# List of AFL debuts in 1998

A total of 82 players made their debut in the Australian Football League's 1998 season, while another 39 players debuted for a new club having previously played for another club.

## Debuts

| Name | Club | Age at debut | Round debuted | Games | Goals | Notes |
| Nathan Bassett | Adelaide | 21 years, 111 days | 1 | 210 | 25 | 2006 All-Australian. |
| Ian Perrie | Adelaide | 19 years, 73 days | 13 | 116 | 129 | 2000 AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 12). |
| Mark Stevens | Adelaide | 22 years, 154 days | 1 | 101 | 103 | Previously played for North Melbourne. |
| Ben Marsh | Adelaide | 21 years, 354 days | 14 | 48 | 17 | |
| James Thiessen | Adelaide | 24 years, 46 days | 1 | 44 | 21 | Son of Tony Thiessen. Previously played for Richmond. |
| Andrew Eccles | Adelaide | 18 years, 308 days | 2 | 41 | 22 | 1998 AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 19). |
| Ian Downsborough | Adelaide | 26 years, 83 days | 3 | 12 | 6 | Previously played for West Coast and Port Adelaide. |
| Sudjai Cook | Adelaide | 21 years, 330 days | 9 | 7 | 2 | |
| Lance Picioane | Adelaide | 17 years, 294 days | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| Linden Stevens | Adelaide | 20 years, 78 days | 22 | 2 | 0 | |
| Simon Black | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 359 days | 1 | 322 | 171 | 2002 Brownlow Medalist, 2003 Norm Smith Medallist, 2001, 2002, and 2006 Merrett–Murray Medallist, 2001, 2002 and 2004 All-Australian and Brisbane games record holder. |
| Luke Power | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 87 days | 2 | 282 | 226 | 2004 All-Australian, 1998 AFL Rising Star (Round 2) and 1999 AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 19). |
| Tim Notting | Brisbane Lions | 19 years, 206 days | 8 | 208 | 138 | 1999 AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 21) |
| Brad Scott | Brisbane Lions | 21 years, 329 days | 1 | 146 | 39 | Previously played for Hawthorn. |
| Beau McDonald | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 167 days | 1 | 91 | 19 | 2000 AFL Rising Star nominee (Round 21) |
| Marcus Picken | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 186 days | 3 | 25 | 9 | Son of Billy Picken and brother of Liam Picken. |
| Shane O'Bree | Brisbane Lions | 19 years, 21 days | 2 | 19 | 3 | 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 1) |
| Rory Hilton | Brisbane Lions | 19 years, 17 days | 6 | 9 | 3 | |
| Derek Wirth | Brisbane Lions | 19 years, 245 days | 18 | 1 | 2 | |
| Kris Massie | Carlton | 17 years, 352 days | 8 | 43 | 12 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 20) |
| Damien Lock | Carlton | 19 years, 178 days | 1 | 18 | 0 | |
| Tony Bourke | Carlton | 22 years, 8 days | 13 | 4 | 0 | |
| John Hynes | Carlton | 19 years, 161 days | 18 | 4 | 2 | |
| Damian Lang | Carlton | 22 years, 67 days | 7 | 3 | 1 | Previously played for Sydney. |
| Sean Charles | Carlton | 22 years, 314 days | 1 | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne. |
| Trent Hoppner | Carlton | 19 years, 80 days | 7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Chris Tarrant | Collingwood | 17 years, 205 days | 3 | 196 | 307 | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Collingwood Leading Goalkicker, 2003 All-Australian, 2003 AFL Mark of the Year. Brother of Robbie Tarrant. |
| Ben Kinnear | Collingwood | 19 years, 87 days | 9 | 50 | 11 | |
| James Wasley | Collingwood | 18 years, 336 days | 13 | 23 | 3 | |
| Clinton King | Collingwood | 20 years, 103 days | 15 | 22 | 9 | Previously played for Sydney. |
| Frank Raso | Collingwood | 18 years, 179 days | 1 | 19 | 1 | |
| Brent Tuckey | Collingwood | 18 years, 332 days | 17 | 19 | 8 | |
| Jamie Tape | Collingwood | 23 years, 363 days | 2 | 16 | 1 | Previously played for Richmond. |
| Michael Gardiner | Collingwood | 20 years, 155 days | 21 | 7 | 1 | |
| Andrew Pugsley | Collingwood | 19 years, 262 days | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| Shannon Gibson | Collingwood | 22 years, 141 days | 1 | 3 | 0 | Previously played for Hawthorn. |
| Stuart Mangin | Collingwood | 23 years, 150 days | 13 | 3 | 2 | |
