Which Rookie do you think will see some action early in 2018?

MELBOURNE

Tim Smith’s debut season as a 26-year-old was cut short by injury after two games. Corey Maynard is an inside midfielder who will push hard for games. Declan Keilty, 21, is a key tall learning the craft.

We spoke with Demonland poster @Drunkn167 who is Declan Keilty's brother on the Demonland Podcast. Check out who he thought would see action in 2018: https://soundcloud.com/user-967419456/podcast-0029-28-february-2018

 

So what is the difference between a listed player and a rookie?  

Is it just the type of contract and $$?

Can they play an unlimited number of games in a season?

From what I understand there is no need for a long term injury to play them now?  So that means from a selection point of view there is no difference??

3 minutes ago, kryton101 said:

So what is the difference between a listed player and a rookie?  

Is it just the type of contract and $$?

Can they play an unlimited number of games in a season?

From what I understand there is no need for a long term injury to play them now?  So that means from a selection point of view there is no difference??

I still don't fully understand to confidently give you the correct answer. 

Perhaps @Drunkn167 can elaborate. 

Alright let's do this.

The Rookie list was originally brought in to the AFL in 1997 to allow clubs to have young, developing, cheaper players on their list, as well as filling a gap when AFL lists size's went from 52 to 42 players in 1994. 

They eventually added Catergory 'B' rookies who are basically international players or players from other sporting codes, again for a cheaper price.

This is how AFL lists are currently structured 

38 Senior Players, up to 6 'A' Rookies and up to 3 'B' Rookies for a Max of 47 players or                                                                    39 Senior Players, up to 5 'A' Rookies and up to 3 'B' Rookies for a Max of 47 players or                                                                      40 Senior Players, up to 4 'A' Rookies and up to 3 'B' Rookies for a Max of 47 players 

After a lot of tweaks and changes this is what the current rules for Rookie List's ultimately mean:

• 'A' Rookies are on the same base payment as Senior Listed draftee's
• 'A' Rookies can be played in the AFL with no restrictions 
• 'B' Rookies are still International/Other Sports players who are on different pay levels
• 'B' Rookies are only eligible to play in replace of someone on the Long Term Injury list or a Retired player
• Rookie's are only given 12 month contracts, and in order to give a Rookie a longer contract they must be upgraded to the Senior List

The AFLPA are moving in a direction where they want Rookie list's to be abandoned all together, and have a 46 man Senior List, which looks likely to occur within the next couple of years.

 

What does all this mean for the MFC? Melbourne currently have 40 Senior Listed players, 4 'A' Rookies and 0 'B' Rookies, which mean any of the 44 players are eligible to play a Senior game at any time.

 

Edited March 8, 20187 yr by Drunkn167

Thanks Drunkn - a very useful explanation.

I also seem to recall that the rookies category may have been introduced to assist clubs who didn't have any "veterans" on their list in the days when clubs with qualifying "veterans" had a distinct advantage with their salary cap.