Players that fit the rookie list mould.

That’s the summation Derek Hine gave of the two new players added to Collingwood’s rookie list for season 2018.

Defenders Flynn Appleby and Brody Mihocek, along with the redrafted Adam Oxley, officially became Magpies during Monday evening’s Rookie Draft.

Hine, the club’s National Recruiting Manager, gave Collingwood Media his take on the three players added to the list for the upcoming season.

Flynn Appleby
Rookie Draft Selection: No. 6
Recruited from: Greater Western Victoria U18
Derek Hine says: “Flynn is a multidimensional defender who has elite endurance. What he has been able to do is comprehensively display his ability to play on mediums, talls and smalls.

Click here to learn more about Appleby, recruited with pick No. 6 from the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.

“He also has an elite level of endurance where he actually has the scope to run with a player. He was attractive for us on both sides, and he’s a player who fits that rookie mould – it’s the same with Brody as well.

“He will come in and do everything he possibly can to sustain an AFL career. He deserves this opportunity. He’s a list need and we’re really confident in the way he is going to attack it.”



Flynn Appleby is a product of the Greater Western Victoria Rebels.

Brody Mihocek
Rookie Draft Selection: No. 22
Recruited from: Port Melbourne
Derek Hine says: “Brody’s a player who has been a really consistent performer at VFL level for a long period of time. His performances, particularly over the last two years, have been exceptional. We looked at him really closely last year but went in another direction. His form continued into 2017 so, from our perspective, he gives us some depth in the tall man department.

Click here to learn more about Mihocek, recruited with pick No. 22 from Port Melbourne.

“He is 193cm and has consistently played on the medium-to-talls at VFL level on AFL listed players, which gives us a great deal of confidence to be able to bring him in.

“He is quite emotional about his selection and that gives us real heart. He has waited for five or six years for this to come. As with Flynn, he’s going to give it everything he can.

“He is not dissimilar to Kyle Hartigan’s profile when he was drafted by Adelaide out of Werribee. There’s no reason why he can’t play at the level. It certainly won’t be through a lack of effort.

“Brody can play on the mediums and the talls. He has done the job on both, and on AFL-listed players at that. That’s one great thing about the VFL and all state leagues at the moment – we can now observe these players playing on listed players, which is really advantageous in the ways that we can assess a player. We’re really excited.”



Brody Mihocek was a member of Port Melbourne's premiership team in 2017.

Adam Oxley
Rookie Draft Selection: No. 33
Recruited from: Collingwood
Derek Hine says: “Adam has been through a bit of a rough trot in the last 24 months. He is a contracted player and one that hopefully with have a bit of blue sky now.

Click here to learn more about Oxley, redrafted with pick No. 33 after playing 31 senior games for Collingwood between 2013 and 2017.

“We all know he can play at the level, it’s just a matter now of him getting that opportunity, through fitness more than anything.”



Adam Oxley has played 31 games for Collingwood since arriving at the end of 2012.