Gary Ablett jnr and Gary Ablett snr embrace after Geelong defeated St Kilda in the 2009 Toyota AFL Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos

THE FINN Maginness hype-o-meter went into overdrive this week as the first-year running machine outlasted Hawthorn's time trial king Isaac Smith.

Maginness' is a familiar father-son storyline, even though history tells us to be wary in these cases.

The son of dual Hawks premiership defender Scott was their second pick (No.29 overall) in last year's NAB AFL Draft, once they matched North Melbourne's bid on him.

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That followed Maginness being the standout performer at the NAB AFL Draft Combine and him putting together an impressive NAB League campaign for the Sandringham Dragons.

The 18-year-old was one of three father-son draftees, including Port Adelaide pair Trent Burgoyne (son of Peter) and Jackson Mead (son of Darren), to bolster the League's active tally to 30.

Maginness is just the fourth father-son selection in Hawthorn's history, with the Langford brothers – Will and Lachie, sons of club great Chris – nabbed separately in the rookie draft.

None of the previous three was particularly successful, at least at the Hawks: Steven Greene played 42 games, Travis Tuck 20 and Josh Kennedy just 13.

Kennedy, of course, was traded to Sydney in 2009 and became one of the game's best midfielders across 233 more games – and counting.

Josh Kennedy (centre) with grandfather John Kennedy snr (left) and John Kennedy jnr (right). Picture: AFL Phots

He co-captains the Swans, finished third in the 2017 Brownlow Medal, has won three club best and fairests, was a pivotal part of the 2012 premiership and also made three All-Australian teams.

Kennedy is one of 31 father-son draftees to play 100-plus games, out of the 99 whose AFL dream was achieved via this route.

He joins Rhyce Shaw, Sean Dempster, Nick Davis, Brett Peake, Tom Mitchell, David Sierakowski and David Clarke in reaching the milestone at a second club.

Jarrod Molloy is technically a different case, because Fitzroy merged with Brisbane and his century of matches came between them, before he also played for Collingwood.

Essendon legend Dustin Fletcher is all concentration. Picture: AFL Photos
FATHER-SON SELECTIONS TO PLAY 100+ GAMES

PLAYER

CLUB/S

GAMES

FATHER

Dustin Fletcher

Essendon

400

Ken Fletcher

Gary Ablett jnr*

Geelong/Gold Coast

235/110 (345)

Gary Ablett snr

Heath Shaw*

Collingwood/GWS

173/135 (308)

Ray Shaw

Matthew Scarlett

Geelong

284

John Scarlett

Matthew Richardson

Richmond

282

Alan G. Richardson

Ben Cousins

West Coast/Richmond

238/32 (270)

Bryan Cousins

Joel Bowden

Richmond

265

Michael Bowden

Tom Hawkins*

Geelong

256

Jack Hawkins

Jonathan Brown

Brisbane

256

Brian Brown

Travis Cloke

Collingwood/Western Bulldogs

246/10 (256)

David Cloke

Josh Kennedy*

Hawthorn/Sydney

13/233 (246)

John Kennedy jnr

Jarrad Waite

Carlton/North Melbourne

184/60 (244)

Vin Waite

Ashley McIntosh

West Coast

242

John McIntosh

Rhyce Shaw

Collingwood/Sydney

94/143 (237)

Ray Shaw

Luke Darcy

Western Bulldogs

226

David Darcy

Sean Dempster

Sydney/St Kilda

54/168 (222)

Graham Dempster

Jobe Watson

Essendon

220

Tim Watson

Lance Whitnall

Carlton

216

Graeme Whitnall

Jarrod Molloy

Fitzroy/Brisbane Lions/Collingwood

59/61/49 (169)

Shane Molloy

Nick Davis

Collingwood/Sydney

71/97 (168)

Craig Davis

Brett Ebert

Port Adelaide

166

Russell Ebert

Mitch Wallis*

Western Bulldogs

133

Steven Wallis

Tom Liberatore*

Western Bulldogs

132

Tony Liberatore

Lachie Hunter*

Western Bulldogs

128

Mark Hunter

Jack Viney*

Melbourne

119

Todd Viney

Brett Peake

Fremantle/St Kilda

75/43 (118)

Brian Peake

Tom Mitchell*

Sydney/Hawthorn

65/46 (111)

Barry Mitchell

Luke McDonald*

North Melbourne

109

Donald McDonald

Joe Daniher*

Essendon

104

Anthony Daniher

David Sierakowski

St Kilda/West Coast

93/10 (103)

Brian Sierakowski

David A. Clarke

Geelong/Carlton

89/12 (101)

David E. Clarke

*current player

However, the reality is the high expectations on father-son draftees, especially the offspring of champions, don't align with the numbers.

That's despite clubs having an extended period to weigh up whether they want access or not to eligible sons of guns.

Travis Cloke was just one of David Cloke's three sons to play AFL. Picture: AFL Photos

The crop above were mostly hits, while others such as Darcy Moore (71 matches) and Jed Bews (83) – both of whom will likely reach 100 and beyond – are also success stories.

Yet 11 of them came and went without a senior appearance; Simon Fletcher played 90 games overall but none originally for the Cats; and another five active father-sons, excluding the new batch, also haven't debuted.

Another 16 who did play a game managed only 15 matches or fewer before departing.

Jobe Watson with father and fellow Essendon legend Tim Watson. Picture: AFL Photos

So, the evidence suggests it's only slightly more likely a father-son draftee will play triple-digit games rather than sub-15.

Maginness may well be the footballer who breaks the father-son mould for Hawthorn and becomes a quality contributor for the next decade.

Then again, he might not.