AFL Draft
Encyclopedia
The AFL Draft is the annual draft
of new unsigned players by Australian rules football
teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League
.
, introduced in the late 1960s, which had led to a systematic inequality whereby the clubs with the best zones, like Carlton
and Hawthorn
, could dominate over clubs with poorer zones like Melbourne
.
In 1986, the first VFL Draft
was held. The draft saw players tied to zones based on their location of residence, with each club having first call on players falling within that zone. The West Coast Eagles
received access to 35 West Australian players with no more than 6 players from any single WAFL
club, while the Brisbane Bears
received 6 concessionary picks before the other clubs.
as a special assistance rule to aid teams that perform poorly to obtain additional early draft selections. In recent years this has led to accusations that teams that are not in finals contention are happy to lose games at the end of the season to earn the additional selection. In 2005 the AFL changed the rules such that from the 2006 AFL Draft
the priority selection would be awarded between the first and second round, unless the team had performed poorly over two consecutive seasons, in which case it would receive an additional selection before the first round.
when Richmond
finished on the bottom of the ladder but was awarded the second overall pick due to Carlton's
two successive years with less than 4.5 wins. This number 1 pick was a "priority pick" and following this draft choice the order proceeded as normal, with Richmond having the second selection, and Carlton having their second selection at pick number 3 in the draft. The number 1 pick has also been traded before, as seen when Fremantle
traded the number 1 overall pick of the 2001 AFL Draft
to Hawthorn
for Trent Croad
.
Despite the expectations of the number 1 pick, not all have forged successful VFL/AFL careers. Adam Cooney
, the first pick of the 2003 AFL Draft
was the first #1 draft pick to be awarded the prestigious Brownlow Medal
in 2008. In the same year, Luke Hodge
, the #1 pick in 2001, won the Norm Smith Medal
with Hawthorn.
The following is a list of the number 1 overall draft picks since the draft's inception in 1986
. Adelaide, Essendon
, North Melbourne
, and Port Adelaide
are the only clubs currently in the AFL
never to have had the first overall selection of an AFL Draft.
Some of the most successful players (having achieved 100 or more games or 100 goals) from the rookie system include:
. Notable examples are Irish Tommy Walsh
of St Kilda; Canadian Mike Pyke
of Sydney
, a former rugby union international
; and American
Seamus McNamara
, a former college basketball
player who has been rookie listed by Collingwood
.
In 2006, the AFL introduced a new scheme where clubs can maintain 2 international rookies (excluding Irish players) outside of the regular rookie list.
Draft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
of new unsigned players by Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
History
When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League (VFL), the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order. This was introduced as an equalisation strategy in response to the increasing transfer fees and player salaries at the time, which in combination with declining attendances, threatened to derail the league. It was also a result of the failure of country zoningZoning (Australian rules football)
In Australian rules football, zoning refers to a system whereby a given area, either region or lower-level football league, is reserved exclusively for one club....
, introduced in the late 1960s, which had led to a systematic inequality whereby the clubs with the best zones, like Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, could dominate over clubs with poorer zones like Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
.
In 1986, the first VFL Draft
1986 VFL Draft
The 1986 VFL Draft was the first formal draft to provide recruitment opportunities to clubs participating in Australian rules football's elite Victorian Football League...
was held. The draft saw players tied to zones based on their location of residence, with each club having first call on players falling within that zone. The West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
received access to 35 West Australian players with no more than 6 players from any single WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
club, while the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
received 6 concessionary picks before the other clubs.
