List of AFL debuts in 2011

This is a list of players who made their Australian Football League (AFL) debut in a senior AFL match to date during the 2011 AFL season. In addition to those players making their AFL-level debuts, some players have made their debuts for a new club following a trade or re-drafting are also listed below in a separate table.

A senior AFL match is an Australian rules football match between two clubs that are, or have been in the past, members of the AFL. A senior AFL match is played under the laws of Australian football, and includes regular season matches, as well as finals series matches. It does not include pre-season competition matches, interstate matches or international rules football matches. The list is arranged in the order in which each player made his debut for a club in a senior AFL match. Where more than one player made his debut in the same match, those players are listed alphabetically by surname.

AFL debuts

A total of 132 players made their début in the Australian Football League in 2011. The new Gold Coast played 34 new players and helped make 2011 the highest number of début players since West Coast and Brisbane Bears both joined the league in 1987. Each of the top 10 draft picks and 29 of the first 33 selections in the 2010 AFL Draft made their début.[1]

Players are listed in order of debut, and statistics are for AFL regular season and finals series matches during the 2011 AFL season only. Players marked "(rookie)" are players who were elevated from their clubs' rookie-list to the senior list, and therefore were eligible to represent the club in a senior AFL match.
OrderNameClubAge at debutDebutGames in 2011Goals in 2011RookieRecruited fromLeagueNotes
1Ed CurnowCarlton21 years, 137 daysRound 1[2]123RookieBox HillVFL
2Nick DuiganCarlton26 years, 198 daysRound 1[3]201NorwoodSANFL
3Jake BatchelorRichmond19 years, 39 daysRound 1[4]160Dandenong StingraysTAC CupRound 16 Rising Star nomination
4Reece ConcaRichmond18 years, 224 daysRound 1[5]170PerthWAFLRound 9 Rising Star nomination
5Brad HelbigRichmond19 years, 24 daysRound 1[6]104West AdelaideSANFL
6Cameron GuthrieGeelong18 years, 218 daysRound 1[7]20Calder CannonsTAC Cup
7Jarrad IronsPort Adelaide18 years, 187 daysRound 1[8]33RookiePerthWAFL
8Jasper PittardPort Adelaide19 years, 359 daysRound 1[9]132Geelong FalconsTAC CupRound 4 Rising Star nomination
9Cam O'SheaPort Adelaide19 years, 13 daysRound 1[10]184Eastern RangesTAC Cup
10Brodie SmithAdelaide19 years, 71 daysRound 1[11]152Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
11Claye BeamsBrisbane Lions19 years, 206 daysRound 1[12]55LabradorQAFLbrother of Dayne Beams, Round 1 nomination for 2012 AFL Rising Star
12Rohan BewickBrisbane Lions21 years, 167 daysRound 1[13]125West PerthWAFLson of Corey Bewick
13Ryan LesterBrisbane Lions18 years, 212 daysRound 1[14]32Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
14Jayden PittFremantle18 years, 170 daysRound 1[15]82Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
15Dyson HeppellEssendon18 years, 317 daysRound 1[16]223Gippsland PowerTAC CupRound 1 Rising Star nomination & overall winner
16Lukas MarkovicWestern Bulldogs24 years, 81 daysRound 1[17]160Box HillVFL
17Tom LiberatoreWestern Bulldogs18 years, 315 daysRound 1[18]164Calder CannonsTAC CupSon of Tony Liberatore
18Luke TapscottMelbourne19 years, 272 daysRound 1[19]152North AdelaideSANFL
