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...
The 2007 Draft crop made the ultimate impact for the Hawks with two of the club's three National Draft selections playing critical roles in a premiership side less than 12 months later.
Cyril Rioli was plucked with Hawthorn’s first selection (Pick 12) and made his debut immediately, playing Round 1 of 2008. The flashy young forward went to play every game of the season as well as collecting a Rising Star nomination.
The freakish forward was crucial in the Hawks’ grand final triumph, kicking two goals to be named among the side’s best as they secured the club’s first premiership in 17 years.
Rioli was also part of the Hawks’ losing grand final side in 2012 before again being key to the team’s 2013-2015 premiership success, earning the Norm Smith medal after his performance in the 2015 grand final.
After 185 games and 273 goals, Rioli has earnt three All-Australian selections and stamped himself as one of the competition’s most damaging and exciting players.
The Hawks used their third to secure former Port Adelaide premiership player, Stuart Dew, who had retired from the game 12 months earlier.
Dew faced a battle to be fit for the 2008 season after a full year without playing football at any level (and rumours swirling that the former star was tipping the scales around 120kg), but managed to make a Round 1 debut and play 12 home and away games.
Like Rioli, Dew was a vital component of their grand final win, kicking a pair of third-quarter goals and having a hand in a swagger of critical moments to be one of the team’s most important players on the day.
After 11 games in 2009, Dew called time on the second stint of his career, finishing with 206 career games and 265 goals.
Brendan Whitecross was the other man taken by the Hawks in the National Draft, recruited from Queensland club Zillmere.
Whitecross made his debut during 2009 and by 2011 had solidified himself as a regular in the Hawks line-up but suffering a ruptured ACL during the 2012 finals series which saw him miss much of the 2013 season.
The defender cruelly suffered a recurrence of the injury in that year’s Preliminary Final, which ruled him out of the 2013 and 2014 premiership victories.
Whitecross has since returned to the senior side and currently sits at 105 career games.
Hawthorn’s crop of rookie selections wasn’t quite as successful, with only Cameron Stokes appearing at the highest level for Hawks, playing 20 games during an injury interrupted three seasons.
Catch up - Draft class countdown: No. 3
2007 NATIONAL DRAFT
PICK 12: CYRIL RIOLI
PICK 29: BRENDAN WHITECROSS
PICK 45: STUART DEW
ROOKIE DRAFT
PICK 11: HUGH SANDILANDS
PICK 27: TIMOTHY WALSH
PICK 42: ALEX GRIMA
PICK 54: CAMERON STOKES
