The 1990 AFL draft was the fifth annual draft of Australian rules footballers to the 14 clubs in the Australian Football League. It consisted of the national draft held at the end of the 1990 season, the pre-season draft held before the 1991 AFL season, and a mid-season draft.
Clubs receive picks based on the reverse of the position in which they finish on the ladder during the season. This was introduced as an equalisation strategy in response to the increasing transfer fees and player salaries.
National draft rules The minimum draft age for the 1990 national draft was 16. Other than the West Coast Eagles, clubs were allowed to select only one West Australian player each and South Australian players were restricted to be only selected by the Adelaide Football Club which would join the AFL for the 1991 AFL season. Players in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory could only be selected by clubs other than the Brisbane Bears and the Sydney Swans respectively if the player was older than 19 and not required by the 'local' club. Faced with these restrictions the league reduced the number of choices from 8 to 6. In exchange for the SA moratorium, the Crows were excluded from the draft (they could pick any South Australian, but only South Australians).
Background The talent pool was clearly shallow and most clubs shied away from investing too much hope in the draft. A number of the Victorian clubs, notably Richmond and Fitzroy, couldn't afford to recruit established players so stuck with country footballers and unproven youngsters. Clubs were believed to be looking to Tasmania as perhaps the only recruiting ground which hadn't been ravaged. The under-19's competition was still in operation and clubs had only to list players who had been drafted, and those over the age of 19. Essendon and North Melbourne at this point for example had very talented reserves sides drawn from their metropolitan zones (these zones would later provide the basis for the Northern Knights under-18 teams).
Pre-draft Pre-draft picks included Brisbane taking Darryl White from the Northern Territory which had become their 'zone'. Mitchell White and Glen Jakovich were fair additions to the West Coast Eagles squad. There were a number of notable trades. Brisbane traded Mark Roberts to North Melbourne who also secured Peter Mann from the Eagles. Geelong gave up forwards David Cameron and Shane Hamilton to get Brisbane's number 1 draft pick. The most noteworthy trade though was Hawthorn getting the rights to Darren Jarman, who turned down the chance to join the Adelaide Crows. Incidentally the Rohan Smith listed is the St Kilda one, not the Footscray one. Future Channel 7 commentator Russell Morris left Hawthorn for St Kilda.
Players Richmond drafted Matthew Clarke and Nick Daffy. Despite the restrictions on recruiting South Australians, Richmond skirted the rule because these two played in Mount Gambier and were registered with clubs in the Western Border Football League (VCFL). Melbourne drafted Allen Jakovich, who although a Western Australian was playing for South Australian National Football League (SANFL) side Woodville, and Brisbane were able to draft two Western Australian Football League (WAFL) players in Peter Worsfold (John's brother) and David Ogg. Matt Clape, Jakovich, Todd Ridley, James Cook, Jason McCartney, Scott Crow, Matthew Young, Stuart Anderson and Paul Sharkey were modestly successful. Matthew Burton, Fabian Francis and Derek Hall would all find success at different AFL clubs.
The only two definite successes were James Hird and Jamie Shanahan.
Bits and pieces Jason McCartney kept a diary on behalf of The Age newspaper detailing the weeks leading up to the draft. In it he reveals the confusion and uncertainty that a young footballer feels. McCartney from Nhill in Victoria (near the SA border) was hesitant about moving to Melbourne. He went to Adelaide as a guest of Glenelg Football Club and watched the AFL grand final on the big screen, as well as watching Glenelg lose the SA Grand Final the next day.
With Sydney and Brisbane having the first draft picks he signed for Glenelg on a two-year deal. When Sydney and Brisbane traded their selections his hopes lifted. Geelong told him that they would take Hooper first and would be attempting to get the second pick to take McCartney. Geelong were unable to manufacture a trade and Carlton ended up with the selection (they swapped ruckman Warren McKenzie to Sydney). Ian Collins, Geoff Walsh, Bruce Comben and Kinnear Beatson all drove up to Nhill to meet with McCartney, and the next morning David Parkin rang him to ask if everything went well.
On draft day Carlton opted for Tasmanian James Cook. Parkin said that he felt that Cook had the potential to be an even better player. Collingwood drafted him and McCartney openly admitted he was devastated and that Collingwood was last on his list of clubs.
The trades which made the above possible were Carlton swapping McKenzie to Sydney for 2 pick overall, and Collingwood swapping Terry Keays to Richmond for 4th pick overall. One recruiting officer commenting about the decision making of Sydney and Richmond said, "those clubs deserve to be in the position they are in if they are going to make choices like that".
Preseason Michael McLean joined the Brisbane Bears after having been not encouraged to stay with Footscray. Sean Simpson switched from St Kilda to Geelong and the Cats again demonstrated their ability to revive careers. David Cloke was encouraged to saddle up for one more season at Richmond who was finding recruiting a ruckman nearly impossible. Kevin Dyson was recruited to Melbourne. Collingwood audaciously recruited the recently retired Gerard Healy in the hope of persuading him to play on, but he didn't.
