Melbourne have added Kynan Brown to their growing list of father-son recruits and re-listed Jake Melksham via an AFL rookie draft scattered with experienced players given career lifelines.
Melksham and fellow veterans Sam Reid (Sydney) and Taylor Duryea (Western Bulldogs) headlined the group of eight players officially re-listed by their clubs as rookies on Wednesday.
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They were joined by Adelaide duo Will Hamill and James Borlase, Cooper Stephens (Hawthorn), Adam Kennedy (GWS) and Duryea’s Bulldogs teammate Lachie McNeil.
Gold Coast rookie-listed former North Melbourne forward Jack Mahony and Geelong picked up ex-Hawthorn ruckman Emerson Jeka.
Chad Wingard (Hawthorn) and Sam Day (Gold Coast) returned to their clubs’ primary lists through the pre-season draft, where St Kilda picked up former Port Adelaide defender Riley Bonner.
Tough midfielder Brown is the son of former Melbourne defender Nathan Brown, who played 146 games for the Demons and retired as a life member of the club in 2007.
Known for his contested game and work rate, the 18-year-old was a consistent performer through this year’s national championships and won Vic Metro’s best-and-fairest award.
Also on Wednesday, West Coast chose Sturt small forward Loch Rawlinson with the opening rookie draft selection.
Gold Coast used pick four on Werribee defender Sam Clohesy, who shone in the VFL grand final against the Suns in September.
The 20-year-old was named the second-tier competition’s most promising young player and is the 16th winner of the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal in the last 18 years to earn an AFL contract.
He follows in the footsteps of Michael Barlow, Kane Lambert, Bayley Fritsch and Luke Ryan, among others.
Essendon selected developing ruckman Vigo Visentini, the younger brother of Port Adelaide’s Dante Visentini, from the Sandringham Dragons.
Four players were pre-listed as Category B rookies, headlined by Sydney’s father-son recruit Indhi Kirk.
The tough midfielder is the son of 2005 Swans premiership captain Brett Kirk, who still works in the club’s football department.
How Wednesday’s AFL draft action unfolded
ROOKIE DRAFT
Round 1
1. West Coast – Loch Rawlinson (Sturt SANFL)
2. North Melbourne – Finnbar Maley (Northern Bullants VFL)
3. Hawthorn – Cooper Stephens (re-listed)
4. Gold Coast – Sam Clohesy (Werribee VFL)
5. Fremantle – Odin Jones (West Perth WAFL)
6. Richmond – Pass
7. Geelong Cats – Emerson Jeka (Hawthorn)
8. Essendon – Vigo Visentini (Sandringham Dragons)
9. Adelaide – Will Hamill (re-listed)
10. Western Bulldogs – Lachie McNeil (re-listed)
11. Sydney Swans – Sam Reid (re-listed)
12. Melbourne – Jake Melksham (re-listed)
13. Port Adelaide – Xavier Welsh (East Perth WAFL)
14. GWS – Adam Kennedy (re-listed)
15. Carlton – Matt Carroll (Sandringham Dragons)
16. Collingwood – Pass
Round 2
17. North Melbourne – Pass
18. Gold Coast – Will Rowlands (Norwood SANFL)
19. Fremantle – Pass
20. Adelaide – James Borlase (re-listed)
21. Western Bulldogs – Taylor Duryea (re-listed)
22. Melbourne – Kynan Brown (father-son)
23. Collingwood – Pass
Round 3
24. Gold Coast – Jack Mahony (North Melbourne)
25. Western Bulldogs – Pass
26. Melbourne – Pass
27. Collingwood – Pass
Round four
28. Gold Coast – Pass
Round five
29. Gold Coast – Pass
PRE-SEASON DRAFT
1. Hawthorn – Chad Wingard (re-listed)
2. Gold Coast – Sam Day (re-listed)
3. St Kilda – Riley Bonner (Port Adelaide)
CATEGORY B ROOKIES
Sydney – Indhi Kirk
West Coast – Coen Livingstone
Brisbane Lions – Bruce Reville
GWS – Nathan Wardius
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