The 2016 NAB AFL Draft saw the TAC Cup produce 44 of the 77 players selected by AFL clubs, the equal-third-highest total for the competition in the draft’s 25-year history, behind only the intakes of 1994 (52 TAC Cup players) and 2014 (46).
Also considering the 13 TAC Cup players taken in the 2016 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, taccup.com.au examines some of the other key numbers to emerge from this year’s draft period.
For the full lists of TAC Cup players selected in the AFL and Rookie drafts, follow the links under ‘Related content’ at the bottom of the page.
The premiers:
- 2016 TAC Cup premiers the Sandringham Dragons provided an unprecedented five players selected within the first 11 picks of the AFL Draft: Andrew McGrath (no.1), Tim Taranto (2), Will Setterfield (5), Jack Scrimshaw (7) and Oliver Florent (11), with all except Setterfield (injured) playing in Sandringham’s flag victory, along with Corey Lyons (pick no.71) and Lachlan Filipovic (no.8 in the Rookie Draft). The closest a club has come to achieving such a feat at the top end of the AFL Draft was the 2007 Northern Knights with five picks in the top 26 and the 2001 Geelong Falcons with five picks in the top 27. Northern is the only other club to have produced the first and second picks in the AFL Draft, when Matthew Kreuzer and Trent Cotchin were taken at no.1 and no.2 respectively in 2007.
The runners-up:
- Sandringham’s victims in the 2016 Grand Final, the Murray Bushrangers, produced the most selections across both drafts with 10 – two selections more than the Dragons and Oakleigh Chargers with eight each. Grand Final participants Will Brodie, Todd Marshall, Esava Ratugolea (pictured), Lachlan Tiziani, Ryan Garthwaite and Harry Morrison were taken in the AFL Draft, with James Cousins and Max Lynch picked in the Rookie Draft and Zach Sproule pre-selected as a rookie by GWS. Murray’s Jy Simpkin was also selected at no.12 in the AFL Draft despite missing the majority of the season with a broken leg.
The no.1 pick:
- Andrew McGrath’s selection as the top pick in the AFL Draft was the TAC Cup’s sixth consecutive no.1 pick, following in the footsteps of Eastern Ranges key forward Jonathon Patton in 2011, Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Lachie Whitfield in 2012, Eastern key forward Tom Boyd in 2013, Geelong Falcons key forward Paddy McCartin in 2014 and Dandenong key defender Jacob Weitering in 2015. The TAC Cup has now produced 16 of the 25 no.1 draft selections since the competition’s inaugural season in 1992.
The top-10 picks:
- 2016 was only the third year in which the TAC Cup has produced the top five selections in the AFL Draft, with the combination (in order) of Andrew McGrath, Tim Taranto, Hugh McCluggage (North Ballarat), Ben Ainsworth (Gippsland) and Will Setterfield joining 1994’s top eight selections and 2014’s top nine selections in TAC Cup history. The TAC Cup’s total of seven top-10 selections in 2016 made it six consecutive years with six or more top-10 selections for the competition.
Vic Metro representatives:
- 18 members of Vic Metro’s undefeated 2016 NAB AFL U18 Championships squad were selected in the two drafts: Callum Brown, Dylan Clarke, Jordan Gallucci and Jack Maibaum (Eastern), Josh Daicos, Taylin Duman, Patrick Kerr, Nick Larkey, Sam McLarty and Jordan Ridley (Oakleigh), Lachlan Filipovic, Oliver Florent, Corey Lyons, Andrew McGrath, Jack Scrimshaw and Tim Taranto (Sandringham), and Oscar Junker and Daniel Venables (Western Jets). Gallucci and McGrath co-captained Metro to the national title, while Clarke shared Metro’s MVP Award with McGrath.
Vic Country representatives:
- 14 members of the Vic Country squad for the U18 Championships were selected in the two drafts: Joseph Atley and Kayle Kirby (Bendigo), Josh Battle, Mitch McCarthy and Myles Poholke (Dandenong), Sean Darcy and Jack Henry (Geelong), Ben Ainsworth (Gippsland), Will Brodie and Harry Morrison (Murray), and Jarrod Berry, Hugh McCluggage, Willem Drew and Tom Williamson (North Ballarat). 2016 Morrish Medallist McCluggage claimed Country’s MVP and Coaches awards following the Championships.
The U18 All Australians:
- All 12 top-age TAC Cup players selected in 2016 U18 All Australian team were selected in the AFL Draft: Josh Battle, Will Brodie, Callum Brown, Dylan Clarke, Jordan Gallucci, Patrick Kerr, Jack Maibaum, Hugh McCluggage, Andrew McGrath, Tim Taranto and Daniel Venables, as well as Kobe Mutch (Bendigo) who represented the Allies in the U18 Championships.
The TAC Cup Team of the Year:
- 16 of the 22 top-age players selected in the 2016 TAC Cup Team of the Year were selected in the two drafts: Joseph Atley, Josh Battle, Josh Begley (Eastern), Will Brodie, Callum Brown, Dylan Clarke, James Cousins, Willem Drew, Taylin Duman, Lachlan Filipovic, Patrick Kerr, Jack Maibaum, Hugh McCluggage, Andrew McGrath, Tim Taranto and Daniel Venables.
The over-age players:
- Four over-age TAC Cup players were selected in the rookie draft: Ben Ronke (Calder), Mitch McCarthy (Dandenong), Nathan Mullenger-McHugh (Eastern) and Lachlan Tiziani (Murray).
The best-and-fairest winners:
- Six TAC Cup 2016 best-and-fairest winners were selected in the two drafts: Ben Ronke (Calder), Myles Poholke (Dandenong joint-winner), Dylan Clarke (Eastern), James Cousins (Murray), Hugh McCluggage (North Ballarat) and Corey Lyons (Sandringham).
The captains:
- Five TAC Cup 2016 captains were selected in the two drafts: Joseph Atley (Bendigo), Dylan Clarke (Eastern), Ben Ainsworth (Gippsland), Jarrod Berry (North Ballarat) and Oscar Junker (Western co-captain).
Related content:
TAC Cup bonanza at AFL Draft
TAC Cup 13 taken in AFL Rookie Draft
taccup.com.au Draft Watch HUB
Last Modified on 29/11/2016 17:22