[1] However, its importance has gradually diminished over the time, and pre-season drafts are now routinely cancelled due to every club opting against making a selection.
Clubs receive selections in the draft based on where they finished on the AFL ladder during the year, generally in reverse order.
Until 2008, due to the standard players contract expiring at the end of November, players who did not wish to sign a new contract with their current club were forced to enter the pre-season draft if they were unable to be traded to another club during the trade week held prior to the national draft.
[5] The lack of free agency was a powerful bargaining tool during trade week, as the team with the first pick could refuse a trade for a current uncontracted player at another club, and then recruit the player that wants to join their team for free with the first pick in the pre-season draft without giving anything to the other club.
Not every pre-season draft contains a number-one pick, as clubs may choose to pass on their selection for various list management reasons.