19Byron SumnerSydney19 years, 147 daysRound 1[20]10Woodville-West TorrensSANFL
20Jack DarlingWest Coast18 years, 287 daysRound 1[21]2120West PerthWAFLRound 6 Rising Star nomination
21Andrew GaffWest Coast18 years, 284 daysRound 1[22]157Oakleigh ChargersTAC CupRound 19 Rising Star nomination
22Shaun AtleyNorth Melbourne18 years, 195 daysRound 1[23]163Murray BushrangersTAC Cup
23Cameron PedersenNorth Melbourne24 years, 10 daysRound 1[24]1418RookieBox HillVFL
24Cameron RichardsonNorth Melbourne23 years, 115 daysRound 1[25]81North BallaratVFL
25Daniel ArcherSt Kilda19 years, 166 daysRound 2[26]10RookieClarenceTFL
26Harley BennellGold Coast18 years, 182 daysRound 2[27]1414Peel ThunderWAFLcousin of Jamie Bennell (Melbourne)
27Charlie DixonGold Coast20 years, 191 daysRound 2[28]106RedlandQAFL
28Karmichael HuntGold Coast24 years, 136 daysRound 2[29]161former Brisbane Broncos (NRL) player
29Marc LockGold Coast19 years, 285 daysRound 2[30]10SouthportQAFL
30Alik MaginGold Coast19 years, 354 daysRound 2[31]31RookiePomonaAFLQ State Associationbrother of Rhys Magin (Essendon)
31Brandon MateraGold Coast19 years, 22 daysRound 2[32]1215South FremantleWAFLRound 5 Rising Star nomination, son of Wally Matera (West Coast/Fitzroy)
32Trent McKenzieGold Coast18 years, 364 daysRound 2[33]2113Western JetsTAC CupRound 17 Rising Star nomination
33Dion PrestiaGold Coast18 years, 172 daysRound 2[34]171Calder CannonsTAC Cup
34Zac SmithGold Coast21 years, 39 daysRound 2[35]2014Glenmore BullsAFL CapricorniaRound 7 Rising Star nomination
35David SwallowGold Coast18 years, 134 daysRound 2[36]2111East FremantleWAFLRound 14 Rising Star nomination, brother of Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne)
36Seb TapeGold Coast18 years, 239 daysRound 2[37]130GlenelgSANFL
37Josh ToyGold Coast18 years, 349 daysRound 2[38]81Calder CannonsTAC Cup
38Matthew WatsonCarlton18 years, 260 daysRound 2[39]30Calder CannonsTAC Cup
39Allen ChristensenGeelong19 years, 318 daysRound 2[40]1716Geelong FalconsTAC CupRound 18 Rising Star nomination, nephew of Marty and Damien Christensen
40Broc McCauleyBrisbane Lions24 years, 104 daysRound 2[41]30RookieSouthportQAFL
41Michael CoadGold Coast27 years, 208 daysRound 3[42]20SturtSANFL
42Daniel GorringeGold Coast18 years, 311 daysRound 3[43]72NorwoodSANFL
43Maverick WellerGold Coast19 years, 55 daysRound 3[44]152Burnie DockersTFL
44Alex JohnsonSydney19 years, 38 daysRound 3[45]191Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
45Jared PolecBrisbane Lions18 years, 180 daysRound 3[46]31Woodville-West TorrensSANFL
46Alistair SmithSt Kilda20 years, 214 daysRound 3[47]30PerthWAFL
47Luke ThompsonAdelaide20 years, 67 daysRound 4[48]112Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
48Matthew WrightAdelaide21 years, 123 daysRound 4[49]1918RookieNorth AdelaideSANFL
49Luke RussellGold Coast21 years, 123 daysRound 4[50]115Burnie DockersTFL
50Matt ShawGold Coast19 years, 71 daysRound 4[51]157Dandenong StingraysTAC Cup
51Jack HutchinsGold Coast19 years, 62 daysRound 5[52]60Sandringham DragonsTAC Cup
52Mitch WallisWestern Bulldogs18 years, 183 daysRound 5[53]60Calder CannonsTAC Cupson of Stephen Wallis, Round 4 nomination for 2012 AFL Rising Star
53Kieran HarperNorth Melbourne18 years, 319 daysRound 6[54]1412Eastern RangesTAC Cup
54Jamie CrippsSt Kilda19 years, 7 daysRound 6[55]47East FremantleWAFL
55Will JohnsonSt Kilda21 years, 186 daysRound 6[56]10SandringhamVFL