Pre-draft picks # Player Recruited by Recruited from League Games with new club1 Paul Mifka Brisbane West Coast Australian Football League (AFL) 02 Danny Noonan Brisbane Clarence Tasmanian Football League (TFL) 553 Roger Smith Brisbane Southern Districts Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) 04 Shane Strempel Brisbane Swan Districts Western Australian Football League (WAFL) 35 Darryl White Brisbane Pioneer Central Australian Football League (CAFL) 2686 Ben Aulich Sydney Belconnen Australian Capital Territory Football League (ACTFL) 07 Justin Clarkson Sydney Melbourne AFL 38 Jason Love Sydney North Melbourne AFL 23 9 Darren Morgan Sydney Geelong AFL 010 Robert Neill Sydney Eastlake ACTFL 2111 Brad Sparks Sydney Melbourne AFL 012 Glen Jakovich West Coast South Fremantle WAFL 27613 Mitchell White West Coast Subiaco WAFL 151
Pre-draft trades Player Recruited by Recruited from Games with new club David Cameron Brisbane Geelong 16 Peter Curran Brisbane Hawthorn 14 Rob Dickson Brisbane Hawthorn 2 Shane Hamilton Brisbane Geelong 31 Travis Martin-Benyon Brisbane Nth Melbourne 0 Craig Potter Brisbane Sydney 13 Mark Arceri Carlton Nth Melbourne 17 Joe Cormack Fitzroy West Coast 26 David O'Connell Fitzroy West Coast 21 Darren Jarman Hawthorn Brisbane 109 Paul Bryce Melbourne Nth Melbourne 26 Phil Egan Melbourne Richmond 1 Rod Owen Melbourne St Kilda 9 John Ahern Nth Melbourne Melbourne 0 Peter Mann Nth Melbourne West Coast 39 Mark Roberts Nth Melbourne Brisbane 87 Terry Keays Richmond Collingwood 25 Russell Morris St Kilda Hawthorn 66 Stephen Newport St Kilda Melbourne 39 Sean Ralphsmith St Kilda Hawthorn 30 Rohan Smith St Kilda Sydney 3 Warwick Capper Sydney Brisbane 13 Warren McKenzie Sydney Carlton 21 Ian Dargie West Coast St Kilda 1 Mark Hepburn West Coast Nth Melbourne 13 Dale Kickett West Coast Fitzroy 2
1990 mid-season draft Pick Player Recruited by Recruited from League Games with club1Laurence SchacheWest TorrensSouth Australian National Football League (SANFL) 292Dale Lewis Ballarat Football League (Ballarat FL) 1823Mark Brady Old Scotch Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) 04Andrew PayzeWest Torrens SANFL 05Tim WilliamsonCasterton Western Border Football League (WBFL) 06Craig CrossBurnie Hawks Tasmanian Football League (TFL) 07Darren Bartsch SANFL 08Phil Krakouer AFL 79Steven Cummings Victorian Football League (VFL) 1410Craig McNaughtonSandhurst Bendigo Football League (Bendigo FL) 011Damian StoneyOld Xaverians VAFA 012Jamie Duursma AFL 013Andrew HardimanSouth Warrnambool Hampden Football League (HFL) 014Paul Morrish AFL 715David GreenhillWodonga O&MFL 016Paul SmitSpringvale VFL 017Darron WilkinsonCamberwell VFL 118Scott TurnerArarat Wimmera Football League (WFL) 14419Anthony PaveyChurchill Gippsland League 020Darren ReadDandenong VFL 021Luke HampshireTyrendarra South West District Football League (SWDFL) 022Jamie GrantDaylesford Central Highlands Football League (CHFL) 523Damian SextonYarrawonga Ovens & Murray Football League (O&MFL) 424Jamie Weeding SANFL 025Peter Vandermeer VFL 026Stephen Anderson South Warrnambool HFL 427David Robertson Euroa Goulburn Valley Football League (GVFL) 328Dean StrauchGolden Square Bendigo FL 029Tim SymesBenalla GVFL 030Darren Collins VFL 431Damian HancockLeitchville Northern District Football League (NDFL) 032Michael FrostSwan Hill Central Murray Football League (CMFL) 1333Bernie HarrisTerang HFL 4534Stephen MoloneyNorth Melbourne Old Boys VAFA 035Paul HogarthNorthern United 036Jason MortonWagga Tigers Riverina Football League (RFL) 037Andrew MillsNorth Shore New South Wales Australian Football League (NSWAFL) 038Glen Bartlett Western Australian Football League (WAFL) 039Nick Tsiotinas AFL 040Chris Melican SANFL 041Martin CameronTraralgon Gippsland League 042David MorrisonDevonport TFL 043Michael Thomson AFL 044Barry SpieringsWerribee VFL 045Jolyon KeebleOld Melburnians VAFA 0
1990 national draft