The Australian Football League draft is the annual draft of unsigned players, especially new nominations, by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League (AFL).

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.[1]

The draft 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 zoning, introduced in 1967, 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 of the modern VFL Drafts was held. The draft was run in conjunction with the existing zone system. Players from West Australian Football League and the new West Coast Eagles were excluded from the 1986 draft, with the Eagles able to recruit up to 35 West Australian players with no more than 6 players from any single WAFL club. The other new club for the 1987 VFL season, the Brisbane Bears, received 6 concessionary picks before the other clubs and exclusive access to all Queensland based players.

Since then, the rules associated with priority picks, zone allocations, the father–son rule, mid-year, pre-season and rookie drafts, expansion clubs concessions and trading of players and picks have been frequently changed, but the basic premise of draft being an equalisation measure to assist poorer performing teams has remained.

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.[2]

Eligibility

Jack Watts, the first pick of the 2008 AFL Draft, was drafted at the age of 17. Effective from the next year, players must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December to be eligible to be drafted

From the 2009 draft, players must be at least 18 years of age on 31 December in the year in which they are drafted, so that players who turn 18 during their first months of Year 12 will be able to finish studying without the pressure of AFL. This was increased over the past few years due to concerns about school age players potentially having to leave home to play football interstate.[3]

A selection of approximately 50 players are chosen to attend the annual AFL Draft Combine at the conclusion of the AFL season, prior to the National Draft. Further smaller scale state screenings are held around the country in the weeks after the national combine.

Priority draft pick rule

Travis Johnstone, the first pick of the 1997 AFL draft, was drafted with a priority draft pick

The priority draft picks were first introduced in the 1993 AFL Draft as a special assistance rule to aid teams that consistently perform poorly to obtain additional early draft selections.

Under the rules in place since the 2012 season, priority draft picks are given out to struggling teams at the discretion of the AFL Commission. This replaced a system in which a priority draft pick was automatically given to team whose win–loss record fell below a pre-defined value; this had become controversial, and there were accusations by commentators that teams out of finals contention would tank at the end of the season to gain access to the additional draft picks, although the AFL itself never brought such accusations against any club.[4]

Zone Allocation rule

Northern Club Academies: GWS, Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane all have club-based academies that help develop talented athletes, sometimes from before they’re teenagers, into AFL prospects in markets where the code isn’t seen as the No. 1 sport. The four clubs have priority access to those players via a bidding system.

Next Generation Academies: Clubs outside of New South Wales and Queensland have established academies with players from multicultural and Indigenous backgrounds, meaning they have priority access to the players they’ve developed via a bidding system. Note: Clubs that have existing links to NGA players are now unable to match bids inside the top 40 selections on the prospects they’ve developed due to a recent AFL rule change.

Father–son rule

Dustin Fletcher, the son of Ken Fletcher has played the most games of any father-son selection, with 400 AFL matches played

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.

For clubs with an established history in the VFL/AFL (20 years or more), the father must have played at least 100 games for the club to be eligible for the father/son rule; clubs with no long term history in the league had different eligibility criteria based on their state leagues.

Under current rules, players eligible under the father–son rule are selected in a bidding system prior to the draft. Firstly, any club in the league may nominate a draft pick with which it intends to take the eligible son; then, if the father's club wishes to draft the son, it must use its next available draft pick, after the highest bidder.[5]

Earlier versions of the father–son rule allowed the sons to be recruited automatically, without need for the draft, or allowed the club to recruit the son using a third round draft pick. The father–son rule itself was introduced in 1949, more than three decades prior to the draft, and it could be used to contravene zoning rules.

AFL Women's: Father-daughter rule and future rules for AFL Women's players

Abbie McKay, the daughter of Andrew McKay, was the first player to be selected under the father-daughter rule

On 15 September 2016, an AFL women's competition, the AFLW, was founded to commence in 2017.

