# List of AFL debuts in 2012

During the 2012 Australian Football League (AFL) season, 122 Australian rules footballers made their AFL debut with a further 32 playing their first game for a new club. The Greater Western Sydney Giants, who joined the league in 2012, had the most debutantes with 36, with Geelong next highest with 10.

## Summary

Summary of debuts in 2012 :
| Club | AFL debuts | Change of club |
| Adelaide | 6 | 2 |
| Brisbane Lions | 4 | 2 |
| Carlton | 7 | 0 |
| Collingwood | 7 | 0 |
| Essendon | 6 | 0 |
| Fremantle | 5 | 1 |
| Geelong | 10 | 0 |
| Gold Coast | 6 | 2 |
| Greater Western Sydney | 36 | 10 |
| Hawthorn | 2 | 2 |
| Melbourne | 3 | 2 |
| North Melbourne | 3 | 0 |
| Port Adelaide | 4 | 4 |
| Richmond | 5 | 2 |
| St Kilda | 5 | 1 |
| Sydney | 2 | 2 |
| West Coast | 3 | 1 |
| Western Bulldogs | 8 | 1 |
| Total | 122 | 32 |

## AFL debuts

| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round | Games (in 2012) | Goals (in 2012) | Notes |
| Tomas Bugg | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 354 days | 1 | 18 | 6 | Round 5 Rising Star nomination |
| Jeremy Cameron | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 358 days | 1 | 16 | 29 | Round 2 Rising Star nomination Winner 2012 AFLPA best first year player award |
| Stephen Coniglio | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 100 days | 1 | 12 | 2 | Round 7 Rising Star nomination |
| Israel Folau | Greater Western Sydney | 22 years, 356 days | 1 | 13 | 2 | Previously played rugby league for Melbourne Storm & Brisbane Broncos |
| Jonathan Giles | Greater Western Sydney | 24 years, 76 days | 1 | 20 | 18 | Previously listed by Port Adelaide |
| Toby Greene | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 181 days | 1 | 19 | 8 | Round 14 Rising Star nomination |
| Curtly Hampton | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 14 days | 1 | 17 | 6 | |
| Jack Hombsch | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 17 days | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| Will Hoskin-Elliott | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 204 days | 1 | 10 | 9 | |
| Adam Kennedy | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 256 days | 1 | 15 | 0 | |
| Tim Mohr | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 157 days | 1 | 13 | 1 | |
| Dylan Shiel | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 15 days | 1 | 12 | 5 | Round 10 Rising Star nomination |
| Devon Smith | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 309 days | 1 | 20 | 10 | Round 19 Rising Star nomination |
| Adam Tomlinson | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 227 days | 1 | 9 | 2 | |
| Jacob Townsend | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 278 days | 1 | 11 | 2 | |
| Dom Tyson | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 290 days | 1 | 10 | 4 | Round 23 Rising Star nomination |
| Nathan Wilson | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 77 days | 1 | 9 | 6 | |
| Harry Cunningham | Sydney | 18 years, 109 days | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Brandon Ellis | Richmond | 18 years, 239 days | 1 | 21 | 2 | Round 17 Rising Star nomination |
| Steven Morris | Richmond | 23 years, 88 days | 1 | 21 | 1 | Son of Kevin Morris |
| Jarrad Boumann | Hawthorn | 22 years, 225 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | Previously listed at Western Bulldogs |
| Jackson Paine | Collingwood | 18 years, 283 days | 1 | 6 | 8 | |
| Paul Seedsman | Collingwood | 20 years, 79 days | 1 | 11 | 2 | |
| Peter Yagmoor | Collingwood | 18 years, 162 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| James Magner | Melbourne | 24 years, 232 days | 1 | 17 | 4 | |
| Josh Tynan | Melbourne | 18 years, 146 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Aaron Hall | Gold Coast | 21 years, 143 days | 1 | 8 | 8 | |
| Billie Smedts | Geelong | 19 years, 297 days | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
