The 2012 draft was only just over three years ago, and already in the short careers of these young men, we've seen some of them emerge as some of the young stars of this competition. Today I re-do the 2012 draft to see what happened if it was selected on today's form and potential, this includes father/son selections.
2012 saw GWS have the first three selections of the draft after Gold Coast and Melbourne gave up picks two and three for Jack Martin and Jesse Hogan respectively and three years on, two of those three have already gone to other clubs, Melbourne failed on their pick four while the Western Bulldogs nailed their selections at five and six as they've flourished into first-choice players. While Port Adelaide, Richmond and Essendon have turned their top-10 selections into important members of their respective teams.
NOTE: Stats as of 5/4/16
1 – Greater Western Sydney Original Selection: Lachie Whitfield Do-Over Selection: Jake Stringer (pick 5) Games: 52 Goals: 101
Had it not been for an unfortunate broken leg, Stringer would've pressed claims to be number one overall on draft night, but the Dogs took the punt on him with pick five and are now reaping the dividends. At 192cm isn't the behemoth forward, but boasts excellent power, great speed for someone his size and loves a bag of goals. 2015 saw the coming of 'The Package' with 56 goals in 22 games and a first-ever All-Australian selection in the forward pocket.
2 – Greater Western Sydney Original Selection: Jonothan O'Rourke Do-Over Selection: Oliver Wines (pick 7) Games: 64 Goals: 29
Wines was selected by Port as an inside midfielder and has not disappointed in three seasons at Alberton. To go along with his ability to win the ball from in close, he's neat user of footy by hand or by foot. Despite a derailed 2015 campaign that saw him miss footy with wrist and shoulder problems, still managed to average 24.5 disposals a a game and a career-high 12 disposals a game.
3 – Greater Western Sydney Original Selection: Lachie Plowman Do-Over Selection: Jack Macrae (pick 6) Games: 57 Goals: 18
A solid debut year in 2013 for Jack Macrae led up to a stunning second-year where he averaged just under 27 disposals a game and finished runner-up in the club best and fairest. Last year saw him emerge as one of the game's best possession accumulators, where not only could display run on the wings, but he was able to win the ball in a contested situation, and although his kicks don't always hit the target, he's still a player you'd want on his side.
4 – Melbourne Original Selection: Jimmy Toumpas Do-Over Selection: Jack Viney (Father/son selection) (Pick 26) Games: 51 Goals: 11
Considered by many as a draft steal when the Demons snared him with a second round selection under the old father/son rule, but was going to go nowhere else but Demonland in my do-over draft. Is one of the toughest young guns in the AFL today, and can almost do it all in the midfield, from locking down on the star opposition mids to playing as a offensive-minded midfielder and winning his own ball. Finished runner-up to Bernie Vince in the club best and fairest last year.
5 – Western Bulldogs Original Selection: Jake Stringer Do-Over Selection: Lachie Whitfield (Pick 1) Games: 53 Goals: 22
With Jake Stringer already gone at this point, the Dogs take the original pick one selection in Lachie Whitfield. Slated as the best complete midfielder of the draft crop, Whitfield has elite skills by hand and by foot, and is gifted with outstanding speed and endurance. Whitfield hasn't exactly set the AFL world on fire in his first 53 games, but he's not to blame for that, given the plethora of midfield talent GWS have at their disposal, but one would get the feeling his elevation to elite status is near.
6 – Western Bulldogs Original Selection: Jack Macrae Do-Over Selection: Brodie Grundy (Pick 18) Games: 42 Goals: 14
Was once tipped to be selected in the top three, Grundy slid all the way down to 18, where the Pies were happy to snap him up, and at this point in his career, Grundy is now establishing himself as the number one ruckman at Collingwood, working in tandem with Jarrod Witts. Was unable to get into the side until late in the year in his debut season, but once he got onto the field, began to hold his own and improve by the week.
