While you’re much likelier to find future stars in the NAB AFL Draft, there is still gold to be discovered in the Rookie Draft if you search hard enough.
Before they became greats of the game, Dean Cox, Matthew Boyd, Aaron Sandilands, Josh Gibson, Nick Maxwell, Brett Kirk and Stephen Milne all got their starts via the Rookie Draft.
Milne, who won St Kilda's goalkicking prize on four occasions, is the Saints’ most successful rookie pick to date, with the goalsneak finishing his career with the fourth most goals in St Kilda’s history – only Tony Lockett, Nick Riewoldt and Stewart Loewe kicked more goals.
St Kilda skipper Jarryn Geary is another former rookie who has risen from obscurity to bigger and better things.
After being forced to fight for every opportunity early on, the uncompromising small defender has finished on the podium in the last two Trevor Barker Awards and at 29 is at the peak of his powers.
Maverick Weller and Jack Sinclair were also given an opportunity as rookies before establishing themselves as regular senior players.
After being handed a lifeline by the Saints at the end of 2013, Weller has emerged as one of the more shrewd rookie selections in the last few years, adding 76 games in red, white and black to the 32 he played for the Gold Coast Suns.
Following a frustrating second season at Linen House Centre, Sinclair produced a breakout year in 2017, playing the final 17 games of the year to indicate he could have a big future in the game.
With Richmond premiership hero Kane Lambert (No. 46, 2014), Essendon game breakers Adam Saad (No. 25, 2014) and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (No. 22, 2015), Sydney small forward Tom Papley (No. 14, 2015) and former NBL basketballer turned Crow High Greenwood (No. 48, 2015) all emerging as draft bargains in recent years, can the Saints add some gold on Monday?
St Kilda’s best rookie picks
- Stephen Milne (No. 23, 2000) – 275 games, 574 goals
- Jarryn Geary (No. 58, 2006) – 163 games*
- Zac Dawson (No. 13, 2008) – 142 games
- Maverick Weller (No. 22, 2013) – 76 games*
- Jack Sinclair (No. 1, 2014) – 44 games*
