Draft Preview - Pick No. 19
The countdown continues with a look at Collingwood's past usage of pick No. 19.
Whoever Collingwood selects with pick No. 19 in Thursday’s National Draft will break a mini-tradition.
In recent times, the Magpies have used selection No. 19 on Father-Son selections.
The first player chosen with selection No. 19 was Nick Davis, the son of 102-gamer Craig.
A supreme talent, Davis went on to play 71 games in the black and white during his four-year stay at the club.
He showed glimpses of his talent across half forward during his first season, earning an AFL Rising Star nomination for his efforts on ANZAC Day in round five.
Despite his obvious skill, it took until round 21, 2000 for his career to gain momentum.
After enduring an underwhelming second season, Davis single-handedly took down the might of North Melbourne on a sunny July afternoon at Colonial Stadium. He gathered 30 possessions (a figure that would remain his career benchmark) and bagged four goals en route to guiding his team to its seventh and final win of the year.
Davis’ star was well and truly on the rise twelve months later when he finished sixth in the Copeland Trophy at the age of 21. Playing primarily across half forward, he sliced opposition defences apart with 36 goals derived from several commanding displays.
He again showed his liking for the Kangaroos, receiving two Brownlow votes in each meeting with Denis Pagan’s men as well as famously slamming home a 60m torpedo punt in round 22.
Unfortunately, Davis’ time at Victoria Park came to an abrupt end after the 2002 season when he requested a trade to Sydney.
The NSW product would go on to flourish under Paul Roos and etched his name into football folklore when he singlehandedly hoisted the Swans into the 2005 Preliminary Final.
The second player drafted to Collingwood under the father-son rule with selection No. 19 was Jason Cloke.
Another product of the father-son rule, Cloke was the first of David and Julie’s three boys to wear the black and white stripes.
As David had played more than 50 games (as was the ruling at the time) for both Collingwood and Richmond, Jason was a subject of much conjecture during the early stages of the 2000 season as the two clubs vied for his commitment.
Fortunately for the Magpies, they won the gutsy centre half back’s heart, ensuring that Jason and younger brothers Cameron and Travis were Collingwood bound.
After biding his time with Williamstown in his first season, Cloke burst onto the scene in 2002 when he played in 23 of Collingwood’s 25 games.
Sadly, the only matches Cloke was to miss were the first and last of the season.
He debuted in round two against the West Coast Eagles (who also had a highly rated debutant in their ranks – you may have heard of Chris Judd) and quickly became one of Mick Malthouse’s first choice defenders.
Cloke’s dream debut season suddenly took on a distinctly nightmarish flavour when he was suspended for striking Adelaide’s Tyson Edwards in the Preliminary Final. He was to miss the Magpies’ Grand Final against the Brisbane Lions, and many astute onlookers believed that Cloke’s desperation and unflinching courage would have been suited to the wet and heavy conditions.
Unfortunately, in his remaining four years on the list, Cloke was unable to sustain the form that had made him one of the league’s brightest young prospects. He enjoyed solid seasons in 2003 and 2004 but tapered off in the following two years, playing only 15 of the club’s 45 games in that period.
Cloke last appeared for the Pies at AAMI Stadium against Port Adelaide in round 20, 2006, but his name remains prominent in the minds of supporters as a result of the commanding form of his younger brother, Travis.
The first Collingwood player to be chosen with pick No. 19 was Brent Tuckey, who ironically managed 19 games in the black and white.
The 192cm utility was drafted with the intention of adding strength to the club’s ruck department but he found himself best suited to a key forward post.
Unfortunately the boy from Stawell could never quite nail down a permanent place in Collingwood’s starting 22.
He debuted against West Coast at Victoria Park in round 17, 1998, but only threatened to become a senior regular midway through the following year when he strung together six consecutive matches between rounds 13 and 18.
Tuckey began the 2000 season brightly, kicking six in a commanding Ansett Cup win over Fremantle in the Magpies’ final outing at Waverley Park.
His big bag came only weeks before the season proper thus ensuring that he was selected to take on Hawthorn in round one.
Despite his side winning by 54 points, Tuckey was unable to join the party in attack and drifted in and out of the senior side for the remainder of the year. His season peaked when he managed three goals from eight marks in the absence of Sav Rocca as the Magpies went down to the Lions in round nine at the Gabba.
Tuckey clung onto his place on the senior list for 2001 but could only break through for one game – the last of the year – against the Kangaroos at Canberra’s Manuka Oval. He left the club at season’s end but was rookied by the Eagles and soon found himself playing against his former club on the MCG in round two, 2002 (the same day in which Jason Cloke made his debut for the Magpies).
The AFL career of Brent Tuckey came to a close in a loss to Richmond at the ‘G in round eight, but his footballing journey remained rich and rewarding with stops at East Perth and South Adelaide along the way.
Since retiring from the state leagues, Tuckey has played at both Stawell and Diggers Rest in Victoria’s west.
A history of selection No. 19
1986 – Matthew Mansfield (Footscray)
1987 – Jamie Cox (Essendon)
1988 – Matthew Francis (Richmond)
1989 – Ashley Green (Essendon)
1990 – Gary Merritt (Melbourne)
1991 – Phil Gilbert (Melbourne)
1992 – Lee Walker (West Coast)
1993 – Robert Stevenson (Essendon)
1994 – Ben Holland (Fitzroy)
1995 – Barry Hall (St Kilda)
1996 – Brent Tuckey (Collingwood)
1997 – Chris Obst (Hawthorn)
1998 – Nick Davis (Collingwood)
1999 – Brad Green (Melbourne)
2000 – Jason Cloke (Collingwood)
2001 – Jason Gram (Brisbane)
2002 – Troy Selwood (Brisbane)
2003 – David Mundy (Fremantle)
2004 – Ryan Willits (Port Adelaide)
2005 – Courtenay Dempsey (Essendon)
2006 – Shaun Grigg (Carlton)
2007 – Callan Ward (Western Bulldogs)
2008 – James Strauss (Melbourne)
2009 – Ben Griffiths (Richmond)
2010 – Isaac Smith (Hawthorn)
2011 – Elliott Kavanagh (Essendon)
Players drafted with selection No. 19 in the past 26 National Drafts have played a combined total of 1912 games at an average of 73.53 per player. Matthew Francis (drafted to Richmond in 1988) joined Collingwood for the 1996-1998 seasons where he managed 36 senior games as a ruckman-cum-forward. Jamie Cox (drafted to Essendon in 1987) never managed a senior game but made his name while playing state cricket for Tasmania. He is considered by many to have been extremely unlucky to have never worn the Baggy Green cap for Australia in a Test Match.