CLUBS keen on WAFL key forward Wade Derksen ahead of the NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft have been dealt a blow this week, with the Peel Thunder product not granted an exemption to nominate.
Derksen did not nominate for last year’s national draft and was therefore made to apply for an AFL exemption to be selected next month, but was not one of three youngsters granted League approval on Friday.
It’s understood West Adelaide midfielder Josh Carmichael, Sandringham Dragons forward Hugo Hall-Kahan and Port Melbourne defender Will Reinhold were the only players handed AFL exemptions to nominate.
The 22-year-old Carmichael has averaged 24.3 disposals and 1.2 goals per game in the SANFL this year, the 18-year-old Hall-Kahan has kicked 11 goals from four matches in the NAB League, while the 20-year-old Reinhold is a tall defender in the VFL.
As flagged in AFL.com.au’s Inside Trading earlier this year, the League leant on club interest before granting exemptions to players and reviewed each nomination’s merits on a case-by-case basis.
Rules state for a player to be eligible for the mid-season draft they must have been overlooked in the most recent national draft or have previously been on an AFL list. AFL-listed players who retire must wait more than 12 months to enter.
Sydney, Carlton, Hawthorn, Fremantle and Geelong currently hold picks for the mid-season draft, while Collingwood (Nathan Kreuger), Gold Coast (Ben King), St Kilda (Nick Coffield and Jack Hayes), Adelaide (Rory Sloane), North Melbourne (Miller Bergman), Port Adelaide (Jake Pasini) and Richmond (Josh Caddy) can still open list spots.