1996 AFL draft
The 1996 AFL draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League season. The inaugural rookie draft was held with the 1997 pre-season draft.
The AFL draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.
Clubs receive picks based on the position in which they finish on the ladder during the season, although these picks can be swapped around by teams for trading players.
Trades: club by club
- Brett James from for Jonathon Ross
- Trent Ormond-Allen from for draft pick #83
- Clay Sampson from for Nick Pesch
- Tim Cook and Aaron Keating from for Scott Hodges
- Nick Laidlaw from for David Brown
- Barry Standfield from for draft picks #32 and #47
- Ben Nelson and Andrew Balkwill from for Brent Heaver
- Mick McGuane from for draft picks #19 and #65
- Anthony Rocca from for Ben Wilson, Mark Orchard and draft picks #14 and #33
- John R. Barnett from for draft pick #70
- Richard Osborne from for draft pick #61
- Jonathon Ross from for Brett James
- Hamish Simpson and Cameron Roberts from for draft pick #37
- Tim Hargreaves from for Aaron Lord
- Aaron Lord from for Tim Hargreaves
- Justin Crawford from for David McEwan and draft pick #17
- Kent Kingsley and Wade Kingsley from for Paul Geister
- Nick Pesch from for Clay Sampson
- Shane Bond and Brayden Lyle from for draft pick #57
- Shayne Breuer from for Hamish Simpson, Cameron Roberts and draft picks #8 and 43
- David Brown from for Nick Laidlaw
- Paul Geister from for Kent Kingsley and Wade Kingsley
- Brent Heaver from for Ben Nelson and Andrew Balkwill
- Scott Hodges from for Aaron Keating and Tim Cook
- *For zone and uncontracted player selections see below
- Trent Nichols from for draft pick #50
- Troy Gray from for draft pick #34
- Mark Orchard and Ben Wilson from for Anthony Rocca
- David McEwan from for Justin Crawford
- Ilija Grgic from for Luke Trew and draft pick #20
- Simon Minton-Connell from for draft pick #29
- Luke Trew from for Ilija Grgic
1996 national draft
Pick | Player | Recruited from | Club |
1 | Michael Gardiner | Claremont | |
2 | Chris Heffernan | Geelong | |
3 | Rory Hilton | Murray | |
4 | Mark Kinnear | Calder | |
5 | Daniel McAlister | Tasmania | |
6 | John Rombotis | Fitzroy | |
7 | Bowen Lockwood | Geelong | |
8 | Leigh Brockman | Tasmania | |
9 | Mark Harwood | Tasmania | |
10 | Nathan Brown | Bendigo | |
11 | Brent Grgic | Geelong | |
12 | Heath Black | Oakleigh Chargers | |
13 | Tom Gilligan | Southern | |
14 | Brett O'Farrell | Prahran Dragons | |
15 | Max Hudghton | West Brisbane | |
16 | Pat Steinfort | Oakleigh Chargers | |
17 | Rowan Warfe | Fitzroy | |
18 | Gerrard Bennett | Tasmania | |
19 | Brent Tuckey | Ballarat | |
20 | Matthew Dent | Fitzroy | |
21 | Tim Williams | East Perth | |
22 | Alistair Nicholson | Claremont | |
23 | Evan Hewitt | Subiaco | |
24 | Josh Wooden | NSW-ACT | |
25 | Andrew Bomford | Sydney | |
26 | Tim Notting | Ballarat | |
27 | Troy Cook | Perth | |
28 | Jason Johnson | Calder | |
29 | Nathan Turvey | South Fremantle | |
30 | Hayden Lamaro | Murray | |
31 | Jess Sinclair | Eastern | |
32 | Jim Plunkett | Northern | |
33 | Will Sangster | Prahran Dragons | |
34 | Shannon Corcoran | Brisbane | |
35 | Mark Chaffey | Caulfield Grammar | |
36 | Jonathan Hay | East Fremantle | |
37 | Adam Kingsley | Essendon | |
38 | Sam Smart | Norwood | |
39 | Nick Stone | Claremont | |
40 | Forfeited due to violation of salary cap regulations | - | |
41 | Matthew Manfield | Fitzroy | |
42 | Martin Pike | Fitzroy | |
