Three NAB League Boys players were selected at Monday night’s NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, with Mitch Riordan (Dandenong Stingrays), Kyle Dunkley (Gippsland Power) and Cody Hirst (Eastern Ranges) realising their AFL dreams.

The trio were among 13 total picks at the Mid-Season Rookie Draft – Riordan (pictured, left) joining Gold Coast, Dunkley (pictured, centre - playing in Young Guns game) heading to Melbourne and Hirst (pictured, right) going to Sydney.

A total of 35 NAB League Boys players nominated for the Mid-Season Rookie Draft, which allows AFL clubs with spots open on their list (due to e.g. long-term injuries or retirements) to rookie-list players who have previously been on an AFL list or who nominated for the 2018 NAB AFL Draft.

The three Mid-Season Rookie Draft selections add to the 51 NAB League Boys players who joined AFL lists following the 2018 season via the national draft, rookie draft or Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period.

 

We take a closer look at the three NAB League Boys players selected in the 2019 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft below.

 

Pick no.2 to Gold Coast: MITCH RIORDAN (Dandenong Stingrays)

19-year-old Riordan co-captained Dandenong to Victorian U18 Boys premiership glory and represented Vic Country in two games at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships last year but missed out at the drafts. The tough 187cm midfielder averaged 20 disposals, five tackles and five inside-50s per game in six NAB League Boys matches this season.

 

Pick no.3 to Melbourne: KYLE DUNKLEY (Gippsland Power)

Over-ager Dunkley represented Gippsland this year after playing four Victorian U18 Boys games for the Oakleigh Chargers in 2018. The 185cm brother of Western Bulldogs’ Josh Dunkley averaged 19 disposals, eight tackles and over a goal per game in four matches for the Power, also booting three majors in his recent VFL debut as a 23rd player for Footscray.

 

Pick no.16 to Sydney: CODY HIRST (Eastern Ranges)

19-year-old Hirst came back to the Ranges this year after a top-age 2018 season limited to four Victorian U18 Boys games by injury. A 178cm speedster with elite agility, Hirst recaptured the promising form he showed in 15 matches for Eastern two years ago, averaging 24 disposals, six marks and five tackles per game in five appearances for 2019.