| Orren Stephenson | Geelong | 29 years, 260 days | 1 | 8 | 1 | Oldest first-time drafted player in AFL history. |
| Tory Dickson | Western Bulldogs | 24 years, 188 days | 1 | 17 | 23 | |
| Clay Smith | Western Bulldogs | 18 years, 326 days | 1 | 16 | 6 | |
| Terry Milera | St Kilda | 24 years, 84 days | 1 | 15 | 19 | |
| Jarrad Redden | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 96 days | 1 | 9 | 1 | |
| Chad Wingard | Port Adelaide | 18 years, 185 days | 1 | 19 | 9 | Round 22 Rising Star nomination |
| Cameron Delaney | North Melbourne | 19 years, 279 days | 2 | 5 | 0 | |
| Jack Newnes | St Kilda | 19 years, 44 days | 2 | 7 | 1 | |
| Billy Longer | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 338 days | 3 | 5 | 0 | |
| Adam Treloar | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 37 days | 3 | 18 | 12 | Round 18 Rising Star nomination |
| Sam Kerridge | Adelaide | 18 years, 355 days | 3 | 1 | 0 | |
| George Horlin-Smith | Geelong | 19 years, 115 days | 3 | 3 | 2 | Round 4 2013 Rising Star nomination |
| Lachie Neale | Fremantle | 18 years, 181 days | 4 | 11 | 4 | |
| Cory Dell'Olio | Essendon | 22 years, 135 days | 4 | 8 | 9 | |
| Shaun Edwards | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 130 days | 4 | 10 | 2 | |
| Anthony Miles | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 53 days | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| Sam Shaw | Adelaide | 21 years, 6 days | 4 | 13 | 0 | Round 21 Rising Star nomination |
| Bradley Hill | Hawthorn | 18 years, 287 days | 4 | 5 | 3 | Round 6 2013 Rising Star nomination, brother of Fremantle's Stephen Hill |
| Jack Crisp | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 202 days | 4 | 10 | 3 | |
| Jesse Stringer | Geelong | 21 years, 19 days | 4 | 8 | 3 | |
| Kirk Ugle | Collingwood | 19 years, 325 days | 5 | 3 | 0 | Cousin of Jamie Bennell |
| Taylor Adams | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 221 days | 5 | 15 | 5 | |
| Josh Bruce | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 325 days | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
| Kyal Horsley | Gold Coast | 24 years, 239 days | 5 | 13 | 3 | |
| Jarryd Lyons | Adelaide | 19 years, 282 days | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
| Aaron Young | Port Adelaide | 19 years, 145 days | 5 | 12 | 4 | |
| Lee Spurr | Fremantle | 24 years, 283 days | 6 | 12 | 0 | |
| Ahmed Saad | St Kilda | 22 years, 209 days | 6 | 16 | 28 | |
| Josh Bootsma | Carlton | 19 years, 74 days | 6 | 5 | 0 | Son of Brad Bootsma. |
| Liam Sumner | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 264 days | 6 | 2 | 2 | |
| Jacob Brennan | West Coast | 22 years, 103 days | 6 | 15 | 2 | Son of Michael Brennan |
| Josh Jenkins | Adelaide | 23 years, 94 days | 7 | 11 | 11 | Previous rookie listed at Essendon |
| Andrew Phillips | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 314 days | 7 | 9 | 3 | |
| Ryan Neates | West Coast | 20 years, 326 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Dayne Zorko | Brisbane Lions | 23 years, 93 days | 7 | 16 | 16 | |
| Brad McKenzie | North Melbourne | 18 years, 350 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tommy Walsh | Sydney | 24 years, 83 days | 8 | 3 | 3 | Previously played Gaelic football for Kerry GAA |
| Alex Sexton | Gold Coast | 18 years, 168 days | 8 | 6 | 1 | |
| Matthew Buntine | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 214 days | 8 | 6 | 0 | |
| Sam Darley | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 95 days | 8 | 9 | 0 | |
| Daniel Pearce | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 124 days | 9 | 5 | 0 | |
| Jonathan Simpkin | Geelong | 24 years, 210 days | 9 | 4 | 1 | Previous rookie listed at Sydney, brother of Tom Simpkin |
| Marley Williams | Collingwood | 18 years, 309 days | 9 | 6 | 1 | |
| Jamie Elliott | Collingwood | 19 years, 279 days | 9 | 13 | 6 | |
| Jordan Schroder | Geelong | 19 years, 180 days | 10 | 1 | 0 | |
