AFL: Jack Gunston set to be rookie listed by Hawthorn

There are calls for an overhaul of the AFL’s rookie list after Hawthorn became the latest club to use the list loophole to cut one of its most experienced players.

Jack Gunston will start his 16th season as an AFL player as a rookie.

The bizarre circumstance was confirmed on Thursday when Hawthorn revealed Gunston had agreed to a “list manoeuvre” where he would be delisted and then re-rookied by the club where he won three premierships.

The 33-year-old will be one of the most experienced players on an AFL list next year, with only 14 current players having featured in more games.

Teammate Luke Breust is the only Hawk who has played more games than Gunston.

“Ultimately this list move ensures the club is in the strongest position possible heading into the draft, which Jack was very supportive of,” Hawks list boss Mark McKenzie said.

“Jack’s approach to this list manoeuvre speaks to his selflessness and commitment to Hawthorn in wanting to put the club in the best position moving forward.”

The Hawks said the move would ensure they did not breach draft rules this year regarding the “utilisation of picks”.

Jack Gunston is set to be rookie listed by Hawthorn in 2025.

Hawthorn holds picks 33, 71 and 77 in the national draft and has committed to taking former basketballer Jaime Uhr-Henry and Melbourne Storm academy prospect Matt Hill as caegory B rookies.

The list loophole has become commonplace this off-season as clubs try look to take advantage of this year’s bumper draft crop.

Collingwood has delisted premiership player Oleg Markov and forward Ash Johnson but like Gunston, they will be taken as rookies.

Sydney has also used the same strategy with Aaron Francis and Joel Hamling.

Former Hawk Daniel Harford said the rookie list had become “a bit of a farce”.

“Aaron Francis is 27, he’s going to get redrafted,” he said on RSN.

“Oleg Markov is a premiership player...he’s going to get redrafted on the rookie list.”

Harford urged more clubs to give untried talent an AFL opportunity rather than recycling players via the rookie list.

“You might just find a couple of little diamonds,” he said.

“I think we can be better than this as an industry. The AFL need to start to be a bit more firm with the stance on this and the rules regrading the rookie list.”

When the rookie draft was introduced in 1997, clubs were only able to select players aged between 18 and 23.

HOW ‘SUPER DRAFT’ IS PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON CLUBS

— Matthew Forrest and Lachlan McKirdy

It has been labelled a ‘Super Draft’, and list managers have been cutting harder and younger than they have in years in an effort to maximise their hauls in late November.

In an effort to create more list space and flexibility entering this year’s draft, which has been touted as the deepest in years, clubs are culling former top picks that were once earmarked as the future of their teams.

There have been more than 100 delistings across the competition, although several clubs have committed to rookie listings players they no longer had space on the senior list for.

Collingwood will take that step with premiership player Oleg Markov and forward Ash Johnson, while Sydney will re-rookie Aaron Francis and Joel Hamling after they were cut this week.

The total number of delisted players has eclipsed 100 for the first time since the Covid-impacted 2020 season, which had 121.

Several former first-round selections have already been cut, including Denver Grainger-Barras (2020 No.6), Cooper Stephens (2019 No.16) and Ned McHenry (2018 No.16).

Players from the 2022 draft class, who all came out of their rookie contracts at the end of this season, have also found their futures at risk if they had not broken into the senior side.

Charlie Clarke (No.24), Cooper Vickery (No.27), Coby Burgiel (No.29), James van Es (No.31) and Tom McCallum (No.36) were all second-round picks in 2022 and have all been delisted, while Jacob Konstanty (No.20) was set to be cut before being involved in the trade to North Melbourne.

Mid-season draftee in 2022 Jai Culley was also delisted after an ACL injury curtailed his progress at West Coast.

Jai Culley has been delisted by West Coast. Picture: Getty Images

A host of players in the 2024 class having eclipsed 100 games, with former Saint Seb Ross (211) and premiership Cat Gary Rohan (204) both reaching the 200-game milestone.

While the list of uncontracted players includes players like Pat Dangerfield, who will sign a two-year extension to play on, and Tim Membrey, who will likely sign at Collingwood, there are still plenty of names without clarity about their future.

The list also doesn’t include Melbourne’s Joel Smith, who is set to be delisted following allegations of cocaine trafficking.

Originally published as AFL: Jack Gunston set to be rookie listed by Hawthorn