West Coast will go into tomorrow’s 2017 NAB AFL Draft with eight picks up its sleeve courtesy of some crafty work during October’s Trade Period. The Eagles will take picks 13, 21, 26, 32, 37, 69, 87 and 105 into the national ballot.
Let’s take a look at how the club and its rivals have used the aforementioned selections in previous drafts to snap up some of the game’s most revered stars and serviceable athletes.
Pick 21:
West Coast has only had pick No.21 in its arsenal on one occasion before securing it via a trade deal with Gold Coast ahead of tomorrow’s 2017 NAB AFL Draft. On that previous occasion, the Eagles snapped up South Australian Shane Bond during the 1992 national ballot.
Bond debuted for the Eagles in 1994 and played an important role in the club’s second premiership. He pulled on the club’s revered royal blue and gold guernsey on 34 occasions and kicked 20 goals during his three-year stint in the West. He returned to his home state in 1997, where he played 57 games with Port Adelaide.
Other notable players drafted with selection No.21 include 2014 all-Australian Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle, 2008), 2017 all-Australian midfielder Tom Mitchell (Sydney, 2008) and livewire Port Adelaide small forward Jarman Impey.
Pick 13:
West Coast has used pick No.13 to good effect in previous drafts. The club secured 54-gamer Callum Chambers in the 1997 draft before snapping up Shannon Hurn in the 2005 ballot.
Hurn has proven to be an outstanding pick up. Since his debut against the Brisbane Lions in round five, 2006, Hurn has played 223 games in blue and gold and captained the club following Darren Glass' retirement midway through season 2014.
The Eagles also used pick No.13 wisely when it recruited another talented South Australian, Brad Ebert, in the 20017 draft. Ebert – who became the club’s youngest debutant since Daniel Kerr in 2001 when he lined up against Adelaide in round two, 2008 as a 17-year-old – played 76 games and kicked 33 goals for West Coast during a four-year stint from 2008-2011.
Other notables to go at pick No.13 in previous drafts include Shane Crawford (1991, Hawthorn), Bob Murphy (1999, Western Bulldogs), Ash McGrath (2000, Brisbane), Nick Dal Santo (2001, St Kilda), Jack Reiwoldt (2006, Richmond), Tom Lynch (2008, St Kilda), Daniel Talia (2009, Adelaide) and Patrick Cripps (2003, Carlton).
