2016 Rookie Draft

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Shortly after the AFL Draft, the Rookie Draft was held. As with the AFL Draft, it is club by club and the selection number is first, followed by the player name, club or origin, height, weight and position.

ADELAIDE
13. Sam Shaw, delisted by Adelaide, defender
Shaw, 25, announced his retirement in early November after just 24 games in seven seasons with the Crows. His career has been marred by hamstring injuries and concussions. It was another concussion which forced his retirement. However, the Crows decided to re-draft him as a rookie not with a view that he would play again but rather to look after him under their expansive welfare program. That program is regarded as the best in the AFL. Like Brent Reilly (preseason skull fracture) and Brad Symes (concussions), Shaw will be provided with ongoing medical, psychological and financial support as he transitions from an AFL career.

45. Ben Jarman, North Adelaide (SANFL), 5'8", 154, forward
The son of champion Crow Darren, Ben uses the ball very well, has excellent footy smarts and awareness and reads the play very well

30. PASS

BRISBANE
2. Jake Barrett, delisted by GWS, 5'11", 176, midfielder
Drafted by GWS in 2013, he didn't debut until this year despite being named in the 2015 NEAFL Team of the Year. Knows how to win the ball is a strong tackler. Cousin of Hawthorn's Luke Breust.

20. Mitchell Hinge, Glenelg (SANFL), 6', 171, defender
Mobile running defender who uses the ball well and has some footy smarts, needs to build some strength

37, Oscar McInerney, Casey Scorpions (VFL), 6'6", 226, ruckman
Mobile ruckman who is clean in the air and excellent at ground level for his size. Still raw but showed great improvement in 2016, winning the VFL Development League's best and fairest award and played in the Casey senors' finals matches

CARLTON
5. Kym Lebois, North Adelaide, 5'8", 147, forward
Elusive, speedy small forward who is hard to tackle, good work rate and goal sense, has endurance and can win the contested ball. Related to former Essendon and Port player Gavin Wanganeen as well as former Bomber Alwyn Davey

23: Alex Silvagni, delisted by Fremantle, 6'2", 202, ruck/defender
After 51 games with the Dockers, ir's a family reunion as Alex joins uncle Stephen Silvagni (list manager) and cousin Jack at the Blues. His 2015 was cut short due to hamstring surgery and played only 5 games in 2016

39. Andrew Gallucci, delisted by Carlton, 5'9", 163, forward
Speedy small forward who is dangerous near goal, tackles well so can apply plenty of forward pressure on opposition defenders. Played in Williamstown's 2015 VFL premiership and was named on the 2015 VFL Team of the Year. Selected by the Blues in last year's rookie draft but failed to play any senior games

COLLINGWOOD
7. Mitchell McCarthy, Dandenong Stingrays, 6'3", 204, ruckman
Comes from a basketball background and spent some time in the USA in 2015, a broken foot hampered is 2016 season. Athletic with a great leap and is strong in the air and a booming kick. Still developing so may not see senior action for a year or two

24. Henry Schade, delisted by Gold Coast, 6'4", 196,defender
Drafted by Gold Coast in 2011, debuted in 2015 and played 20 games. Spoils well and has improved his ball use and disposal skills, can pinch-hit in the ruck

40. Liam Mackie, Glenelg, 6', 167, defender
Cousin of Geelong's Andrew Mackie, strong and a good decision maker, uses the ball well, and can move the ball out of defense, will need to fill out his lean frame and build his strength

51. Max Lynch, Murray Bushrangers, 6'4", 215, ruckman
Mobile around the ground and kicks the ball well, needs to improve agility, marking (catching the ball) and strength. Has only been playing footy for three or four years

ESSENDON
1. Sam Draper, South Adelaide (SANFL), 6'5", 231, defender/forward
Comes from a soccer background and 2016 was his first year playing footy. Picked up the concepts of offense and defense very well. Started as a tall defender before being pushed forward and later into the ruck. Has mobility agility and some speed

19. Shaun McKernan, delisted by Essendon, 6'3", 217, ruck/forward
Played 54 games with Adelaide before being delisted at the end of 2014 and was picked up by Essendon for the 2015 season. Has played 15 games for the Bombers

36, Yestin Eades, delisted by Essendon, 5'11", 180, forward
Drafted by Essendon in 2015 but yet to play a senior game. Speedy and has good endurance as well as some x-factor near goal

FREMANTLE
3. Taylin Duman, Oakleigh Chargers, 6'2", 167, wing/defender/forward
Worked hard to improve his kicking and was on a tailored speed program and the results showed at the draft combine. Played wing, defense and forward where he proved a good goalkicker. Has also put some time in the gym but will still need to fill out a bit and work on his agility

21. Luke Strnadica, East Fremantle (W, AFL), 6'5", 206, ruck/forward
A strong mark (catch of the ball), a booming kick for goal, very clean at ground level for his size and mobile but needs to work on competitiveness, endurance and agility

