Much has been made of Hawthorn’s ability to recruit players from other clubs as a key driver in its 2013 premiership success. Fair enough too, Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs) and Jack Gunston (Adelaide) were arguably the two best players on the ground.
Seven of the premiership-22 were drafted into the Hawthorn system from rival clubs at various stages of their careers to fulfill very specific roles – just like Stuart Dew in 2008.
Sure there were some blue chip draft picks in the line-up too, but this is not the full story.
Another seven players got their chance in the AFL via the state leagues. Overcoming rejection and setbacks to earn a place on an AFL list and ultimately Grand Final day.
There are some pretty impressive names in this special-seven too. One’s a premiership captain, one is an All-Australian and another has kicked more than 50 goals in a season.
Ever since Brad Pitt graced our screens in the 2011 movie Moneyball (based on the book of the same name) playing revolutionary Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, the AFL industry has obsessed over the term ‘Moneyball’, using it to describe almost every recruiting method beyond National Draft.
But don’t be confused about what Moneyball is. Recruiting a player two years after an All-Australian season, or trading for a homesick, highly rated junior isn’t Moneyball.
Drafting a player who is deemed too slow by everyone else, but has a knack for winning clearances or a plucking a player from the SANFL who is too small and can’t kick before turning him into your best defensive player, that’s Moneyball.
It’s about narrowing the focus on what actually wins games and looking for those attributes in players who currently have little market value. It’s also about overlooking particular flaws the romantics amongst the recruiting crop might not be able to.
Here is the special-seven that took the path less travelled to grand final day and helped Hawthorn to its 11th premiership.
Sam Mitchell – (drafted aged 19)
Despite winning two Under-18 best and fairest awards Sam Mitchell was overlooked for the 2000 National Draft, but after a year in the VFL with the Box Hill Hawks he was chosen with selection 36 in the 2001 National Draft
Paul Puopolo (22)
Paul Puopolo played four seasons in the SANFL for Norwood before getting his opportunity via the 2010 Rookie Draft. Six years ago he was kicking the dew off the grass in the Norwood reserves.
Josh Gibson (21)
Rewind nine years to 2004 and Josh Gibson and his Afro haircut are playing full back for Port Melbourne. On Grand Final day that year Gibson enjoyed a heated battle with Sandringham legend Nick Sauntner. Despite his lack of size, his fist sparkled enough to gain a spot on North Melbourne’s rookie list for the following season.
Luke Breust (18)
Luke Breust grew up playing Rugby League in country NSW before a switch to football in his mid-teens led him to the Sydney Swans reserves in the AFL-NSW competition.
Isaac Smith (22)
Fellow country NSW product Isaac Smith went from playing for Redan on $80 a game to the MCG via North Ballarat in less than 12 months in 2010 and 2011. He played just four senior games for North Ballarat, including three finals, before Hawthorn drafted the rangy wingman with its first selection in the 2010 National Draft.
Ben Stratton (20)
Ben Stratton spent three years playing for East Perth in the WAFL before Hawthorn threw him a lifeline with Pick 46 in the 2009 National Draft and is consistently nominated as one of the club’s most courageous players.
Jonathan Simpkin (18, 23, 25)
The Jonathan Simpkin story was the most unknown before Saturday, but when he was included for Brendan Whitecross on the eve of the game, it became the most noted. Rejected by Sydney and Geelong, he played with Geelong in the VFL, winning two best and fairest awards, to reignite his career.
Throw in Fremantle players Michael Barlow, Cameron Sutcliffe, Hayden Ballantyne and Tendai Mzungu who also followed a similar path and its fair to say the state leagues are in pretty good shape.