Draft
In the AFL Draft, clubs receive picks based on the position in which they finish on the ladder during the season. The draft is held each year at the end of November, to allow the draftees to finish their school examinations before being drafted.Eligibility
Currently to be eligible for the draft, a player must be at least 17 years of age on or before 30 April in the year in which they are drafted. This has been slowly increased over the past few years due to concerns about school age players potentially having to leave home to play football in another state. For the 2009 draft the eligibility age has been increased by 4 months so players must be 18 on 31 December in the year in which they are drafted. Meaning that players who turn 18 during their first months of Year 12 will be able to finish studying without the pressure of AFL.Priority draft pick rule
The priority draft picks were first introduced in the 1993 AFL Draft1993 AFL Draft
The 1993 AFL Draft consisted of a mid-season draft, a national draft at the end of the season and a Pre-season draft, held before the 1994 AFL season....
as a special assistance rule to aid teams that perform poorly to obtain additional early draft selections. In recent years this has led to accusations that teams that are not in finals contention are happy to lose games at the end of the season to earn the additional selection. In 2005 the AFL changed the rules such that from the 2006 AFL Draft
2006 AFL Draft
The 2006 AFL Draft is a recent national draft of the Australian Football League. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League....
the priority selection would be awarded between the first and second round, unless the team had performed poorly over two consecutive seasons, in which case it would receive an additional selection before the first round.
Father-son rule
To continue the traditions of association that a family has with a particular club, sons of former players are able to be selected by the same club as their father played with under the Father-Son Rule. The main eligibility requirements is that the sons father must have played 100 games for that club, although there are some variations in place for non-Victorian based clubs. Originally they were selected as pre-draft selections, then the rules were changed to force the clubs to use a third round draft selection to draft the son. Currently there is a bidding system, where any team that wishes to draft a son must allow all other clubs to bid for him, and then match the bid with their next available selection.Number 1 draft picks
The number 1 draft pick is currently awarded to the team that has earnt the rights to it through the drafting rules. Generally, the bottom-placed team will have the first selection, however when a team wins less than 4.5 wins in two consecutive seasons (the .5 being considered a draw), then it is awarded the number 1 pick of the second year, regardless of whether the team finished bottom of the ladder or not. This was the case in the 2007 AFL Season2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
when Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
finished on the bottom of the ladder but was awarded the second overall pick due to Carlton's
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
two successive years with less than 4.5 wins. This number 1 pick was a "priority pick" and following this draft choice the order proceeded as normal, with Richmond having the second selection, and Carlton having their second selection at pick number 3 in the draft. The number 1 pick has also been traded before, as seen when Fremantle
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
traded the number 1 overall pick of the 2001 AFL Draft
2001 AFL Draft
The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83...
to Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
for Trent Croad
Trent Croad
Trent Eric Croad is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .During his 222 game AFL career, he achieved some of the Australian Football League's highest honours including an AFL premiership medallion, All-Australian selection, representing...
.
Despite the expectations of the number 1 pick, not all have forged successful VFL/AFL careers. Adam Cooney
Adam Cooney
Adam Cooney is an Australian rules footballer, playing for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. Cooney, recruited from West Adelaide in the SANFL, won the 2008 Brownlow Medal with 24 votes becoming the 10th Footscray/Western Bulldog player to win the AFL's highest individual honor.He attended...
, the first pick of the 2003 AFL Draft
2003 AFL Draft
The 2003 AFL Draft was the 2003 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League...
was the first #1 draft pick to be awarded the prestigious Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
in 2008. In the same year, Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
, the #1 pick in 2001, won the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
with Hawthorn.
The following is a list of the number 1 overall draft picks since the draft's inception in 1986
1986 VFL Draft
The 1986 VFL Draft was the first formal draft to provide recruitment opportunities to clubs participating in Australian rules football's elite Victorian Football League...
. Adelaide, Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
, and Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
are the only clubs currently in the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
never to have had the first overall selection of an AFL Draft.
