AFL # 1 Draft Picks Best Ever

[TalkingFootball]

Who would you rate as the best ever AFL # 1 Draft Pick & why?

[bender]

at this stage luke hodge. can play midfield, forward or back. great leader, lifts his team when he plays.
cooney is lookin the goods but

[ravadongon]

Here's the list of all the no. 1 draft picks up to 2007:

• 1986 - Martin Leslie (Brisbane Bears)
• 1987 - Richard Lounder (Richmond)
• 1988 - Alex McDonald (Hawthorn)
• 1989 - Anthony Banik (Richmond)
• 1990 - Stephen Hooper (Geelong)
• 1991 - John Hutton (Brisbane)
• 1992 - Drew Banfield (West Coast)
• 1993 - Darren Gaspar (Sydney)
• 1994 - Jeff White (Fremantle)
• 1995 - Clive Waterhouse (Fremantle)
• 1996 - Michael Gardiner (West Coast)
• 1997 - Travis Johnstone (Melbourne)
• 1998 - Des Headland (Brisbane Lions)
• 1999 - Josh Fraser (Collingwood)
• 2000 - Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
• 2001 - Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
• 2002 - Brendon Goddard (St Kilda)
• 2003 - Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs)
• 2004 - Brett Deledio (Richmond)
• 2005 - Marc Murphy (Carlton)
• 2006 - Bryce Gibbs (Carlton)
• 2007 - Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton)

IMO Nick Riewoldt has been the best overall so far and also achieved the most: 1x MVP, 2x AA, 4 x BF and current club captain, but Hodge, Cooney and Deledio will all close the gap and may well overtake him in the future.

[Nixon]

Riewoldt, Hodge, Cooney... all seem good choices there.
I like what I see of Deledio.
Out of those names it's hard to pick an exact winner though!