In its Draft, there is an equivalent father–daughter rule, where a daughter can be drafted if their father played one game at the club. The first use of this rule was in the 2017 Draft, when Carlton selected Abbie McKay, the daughter of Andrew McKay.[6]

Criteria are also in place for mother–son and mother–daughter rules, from such time that the children of AFLW players reach draft eligible age.

Expansion clubs

Each time that the competition has an expansion team, the AFL give special priority to the new club, with the new club receiving numerous high draft picks.

Host

For most of its existence, the National Draft has been held at a large function or convention centre with many of the predicted top draft selections in attendance.

Since 1993, the National draft has been televised live, pick-by-pick, while the mid-year (1990–1993), pre-season and rookie drafts have never been televised.

Draft Date held Host city Venue
19818 October 1981Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
198219 October 1982Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
198626 November 1986Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
198711 November 1987Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
19889 November 1988Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
19899 November 1989Melbourne, VictoriaVFL House
19907 November 1990Melbourne, VictoriaAFL House[7]
19916 November 1991Melbourne, VictoriaAFL House[8]
199211 November 1992
199329 October 1993Melbourne, VictoriaRadisson President Hotel[9]
199428 October 1994Melbourne, VictoriaRadisson President Hotel
19958 December 1995
199625 October 1996
199731 October 1997Adelaide, South AustraliaFootball Park
19981 November 1998Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
199931 October 1999Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
200029 October 2000
200125 November 2001Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
200223 November 2002Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
200322 November 2003Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
200420 November 2004Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Park Function Centre
200526 November 2005Melbourne, VictoriaDocklands Stadium
200625 November 2006Melbourne, VictoriaDocklands Stadium
200724 November 2007Melbourne, VictoriaDocklands Stadium
200829 November 2008Melbourne, VictoriaDocklands Stadium
200926 November 2009Melbourne, VictoriaMelbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
201018 November 2010Gold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
201124 November 2011Sydney, New South WalesSydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
201222 November 2012Gold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
201321 November 2013Gold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
201427 November 2014Gold Coast, QueenslandGold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
201522 November 2015Adelaide, South AustraliaAdelaide Convention Centre
201625 November 2016Sydney, New South WalesHordern Pavilion
201724 November 2017Sydney, New South WalesHordern Pavilion
201822 November 2018Melbourne, VictoriaMarvel Stadium
201927 November 2019Melbourne, VictoriaMarvel Stadium
202124 November 2021Melbourne, VictoriaMarvel Stadium
202228 November 2022Melbourne, VictoriaMarvel Stadium
202320 November 2023Melbourne, VictoriaMarvel Stadium

Number-one draft picks

Luke Hodge, the first pick in the 2001 AFL draft. Hodge has played the most VFL/AFL games of any number-one draft pick (346 games played), is the only number-one draft pick to win a Norm Smith Medal, is one of just four number-one draft picks to have won a premiership, and has won the most premierships of any number-one draft pick (4)

Men's

As of 2021, the number one draft pick was taken by the last-placed team from the previous season, or an expansion team in its first draft, in 31 of the 38 drafts.

Years where this was not the case are:

  • Where the number one pick has been traded, for example when Fremantle traded the number one pick of the 2001 AFL draft to Hawthorn for Trent Croad. Other trades took place in 1988, 1990, 1992 and 2022.
  • In 1996, where West Coast were given the first draft pick for being the lowest-ranked team to have lost an uncontracted player (Ian Downsborough) to expansion team Port Adelaide: the team that finished last, Fitzroy, had its AFL playing operations taken over by Brisbane at the end of 1996.
  • In 2002, where Carlton, who had finished last, lost their priority picks and their first and second round picks for salary cap breaches. St. Kilda, who had finished 15th of the 16 teams, received the first draft pick and selected Brendon Goddard.
  • In 2007, where Carlton, who had finished 15th of the 16 teams, received the number one draft pick by virtue of the priority pick rules at the time. The team that finished last, Richmond, received the second overall pick and also received a priority pick at the end of the first round.