| Draft | Player | Selected by | Recruited from | League recruited from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 1986 VFL Draft The 1986 VFL Draft was the first formal draft to provide recruitment opportunities to clubs participating in Australian rules football's elite Victorian Football League... |
Brisbane Bears Brisbane Bears The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995... |
Port Adelaide Magpies Port Adelaide Magpies The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League... |
SANFL South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.... |
|
| 1987 1987 VFL Draft The 1987 VFL Draft was the second draft to provide recruitment opportunities to clubs participating in Australian rules football's elite Victorian Football League. Held after the end of the 1987 season, it consisted only of the National Draft itself.... |
Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
Central District | SANFL South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.... |
|
| 1988 1988 VFL Draft The 1988 VFL National Draft was the third annual National draft held by the Victorian Football League . It consisted of a pre-season draft and a national draft.... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
Ballarat YCW Lake Wendouree Football Club The Lake Wendouree Football Club competes in the Ballarat Football League. The club, known as The Lakers was a result of a merger of the Wendouree Football Club and the Ballarat YCW Football Club at the end of 1994. Lake Wendouree Football Club competed in the Ballarat Football League for the first... |
Ballarat Football League Ballarat Football League The Ballarat Football League is an Australian rules football competition that operates in the Ballarat region of Victoria, Australia.The competition formed in 1893 as the Ballarat Football Association and was renamed Ballarat Football League in 1908 and was briefly known as the Ballarat-Wimmera... |
|
| 1989 1989 VFL Draft The 1989 VFL Draft was the fourth annual National Draft held by the Victorian Football League as the main method for the 14 teams to recruit players for the 1990 season. It consisted of a trading period, pre-draft selections, the main national draft and the 1990 pre-season draft and a... |
Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
Won Wron Woodside Football Club | Alberton Football League Alberton Football League The Alberton Football League is an Australian rules football league covering the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia.-History:The Alberton Football League was formed in 1946, replacing the earlier Alberton Football Association, and comprised eight clubs—Carrajung, Devon, Foster, Ramblers,... |
|
| 1990 1990 AFL Draft The 1990 AFL Draft was the 5th annual draft of Australian rules footballers to the 14 clubs in the Australian Football League. It consisted of the national draft held at the end of the 1990 season, the pre-season draft, held before 1991 AFL season and a mid-season draft.Clubs receive picks based... |
Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... |
East Perth East Perth Football Club The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1991 1991 AFL Draft - History :When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League , the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order... |
Brisbane Bears Brisbane Bears The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995... |
Claremont Claremont Football Club The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold.... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1992 1992 AFL Draft The 1992 AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League... |
West Coast Eagles West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
Subiaco Subiaco Football Club The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1993 1993 AFL Draft The 1993 AFL Draft consisted of a mid-season draft, a national draft at the end of the season and a Pre-season draft, held before the 1994 AFL season.... |
Sydney | South Fremantle South Fremantle Football Club The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1994 1994 AFL Draft The 1994 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1994 there... |
Fremantle Fremantle Football Club The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia... |
Dandenong Stingrays Dandenong Stingrays The Dandenong Stingrays are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league called the TAC Cup.1992 saw the birth of the ‘Southern Stingrays’ and they were developed under the leadership of Steve Kennedy and Ron Roach with the home base located at the Ben Kavanagh Reserve,... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 1995 1995 AFL Draft The 1995 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1995 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football clubs that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based... |
Fremantle Fremantle Football Club The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia... |
Port Adelaide Magpies Port Adelaide Magpies The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League... |
SANFL South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.... |
|
| 1996 1996 AFL Draft The 1996 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based... |
West Coast Eagles West Coast Eagles The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval... |
Claremont Claremont Football Club The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold.... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1997 1997 AFL Draft The 1997 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1997 Australian Football League season. A pre-season draft was also held prior to the 1998 season.... |
Melbourne Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria.... |
Dandenong Stingrays Dandenong Stingrays The Dandenong Stingrays are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league called the TAC Cup.1992 saw the birth of the ‘Southern Stingrays’ and they were developed under the leadership of Steve Kennedy and Ron Roach with the home base located at the Ben Kavanagh Reserve,... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 1998 1998 AFL Draft The 1998 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1998 there... |
Brisbane Lions Brisbane Lions The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996... |
Subiaco Subiaco Football Club The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle... |
WAFL West Australian Football League The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League... |
|
| 1999 1999 AFL Draft The 1999 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1999 there... |
