Since the NEAFL formed in 2011 there have been 105 players drafted to AFL clubs.

Below is a summary of the competition’s draftees.

2011 – 17 team format (10 Northern Conference, 7 Eastern Conference)

Of the 2011 intake, mature-age Dayne Zorko has taken the AFL by storm. After winning the 2011 Syd Guildford Trophy and a fourth consecutive best-and-fairest award at Broadbeach, the Gold Coast-raised Zorko was the first NEAFL player taken in the National Draft. Now 29, Zorko has carved out a decorated career at Brisbane, winning the Merrett-Murray Medal four times and was named All Australian in 2017. St Kilda’s Josh Bruce is on the cusp of his 100th AFL game milestone, having been snapped up by GWS via zone selection before being traded to the Saints in 2013.

Total: 10

Josh Bruce (Eastlake/Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, zone selection.

Michael Hartley (Sydney Uni) to Collingwood, rookie pick 87.

Alex Sexton (Redland) to Gold Coast, national pick 88.

Sam Michael (Redland) to Brisbane, rookie pick 96.

Josh Hall (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, rookie pick 94.

Dayne Zorko (Broadbeach) to Brisbane, zone selection to Gold Coast and then traded.

Stephen Wrigley (Labrador) to Brisbane, rookie pick 22.

Peter Yagmoor (Morningside) to Collingwood, zone selection to Gold Coast and then traded.

Tom Bell (Morningside) to Carlton, rookie pick 14.

Jackson Allen (Morningside) to Gold Coast, zone selection.

2012 – 19 team format (10 Northern Conference, 9 Eastern Conference)

After being selected in 2012, Sydney’s Dane Rampe started the following season on the rookie list and by season’s end had played 23 games to take out the Swans’ Rising Star Award, and by 2016 was named All Australian. Darwin’s Jed Anderson – a former NEAFL Rising Star nominee – played in Hawthorn’s qualifying final in 2013 in his first season at the Hawks, and is now a rising star at North Melbourne.

Total: 11

Brandon Jack (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 57.

Dan Robinson (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 50.

Sam Naismith (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 58.

Dane Rampe (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 37.

Zac Williams (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, rookie pick 54.

Joseph Redfern (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, rookie pick 51.

Jed Anderson (NT Thunder) to Hawthorn, zone selection to GWS and then traded.

Adam Oxley (Redland) to Collingwood, rookie pick 35.

Andrew Boston (Broadbeach) to Gold Coast, rookie pick 55.

Jordon Bourke (Morningside) to Brisbane, rookie pick 56.

Clay Cameron (Mt Gravatt) to Gold Coast, national pick 58.

Harry Cunningham (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 93.

2013 – 19 team format (10 Northern Conference, 9 Eastern Conference)

Aspley’s Jono Freeman is the only player of the 2013 NEAFL draftees to make his debut in 2014, featuring in four games for the Brisbane Lions. Freeman made history as the first ever member of the Lions Academy to graduate on to the club’s senior list. Of the remaining draftees, Archie Smith will look to earn more game time at AFL level with Brisbane next year.

Total: 6

Lloyd Peris (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 55.

Isaac Conway (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, rookie pick 6.

Jono Freeman (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 62.

Jarred Ellis (Broadbeach) to Gold Coast, rookie pick 63.

Fraser Thurlow (Labrador) to Essendon, rookie pick 9.

Archie Smith (Mt Gravatt) to Brisbane, rookie pick 69.

2014 – 14 team format

Two-time Ainslie best-and-fairest and NEAFL representative Aaron Vandenberg capped off a remarkable season when Melbourne selected the mature-age on-baller with pick 2 in the rookie draft. A history-making 14 players from the NEAFL competition were drafted in 2014, with a record-breaking 12 of those coming from the northern AFL Academy programs.

Total: 14

Nakia Cockatoo (NT Thunder) to Geelong, national pick 10.

Lachie Weller (Southport/Broadbeach/Suns Academy) to Fremantle, national pick 13.

Isaac Heeney (Swans Academy) to Sydney, national pick 18. 

Jack Steele (Belconnen/Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 24.

Jack Hiscox (Sydney Uni/Swans Academy) to Sydney, national pick 38.

Liam Dawson (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 44.

