In the days leading up to the 2017 NAB AFL Draft, we'll be counting down Hawthorn's top 10 draft classes from the last 30 years, with one class revealed each day...
Hawthorn’s selections at the National and Rookie Drafts in late 2000 saw the club collect a trio of players who would help the Hawks to their first premiership in 17 years.
Small forward Mark Williams was selected at pick number 43 from South Fremantle, making his debut in 2002.
By 2004 Williams had established himself in the Hawks’ 22 and was the club’s leading goalkicker in both 2005 and 2006, with tallies of 63 and 60 goals respectively.
Williams was one of Hawthorn’s best in their 2008 Grand Final win, kicking a match-leading three goals, before finishing his 111-game Hawthorn career at the end of 2009 when he was traded to Essendon.
With Pick 11 in the Rookie Draft the Hawks recruited 178-cm midfielder-forward Michael Osborne, with the Queenslander making his debut the next season, eventually finding himself immersed in the Hawks’ backline as a small defender.
Osbourne’s best season coincided with the Hawks’ premiership year of 2008 in which he played across half forward, kicking 27 goals, and was named among the side’s best on Grand Final day.
At the end of 2013 Osbourne announced his retirement after 168 games.
Hawthorn’s second rookie selection was used on Murray Bushrangers ruckman Robert Campbell, who would also play a key role in the 2008 premiership win.
Campbell had a breakout season in 2006 in which he played 22 games, averaging 13.6 hit-outs and 10.5 disposals and continued his good form through the ’07 and ’08 seasons, but was forced into retirement by a knee injury at just 27 years old after 116 games.
The Hawks’ first pick in the draft, Nick Ries, managed 81 games through the midfield, including a Rising Star nomination in 2002 but was delisted at the end of 2006.
Father-son selection Steven Greene, son of triple-premiership Hawk Russell Greene, played 42 games for the club between 2001 and 2005, including a rising star nomination, while fellow draftee Nathan Lonie played 64 games across half during the same period before being traded to Port Adelaide.
Rookie Matthew Ball also managed 17 games, contributing to a total 535 games amassed by Hawthorn's 2000 draft class.
Catch up - Draft class countdown: No. 10
2000 NATIONAL DRAFT
PICK 21: NICK RIES
PICK 28: STEVEN GREENE (FATHER-SON SELECTION)
Pick 43: MARK WILLIAMS
PICK 58 NATHAN LONIE
ROOKIE DRAFT
PICK 11: MICHAEL OSBORNE
PICK 27: ROBERT CAMPBELL
PICK 42: MATTHEW BALL
