Collingwood has had 61 rookie draft selections since it was introduced at the end of the 1996 season. A total of 18 rookie listed players have made their debuts for the Magpies, combining for a total of 946 games between them at an average of 52.5 per player.

The most famous rookie list success story is Nick Maxwell (159 games), who captained Collingwood to the 2010 premiership. Tarkyn Lockyer holds the record for the most games played (227) by a rookie list draftee.

Maxwell, Harry O’Brien, Alan Toovey, Sharrod Wellingham, Brent Macaffer and Jarryd Blair were all members of the premiership side who originally began on the rookie list. Darren Jolly is the seventh member of the group, having been drafted to Melbourne in the 2001 rookie draft. James Podsiadly, who was on Collingwood’s rookie list in 2002, was a member of Geelong’s 2011 premiership side.

The inaugural player selected by Collingwood in a Rookie Draft was Mal Michael with selection six in 1996. Michael was the first rookie in the AFL to play a senior game, debuting in round seven 1997, against North Melbourne. He went on to play 61 games for the Magpies at full back before he was traded to the Brisbane Lions where he was a member of their 2001, 2002 and 2003 premiership teams.

The highest selection Collingwood has had in a Rookie Draft was pick No. 1 in 2000, when it selected Damian Lyon from the Prahran U18s. A close checking defender, Lyon did not reach the senior side in his one season at Victoria Park.

Incredibly, two Collingwood rookies have shared the same name, and both were on the list during the same season. Andrew R. Hill and Andrew J. Hill were on Collingwood’s rookie list in season 2002, with Andrew R. Hill breaking through for one senior match in round 15 2001.

Former ruckman Justin Crow (one game, round 19 2004) is the only player to have been drafted to Collingwood twice in the Rookie Draft. He was originally selected with pick No. 24 in 2001 and then redrafted in 2003 with pick No. 60 after he had been delisted. Players selected in a Rookie Draft could originally remain on the list for two years before the club had to decide if they would be promoted to the senior list or delisted. With the advent of Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, this rule was extended to three years.

Rookie listed players are now eligible to be traded onto another club’s rookie or senior list. This occurred for the first time in 2011, when Hawthorn rookie Will Sierakowski was traded onto North Melbourne’s senior list in exchange for pick No. 68 in the National Draft.

Collingwood's Rookie List Elevations (1997 - 2011)