| Dean Solomon | Essendon | 18 years, 107 days | 5 | 158 | 56 | 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 11). |
| Mark Bolton | Essendon | 18 years, 360 days | 1 | 124 | 50 | |
| Simon Eastaugh | Essendon | 24 years, 305 days | 3 | 17 | 1 | |
| Judd Lalich | Essendon | 22 years, 175 days | 13 | 17 | 4 | |
| James Walker | Fremantle | 19 years, 206 days | 19 | 151 | 16 | |
| Adrian Fletcher | Fremantle | 28 years, 170 days | 1 | 79 | 24 | 1999 Fremantle Best and Fairest. Previously played for Geelong, St Kilda, Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions. |
| Brad Dodd | Fremantle | 21 years, 6 days | 1 | 50 | 24 | |
| Clem Michael | Fremantle | 21 years, 256 days | 1 | 43 | 11 | Son of Stephen Michael. |
| Chris Bond | Fremantle | 29 years, 62 days | 1 | 41 | 5 | Previously played for Carlton and Richmond. |
| Brodie Holland | Fremantle | 18 years, 134 days | 8 | 36 | 21 | |
| Stuart Anderson | Fremantle | 23 years, 282 days | 2 | 9 | 3 | Previously played for North Melbourne. |
| Paul Maher | Fremantle | 22 years, 24 days | 15 | 5 | 5 | |
| Daniel Hargraves | Fremantle | 22 years, 285 days | 4 | 3 | 0 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs. |
| Brendon Feddema | Fremantle | 23 years, 359 days | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
| Matthew Scarlett | Geelong | 19 years, 86 days | 22 | 284 | 17 | 2003 Best and Fairest, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 All-Australian and 2000 Rising Star nominee (Round 18). |
| James Rahilly | Geelong | 18 years, 321 days | 6 | 90 | 11 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 12). |
| Brett Spinks | Geelong | 24 years, 141 days | 1 | 19 | 35 | 1998 Geelong Leading Goalkicker. Previously played for West Coast. |
| Hamish Simpson | Geelong | 22 years, 100 days | 5 | 18 | 0 | |
| Tim Finocchiaro | Geelong | 18 years, 289 days | 2 | 10 | 1 | |
| Justin Wood | Geelong | 18 years, 156 days | 9 | 7 | 5 | |
| Marc Woolnough | Geelong | 18 years, 31 days | 13 | 6 | 1 | Son of Michael Woolnough. |
| Joel McKay | Geelong | 19 years, 31 days | 21 | 4 | 0 | |
| Leigh Brockman | Geelong | 19 years, 339 days | 14 | 2 | 1 | |
| Trent Croad | Hawthorn | 18 years, 19 days | 1 | 184 | 129 | 2005 All-Australian team, 1998 Rising Star nominee. |
| Richie Vandenberg | Hawthorn | 21 years, 198 days | 17 | 145 | 64 | Hawthorn captain 2005-2007. |
| Nathan Thompson | Hawthorn | 20 years, 50 days | 2 | 119 | 92 | 2003 and 2004 Hawthorn Leading Goalkicker. 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 14). |
| John Barker | Hawthorn | 23 years, 37 days | 1 | 113 | 114 | 2001 Hawthorn Leading Goalkicker. Previously played for Fitzroy and Brisbane. |
| Chris Obst | Hawthorn | 18 years, 289 days | 17 | 17 | 0 | |
| Nathan Chapman | Hawthorn | 22 years, 325 days | 1 | 16 | 4 | Previously played for Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions. |
| Brad Lloyd | Hawthorn | 22 years, 200 days | 2 | 11 | 3 | Brother of Matthew Lloyd. |
| Haydon Kilmartin | Hawthorn | 24 years, 263 days | 3 | 10 | 1 | |
| Nathan Turvey | Hawthorn | 20 years, 190 days | 5 | 10 | 0 | |
| Matthew Dennis | Hawthorn | 20 years, 145 days | 15 | 5 | 0 | |
| Jeff White | Melbourne | 21 years, 38 days | 1 | 236 | 95 | All Australian 2004 and Melbourne Best and Fairest 2004. Previously played for Fremantle. |
| Travis Johnstone | Melbourne | 17 years, 255 days | 1 | 160 | 111 | Grandson of Norm Johnstone. |
| Nathan Brown | Melbourne | 21 years, 248 days | 4 | 146 | 36 | |
| Daniel Ward | Melbourne | 20 years, 326 days | 10 | 136 | 31 | |
| Guy Rigoni | Melbourne | 23 years, 245 days | 1 | 107 | 35 | |
| Jamie Shanahan | Melbourne | 30 years, 113 days | 1 | 37 | 0 | Previously played for St Kilda. |
| Matthew Collins | Melbourne | 21 years, 187 days | 19 | 29 | 5 | Previously played for Adelaide. |
| Matthew Bishop | Melbourne | 22 years, 289 days | 5 | 18 | 4 | |
| Craig Smoker | Melbourne | 19 years, 359 days | 1 | 17 | 12 | |
| Troy Longmuir | Melbourne | 18 years, 363 days | 9 | 17 | 3 | 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 4). Brother of Justin Longmuir. |
| Mark Bradly | Melbourne | 21 years, 128 days | 10 | 4 | 3 | |
