Most recently the AFL has seen rookie success stories in the form of mature-age recruits such as Fremantle’s Michael Barlow and Geelong’s James Podsiadly while the Lions have also found their fair share of rookie ‘bargains’ over the years.
In fact, the Lions have elevated more than 20 rookies over the past decade who have gone on to play at least one senior match.
That statistic bodes well for the current Lions rookies - Josh Dyson, Mitch Golby, Albert Proud, Broc McCauley, Bart McCulloch, Brad Harvey and Niall McKeever - whose chance at playing senior football might be just around the corner.
Below is a list of Lions rookies from the past decade who have at least had a taste of senior AFL action.
NATHAN CLARKE
Clarke was initially selected by the Lions with Pick No.64 in the 1999 Rookie Draft.
He was elevated late in his debut season and earned his first senior call-up in Round 18. He kicked two goals and collected 18 disposals on debut and went on to play six senior matches as a rookie across the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Clarke was then added to the Club’s senior list at the 2001 National Draft, but failed to make another senior appearance.
ROBERT COPELAND
One of the Club’s most successful rookie transformations, Copeland was selected by the Lions with Pick No.66 in the 2000 Rookie Draft.
He was promptly elevated to the senior list by Round 9 of his debut season and went on to be part of the Lions’ remarkable winning streak which culminated in the 2001 premiership triumph.
He developed a reputation as a tough defender, but was also renowned for some of his tagging roles including a superb performance in the 2003 Grand Final which helped deliver the Club’s third successive premiership.
The dual premiership player also won a host of individual Club awards including Lions Best First Year Player (2001), Lions Most Improved Player (2004), Lions Best Tackler (2004) and Lions Most Professional Player (2007).
Copeland’s 143-game career with the Club eventually ended at the end of the 2008 season.
DARREN BRADSHAW
The brother of former Lions spearhead Daniel Bradshaw, Darren joined the Lions with Pick No.16 in the 2001 Rookie Draft.
A proven goal-kicker in the local QAFL competition, Darren found it tough to break into the reigning premiership side - particularly with the likes of his brother Daniel, Alastair Lynch and a young centre-half forward by the name of Jonathan Brown roaming the Lions attack.
But a rare opportunity arose in Round 15 of 2002 against Richmond at Docklands which proved the only senior match of his short AFL career.
LUKE WELLER
Weller first arrived at the Lions courtesy of their Pick No.67 in the 2001 Rookie Draft.
He played with the Lions Reserves side throughout his debut season, but eventually received a senior call-up in Round 12 of 2003.
Weller played four senior matches for the Club in what turned out to be another premiership season before being delisted at the end of the year. He continued his AFL career with Richmond in 2004 where he played a further seven senior games.
DANIEL PRATT
Pratt joined the Lions courtesy of Pick No.16 in the 2002 Rookie Draft and was ‘re-rookied’ in 2003. He played three senior matches with the Club in 2004, but was unable to find a permanent position in a highly successful side.
He was picked up by North Melbourne in 2005 and went on to establish himself as a hard-nut defender in 108 matches with the Kangaroos.
JOEL MACDONALD
Former Mt Gravatt product Macdonald was recruited to the Lions with their Pick No.70 in the 2003 Rookie Draft.
He was afforded a spot on the senior list by Round 10 of his debut season and went on to become a valuable addition on the wing and across half-back.
He played 11 senior games in 2004 - including the Qualifying Final against St Kilda - but was ultimately left out of the team’s Preliminary Final and fourth consecutive Grand Final.
Macdonald was soon a permanent fixture of the Lions’ backline, and despite missing a large portion of football through a serious knee injury, went on to play 97 matches with the Club.
He joined Melbourne at the end of 2009 where he continues his senior AFL career.
JOSH DRUMMOND
Drummond proved yet another talented Queenslander who was selected by the Club with Pick No.47 in the 2003 Rookie Draft.
Despite being close to senior selection on a number of occasions in his debut season, Drummond had to wait until Round 8 of 2005 before cracking his first senior berth.
He made an immediate impact across half-back with 15 disposals on debut and went on to play 14 of the remaining 15 matches.
Drummond was added permanently to the senior list at the end of 2005, and his lethal left-foot has since become a weapon for the Lions backline over the past six seasons.
He remains one of the key players in the Lions’ side, but has been limited to just 72 senior matches due to a variety of injury complaints.
LEIGH RYSWYK
Another local product, Leigh Ryswyk was recruited to the Lions from Southport with the Club’s Pick No.67 at the 2003 Rookie Draft.
The speedy wingman became a senior player by 2005, but received just one opportunity to play senior football with the Lions in Round 11 against Fremantle before being cut from the list.
TRAVIS BAIRD
The Lions used their Pick No.15 in the 2004 Rookie Draft to recruit Bendigo utility Travis Baird to the Club.
Baird’s impressive form with the Lions Reserves earned him two senior matches in 2005 before being cut and re-drafted by the Western Bulldogs with whom he played a further three matches in 2006.
MARCUS ALLAN
Allan was recruited to the Lions with Pick No.62 in the 2004 Rookie Draft as a high-possession winning midfielder.