56Michael HibberdEssendon21 years, 118 daysRound 6[57]91FrankstonVFL
57Steven MayGold Coast19 years, 111 daysRound 6[58]90Southern DistrictsNTFL
58Liam PatrickGold Coast23 years, 58 daysRound 6[59]32WanderersNTFLcousin of Liam Jurrah
59Paul PuopoloHawthorn23 years, 155 daysRound 7[60]184NorwoodSANFL
60Isaac SmithHawthorn22 years, 127 daysRound 7[61]1420North BallaratVFL
61Zephaniah SkinnerWestern Bulldogs21 years, 314 daysRound 7[62]10NightcliffNTFL
62Nathan GordonSydney21 years, 84 daysRound 7[63]21RookieEast Coast EaglesSFL
63Sam DayGold Coast18 years, 243 daysRound 7[64]72SturtSANFL
64Joseph DayeGold Coast21 years, 94 daysRound 7[65]41Zillmere EaglesQAFL
65Tom LynchGold Coast18 years, 188 daysRound 7[66]1315Dandenong StingraysTAC Cup
66Bryce RetzlaffBrisbane Lions19 years, 312 daysRound 7[67]116LabradorQAFL
67Gerrick WeedonWest Coast19 years, 348 daysRound 7[68]10ClaremontWAFL
68Arryn SipossSt Kilda18 years, 165 daysRound 7[69]55Dandenong StingraysTAC Cup
69Tom NichollsGold Coast19 years, 71 daysRound 8[70]10Sandringham DragonsTAC Cup
70Ben JacobsPort Adelaide19 years, 125 daysRound 8[71]122Sandringham DragonsTAC Cup
71Luke ParkerSydney18 years, 201 daysRound 8[72]128Dandenong StingraysTAC Cup
72Luke BreustHawthorn20 years, 185 daysRound 8[73]1730RookieNSW/ACT RamsAFL NSW/ACTRound 15 Rising Star nomination
73Nathan VardyGeelong19 years, 329 daysRound 9[74]96Gippsland PowerTAC Cup
74Michael EvansMelbourne18 years, 312 daysRound 9[75]40RookieClaremontWAFL
75Tendai MzunguFremantle25 years, 82 daysRound 9[76]1411PerthWAFL
76Nicholas WinmarSt Kilda20 years, 24 daysRound 9[77]20ClaremontWAFL
77Josh GreenBrisbane Lions18 years, 270 daysRound 9[78]50ClarenceTFL
78Luke DelaneyNorth Melbourne21 years, 331 daysRound 9[79]80Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
79Daniel NicholsonMelbourne20 years, 206 daysRound 10[80]92RookieUniversity BluesVAFA
80Lewis JohnstonSydney20 years, 86 daysRound 10[81]21North AdelaideSANFL
81Josh CowanGeelong20 years, 73 daysRound 10[82]31North Ballarat RebelsTAC Cup
82Christian HowardWestern Bulldogs20 years, 71 daysRound 10[83]61GlenelgSANFL
83Alex BrowneEssendon18 years, 298 daysRound 11[84]20Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
84Max GawnMelbourne19 years, 155 daysRound 11[85]41Sandringham DragonsTAC Cup
85Jeremy HoweMelbourne20 years, 339 daysRound 11[86]1318HobartTFL
86Taylor HineGold Coast19 years, 131 daysRound 11[87]10Calder CannonsTAC Cup
87James MulliganWestern Bulldogs21 years, 355 daysRound 11[88]30SouthportQAFL
88Tom LedgerSt Kilda19 years, 79 daysRound 11[89]21ClaremontWAFL
89Tom SimpkinSt Kilda20 years, 301 daysRound 11[90]20Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
90Jordan LisleHawthorn20 years, 328 daysRound 11[91]51Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
91Zach TuohyCarlton21 years, 177 daysRound 11[92]102RookieLaoisGAA
92Luke DahlhausWestern Bulldogs18 years, 293 daysRound 12[93]1111RookieGeelong FalconsTAC CupRound 21 Rising Star nomination
93Rex LiddyGold Coast19 years, 160 daysRound 12[94]40KenmoreAFL Queensland
94Mitchell GolbyBrisbane Lions19 years, 252 daysRound 12[95]80RookieGippsland PowerTAC Cup
95Alex FasoloCollingwood19 years, 5 daysRound 12[96]1115East FremantleWAFLRound 22 Rising Star nomination
96Jayden SchofieldWestern Bulldogs19 years, 34 daysRound 13[97]70East FremantleWAFL
97Patrick KarnezisBrisbane Lions19 years, 56 daysRound 13[98]1117Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