| Hayden Lamaro | Melbourne | 19 years, 177 days | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| Shannon Grant | North Melbourne | 20 years, 342 days | 1 | 243 | 323 | 1999 Norm Smith Medallist, 2001 North Melbourne Best and Fairest and 2005 All Australian. Previously played for Sydney. |
| Shannon Watt | North Melbourne | 17 years, 212 days | 14 | 155 | 9 | |
| Jason McCartney | North Melbourne | 24 years, 13 days | 1 | 107 | 15 | Previously played for Adelaide and Collingwood. |
| Winston Abraham | North Melbourne | 23 years, 179 days | 1 | 72 | 104 | 1998 AFL Mark of the Year. Previously played for Fremantle. |
| Stuart Cochrane | North Melbourne | 19 years, 287 days | 6 | 50 | 11 | |
| Brady Anderson | North Melbourne | 22 years, 288 days | 1 | 27 | 2 | 1997 Sandover Medallist. |
| Dion Miles | North Melbourne | 19 years, 303 days | 11 | 2 | 1 | |
| Nick Stevens | Port Adelaide | 18 years, 120 days | 6 | 127 | 78 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 9). |
| Mark Harwood | Port Adelaide | 20 years, 53 days | 10 | 30 | 19 | Previously played for West Coast. |
| Matthew Bode | Port Adelaide | 18 years, 273 days | 1 | 29 | 25 | 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 19). |
| Brett Chalmers | Port Adelaide | 25 years, 23 days | 8 | 25 | 12 | Previously played for Adelaide. |
| Danny Morton | Port Adelaide | 24 years, 271 days | 1 | 20 | 17 | Previously played for Fitzroy. |
| Chris Naish | Port Adelaide | 26 years, 183 days | 1 | 18 | 16 | Previously played for Richmond. |
| Paul Evans | Port Adelaide | 19 years, 124 days | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| Tom Harley | Port Adelaide | 19 years, 344 days | 14 | 1 | 1 | |
| Greg Tivendale | Richmond | 19 years, 120 days | 20 | 188 | 125 | |
| Andrew Kellaway | Richmond | 22 years, 168 days | 7 | 172 | 30 | 2000 Jack Dyer Medallist and 2000 All-Australian. |
| Brad Ottens | Richmond | 18 years, 64 days | 1 | 129 | 152 | 2001 All-Australian. |
| Aaron James | Richmond | 21 years, 162 days | 3 | 30 | 19 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Lionel Proctor | Richmond | 18 years, 155 days | 6 | 20 | 4 | |
| Steven McKee | Richmond | 19 years, 331 days | 8 | 20 | 1 | |
| Justin Plapp | Richmond | 21 years, 5 days | 14 | 18 | 22 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 15). |
| Ashley Blurton | Richmond | 23 years, 24 days | 1 | 14 | 7 | Previously played for West Coast. |
| John Rombotis | Richmond | 21 years, 180 days | 3 | 13 | 2 | Previously played for Fitzroy and Port Adelaide. |
| Gavin Mitchell | St Kilda | 25 years, 90 days | 1 | 52 | 64 | Previously played for Fremantle. |
| Tim Elliott | St Kilda | 21 years, 252 days | 9 | 47 | 10 | |
| Brett Knowles | St Kilda | 19 years, 334 days | 3 | 43 | 8 | |
| Ben Thompson | St Kilda | 24 years, 241 days | 6 | 11 | 2 | |
| Sam Cranage | St Kilda | 19 years, 104 days | 19 | 8 | 1 | |
| Jared Crouch | Sydney | 20 years, 65 days | 7 | 223 | 51 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 17). |
| Jason Saddington | Sydney | 18 years, 157 days | 1 | 142 | 41 | 1998 Rising Star nominee (Round 11). |
| Wayne Schwass | Sydney | 29 years, 128 days | 2 | 98 | 57 | 1999 Sydney Best and Fairest and 1999 All-Australian. Previously played for North Melbourne. |
| Robert Ahmat | Sydney | 20 years, 253 days | 1 | 42 | 46 | Previously played for Collingwood. |
| Brett O'Farrell | Sydney | 20 years, 170 days | 13 | 8 | 9 | |
| Brent Green | Sydney | 22 years, 14 days | 3 | 7 | 8 | Previously played for Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions. |
| Rowan Jones | West Coast | 18 years, 263 days | 19 | 158 | 70 | 1999 Rising Star nominee (Round 8). |
| Andrew Williams | West Coast | 19 years, 126 days | 15 | 84 | 42 | 1999 Rising star nominee (Round 11). |
| Phillip Read | West Coast | 18 years, 158 days | 1 | 74 | 124 | |
| Jaxon Crabb | West Coast | 18 years, 168 days | 5 | 15 | 2 | 2005 Sandover Medallist. |
| Todd Holmes | West Coast | 18 years, 284 days | 5 | 7 | 0 | |
| Simon Garlick | Western Bulldogs | 22 years, 352 days | 1 | 137 | 114 | Previously played for Sydney. |
| Mark Alvey | Western Bulldogs | 17 years, 353 days | 10 | 45 | 28 | |
| Paul Dooley | Western Bulldogs | 22 years, 176 days | 1 | 14 | 2 | |