1997 AFL Draft

The 1997 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1997 Australian Football League (AFL) season. A pre-season draft was also held prior to the 1998 season.

It is considered to have been one of the most successful drafts ever, with the top 11 selections each playing over 100 games of AFL football.[1] Other significant selections include Brownlow Medalists Simon Black at 31 and Adam Goodes at 43 and future club captains Nick Stevens and Richie Vandenberg. Black and Goodes played in six Grand Finals between them from 2001 to 2006, Black winning three and Goodes winning one. Another notable player from this draft was Matthew Scarlett, who played a pivotal role in Geelong's 2007, 2009 and 2011 premierships.

The Melbourne Demons received the first pick for finishing bottom of the ladder during the 1997 AFL season. In total there were 86 picks to be drafted between the 16 competing teams.

National Draft

Pick Player Recruited from Club
1 Travis Johnstone Dandenong Stingrays Melbourne
2 Brad Ottens Glenelg Richmond
3 Trent Croad Dandenong Stingrays Hawthorn
4 Mark Bolton Eastern Ranges Essendon
5 Luke Power Oakleigh Chargers Brisbane Lions
6 James Walker North Ballarat Rebels Fremantle
7 Kris Massie Dandenong Stingrays Carlton
8 Chris Tarrant Bendigo Pioneers Collingwood
9 Chad Cornes Glenelg Port Adelaide
10 Shane O'Bree North Ballarat Rebels Brisbane Lions
11 Jason Saddington Eastern Ranges Sydney Swans
12 Jaxon Crabb Claremont West Coast Eagles
13 Callum Chambers Gippsland Power West Coast Eagles
14 Shannon Watt North Ballarat Rebels North Melbourne
15 Joel McKay Murray Bushrangers Geelong
16 Ben Wolton Central District St Kilda
17 Lance Picioane Western Jets Adelaide
18 Mark Alvey Bendigo Pioneers Western Bulldogs
19 Chris Obst Western Jets Hawthorn
20 Dean Solomon Bendigo Pioneers Essendon
21 Clem Michael South Fremantle Fremantle
22 Troy Longmuir West Perth Melbourne
23 Adam Chatfield NSW/ACT Rams Carlton
24 James Wasley Norwood Collingwood
25 Nick Stevens Preston Knights Port Adelaide
26 Brodie Holland Tassie Mariners Fremantle
27 Brad Stephens Murray Bushrangers North Melbourne
28 Rowan Jones Claremont West Coast Eagles
29 Marc Woolnough Southport Geelong
30 Paul McMahon Bendigo Pioneers North Melbourne
31 Simon Black East Fremantle Brisbane Lions
32 Troy Johnson South Fremantle Fremantle
33 James Thiessen Norwood Adelaide
34 Andrew Williams Dandenong Stingrays West Coast Eagles
35 Marcus Baldwin Calder Cannons Hawthorn
36 Judd Lalich East Perth Essendon
37 Todd Holmes Subiaco West Coast Eagles
38 James Rahilly Geelong Falcons Geelong
39 Matthew Blake Bendigo Pioneers Melbourne
40 Fred Campbell Bendigo Pioneers Sydney Swans
41 Danny Morton North Adelaide Port Adelaide
42 Matthew Dennis Old Brighton Hawthorn
43 Adam Goodes North Ballarat Rebels Sydney Swans
44 David Antonowicz Western Jets West Coast Eagles
45 Matthew Scarlett Geelong Falcons Geelong
46 Joshua Robertson Murray Bushrangers North Melbourne
47 Robert Stevenson Essendon Western Bulldogs
48 Ben Thompson Glenelg St Kilda
49 Ian Perrie East Perth Adelaide
50 Luke Ottens Glenelg Melbourne
51 Scott Ralph Morningside Brisbane Lions
52 Jordan Doering Bendigo Pioneers Essendon
53 Lionel Proctor Preston Knights Richmond
54 Justin Wood Tassie Mariners Geelong
55 Craig Black Dandenong Stingrays Carlton
56 Ben Kinnear Central District Collingwood
57 Darren Fraser Essendon Port Adelaide
58 Marcus Picken North Ballarat Rebels Brisbane Lions
59 Brett Rose Eastern Ranges Sydney Swans
60 Phillip Read East Fremantle West Coast Eagles
61 Tim Finocchiaro Eastern Ranges Geelong
62 Dion Miles North Melbourne North Melbourne
63 Anthony Aloi Western Jets Western Bulldogs
64 Sam Cranage North Ballarat Rebels St Kilda
65 Linden Stevens Sturt Adelaide
66 Nathan Brown West Adelaide Melbourne
67 Brad Lloyd Hawthorn Hawthorn
68 Simon Eastaugh Norwood Essendon
69 Paul Greenham Port Melbourne Richmond
70 Trent Hoppner Preston Knights Carlton
71 Andrew Kellaway Richmond Richmond
72 Pass Port Adelaide
73 Beau McDonald Swan Districts Brisbane Lions
74 Paul Digiovine Oakleigh Chargers Western Bulldogs
75 Brent Cowell Gippsland Power St Kilda
76 Pass Adelaide
77 Guy Rigoni Myrtleford Melbourne
78 Richie Vandenberg University Blues Hawthorn
79 Pass Richmond
80 John Hynes Prahran Dragons Carlton
81 Troy Kirwen Preston Knights Collingwood
82 Nathan Thompson Bendigo Pioneers Hawthorn
83 Ben Thompson Northern Eagles Carlton
84 Frankie Raso Preston Knights Collingwood
85 Hayden Burgiel Gippsland Power Hawthorn
86 Scott Whiston Central District Collingwood

Pre-Season Draft

Pick Player Recruited from Club
1 Jamie Shanahan St Kilda Melbourne
2 Joel Smith St Kilda Hawthorn
3 Matthew Bode Glenelg Football Club Port Adelaide
4 Adam Coughlan Sandringham Zebras Sydney Swans
5 Damian Houlihan Tatura Football Club North Melbourne
6 Scott Taylor Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs
7 Matthew Carr East Fremantle Football Club St Kilda
8 Pass Adelaide Crows
9 Jason Daniltchenko North Melbourne Hawthorn
10 Brady Anderson East Perth Football Club North Melbourne
11 Jamie Elliott St Kilda St Kilda
12 Haydon Killmartin East Fremantle Football Club Hawthorn
13 Pass St Kilda
14 Pass Hawthorn
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