The 2012 AFL draft consisted of five opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2012/13 Australian Football League off-season.
These were: 2012 trade period; which was held between 1 October and 26 October, and for the first time incorporated a free agency eligibility period. A mini-draft of 17-year-old players, as part of the recruitment concessions given to the newly established Greater Western Sydney Giants, held on 26 OctoberKey dates for draft and free agency The 2012 national draft; which was conducted on 22 November at the Gold Coast Convention Centre. The 2013 pre-season draft which was held on 11 December 2012 and The 2013 rookie draft, also held on 11 December 2012.
Player movements
Of the players not yet eligible for free agency, Kurt Tippett from , Sharrod Wellingham and Chris Dawes from were the highest profile players who were linked to trade discussions. Geelong have reached an agreement with Gold Coast regarding Josh Caddy, which would involve Geelong's mid-first-round compensation pick, for losing Gary Ablett Jr. to the Suns and other picks to be confirmed, with paperwork for this trade to be lodged to the AFL at a later date.
Free agency During the 2012 AFL season, in the leadup to the first ever free agency trade period, there was speculation about high-profile players who had contracts that expired at the end of the season, including Travis Cloke, Travis Boak, Brendon Goddard and Troy Chaplin. However, during the season, Cloke and Boak both re-signed with their current clubs. Brent Moloney from became the first player to announce that he would become a free agent He was followed by Carlton pair Bret Thornton and Jordan Russell, West Coast's Quinten Lynch and Port Adelaide's Steven Salopek to declare themselves as free agents.
The initial list of free agents, published in March 2012, consisted of 62 unrestricted free agents and 19 restricted free agents. A restricted free agent is a player who has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service. Unrestricted free agents are players who have been delisted by their club, played more than ten seasons at one AFL club or has played eight or more seasons at one club and is not one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club. Restricted free agents must allow their current club to match any offer from a rival club, whereas unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any other club.
The final free agents list issued on 27 September in the week before the trade period commenced consisted of 28 unrestricted free agents and six restricted free agents, reflecting the number of players that had either re-signed with their current club or retired from the AFL.
+ 2012 AFL free agency period signings Player Date Free agent type Former club New club Compensation Ref Restricted 2nd round Restricted 1st round Unrestricted None Restricted 2nd round Unrestricted 3rd round Unrestricted None Unrestricted None Restricted 3rd round Unrestricted 3rd round Unrestricted 3rd round Delisted None Delisted None Delisted None Delisted None
Trades
Trade # Player and/or picks traded Traded from Traded to Traded for1Draft picks No. 2 and 67 End of first-round (Brennan) compensation pickGWS Mini-draft pick No. 1End of first-round (Palmer) compensation pick 2Angus MonfriesDraft pick No.513Tom Lee (Claremont) Draft picks No. 24 and 45Draft pick No. 124Brian Lake Draft pick No. 27Draft picks No. 21 and 435GWS Mini-draft pick No.2 Dominic Barry (North Ballarat) Draft pick No. 20 (Davis compensation selection)Draft picks No. 3 and 14 (Scully compensation selection)6Sharrod WellinghamDraft pick No. 187Chris Dawes Draft pick No. 61Draft picks No. 20 (Davis compensation selection) and 478Hamish McIntoshDraft pick No. 389Josh CaddyFirst-round Compensation pick Draft pick No. 5710Angus Graham Draft pick No. 53 (relinquished)Draft pick No. 4211Jack Hombsch Jake Neade (North Ballarat)Draft pick No. 2812Tom Hickey Draft picks No. 25 and 46Draft picks No. 13, 36 and 5513Koby StevensDraft pick No. 4314Greg Broughton Draft pick No. 58Draft pick No. 3615Tom YoungDraft pick No. 6916David RodanDraft pick No. 8817Jordan RussellDraft pick No. 6918Lewis StevensonDraft pick No. 8819Campbell Heath Draft pick No. 82Draft pick No. 7020Cale MortonDraft pick No. 88 (unused)21Aaron EdwardsDraft pick No. 7222Jordan GysbertsDraft pick No. 61Cameron PedersenDraft pick No. 7223Matthew SpangherDraft pick No. 70Draft pick No. 64 (Young compensation selection)24Stephen Gilham Draft picks No. 27 and 63Jed Anderson (NT zone selection) Draft picks No. 28 and 6625Stefan MartinDraft picks No. 52 and 7126Draft picks No. 41 and 47Draft pick No. 3827Trent Dennis-LaneDraft pick No. 4628Jamie Cripps Draft pick No. 45Draft picks No. 40 and 43
Note: the numbering of the draft picks in this trades table may be different to the draft picks known at the time of the trade due to adjustments due to either the insertion of compensation draft picks, Adelaide relinquishing their first two selections or clubs exiting the draft before the later rounds.
Retirements and delistings
Name Club Date Notes Mutually agreed to part ways with club, failed to meet club expectations on multiple occasions Retirement, due to on-going back injury, effective immediately Retirement, effective end of season Retirement, effective immediately Retirement, effective immediately Western Bulldogs Retirement, effective immediately Western Bulldogs Retirement, effective immediately Retirement Retirement Retirement Gold Coast Retirement Western Bulldogs Delisted Western Bulldogs Retirement Resignation Retirement Resignation Retirement Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Rohan Kerr Delisted Delisted Retirement DiedAFL Footballer John McCarthy Dies In Las Vegas Retirement Western Bulldogs Retirement Retirement Retirement, effective following VFL Grand Final Delisted North Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted Retired Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Retired Delisted Retirement Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Melbourne Delisted Melbourne Delisted Melbourne Delisted Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted North Melbourne Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Delisted Retired Contract terminated Delisted Delisted
Mini-draft As part of their entry concessions, was allocated up to four selections in a mini-draft, which could be used to recruit seventeen-year-olds who would not otherwise be eligible for that year's national draft. These players could not play senior AFL football until the 2014 season. GWS could not use these draft picks themselves, but could trade them to other clubs prior to either the 2011 or 2012 AFL Drafts. In 2011, and negotiated trades with GWS for selections in this draft and selected Jaeger O'Meara and Brad Crouch. The two remaining selections for the 2012 mini-draft were obtained by the Gold Coast (pick No. 1) and Melbourne (pick No. 2). Western Australian youngsters Jack Martin and Jesse Hogan were widely expected to be taken with the two Mini-draft picks.
Pick Player Recruited from League Club1Jack MartinClaremont Football ClubWAFL2Jesse HoganClaremont Football ClubWAFL
2012 national draft The 2012 AFL national draft was held on 22 November at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
During the free agency and trade period, the Adelaide Football Club was investigated for draft tampering and breaches of the salary cap relating to the 2009 contract extension of Kurt Tippett, who was seeking a trade. Adelaide was likely to incur a loss of draft picks, among other penalties, if found guilty, but the AFL Commission was yet to complete its hearing into the matter when the National Draft was held, so the club was permitted to participate in this year's draft as normal. However, on the day before the draft, the club voluntarily relinquished its highest two remaining selections (No. 20 and 54) as a "gesture of goodwill" ahead of the hearing. When the final penalties were handed down on 30 November, Adelaide was also stripped of its first and second round draft picks in the 2013 National Draft, as well as receiving a fine; Tippett received an 11-match suspension, and a fine.