Recent AFL Rookie Drafts

It must be a terrible feeling on the National Draft day, when your name doesn’t get called out by any of the officials representing the 16 (now 18) clubs. There is hope a month later though, in the form of the Pre-Season and Rookie drafts. The fact is, most players taken in the latter draft have a small chance of getting a game and actually making a name for themselves, especially compared to their teammates who were taken in the real thing and put straight onto the senior list. But over time each club has unveiled a hidden gem, who have become stars of the competition. But which team gets the most out of their rookies? Let’s cast our eyes back to 2005, and go from there.

2005

Adelaide:

Pick 13: Brad Sugars

Pick 29: Tom Redden

Pick 42: Adrian Bonaddio

Pick 53: Sam Elliot

No games from this group of players, so 2005 was a write-off for the Crows.

Brisbane:

Pick 6: Jason Roe

Pick 22: Leonard Clark

Pick 37: Luke Forsyth

Pick 49: Cheynee Stiller

Could be considered a slight success, Roe played 50 games for the Lions before being delisted, while Stiller is still on the Lions list, having played 76 matches. Clark and Forsyth never saw AFL action.

Carlton:

Pick 1: Ryan Jackson

Pick 17: Craig Flint

Jackson played 9 games between 2006 and 2008, and showed potential, but was moved on.

Collingwood:

Pick 2: Alan Toovey

Pick 18: Daniel Nicholls

Pick 33: Shannon Cox

Toovey is the one that stands out here, becoming a mainstay in the Collingwood defence, and has a premiership medal to his name. Cox played 25 games, but lost the passion and retired. Nicholls played one match in 2007.

Essendon:

Pick 4: Lachlan McKinnon

Pick 20: Heath Hocking

Pick 35: Matthew Firman

Pick 47: Tim O’Keefe

Hocking is the obvious stand out, has rapidly become one of Essendon’s most important players, playing 45 games.

Fremantle:

Pick 7: Paul Duffield

Pick 23: Tony Stribling

Duffield was a major win here, very underrated player at the Dockers and a potential candidate for the next skipper to replace Matthew Pavlich.

Geelong:

Pick 12: Todd Grima

Pick 28: Will Slade

Pick 41: Sam Hunt

Slade played a few games for the Cats in 2002 and 2003, before being delisted. Was redrafted onto the rookie list a couple of years later, and added six games to make it a total of 17. Only action here for Geelong.

Hawthorn:

Pick 3: Luke McEntee

Pick 19: Lukas Markovic

Pick 34: Stephen Gilham

Pick 46: Ben Kane

Pick 55: Ben McGlynn

McEntee and Markovic never played a game in Hawthorn colours, although the hope isn’t over for the latter, who is on the Western Bulldogs rookie list. Gilham is a premiership defender, Kane played a few games before being delisted, and McGlynn is a crucial player at the Swans.

Melbourne:

Pick 9: Jace Bode

Pick 25: Dan Hughes

Pick 39: Shane Neaves

Pick 51: Andre Gianfagna

Bode played 9 games from 2007 to 2008, while the other three were delisted. Hughes was re-rookied prior to the 2010 season.

North Melbourne:

Pick 10: Ed Lower

Pick 26: Djaran Whyman

Despite his injury worries, Lower has become an important and popular player at Arden Street, while Whyman excited fans in 2007 with his sense of a goal, but was delisted.

Port Adelaide:

Pick 11: Thomas Rischbieth

Pick 27: Greg Bentley

Pick 40: Tim Looby

Pick 52: Tom Logan

Bentley played 21 games at the Power before being traded to Carlton, where he failed to have an impact. Logan is the clear standout here, playing 69 games and being an important member to the Power backline.

Richmond:

Pick 5: Angus Graham

Pick 21: Jeremy Humm

Pick 36: Cameron Howat

Not a good draft year for the Tigers in all fields, with Graham the pick of the bunch in the rookies. Howat showed potential, but was unfairly shown the door after 21 games. Humm played 22 games at the Eagles prior to being drafted by Richmond, where he added just one more match.

St Kilda:

Pick 14: Cathal Corr

Pick 30: Dylan Pfitzner

Moving on.

