AFL Rookie Draft 2022: All the latest news, every pick and possible pick-ups

Working on a cattle farm in Mansfield for the next few months seemed a lock, but now a young gun from out of nowhere will be running alongside Christian Petracca. See every pick.

Jaiden Magor landed at the Swans. Picture: Getty Images

The stats sheet had Oliver Sestan down for 24 goals, but that wasn’t the full picture.

He handballed off another nine majors to teammates while playing for Mansfield’s under-18s in a Round 18 clash against Tatura in August.

“It was coming in hot and I thought I would start sharing it a bit when it got to the last quarter,” Sestan said.

“It was good fun.”

Three months since that match — and 11 days after Melbourne recruiters first took notice of him — Sestan was a shock selection at No. 28 in the AFL Rookie Draft on Wednesday.

RE-LIVE EVERY PICK AND ALL THE DRAMA BELOW

Oliver Sestan kicked 59 goals in just seven matches for Mansfield U18s. Picture: Play HQ

Oliver Sestan kicked 24 goals in one match against Tatura.

A 186cm power forward who looks up to Dustin Martin and Christian Petracca, Sestan had been part of the Oakleigh Chargers NAB League talent program at under-14 and under-15 level.

However, his past two years had been spent simply playing school football at Xavier College.

On weekends when there was no school football, him and his boarding school mate Charlie Christopher would get in the car at 7am on a Saturday and drive up to Mansfield for a game in the Goulburn Valley Football League.

Charlie’s father Bo Christopher is the football manager at Mansfield.

“I’ve seen Ollie play quite a bit at Xavier as well and he’s got talent to burn,” Bo said.

“He was right in the mix to play senior footy in the finals, but he just enjoyed playing with his mates in the under-18s.”

One of Sestan’s other good mates from school was Archie Connors, the son of leading AFL player agent Paul Connors.

Sestan was invited to a training session hosted by Connors Sports Management at Melbourne’s Gosch’s Paddock on November 19, where recruiters from 15 AFL clubs flocked to get one last glimpse of some of this year’s top draft prospects.

Most of the players out on the field were familiar faces — including top picks George Wardlaw and Elijah Tsatas — but Melbourne’s recruiters were left asking themselves ‘Who’s that?’ as Sestan cleanly picked up some loose balls and showed great power in his legs and impressive kicking skills.

The Demons spent the next day on Sunday trawling back through vision of Xavier College games to have a better look at this player who had suddenly caught their eye.

It was soon established that Sestan was also a strong overhead mark, good decision maker and a natural around goals.

Connors promptly rang Sestan to let him know the Demons wanted an interview.

“They were the only club that showed real interest,” Sestan said.

“It all just took off from there.”

Sestan was on the beach at Byron Bay enjoying time away for schoolies on Tuesday when Connors rang again and told him he had better get home.

Hours after he landed back in Melbourne on Wednesday, the Demons picked him in the rookie draft.

Sestan had been planning to work on a cattle farm in Mansfield for the next few months.

He’s now planning to join one of his heroes Petracca at training on Friday.

“It’s been an absolute whirlwind,” Sestan said.

“Ten days ago I was planning to go back and play for Mansfield next year.

“I’ve spoken to Goodie (Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin) and a few of the other boys have already text me. It’s all happened very quickly. It’s very exciting.”

Clarko shock as Dees, Tigers take smokeys

The rookie draft has thrown up a number of big surprises again.

New coach Alastair Clarkson has continued his overhaul of the North Melbourne list, with the Roos giving former Hawk Dan Howe an AFL lifeline at pick 33.

But that wasn’t the biggest shock of the online event, which many clubs, again, used to redraft delisted players.

Melbourne plucked Mansfield’s Oliver Sestan straight out of the Goulburn Valley league under-18s, while Richmond has given VFL defender Tylar Young a chance on its senior list.

Sestan, a powerful forward who kicked 24 goals in one game against Tatura this year and also played for Xavier College, was taken at pick 28, despite not being involved in a NAB League program in 2022.

The Demons also landed the young ruckman it wanted with its first selection, taking athletic South Adelaide big man Will Verrall at pick 14, after failing to trade up for Harry Barnett in the national draft.

North Melbourne used the first selection to claim lively and creative small Blake Drury, who was tipped to go on the second night.

The Oakleigh Chargers talent, is a creative ball-user with high workrate and is a player who always finds a way to impact the contest.

West Coast, GWS and Adelaide used their opening selections to relist Isiah Winder, Phil Davis and Andrew McPherson respectively, setting the scene for the rest of the draft, with 12 of the 27 selections used to redraft a previously listed player.

Paul Seedsman (Adelaide), Nakia Cockatoo (Brisbane) and Kayne Turner (North Melbourne) were other notable names finding their way back onto their club’s list.

Rhett Montgomerie is now a Bomber. Picture: James Elsby

But the Bombers went for a new face, selecting 22-year-old Central District defender Rhett Montgomerie, who led all non-AFL listed players in the SANFL for intercept possessions, with its first selection. Richmond did the same at pick 12, swooping on Tasmanian small-forward Seth Campbell.

