Re-drafting the top 15 picks of 2012 AFL draft

The 2012 draft wasn't the deepest draft in recent times, but the first round was stacked with talent. There were some howlers in there too and some players that never came close to fulfilling their expectations. We take a look at the entire national draft and redraft the first 15 picks. North Melbourne Pick 15. Tim O'Brien The Hawthorn swingman has yet to lock down his best position but there's plenty to be said about his ability to go both back and forward with such consistency. O'Brien is a strong contested mark and would fit into the North Melbourne structure quite well if he had've found his way there back in 2012. [caption id="attachment_34002" align="alignnone" width="1024"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 24: Tim O'Brien of the Hawks celebrates after scoring a goal during the round 23 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Hawthorn Hawks at Optus Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption] GWS Pick 14. Rory Atkins The sleeper of his draft class no doubt, it seems absurd to think now that Atkins was picked up with pick 81. He has played 98 games for the Crows and was a key part in their grand final push back in 2017. A true wingman, Atkins has great endurance and knows his way around goal. Deserves to bolt up the order. [caption id="attachment_5182" align="alignnone" width="594"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Rory Atkins of the Crows gets away from Shane Mumford of the Giants during the round 10 AFL match between the Adelaide Crows and the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Adelaide Oval on May 28, 2016 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)[/caption] Gold CoastPick 13. Kamdyn McIntosh McIntosh is a premiership player at Richmond and has proven to be be a terrific pick up. Capable of playing across half back and on a wing, McIntosh could provide some very handy experience to a young Suns team. MELBOURNE, VICTORIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kamdyn McIntosh of the Tigers celebrates a goal during the AFL First Qualifying Final match between the Richmond Tigers and the Hawthorn Hawks at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 6, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images) GWS Pick 12. Aidan Corr Corr has become an integral part of the GWS defence in recent years and played a key hand in them making the Grand final in 2019. Corr can play both big and small and is a terrific ball user by foot. [caption id="attachment_13457" align="alignnone" width="1024"] PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Aidan Corr of the Giants handpasses the ball during the round 10 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Greater Western Giants at Domain Stadium on May 28, 2017 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Media/Getty Images)[/caption] Carlton Pick 11. Lachie Plowman Plowman is Mr Reliable for Carlton - he can play on both big and small forwards and consistently gets the job done and ends up at Ikon Park in our re-draft. Unassuming in his work, Plowman is no thrills, however, he is a great ball user and handy intercept mark. A third-place finish in Carlton's best and fairest in 2019 shows how important he is to the club. [caption id="attachment_15168" align="alignnone" width="683"] ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: Lachie Plowman of the Blues during the round five AFL match between the Port Adelaide Power and thew Carlton Blues at Adelaide Oval on April 21, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)[/caption] Essendon Pick 10. Tim Membrey Membrey is a terrific mid-sized forward and an incredibly hard match up. Too tall for a small defender, his leap and reach are elite, while his speed and mobility make him to agile for a key defender. Essendon were desperate for forward depth at the end of 2012 and Membrey would have been a great get. [caption id="attachment_13781" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 08: Tim Membrey of the Saints hits Dylan Grimes of the Tigers late in the contest during the round 16 AFL match between the St Kilda Saints and the Richmond Tigers at Etihad Stadium on July 8, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)[/caption] Richmond Pick 9. Jake Stringer Stringer is one of the true enigmas of the AFL, but you can't argue that his best is brilliant. The forward played some of his best football early in his career at the Bulldogs when he was All-Australian in 2015 and won a flag in 2016. And while he hasn't quite hit that level yet for Essendon, he has led their goalkicking in his first two seasons at the club. [caption id="attachment_21674" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 08: Jake Stringer of the Bombers celebrates during the 2018 AFL round 16 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 08, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)[/caption] Brisbane Lions Pick 8. Lachie Hunter Another father-son selection (at pick 49) that wouldn't have made it nearly as deep into the draft if not for the rule, Hunter is a premiership star and an elite ball hunter. He wins the ball with incredible ease and is good by foot. Another true wingmen, Hunter was key to the Bulldogs success in 2016. [caption id="attachment_33307" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 28: Lachie Hunter of the Bulldogs celebrates a goal during the round 19 AFL match between the Western Bulldogs