Former Saint Matthew Parker’s AFL dream has been revived by Richmond at the mid-season rookie draft. Photo: AAP

Former St Kilda forward Matthew Parker has been thrown an AFL lifeline by Richmond at the 2021 mid-season rookie draft on Wednesday night.

Parker, who played 19 games and kicked 16 goals for the Saints across the 2019 and 2020 seasons, was taken at pick No.10 by the Tigers, having been in impressive form for South Fremantle in the WAFL this year, averaging 20 disposals in seven games and kicking seven goals.

The 25-year-old was a lively forward in his short stint with the Saints and showed glimpses of his potential which might just be fully realised now he’s at Punt Road.

Richmond has already got a great track record in the short history of the mid-season rookie draft, having picked up by far the biggest success story of that mode of recruitment in Marlion Pickett, also from South Fremantle, in 2019 and turning him into a two-time premiership player.

Parker’s second chance highlighted a draft which was dominated by ruck selections, with no fewer than seven ruckmen chosen out of the 22 players drafted.

Sandringham Dragons ruck/forward prospect Jacob Edwards was picked up by North Melbourne at No.1 and the Kangaroos will hope he will be able to eventually not only form a strong partnership with Nick Larkey in attack, but also no doubt provide support for the ageing Todd Goldstein.

Gold Coast snapped up 204cm tall Ned Moyle at pick No.5, Carlton chose 210cm Alex Mirkov from its VFL program with pick six, the Saints took the 204cm Max Heath at pick seven, Sydney took a punt on 208cm former rugby player Lachlan McAndrew from its VFL program at pick 12, Brisbane selected Claremont big man Kalin Lane, who’s also 204cm tall, at pick 14 and with the 18th selection, Collingwood recruited Aiden Begg who, at 197cm, looks like a midget compared to the aforementioned players.

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Impressive Box Hill midfielder Jai Newcombe made his way to parent AFL club Hawthorn at pick two and explosive forward Ashley Johnson, who is Adelaide forward Shane McAdam’s half-brother, made his way to Collingwood at pick three after an impressive start to the season with Sturt in the SANFL which saw him kick 13 goals from six games.

Dashing small defender Patrick Parnell, who plays a lot like Bulldogs star Caleb Daniel, was picked up by Adelaide at pick four and Moyle rounded out the top five.

The Giants were another club who looked internally to bolster their senior stocks by taking speedy ball magnet James Peatling, a GWS academy prospect, at pick eight and Essendon got their hands on promising Richmond VFL midfielder Sam Durham at pick nine just before the Tigers had the chance to do so at pick 10.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the draft was seeing Norwood key forward Jackson Callow slide to pick 17 and into the waiting arms of Hawthorn.

And despite producing a stellar season in the VFL so far with Frankston, former Saint and Magpie Nathan Freeman was overlooked.

Other ex-AFL players who were mooted as potential mid-season picks, such as Tyson Stengle (Richmond, Adelaide), Wylie Buzza (Geelong, Port Adelaide) and Fraser Thurlow (Essendon), also missed out.

2021 MID-SEASON ROOKIE DRAFT

ROUND ONE
1. North Melbourne – Jacob Edwards (Sandringham Dragons)
2. Hawthorn – Jai Newcombe (Box Hill Hawks)
3. Collingwood – Ashley Johnson (Sturt)
4. Adelaide – Patrick Parnell (Murray Bushrangers)
5. Gold Coast – Ned Moyle (Oakleigh Chargers)
6. Carlton – Alex Mirkov (Carlton VFL)
7. St Kilda – Max Heath (Sandringham Dragons)
8. GWS – James Peatling (GWS VFL)
9. Essendon – Sam Durham (Richmond VFL)
10. Richmond – Matthew Parker (South Fremantle)
11. West Coast – Will Collins (Swan Districts)
12. Sydney – Lachlan McAndrew (Sydney VFL)
13. Port Adelaide – Jed McEntee (Sturt)
14. Brisbane – Kalin Lane (Claremont)
15. Melbourne – Kye Declase (Werribee)

ROUND TWO
16. North Melbourne – Charlie Ham (Geelong Falcons)
17. Hawthorn – Jackson Callow (Norwood)
18. Collingwood – Aiden Begg (Eastern Ranges)
19. Gold Coast – Pass
20. Carlton – Jordan Boyd (Footscray)
21. St Kilda – Cooper Sharman (Woodville-West Torrens)
22. Essendon – Pass
23. West Coast – Connor West (West Perth)
24. Melbourne – Daniel Turner (Murray Bushrangers)

ROUND THREE
25. Carlton – Pass
26. St Kilda – Pass

ROUND FOUR
27. St Kilda – Pass