After dominating in the local competition, Allan earned one senior call-up in late 2006 and played a further four matches in 2007 before being delisted.
WILL HAMILL
Hamill was selected by the Lions with Pick No.64 in the 2004 Rookie Draft and spent a total of three seasons on the Club’s rookie list.
After two full seasons with the Lions Reserves, Hamill finally made his senior debut in the Lions’ famous victory over West Coast at Subiaco in Round 14 of 2007. He went on to play three consecutive matches with the Club.
MARTY PASK
Pask joined the Club from the Western Magpies (QLD) via Pick No.65 in the 2004 Rookie Draft and played out his debut season with the Lions Reserves side.
Pask was elevated to the senior list midway through the 2006 season and played 11 senior matches and kicked four goals with the Lions. After being released by the Lions, Pask was re-drafted by the Western Bulldogs but failed to make another senior AFL appearance.
SCOTT HARDING
Speedy Queenslander Scott Harding was picked up by the Lions with the final selection (Pick No.66) at the 2004 Rookie Draft.
He spent the his first season with the Lions Reserves, but burst onto the scene with a string of impressive performances during the 2006 NAB Cup which had him elevated to the senior side by Round 1 of the 2006 home-and-away season.
Harding played 48 senior matches over five seasons with the Club and was even named in the 2007 Queensland Team of the Year.
Upon finishing with the Lions at the end of 2009, he joined Port Adelaide where he played a further two senior games in 2010.
JASON ROE
Former Collingwood rookie Jason Roe was given a second chance at an AFL career when the Lions recruited him with Pick No.6 in the 2005 Rookie Draft.
He was called upon early in 2006 when regular full-back Justin Leppitsch succumbed to a debilitating back injury. Roe’s first-up task was a tough one opposed to Sydney’s Barry Hall, but he performed well enough to become a regular fixture of the Lions’ backline.
Roe was elevated permanently to the senior side at the end of 2006 and went on to play 50 matches in four seasons with the Club.
CHEYNEE STILLER
Stiller followed in the footsteps of his older brother Jeremy when he was selected by the Lions with Pick No.49 in the 2005 Rookie Draft.
The hard-running midfielder got his first opportunity to play seniors earlier than expected when he a surprise late inclusion to the team that played St Kilda in Round 3 of 2006.
He played 13 senior matches in 2006 and averaged a remarkable 20.9 disposals including a 28-possession performance against Carlton which earned him an AFL Rising Star Nomination.
Stiller has since been a regular fixture in the senior side and will be keen on adding to his 76 senior matches when he begins his sixth AFL season with the Lions next year.
COLM BEGLEY
Begley arrived in Australia together with fellow Irishman Brendan Quigley at the end of 2005 to pursue an AFL career as an International Rookie.
While Quigley soon returned home to Ireland, Begley quickly took to the sport and within just 12 months of learning the code, found himself lining up as a senior player against West Coast at the Gabba.
After getting a taste of AFL in his first year at the Club, Begley grew into a mid-sized running defender and represented the Lions 29 times in three seasons. Following his departure at the end of 2008, Begley joined St Kilda as a rookie and played one more senior match.
ANTHONY CORRIE
Corrie was originally drafted to the Club via the 2002 National Draft and played 31 senior matches before being placed on the rookie list at the end of 2006 while he recovered from a serious knee injury.
Once he had completed his near 18-month rehabilitation, he almost immediately returned to the seniors where he played a further 22 matches.
Corrie was traded to Collingwood at the end of 2008 and played three matches over two seasons with the Magpies.
SCOTT CLOUSTON
Former soccer player Clouston was drafted as a project player to the Lions with Pick No.20 at the 2006 Rookie Draft.
He learnt the ropes as a full-back for most of the 2007 season with the Lions Reserves but received an opportunity late in 2008 when he was elevated to play two senior matches.
Clouston was officially added to the senior list at the beginning of 2009 but failed to make another senior appearance in what proved to be his final season at the Club.
DANIEL DZUFER
Dzufer joined the Lions with Pick No.35 at the 2006 Rookie Draft and was one of the Lions Reserves’ best players throughout 2007.
He was awarded a senior match in Round 13 of 2008, but it proved his only senior outing before finishing with the Club at the end of 2009.
PEARCE HANLEY
Hanley followed in the footsteps of a number of his fellow Irishman and travelled to Australia as an International Rookie in a bid to play AFL at a professional level.
He arrived at the Lions at the end of 2007 and began his football apprenticeship. Like Begley before him, it didn’t take long before Hanley got the hang of things and he was added to the senior team for the final two matches of 2008.
An injury-plagued 2009 saw him play just one senior match, although he became an official member of the senior list by the start 2010.
Hanley played a career-best nine games in 2010 (taking his overall tally to 12) and seems set for a long and successful career with the Club.
CLAYE BEAMS
Although Beams is still yet to play a senior match with the Lions, he recently became the latest player to be elevated to the senior list for 2011.
Beams was a standout for the Lions Reserves this season and was even selected on the half-forward flank in the 2010 QAFL Team of the Year.
He was among the team’s best players in the recent ‘Shanghai Showdown’ with three goals and is now hoping to earn his chance of becoming a regular part of the Lions’ senior side.
