The Brisbane Lions will finalise its 2014 playing list on Wednesday 27 November, when all club recruiters convene via teleconference for the annual AFL Rookie Draft.

While the Rookie Draft doesn’t receive the same amount of fanfare as the much-hyped National Draft, it has proven a popular pathway for young (and older) footballers to forge an AFL career after being overlooked initially.

Take the Lions for example.

A total of 30 players (listed below) have played at least one senior match with the Club since the Rookie Draft was first introduced 17 years ago. This means that, on average, around two rookies will make their AFL debut each year.

The Lions maintained that average in 2013, with two rookies – Justin Clarke (Round 5) and Sam Michael (Round 9) – getting their first taste of senior football last season. 

Clarke’s promising performances down back also earned him a new three-year contract and a permanent position on the senior list.

He is now one of five current senior listed players at the Lions to have worked his way from up from being a ‘rookie’ – joining Pearce Hanley, Claye Beams, Mitch Golby and Jack Crisp.

Michael, meanwhile, will remain on the Club’s rookie list for another season along with Jordon Bourke and Nick Hayes.

Dual premiership player Robert Copeland remains the most accomplished former rookie in Club history with 143 games, while Cheynee Stiller became just the second rookie to reach 100 games in 2012.

However, Irishman Pearce Hanley could prove to be the Lions’ greatest rookie success story by the time his career comes to an end.

Hanley has quickly become one of the most important players at the Lions, as testament to his Runner-Up finish in the 2013 Merrett-Murray Medal – the highest ever placing by a former rookie.

But the Lions aren’t alone in producing quality senior players from rookie selections.

Some of the AFL’s key players started out as rookies, including Western Bulldogs Captain Matthew Boyd, Collingwood Premiership Captain Nick Maxwell, gun Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow, West Coast ruckman Dean Cox and Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands.

Add to that list quality players such as, Nathan Bock (Gold Coast), Brad Sewell (Hawthorn), Dale Morris (Western Bulldogs), Matt Priddis (West Coast), Clancee Pearce (Fremantle), James Podsiadly (Geelong), Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide), Ben Rutten (Adelaide), Harry O’Brien (Collingwood), Michael Jamison (Carlton), Scott Thompson (North Melbourne) and Nathan Grima (North Melbourne), and you begin to understand how valuable rookie selections can be.

So when the Lions name their rookie selections next Tuesday, be sure to take note because one or more of those players could ultimately go on to play a significant role in the Club’s future.

The 2013 AFL Rookie Draft will be held on Wednesday 26 November 2013 at 11am (Melbourne time). So keep posted to lions.com.au for the most comprehensive summary of the Club’s eventual selections. 

BRISBANE LIONS ROOKIES
The following former rookie-listed players have made a senior appearance with the Lions since the Rookie Draft was introduced in 1997 (listed by total matches played with the Lions): 

Robert Copeland (143 games)
Cheynee Stiller (100 games)
Josh Drummond (94 games)
Joel Macdonald (80 games)
Pearce Hanley (76 games)*
Jason Roe (50 games)
Mitch Golby (39 games)*
Scott Harding (48 games)
Colm Begley (29 games)
Niall McKeever (22 games)
Claye Beams (15 games)*
Justin Clarke (14 games)*
Trent Knobel (13 games)
Jack Crisp (12 games)*
Marty Pask (8 games)
Nathan Clarke (6 games)
Marcus Allan (5 games)
Luke Weller (4 games)
Daniel Pratt (3 games)
Will Hamill (3 games)
Broc McCauley (3 games)
Sam Michael (3 games)*
Stephen Wrigley (3 games)
Scott Clouston (2 games)
Shannon Rusca (2 games)
Travis Baird (2 games)
Darren Bradshaw (1 game)
Daniel Dzufer (1 game)
Josh Dyson (1 game)
Leigh Ryswyk (1 game)

*Player still listed with the Club