Harris Andrews (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 61.

Logan Austin (Belconnen/Giants Academy) to Port Adelaide, national pick 69.

Abe Davis (Swans Academy) to Sydney, national pick 70.

Jeremy Finlayson (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 85.

Aaron Vandenberg (Ainslie) to Melbourne, rookie pick 2.

Braydon Preuss (Suns Academy) to North Melbourne, rookie pick 15.

Matthew Hammelmann (Morningside/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, rookie pick 75.

Jordan Foote (Swans Academy) to Sydney, rookie pick 76.

2015 – 11 team format

More records continued to fall for the NEAFL in 2015 with the highest ever selection of No.3 when Sydney selected midfielder Callum Mills from its academy program. A total of 18 players were selected across the national and rookie drafts, including NEAFL Rising Star winner Matt Uebergang and premiership players Josh Wagner and Ryan Nyhuis.

Total: 18

Callum Mills (Swans Academy) to Sydney, national pick 3 – matched Melbourne’s bid.

Jacob Hopper (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 7 – matched Gold Coast’s bid.

Eric Hipwood (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 14 – matched Richmond’s bid.

Harrison Himmelberg (Eastlake/Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 16 – matched Adelaide’s bid.

Ben Keays (Morningside/Redland/Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 24 – matched Western Bulldogs’ bid.

Matthew Flynn (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 41 – matched Melbourne’s bid.

Corey Wagner (Aspley/Lions Academy) to North Melbourne, national pick 43.

Wylie Buzza (Redland/Brisbane) to Geelong, national pick 69.

Josh Wagner (Aspley) to Melbourne, rookie pick 6.

Jock Cornell (Giants Academy) to Geelong, rookie pick 9.

Paul Hunter (Redland) to Adelaide, rookie pick 13.

Matt Uebergang (Redland) to Fremantle, rookie pick 16.

Reuben William (Lions Academy) to Brisbane, rookie pick 20.

Nick Coughlan (Giants Academy) to St Kilda, rookie pick 23.

Josh Smith (Redland) to Collingwood, rookie pick 25.

Mabior Chol (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Richmond, rookie pick 30.

Ryan Nyhuis (NT Thunder) to Fremantle, rookie pick 34.

Jesse Joyce (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, rookie pick 67.

2016 – 10 team format

A new record was set in the AFL National Draft in 2016 when 13 NEAFL players were selected, with Gold Coast Academy player Jack Bowes the highest pick at No.10. NEAFL premiership players Harrison Macreadie and Sam Fisher were among the draftees, and Redland mature-age star Blake Grewar was given a shot at AFL level by Brisbane.

Total: 18

Jack Bowes (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, national pick 10 – matched Sydney’s bid, 

Harry Perryman (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 14 – matched Adelaide’s bid.

Issac Cumming (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 20 – matched Sydney’s bid.

Declan Watson (Aspley/Lions Academy) to North Melbourne, national pick 34.

Josh Williams (Suns Academy) to North Melbourne, national pick 36.

Kobe Mutch (Giants Academy) to Essendon, national pick 42.

Harrison Macreadie (Giants Academy) to Carlton, national pick 47.

Elliott Himmelberg (Redland/Lions Academy) to Adelaide, national pick 51.

Lachlan Tiziani (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 54.

Jacob Allison (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Brisbane Lions, national pick 55 – matched St Kilda’s bid.

Brad Scheer (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, national pick 67 – matched Geelong’s bid.

Ryan Garthwaite (Giants Academy) to Richmond, national pick 72.

Ben Davis (Swans Academy) to Adelaide, national pick 75.

Max Lynch (Giants Academy) to Collingwood, rookie pick 51.

Max Spencer (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, academy pre-selection.

Zach Sproule (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, academy pre-selection.

Blake Grewar (Redland) to Brisbane Lions, category B rookie/QLD zone selection.

Sam Fisher (Canberra Demons/Giants Academy) to Sydney Swans, category B rookie/NSW zone selection.

2017 – 10 team format

Academy players dominated the 2017 AFL Draft crop with Lions Academy forward Connor Ballenden the first player to be snapped up, after Brisbane matched Fremantle’s bid for the NEAFL premiership youngster. Aspley’s Oskar Baker was the highlight of the draft when the 19-year-old was selected by Melbourne, whilst Sydney midfielder Jake Brown because the first Under-19 Academy member to be drafted on to an AFL list.