38. Brady Grey, delisted by Fremantle, 5'11", 176, midfielder
Only started playing the game in 2013 after playing soccer and cricket as a junior. Drafted by the Dockers in 2015 and played 2 games but managed only 1 in 2016

50. Josh Deluca-Cardilo, delisted by Fremantle, 5'10", 176, midfielder
Drafted by the Dockers in 2014, then delisted and redrafted as a rookie and delisted again at the end of this year.Has yet to play a senior game but is agile and has speed

GEELONG
16. Jack Henry, Geelong Falcons, 6'2", 182, wing/forward
Placed second in the decathlon in the 2015 athletics championships so has that athletic aspect. Competes well, tackles well, has a good work rate and footy smarts and can hit the scoreboard, needs to build up his body and strength

33. Zach Guthrie, Calder Cannons, 5'11", 160, defender
Younger brother of Cam Guthrie, improved immensely in 2016 and was runner-up in the best and fairest. Versatile in that he can play on talls and smalls, has a thirst to learn the game, reads the game well and can completely shut down small, quick forwards. Is still developing so could grow a few more inches and needs to build strength

48. Jamaine Jones, Ballarat Rebels, 5'9", 169, forward/midfielder
Fast and agile, knows how to win the ball and can kick goals from nothing, has improved and is still working on his endurance

53. Sam Simpson, Geelong Falcons, 5'10", 141, midfielder/forward
The son of former Cat and Saint Sean, Sam is still growing. Has all the tools - excellent decision maker, excellent in traffic, agile, reads the play well, has footy smarts and is composed

GOLD COAST
4. Keegan Brooksby, delisted by Gold Coast, 6'4", 217, ruck
Drafted as a rookie in 2015 and then elevated to the senior list for three games before a blood clot in his arm forced him into the hospital and cut his season short. Managed a further five games in 2016 as he and Daniel Currie vied for the second-choice ruck spot behind Tom Nicholls

22. Cameron Loersch, delisted by Gold Coast, 6'6", 226, forward/ruck
Rookie listed in 2016 but failed to play a senior game, again finds himself on the rookie list

GWS
15. Tendai Mzungu, delisted by Fremantle, 5'11", 185, midfielder/defender
Played 102 games with the Dockers including their maiden Grand Final in 2013, also played in the WAFL's Peel Thunder premiership side in 2016. Played just five senior games for the Dockers in 2016 as Coach Ross Lyon focused on youth, but has a strong work ethic.clean hands, uses the ball well and can break the lines

32. Joel Patfull retired and will not play in 2 017, selected due to AFL Total Player Payment (TPP) rules, defender
Despite Having signed a one year contract extension for the 2017 season, Patfull announced his retirement in October. Patfull, 31, and the Giants came to a mutual agreement to pay out part of his contract, but in order to do so under the TPP rules, a player must still be on a club list. The veteran defender played 182 games with Brisbane before being traded to GWS at the end of 2014. He played a further 38 games in two seasons for the Giants including this year's finals matches. The veteran defender started the 2016 season in the NEAFL, with co-captain Phil Davis, Caleb Marchbank, and Aidan Corr the preferred defensive options by Coach Leon Cameron. When Marchbank and Corr went down with serious ankle injuries, Patfull was called upon for the rest of the year.

47 & 52. PASS

HAWTHORN
14. Oliver Hanrahan, St Kevins, 5'11", 163, forward/midfield
Excellent athlete who can keep his feet, a good decision maker and kick, has speed and is strong in the air. Needs to build his endurance

31. Jack Fitzpatrick, delisted by Hawthorn, 6'5", 206, forward/ruck
Played 22 games with Melbourne before being traded last year. Fitzpatrick, 25, had to bide his time in the VFL until Jonathan Ceglar injured his knee late in the season. He made his Hawk debut in Round 23 and sensationally won the game with a long running goal with just minutes left on the clock to give the Hawks the double-chance in the finals

46. James Cousins, Murray, 5'11", 174, defender/midfielder
Polling in every game for Murray and winning the best and fairest is testament to his ability, can win the contested ball. his run and carry with the ball is also excellent

MELBOURNE
8. Lachlan Filipovic, Sandringham Dragons, 6'5", 204, ruck
Has only played 40 or so games of footy after coming from a soccer and basketball background. Is competitive, good around the ground for his size, a strong tackler, has a good work rate showing rapid improvement in 2016. Demon ruckman Max Gawn worked with Lachlan in 2016 and was impressed with the improvement he showed. Nicknamed "Big Sticks"

25. Tim Smith, Casey, 6'2". 193, forward
Nicknamed "Bull" for his aggression at the ball, competitiveness and his tackling. A mature age recruit at 25, he was named at center half forward in the VFL Team of the Year and represented the VFL in 2016

41. Declan Kety, Casey, 6'3", 191, defender
Athletic and versatile enough to play in defense and ruck. Won Casey's Rising Star award, was third in the club's best and fairest and named in the VFL Team of the Year

NORTH MELBOURNE
11. Cameron Zurhaar, East Fremantle (WAFL), 6', 191", forward
Competitive "beast" who hates to lose, strong and takes a strong mark (catch of the ball). Could be a big-bodied midfielder if he can improve his endurance, ballwinning ability and kicking efficiency

28. Oscar Junker, Western Jets, 6'1", 182, utility
Versatile enough to play midfield, as a key defender and leading forward. Extremely competitive, a natural footballer and a good leader as he was co-captain at the Jets.