98Ben BucovazFremantle20 years, 229 daysRound 13[99]20RookieGeelong FalconsTAC Cup
99Hayden JollyGold Coast19 years, 82 daysRound 14[100]60GlenelgSANFL
100Joel WilkinsonGold Coast19 years, 208 daysRound 14[101]71BroadbeachQAFL
101Niall McKeeverBrisbane Lions22 years, 129 daysRound 14[102]101RookieCounty AntrimGAA
102Josh MellingtonFremantle18 years, 178 daysRound 14[103]21RookieMurray BushrangersTAC Cup
103Mitch BrownGeelong20 years, 322 daysRound 14[104]23Sandringham DragonsTAC Cup
104Ian CallinanAdelaide28 years, 188 daysRound 14[105]32RookieCentral DistrictSANFL
105Rhys O'KeeffeCarlton20 years, 322 daysRound 14[106]10North AdelaideSANFL
106Sam BleaseMelbourne20 years, 132 daysRound 15[107]50Eastern RangesTAC CupRound 23 Rising Star nomination
107Daniel TaliaAdelaide19 years, 273 daysRound 15[108]90Calder CannonsTAC Cup
108Luke RoundsCollingwood20 years, 143 daysRound 15[109]51Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
109Rory ThompsonGold Coast20 years, 119 daysRound 16[110]82SouthportQAFL
110Lachlan KeeffeCollingwood21 years, 87 daysRound 16[111]54GympieAFL Queensland
111Wayde TwomeyCarlton25 years, 176 daysRound 17[112]21RookieSwan DistrictsWAFL
112Scott LycettWest Coast18 years, 307 daysRound 19[113]12Port Adelaide MagpiesSANFL
113Jeremy TaylorGold Coast19 years, 43 daysRound 19[114]20Geelong FalconsTAC Cup
114Michael RossEssendon19 years, 318 daysRound 19[115]20Gippsland PowerTAC Cup
115Ben SinclairCollingwood19 years, 303 daysRound 19[116]42Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
116Aidan RileyAdelaide19 years, 230 daysRound 19[117]51RookieWollongong LionsSydney AFL
117Josh DysonBrisbane Lions19 years, 360 daysRound 20[118]10RookieEastern RangesTAC Cup
118Peter FaulksFremantle23 years, 111 daysRound 21[119]20WilliamstownVFL
119John ButcherPort Adelaide20 years, 41 daysRound 21[120]411Gippsland PowerTAC Cup
120Tom JonasPort Adelaide20 years, 216 daysRound 21[121]40RookieNorwoodSANFL
121Tom HickeyGold Coast20 years, 167 daysRound 22[122]21MorningsideQAFL
122Joel TippettGold Coast22 years, 298 daysRound 22[123]20RookieSouthportQAFLbrother of Kurt Tippett
123Aaron MullettNorth Melbourne19 years, 178 daysRound 22[124]30RookieEastern RangesTAC CupRound 2 2013 Rising Star nomination
124Tom YoungCollingwood19 years, 116 daysRound 22[125]22Sydney UniversitySydney AFL
125Ayce CordyWestern Bulldogs21 years, 15 daysRound 22[126]20Geelong FalconsTAC Cupson of Brian Cordy
126Jason TuttWestern Bulldogs20 years, 98 daysRound 22[127]35NSW/ACT RamsAFL NSW/ACT
127Josh CaddyGold Coast18 years, 334 daysRound 23[128]22Northern KnightsTAC Cup
128Tom McDonaldMelbourne18 years, 344 daysRound 23[129]20North Ballarat RebelsTAC Cup
129Jacob GillbeeGold Coast18 years, 355 daysRound 24[130]11LauderdaleTFL
130Casey SibosadoFremantle20 years, 325 daysRound 24[131]11Oakleigh ChargersTAC Cup
131Jack FitzpatrickMelbourne20 years, 70 daysRound 24[132]11Western JetsTAC Cup
132Aaron BlackNorth Melbourne20 years, 279 daysRound 24[133]11Peel ThunderWAFL

Change of clubs

Players are listed in order of debut, and statistics are for AFL regular season and finals series matches during the 2011 AFL season only. Players are only included if they had previously played a senior AFL match with another club. "Previous club(s)" years are from the season of the player's debut for their respective club to the year in which they played their final game for that club.
