There are a dozen players since 2000 who have played in a premiership in their first year with a new club. Sydney's Lance Franklin is bidding to become the thirteenth.
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Brian Lake 2013 (WB to Haw)
Famously brought to Waverley Park by coach Alastair Clarkson at the end of 2012 to battle 'gorillas' in the forward lines of opposing teams, not even Clarkson could have envisaged how successful he would be. Not only did Lake fix up a glaring deficiency down back for the Hawks in his first season, but he also won the Norm Smith Medal.
Jonathan Simpkin 2013 (Geel to Haw)
After being discarded at the end of 2012, Hawthorn swooped to sign him as a delisted free agent. Simpkin was handy in 13 home-and-away games in 2013 but was dropped in Round 20. A twist of fate saw him earn a reprieve in the grand final as the starting sub after Brendan Whitecross injured his knee a week before the big dance.
Mitch Morton 2012 (Rich to Syd)
His career looked over at the end of 2011 before Sydney came a-knocking with a lifeline and secured his services for the paltry price of draft pick No.79. Morton had to wait until Round 21 to make his Swans debut but he played five of the last six games to become an unlikely premiership player. H had an impact in the grand final with two important goals.
Luke Ball 2010 (StK to Coll)
After tasting ultimate defeat in 2009 as part of the all-conquering St Kilda side that fell at the last hurdle against Geelong, the former Saints captain was picked up by Collingwood in the 2009 draft. He would go on to be part of the team that denied St Kilda premiership glory for a second consecutive year.
Darren Jolly 2010 (Syd to Coll) and 2005 (Melb to Syd)
How lucky is this bloke? Since 2000 he is the only footballer to enjoy instant premiership success at his new club on two occasions! In the first instance he helped Sydney break its famous 72-year premiership drought and in the second was a key player in delivering the Magpies their 15th flag.
Stuart Dew 2008 (PA to Haw)
Another inspired Clarkson recruit. Dew retired from footy at the end of 2006 and in 2007 went travelling around the US where his bodyweight reportedly ballooned to 120kg. But a rigorous fitness program got him back into shape and the bulky midfielder returned from the footy wilderness to play a significant role in the Hawks' upset grand final win against Geelong with a pair of goals that all but ended the contest late in the third term.
Steven Armstrong 2006 (Melb to WC)
West Coast picked him up in the 2006 rookie draft after Melbourne delisted him. He didn't debut for the Eagles until Round 13 but hardly missed a game thereafter and kicked a spectacular goal from the boundary in the Eagles' thrilling one-point grand final win. An even better story given his leg was injured in the 2002 Bali Bombing.
Josh Mahoney 2004 (WB to PA)
After four years at AFL level (two with both Collingwood and the Bulldogs), Mahoney was cut by the Dogs at the end of 2000. The brave utility then spent three years in the VFL before the Power took a punt on him and enabled him to be a part of Port Adelaide's inaugural premiership team.
Blake Caracella 2003 (BL to Ess)
Squeezed out of Essendon due to salary cap restraints, the skilled link-man was fortunate enough to land on his feet at the mighty Brisbane Lions who had just won back-to-back flags. And luckily for Caracella, the Lions' premiership-winning ways didn't end in 2002.
Mal Michael 2001 (Coll to BL)
The precocious defender's four-year stay at Collingwood ended at the end of 2000 courtesy of a trade to Brisbane that saw Jarrod Molloy wind up at Victoria Park. Little did he know at the time but he would go on to be immortalised as a member of the Lions' famous three-peat teams.
Martin Pike 2001 (NM to BL)
After being deemed surplus to requirements at Arden St, and overlooked by 13 other clubs at the 2000 AFL Draft, the Lions selected the premiership Kangaroo with pick 33. The star defender repaid the faith shown in him in spades by adding another three premiership medals to his trophy cabinet in his first three years at the Gabba.
John Barnes 2000 (Geel to Ess)
Barnes returned to Windy Hill after eight seasons and three losing grand finals with Geelong to fill a big hole in the Bombers' ruck division. He would go on to be one of the feel-good stories of Essendon's history-making 2000 premiership team. One of the most memorable sights of the 2000 Grand Final was of him tearfully embracing great mate Dean Wallis after the final siren sounded.