and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on July 28, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)[/caption] Port Adelaide Pick 7. Jack Viney Viney landed at the Demons via the father-son rule with pick 26 in 2012. The former Melbourne skipper wouldn't have skipped so far if not for the draft allowance and he may well have landed at the Power. What could've been for the contested ball beast, as the Power continue to press into premiership contention. [caption id="attachment_28681" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 11: Zak Jones of the Swans is challenged by Jack Viney of the Demons during the round four AFL match between the Sydney Swans and the Melbourne Demons at Sydney Cricket Ground on April 11, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)[/caption] Western Bulldogs Pick 6. Nick Vlaustin The dual premiership star has become integral to Richmond's ability to defend, win the ball back and rebound the other way. Not many play the loose defender role better than Vlaustin, who has turned into a general in the Tigers defence. [caption id="attachment_34004" align="alignnone" width="683"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 25: Nick Vlastuin of the Tigers handballs during the round 23 AFL match between the Richmond Tigers and the Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 25, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)[/caption] Western Bulldogs Pick 5. Ollie Wines Maybe not the player the Dogs need, but no one would be pushing Wines back out the door had he landed at Whitten Oval. The former Port skipper's family were sad to see him go to Adelaide, and in particular Port Adelaide, so maybe they'd be happy with this retrospective look at things? [caption id="attachment_36011" align="alignnone" width="1024"] PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 09: Ollie Wines of the Power celebrates a goal during the round 16 AFL match between the West Coast Eagles and the Port Adelaide Power at Domain Stadium on July 9, 2017 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)[/caption] Melbourne Pick 4. Joe Daniher Another father-son selection and another one that won't slip by in this re-draft. Daniher didn't slide too far though, with Essendon taking him with pick 10 in 2012. Daniher has the tools to be a retrospective pick 1 in his class but ongoing injury troubles have kept him from reaching those heights. You feel like the best of the star forward is still to come. [caption id="attachment_34320" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 19: Joe Daniher of the Bombers kicks a goal during the 2019 AFL round 05 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Essendon Bombers at Marvel Stadium on April 19, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos)[/caption] GWS Pick 3. Jack Macrae This draft was magic for GWS, until they got to the podium. The top three picks gave the Giants first shot at the best kids in the competition and they didn't shoot at 100 per cent. One of the best onballer's in the game, Macrae would have been a monster addition to the Giants midfield. Despite kicking the match winner against them in the 2016 preliminary final, we're sure they'd still have him back. [caption id="attachment_32858" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 28: Jack Macrae of the Bulldogs kicks during the round 19 AFL match between the Western Bulldogs and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on July 28, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)[/caption] GWS Pick 2. Lachie Whitfield The Giants NAILED this one and get him back in our re-draft, originally drafting Whitfield with pick one. Whitfield is arguably the competition's premier ball user on both sides of his body and is as good a runner as the game has seen. He can float between wing, half back and on ball and regularly collect the footy at will before disposing of it with lethal precision. [caption id="attachment_34377" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 01: Lachie Whitfield of the Giants celebrates a goal during the round 15 AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Geelong Cats at Spotless Stadium on July 1, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)[/caption] GWS Pick 1. Brodie Grundy Not many players get $7 million over seven years and no ruckman has ever come close. Grundy is different gravy. The big South Australian has it all - he is an elite tap ruckman, his follow up work is clean and crisp, he racks it up at will and his ball use is staggeringly good for a big man. We've never seen a ruckman quite like Grundy. If the Giants landed him it's scary to think how good they could have been and how many premierships they might have won. [caption id="attachment_34551" align="alignnone" width="1024"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Brodie Grundy of the Magpies handballs during the AFL 1st Qualifying Final match between the Geelong Cats and the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 06, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)[/caption]

Re-drafting the top 15 picks of 2012 AFL draft

We’ve re-drafted the first 15 picks of the 2012 draft. WHO WENT WHERE 👇

Essendon

Pick 10. Tim Membrey

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		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	ADEL	23	18	5	72	139.3
2	GEEL	23	17	6	68	141.5
3	BL	23	16	6	66	114.2
4	COLL	23	16	7	64	122.4
5	GWS	23	16	7	64	115.3
6	FRE	23	16	7	64	109
7	GC	23	15	8	60	124.9
8	HAW	23	15	8	60	120.9