Sydney:

Pick 16: Jonathon Simpkin

Pick 32: James Wall

Pick 45: Paul Currie

Pick 54: Simon Phillips

Pick 57: Kieren Jack

Pick 58: Ed Barlow

Pick 59: Adam Prior

Pick 60: Sam Rowe

Big year in the rookie draft for the Swans. Phillips played 5 games before being delisted, but was recently picked up by the Gold Coast and traded to Port Adelaide. Jack has played 71 matches and is an obvious candidate for the next captain of the Swans, while Barlow showed potential, but was delisted, and is now with the Bulldogs. The rest were never seen in the red and white.

West Coast:

Pick 15: Steven Armstrong

Pick 31: Matthew Priddis

Pick 44: Michael Embley

Armstrong played 36 games at the Eagles and has a premiership medallion, while Priddis is an up and coming leader of a young Eagles midfield.

Western Bulldogs:

Pick 8: Tom Davidson

Never played.

Narrowly winning that round was the Sydney Swans, who have unearthed a young star in the competition, Kieren Jack.

2006

Adelaide:

Pick 14: Andrew McIntyre

Pick 29: James Turner
Pick 43: Rhys Archard

Pick 54: Greg Gallman

Again, no action whatsoever for the Crows.

Brisbane:

Pick 4: Anthony Corrie

Pick 20: Scott Clouston

Pick 35: Daniel Dzufer

Pick 48: Haydn Kiel

Pick 57: Joel Tippett

Pick 61: Will Hamill

Kiel is the only player out of the above list to not see any action, while Tippett never played for the Lions but has been thrown a lifeline by the Suns. Corrie played 22 games before being picked up by Collingwood, and was delisted at the end of last year. Clouston played 2 games, Dzufer managed 1 while Hamill played 3.

Carlton:

Pick 1: Sam Jacobs

Pick 17: Michael Jamison

Pick 32: Ross Young

Jamison is the standout here, having made a name for himself as an underrated defender. Jacobs never played a game before being delisted, but was re-rookied at the end of the 2008 season. Young played 6 games.

Collingwood:

Pick 10: Sharrod Wellingham

Pick 26: Brent Macaffer

Pick 40: Marty Clarke

A very good year at the draft table for the Pies, Wellingham and Macaffer are both premiership players while Clarke returned to Ireland after a short experiment with the AFL.

Essendon:

Pick 2: Dean Dick

Pick 18: Danny Chartres

Pick 33: Adam Ramanauskas

Dick and Chartres never played, while Ramanauskas was rookied while he recovered from cancer. He went on to play a further 33 games before retiring as an inspiration to all AFL players.

Fremantle:

Pick 13: Chris Smith

Pick 28: Andrew Foster

Pick 42: Darren Rumble

Pick 53: Benet Copping

One of the worst drafts in AFL history, Foster managed 9 games before being delisted.

Geelong:

Pick 7: Joel Reynolds

Pick 23: Liam Bedford

Pick 38: Jason Davenport

Pick 50: Tom Lonergan

Davenport has become a feature in the Port Adelaide 22, while Lonergan was rookied after tragically losing a kidney during a game. Since then he has recovered to become a crucial player in the Geelong side.

Hawthorn:

Pick 6: Brett Collins

Pick 22: Matt Suckling

Pick 37: Sam Gibson

All were delisted.

Melbourne:

Pick 12: Daniel Hayes

No games.

North Melbourne:

Pick 3: Leigh Adams

Pick 19: Ben Hughes

Pick 34: Matt Campbell

Pick 47: Timothy Hutchison

Adams is a potential star of the competition, while Campbell is on the edge of the current best 22, but is electrifying when at his best. Hughes and Hutchison went back to the police firm where their last names belong.

Port Adelaide:

Pick 5: Alexander Lee

Pick 21: Gavin Grose

Pick 36: Nathan Batsanis

Pick 49: Peter Hardy

Nothing to see here.

Richmond:

Pick 8: Tasman Clingan

Pick 24: Jake King

King is the obvious candidate here, has transformed himself from a pest of the AFL to a skilful, attacking pest of the league.

