Gold Coast Suns acquire Fremantle Docker delisted in AFL rookie draft

Hawthorn veteran Jack Gunston tops a list of 14 players redrafted by AFL clubs, while Gold Coast nabbed ruckman Max Knobel from under Fremantle’s noses.

In a quirk of the league’s complex slate and salary cap rules, clubs must have at least three top-tier roster vacancies to qualify for the national draft, which takes place over two nights this week.

To open up some of these slots, clubs are increasingly opting to delist players with the promise of re-selecting them through various drafts.

But that move occasionally backfires, as the Gold Coast learned the hard way in 2021 when North Melbourne acquired delisted reliever Hugh Greenwood as a free agent before the Suns re-drafted him.

This time, it was Gold Coast who selected Knobel with the fourth pick in Friday’s rookie draft.

“Max is a player we have followed closely since his draft year and we have also monitored his progress in the WAFL for Peel Thunder where he continues to improve,” Suns recruiting manager Kall Burns said.

The 20-year-old ruckman hasn’t played a senior game in his two seasons at Fremantle but has been promised a place on the list for 2025.

“This was a roster crunch where you had to make your three national selections in the draft,” said David Walls, the Dockers’ head of player personnel.

“When you send back a delisted player there is always the potential that he could be selected by another club and in this case Max has the choice.

“We wish him the best and thank him for his professionalism and performance over the last two years.”

Fremantle quickly signed a new player in Claremont youngster Aiden Riddle to add depth to their back stock.

Riddle was among nine players with no previous experience on the AFL roster taken in the rookie draft.

AFL Academy candidate Archer Day-Wicks became the first of these, joining sixth-seeded Essendon.

AAP