Fremantle also took a punt on Frankston ruckman Liam Reidy, while Sydney has added more young talent to its list, drafting Tasmanian Cam Owen and South Adelaide match-winner Jaiden Magor.

ROOKIE DRAFT - EVERY PICK

FIRST ROUND

1. North Melbourne - Blake Drury (Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro)

Great to see Drury get his chance. He’s worked very hard for it and had an impressive national carnival.

Drury Lane meets Arden Street 🚏

Welcome to the Kangaroos, Blake!#AFLDraft

— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) November 30, 2022

2. West Coast - Isiah Winder (West Coast, re-drafted)

3. GWS - Phil Davis (GWS, re-drafted)

4. Essendon - Rhett Montgomerie (Central Districts)

The Bombers go with a SANFL mature-ager here at their first pick of the rookie draft.

Rhett is now a Bomber.

Welcome to the Dons. pic.twitter.com/RVPhxrtq8G

— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) November 30, 2022

5. Adelaide - Andrew McPherson (Adelaide, re-drafted)

6. Hawthorn - Seamus Mitchell (Hawthorn, re-drafted)

7. Gold Coast - Connor Blakely (Fremantle)

The first surprise of the rookie draft with the delisted Docker becoming a Sun.

8. Port Adelaide - Dylan Williams (Port Adelaide, re-drafted)

9. St Kilda - PASS

10. Carlton - Ed Curnow (Carlton, re-drafted)

11. Western Bulldogs - PASS

12. Richmond - Seth Campbell (Tasmania Devils/Allies)

13. Fremantle - Liam Reidy (Frankston VFL)

Liam Reidy highlights 🎥

See what our rookie ruck selection can do. #AFLDraft#foreverfreopic.twitter.com/95kOdosOSG

— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) November 30, 2022

14. Melbourne - Will Verrall (South Adelaide)

15. Brisbane - Ryan Lester (Brisbane, re-drafted)

16. Collingwood - Cooper Murley (Collingwood, re-drafted)

17. Sydney - Cameron Own (Tasmania Devils)

18. Geelong - Oscar Murdoch (Geelong Falcons/Vic Country)

SECOND ROUND

19. North Melbourne - Hamish Free (South Fremantle)

The Roos pluck the 24-year-old mature-age ruckman out of the WAFL.

20. West Coast - Zane Trew (West Coast, re-drafted)

21. Adelaide - Paul Seedsman (Adelaide, re-drafted)

22. Hawthorn - PASS

23. Gold Coast - Jake Stein (GWS)

24. St Kilda - PASS

25. Western Bulldogs - PASS

26. Richmond - Tylar Young (Richmond VFL)

With pick No.26 in the rookie draft, we’ve selected @RichmondVFL's very own Tylar Young 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cq3Mt2w2qb

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) November 30, 2022

27. Fremantle- PASS

28. Melbourne - Oliver Sestan (Xavier College/Mansfield)

A powerful forward from Xavier College. 😤

Oliver Sestan is officially a Demon. 👌#DemonSpirit | @IGAuspic.twitter.com/YhC39VfvvG

— Melbourne Demons (@melbournefc) November 30, 2022

29. Brisbane - Nakia Cockatoo (Brisbane, re-drafted)

30. Collingwood - PASS

31. Sydney — Jaiden Magor (South Adelaide/SA)

32. Geelong - Osca Riccardi

ROUND THREE

33. North Melbourne - Daniel Howe (Hawthorn)

Back with Clarko! The Roos take former Hawk Daniel Howe who will add some experience to their outside mix.

34. Gold Coast - PASS

35. Richmond - PASS

36. Melbourne - PASS

37. Brisbane - PASS

38. Geelong - PASS

ROUND FOUR

39. North Melbourne - Kayne Turner (North Melbourne, re-drafted)

Kayne Turner has been re-listed with our final rookie pick.#AFLDraft

— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) November 30, 2022

40. Gold Coast - PASS

ROUND FIVE

41. Gold Coast - PASS

DRAFT OVER

2:49PM NO PRE-SEASON DRAFT

Just the rookie draft today, folks. And there is unlikely to be many selections.

Recruiters are expecting around 10 actual picks in this draft, with some clubs tipped to use it as an opportunity to re-list players who had been delisted.

Phil Davis is among the players set to be re-listed.

About 10 minutes away, stay tuned!

PRE-LISTED ROOKIE SELECTIONS

Lloyd Johnston (Gold Coast), Northern Academy
Nick Madden (GWS), Northern Academy
Will Edwards (Sydney), Northern Academy
Anthony Munkara (Essendon), NGA
Joshua Draper (Fremantle), NGA
Conrad Williams (Fremantle), NGA
Joshua Bennetts (Hawthorn), NGA
Ted Clohesy (Geelong), NGA
Nathan Barkla (Port Adelaide), NGA
Angus McLennan (St Kilda), NGA
Jordyn Baker (West Coast), NGA
Tyrell Dewar (West Coast), NGA
Shadeau Brain (Brisbane), QLD zone
Jason Gillbee (GWS), NSW zone
Osca Riccardi (Geelong), father-son