anyone rather than Daniel Rioli at Pick 15, his poaching by Melbourne in this re-draft means Damien Hardwick and his recruitment staff will have to settle for Ben Keays instead.

In real life, Keays was drafted to Brisbane before leaving for Adelaide in 2020 and cementing his spot as a serial ball-winner in the side's engine room.

With this, Keays would remedy some of Richmond's midfield woes at the time, and pave the way for the likes of Prestia and Caddy to enter the club's midfield in 2016 - should they still have been needed.

Nathan Broad - Brisbane (Original position - Pick 67)

A triple premiership player with Richmond, Nathan Broad came from the clouds to be at the core of a side that established a dynasty upon his entry to their best 22.

Nobody really considered him other than Damien Hardwick's Richmond in 2015, however, in this re-draft, it'd be the Lions who would get him at Pick 14 instead of Eric Hipwood.

Broad's ability to read the play, intercept then rebound the ball from defensive 50 means that he would be a valuable asset to a Lions side that was looking to rebuild itself into a force at the time of drafting.

Sam Menegola - GWS (Original position - Pick 66)

A mature-aged recruit, Sam Menegola got his third chance at AFL football in the 2015 draft after failing to play a game at both Hawthorn and Fremantle.

Although he has gone on to play in 116 games for the Cats, in this universe it's the Giants that get him in at Pick 13 over Matt Kennedy. The West Australian has featured heavily for the Cats over the past few seasons, however, has fallen out of favour at the Cattery in 2022.

Should he have gone to the Giants, he would have been one of the more senior figures in the side's engine room, and would've taken less time to get to his peak should Leon Cameron have played him from the off.

Jordan Dawson - Carlton (Original position - Pick 56)

One of the biggest jumpers in this pack is Crow Jordan Dawson, who was originally taken way down the order by John Longmire's Sydney.

The often underrated defensive midfielder has been sublime for the Crows since his arrival at the beginning of this year, and in this universe would be heading to Ikon Park to be a part of the Blues setup at Pick 12 instead of Charlie Curnow.

His work by foot and ability to rebound means that the Blues would have a player who could spring attacks with his work out of defensive 50 and potentially be a stalwart of the side for years - should he not want to return home to South Australia.

Ben McKay - Adelaide (Original position - Pick 21)

Another mover is Ben McKay whose performances in a beleaguered North Melbourne defence have earned him plenty of plaudits over the years.

In this universe, the tall defender will make his way to West Lakes instead of Wayne Milera to take up a spot in Adelaide's back six, alongside the likes of Daniel Talia, Jake Lever and Jake Kelly to further shore up their rearguard.

Could he have been the difference-maker in the 2017 Grand Final? Maybe, maybe not, but featuring in a solid defence might have done wonders for his development as opposed to toiling as of current in North's back six.

Eric Hipwood - Carlton (Original position - Pick 14)

Although Blues fans wouldn't trade McKay and Curnow for the world as of current, in this universe it'd be Lions key Eric Hipwood who'd aim to provide some bite for the Carlton offence.

Hipwood has had his fair share of injuries to contend with, and despite not hitting the heights in his 127 games for the Lions, would go to Carlton instead of Harry McKay in this re-draft.

If we're looking down the list of key forward prospects in this draft outside the obvious two, Hipwood is probably the best of the rest and would be able to fill a role should he be needed, addressing the Blues' need for key players to rebuild with.

Daniel Rioli - Melbourne (Original position - Pick 15)

A strange one to see for Tiger fans is Daniel Rioli running around in a Dees jumper over his natural yellow and black, as the Dees select him at Pick 9 in this draft instead of Sam Weideman.

His rejuvenation as a dashing halfback saw him become a stalwart of Damien Hardwick's side this year, but the Dees would have loved him in his 2017 form, terrorising defences with his run-and-chase style of play.

Whether or not he would follow the same trajectory and find a new home in defence is up for debate, but the excitement he would bring would have lifted Dees fans out of their seats regularly.

