For the first time in more than 25 years, clubs will be able to add to their lists during the year when the mid-season draft is held on Monday, May 27.
Clubs can fill list vacancies if players succumb to long-term injuries or retire.
More than 300 players have nominated for the draft, and Chris Doerre has analysed all those available, as well as club lists, to see who best fits where.
Adelaide
List spots open: 1 (Tom Doedee ACL)
Greatest list need: Speedy pressure forward
Who they should pick: With a front half featuring a lot of taller players and lacking speed and forward pressure, Adam Tipungwuti would improve the balance to Adelaide's attack. The younger brother of Essendon's Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti has intrigued recruiters with his play in the NEAFL and can perform a front half role at AFL level.
Brisbane
List spots open: 0
Greatest list need: Key forward
Who they should pick: Brisbane do not possess a mid-season draft selection but if one was to open up due to a long-term injury or list change, Jake Riccardi would make sense as a key forward. Riccardi is an athletic overager who possesses strong hands overhead and is at his best attacking the ball aerially for marks. He has kicked nine goals through his first five VFL games and is developing rapidly.
Carlton
List spots open: 1 (Tom Bugg retirement)
Greatest list need: General goalkicking forward
Who they should pick: Carlton's front half lacks smaller or medium forwards who can hit the scoreboard and one of the most exciting forwards outside the AFL is Sam Lowson, who is a handful to defend having kicked 14 goals in his first five games in 2019 to lead the VFL. Potentially the first taken in the mid-season draft, he has speed, is effective at ground level, provides heavy forward pressure and can step straight into Carlton's front half and have an instant impact
Collingwood
List spots open: 1 (Lynden Dunn ACL)
Greatest list need: Stoppage specialist
Who they should pick: Lacking any midfielders inside the top-30 for clearances and with an aging midfield, Collingwood would be wise to add Coburg's Mitch Podhajski. He is a 191cm ball-winning midfielder who can push forward, provide a target and hit the scoreboard or play in defence as required. His play through the VFL to start the season has been strong and suggests he isn't far away from being AFL ready.
Essendon
List spots open: 2 (Sam Draper ACL, Devon Smith knee)
Greatest list need: ball winning midfielder
Who they should pick: Brother of Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley and son of Andrew, Kyle Dunkley as an overager has starred for Gippsland as a ball winning midfielder who can push forward and hit the scoreboard. He recently furthered his case for draft selection with three goals for Footscray in the VFL and 27 disposals and two goals in the Young Guns game. With big man Sam Draper out with a knee injury, the Dons may look to snare a tall and athletic ruckman and key forward Will Kennedy has shown promise in the NAB League as an overager. He's a high leaper and adept at ground level with scope to develop.
Fremantle
List spots open: 0
Greatest list need: Quality midfielder
Who they should pick: With a shallow midfield, if Fremantle had a pick to use, Marlion Pickett -- who would prefer to stay in his home state -- is an ideal fit as a plug-and-play midfielder who possesses damaging skills and athleticism. While he has in recent years found a home as a midfielder, he has the capabilities to play forward or back, giving Fremantle flexibility in how he can be used.
Geelong
List spots open: 0
Greatest list need: Midfielder with pace
Who they should pick: Geelong currently do not hold any mid-season draft selections. But if they held one, Cody Hirst as a speedy midfielder who plays on at every opportunity would add an ingredient presently missing for Geelong. The Eastern Ranges overager possesses excellent acceleration, evasion, good skills and pressures the ball carrier around the ground.
Gold Coast
List spots open: 2 (Harrison Wigg and Rory Thompson ACLs)
Greatest list need: Midfielder who can play inside and outside, veteran leadership
Who they should pick: Unlucky to be delisted after showing promise for Collingwood as a rookie in 2010 and 2011, Jye Bolton has gone from strength to strength in the WAFL. As a midfielder who can play inside or outside, Bolton won the 2016 and 2018 Sandover Medals and can step straight into Gold Coast's best 22 and be one of their best. With Gold Coast's young list focused on developing a winning culture, former Sydney Swans defender Alex Johnson, with his work ethic and resilience, only assists in that cultural development. If he gets himself healthy, he is clear best 22 and strengthens their defence considerably.
Greater Western Sydney
List spots open: 2 (Callan Ward ACL and remaining rookie draft position)
Greatest list need: Midfield depth and general defender
Who they should pick: Unlucky to be overlooked in last year's draft, Subiaco's Tristan Hobley is a classy midfielder who is averaging 33 disposals through his first three games in the WAFL colts and would add further depth to GWS' midfield. Previously developing as part of Sydney's Academy, Angus Baker has started the season strongly for Canberra, earning a Round 1 NEAFL Rising Star nomination. Featuring among Canberra's bests in four of their first six matches, Baker has intercepted and generated drive from defence.
