Hawthorn will hold three live picks in Thursday night’s 2014 NAB AFL draft – selections 31, 49 and 50. hawthornfc.com.au takes a look at the history of players taken at each choice in the lead-up to the draft.
While there have undoubtedly been some draft hits and misses at pick 49, like with any other pick, there have also been some big wins for clubs.
Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright will feature in Thursday night’s National Draft for just the second time at selection 49, a pick in which Richmond struck gold with 14 years ago.
On draft day in 1990, the Tigers called out the name Nick Daffy – a player who would eventually become one of the most loved Richmond players in history.
Wearing the number 10, the dashing Nick Daffy was once described by Carlton Coach Mick Malthouse as the best medium-sized forward in the game.
He dazzled the Tigers faithful every week and particularly at the MCG.
Daffy was Richmond’s leading goal kicker in 1995, booting 45 goals for the year before eventually pushing up into the midfield where his pace and ability to break the lines was valuable.
He won the Richmond best and fairest in 1998 after an outstanding season in which he played 22 games and averaged 23.6 disposals and remarkable, also contributed 30 goals.
The loved Tiger played 165 games for Richmond before injury ruined his 2001 season – his last for Richmond – before joining Sydney in 2002 where he managed just one game before retiring at the end of that season.
Nick Daffy celebrates a goal for Richmond.
Pick 49 was also the selection a player by the name of Jarrad Schofield was taken back in 1992.
Originally drafted by West Coast, Schofield played 63 games for the Eagles between 1993-1998 before he joined new club Port Adelaide in 1999.
He produced his best football for the Power, developing into a tough and hard midfielder whose skills on the outside were also his biggest strengths.
A member of the 2004 premiership side, Schofield played 131 games and booted 91 goals for Port Adelaide between 1999-2004.
He then joined Fremantle and played two years in Perth before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2006 season and 206 career games.
Jarrad Schofield in action during his time at Port Adelaide.
A year later, in 1993 Sydney picked up a handy player named Simon Garlick with selection 49.
Playing 44 games and booting 27 goals for the Swans between 1994-1997, Garlick joined the Western Bulldogs in 1998 where like Schofield, he produced his best footy at his second club.
Garlick went on to play 137 games for the Bulldogs where he booted 114 goals.
He retired at the end of 2004 following 181 games and 141 goals.
Another former number 49 draft selection is popular goal sneak Ronnie Burns.
Taken in the 1995 draft by Geelong, Burns played 134 games for the Cats and booted 239 goals as one of the most respected small forwards in the league.
Always smart around goals, Burns was valuable for the Cats throughout his time there before ending his career at Adelaide after 20 games across two seasons.
More recently, the Bulldogs have had some success at pick 49 by selecting Lachie Hunter.
The versatile midfielder can play both inside and outside and has good skills as well as speed.
He has played 23 career games since joining in 2012 and has become a key part in the developing and emerging Bulldogs engine room.
History of pick 49 since 1986
1986: Craig Elias (Sydney Swans)
1987: Jim Silvestoro (Sydney Swans)
1988: Scott Jordan (Fitzroy)
1989: Greg Jones (St Kilda)
1990: Nick Daffy (Richmond, Sydney Swans)
1991: Todd Hawes (Richmond)
1992: Jarrad Schofield (West Coast Eagles, Port Adelaide, Fremantle)
1993: Simon Garlick (Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs)
1994: Shaun Baxter (Western Bulldogs)
1995: Ronnie Burns (Geelong, Adelaide)
1996: Jason Heatley (St Kilda)
1997: Ian Perrie (Adelaide)
1998: Garth Taylor (Fremantle)
1999: Ben Cunningham (Fremantle)
2000: Shane Wakelin (Collingwood – formerly St Kilda)
2001: Josh Houlihan (St Kilda)
2002: Cameron Wight (Western Bulldogs)
2003: Tom Logan (Brisbane Lions, Port Adelaide)
2004: Mark McGough (St Kilda – formerly Collingwood)
2005: Michael Rix (St Kilda)
2006: Daniel Currie (Sydney Swans, North Melbourne)
2007: Mitch Farmer (Port Adelaide)
2008: Taylor Hunt (Geelong, Richmond)
2009: Dylan Roberton (Fremantle, St Kilda)
2010: Jacob Gillbee (Gold Coast Suns)
2011: Daniel Pearce (Western Bulldogs)
2012: Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs)
2013: Dylan Main (West Coast Eagles)