43 | Paul Corrigan | Melbourne | |
44 | Jacob Rhodes | Geelong | |
45 | Clayton Gardiner | Claremont | |
46 | Matthew Clucas | East Fremantle | |
47 | Brett Montgomery | Footscray | |
48 | Marty Warry | Fitzroy | |
49 | Jason Heatley | West Coast | |
50 | Luke McCormick | NSW-ACT | |
51 | Robert McMahon | Fitzroy | |
52 | Damien Lock | Bendigo | |
53 | Michael Braun | Bendigo | |
54 | Mathew Watson | Essendon | |
55 | Steven McKee | Myrtelford | |
56 | Cameron Mooney | NSW-ACT | |
57 | Trent Cummings | Fitzroy | |
58 | Paul Dooley | Williamstown | |
59 | Anthony McDonald | Melbourne | |
60 | Andrew Eccles | Northern | |
61 | Stephen Powell | Melbourne | |
62 | Andrew Thompson | St Kilda | |
63 | Jason Baldwin | Fitzroy | |
64 | Darren Collins | Port Adelaide | |
65 | Brad Cassidy | Fitzroy | |
66 | Paul Hills | Essendon | |
67 | Byron Pickett | Port Adelaide | |
68 | Russell Robertson | Tasmania | |
69 | Chad Rintoul | East Fremantle | |
70 | Adam Hay | East Perth | |
71 | Brett Knowles | Gippsland | |
72 | Brent Frewen | Fitzroy | |
73 | Brett Howman | NSW-ACT | |
74 | Chris Jackson | NSW-ACT | |
75 | Mark Winterton | Southern | |
76 | Greg Dempsey | West Adelaide | |
77 | Marcus Barham | Calder | |
78 | Lucas Fleming | Northern | |
79 | Daniel Donati | Old Xavs | |
80 | Chris Holcombe | Southern | |
81 | Anthony Franchina | Carlton | |
82 | Duncan O'Toole | Devonport | |
83 | Ashley Gehling | Melbourne | |
84 | Josh Mahoney | Williamstown | |
85 | Brad Scott | Hawthorn | |
86 | Ben Parker | Murray | |
87 | Brad Fuller | NSW-ACT | |
88 | Phil Smith | West Perth | |
89 | Dwayne Griffin | Swan Districts | |
90 | Leigh Singline | Sth Launceston |
1997 pre-season draft
Pick | Player | Recruited from | Club |
1 | Stephen Paxman | Fitzroy | Port Adelaide |
2 | Paul Hudson | Hawthorn | Western Bulldogs |
3 | Leigh Newton | Albury | Melbourne |
4 | Jason Taylor | Hawthorn | Collingwood |
5 | Brett Cook | Fitzroy | St Kilda |
6 | Brett Evans | Springvale | Richmond |
7 | Jon Hassall | Collingwood | Hawthorn |
8 | Darren Hulme | Southern Stingrays | Carlton |
9 | Matthew Banks | Eastern Ranges | Essendon |
10 | John Stevens | Old Ivanhoe Grammarians | Sydney |
11 | Brett Chandler | Fitzroy | North Melbourne |
12 | Steven Pitt | Collingwood | Western Bulldogs |
13 | Robert Pyman | Collingwood | Melbourne |
14 | Robert Schaefer | Central District | Collingwood |
15 | Brad Campbell | Port Melbourne | St Kilda |
16 | Todd Ridley | Fremantle | Hawthorn |
17 | Anthony Mellington | Fitzroy | North Melbourne |
18 | Shane Woewodin | East Fremantle | Melbourne |
19 | Michael R. Gardiner | Subiaco | Collingwood |
20 | Nigel Credin | Fitzroy | Hawthorn |
1997 rookie draft
The first AFL rookie draft was held on 25 February 1997. Only players aged between 18 and 23 were eligible to be drafted. Whilst each club could draft up to six players onto their Rookie Lists, only, and selected a full complement, whilst and declined to take part.Pick | Player | Recruited from | AFL club |
1 | Jason Dylan | Port Adelaide | |
2 | Adam Contessa | reserves | Western Bulldogs |
3 | Nathan Bassett | Melbourne | |
4 | Cameron Venables | Fremantle | |
5 | Ben Marsh | Adelaide | |
6 | Mal Michael | reserves | Collingwood |
7 | Justin Plapp | Burnie | Richmond |
8 | Brad L. Campbell | Kyabram | Hawthorn |
9 | Michael Brown | reserves | Geelong |
10 | Mark Porter | Carlton | |
11 | Paul Blair | West Coast | |
12 | Mark Johnson | Calder U18 | Essendon |
13 | Pass | Brisbane | |
14 | Nathan Tresize | Murray U18 | Sydney |
