Although few can claim the contributions made by that trio over the past decade, there is one man at Geelong, who would not look out of place, if that group was extended to a quartet: recruiting manager Stephen Wells .
Wells has been pivotal to Geelong's success and deserves to be recognised for his astute list development.
If the Cats win the Grand Final on Saturday, he will have overseen the construction of two entire premiership lists – a remarkable feat.
Wells has been with Geelong since 1983. He started working in development roles and was mentored by 1951-52 premiership player and former coach Bill McMaster in the club's recruiting area from 1990-94. He took over as recruiting manager in 1995, with premiership players Steven King (now at St Kilda) and Darren Milburn being snapped up that year.
Like every recruiting manager, Wells has had some key assistants, most noticeably John Peake (now St Kilda's recruiting manager) and his current right-hand man, emerging talent identifier Luke Williams.
Wells' two standout drafts were in 1999 (Joel Corey, Paul Chapman, Cameron Ling and Corey Enright) and 2001 (Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly and Steve Johnson). Gary Ablett was also claimed as a father/son selection in '01. These meetings were crucial in setting up last year's premiership.
As well, other father/son selections such as Matthew Scarlett (1999) and Mark Blake (2003) have been important, as has the exchange period where fellow talls Tom Harley (1998), Cameron Mooney (1999) and Brad Ottens (2004) were claimed.
David Wojcinski (1998), and Josh Hunt and Max Rooke (both in 2000), were also important selections.
The period from 2002-07 can't be overlooked, with one or more players selected each year set to play in Saturday's grand final.
Andrew Mackie and Shannon Byrnes (2002), Blake (2003), Ottens (2004), Travis Varcoe and Mathew Stokes (2005), Joel Selwood, Ryan Gamble and Tom Lonergan, who was placed on the rookie list after his life-threatening kidney injury (2006), and Harry Taylor (2007) were all claimed during this period.
On Saturday, Geelong will be aiming for back-to-back flags – just the second time since 1951-52 – and like his mentor McMaster, who was instrumental in those flags, Wells will have been just as crucial in the potential 2007-08 premierships.
HOW THE 2008 GEELONG LIST WAS BUILT
1995
Darren Milburn – AFL Draft (No.48)
1997
Matthew Scarlett – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.45)
1998
Tom Harley – Exchange period (traded by Port Adelaide)
David Wojcinski – AFL Draft (No.24)
1999
Cameron Mooney – Exchange period (traded by North Melbourne)
Joel Corey – AFL Draft (No.8)
Paul Chapman – AFL Draft (No.31)
Cameron Ling – AFL Draft (No.38)
Corey Enright – AFL Draft (No.47)
2000
Josh Hunt – AFL Draft (No.44)
Max Rooke – AFL Rookie Draft (No.41) – promoted to senior list 2002
2001
Gary Ablett – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.40)
Jimmy Bartel – AFL Draft (No.8)
James Kelly – AFL Draft (No.17)
Steve Johnson – AFL Draft (No.24)
David Johnson – AFL Draft (No.81)
2002
Andrew Mackie – AFL Draft (No.7)
Shannon Byrnes – AFL Rookie Draft (No.40) – promoted to senior list 2004
2003
Mark Blake – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.38)
Kane Tenace – AFL Draft (No.7)
2004
Brad Ottens – Exchange period (traded by Richmond)
Nathan Ablett – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.48)
Brent Prismall – AFL Draft (No.32)
Matthew Egan – AFL Draft (No.62)
2005
Travis Varcoe – AFL Draft (No.15)
Trent West – AFL Draft (No.31)
Ryan Gamble – AFL Draft (No.47)
Mathew Stokes – AFL Draft (No.61)
2006
Tom Hawkins – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.41)
Joel Selwood – AFL Draft (No.7)
Nathan Djerrkura – AFL Draft (No.25)
Simon Hogan – AFL Draft (No.57)
Liam Bedford – AFL Rookie Draft (No.23)
Jason Davenport – AFL Rookie Draft (No.38) – promoted to senior list 2007
* Tom Lonergan – AFL Rookie Draft (No.50) – promoted to senior list 2007
2007
Adam Donohue – Father/Son selection, AFL Draft (No.60)
Harry Taylor – AFL Draft (No.17)
Dawson Simpson – AFL Draft (No.34)
Scott Simpson – AFL Draft (No.44)
Dan McKenna – AFL Draft (No.50)
Brodie Moles – AFL Rookie Draft (No.16)
Jeremy Laidler – AFL Rookie Draft (No.32)
Chris Kangars – AFL Rookie Draft (No.46)
Shane Mumford – AFL Rookie Draft (No.57)
Notes:
* For players who have been recruited by Geelong or another club more than once, it includes their most recent draft/trade acquisition
* Lonergan was originally drafted in the 2002 AFL Draft (No.23)