OrderNameClubDebutGames in 2011Goals in 2011RookiePrevious club(s)
1Jeremy LaidlerCarltonRound 1[134]172Geelong (2009–2010)
2Shaun GriggRichmondRound 1[135]216Carlton (2007–2010)
3Bachar HouliRichmondRound 1[136]225Essendon (2007–2010)
4Ryan GambleSt KildaRound 1[137]1111Geelong (2006–2010)
5Simon BuckleyCollingwoodRound 1[138]135Melbourne (2007–2009)
6Andrew KrakouerCollingwoodRound 1[139]2232Richmond (2001–2007)
7Richard TamblingAdelaideRound 1[140]100Richmond (2005–2010)
8Cameron BruceHawthornRound 1[141]91Melbourne (2000–2010)
9David HaleHawthornRound 1[142]1717North Melbourne (2003–2010)
10Nick LowerFremantleRound 1[143]198RookiePort Adelaide (2006–2009)
11Nathan DjerrkuraWestern BulldogsRound 1[144]84Geelong (2009–2010)
12Justin ShermanWestern BulldogsRound 1[145]1417Brisbane Lions (2005–2010)
13Andrejs EverittSydneyRound 1[146]118Western Bulldogs (2007–2010)
14Ben McKinleyNorth MelbourneRound 1[147]20West Coast (2007–2010)
15Gary AblettGold CoastRound 2[148]2018Geelong (2002–2010)
16Nathan BockGold CoastRound 2[149]212Adelaide (2004–2010)
17Jared BrennanGold CoastRound 2[150]2211Brisbane Lions (2003–2010)
18Campbell BrownGold CoastRound 2[151]140Hawthorn (2002–2010)
19Josh FraserGold CoastRound 2[152]1612Collingwood (2000–2010)
20Jarrod HarbrowGold CoastRound 2[153]222Western Bulldogs (2007–2010)
21Daniel HarrisGold CoastRound 2[154]112North Melbourne (2001–2009)
22Nathan KrakouerGold CoastRound 2[155]138Port Adelaide (2007–2010)
23Michael RischitelliGold CoastRound 2[156]2110Brisbane Lions (2004–2010)
24Danny StanleyGold CoastRound 2[157]2220Collingwood (2007–2009)
25Andrew CollinsCarltonRound 3[158]20Richmond (2009–2010)
26Brad MillerRichmondRound 4[159]1417Melbourne (2002–2010)
27Sam IlesGold CoastRound 5[160]168Collingwood (2006–2007)
28Sam JacobsAdelaideRound 5[161]193Carlton (2009–2010)
29Simon PhillipsPort AdelaideRound 7[162]87Sydney (2006–2007)
30Dean PoloSt KildaRound 8[163]146Richmond (2006–2010)
31Jack AnthonyFremantleRound 8[164]40Collingwood (2008–2010)
32Jonathon GriffinFremantleRound 10[165]74Adelaide (2007–2010)
33Kyle CheneyHawthornRound 11[166]81Melbourne (2009–2010)
34Ed BarlowWestern BulldogsRound 12[167]84RookieSydney (2007–2010)
35Matt SpangherSydneyRound 16[168]57West Coast (2008–2010)
36Nathan AblettGold CoastRound 22[169]21Geelong (2005–2007)
37Patrick VeszpremiWestern BulldogsRound 22[170]34Sydney (2008–2010)
38Paul JohnsonHawthornRound 24[171]11RookieWest Coast (2003), Melbourne (2005–2010)

References