15 | Julian Kirzner | reserves | North Melbourne |
16 | Luke Ottens | Port Adelaide | |
17 | Jason Lappin | reserves | Western Bulldogs |
18 | Daniel Ward | reserves | Melbourne |
19 | Matthew Richter | Fremantle | |
20 | Steven Coghill | Adelaide | |
21 | Andrew Pugsley | Eastern U18 | Collingwood |
22 | Jason Ramsey | Richmond | |
23 | Pass | Hawthorn | |
24 | Shawn Lewfatt | Geelong | |
25 | Pass | Carlton | |
26 | Ryan Webb | West Coast | |
27 | Gary Moorcroft | reserves | Essendon |
28 | Pass | Brisbane | |
29 | Pass | Sydney | |
30 | Bryan Beinke | North Melbourne | |
31 | Pass | Port Adelaide | |
32 | Pass | Western Bulldogs | |
33 | Matthew Bishop | Melbourne | |
34 | Rupert Betheras | Fremantle | |
35 | Pass | Adelaide | |
36 | Michael Polley | Collingwood | |
37 | Pass | Richmond | |
38 | Pass | Hawthorn | |
39 | Pass | Geelong | |
40 | Pass | Carlton | |
41 | Trent Simpson | West Coast | |
42 | Andrew Ramsden | Old Trinity | Essendon |
43 | Pass | Brisbane | |
44 | Pass | Sydney | |
45 | Pass | North Melbourne | |
46 | Pass | Port Adelaide | |
47 | Pass | Western Bulldogs | |
48 | Russell Robertson | Melbourne | |
49 | Scott Gooch | Fremantle | |
50 | Pass | Adelaide | |
51 | Brett Warburton | reserves | Collingwood |
52 | Pass | Richmond | |
53 | Pass | Hawthorn | |
54 | Pass | Geelong | |
55 | Pass | Carlton | |
56 | Todd Nener | West Coast | |
57 | Luke Trew | Essendon | |
58 | Pass | Brisbane | |
59 | Steven Mahar | Belconnen | Sydney |
60 | Pass | North Melbourne | |
61 | Pass | Port Adelaide | |
62 | Pass | Western Bulldogs | |
63 | Duncan O'Toole | Melbourne | |
64 | Gavin Milentis | Fremantle | |
65 | Pass | Adelaide | |
66 | Peter O'Brien | Old Melburnians | Collingwood |
67 | Pass | Richmond | |
68 | Pass | Hawthorn | |
69 | Pass | Geelong | |
70 | Pass | Carlton | |
71 | Pass | West Coast | |
72 | Andrew Henderson | University Blues | Essendon |
73 | Pass | Brisbane | |
74 | Leigh Marshall | Sydney | |
75 | Pass | North Melbourne | |
76 | Pass | Port Adelaide | |
77 | Pass | Western Bulldogs | |
78 | James McDonald | Old Xaverians | Melbourne |
79 | Pass | Fremantle | |
80 | Pass | Adelaide | |
81 | Mark Oxley | Castlemaine | Collingwood |
82 | Pass | Richmond | |
83 | Pass | Hawthorn | |
84 | Pass | Geelong | |
85 | Pass | Carlton | |
86 | Pass | West Coast | |
87 | Damien Franken | Donvale | Essendon |
88 | Pass | Brisbane | |
89 | Adam Ryder | Belconnen | Sydney |
90 | Pass | North Melbourne |
Port Adelaide zone selections
As part of Port Adelaide's entry to the AFL they were entitled to recruit some uncontracted players from other AFL clubs and players from the SANFL prior to the national draft. Clubs that lost players were entitled to compensation selections before both the first and second rounds of the 1996 national draft.Uncontracted player selection
- Ian Downsborough : compensation selections #1 and #24
- Gavin Wanganeen : compensation selections #2 and #25
- Matthew Primus : compensation selections #3 and #26 to
- Adam Heuskes : compensation selections #4 and #27
- Scott Cummings : compensation selections #5 and #28
Zone selections
Brisbane Lions pre-draft selections
As part of the conditions of the merger between Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Football Club, Brisbane was able to recruit up to eight players from Fitzroy into the newly created Brisbane Lions.- Scott Bamford
- John Barker
- Brad Boyd
- Nick Carter
- Shane Clayton
- Simon Hawking
- Chris Johnson
- Jarrod Molloy