The former North Ballarat ruckman was the main talking point of the night after the Cats picked him late in the draft, but there were in fact two seasoned veterans in their 30s who came after him.
Not that either were a surprise - GWS took former Demon James McDonald at pick 87, while St Kilda re-drafted Jason Blake as part of list management maneuvering to get Justin Koschitzke on the veterans list.
Blake's re-drafting was completely expected and passed without any fanfare, much like the rest of his career.
That career is about to reach a major milestone. At a time when most draftees would be just seeking their first AFL game, the Saints' round one clash against Port Adelaide will be Blake's 200th appearance at AFL level - provided he plays.
It is a significant milestone in a surprisingly low-key career that is about to embark on its 13th year.
Drafted by St Kilda with the 24th pick at the National Draft, Blake was one of five players from Beaumaris in bayside Melbourne to be picked up by an AFL team in the 1999 draft.
David Spriggs (Geelong), Cameron Bruce (Melbourne), Mark Ainley (North Melbourne) and Murray Pitts (St Kilda) were the others.
Despite living in close proximity to St Kilda's home base in Moorabbin, Blake grew up an Essendon supporter with Tim Watson's no. 32 on his back.
As fate would have it, Watson was Blake's first AFL coach, albeit only for a year.
It is 12 years since Watson left the Saints but he said he only had fond memories of the teenager trying to make his way in the AFL world.
"He was a good kid, Jason, he was always diligent. He wanted to work hard and he was no trouble at all as a young player," Watson told the AFL Record.
Watson's involvement in the AFL these days is as a media commentator and as parent of Essendon captain Jobe. But he says he still takes particular interest in the players he had a hand in recruiting to St Kilda in his two years at the club.
"You keep an eye on them probably more acutely than you do other players," he said.
"He has played a lot of football, Jason. He's done a really good job and he's been able to adapt to different roles. The thing that really stood out for him in the bits and pieces we uncovered about him was how big an engine he had for a guy of his size. He had an elite midfield engine so he was always going to be able to adapt in a physical sense to the modern game."
For so long a consistent, certain selection in St Kilda's side, Blake carries the unwanted record of the most AFL games played without winning a single Brownlow vote, even though some of his performances were more than worthy over the past 12 years.
His versatility has seen him used in a variety of roles not normally associated with a player of his size. Most players standing 189cm and weighing 90kg wouldn't normally be required to play on monster full forwards or go up in ruck contests.
But it is a role he has cultivated and made his own, to the point where it is hard to think of any similar-sized player with the same job description.
"Playing in the ruck is not about his stoppage work, it's about his capacity to be able to run, link up and use him as a midfield type player so he has been able to fill that role too," Watson said.
Blake has been selected on an extended interchange bench for St Kilda's game against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
Should he play, his role in his 200th game could have him lined up on young forward gun John Butcher, rucking against the 205cm Jarrad Redden or running alongside first-gamer Chad Wingard.
There is nothing predictable about any role Blake might play, but the effort and intensity is always guaranteed.
Luke Holmesby covers St Kilda news for AFL Media. Follow him on twitter - @AFL_Luke
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
