AFL Draft: Pick 1 - who has been the best and who will be selected this year?

Mick Stirling

AFL Draft: Pick 1 - who has been the best and who will be selected this year? image

The 2018 AFL NAB National Draft kicks off its two-day affair this year with the first round selected on Thursday November 22nd and the rest of the draft completed on Friday November 23rd.

In the lead up to the draft, Sporting News will bring you the history of each pick - including who got it right (or wrong) through the years.

Pick 1: CARLTON BLUES

Who are the Blues likely to draft?

It’s hard to see Stephen Silvagni saying anything other than “Sam Walsh” when the first round of this year’s AFL draft starts on Thursday night, but that’s not to say a surprise call couldn’t happen. 

MORE: Every club's draft picks, needs and history, from Adelaide to the Western Bulldogs

Carlton has a good young midfield under construction and it’s possible SOS believes Patrick Cripps, Paddy Dow, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Matthew Kennedy and Zac Fisher will be an on-ball brigade to envy for the next 10 years, and that now is the time to bulk up the key position stable.

Unlikely though.

Sam Walsh (VIC): 183cm, 74kg
Every club wants footballers like Walsh – fast, agile, skillful and tough. The fact he captained the Vic Country team and Geelong Falcons just adds a tick next to leadership as well and makes him the perfect pick for the Blues.

Sam Walsh

Jack Lukosius (SA): 194cm, 85kg
On the off chance a key-position player is prioritised by Carlton then it has to be Lukosius. The South Australian gun recently toured Princes Park and so must be some kind of consideration.

#Jack Lukosius

History of AFL draft pick 1

Most games played: 
336 Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda 2000)

Nick Riewoldt

Least games played: 
4 Richard Lounder (Richmond 1987)

Games by players selected with pick 1
Average: 155.8

Games played in completed careers
0-49: 4
50-99: 0
100-149: 3
150-199: 2
200+: 8

The best pick 1s

Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda 2000): 336 games, six-time best and fairest winner (2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014), five-time All Australian (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014), AFLPA MVP (2004), Rising Star winner (2002), St Kilda captain (2005, 2007-2016)

Luke Hodge (Hawthorn 2001): 324 games (305 at Hawthorn, 19 at Brisbane), two-time Hawthorn best and fairest (2005, 2010), three-time All Australian (2005, 2008, 2010), four-time premiership player (2008, 2013 capt, 2014 capt, 2015 capt), two-time Norm Smith medallist (2008, 2014), Hawthorn captain (2011-2016), AFLPA Best Captain (2014)

Luke Hodge

Brendon Goddard (St Kilda 2002): 334 games (205 at St Kilda, 129 at Essendon), Essendon best and fairest winner (2013), two-time All Australian (2009, 2010), Essendon captain (2016)

Brendon Goddard

Brett Deledio (Richmond 2004): 259 games (243 at Richmond, 16 at GWS), two-tome Richmond best and fairest winner (2008, 2009), two-time All Australian (2012, 2015), Rising Star winner (2005)

Brett Deledio

Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs 2003): 250 games (219 at the Western Bulldogs, 31 at Essendon), Brownlow Medal (2008), All Australian (2008)

Adam Cooney

Something to tell the boys at the pub

While 13 number one picks have gone on to be club best and fairest winners, only four have saluted more than once (Nick Riewoldt six times, Marc Murphy, Brett Deledio, Luke Hodge two times each).

The only first selection to win a Brownlow Medal, Adam Cooney, never won his own club championship.

This year will be the fifth time Carlton has held the number one selection in the past 14 years. Brisbane has stood up first on draft night four times while Richmond, Melbourne, GWS and St Kilda have had three first picks each.

Of the teams with multiple number-ones, the Saints have fared the best, averaging 192 games per player (Nick Riewoldt 336, Brendon Goddard 205, Paddy McCartin 35+), while Brisbane will be hoping for a long career from Cameron Rayner to turn around a current average of 50 (Rayner 22+, Martin Leslie 107, John Hutton 18, Des Headland 52).

#Cameron Rayner

Mick Stirling