Rookie shock: North grabs ex-Tiger, flag Pie's retirement backflip

NORTH Melbourne has pulled off another draft stunner, naming former Tiger Connor Menadue in the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

Fresh off surprising the football world with its third selection in the national draft when it jumped on midfielder Will Phillips, the Roos backed up again by calling Menadue's name.

WHO GOT CALLED? Every pick from the NAB AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Draft

As previously flagged, Port Adelaide grabbed former Collingwood premiership player Tyson Goldsack as a rookie, while Richmond 2017 flag hero Jacob Townsend - who has also been a Giant and a Bomber - is now a Sun.

A total of 26 players were added to club lists in the Rookie Draft, including 12 new draftees, while 10 players were rookied by their AFL clubs after being previously delisted from their senior list.

Jackson Hately, who walked out on Greater Western Sydney at the end of this season, was the only player called in the Pre-Season Draft, joining Adelaide after the Giants and the Crows had previously been unable to settle on a trade.

>> SEE THE FULL ORDER OF THE NAB AFL ROOKIE DRAFT BELOW

Goldsack retired at the end of 2019 and had planned to play with Port in the SANFL this year, but the club's reserves team withdrew from the competition due to COVID-19 factors.

The defender is expected to line up in the SANFL to help the Power develop their young players.

"We think we'll be pretty young in the SANFL this year and a mature player like Tyson will help those guys with on-field leadership and development," Power recruiting manager Geoff Parker said.

The Power also snared Taj Schofield, the son of premiership midfielder Jarrad, as a father-son rookie selection.

WHO WOULD YOU HAVE TAKEN AT NO.1? We ask the recruiters

In a curious twist, former Carlton No.1 draft pick Bryce Gibbs was taken with Adelaide's top pick in the rookie draft, with the retired Crows player drafted for administrative reasons.

"It's more of an administrative thing for Bryce to come on now under AFL rules, TPP," Adelaide recruiting manager Hamish Ogilvie said.

"He will come on now and then in the new year he will go back off the list and retire, as he already had retired. And that will free up a spot for the SSP period."

TRADING FRENZY What was the reason behind Collingwood's busy draft night?

West Coast found a rookie spot for premiership forward Daniel Venables, who is dealing with ongoing concussion issues.