St Kilda:

Pick 9: Clint Jones

Pick 25: Luke Van Rheenen

Pick 39: Robert Eddy

Pick 51: James Wall

Pick 58: Jarryn Geary

Pick 62: Jayden Attard

Jones, Eddy and Geary are all at the Saints, the former two played in the 2010 Grand Finals, while Geary is an improving midfielder. Attard played 20 games for the Saints, while Eddy was delisted and re-rookied at the end of the 2010 season.

Sydney:

Pick 15: Nick Smith

Pick 30: Matthew O’Dwyer

Pick 44: Luke Brennan

Pick 55: Matthew Davis

Pick 59: Earl Shaw

Brennan was rookied as a former Hawk, he managed 9 games in the red and white. O’Dwyer and Smith was delisted, but were again redrafted down the track. Davis and Shaw never graced the SCG in an AFL match.

West Coast:

Pick 16: Jamie McNamara

Pick 31: Llane Spaanderman

Pick 45: Chad Jones

Pick 56: Ben Sharp

Pick 60: Ashley Thornton

Pick 64: Beau Wilkes

All of these players have been moved on by the Eagles, Wilkes was delisted but re-rookied a year later, while McNamara managed 19 games. Jones played 7 games, showing potential as a key forward.

Western Bulldogs:

Pick 11: Gavin Hughes

Pick 27: Jarrod Harbrow

Pick 41: Marty Pask

Pick 52: Michael West

Harbrow is a standout in this list of players, he was hotly pursued by the new Gold Coast Suns team, and they got their man. Pask didn’t play a game for the Dogs, but has become a players manager.

Collingwood is the winner here, producing two premiership players who should advance into the top echelon in the AFL in years to come.

2007

Adelaide:

Pick 9: James Moss

Pick 25: Jared Petrenko

Pick 40: Ed Curnow

Pick 52: Brodie Martin

Finally the Crows hit some relative success in the Rookie Draft, with Petrenko and Martin on the seniors list, having both inherited Andrew McLeod’s and Simon Goodwin’s guernsey numbers respectively at the end of the 2010 season. The hope isn’t over for Curnow, who was drafted onto Carlton’s Rookie list last year. Moss never played a game.

Brisbane:

Pick 7: Phil Smith

Pick 23: Pat Garner

Pick 38: Pearce Hanley

The Irishman Hanley has established himself in the Brisbane midfield as a silky user of the ball, and has taken over Justin Sherman’s number 11 jumper after the latter left for the Western Bulldogs last year. Smith and Garner were delisted.

Carlton:

Pick 2: Aaron Joseph

Pick 18: Lachlan Hill

Pick 34: David Ellard

Pick 48: Michael Shields

Joseph has become Carlton’s primary tagger, missing just one game since his debut in 2009, while Ellard resurrected a seemingly dashed AFL career with some strong performances towards the end of the 2010 season.

Collingwood:

Pick 13: Luke Casey-Leigh

Pick 29: Kevin Dyas

You can’t expect Collingwood to hit the Rookie goldmine two years running.

Essendon:

Pick 5: Rhys Magin

Pick 21: Jarrod Atkinson

Both cracked it for senior appearances at the Bombers, with Atkinson playing 17 games, and Magin 4, but both were shown the door at one time or another.

Fremantle:

Pick 6: Brent Connelly

Pick 22: Luke Pratt

Pick 37: Calib Mourish

Pick 50: Ryley Dunn

Dunn was redrafted onto the Rookie list after a year out of footy with the Dockers, while Pratt managed one game in 2009. All have been delisted.

Geelong:

Pick 16: Brodie Moles

Pick 32: Jeremy Laidler

Pick 46: Chris Kangars

Pick 57: Shane Mumford

Kangars never played a game, while the other three have found their way to different clubs, with Mumford being traded to the Swans to become number one ruckman in the Harbour City, Laidler traded to Carlton after 2 games with the Cats, and Moles was picked up by the Bulldogs, where he showed promise as a hard-running midfielder last year.

Hawthorn:

Pick 11: Hugh Sandilands

Pick 27: Tim Walsh

Pick 42: Alex Grima

Pick 54: Cameron Stokes

Stokes played 20 games for the Hawks and showed promise but was shown the door, as were the other three.

