The retirement of Chris Judd marks the end of another product of the Super Draft.

The National Draft of 2001 gave birth to some of the greatest players the modern game of Australian football has seen.

Judd, Ablett, Swan, Hodge, Johnson, Bartel, Ball, Mitchell, Dal Santo, Lake, Kelly, Montagna.

As Judd calls time on a storied career, Collingwood Media looks back on those the Magpies drafted at the end of 2001.

November 25 2001
“Today’s AFL national draft has an exceptional talent pool, leading it to be dubbed a "super draft" in comparison with previous years,” wrote The Age’s Melissa Ryan on the morning of one of the most important days in the game’s recent history.

“This, we believe, in our terms would be a super draft," AFL draft guru Kevin Sheehan told Ryan.

“It looks to be the best group of players entering one draft with fewer compromises involved and it will, down the track within two to three years, prove to be potentially the best bunch of young talent entering the competition,” he continued.

“When I say super draft we're talking probably more depth overall, getting right through into the 50s and 60s and some very good players will be taken there.”

Collingwood went into the draft holding picks No. 11, 27, 43, 58 and No. 72.

It would later use a further five picks in the December Rookie Draft.

How the Magpies fared

Pick No. 11: Richard Cole (Eastern U18)
What the papers said: “Extremely quick and long-kicking midfielder originally from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. All-Australian at U18 level in 2000 but had an injury-interrupted season in 2001,” – The Age.

What the recruiters said: “Richard is a left-footer who has excellent pace and is an extremely powerful runner with a very strong kick. He has nice evasion skills and a good strong body. He plays mainly as a wingman or a half back flanker, but could eventually play in the midfield,” – Noel Judkins.

Career Span: 2002-2007 (2002-2005 Collingwood, 2006-2007 Essendon)
Debut: Round 1 2002 v Richmond at the MCG
Career Games: 63 (56 Collingwood, 7 Essendon)
Career Goals: 6 (6 Collingwood, 7 Essendon)

Legacy: Cole broke into the senior side in the opening round of 2002 but became a fixture midway through the following season when he went on to earn a Rising Star nomination and play a key role in finals victories over Brisbane and Port Adelaide. A quiet Grand Final in the 50-point mauling at the hands of the Lions was cast aside when he put together a fine campaign in 2004, running sixth in the Copeland Trophy. Sadly, it would mark the peak of Cole’s career, for he spluttered through 2005 and sought a trade to Windy Hill where he would manage just seven games in two years.

Pick No. 27: Tom Davidson (Geelong U18)
What the papers said: “Mobile, strong-marking forward who is a long kick. Won Harrison Medal as best and fairest in division two of AFL U18s, representing his state of origin, Tasmania,” – The Age.

What the recruiters said: “He is a rangy sort of kid who has terrific speed for his size, is very strong in the air and has excellent skills on either side of his body and a very accurate kick for goal. Tom played mainly in the forward line for the Falcons, but we see him as a flanker, a winger or eventually a running backline player,” – Noel Judkins.

Career Span: 2002-2006 (2002-2005 Collingwood, 2006 Western Bulldogs)
Debut: Round 2 2004 v Western Bulldogs at the MCG
Career Games: 1 (1 Collingwood, 0 Western Bulldogs)
Career Goals: 0 (0 Collingwood, 0 Western Bulldogs)

Legacy: Knee injuries ruined any chance Davidson had of carving out the career he and the Magpies had hoped for. He underwent two knee reconstructions, the first in the pre-season of 2003 and again in 2004 after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament on debut against the Bulldogs. He was added to the club’s rookie list in 2005 and spent twelve months in the same position at the Whitten Oval but never managed to add to his sole outing at the MCG in 2004.

Pick No. 43: Mark McGough (Murray U18)
What the papers said: “High-possession midfielder or defender. Strong in one-on-one situations and above his head. All Australian at U18 level this year,” – The Age.

What the recruiters said: “Mark is a solidly built on-baller who will go in and get the ball in packs. He is very strong, has excellent hands and is a good overhead mark. While he is not an extremely quick player, Mark is very strong over the ball. We expect him to be a midfielder who gets the ball at stoppages and at the base of packs,” – Noel Judkins.

Career Span: 2002-2006 (2002-2004 Collingwood, 2005-2006 St Kilda)
Debut: Round 4 2002 v Hawthorn at the MCG
Career Games: 49 (37 Collingwood, 12 St Kilda)
Career Goals: 14 (12 Collingwood, 2 St Kilda)

Legacy: Few players have packed so much into just 49 senior games. Sure, the likes of John Coleman, Adrian McAdam and Allen Jakovich played more eye-catching football in their short stays at the elite level, but for a man who played less than 50 games, McGough’s career will linger long in the memory. He debuted while still studying his VCE and won the ANZAC Day Medal in just his second senior game. He would poll eight Brownlow votes in his first year but was never able to maintain the magic, despite pulling in some huge disposal numbers early in 2004. Delisted at the end of 2004, McGough spent two years under Grant Thomas at St Kilda. He is still plying his trade with East Fremantle in the WAFL. Curiously, although he was a key player in Collingwood’s Grand Final years of 2002 and 2003, he never played a final.