Jacob Hopper - Gold Coast (Original position - Pick 7)

The Suns would love to have a man like Jacob Hopper in their ranks, however, in the real world ended up selecting current Lion Callum Ah Chee at Pick 8.

Hopper would have brought tenacity and quality to a Suns midfield that is now currently brimming with exceptional talent. It's more the success he might have had in the sunshine state as opposed to the slightly underwhelming stint that Ah Chee had that would make this prospect all the more tantalising.

Again, there is always a danger that Hopper wanting to move down south might mean that the Suns don't keep him for as long as they would like to, however, there is no doubting what he'd bring to the side's engine room.

Darcy Parish - GWS Giants (Original position - Pick 5)

A man originally drafted two picks above this slot, Darcy Parish would be heading to Western Sydney to link up with Leon Cameron's side following the 2015 draft.

Parish had his true breakout year in 2021, becoming a true heartbeat of the Bombers' midfield brigade. Although 2022 wasn't as fruitful, the quality he can bring is still undeniable.

Whether or not he'd be like the departed Giants duo of Taranto and Hopper and seek a trade to Victoria eventually would be a legitimate question, however, Parish would still be a formidable presence in GWS' engine room.

Charlie Curnow - Essendon (Original position - Pick 12)

Another star that would make his way to The Hanger in this universe is this year's Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow, who is selected at Pick 6 in this universe over key tall Aaron Francis.

The big man has had his fair share of injuries and would have to compete with Joe Daniher who at the time was propping up the Bombers' forward line. However, as we saw in 2022, Curnow has the ability to be the best around.

If Daniher was to blaze a path to Brisbane as he did in real life, there'd be no doubt that the current pair of Blues key forwards would be able to easily cover for his absence.

Harry McKay - Essendon (Original position - Pick 10)

The Bombers were going into a tough period in 2015, having been slammed with sanctions and being left with massive deficiencies in their playing list as a result.

Being able to draft in a key position player who has turned out to be arguably the best forward in the competition is a way to help rebuild, and Harry McKay would be just the man for the job.

His record over the past two years is sublime and would star in a Bombers forward line alongside Joe Daniher and the man mentioned next, hopefully enabling them to rebound up the table quicker than expected.

Josh Dunkley - Melbourne (Original position - Pick 25)

Our first massive mover is Josh Dunkley, with the midfielder making his switch up to Brisbane in trade period 2022.

However, in this re-draft, it'd be the Dees who would select him after missing out on superstar Clayton Oliver. Although Dunkley might not be up to the standards of Oliver yet, his next few years at Brisbane might see him usurp all things going well.

At the Dees, he might very well have trodden the path that Oliver has, starring in an engine room with the likes of Petracca, Gawn, Langdon and Brayshaw.

Callum Mills - Sydney (Original position - Pick 3)

The Swans poached Mills after bidding on him as an academy prospect, and in this hypothetical universe they will do the exact same.

The 25-year-old has been a stalwart for the Swans since his drafting, winning the 2016 Rising Star and cementing himself at the very core of John Longmire's side.

There is no uncertainty over whether the Sydney recruitment would go for Mills again if they had their chance, and the midfielder will be the face of the side for many years to come yet.

Clayton Oliver - Brisbane (Original position - Pick 4)

It's strange to think how Josh Schache originally occupied this position considering the blistering rise to the top Clayton Oliver has.

In this draft, the man from country Victoria will be making the switch up to the sunshine state, jumping on board with the Lions as they look to get back to winning ways.

Would the Lions have moved on McCluggage in 2016 and Neale a couple of years after should they have drafted Oliver? It remains to be seen, but if he mimicked his trajectory at Melbourne, it'd be reasonable to doubt they would have had to.

Jacob Weitering - Carlton (Original position-  Pick 1)

Jacob Weitering is a stalwart of the Blues' back-six, with their defensive system quite reliant on his ability to shut down the best forwards in the competition.

Whilst Carlton got all three of Weitering, McKay and Curnow in this draft, defence is the most important area to shore up in a team wanting to rise up the ladder, therefore Weitering will stay at his original position of Pick 1.

Published by
Benjamin Millard