The 1996 AFL draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League (AFL) season. The inaugural rookie draft was held with the 1997 pre-season draft. The AFL draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League. Clubs receive picks based on the position in which they finish on the ladder during the season, although these picks can be swapped around by teams for trading players. Trades: club by club Adelaide Brett James from for Jonathon Ross Trent Ormond-Allen from for draft pick #83 Clay Sampson from for Nick Pesch Tim Cook and Aaron Keating from for Scott Hodges Nick Laidlaw from for David Brown Barry Standfield from for draft picks #32 and #47 Carlton Ben Nelson and Andrew Balkwill from for Brent Heaver Mick McGuane from for draft picks #19 and #65 Collingwood Anthony Rocca from for Ben Wilson, Mark Orchard and draft picks #14 and #33 John R. Barnett from for draft pick #70 Richard Osborne from for draft pick #61 Jonathon Ross from for Brett James Geelong Hamish Simpson and Cameron Roberts from for draft pick #37 Tim Hargreaves from for Aaron Lord Hawthorn Aaron Lord from for Tim Hargreaves Justin Crawford from for David McEwan and draft pick #17 North Melbourne Kent Kingsley and Wade Kingsley from for Paul Geister Melbourne Nick Pesch from for Clay Sampson Port Adelaide Shane Bond and Brayden Lyle from for draft pick #57 Shayne Breuer from for Hamish Simpson, Cameron Roberts and draft picks #8 and 43 David Brown from for Nick Laidlaw Paul Geister from for Kent Kingsley and Wade Kingsley Brent Heaver from for Ben Nelson and Andrew Balkwill Scott Hodges from for Aaron Keating and Tim Cook For zone and uncontracted player selections see below Richmond Trent Nichols from for draft pick #50 St Kilda Troy Gray from for draft pick #34 Sydney Mark Orchard and Ben Wilson from for Anthony Rocca David McEwan from for Justin Crawford West Coast Ilija Grgic from for Luke Trew and draft pick #20 Western Bulldogs Simon Minton-Connell from for draft pick #29 Luke Trew from for Ilija Grgic 1996 national draft 1997 pre-season draft 1997 rookie draft The first AFL rookie draft was held on 25 February 1997. Only players aged between 18 and 23 were eligible to be drafted.