Despite the expectations of the number one pick, not all have forged successful VFL/AFL careers. Adam Cooney, the first pick of the 2003 AFL draft, was the first number one draft pick to be awarded the prestigious Brownlow Medal (in 2008), and remains the only first pick Brownlow Medallist to date. In the same year, Luke Hodge, the number one pick in 2001, won the Norm Smith Medal with Hawthorn, and remains the only first-pick Norm Smith Medallist to date. No number one selection has yet been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Only four number one picks have won a premiership (Drew Banfield, Des Headland, Luke Hodge, and Tom Boyd).

The following is a list of the number one overall draft picks since the draft's inception in 1981:

Draft Player Selected by Recruited from League recruited from
1981Alan JohnsonMelbournePerthWAFL
1982Andrew PurserFootscrayEast FremantleWAFL
1986Martin LeslieBrisbane BearsPort Adelaide MagpiesSANFL
1987Richard LounderRichmondCentral DistrictSANFL
1988Alex McDonaldHawthornBallarat YCWBallarat Football League
1989Anthony BanikRichmondWon Wron WoodsideAlberton Football League
1990Stephen HooperGeelongEast PerthWAFL
1991John HuttonBrisbane BearsClaremontWAFL
1992Drew BanfieldWest Coast EaglesSubiacoWAFL
1993Darren GasparSydneySouth FremantleWAFL
1994Jeff WhiteFremantleDandenong StingraysTAC Cup
1995Clive WaterhouseFremantlePort Adelaide MagpiesSANFL
1996Michael GardinerWest Coast EaglesClaremontWAFL
1997Travis JohnstoneMelbourneDandenong StingraysTAC Cup
1998Des HeadlandBrisbane LionsSubiacoWAFL
1999Josh FraserCollingwoodMurray BushrangersTAC Cup
2000Nick RiewoldtSt KildaSouthport SharksQAFL
2001Luke HodgeHawthornGeelong FalconsTAC Cup
2002Brendon GoddardSt KildaGippsland PowerTAC Cup
2003Adam CooneyWestern BulldogsWest AdelaideSANFL
2004Brett DeledioRichmondMurray BushrangersTAC Cup
2005Marc MurphyCarltonOakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
2006Bryce GibbsCarltonGlenelgSANFL
2007Matthew KreuzerCarltonNorthern KnightsTAC Cup
2008Jack WattsMelbourneSandringham DragonsTAC Cup
2009Tom ScullyMelbourneDandenong StingraysTAC Cup
2010David SwallowGold CoastEast Fremantle Football ClubWAFL
2011Jonathon PattonGreater Western SydneyEastern RangesTAC Cup
2012Lachie WhitfieldGreater Western SydneyDandenong StingraysTAC Cup
2013Tom BoydGreater Western SydneyEastern RangesTAC Cup
2014Paddy McCartinSt KildaGeelong FalconsTAC Cup
2015Jacob WeiteringCarltonDandenong StingraysTAC Cup
2016Andrew McGrathEssendonSandringham DragonsTAC Cup
2017Cameron RaynerBrisbane LionsWestern JetsTAC Cup
2018Sam WalshCarltonGeelong FalconsTAC Cup
2019Matthew RowellGold CoastOakleigh ChargersNAB League
2020Jamarra Ugle-HaganWestern BulldogsOakleigh ChargersNAB League
2021Jason Horne-FrancisNorth MelbourneSouth AdelaideSANFL
2022Aaron CadmanGreater Western SydneyGreater Western Victoria RebelsNAB League
|2023Harley ReidWest CoastTongala/Bendigo PioneersNAB League

Women's

Isabel Huntington, the first pick in the 2017 AFL Women's draft. Huntington is the first number-one draft pick to be selected for the AFL Women's All-Australian team, the first number-one draft pick to be selected for the AFL Women's 22 Under 22 team, and the first number-one draft pick to win the AFL Women's Rising Star award

With the introduction of a women's competition in 2016 (to commence in 2017), a draft was set up for the AFLW.

