In summary
Carlton entered the rookie draft specifically targeting midfielders, and came away with three of them. They used their first two picks on mature-age players - Tom Bell from Queensland club Morningside and former Saint Nick Heyne. Both are physically developed enough to step straight into AFL football if called upon. The third of the trio, Frazer Dale, is more of a long-term prospect, as is NSW scholarship holder Matthew Lodge. The Blues were happy with their haul.

What the recruiter said
"We were quite specific in the type that we wanted, and obviously we were going to pick a couple of guys who were a little bit older than normal." - Carlton recruiting manager Wayne Hughes

NAB AFL ROOKIE DRAFT

Pick 14: Tom Bell, Morningside Football Club
DOB: 13/6/1991
Height: 187cm
Weight: 95kg
Hughes says: "He had a really good year. He plays on a wing. Aerobically he's very good - a fifteen-and-a-half beep tester - and he's best described as a very tough footballer. At 95kg and 187cm, he's built like a brick outhouse."

Pick 32: Nick Heyne, St Kilda
DOB: 22/7/1990
Height: 187cm
Weight: 85kg
Hughes says: "He's been training with us and he's really impressed our coaching staff, so we're happy to be giving him another chance. He also did his AIS academy week with us some time ago as a junior. He's a left-footed wingman/forward who can hopefully also go through the midfield."

Pick 50: Frazer Dale, Calder Cannons
DOB: 10/11/1993
Height: 187cm
Weight: 77kg
Hughes says: "He's a good size to become a winger or midfielder. He's very strong aerobically - does a 14 beep - and a good mark overhead. His body will need to build up because he's only a youngster obviously, but we're pretty happy to have him."

Pick 67 (NSW scholarship): Matthew Lodge, Byron Bay Magpies
DOB: 22/6/1993
Height: 186cm
Weight: 85kg
Hughes says: "We put him on a scholarship about three years ago, and he used those funds that we provide to educate himself at Riverview School in Sydney, which is one of the best private schools in the country. He's a defender with a very good kick. The NSW kids sit outside your list and can't actually play unless things change, so we'll give him a bit of time, because he's basically been at school for two years."