Collingwood Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... |
Murray Bushrangers Murray Bushrangers Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2000 2000 AFL Draft The 2000 AFL Draft was the annual draft of talented Australian rules football players by teams that participate in the Australian Football League. It consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation.... |
St Kilda | Southport Sharks | QAFL Queensland Australian Football League The Queensland Australian Football League was an Australian rules football competition for clubs from South East Queensland.Up until 2010, the QAFL was the premier semi-professional competition in Queensland, with salary cap rules and regulations in place.It was previously known as the Queensland... |
|
| 2001 2001 AFL Draft The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83... |
Hawthorn Hawthorn Football Club The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys... |
Geelong Falcons Geelong Falcons The Geelong Falcons are a junior Australian rules football representative club in the TAC Cup competition, Victoria, Australia.The club takes in talented junior players from the Geelong, Colac and Warrnambool regions in order to groom them for AFL selection... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2002 2002 AFL Draft The 2002 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and the elevation of rookies. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 2002... |
St Kilda | Gippsland Power | TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2003 2003 AFL Draft The 2003 AFL Draft was the 2003 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League... |
Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne... |
West Adelaide West Adelaide Football Club West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in... |
SANFL South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.... |
|
| 2004 2004 AFL Draft The 2004 AFL Draft, concerning player acquisitions in the 2004/05 Australian Football League off-season, consisted of a trade period, a national draft, a pre-season draft, and the elevation of rookies... |
Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
Murray Bushrangers Murray Bushrangers Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2005 2005 AFL Draft The 2005 AFL Draft was the 2005 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.The 2005 Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
Oakleigh Chargers Oakleigh Chargers The Oakleigh Chargers are an Australian rules football club playing in the TAC Cup, an under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based at Warrawee Park in Oakleigh, Victoria, representing the southeastern suburban area of Melbourne... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2006 2006 AFL Draft The 2006 AFL Draft is a recent national draft of the Australian Football League. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
Glenelg | SANFL South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia.... |
|
| 2007 2007 AFL Draft The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :... |
Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
Northern Knights Northern Knights The Northern Knights are an Australian rules football club playing in the TAC Cup, an under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based in Preston, representing the northern suburban area of Melbourne.... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2008 2008 AFL Draft The 2008 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2008/09 Australian Football League off-season. These were Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft... |
Melbourne Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria.... |
Sandringham Dragons | TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
|
| 2009 2009 AFL Draft The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as... |
Melbourne Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria.... |
Dandenong Stingrays Dandenong Stingrays The Dandenong Stingrays are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league called the TAC Cup.1992 saw the birth of the ‘Southern Stingrays’ and they were developed under the leadership of Steve Kennedy and Ron Roach with the home base located at the Ben Kavanagh Reserve,... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
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| 2010 2010 AFL Draft The 2010 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2010/11 Australian Football League off-season. These are the Trade Week; held between , the National Draft; held on the , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .This is the first national draft to feature the... |
Gold Coast | East Fremantle Football Club East Fremantle Football Club The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval... |
WAFL | |
| 2011 2011 AFL Draft The 2011 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2011/12 Australian Football League off-season.They are:*Trade Week; which will be held between... |
Greater Western Sydney | Eastern Ranges Eastern Ranges The Eastern Ranges are an Australian rules football team in the TAC Cup.The club is a founding member of the TAC Cup competition and has produced several players for the Australian Football League including Nick Malceski, David Wirrpanda, Jess Sinclair, Damian Cupido, Lindsay Gilbee, Travis Cloke,... |
TAC Cup TAC Cup The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions.... |
Rookie draft
Held at the same time as the pre-season draft, the rookie draft is a chance for clubs to recruit players under 23 for their Rookie list. Rookies are usually picked as young, developing players and can be elevated from the rookie list during the year, if there is a long term injury or retirement to a senior player in the team. Once the rookie is elevated, he remains that way until the end of the year, where they can be officially upgraded to the senior list, or kept on as a second year rookie, or delisted/not offered a new contract. Most teams have 6 rookies, but Brisbane and Sydney have more, and other teams may have more or less depending on the number of veterans on their list.Some of the most successful players (having achieved 100 or more games or 100 goals) from the rookie system include:
- Nathan BassettNathan BassettNathan "Fred" Bassett is a former Australian rules footballer for the Adelaide Football Club of the Australian Football League....
- Dean Cox
- Quinten LynchQuinten LynchQuinten Peter Lynch is a West Coast Eagles Australian rules footballer. He mainly plays at full forward and centre half forward, and is a regular goal-kicker.-Career:...
