Rookie Draft preview

[pahoffm]

Rookie Draft preview
4:19:34 PM Mon 12 December, 2005
Matt Burgan
Sportal for afl.com.au

http://afl.com.au/?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=240336

A total of 60 selections will be on offer at this year's NAB AFL Rookie Draft on Tuesday, giving youngsters the opportunity to potentially forge or continue an AFL career.

Although it's unlikely that all 60 picks will be utilised - expect 40 to 50 players to be selected - it is now a significant draft for AFL clubs.

Some of the 18 year olds that were overlooked in November that are likely to figure prominently in the Rookie Draft - or possibly even the Pre-Season Draft - include Jace Bode (Sturt), Angus Graham (Calder Cannons), Todd Grima (Northern Bombers), Sam Iles (Clarence), Ryan Jackson (Northern Knights), Tom Looby (Murray Bushrangers), Luke McEntee (North Adelaide), Tom Rischbieth (Sturt), Matthew Thomas (Sandringham Dragons) and Alan Toovey (Claremont).

Ever since triple premiership player Mal Michael became the first 'rookie' to play an AFL match in 1997, the system has blossomed into an important vehicle for clubs to access players outside of the mainstream NAB AFL Draft held in November.


And a number of players selected in the Rookie Draft are playing in the AFL just months after they are claimed in this meeting.

Bulldog Dale Morris can testify to that after he was drafted last December, before playing 17 AFL matches in 2005. He also went on to represent Australia - with distinction - against Ireland in this year's International Rules Series.

Not only does it offer youngsters an opportunity to gain a place on an AFL list, it also allows clubs to nurture and develop youngsters with a view to finding potential senior-listed players at cost-effective price.

It might be a player overlooked in the November NAB AFL Draft, a delisted AFL player, a 'mature' state-based player or that ever elusive 'smoky'. And the 'smoky' is still alive and well in the drafting process. Just ask St Kilda recruiting manager John Beveridge, who selected James Gwilt and Justin Sweeney in past two main drafts.

The Rookie Draft has been so beneficial to some clubs in recent times that there is a theory among the industry that it is almost as important as the main draft.

The belief is that if clubs have late picks in the November draft, then it is almost the equivalent of having early selections in the Rookie Draft. The only difference is that the rookies can be acquired at a bargain-basement price.

And when you consider Nathan Bassett, Dean Cox, Aaron Davey, Chad Fletcher, Mark Johnson, Tadhg Kennelly, Brett Kirk, Stephen Milne, Russell Robertson and Ben Rutten were originally rookies - it only further emphasises the importance of this meeting.

In many respects, this is a great opportunity for recruiting managers to think outside of the square, take a punt or back their ability to pick a gem from the rough.

AFL players will emerge from this Rookie Draft - there is no doubt about it - but only time will tell which players there are.

Tuesday will also provide a second opportunity for delisted players under the age of 23.

Players such as ex-Demon Steven Armstrong, ex-Lions Tom Logan and Llane Spaanderman are among the names with AFL experience likely to be selected as rookies.

But for the likes of former Bombers Damian Cupido and Marc Bullen and ex-Hawk Steven Greene it means that the Pre-Season Draft is their only hope of entering back onto an AFL list, as the trio was born in 1982.

They are already 23 years old and the criterion stipulates that a rookie must be under the age of 23 years on 31 December when drafted. Players must also be 18 years on or before 31 December. Therefore players born from 1983-87 are eligible for this meeting.

It looms as yet another fascinating draft meeting.

Rookie List - number of picks and selection order

Adelaide: (4) - 13, 29, 42, 53

Brisbane Lions: (4) - 6, 22, 37, 49

Carlton: (2) - 1, 17

Collingwood: (3) - 2, 18, 33

Essendon: (4) - 4, 20, 35, 47

Fremantle: (2) - 7, 23

Geelong: (3) - 12, 28, 41

Hawthorn: (5) - 3, 19, 34, 46, 55

Kangaroos: (2) - 10, 26

Melbourne: (4) - 9, 25, 39, 51

Port Adelaide: (4) - 11, 27, 40, 52

Richmond: (5) - 5, 21, 36, 48, 56

St Kilda: (3) - 14, 30, 43

Sydney: (8 ) - 16, 32, 45, 54, 57, 58, 59, 60

West Coast: (3) - 15, 31, 44

Western Bulldogs: (4) - 8, 24, 38, 50

 

[pahoffm]

Why the Rookie Draft matters
4:24:48 PM Mon 12 December, 2005
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=240338

When the rookie draft began in 1997 it's fair to say even the most fanatical football supporters only took a passing interest.

After all these rookies were unknown kids, who had been deemed not good enough to be selected by any of the 16 clubs in the more prestigious national draft just weeks before.

But now nearly a decade later it was this year's grand final which proved just how important the rookie draft has become.

As Sydney and West Coast were slugging it out in the most exciting grand final for 30 years - a total of eight players (four from each side) were representing their clubs having started their careers as a rookie list player.


And they were hardly slouchs either with the Eagles' represented by Chad Fletcher, Dean Cox, Mark Nicoski and Kasey Green while for the Swans there was Tadgh Kennelly, Brett Kirk, Paul Bevan and Darren Jolly, who began as a rookie at Melbourne.

Other stars of the AFL who began life as a rookie include Melbourne's Russell Robertson, Essendon's Dean Rioli and Mark Johnson, Collingwood's Tarkyn Lockyer, St Kilda's Stephen Milne, Port Adelaide premiership player Dean Brogan and Brisbane's dual premiership player Robert Copeland.

Melbourne showed just how important the rookie draft now is to the fortunes of AFL clubs two years ago when they pulled off a real recruiting coup by snaring Aaron Davey at pick three.

Incredible as it seems now two years later, Davey was overlooked by every single AFL club (including the Demons) in the national and pre-season drafts despite winning the best young player award in the VFL while starring for Port Melbourne.

However the Demons were still able to snare him at pick three in the rookie draft and as soon as he debuted, his electrifying pace and great goal sense thrilled all football supporters.

In his first year Davey was runner-up in the AFL's Rising Star award while at the end of only his second AFL season he was one of Australia's best players in the recent International Rules series.

The rookie draft becomes particularly important in a year such as this one when little separated this year's crop of youngsters in terms of ability, outside of a few standouts such as Carlton's Marc Murphy and Hawthorn's Xavier Ellis.

Indeed some of the youngsters overlooked at this year's national draft, who are eligible for Tuesday's rookie draft, were expected to be top 30 picks such as North Adelaide's Luke McEntee, Claremont's Alan Toovey and Sturt's Tom Rischbieth while his teammate Jace Bode and Tasmanian Sam Iles are both highly rated.

The last time there was such an even crop of draftees come into AFL ranks was probably 2002 and in that rookie draft there were some players chosen who have turned out to be real bargains for their respective clubs.

Carlton full-back Bret Thornton was pick 11 in the rookie draft that year, Eagles' forward Quinten Lynch was pick 19 and Fremantle's giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands was pick 39.

And Adelaide found three good players in the one rookie draft that season in Nathan Bock (pick 25), Ben Rutten (pick 40) and Martin Mattner (pick 51) with all three playing important roles in the Crows' rise to minor premiers this season.

Now the question is not whether any of the rookies chosen on Tuesday will even make it at AFL level as was the case a decade ago but just which clubs will unearth a future star in the way Melbourne did with Davey two years ago.