| Lincoln McCarthy | Geelong | 18 years, 224 days | 10 | 1 | 0 | |
| Nick Haynes | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 15 days | 10 | 8 | 1 | |
| Hayden Crozier | Fremantle | 18 years, 161 days | 10 | 3 | 0 | |
| Brett O'Hanlon | Richmond | 18 years, 328 days | 11 | 8 | 2 | |
| Jonathon Patton | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 27 days | 12 | 7 | 4 | Number 1 draft pick, 2011 AFL Draft |
| Sam Schulz | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 271 days | 12 | 1 | 1 | |
| Mark Whiley | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 198 days | 12 | 3 | 0 | |
| Sam Gibson | North Melbourne | 26 years, 20 days | 12 | 13 | 6 | Previously rookie listed at Hawthorn |
| Tom Campbell | Western Bulldogs | 20 years, 234 days | 13 | 7 | 3 | |
| Caolan Mooney | Collingwood | 19 years, 157 days | 14 | 4 | 1 | Previously played Gaelic football for Down GAA |
| Todd Elton | Richmond | 19 years, 62 days | 14 | 1 | 0 | |
| Murray Newman | West Coast | 18 years, 225 days | 14 | 4 | 3 | |
| Jordan Murdoch | Geelong | 19 years, 180 days | 14 | 8 | 4 | |
| Andrew McInnes | Carlton | 20 years, 108 days | 15 | 8 | 0 | |
| Tom Derickx | Richmond | 24 years, 218 days | 15 | 2 | 0 | |
| Tim McIntyre | Adelaide | 23 years, 89 days | 15 | 1 | 2 | |
| Cameron Sutcliffe | Fremantle | 20 years, 46 days | 15 | 4 | 1 | |
| Mark Baguley | Essendon | 25 years, 54 days | 16 | 7 | 0 | |
| Tom Couch | Melbourne | 24 years, 27 days | 16 | 3 | 0 | Son of Paul Couch |
| Josh Hall | Gold Coast | 22 years, 102 days | 16 | 2 | 2 | |
| Jackson Sheringham | Geelong | 24 years, 22 days | 16 | 5 | 1 | |
| Josh Walker | Geelong | 19 years, 245 days | 16 | 7 | 3 | |
| Sam Dunell | St Kilda | 22 years, 144 days | 16 | 5 | 1 | Son of Frank Dunell |
| Steve Clifton | Greater Western Sydney | 25 years, 49 days | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2010 J. J. Liston Trophy winner |
| Luke Brown | Adelaide | 19 years, 297 days | 16 | 3 | 0 | |
| Levi Casboult | Carlton | 22 years, 128 days | 17 | 6 | 7 | |
| Tom Bell | Carlton | 21 years, 38 days | 17 | 7 | 4 | |
| Frazer Dale | Carlton | 18 years, 254 days | 17 | 2 | 1 | |
| Kurt Aylett | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 111 days | 17 | 1 | 0 | |
| Gerald Ugle | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 173 days | 17 | 1 | 1 | |
| Sam Frost | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 110 days | 17 | 3 | 1 | |
| Elliott Kavanagh | Essendon | 19 years, 69 days | 18 | 1 | 0 | |
| Stephen Wrigley | Brisbane Lions | 25 years, 102 days | 18 | 3 | 0 | |
| Jason Johannisen | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 270 days | 19 | 3 | 1 | |
| Michael Talia | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 175 days | 19 | 4 | 1 | brother of Daniel Talia |
| Jackson Allen | Gold Coast | 19 years, 116 days | 20 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tim Golds | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 127 days | 20 | 2 | 0 | |
| Nathan Blee | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 340 days | 20 | 4 | 0 | |
| Lin Jong | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 69 days | 20 | 4 | 1 | |
| Fletcher Roberts | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 70 days | 20 | 2 | 0 | |
| Brendan Lee | Essendon | 24 years, 338 days | 20 | 2 | 0 | |
| Piers Flanagan | Gold Coast | 20 years, 141 days | 21 | 3 | 0 | |
| Nick O'Brien | Essendon | 19 years, 59 days | 22 | 2 | 3 | |
| Sebastian Ross | St Kilda | 19 years, 110 days | 22 | 1 | 0 | |
| Rhys Cooyou | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 156 days | 22 | 1 | 1 | |
| Tom Sheridan | Fremantle | 18 years, 309 days | 23 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jackson Merrett | Essendon | 19 years, 187 days | 23 | 1 | 0 | |
| Pat McCarthy | Carlton | 20 years, 175 days | 23 | 1 | 0 | |
| Luke Mitchell | Carlton | 20 years, 187 days | 23 | 1 | 1 | |