Melbourne:

Pick 3: Trent Zomer

Pick 19: Austin Wonaeamirri

Pick 35: Jake Spencer

Pick 49: Shane Valenti

The Dees hit some success in this draft, getting goalsneak Wonaeamirri, who excited fans in his debut year, and looks to consolidate a forward position alongside his mate Liam Jurrah. Spencer is a developing ruckman. Valenti was given the axe, despite some strong performances at the end of 2009, while Zomer never cracked a senior birth.

North Melbourne:

Pick 14: Nathan Grima

Pick 30: Cruize Garlett

Pick 44: Alan Obst

Pick 56: Michael Wundke

Pick 60: James Wilsen

Grima is one of North’s most important players, becoming one of the more underrated defenders in the league, while Garlett hit his straps in the 2010 season as a tackling dynamo. Obst played 3 games before being shown the door, Wundke and Wilsen never made an appearance.

Port Adelaide:

Pick 15: Nick Salter

Pick 31: Daniel Boyle

Pick 45: Ryan Willits

Salter showed promise as a forward, but has since been transformed into an athletic defender. Boyle and Willits were moved on.

Richmond:

Pick 1: Clayton Collard

Pick 17: Jarrod Silvester

Pick 33: Tristan Cartledge

Pick 47: Cameron Howat

Collard was taken off the Fremantle list, but didn’t manage a game. Silvester played 5 matches in 2009, while Cartledge made 2 appearances in the yellow and black. Howat made inroads into becoming a good player at the Tigers in 2007, but was delisted, and rookied. He managed just one more game before his AFL career was cut short.

St Kilda:

Pick 8: Glenn Chivers

Pick 24: Luke Miles

Pick 39: Andrew McQualter

Pick 51: Khan Haretuku

McQualter was delisted and rookied by the Saints at the end of the 2007 season, and since then he’s cemented his position in the side as a defensive forward, featuring in the 2009 and 2010 Grand Finals. Miles played 2 games.

Sydney:

Pick 10: Matthew O’Dwyer

Pick 26: Brendan Murphy

Pick 41: Jake Orreal

Pick 53: Matthew Beckmans

Pick 58: Aaron Bruce

Pick 61: Dean Terlich

O’Dwyer was re-rookied at the end of 2007, and managed to play 7 games between ’08 and ’10 before being shown the door a second time. That was the only real success from this batch of youngsters.

West Coast:

Pick 12: Lewis Stevenson

Pick 28: Ashley Arrowsmith

Pick 43: Will Sullivan

Pick 55: Callum Wilson

Pick 59: Beau Wilkes

Pick 62: Ryan Davis

A bit of success here for the Eagles in a relatively good draft. Stevenson and Wilson have been promoted onto the senior list, with both showing promise at different ends of the ground, Stevenson in defence and Wilson as a full forward. Davis played 14 games for the Eagles, while Wilkes managed 23 matches before being delisted last year. Arrowsmith and Sullivan never played a game for West Coast.

Western Bulldogs:

Pick 4: James Mulligan

Pick 20: Henry White

Pick 36: John Shaw

Mulligan is still with the Bulldogs, but hasn’t played a senior game as of yet. White and Shaw were moved on.

The clear winner is Geelong, with three players still active, but at different clubs, so the 2007 Rookie Draft winner has to belong to another team. That is Carlton, with the selections of Joseph and Ellard.

2008

Adelaide:

Pick 10: Ricky Henderson

Pick 26: Chris Schmidt

Pick 55: Brian Donnelly

The Crows finally have something to show from the Rookie Draft, with Henderson impressing many in 2010 as a forward option, while Schmidt resurrected his career with 13 appearances last year. Donnelly was moved on before making his debut.

Brisbane:

Pick 7: Daniel Murray

Pick 66: Adam Spackman

Pick 77: Daniel Dzufer

Pick 82: Joel Tippett

Dzufer and Tippett were re-drafted, but never played from then on, although the hope isn’t over for Tippett. Murray and Spackman were also delisted.

Carlton:

Pick 6: Jeff Garlett

Pick 22: Luke Stanton

Pick 37: Greg Bentley

Pick 51: Darren Pfeiffer

Pick 65: Lachlan Hill

Pick 76: Sam Jacobs

Garlett is the pick of the bunch here, having played 30 games and impressing as a classy forward. Bentley managed 5 games at his second club, while Jacobs made his debut in 2009 before being traded to the Crows at the end of last year.

