Get everything you need to know, including how to watch and more on the players likely to land at your club, ahead of the 2024 Mid-Season Rookie Draft on Wednesday.
What is the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft?
The Mid-Season Rookie Draft (MSD) is the only chance clubs have during the season to add players to their list. Outside the Trade Period and National Draft at the end of each season, the only opportunities clubs have to sign new players is during the Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period – which runs over summer – and the MSD.
The MSD was reintroduced in 2019, having been scrapped way back in 1993. It's designed to limit the impact long-term injuries and premature retirements can have on a club and allow teams to replenish their list for the second half of the season.
When is it?
The 2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft will be held on Wednesday, May 29, between rounds 11 and 12, from 7pm AEST.
How can I watch?
The only place to watch the 2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft is on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. Gettable co-hosts and draft experts Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge will lead the coverage along with host Nat Edwards and roving reporter Sarah Olle from 7pm AEST on Wednesday, May 29. See every pick as it happens and get instant analysis of what the new signings can mean for the second half of the season.
How many players are likely to be picked up?
There are 23 picks available on the night, although clubs do not have to fill a vacant spot if the player they want is not available. Just 13 players were picked up last year.
Twenty-four players who had interest from clubs have undergone medical testing, while others outside that group are also in the mix. A total of 342 players have nominated.
Any familiar names in contention?
Former Magpie Trent Bianco, ex-Demon Kyle Dunkley, delisted Power big man Brynn Teakle, ex-Kangaroo Flynn Perez and former Richmond midfielder Riley Collier-Dawkins are among the familiar names who have nominated for the draft.
Former Sydney first-round draft pick Matt Ling has also emerged as a candidate after being part of the group of 24 players to undergo AFL medicals.
To be eligible, players must have nominated for and been overlooked in the National Draft last year, been previously listed by an AFL club, or played a minimum of three games in the WAFL, SANFL, TSL or VFL.
You can read more on the potential draftees here and here and you can see the full list of 342 nominees here.
And remember to watch Gettable above for the late mail from our draft experts Cal Twomey and Riley Beveridge about who your club is chasing.
How many clubs have a pick? Why doesn't my club have one?
Clubs must have a vacant list spot in order to take part. List vacancies can occur through a retirement or if a player suffers a long-term injury and is moved to the inactive list.
Brisbane (four picks), Richmond and Adelaide (three each) are the clubs with the most picks, while Collingwood and North Melbourne have two each.
West Coast, St Kilda, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, Carlton, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Essendon and Sydney all have one pick each.
Greater Western Sydney, Geelong, Fremantle and Gold Coast either have no list spots available or have indicated they will not take part in the draft.
How is the draft order decided?
Like the National Draft, the Mid-Season Draft order is determined by reverse ladder position. The team at the bottom of the ladder after round 11 (assuming it has a list vacancy) gets the No.1 pick, with the second-last team to have the No.2 pick, and so on.
The start of the mid-season byes in round 12 means the MSD could not be held any later in the year because the bye weeks mean not every club will have played the same number of games.
Draft order
First round
1 - North Melbourne
2 - Richmond
3 - West Coast
4 - St Kilda
5 - Hawthorn
6 - Brisbane
7 - Adelaide
8 - Western Bulldogs
9 - Carlton
10 - Collingwood
11 - Melbourne
12 - Port Adelaide
13 - Essendon
14 - Sydney
Second round
15 - North Melbourne
16 - Richmond
17 - Brisbane
18 - Adelaide
19 - Collingwood
Third round
20 - Richmond
21 - Brisbane
22 - Adelaide
Fourth round
23 - Brisbane
Who are the MSD successes from past years?
The MSD's most famous success story since it was reintroduced in 2019 is Marlion Pickett, who famously debuted in a Grand Final at the age of 27 after being drafted in the middle of that season.
Collingwood's John Noble last week became the first mid-season draftee to reach the 100-game milestone, while Sam Durham and Jai Newcombe are among the other regular AFL players who got their start in the MSD.
While 18-year-olds in the National Draft every November are always key to a list build, clubs have shown a willingness to gamble on older players.
The first nine rounds of this season alone saw one 24-year-old (Collingwood's Joe Richards), two 25-year-olds (North Melbourne's Toby Pink and Richmond's Mykelti Lefau) and two 26-year-olds (Geelong's Shaun Mannagh and Collingwood's Lachie Sullivan) make their AFL debuts.
