This was published 7 years ago
AFL 'Superdraft' 2001: the day that changed the game
By Emma Quayle
Luke Hodge. Luke Ball. Chris Judd.
Fifteen years after they were chosen in the 2001 'Superdraft', it's still tough to think of one without the others.
They were the first three kids picked from a group that has gone on to win 34 premiership medallions, six Brownlows, six Norm Smith Medals and eight MVP awards.
They are part of a draft class that has featured five club captains, 17 200-game players, 29 100-gamers and multiple All Australians.
Sam Mitchell, Gary Ablett, Dane Swan, Steve Johnson, Nick Dal Santo, Jimmy Bartel, Leigh Montagna, Brian Lake and James Kelly are just some of the modern day stars to be drafted that day.
But the three-way debate over who would be selected as the No.1 draft pick might never have started, let alone carried on all these years, had Ball decided not to enter what became such an accomplished group.
Like Hodge, Ball was a quick and skilful midfielder in 2001, and at 17, several months younger than Judd.
Unlike Hodge, Ball wanted to finish his year 12 studies off at his own school before joining his new team full time.
In a rare reunion for Superdraft - a four-part podcast series delving into arguably the best draft of all time - Hodge, Ball and Judd talk about life before and after they became the "chosen three".
No.1 pick Hodge describes how unprepared he was for life as a full-time footballer and talks about the pressure he felt to catch up to Judd after the West Coast recruit won a Brownlow in just his third year.
Judd explains his decision to skip the annual draft camp and his initial reluctance to move to Perth, but how starting his career so far from home in Melbourne helped him make such a fast start.
And Ball - picked by St Kilda at No.2 - reveals how close he came to not nominating for the draft that year, and waiting another 12 months so he could graduate from high school first.
"I certainly wasn't physically ready that year," Ball says.
"I was probably guided by my parents a bit on that, they were obviously keen for me to finish school.
"I certainly thought about it."
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