Overview

• The AFL held its sixth mid-season rookie draft on May 28, selecting 18 players over four rounds to fill list spots opened by long-term injuries
• West Coast Eagles grabbed Richmond VFL half-back Tom McCarthy with the No.1 pick, adding a ready-made defender to their squad
• Essendon Bombers used all four of their selections on Archie May, Lachlan Blakiston, Oscar Smartt and Liam McMahon to address a shortage of tall key-position players
• Other active clubs—North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast and Collingwood—each added mid-season recruits to shore up positional gaps
• Newly drafted mid-season rookies shift from part-time leagues to full-time AFL demands and typically require time to adapt to elite competition