Ex-Saint's lifeline, Lions pick former Sun, nine new rookies taken

FORMER Gold Coast forward Sam Day and ex-Saint Ben Paton have landed second chances in the AFL, while the Suns have swooped on Max Knobel in the 2024 Telstra AFL Rookie Draft after the ruck was delisted by Fremantle.

Hawthorn re-listed triple premiership great Jack Gunston, as planned when they delisted the veteran earlier this month, before Brisbane used the only other pick in the Telstra AFL Pre-Season Draft to select Day.

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Day, 32, was delisted by Gold Coast at the end of the season but quickly became a target for the reigning premier after Joe Daniher made the shock decision to retire following the Lions' Grand Final win over Sydney.

The rookie draft was dominated by players being re-listed by the club they played for in 2024, but the big surprise arrived when Gold Coast swooped on Knobel at pick No.4.

Fremantle had committed to re-listing the 206cm ruckman in the rookie draft after delisting him in October, but Gold Coast made a move.

After attracting interest from both NSW clubs, Paton was picked by the Swans at pick No.25, weeks after being cut by the Saints after 71 appearances across six seasons at Moorabbin.

North Melbourne key defender Toby Pink was selected with the first pick, with the Kangaroos honouring their commitment to the South Australian.

Adelaide re-listed Chris Burgess and Harry Schoenberg, Brisbane picked Darragh Joyce and Darcy Craven as planned, Collingwood pair Ash Johnson and Oleg Markov were both selected, Greater Western Sydney re-listed Lachie Keeffe and Josh Fahey and Jacob Wehr, while St Kilda picked Brad Crouch.

AFL Academy graduate Archer Day-Wicks was the first fresh face to land a shot in the AFL after Essendon used pick No.6 on the Bendigo Pioneers product.

Port Adelaide used pick No.13 to pick Central District’s Tom Cochrane, who is the son of former Power player Stuart and the older brother of highly rated teenager Doug.

Geelong was active on Friday, picking two players out of the Geelong Falcons program – Xavier Ivisic and Joe Pike – as well as Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Patrick Retschko.

Carlton selected Greater Western Victoria co-captain Harry Charleson after a strong season where he won the Rebels' best and fairest, leading them to their first Coates Talent League Grand Final appearance in 27 years.

When Knobel was taken off the board, the Dockers pivoted to pick Claremont ruckman Aiden Riddle three picks later, making the 19-year-old one of nine new faces to enter the AFL on Friday.

Six clubs also added Next Generation Academy players to their lists as category B rookies: Jayden Nguyen (Essendon), Lachlan Gulbin (Gold Coast), Josaia Delana (GWS), Ricky Mentha (Melbourne), Benny Barrett (Port Adelaide) and Malakai Champion (West Coast).

ROUND ONE

1. Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)
2. Sam Day (Brisbane) 

ROUND ONE

1. Toby Pink (North Melbourne)
2. Pass (West Coast)
3. Harry Schoenberg (Adelaide)
4. Max Knobel (Gold Coast
5. Brad Crouch (St Kilda)
6. Archer Day-Wicks (Essendon)
7. Aiden Riddle (Fremantle)
8. Oleg Markov (Collingwood)
9. Harry Charleson (Carlton)
10. Pass (Western Bulldogs)
11. Lachie Keeffe (GWS)
12. Xavier Ivisic (Geelong)
13. Tom Cochrane (Port Adelaide)
14. Blake Leidler (Sydney)
15. Darragh Joyce (Brisbane)

ROUND TWO

16. Chris Burgess (Adelaide)
17. Asher Eastham (Gold Coast)
18. Pass (Essendon)
19. Pass (Fremantle)
20. Ash Johnson (Collingwood)
21. Pass (Carlton)
22. Jacob Wehr (GWS)
23. Patrick Retschko (Geelong)
24. Pass (Port Adelaide)
25. Ben Paton (Sydney)
26. Darcy Craven (Brisbane)

ROUND THREE

27. Pass (Gold Coast)
28. Pass (Essendon)
29. Pass (Carlton)
30. Josh Fahey (GWS)
31. Joe Pike (Geelong)
32. Aaron Francis (Sydney)

ROUND FOUR

33. Joel Hamling (Sydney)