In 2016, the first draft pick was awarded to the GWS Giants by lot, though this selection would be taken after 16 selections were made for marquee players: Nicola Barr was the first player to be drafted in AFLW history.

In 2018, the first pick was awarded to Geelong as one of the expansion clubs for the 2019 season, and in 2022, the first pick awarded to Sydney as one of the expansion clubs for Season 7: in both years, this was determined by lot from the four expansion clubs.

As of 2022, five of the eight seasons have seen the first pick go to the club who finished last, or an expansion club in its first draft: in 2017, GWS traded the first pick to the Western Bulldogs; in 2019, expansion club Richmond traded the first pick to the Western Bulldogs; and in 2023 Sydney traded the first pick to Geelong in a once-off overage draft.

Draft Player Selected by Recruited from League recruited from
2016 Nicola Barr Greater Western Sydney Sydney University SWAFL
2017 Isabel Huntington Western Bulldogs Melbourne University VFL Women's
2018 Nina Morrison Geelong Geelong Falcons TAC Cup Girls
2019 Gabby Newton Western Bulldogs Northern Knights NAB League Girls
2020 Ellie McKenzie Richmond Northern Knights NAB League Girls
2021 Charlie Rowbottom Gold Coast Oakleigh Chargers NAB League Girls
2022 Montana Ham Sydney Western Jets NAB League Girls
2023 sup.[lower-alpha 1] Erin Hoare Geelong Geelong VFL Women's
2023 Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner Western Bulldogs Western Jets NAB League Girls

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft

Held at the same time as the pre-season draft, the rookie draft is a chance for clubs to recruit players 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 placed back on the rookie list, or delisted/not offered a new contract. Teams are allowed to have four to six rookies, but the Queensland and NSW teams may have more. The first rookie draft was the 1997 rookie draft (which followed the 1996 AFL draft and is technically lumped in with this draft for recordkeeping purposes).

International rookies

Rookies are also available to be selected from overseas countries and players on the list do not count towards the salary cap. Notable examples are Irish Tommy Walsh of Sydney; Canadian Mike Pyke of Sydney, a former rugby union international; and Americans Seamus McNamara and Mason Cox, both former college basketball players who were rookie listed by Collingwood.

In 2006, the AFL introduced a new scheme where clubs can maintain two international rookies (excluding Irish players) outside of the regular rookie list.[10]

The rule was adjusted in 2010 to group international rookies with players recruited from other sports, and refers to them as Category B rookies. Up to three can be listed in addition to up to six Category A rookies.[11]

See also

Notes

  1. This was a once-off overage national draft in which only players aged over 19 were eligible to be drafted.

References

  1. Quayle, Emma (17 November 2006). "When the draft blew in". The Age. Archived from the original on 18 November 2006.
  2. Foreman, Glen (25 November 2008). "Fremantle Dockers coach Mark Harvey raises concerns over draft". Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  3. "AFL approves draft, trading rule changes". 30 April 2008. Archived from the original on 10 December 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  4. Gill, Katrina; Tanking talk ‘pathetic’, says Demetriou; 20 June 2008
  5. "Father–Son Rule". Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
  6. "Father–daughter rule in place for AFLW trading period". afl.com.au. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  7. "Sydney wants old Cat". The Canberra Times. Vol. 65, no. 20, 298. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 November 1990. p. 39. Retrieved 12 May 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Neighbourly love extends to footy". The Canberra Times. Vol. 65, no. 20, 424. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 March 1991. p. 26. Retrieved 12 May 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "SPORT". The Canberra Times. Vol. 68, no. 21, 381. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 October 1993. p. 25. Retrieved 12 May 2023 via National Library of Australia.
  10. Quayle, Emma (25 August 2006). "Clubs to get new overseas talent scheme". The Age.
  11. "Rookie players".
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