Total: 13

Connor Ballenden (Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 43 – matched Fremantle’s bid

Oskar Baker (Aspley) to Melbourne, national pick 48

Brayden Crossley (Southport/Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, national pick 52

Jack Payne (Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 54

Connor Nutting (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, national pick 55

Nick Shipley (Giants Academy) to GWS Giants, national pick 64

Jacob Dawson (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, academy rookie pre-selection

Jacob Heron (Suns Academy) to Gold Coast, academy rookie pre-selection

Jack Buckley (UNSW/ES Bulldogs/Giants) to GWS Giants, category b rookie/NSW zone selection

James Bell (Swans Academy) to Sydney, academy rookie pre-selection

Jake Brown (Swans Academy) to Sydney, academy rookie pre-selection

Doultan Langlands (Giants Academy) to St Kilda, rookie pick 8

Tony Olango (NT Thunder) to West Coast, rookie pick 27

2018 - 10 team format

Sydney Swans got their man in 2018 when they matched rival club GWS GIANTS’ bid for talented forward Nick Blakey – the son of former Fitzroy and North Melbourne dual premiership midfielder John, with pick No.10. What followed was another raft of academy selections with two players – Bailey Scott and Mathew Walker – heading south to Victorian clubs. Southport premiership forward Tom Wilkinson had his dream realised, with the mature-age recruit snapped up by North Melbourne in the Rookie Draft.

Nick Blakey (Swans Academy) to Sydney, national pick 10

Kieren Briggs (GIANTS Academy) to GWS GIANTS, national pick 34

Connor McFadyen (Lions Academy) to Brisbane, national pick 42

Bailey Scott (SUNS Academy) to North Melbourne, national pick 49

Caleb Graham (SUNS Academy) to Gold Coast, national pick 71

Mathew Walker (GIANTS Academy) to Hawthorn, national pick 63

Tom Wilkinson (Southport) to North Melbourne, rookie pick 41

Sam Wicks (Swans Academy) to Sydney, category b rookie selection

2019 - 10 team format

The NEAFL celebrated its second consecutive top 10 national pick in 2019 when GIANTS Academy midfielder Tom Green was secured by the GIANTS after matching Carlton’s bid at pick No.10. It was a moment to remember for Green, who created history as Canberra’s highest ever national draft selection. Lions Academy star Keidean Coleman  - a premiership player and member of the NEAFL team of the Year - was also the talk of the draft when Essendon made a bid at pick 37. After a long, tense wait, Brisbane matched the bid and Coleman officially became a Lion.

Tom Green (GIANTS Academy/Maris College) to GIANTS, national pick 10

Keidean Coleman (Lions Academy/Morningside) to Brisbane, national pick 37

Noah Cumberland (Lions Academy/Maroochydore) to Richmond, national pick 43

Will Martyn (Aspley/Lions Academy) to Richmond, national pick 44

Connor Budarick (SUNS Academy/Labrador) to Gold Coast, pre-selection

Matthew Conroy (SUNS Academy/Broadbeach) to Gold Coast, pre-selection

Malcolm Rosas (NT Thunder) to Gold Coast, pre-selection

TOP DRAFT SELECTIONS (National)

3: Callum Mills (Sydney/Sydney Swans Academy) to Sydney in 2015.

7: Jacob Hopper (UWS Giants/GWS Giants Academy) to GWS Giants in 2015.

10: Nakia Cockatoo (NT Thunder) to Geelong in 2014; Jack Bowes (Cairns/Gold Coast) to Gold Coast in 2016; Nick Blakey (Swans Academy) to Sydney in 2018; Tom Green (GIANTS Academy) to GWS GIANTS in 2019.

13: Lachie Weller (Southport/Broadbeach) to Fremantle in 2014.

14: Eric Hipwood (Aspley/Brisbane/Brisbane Lions Academy) to Brisbane in 2015; Harry Perryman (Collingullie/WSU Giants) to GWS Giants in 2016.

16: Harrison Himmelberg (Eastlake/UWS Giants/GWS Giants Academy) to GWS Giants in 2015.