Carlton, and Carlton fans the world over, entered the 2006 National Draft with much excitement and anticipation. Considered potentially the best draft of all time, or colloquially the 'Superdraft', Carlton had the coveted No.1 Pick to add to its No.1 Pick from the 2005 National Draft (Marc Murphy).
The chance to add to our supreme picks from 2005, and a bevy of young up & comers in Blackwell, Russell, the o'hAilpins, Edwards, Kennedy, Bower, Simpson and Walker, from this Superdraft, had us all excited.
According to our Head of Recruitment Wayne Hughes, the Blues went for size and pace with all players listed 188cm and taller and also able to run the 20m sprints in sub 3 seconds:
Pick 1 : Bryce Gibbs, Glenelg, SANFL
Pick 17 - Priority Selection : Shaun Hampson, Mt Gravatt, Queensland
Pick 19 : Shaun Grigg, North Ballarat
Pick 35 : Mark Austin, Glenelg, SANFL
Pick 51 : Clinton Benjamin, Claremont, WA
Pick 67 : Joe Anderson, Darwin, NT
Pick 81 : Not utilised
By season's end, 5 of the 6 recruits will have played senior football for Carlton, in a welcome sign that opportunity would come to the youth of Carlton. It would remain this way with Benjamin not playing a senior game before being delisted after 2 years with the Blues.
The chance to add to our supreme picks from 2005, and a bevy of young up & comers in Blackwell, Russell, the o'hAilpins, Edwards, Kennedy, Bower, Simpson and Walker, from this Superdraft, had us all excited.
According to our Head of Recruitment Wayne Hughes, the Blues went for size and pace with all players listed 188cm and taller and also able to run the 20m sprints in sub 3 seconds:
Pick 1 : Bryce Gibbs, Glenelg, SANFL
Pick 17 - Priority Selection : Shaun Hampson, Mt Gravatt, Queensland
Pick 19 : Shaun Grigg, North Ballarat
Pick 35 : Mark Austin, Glenelg, SANFL
Pick 51 : Clinton Benjamin, Claremont, WA
Pick 67 : Joe Anderson, Darwin, NT
Pick 81 : Not utilised
By season's end, 5 of the 6 recruits will have played senior football for Carlton, in a welcome sign that opportunity would come to the youth of Carlton. It would remain this way with Benjamin not playing a senior game before being delisted after 2 years with the Blues.