THE NAB AFL Rookie Draft on Monday provides another opportunity for players who were overlooked in last week's national draft.
Here's a statistical snapshot of what the Rookie Draft has contributed to the game, courtesy of stats guru Cam Sinclair.
- There have been 1278 Rookie Draft selections made since 1997.
- Recently retired Western Bulldogs premiership player Matthew Boyd holds the games record for a rookie draftee with 292, ahead of former West Coast ruckman Dean Cox (290) and ex-St Kilda goalsneak Stephen Milne (275).
- Seven rookie draftees have played at least 250 games.
- Thirty-one rookie draftees have played at least 200 games.
- Fifty-two rookie draftees have played in at least one premiership.
- Eight-nine rookie draftees have played in at least one Grand Final.
- One rookie draftee has captained a premiership side, former Collingwood skipper Nick Maxwell, who led the Magpies to glory in 2012.
- One rookie draftee has won a Brownlow Medal, recently retired West Coast midfielder Matt Priddis in 2014.
- Twenty-five of last year's 67 rookie draftees played at AFL level this year.
- Thirty-two of last year's 67 rookie draftees were under the age of 20, and only seven played an AFL game this year.
- Three of the past four No. 1 picks in the Rookie Draft failed to play a game in their first listed season.
- One No.1 pick in the Rookie Draft has gone on to play more than 100 games – Blue-turned-Crow Sam Jacobs, the first choice in 2007.
- Nine players have been selected in the rookie draft while aged in their 30s, with former North Melbourne star Drew Petrie the oldest at 34 years and 44 days when chosen last year by West Coast. Before his retirement this season, Petrie also played the most games among the 30-plus rookie recruits – 16.