Collingwood:

Pick 11: Tristan Francis

Pick 27: Jarryd Blair

Pick 42: Johnny Bennell

Pick 56: Tobias Thoolen

Pick 69: Lachlan Keeffe

Pick 78: Scott Reed

One clear success story here, which lies at the selection of the 174cm Blair. He was included into the rampaging Collingwood side for the Round 14 game against West Coast last year, and held his spot for every week but one on his way to securing a premiership medal. Keeffe and Reed are still on the list but yet to play a game.

Essendon:

Pick 5: Bryce Carroll

Pick 21: Thomas German

Pick 36: Christian Bock

Pick 50: Kade Klemke

Pick 64: Michael Quinn

Klemke was tipped to go to Richmond in the Pre-Season Draft, but they took Ben Cousins instead. He never managed a game at Essendon, in fact only the Irishman Quinn broke through for an appearance, playing 8 games, including a final, in 2009. He’s still on the Essendon list.

Fremantle:

Pick 3: Casey Sibosado

Pick 19: Matthew de Boer
Pick 34: Hamish Shepheard

Pick 48: Clancee Pearce

Pick 62: Jay van Berlo

Pick 74: Greg Broughton

A big win here for the Dockers, uncovering a few players that helped them secure a near-top four finish in 2010. De Boer has made a name for himself as a defensive forward, excelling at the nitty gritty. Pearce has played 14 games, while van Berlo has established himself Fremantle’s tagger. Broughton is a ball magnet and a leader of the Fremantle defence. Sibosado and Shepheard are yet to debut, but are still on the list.

Geelong:

Pick 15: Adam Varcoe

Pick 31: Bryn Weadon

Pick 46: Tom Allright

Pick 60: Ranga Ediriwickrama

All four have been moved on without a senior appearance.

Hawthorn:

Pick 16: Riley Milne

Pick 32: Haydn Kiel

Pick 47: Luke Breust

Pick 61: Carl Peterson

Pick 73: Garry Moss

Pick 81: Matt Suckling

Pick 85: Will Sierakowski

Hawthorn showed faith in Suckling, picking him up after he was delisted at the end of the 2008 season. He’s managed 6 games so far, and is still on the Hawthorn list. Milne has played 2 matches, while Peterson was a success story of 2010 for the Hawks, outstanding many with his athletic capabilities. He was a shock delisting though, as Hawthorn wasn’t happy with his ethic towards his career. Moss was also shown the door after playing 13 games. Breust is still on the list, while Sierakowski and Kiel were delisted.

Melbourne:

Pick 1: Jordie McKenzie

Pick 17: Rhys Healey

Pick 33: Dan Hughes

McKenzie surprised many in 2010, playing 19 games and ranking 12^th in the league in total tackles. Hughes, on his second chance with the Dees, made his debut and played 2 games. Healey was never tried.

North Melbourne:

Pick 9: Marcus White

Pick 25: Luke Delaney

Pick 40: Ben Speight

Pick 54: Alan Obst

Pick 68: Conor Meredith

Obst was re-rookied, and played the last two games of the 2009 season before being delisted last year. Meredith was moved on and went back to Ireland as well. White and Delaney are still on the Rookie list, with the former playing 2 games late in the year in 2010, while Speight impressed enough to be promoted onto the senior list.

Port Adelaide:

Pick 4: Wade Thompson

Pick 20: Danny Meyer

Pick 35: Daniel Stewart

Pick 49: Matthew Martin

Pick 63: Jessie Laurie

Meyer was selected after being delisted by the Tigers, and has since been elevated onto the senior list and played 9 games. Stewart showed promise as a key forward and looks to be a part of Port Adelaide’s future. Thompson played 2 games but was delisted, along with Martin and Laurie.

Richmond:

Pick 8: Robbie Nahas

Pick 24: David Gourdis

Pick 39: Andrew Browne

Pick 53: Alroy Gilligan

Nahas was a revelation in the 2009 season, impressing many with his goal sense, but went backwards last year. Gourdis made his debut late in the season, while Browne will find things hard to consolidate his position as Richmond’s number two ruckman with the new interchange rules. Gilligan was cut at the end of 2010.