7 – Port Adelaide Original Selection: Oliver Wines Do-Over Selection: Troy Menzel (Pick 11) Games: 40 Goals: 47
The ex-Carlton player was traded back to his home state at the end of last season, so selecting him at pick 7 seems a logical explanation. Has incredible foot skills and knows where the goals are, but the reason he was backed down to 11 in 2012 was the injury concerns he had, much similar to brother Daniel at Geelong, but when he's been on the park, has been able to make things happen, particularly in the forward 50.
8 – Brisbane Lions Original Selection: Sam Mayes Do-Over Selection: Nick Vlastuin (Pick 9) Games: 63 Goals: 15
The mid-sized defender is as tough as they come and is able to push through into the midfield for short stints, but his best football is as a defender. With names like Stringer, Wines and Macrae leading the charge in this year's draft class. Vlastuin is someone who is overlooked more often than not. Played every game in 2015 and finished in the top 10 in the club best and fairest.
9 – Richmond Original Selection: Nick Vlastuin Do-Over Selection: Dane Rampe (Rookie Draft pick 37) Games: 74 Goals: 5
A defender that is severely underrated anywhere other than New South Wales. Rampe was selected initally to play as a lock-down defender but with the departure of Nick Malceski in 2014, Rampe elevated his game to another level in 2015, averaging career-highs in disposals and marks in the back six, and at only 25, Rampe is smack-bang in the prime of his career.
10 – Essendon Original Selection: Joe Daniher Do-Over Selection: Joe Daniher (Father/Son Selection) Games: 50 Goals: 68
If it weren't for the Father/Son rule, Daniher would be easily in the top five, but unfortunately, doesn't go anywhere else here. In his three seasons at Essendon, Joe Daniher has made the key-forward role his own, and has topped Essendon's goal-kicking list for the last two seasons. It's only a matter of time before we see Daniher emerge as one of the game's premier forwards.
11 – Carlton Original Selection: Troy Menzel Do-Over Selection: Nathan Hrovat (Pick 21) Games: 26 Goals: 11
Hrovat captained the Northern Knights and Vic Metro in their respective under 18s competitions, and when he got his opportunity at the Western Bulldogs, showed that he was right at home. In 2015, he was one of the unfortunate ones who couldn’t get a clear run at senior level, despite showing good form in VFL level. His talent unquestionable, he might get a lot more game time at somewhere like Carlton.
12 – Greater Western Sydney Original Selection: Kristian Jaksch Do-Over Selection: Jake Lloyd (Rookie Draft pick 16) Games: 45 Goals: 11
Another Sydney rookie selection that gets extremely overlooked, Lloyd is slowly developing into a super consistent midfielder to play alongside the likes of Hannebery, Kennedy and Jack. Works as hard as anyone to win the contested ball and is equally impressive when he's running with the ball in hand. Averaged 20 disposals in 22 games last year and still has a lot of room to grow.
13 – Gold Coast Suns Original Selection: Jesse Lonergan Do-Over Selection: Sam Mayes (Pick 8) Games: 55 Goals: 25
Mayes was drafted to Brisbane as a highly-skilled half-forward/wingman and has done nice things at times, but I don't think he's done enough to warrant himself as a top 10 selection. He had a disrupted 2015 with foot issues in the first half of the season, but found form late in the year. He is clearly a part of Brisbane's future plans when the Lions refused negotiate with rival clubs in the trade period last year.
14 – Greater Western Sydney Original Selection: Aidan Corr Do-Over Selection: Jesse Lonergan (Pick 13) Games: 33 Goals: 4
A hard-bodied midfielder who after struggling with the first two seasons with injury problems, enjoyed a breakout 2015 for the Suns when the club was wrecked with injuries, playing 18 games in a variety of roles, from shutting down small forwards to a ball-winning midfielder. Now with 33 games under his belt, Lonergan has shown that he can hold his own in the big-time.
15 – North Melbourne Original Selection: Taylor Garner Do-Over Selection: Ben Kennedy (Pick 19) Games: 27 Goals: 19
A small-forward who can also push up into the midfield. Kennedy was a highly rated prospect that couldn't get a proper run at Collingwood, despite consistently putting in exceptional performances in the VFL. He sought a trade to the Demons at the end of 2015 in hopes for more opportunity and in his short time at Demonland, has showed a lot of improving signs.
