The fairytale tales of lengthy undrafted WAFL gamers Tim Kelly and Marlion Pickett being plucked out of South Freo and thrust into the AFL highlight solely to shine way more brightly than their rather more extremely fancied first-time drafted teammates are usually not going unheeded in 2021.
Accepted knowledge in AFL recruitment circles will get regularly tipped on its head, but yearly at draft time all the thrill is about untested teenage expertise whereas the most effective of the State Leagues are most frequently ignored.
It took a world pandemic, listing dimension discount, cancelled and disrupted junior schedules in addition to current success tales for recruiters to shift gears in 2021 in search of ready-made mature-age gamers and reclamation initiatives.
Back in the preseason, golf equipment started to reveal their 2020 nationwide draft technique of leaving listing spots unfilled, transferring to prime up and changing long-term injured gamers.
The supplemental choice interval (SSP) allowed golf equipment to trial gamers with the carrot of a last-minute rookie spot, whether or not they have been mature agers, undrafted or delisted free brokers, with eight golf equipment in the end taking 12 gamers in the preseason.
Adelaide picked up undesirable GWS Academy graduate Nick Murray, Hawthorn signed Williamstown’s Lachlan Bramble, Richmond contracted Woodville-West Torrens grand ultimate profitable participant Rhyan Mansell, all of whom performed AFL this season.
The Bulldogs and Tigers VFL applications have turn into famend for producing mature-aged gamers, so when Footscray’s Anthony Scott and Richmond’s Derek Eggmolesse-Smith have been upgraded it continued a protracted line of gamers to do the identical in current years, though the latter received delisted once more in October.
AFL journeyman Paul Hunter received a name up from St Kilda after they had a ruck emergency, lastly making his debut in 2021 and enjoying seven video games after 4 years enjoying SANFL on the Crows listing, though he has since been delisted and will probably be of curiosity as golf equipment scour ruck prospects in the approaching months.
The simple reclamation challenge of the yr was Alec Waterman, whose battles with adrenal fatigue and damage had seen him delisted from West Coast the place his father had performed in two flags, solely to progressively claw his approach again into well being and type to earn a spot on Essendon’s listing.
The mid-season rookie draft (MSRD) got here alongside and 15 golf equipment positioned alternatives for 22 gamers, of which 14 have been mature-age gamers from the State Leagues, seven from the VFL, 4 from the SANFL and three from the WAFL, with eight undrafted NAB League gamers given a chance after not enjoying in 2020.
Notably, Ash Johnson grew to become the third mature-age recruit from his circle of relatives in Halls Creek, being taken by Collingwood after impressing for Sturt, after Jy Farrar was drafted to the Suns and Shane McAdam received to the Crows after the trio determined to pursue footy careers having seen their cousin Sam Petrevski-Seton drafted in 2016.
Hawthorn promoted their very own Box Hill product Jai Newcombe, GWS upgraded James Peatling, Sydney listed Rugby convert Lachlan McAndrew, Carlton added their ruck challenge Alex Mirkov, whereas the Bombers poached VFL Tiger Sam Durham and the Blues pinched Footscray’s Jordan Boyd.
Richmond gave Matt Parker a second shot on the AFL after displaying type with South Freo, Brisbane took the sixth ruckman of the MSRD with Kalin Lane from Claremont, whereas West Coast stayed native with Will Collins from Swan Districts and Connor West from West Perth (though Collins was delisted).
Werribee defender Kye Declase has had a season of giddy highs and dispiriting lows, having been recruited midseason by the Demons and coming inside a Steven May hamstring of doing a Marlion Pickett and enjoying his first AFL recreation in the grand ultimate, solely to then be delisted from the premiership membership.
Cooper Sharman made essentially the most of his mid-year elevation to St Kilda’s rookie listing, enjoying 5 video games and incomes one other yr, which continues a development for the Saints to take a threat on older gamers who usually find yourself understanding.
Free company was type to a pair of delisted gamers who had been unable to win a spot on a listing all yr, with ex-Tiger and Crow Tyson Stengle discovering a 3rd membership at Geelong below Eddie Betts after enjoying in Woodville-West Torrens’ flag profitable aspect, whereas ex-Lion Sam Skinner completed a powerful season for South Adelaide with a listing spot at Port Adelaide.
The nationwide draft was nonetheless in its first spherical when GWS dialled up mature age Central District standout Leek Aleer, whose draft yr and subsequent top-age yr have been worn out by a horrific ankle damage that has solely come good this yr.
Essendon as soon as once more went to Richmond’s VFL program to choose Garret McDonagh to add some age and expertise to their younger listing, whereas the Dogs gave an opportunity to beforehand undrafted Luke Cleary.
By far my favorite story of this draft was Greg Clark, who spent six drafts going undrafted and this yr lastly took the stress off himself by refusing to even nominate for the MSRD, occurring to be the most effective on floor in the WAFL grand ultimate and giving West Coast ample purpose to unwrap their Christmas current early.
The rookie draft was simply two picks outdated when Collingwood snapped up Williamstown’s Charlie Dean, whereas Geelong pulled the smoky of the day with Old Grammarians’ Ollie Dempsey who has a protracted basketball historical past and solely got here by means of the college system in footy.
The Western Bulldogs proved but once more that their technique of recruiting mature age gamers is a winner, giving Footscray stalwart Robbie McComb an opportunity at enjoying AFL at age 26, in addition to taking a shot on late-bloomer Charlie Parker out of Sturt.
After all of the recruitment home windows for 2021 have closed, it’s plain to see that the urge for food for mature age gamers is stronger than ever. Clubs have left ample house on their lists with a median of two empty locations per membership, with early experiences that undrafted gamers are already being courted to practice over the summer time in search of a contract.
It is on for younger and outdated.