Tarkyn Lockyer congratulates 17-year-old Mark McGough on winning the ANZAC Day Medal in his just second game, in round five, 2002.

Pick No. 58: Dane Swan (Calder U18)
What the papers said: “Son of Bill, 300-game VFA player for Port Melbourne and Williamstown. Forward pocket/half forward who kicked five goals in a final this year. Nice balance,” – The Age.

What the recruiters said: “Dane improved immensely last year, going from being a fringe player with the Cannons earlier in the season to one of their best players in the latter part of the year. In the semi-final he kicked five goals from the half forward flank and in the Grand Final, which they won, he kicked three goals and had 29 possessions. Dane is a very good crumber, with a smart football brain and is a very good mark overhead. Although not exceptionally quick, he is a real footballer,” – Noel Judkins.

Career Span: 2002-2015
Debut: Round 13 2003 v Western Bulldogs at Docklands
Career Games: 246
Career Goals: 201

Legacy: What can you say? Swan represents one of football's most remarkable rags to riches stories in many years. After struggling to find his feet in his first four seasons, Swan made incredible improvement to the point where he became the 2011 Brownlow Medalist, and earned the label of 'untaggable' from many commentators. A strongly built midfielder who is dangerous if released to half forward, Swan's unique ability to repeatedly out-sprint his opponents, allowing him to power from contest to contest, has made him Collingwood's most consistent player of the past decade seasons. In 2015, he is one of the most recognisable and well-loved players – not only at Collingwood but throughout the entire competition.

Pick No. 72: Tristen Walker
What the papers said: “Key position player/ruckman described as a strong "power player". Can play at both ends and is very quick for his size,” – The Age.

What the recruiters said: “Tristen (not related to Lee) has played most of his football in the ruck or at centre half forward, but we think he may be better suited to centre half back or full back. Very quick and strongly built, with a good presence about him, Tristen is a left footer and has neat skills for a big fellow,” – Noel Judkins.

Career Span: 2002-2006
Debut: Round 1 2003 v Richmond at the MCG
Career Games: 28
Career Goals: 8

Legacy: Big ‘Tex’ debuted on Matthew Richardson in the opening round of 2003, riding the bumps as Richardson kicked 1.6 for the night. He returned to favour late in the year, playing in both the Qualifying and Grand Finals against the Lions. Walker went on to show flashes of promise at different stages of the course of the next two years but was never able to find the consistency he and the club so desired.

The summary

“The fact Collingwood didn't trade and yesterday resisted any temptation to draft experience says that the club refuses to be swayed from its rebuilding mission. The Magpies covered most bases, with the highly regarded Richard Cole and Mark McGough being midfielders, Tom Davidson, the son of Geelong football manager Garry Davidson, being a key forward, and Dane Swan and Tristen Walker being versatile types who could find their places in defence,” – The Age.

"We thought Richard Cole would be well gone at pick 11. We had Cole, McGough and Davidson all inside our own top 20 and Walker in the top 25. Swan was our lowest pick and even he was in our favored selections,” – Noel Judkins.

Not to forget…

While Dane Swan was without doubt Collingwood’s greatest hit of the 2001 National Draft, there was a hidden treasure that would surface almost a decade later in 2009.

The treasure’s name was Luke Ball, who would arrive at Collingwood after eight years with St Kilda with selection No. 30 in the 2009 National Draft.

Ball, who originally went with the second overall selection in the Super Draft, became a Collingwood premiership player eleven months later.

“Inside player who is a prolific ball-winner with speed and endurance. Has clean hands and is a good decision-maker. AIS/AFL Academy representative and All-Australian in AFL U18s in 2001,” was The Age’s dossier on Ball.

“If many agreed with Hawthorn on the choice of Luke Hodge as the No. 1 selection, just as many figured Ball to be the one.”

Say no more.

Rookie Draft

At a time when the Rookie Draft was still far more miss than hit, Collingwood struck a gold mine in December 2002.

Only that it was another club that would ultimately reap the rewards.

James Podsiadly became a Magpie for twelve months when he was recruited to Victoria Park with the club’s selection pick in the Rookie Draft.

He would not play a game, spending the year at Williamstown in the VFL and leaving at season’s end.

The ‘jPod’ would bob back up later in the decade when he broke in Geelong’s all conquering forward line, kicking 101 goals in his first two seasons and featuring in the Cats’ 2011 premiership triumph.

Ironically, it was against Collingwood that Podsiadly would triumph. And even then, he became the first man to be substituted out of a Grand Final after damaging his shoulder during the second quarter.

Every player, and every draft, has a story to tell.

But as time passes, the legend of the 2001 Super Draft will continue to grow.

Will we ever see another one like it?

Congratulations to Judd on a grand career.