Geelong’s 1999 draft crop will go done in the club’s history as one of its most successful draft years.
The Cats selected a total of seven players and between them they went on to play 1186 games for Geelong, won six Carji Greeves Medals, featured in 12 premierships and received 11 All Australian blazers.
Four names in particular stand out; Joel Corey (pick 8), Paul Chapman (pick 31), Cameron Ling (pick 38) and Corey Enright (pick 47).
Speaking exclusively to Cats Media, former captain Cameron Ling was asked which of Corey, Chapman and Enright forged the better career, but he refused to answer on the grounds that it would “incriminate” and make him “very unpopular” ahead of the quartet’s 10-year premiership reunion next year.
“I played a lot against Chappy between Vic Country and Vic Metro and not that we didn’t like each other but there was some real competitiveness on the field between the Calder Cannons and Geelong Falcons, Country versus Metro and I am thinking ‘what’s this Paul Chapman going to be like’ and turns out ripping bloke,” Ling told Cats media.
“Joel Corey, I didn’t know much of, he was a 17-year-old, a WA boy and then no idea who this kid was Kimba was.
“Had zero clue and it turned out they were all wonderful blokes and incredible footballers, but I refuse to say out of the three who was better.
“All I can say is those three ended up better than me, but I am happy to be number four in that group.”