16 – Geelong Cats Original Selection: Jackson Thurlow Do-Over Selection: Jackson Thurlow Games: 29 Goals: 6
A defender that is hard-as-nails but has got the skill and poise to play at AFL level. Broke out in 2015 to play 19 of Geelong's 22 games and looks to have cemented a spot in the back six. Unfortunately, Thurlow ruptured his ACL in the NAB practice match against Essendon, forcing him to miss the entire 2016 season. But his skill, toughness, and willingness to compete shouldn't see his value dip dramatically.
17 – Fremantle Original Selection: Josh Simpson Do-Over Selection: Mark Hutchings (pick 60) Games: 38 Goals: 16
Was rookie-listed by St. Kilda in 2010, but couldn't get a game there and was delisted. After a couple of seasons in the WAFL, was picked up by West Coast late in this draft, and has been a very servicable player in the Eagles' midfield, and there would be no doubt that Fremantle would've loved to get their hands on the West Australian instead of picking up Josh Simpson, who only managed a game for the Dockers.
18 – Collingwood Original Selection: Brodie Grundy Do-Over selection: Jimmy Toumpas (Pick 4) Games: 28 Goals: 6
Is slowly shaping into one of the 'Draft Busts' of 2012. Was highly spoken about at under 18 level, with the way he used the ball and his ability to run with the ball but has hardly done much to impress. Melbourne took him with pick four, but have shipped him off back to his home state of South Australia after three seasons. 'The Toump' hopes this new change in scenery is what he needs to get his career back on track.
19 – Collingwood Original Selection: Ben Kennedy Do-Over Selection: Callum Sinclair (Rookie Draft pick 12) Games: 31 Goals: 21
At the time, the Pies were on the search of a successor to Darren Jolly in the ruck department, and with Brodie Grundy not available for selection, the Pies pick the next best ruckman in Callum Sinclair, who was one of the Eagles' best draft finds after a breakthrough 2015 which saw him play 20 games, but was offloaded to Sydney at the end of the season in a deal for Lewis Jetta. The ruckman can also push down forward and kick goals when required.
20 – Collingwood Original Selection: Tim Broomhead Do-Over Selection: Jack Frost (Rookie Draft pick 42) Games: 46 Goals: 0
Frost is an athletic key-defender with the capabilities of shutting down some of the game's power forwards, was selected by Collingwood in the rookie-draft and will stay put in the Reconstructed draft. Frost posseses great pace and is hardly been beaten when he's been on the park for Collingwood, and along with Nathan Brown, forms the nucleus of the back six.
21 – Western Bulldogs Original Selection: Nathan Hrovat Do-Over Selection: Lachie Hunter (Father/Son selection pick 49) Games: 38 Goals: 17
Hunter was highly spoken about when the Dogs used pick 49 to snare the son of former Bulldog, Mark Hunter. A midfielder who can also be used as a forward, Hunter started to emerge as a key component of the Bulldogs midfield in the back-half of 2015, averaging 29 possessions in the last eight games of the season, and has backed that up with a solid start to 2016.
22 – Sydney Original Selection: Dean Towers Do-Over selection: Martin Gleeson (pick 53) Games: 33 Goals: 4
Gleeson was a late-selection by the Bombers as he was seen as to skinny, but when he's been on the park, has displayed shades of brilliance off the half-back line. His speed is elite and use of the ball is very good. He played all 22 games for Essendon last year and is highly-rated within the walls of Windy Hill.
23 – Brisbane Lions Original Selection: Marco Paparone Do-Over Selection: Taylor Garner (pick 15) Games: 15 Goals: 8
Raised a lot of eyebrows when North selected him at pick 15, and has since struggled to get on the park with various leg injuries. Garner finally overcame those setbacks to come into the side in round 15 and played all bar one game since, making a name as a pressuring forward, but has a lot of room for improvement and if he can stay injury-free, could become a big-name player somewhere down the line.