43. Matthew Taylor, Perth (WAFL), 6', 176, defender/midfielder
Overlooked in the 2015 draft, he boasts elite speed, running the 20 meter sprint (appx 21 yds) in less than three seconds to finish in the top 10 at the State Combine, as well as finishing in the top 10 in the vertical jump. repeat sprints and agility. Can provide great run out of defense, is versatile enough to play on talls and smalls, and has excellent disposal efficiency

PORT ADELAIDE
9. Peter Ladhams, Norwood, 6'5", 204, rucx/forward
Overlooked for the 2016 Draft Combine, the laconic Ladhams knuckled down and got to work. He went to the gym, lost some weight and worked with an elite runner which improved his agility and speed test results at the State combine. He placed second in the beep test and won the running vertical jump. He hopes to model his game after Sydney's Kurt Tippett and GWS's Rory Lobb

26. Bret Eddy, South Adelaide (SANFL), 6'3" 196, forward
Strong and athletic, he kicked 74 goals for South Adelaide in 2016. Did not test well at the draft combine two years ago but has shown great improvement since then

42. Jarrod Lienert, Sturt (SANFL), 6'3", 193, midfield
A member of Sturt's 2016 premiership team and won the SANFL's Star Search award

Emmanuel Irra, South Adelaide, 5'11', 180, midfielder
Irra is the first Ugandan on an AFL list. His family fled war-torn Uganda in 2005. He played 38 games in the SANFL and Port has listed him as a Category B rookie. He is powerful, uses the ball well and can break tackles

RICHMOND
6. Tyson Stengle, Woodville-West Ttorrens (SANFL), 5'7", 152, forward
Excellent evasive skills and good overhead for his size and is strong. If he can build up his endurance, he could push into the midfield

ST KILDA
10. Rowan Marshall, North Ballarat (VFL), 6'5", 213, ruck/forward, defense
Versatile and mobile, efficient with his ball use

27. PASS

SYDNEY
17. Ben Ronke, Calder Cannons, 5'10", 167, midfielder
Speedy and agile, strong in the air for his size, has worked hard to improve his ball use to combine with his speed and agility. Could also play as a small forward

34. Robbie Fox, Coburg, 6', 185, midfielder/defender
Has a basketball background so is versatile and agile. Has some speed and is creative in the middle. Named in the 2016 VFL Team of the Year

49. Shaun Edwards, delisted by Essendon, forward
Played 12 games with GWS before being traded to Essendon at the end of 2013 where he played a further 12 games

54. Toby Pink, Glenelg, 6'2", 185, forward
Competitive and marks (catches the ball) well. Can also pinch-hit into the ruck. Needs to work on his endurance. Kicked the winning point in the Under-18 Grand Final for Glenelg (scores were tied and he caught the ball appx 76 yards out from goal)

55. PASS

WEST COAST
12. Thomas Gorter, East Perth (WAFL), 6'2", 189, defender
Has a raking kick to set up attacks from defense and is composed under pressure

29. Drew Petrie, delisted by North Melbourne
Hard to believe that a veteran of 316 games is a rookie. Petrie, primarily a forward, can also play in the ruck. He and recruit Nathan Vardy will vie for the second ruck spot behind Jonathan Giles with Nic Natainui and Scott Lycett both recovering from knee surgeries and not expected to return until late in the season

44. Fraser McInnes, delisted by West Coast, 6'4", 211, forward
Drafted in 2011, he didn't debut until 2015 and has played only 7 games with the Eagles

WESTERN BULLDOGS
18. Nathan Mullenger-McHugh, Eastern Ranges, 6'3", 180, forward
Athletic and competitive, has clean hands and a good leap, loves the physical side of the game and not afraid to work hard at ground level

35. Josh Prudden, delisted by the Bulldogs, 5'11", 176, midfielder/defender
Drafted in 2012, his 2013 and 2014 seasons were wrecked by hamstring, ankle and knee injuries. Played only 4 games in 2015 and none in 2016

Tarir Bayok, East Perth
West Coast has also selected Sudanese-born Tarir Bayok as a Category B rookie. Bayok came to Australia in 2007 and comes from a soccer background. He began playing footy in 2010 and joined East Perth in 2014 where he played 41 games in their colts team. Has serious speed, setting the third best time in history (2.79 seconds) for the 20 meter (21 yards) sprint. Has excellent foot skills as well.

Source: sen.com.au, afl.com.au, adelaidenow.com.au, AFL Record Season Guides, AFL 2016 Grand Final Record