Category A rookies are usually placed on the list via the rookie draft, which occurs annually during the off-season, immediately after the pre-season draft. As is the case with the AFL's other drafts, clubs are given the opportunity to select rookies in reverse ladder order, based on the previous season's results.
In Category A rookies enter the list via the annual rookie draft that takes place during the off-season, following the pre-season draft. As in other AFL drafts, clubs select rookies based on their previous season's results, with teams choosing in reverse order of their performance.