The Brisbane Lions draft class of 2017 is something akin to an elementary lesson in football geography from the club’s recruiting team. And three years on it is set to deliver an unquestioned “A” in the exam time that the next few seasons will be.

It was 24 November 2017 when the AFL community gathered at the Sydney Showgrounds for the national draft. For the first and only time in club history the Lions, wooden-spooners in 2017, had three picks inside the top 20.

They had picks #1, #15 and #18 after trading Josh Schache to the Western Bulldogs for picks #25 and #40, sending #25 and #20 (the club’s original second-round pick) to Richmond for picks #15 and #52, and accepting pick #18 as compensation for the loss of Tom Rockliff to Port Adelaide.

That was on top of pre-draft deals in which they secured Charlie Cameron from Adelaide for pick #12 and gleefully picked up Luke Hodge effectively in exchange for a late pick that Hawthorn would not even use.

Pick #12 was a carryover from the 2016 draft when clubs could trade future picks for the first time.

It was part of a complicated multi-club deal in which the Lions effectively secured pick #12, originally Port Adelaide’s first-round selection, in return for sending Pearce Hanley to Gold Coast, plus “loose change”.

It is all part of the popular ‘game’ among recruiters and football fanatics of retrospectively analysing trades and  draft selections which can make anyone look smart or silly.

But fast forward 12 months to 2017, to have Cameron locked away and still have three picks inside 20, and there is no doubting then or now it was a veritable masterstroke.

With new List Manager Dom Ambrogio calling the shots in tandem with long-time recruiting chief Steve Conole, the Lions surprised nobody at #1 when they selected Cam Rayner from the Western Jets in the then TAC Cup. A Victorian.

AT #15 the Lions took Zac Bailey, registered with SANFL club Norwood after spending two years at school in Adelaide. But at heart he was from Southern Districts in Darwin. A Territorian with a dash of South Australia.

And at pick #18 they took Brandon Starcevich from East Perth. A West Australian.

Later in the same draft they claimed Toby Wooller from the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup at #41 and Connor Ballenden and Jack Payne at #43 and #54 respectively. A Victorian who didn’t play at AFL level and two Queenslanders.

It was a beautifully executed sting highlighted by the understanding that the club needed to move forward in the draft to get Starcevich at #18 ahead of West Coast, who had picks #21 and #26

It was a glowing endorsement, too, of the national competition and a huge part of the development of a Lions playing list which, after two years of significant improvement, will see the club go into the 2021 AFL season with high expectations.

Critical to the masterplan has been the retention of interstate draftees, topped off by the re-signing of Bailey and Starcevich until the end of the 2024 season after a Rayner contract extension to the end of 2023.

Rayner, Bailey, Starcevich and late season boom player Payne all played in the preliminary final that closed out the 2020 Covid campaign. They loom as likely Round 1 selections this year and key parts of 2021 campaign.

The comparison of drafts year by year is not an exact science due to regular rule changes but going into 2021 many good judges are suggesting the Lions’ draft class of 2017 and the class of 2016, headed by McCluggage, Berry and 2020 Players’ Player of the Year Oscar McInerney, is on track to challenge for the club’s best.

For pure class, popular opinion says that honour sits with the class of 1997, which delivered triple premiership superstars Black (322 games) and Luke Power (282 games), plus dual premiership ruckman Beau McDonald (91 games).

Shane O’Bree, too, loomed as a value pick-up when drafted at #10 between #5 Power and #31 Black. But after 19 games with requested a trade to Collingwood where he played 227 games.

The Lions class of 2000 also had a huge impact. It delivered five premiership players – Ash McGrath (214 games), Jamie Charman (129 game), journeyman Martin Pike (106), the injury-prone Richard Hadley (41 games) and ex-rookie Copeland (143).

Copeland has played most games for the club among rookie picks.

The 1992 draft produced an unlikely trio of 100-gamers - Justin Leppitsch (227 games) and two players claimed in the Pre-Season Draft – Adrian Fletcher (PS4) and Craig McRae (PS22).