St Kilda:

Pick 13: Zac Dawson

Pick 29: Tom Simpkin

Pick 44: Brad Howard

Pick 58: Steve Gaertner

Pick 71: Ross Tungatalum

Pick 80: Sam McGarry

Pick 84: Blake McGrath

Dawson was a massive gamble and it paid out for the Saints, as he has played in all three of St Kilda’s Grand Finals in the past two years. Simpkin is still on the list, while Gaertner walked out on the Saints last month.

Sydney:

Pick 12: Kristin Thornton

Pick 28: Taylor Gilchrist

Pick 43: Kyle Coney

Pick 57: Mike Pyke

Thornton managed 8 games, while the Canadian ruck prospect Pyke has a breakout year in 2010, playing 18 games partnering Mumford in the ruck. Gilchrist and Coney were delisted.

West Coast:

Pick 2: Liam Bedford

Pick 18: Adam Cockie

Bedford was picked up from Geelong, while Cockie managed 7 games before being delisted.

Western Bulldogs:

Pick 14: Jamason Daniels

Pick 30: Liam Picken

Pick 72: Chris Ogle

Daniels and Ogle have been moved on, but Picken has made a name for himself as a tough tagger, having played 43 games since his debut last year. The side lifts in his presence, as shown when he returned from injury last year.

The winner for this year is Fremantle, picking up a good batch of kids who are either in the Dockers’ best 22 or borderline.

2009

Adelaide:

Pick 17: Luke Thompson

Pick 33: Matthew Wright

Pick 46: Matthew Jaensch

Pick 58: Aidan Riley

All four are still on the Crows list, with Jaensch the only one to have made an impact, playing 11 games as a goalsneak.

Brisbane:

Pick 16: Mitchell Golby

Pick 32: Josh Dyson

Pick 67:  Nial McKeever

Pick 74: Sean Yoshiura

Pick 76: Claye Beams

Pick 78: Broc McCauley

Yoshiura was delisted last year, other than that, none of those players have played a game yet but are still on the list.

Carlton:

Pick 15: Jaryd Cachia

Pick 31: Joe Dare

Pick 44: Levi Casboult

Pick 56: Simon White

Pick 66: Josh Donaldson

Pick 73: Zach Tuohy

White is the only one to have made an appearance at senior level, playing 6 games last year, while Casboult made a name for himself for all the wrong reasons. Donaldson was delisted last year.

Collingwood:

Pick 18: Thomas Hunter

Pick 34: Jack Carter

Pick 47: Seamus McNamara

Nothing to see here as of yet, except Carter was delisted last year.

Essendon:

Pick 14: Taite Silverlock

Pick 30: Ben Howlett

Pick 43: Stewart Crameri

Pick 55: Marcus Marigliani

Pick 65: John Williams

Howlett made his debut at the start of the season last year, managing 15 games and impressing as an in and under midfielder, while Crameri and Marigliani both got late season debut’s, with the latter being delisted, as well as Williams.

Fremantle:

Pick 8: Michael Barlow

Pick 24: Alex Silvagni

Huge winners here, despite selecting just two players. We all know the story about Barlow, mature-age rookie who blitzed the competition in the first half of the year to be in Brownlow Medal contentions before a horrendous broken leg ended his season, while Silvagni played 15 games in his debut year, impressing with his versatility.

Geelong:

Pick 21: Jack Weston

Pick 37: Ben Johnson

Pick 50: James Podsiadly

Pick 61: Jesse Stringer

Took a punt with the 28 year old Podsiadly, and it paid huge dividends, with the veteran rookie playing 19 games and kicking 49 goals. Instantly became a fan-favourite not just at Kardinia Park, but in the entire AFL circle. The other three are still on the list, yet to play a game.

Gold Coast:

Pick 1: Daniel Harris

Pick 2: Michael Coad

Pick 3: Sam Iles

Pick 4: Roland Ah Chee

Pick 5: Danny Stanley

The first Rookie Draft in the Gold Coast Suns’ history, with the first five selections they went with a couple of untried boys and a few seasoned bodies who have been in the AFL system before. Harris spent most of his career at North Melbourne before being delisted, while Iles and Stanley were both shown the door by Collingwood. All 5 played in the VFL for the 2010 Season, and were promoted onto the senior list.