Hawthorn
List spots open: 1 (Tim Mohr ACL)
Greatest list need: Big bodied inside midfielder
Who they should pick: The season-ending broken leg to Tom Mitchell left a gaping hold in Hawthorn's list, so a strong bodied, ball-winning midfielder is top of the shopping list. From Box Hill (Hawthorn's VFL affiliate) Luke Meadows is an ideal fit. He is strong bodied, can win the ball and is a damaging user who can play off a half-back flank just as effectively. He is a plug-and-play option who can slot straight into the Hawks' best side.
Melbourne
List spots open: 1 (Aaron Nietschke ACL)
Greatest list need: Midfielder with pace
Who they should pick: With Melbourne's midfield looking slow this season and in need for some fresh legs, the addition of Norwood's Matthew Nunn would change that. He's a capable ball winner who accelerates out of stoppages with his breakaway speed, while his footskills are a further weapon.
North Melbourne
List spots open: 1 (Ed Vickers-Willis ACL)
Greatest list need: Midfielder/forward
Who they should pick: With North Melbourne deficient through the midfield and up forward, Haiden Schloithe is a perfect fit as a ready-to-go midfielder and forward who adds class, ball winning, scoreboard impact and pressure in either spot. Winning the 2017 Sandover Medal, Schloithe -- who had a two-year stint on Fremantle's rookie list -- has matured since and is one of the premier players outside the AFL. He can step straight into North's best 22.
Port Adelaide
List spots open: 1 (Jake Patmore ACL)
Greatest list need: Forward/midfielder
Who they should pick: Winning the NEAFL Rising Star in 2018, Mitch Maguire is a ready-to-go midfielder/forward with damaging skills, power and the capacity to hit the scoreboard as a forward. Having been compared to Dayne Zorko, with Port needing greater support up forward and through the midfield, Maguire can earn a role in Port's best side either as a forward or midfielder.
Richmond
List spots open: 2 (Alex Rance ACL, Shaun Grigg retirement)
Greatest list need: Ruckman and midfielder
Who they should pick: With Richmond's midfield depth looking thin, Frank Anderson would be an ideal fit. The Northern Blues' mid can win the ball, use it effectively and play inside or outside. With Toby Nankervis set to miss 6-8 weeks with an adductor injury, another ruckman is needed to provide depth and competition for spots alongside Ivan Soldo. Michael Knoll -- who won best on ground honours for the winning SANFL side against the WAFL -- is the most promising ruckman outside the AFL and the most suitable choice, with his intercept marking one kick behind the play particularly impressive.
St Kilda
List spots open: 0
Greatest list need: Speed
Who they should pick: If St Kilda had a mid-season draft choice, Michael Bennell, a project player for Perth in the WAFL, would add a lot of speed and excitement into the mix. He has been one of the highlights early in the season, kicking 14 goals from his first five matches. In the WAFL vs. SANFL clash, Bennell managed three goals and laid nine tackles, with his first half as good as any afield. He's a livewire forward who does his best work close to goal. His speed, forward pressure and dynamic play around goal suggest his game with development can translate to AFL play.
Sydney
List spots open: 1 (Kurt Tippett retirement)
Greatest list need: inside midfield
Who they should pick: Sydney's front half has struggled to date, but when Lance Franklin returns and Daniel Menzel receives senior opportunities there will be enough avenues to goal. The midfield is an area they might look to boost. Winning the Simpson Medal for the WAFL in their hard-fought performance against the SANFL, Josh Deluca starred as a hard ball winner who reads the ball well in flight and takes intercept marks in general play.
West Coast
List spots open: 0
Greatest list need: Key defence
Who they should pick: While the Eagles don't any mid-season draft selections, with Tom Barrass out for 7-9 weeks, the younger brother of Collingwood's Sam Murray, Nicholas Murray is a suitable fit. He has stepped up his game up this year after contending for a draft position in 2018. He's a powerful contested marking key defender who is strong one-on-one, is averaging two contested marks per game and has two games with 10. An ideal candidate to learn from Jeremy McGovern.
Western Bulldogs
List spots open: 2 (Liam Picken and Tom Boyd retirements)
Greatest list need: Goalkicking general forward, classy ball user
Who they should pick: With the Dogs needing more forward 50m options, Subiaco's Ben Sokol -- who possesses vicelike hands overhead and clunks marks one grab -- is an ideal option. One-on-one he keeps his feet, demonstrates smart bodywork and protects the drop zone. His work rate is exceptional, leading high up the ground and working hard inside 50m. Showing class in defence or up forward, Damian Mascitti is an immediate and natural fit either in defence or up forward and provides something the club are lacking with his ball use an impact offensively a highlight.