Star VFL Tiger, former Roo and Sun in mid-season draft mix

The first batch of AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft nominees have been released to clubs ahead of next week's draft

Tom McCarthy kicks the ball during the VFL R2 match between Richmond and Sandringham at RSEA Park on March 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

POTENTIAL early mid-season pick Tom McCarthy is among the first group of nearly 70 players to nominate for the 2025 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, with ex-AFL listed players Blake Drury and Jez McLennan also on the list.

McCarthy's form for Richmond's VFL side has put him firmly on the radar as a No.1 pick contender at the mid-season intake next week, with the likes of West Coast and North Melbourne to consider the mature-age midfielder.

>> SEE THE FIRST BATCH OF MID-SEASON DRAFT NOMINEES BELOW

McCarthy has nominated under an 18-month term, with players able to nominate for the mid-season pool under that longer term or a shorter six-month contract just for the second half of 2025.

Former Kangaroos rookie Drury (now at Adelaide's SANFL side) and ex-Gold Coast defender McLennan (Port Adelaide SANFL) are part of the list of 69 players in the first group of nominees sent to clubs as they vie for a return to the top level.

Blake Drury in action during North Melbourne's clash with Adelaide in round seven, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Gippsland Power defender Zac Walker, Richmond VFL forward Sam Toner, Western Jets ruckman Ayden McCarroll, Central District's Mani Liddy and Frankston VFL's Jackson Voss are also among the mid-season hopefuls to have already nominated for the draft.

Noah Yze, the son of Melbourne great and current Richmond coach Adem, has nominated for the draft, as have Louie and Harper Montgomery, who are the sons of ex-Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs player and current Giants assistant Brett.

The full list of mid-season nominees will be released to clubs in coming days ahead of the draft, which will be broadcast exclusively on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App next Wednesday night, on May 28.

Jez McLennan in action during the 2024 SANFL v VFL state game. Picture: AFL Photos

2025 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft nominees so far

Coen Ainsworth - Murray Bushrangers (Coates Talent League)

Riley Baldi - Casey Demons (VFL)

Nelson Beikoff Smart - Gold Coast SUNS (Coates Talent League) *

Kane Bevan - Western Australia (WAFL)

Lachlan Bryce - Casey Demons (VFL) *

Archie Caldow - Peel Thunder (WAFL)

Will Chandler - Glenelg (SANFL)

Jack Cleaver - East Fremantle (WAFL)

Jordan Doherty - Frankston (VFL) *

Boston Dowling - Collingwood (VFL)

Blake Drury - Adelaide Football Club

Ben Edwards - Sydney Swans (VFL)

Corey Ellison - Frankston (VFL)

Tom Evans - Bendigo Pioneers (Coates Talent League)

Liam Farrar - Northern Knights (Coates Talent League)

Luke Fellows - North Adelaide

Ty Fitzgerald - Gold Coast SUNS (Coates Talent League)

Aiden Fyfe - Gold Coast Suns (VFL)

Jake Gasper - Central District

Kobe George - Bell Park

Maison Goodman - Northern Bullants (VFL)

Jhett Haeata - Richmond (VFL) *

Matthew Harms - GWS Giants (VFL)

Dyson Hilder - North Adelaide

Damon Hollow - Williamstown (VFL)

Lucas Impey - Williamstown (VFL) *

John Jorgensen - Northern Bullants (VFL)

Mani Liddy - Central District

Matthew Ling - Norwood (SANFL)

Jordan Lukac - Eagles (SANFL)

Seth MacDonald - Eastern Ranges (Coates Talent League)

Harry Mahoney - Collingwood (VFL)

Max Mahoney - Collingwood (VFL)

Jayden Matz - Central District *

Ayden McCarroll - Western Jets (Coates Talent League)

Tom McCarthy - Richmond (VFL) *

Solomon McKay - Essendon (VFL)

Jez McLennan - Port Adelaide (SANFL)

Harper Montgomery - GWS Giants (VFL)

Louie Montgomery - GWS Giants (VFL)

Olivier Northam - South Adelaide

Charlie Orchard - Dandenong Stingrays (Coates Talent League)

Luke Parks - Williamstown (VFL)

Lochlan Paton - Perth (WAFL) *

Flynn Penry - Greater Western Victoria Rebels (Coates Talent League)

Jovan Petric - Williamstown (VFL)

Dayne Posthuma - Central District

Nicholas Quigg - Essendon (VFL)

Jez Rigoni - Oakleigh Chargers (Coates Talent League)

Jack Saunders - Norwood (SANFL)

Elijah Scoble - Perth (WAFL) *

Marc Sheather - GWS Giants (VFL)

Josh Shepherd - Heidelberg (NFNL)

Luca Slade - Sturt

Harshul Sodhi - Kambalda Football Club (Goldfields Football League) *

Roan Steele - Western Australia (WAFL)

Luke Strnadica - East Fremantle (WAFL)

Gabriel Stumpf - Northern Knights (Coates Talent League)

Frank Szekely - North Adelaide

James Tidemann - Sydney Swans (VFL)

Sam Toner - Richmond (VFL)

Cooper Trembath - North Melbourne (VFL)

Izaak Twelftree Conor - Norwood (SANFL)

Austin van der Struyf - Claremont (WAFL)

Jackson Voss - Frankston (VFL)

Zac Walker - Gippsland Power (Coates Talent League) *

Cooper Whyte - Werribee (VFL)

Conor Willis - Collingwood (VFL)

Noah Yze - Casey Demons (VFL)

* = nominated for 18-month contract terms

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