## Change of AFL club

| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round | Games (in 2012) | Goals (in 2012) | Notes |
| Chad Cornes | Greater Western Sydney | 32 years, 133 days | 1 | 16 | 4 | Previously played for Port Adelaide |
| Phil Davis | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 207 days | 1 | 22 | 5 | Previously played for Adelaide |
| James McDonald | Greater Western Sydney | 35 years, 263 days | 1 | 13 | 4 | Previously played for Melbourne |
| Rhys Palmer | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 40 days | 1 | 15 | 9 | Previously played for Fremantle |
| Callan Ward | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 349 days | 1 | 20 | 8 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs |
| Addam Maric | Richmond | 21 years, 345 days | 1 | 10 | 1 | Previously played for Melbourne |
| Ivan Maric | Richmond | 26 years, 85 days | 1 | 21 | 7 | Previously played for Adelaide |
| Jack Gunston | Hawthorn | 20 years, 166 days | 1 | 19 | 39 | Previously played for Adelaide |
| Broc McCauley | Hawthorn | 25 years, 101 days | 1 | 3 | 1 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions |
| Mitch Clark | Melbourne | 24 years, 164 days | 1 | 11 | 29 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions |
| Ben Hudson | Brisbane Lions | 33 years, 36 days | 1 | 18 | 3 | Previously played for Adelaide & Western Bulldogs |
| Matthew Warnock | Gold Coast | 27 years, 363 days | 1 | 22 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne |
| Tom Lynch | Adelaide | 21 years, 198 days | 1 | 6 | 7 | Previously played for St Kilda |
| Zac Dawson | Fremantle | 25 years, 200 days | 1 | 18 | 2 | Previously played for Hawthorn & St Kilda |
| Josh Hill | West Coast | 23 years, 73 days | 1 | 22 | 36 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs |
| Brad Ebert | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 365 days | 1 | 22 | 17 | Previously played for West Coast |
| John McCarthy | Port Adelaide | 22 years, 134 days | 1 | 21 | 5 | Previously played for Collingwood |
| James Sellar | Melbourne | 23 years, 14 days | 2 | 16 | 9 | Previously played for Adelaide |
| Luke Power | Greater Western Sydney | 32 years, 90 days | 2 | 20 | 0 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions |
| Tom Scully | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 328 days | 2 | 19 | 4 | Previously played for Melbourne |
| Dean Brogan | Greater Western Sydney | 33 years, 123 days | 3 | 9 | 0 | Previously played for Port Adelaide |
| Darren Pfeiffer | Port Adelaide | 24 years, 206 days | 4 | 16 | 2 | Previously played for Carlton |
| Brent Renouf | Port Adelaide | 23 years, 354 days | 4 | 10 | 2 | Previously played for Hawthorn |
| Tony Armstrong | Sydney | 22 years, 206 days | 4 | 8 | 2 | Previously played for Adelaide |
| Mark Austin | Western Bulldogs | 23 years, 58 days | 4 | 11 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton |
| Sam Reid | Greater Western Sydney | 22 years, 173 days | 5 | 5 | 0 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs |
| Beau Wilkes | St Kilda | 22 years, 65 days | 5 | 10 | 15 | Previously played for West Coast |
| Setanta Ó hAilpín | Greater Western Sydney | 29 years, 49 days | 6 | 1 | 2 | Previously played for Carlton |
| Andrew McQualter | Gold Coast | 25 years, 345 days | 8 | 5 | 2 | Previously played for St Kilda |
| Jordan Lisle | Brisbane Lions | 22 years, 53 days | 19 | 5 | 4 | Previously played for Hawthorn |
| Lewis Johnston | Adelaide | 21 years, 161 days | 20 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Sydney |
| Mitch Morton | Sydney | 25 years, 204 days | 21 | 5 | 5 | Previously played for West Coast and Richmond |