- Chad FletcherChad FletcherChad Fletcher is an Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League .-Early career:...
- Aaron DaveyAaron DaveyAaron Davey is a professional Australian rules football player of Indigenous Australian heritage. He currently plays for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
- Mark JohnsonMark Johnson (footballer)Mark 'MJ' Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club and Fremantle in the AFL.-Early life:Johnson is commonly known as "Mr...
- Brett KirkBrett KirkBrett Kirk is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans, and is known colloquially as "Kirky", "Captain Kirk", during the 2005 AFL Finals Series, "Captain Blood" and by teammates as "Hippy". Kirk is a hard working and onfield leader who has played in a premiership with the...
- Tarkyn LockyerTarkyn LockyerTarkyn Lockyer is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :...
- Nick MaxwellNick MaxwellNick Maxwell is an Australian rules football player and current captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :...
- James McDonaldJames McDonald (footballer)James McDonald is an Australian rules footballer, currently contracted to in the Australian Football League . He previously played for and captained the Melbourne Football Club.- Career :...
- Mal MichaelMal MichaelMalcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the...
- Russell RobertsonRussell RobertsonRussell "Robbo" Robertson is a professional Australian rules footballer, who last played for the Melbourne Football Club....
- Ben RuttenBen RuttenBenjamin "Truck" Rutten is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League . He is known for his size, strength and ability to contain some of the game's best forwards....
- Brad SewellBrad SewellBrad Sewell is an Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League . He was selected with pick number 6 in the Rookie Draft in 2003...
- Matthew BoydMatthew BoydMatthew Boyd is an Australian rules football player who has come through the Western Bulldogs' rookie list, debuting in 2003. Prior to that he had played for Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup and Frankston in the VFL...
- Dale MorrisDale MorrisDale Morris is an Australian rules footballer who currently plays for the Western Bulldogs.Morris spent four years playing for Werribee Football Club in the Victorian Football League before being added to the Bulldogs' rookie list in the 2004 Rookie Draft...
- Nathan BockNathan BockNathan Bock is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League . He played for the Adelaide Football Club between 2002 and 2010, and announced in August 2010 that he would join the new Gold Coast Football Club in 2011.-Adelaide career:He was elevated off the Adelaide Football...
- Max Rooke
- Matthew Egan
- Shannon ByrnesShannon ByrnesShannon Byrnes is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Career:...
- Aaron SandilandsAaron SandilandsAaron Sandilands is an Australian rules footballer. At 211 cm tall and weighing 122 kg , he is the heaviest and equal tallest player in the history of the game...
- Roger HaydenRoger HaydenRoger Hayden is a former Australian rules footballer. He played as a back pocket for the Fremantle Football Club after beginning his senior football career with South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League ....
- Harry O'Brien
International rookies
Rookies are also available to be selected from overseas countries and players on the list do not count towards the salary capSalary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
. Notable examples are Irish Tommy Walsh
Tommy Walsh (Kerry footballer)
Tommy Walsh is an Irish sportsman who is currently playing Australian Football in the Australian Football League with the Sydney Swans. He has played Gaelic football at club level with the Kerins O'Rahilly's club team and at inter-county level with the Kerry senior football team...
of St Kilda; Canadian Mike Pyke
Mike Pyke
Michael Anthony Patrick Pyke is a Canadian dual-code football player.He is best known in his homeland as a rugby union player, who played for Canada's national side and French Top 14 squad US Montauban.Pyke is currently a professional Australian rules footballer with the Sydney Swans.-Early...
of Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, a former rugby union international
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
; and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Seamus McNamara
Seamus McNamara
Seamus 'Shae' McNamara is an American born Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .McNamara signed a two year international rookie contract and was selected by the Collingwood Football Club in the 2009 AFL Rookie Draft at pick #47.Collingwood discovered McNamara, who played...
, a former college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
player who has been rookie listed by Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
.
In 2006, the AFL introduced a new scheme where clubs can maintain 2 international rookies (excluding Irish players) outside of the regular rookie list.