It's hard to believe all these players were overlooked in the national draft given the careers they've gone on to have.
B: Josh Gibson, Ben Rutten, Dale Morris
HB: Harry O'Brien, Mal Michael, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Kieren Jack, Brett Kirk, Matt Priddis
HF: Brad Sewell, James Podsiadly, Ryan Crowley
F: Stephen Milne, Russell Robertson, Aaron Davey
Foll: Dean Cox, Matthew Boyd, Michael Barlow
I/C: Aaron Sandilands, Tarkyn Lockyer, Andrew Carrazzo, James McDonald
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Starting from the backline we have Hawthorn's premiership defender Josh Gibson, who started his career at North Melbourne when he was plucked from Port Melbourne in the VFL in 2005. In the other pocket, we have Western Bulldogs veteran Dale Morris, who has notched 173 games and was selected in 2008 All Australian team. Adelaide stalwart Ben Rutten was an easy selection at full-back with the 200-game veteran sure to go down as one of the Crows' greatest ever defenders.
Mal Michael enjoyed an outstanding 238-game career across three clubs and was an integral member of the Brisbane Lions' triple-premiership winning side in the early 2000s. Arguably the second-best Irish recruit after the late Jim Stynes, Sydney's Tadhg Kennelly finished his career with 197 games and played in the 2005 premiership. Rounded out the back six is current Magpie Harry O'Brien, who is closing in on 200 games and has a premiership and All Australian Guernsey to his name already.
Plenty of ruckmen have found their way to an AFL list via the rookie draft, but there was no competition for the leading big man with West Coast's Dean Cox the easiest of choices. Six All Australians, a premiership and a best a fairest. He is one of the greats.
At his feet we have Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Boyd, who continues to rack up big numbers in the twilight of his career, and Fremantle's Michael Barlow, who amazingly didn't debut until he was 22 years old.
Sydney's captain courageous Brett Kirk is in the centre and has won a host of individual accolades across a very successful 241-game career. Another Swan Kieren Jack is already on track to establishing himself as one of the greats, while on the other wing West Cost's Matt Priddis has been a model of consistency throughout his career.
At centre-half forward we have James Podsiadly, who in 2010 became one of the feel-good stories of the AFL when he debuted at the ripe old age of 28. He was a member of Geelong premiership side the following year and is now continuing his remarkable career at Adelaide. On the flanks we have two current players in Hawthorn's Brad Sewell and Fremantle's Ryan Crowley.
The full forward position was slim pickings, but Melbourne's Russell Robertson did enjoy a very successful career close to goals with 428 majors from 228 matches. St Kilda's Stephen Milne will go down as one of the great small forwards with 574 goals from 275 matches, while Demon Aaron Davey enjoyed an up-and-down career, but at his best he was one of the most damaging players in the game.
Giant Docker Aaron Sandilands beat out stiff opposition from Darren Jolly and Shane Mumford to be the back-up ruck on the bench. And he is joined there by two retired players in Collingwood's Tarkyn Lockyer and Melbourne and GWS' James McDonald, as well as current Carlton midfielder Andrew Carrazzo.
As always there are a host of unlucky players to miss out, most notably Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell, but it was a tough team to crack!
Missed out: Nathan Bassett, Paul Bevan, Nathan Bock, Shannon Byrnes, Robert Copeland, Michael Doughty, Dean Brogan, Aaron Edwards, Michael Firrito, Chad Fletcher, Antoni Grover, Heath Grundy, Jarrod Harbrow, Leigh Harding, Mark Jamar, Mark Johnson, Darren Jolly, Brett Jones, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Marty Mattner, Nick Maxwell, James McDonald, Ben McGlynn, Shane Mumford, Mark Nicoski, Michael Osborne, Joel Patfull, Danyle Pearce, Damien Peverill, Jason Porplyzia, Dean Rioli, Max Rooke, Bret Thornton, Shane Tuck, Clinton Young.
Best 22: AFL rookie draft selections
