Discussing Aaron Joseph, who was rookie drafted at #2 in 2008 after being overlooked in the 2007 National draft, it got me thinking about our greatest 'steals' in the club's history. Joseph comes to mind right away, given his impressive shut down roles on some of the competition's finest in 2009, surprising everyone. Hard to believe he was taken as a rookie and came on so quickly. Extremely impressed with the drafting in this area.

This one may cause a little disagreement, but there is no denying the value that Brendan Fevola had on-field for a pick #38. Off the field...let's not go there, but 575 goals, 187 games proves his on-field value for the time he spent with us.

I'm sure there are many others, so let's discuss

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

I dont want to divert this thread to a discussion about one player.....

but

Ryan Houlihan has been good value for Pick #73

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Just wanted to point out that while he was overlooked in the 2007 ND, Joseph was taken in the very next draft, the 2008 Rookie Draft, held just a few weeks later. It seems to be a common misconception that he walked straight into the team after he was drafted. He'd been at the club for a year.

Jamison would be my pick. 17th pick in the '07 rookie draft. A lock-in player for our defence, more so than any other.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Still, many rookies take much longer to get into the senior side. He broke into the side much quicker than many rookies do, whilst some rookies hardly ever even get a look in. Makes him even better value.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Jesaulenko by far the biggest steal...was bound for North Melbourne...a few strings were pulled, favors from the Prime Minister called upon and a magical loophole appeared clearing a path toward Carlton. And people wonder why we're arrogant.

Was in the Eastlake Footy Club in Canberra about 8 years ago and had a look at some of the photos on the wall. I never knew he came from Canberra, and it appears that they have produced quite a few of the game's known players.

I'm unfamiliar with the recruiting process back then for interstate players. I know in Victoria they used to do it by zones...how did they do it for the interstate blokes?

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Bret Thornton came off the Rookie list.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

Kreuser was a bit of a steal . Wouldn't have got him if we hadn't t-----. Just can't remember how to spell that word .
According to all the other clubs in the AFL anyway .

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Get the facts first.
Then you can distort them at your leisure.

CAPTAIN DAN SAID:
[/quote]
Was in the Eastlake Footy Club in Canberra about 8 years ago and had a look at some of the photos on the wall. I never knew he came from Canberra, and it appears that they have produced quite a few of the game's known players.

I'm unfamiliar with the recruiting process back then for interstate players. I know in Victoria they used to do it by zones...how did they do it for the interstate blokes?[/quote]





Canberra wasn't included in the zone process for the most part, so for a good portion of time (the 1970's-80's) there was a bit of open slather in places like Canberra.


Zones in southern NSW, country Vic were introduced around '68 and that made it near on impossible for Carlton to say get a player from Corowa or Shepparton.


Carlton and Hawthorn did particularly well in the 80's recruiting from SA and WA. Without zones and limits etc, I guess you could argue that Victorian clubs "raided" the stockpile of good players from those states.

Canberra at the time was considered a development zone, so there were restrictions on signing players from there. North Melbourne had Jesaulenko on a 'Form 4', which was similar to a 'Heads of agreement', but when it expired, Jesaulenko mysteriously had a transfer within the public service to Melbourne.

Such lucky timing.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

I heard somewhere that the form they sent to Jezza was pushed under the door but went under the carpet as well and he didn't see it and that's how it expired.
Thanks to some bad carpet laying we ended up with one ofthe game's legends and superstars.

I thought the 1970 GF was a bit of a steal as well.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Didn't Essendon* think they had Craig Bradley signed sealed and delivered? Just like the 1999 prelim final.

One of our greatest players and would still be a champion midfielder today. Wouldn't you just love him on a wing now.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

yeah but that was in 1968.....
and our last decade has been woeful....

we should be arrogant because we have the nouse today.

about the time we did that.. Fitzroy had as many flags as us.......

but yeah i agree... Jezza was a steal

probably my fav Carlton player of all time.

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Carrazzo was also off the rookie list - not bad for an NRS winner

Wiggins was a steal at 15 should have been top 3

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Ecclesiastes 1:4, "One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but The Blues abide forever."

Kade Simpson was a good get. I forget what he was taken at exactly but pretty high up in the Draft that we missed out on Goddard and Wells off memory.

Braddles was the best steal. Was all ready to go to Essendon* until we stuck our nose in.

I agree with TrueBlueBrad - Houlihan was a great steal and possibly the best player we have ever drafted after pick 70 in the draft. Will go close to a brownlow and B & F this year.

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

And to think they tried there hardest to lure Sticks to Essendon* too. Sheedy even went to the Kernahan residence with a bag of hot chips and tried to lure the great man....

Elliot went with a bag of cash LOL.......

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Go to http://www.snoutslouts.org/ for a look at the mighty GFC...

No wonder they're so jealous of us.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Simpson was pick 45, would take him ahead of Wells any day.

The ACT, Qld, Sydney, WA and SA, however, were not zoned to any club - so it wasn't as restrictive to recruit a very good player from those places as it would be for Carlton to say recruit a player out of Hawthorn's country zone. The country zoning system was introduced in 1968. Jezza was recruited before then.

There was a period of time in the 60's and beyond where the major restriction on interstate recruitng was that only two interstate players could be signed in any one year.