AS FAR as draft steals go, Port Adelaide pulled off a heist with Dan Houston.
The classy, long-kicking defender has helped spearhead the Power's remarkable 11-match winning streak and appears to be among the leading frontrunners for a defensive post in this season's All-Australian side.
It's not bad for a player taken with the 45th pick in the 2015 rookie draft.
Speaking on AFL.com.au's trade and draft show Gettable earlier this week, Houston's agent Nick Gieschen from Connors Sports Management documented the Port Adelaide star's journey throughout his draft year.
"He's a great story because he was one of the last picks in the rookie draft," Gieschen said.
"It was really agonising, because he had a good start to the year and played quite well in the champs. He kicked four in a game down in Geelong, then the game after the champs finished I was at Oakleigh that day and he got a significant injury to his hip.
"He basically missed the rest of the season. That, combined with some other things, forced him to slip through the national draft and as we know the rookie draft can be totally random."
Houston has become a mainstay in coach Ken Hinkley's plans, filtering through both defensive and midfield posts to feature in 135 games across eight seasons and emerge as one of the team's most important players.
Port Adelaide rewarded his improvement by moving early to ensure he didn't enter this season as a free agent, signing Houston to a five-year extension last year that will secure his future until at least 2027.
According to Gieschen, the Power had always been among the frontrunners to secure Houston throughout his draft year despite the fact he battled injury and played in a number of different roles.
"I knew they were interested, they were one of the clubs that had interviewed him throughout the year. But there wasn't a heap of interest, just because he'd missed a bit of footy," Gieschen said.
"With Dan, it was where does he play? He'd played a lot of footy as a forward as a bottom-ager, then moved to half-back and then Port was luckily able to take him late. It was agonising, but he's slotted in so well and he's been there a long time now.
"He's extremely happy, he loves the coach and he loves that playing group. He's very happy."
THE BEST ROOKIE PICKS (2015-2020)
- Tom Papley (2015)
- Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (2015)
- Dan Houston (2015)
- Sam Draper (2016)
- Rowan Marshall (2016)
- Cam Zurhaar (2016)
- Jack Henry (2016)
- Oscar McInerney (2016)
- Liam Baker (2017)
- Brody Mihocek (2017)
- Callum Wilkie (2018)
- Jordon Butts (2018)