Hawthorn:

Pick 13: Wayde Skipper

Pick 29: Jarrod Kayler-Thomson

Pick 42: Michael Johnston

Skipper was taken from the Bulldogs and managed 15 games as the Hawks’ rucks stocks depleted quickly through injury, while Kayler-Thomson impressed throughout the NAB Cup to be awarded with 3 senior games, before both players were delisted, as well as the untried Johnston.

Melbourne:

Pick 6: Michael Newton

Pick 22: John Meesen

Newton and Meesen were both delisted and re-rookied, with the Demons keen on keeping the faith showed in them. Newton managed 4 games in 2010, and was retained for this year, while Meesen was delisted after not playing a game.

North Melbourne:

Pick 9: Majak Daw

Pick 25: Matthew Scott

Daw was always going to be a project player, and is slowly becoming the athletic machine that he was hyped to be. Just needs to develop his football skills. Scott didn’t play a game, but trained hard throughout the year and was retained.

Port Adelaide:

Pick 12: Cameron Hitchcock

Pick 28: Daniel Webb

Pick 41: Cameron Cloke

Pick 54: Glenn Dawson

Pick 64: Daniel Bass

Pick 72: Jordan Johns

Hitchcock is the standout, forcing his way into the Power forward line to play 17 games and become a regular goalkicker. Cloke played 1 game for the Power before he was delisted from his third club, while Johns and Dawson were also given the axe. Bass and Webb are yet to play a game.

Richmond:

Pick 7: Robbie Hicks

Pick 23: Pat Contin

Pick 38: Relton Roberts

Pick 51: Nicholas Westhoff

Pick 62: Graham Polak

Pick 70: James O’Reilly

Polak was rookied after his tragic run-in with a tram in 2008, he managed to play 3 games before retiring, while Relton Roberts was a surprise pick, playing 2 games before losing the passion for the game and retiring. Hicks made a late season debut, as did O’Reilly, while Contin and Westhoff were retained despite not making their debut.

St Kilda:

Pick 20: Mark Hutchings

Pick 36: Daniel Archer

Pick 49: Jarryd Allen

Pick 60: Leigh Fisher

Pick 69: Tommy Walsh

Fisher was relegated to the rookie list, while Allen was as well, but under far different circumstances as he battled with a career-threatening injury. He eventually retired, while Hutchings was delisted. Archer and Walsh remain on the St Kilda list.

Sydney:

Pick 10: Henry Playfair

Pick 63: Chris McKaigue

Pick 71: Nathan Gordon

Pick 75: Dylan McNeil

Playfair was rookied by the Swans and managed 5 games in 2010 before retiring, while the other three are yet to make their debut.

West Coast:

Pick 11: Lewis Broome

Pick 27: Andrew Strijk

Pick 40: Ashton Hams

Pick 53: Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls

Strijk and Hams both made their debut in 2010, playing 10 and 11 games respectively, while Broome and JON were both retained.

Western Bulldogs:

Pick 19: Brodie Moles

Pick 35: Andrew Hooper

Pick 48: Matthew Panos

Pick 59: Eddie Prato

Pick 68: Patrick Rose

Moles impressed a lot during the NAB Cup after being delisted by Geelong, and managed to play 13 games, while Hooper was much-talked about in September when the Bulldogs pulled a surprise move for their Semi-Final match against Sydney, calling in Hooper for his debut game. He kicked a goal and instigated a fight back as the Dogs advanced to the Preliminary Final. Panos and Prato were retained, while Rose was delisted.

Despite selecting just two players, Fremantle take the cake here with the selection of Barlow and Silvagni.

2010

Obviously it’s impossible to tell which team will fare the best in getting the best out of their rookies, but it’s worth noting some of the ex-players taken by other clubs.

-Jonathan Giles, former Port Adelaide ruckman, taken by the Greater Western Sydney Giants.

-Joel Tippett, former Brisbane Lions ruckman, taken by the Gold Coast Suns.

-Ed Curnow, former Adelaide rookie, taken by Carlton.

-Robert Campbell, former Hawthorn premiership ruckman, taken by Melbourne.

As you would’ve read above, some of the players that have come off the Rookie list really does prove that the youngsters overlooked in the National Draft can shape a football club just as much as the player taken with pick one in the main draft.