FOUR Tasmanian names were read out at yesterday's rookie and preseason drafts, but none of those were youngsters who missed out at last month's national draft.
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Former Bomber Sam Lonergan got a second chance at Richmond with pick 22 in the rookie draft, while Derby's Jesse Crichton was redrafted to Fremantle with pick 14 in the preseason draft.
Meanwhile, former basketballers Ben Richmond (Collingwood) and Jack Osborn (Adelaide) were officially put on AFL lists with picks 40 and 60 of the rookie draft.
Hobart-born Ricky Petterd, who was recruited from Queensland, joins Lonergan at Richmond after he was earlier delisted from Melbourne.
Among those who missed out were Launceston's Josh Woolley, North Launceston trio Mitch Van Den Berg, Toby Nankervis and Mark Walsh, Glenorchy's Ben Brown and Jaye Bowden and Brady Jones, of Clarence.
AFL Tasmania talent manager Mathew Armstrong encouraged those players to continue to ply their trade in the State League.
"You have to go again and it's proven now in the AFL system that it's not over at 18 years of age, or even a little bit older," Armstrong said.
"They'll just have to keep going in the TSL and get people's attention, go away and keep working hard.
"We (Tasmania) never have a lot of rookies as clubs do look in their own backyard, and as I didn't field any phone calls I was a bit concerned, so it wasn't that surprising."
Overall, with Jesse Lonergan, Jackson Thurlow and Sam Siggins drafted last month, and Ian Callinan and Andrew Phillips upgraded to senior lists, nine Tasmanians took part in the league's three drafts.
"We're happy with that as the more Tasmanians we can get playing AFL football the better," Armstrong said.
"It's not easy to get picked up and it's harder to stay on an AFL list."
LONERGAN'S DREAM ALIVE: Page 38