1981 VFL draft

The 1981 VFL draft was the first annual national draft held by the Victorian Football League, the leading Australian rules football league.[1]

Held on 8 October 1981, all twelve VFL clubs participated in the draft, each having two picks, with the team finishing last in the 1981 VFL season having first choice, followed by the other eleven clubs in reverse finishing position order. Wooden spooners Melbourne named Perth wingman Alan Johnson as the first pick of the draft.

Round Pick Player Drafted to Recruited from League Games with new team
1 1 Alan Johnson Melbourne Perth WAFL 135
1 2 Neil Craig Footscray Sturt SANFL 0
1 3 Grant Campbell St Kilda East Perth WAFL 0
1 4 Mark Naley South Melbourne South Adelaide SANFL 0
1 5 Craig Holden North Melbourne Swan Districts WAFL 29
1 6 Peter Hofner Richmond Port Adelaide SANFL 0
1 7 Ken Judge Hawthorn East Fremantle WAFL 72
1 8 Wayne Otway Essendon East Perth WAFL 36
1 9 Dean Turner Fitzroy East Perth WAFL 54
1 10 Tony McGuinness Geelong Glenelg SANFL 0
1 11 Chris Carpenter Collingwood Launceston NTFA 0
1 12 Ross Ditchburn Carlton Claremont WAFL 28
2 13 Danny Hughes Melbourne Port Adelaide SANFL 124
2 14 Trevor Clisby[2] Footscray North Adelaide SANFL 0
2 15 Geoff Linke St Kilda South Adelaide SANFL 2
2 16 Phil Brooksby South Melbourne South Adelaide SANFL 0
2 17 Tom Warhurst North Melbourne Norwood SANFL 0
2 18 David Tiller Richmond North Adelaide SANFL 0
2 19 John Platten Hawthorn Central District SANFL 258
2 20 Stephen Copping Essendon Glenelg SANFL 42
2 21 Chris McDermott Fitzroy Glenelg SANFL 0
2 22 Greg McAdam Geelong North Adelaide SANFL 0
2 23 Scott Knight Collingwood Launceston NTFA 5
2 24 Chris Velde Carlton Glenelg SANFL 0
  1. ^ "The forgotten drafts, 1981, 1982". Footy Stats.
  2. ^ "TREVOR CLISBY". Australian Football. Retrieved 12 September 2017.