Where are they now: Looking back at every AFL No.1 draft pick since 2000
Updated . First published
Every no.1 draft pick since 2000
There's always a huge amount of expectation placed on the AFL's No.1 draft pick even before they've kicked a ball in the professional game.
Ahead of the 2023 draft, we look back on the players who got picked first since the year 2000, and how they've fared since.
2000 - Nick Riewoldt
The lanky, blond-haired key forward from Hobart had a horror start to life as an AFL player. He debuted in 2001 in a 97-point St Kilda loss to Adelaide, in what would be coach Malcolm Blight's last game in the job. He was replaced the following week.
Riewoldt's career was sprinkled with disappointment, highlighted by the 2010 AFL grand final, when the Saints drew with Collingwood then came back a week later and lost. Riewoldt played in three grand finals but failed to win one.
But the player himself became a legend. He was the 2002 Rising Star who went on to play 336 games for his beloved club and is known as one of the best to ever wear the jersey. He made the All Australian team five times, St Kilda's best and fairest six times, and was the 2004 AFL players' player. He now commentates for Fox Sports, while his cousin Jack plays for Richmond.
2001 - Luke Hodge
A tough-as-nails player who started his career on the halfback flank, moved into the midfield, and could play just about anywhere you asked him to.
Hodge became known as one of the finest leaders in the game. He won four premierships with Hawthorn, captaining three of them in 2013, 2014, and 2015. He was named best on ground in the 2008 and 2014 grand finals, becoming only the third player in premiership history to win it twice.
At the end of 2017, Hodge left his beloved Hawks and went to Brisbane where he played 41 games across two seasons before retiring. All up he played 346 games.
He made the All Australian team three times and was named captain of the side in 2010.
2002 - Brendon Goddard
The second No.1 pick claimed by St Kilda in the space of three years. This time the Saints nabbed a gun defender-midfielder in Goddard, who debuted in 2003 while still completing year 12 at school.
Like Riewoldt, it was a tough few years for Goddard at St Kilda, punctuated by a serious knee injury in 2007. In the drawn 2010 grand final Goddard was runner-up in voting for the Norm Smith Medal, behind teammate Lenny Hayes. Of course, they lost the second decider the following week to Collingwood.
He switched to join Essendon at the end of 2012 but walked into a firestorm, as the Bombers were embroiled in the infamous doping scandal. Goddard became a leader of his adopted club, winning their best-and-fairest medal in his debut season then being named captain in 2016. His career finished at the end of the 2018 season.
2003 - Adam Cooney
The tough redhead was a superstar junior footballer, and brought that instantly to AFL level when he played 19 games in his debut season for the Western Bulldogs in 2004. He got progressively better over the ensuing years, and in 2008 became the first No.1 draft pick to win the Brownlow Medal.
He was a surprise winner of the medal, beating Brisbane champion Simon Black by one vote. Following that he struggled with injury and dips in form, before leaving the Bulldogs in 2014 to join Essendon, where he played two seasons before retiring. In 2020 during a radio interview, Cooney said he felt more welcome at Essendon than the Western Bulldogs in retirement.
2004 - Brett Deledio
The gun onballer had a stellar start to life as an AFL player, playing every game in his maiden season after debuting as a 17-year-old for Richmond. He was named the 2005 Rising Star. That year he also became the youngest Australian to play in the International Rules series.
He won consecutive Richmond best-and-fairest medals in 2008 and 2009, and in 2011 became the club's youngest ever life member by reaching 150 games for the Tigers. He served as a vice-captain of the team from 2013 to 2016.
Deledio struggled with injuries later in his career. He left Richmond to join GWS Giants in 2017 and played 32 games there before retiring. He went into development coaching at Hawthorn, and then into player management.
2005 - Marc Murphy
Murphy started off his career as a Blue on fire, averaging 18 touches a game and at one stage was considered a lock to win the Rising Star award in his rookie season.
While season-ending shoulder surgery ruined his hopes of claiming the Rising Star award, Murphy was awarded the AFL Players Association's Best First Year Player.
Murphy played exactly 300 games and went on to captain Carlton from 2013 to 2018. He also earned All-Australian selection in 2011 and was a two-time Carlton best and fairest winner.
Having just retired after the 2021 season, what he does next in his career remains unclear.
2006 - Bryce Gibbs
Gibbs, the son of former SANFL and WAFL player Ross Gibbs, played 246 games between Carlton and Adelaide.
He is remembered most for his time as a Blue, where he spent 11 seasons.
Gibbs showed plenty of promise in his first season at Carlton and was awarded the Blues' Best First Year Player.
In 2014, Gibbs took out Carlton's best and fairest award.
He finished off his career playing two seasons at Adelaide after requesting a trade back home for family reasons.
2007 - Matthew Kreuzer
Matthew Kreuzer quickly established himself as Carlton's number one ruck option.
While he never earned All-Australian honours, Kreuzer notched an impressive 189-game career with the Blues and was one of the league's most reliable rucking options.
Injuries crept up on him later in his career and he retired in 2020.
Kreuzer took on a ruck coaching role at Carlton shortly after his retirement.
2008 - Jack Watts
Jack Watts came into the AFL at the age of 17 and it was the last draft where a player at that age could do so.
From the 2009 AFL draft onwards, players had to be turning 18 in the year they were drafted.
Watts was one of the most hyped draft selections at the time due to his success at the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships.
He was infamously handed his debut during the Queen's Birthday clash against Collingwood and was mercilessly besieged upon by Magpies players within seconds of running onto the MCG in front of a capacity crowd.
"I think I carried a slight burden to be honest," Watts later admitted when discussing his No.1 selection
"What I found the hard thing is when you're pick one whatever you do — if you do something really well and you become and absolute gun like Hodge or Nick Riewoldt, that's sort of expected because you're pick one, but it's pretty hard to be that good and be one of those players.
"If you don't quite get to that level, then it's a disappointment."
Former Hawks legend Dermott Brereton called Watts' debut "one of the great 'thrown to the wolves' stories".
"I mean, they trotted him out as almost a marketing tool," he told SEN. "It was a horrible thing to do."
