Milan Murdock at West Coast, Angus Anderson at Collingwood, Cooper Trembath at North Melbourne. These recent mature age pick ups aren't just filling list spots, they are actively changing the dynamic of their clubs.
Former Collingwood and St Kilda player Jonathon Marsh thinks AFL recruiters have dropped the ball in state leagues.
For the past six seasons, Marsh has been playing for East Fremantle in the WAFL. During that time he has seen teammates such as Murdock and rucks Brynn Teakle (formerly of Port Adelaide and North Melbourne) and Lachie Blakiston (Essendon) be given the opportunity to ply their trade in the top grade.
But Marsh believes there are plenty more players running around at state league level that would be ready to make an immediate impact at AFL clubs.
"Milan's probably done the mature-agers a massive service," Marsh told Zero Hanger.
"I think pretty similar to what Tim Kelly did at Geelong and everyone goes, ‘F*** there's gold (in the WAFL)'. And it kind of dropped away and then Milan does the same thing and the interest level peaks again, but you guys need to start actually (acting on it).
"It would be good at the mid-season or end of year draft where like four or five from WA go and see how they go, because I actually reckon they would all be able to stand up at AFL level."
While some believe the nation-wide talent pool is already too small for the AFL's 18 - and soon to be 19 - clubs, there also seems to be a lack of faith that dominant footballers at state league level can't make it in the AFL.
It seems to be an unconscious bias that as soon as a player isn't taken in their first draft year, then there is something wrong with them that leaves a taint that can take years and years, if ever, to wash away.
Marsh, who played 26 games over five seasons at the Pies and Saints, had first hand experience watching Murdock play for East Fremantle before he was picked up in the Supplementary Selection Period by West Coast this year and said recruiters have taken years off the new Eagle's career by failing to take a punt on a proven quality player.
"The Milan one as well I find really interesting because, what, that's 18 clubs' recruiting managers not doing their job," he said.
"Because you have got a bloke who has won three Simpsons (best on in state game or WAFL grand final), three BnFs, a premiership and he is still 26 and he is dominating. I don't understand why people don't take the punt on those types of players?
"And then he gets into AFL and he dominates, and everyone goes, ‘Oh what a great pick from Eagles', but is it though? They have wasted three years looking at him in the WAFL. They have wasted three years of his life. They should have picked him up earlier.
"He has been doing the same thing since he was 18. I reckon if you asked all the East Fremantle boys what he would have on (AFL) debut they were all gonna say he'd he have 15 and a goal or 17 and two goals and then he goes and does it. (Recruiters) need to be chipping in for the mature-agers a little bit more."
The likes of Hawthorn co-captain Jai Newcombe (2021 Mid-Season Draft), Geelong's Shaun Mannagh (2023 National Draft) and Essendon's Nic Martin (2022 SSP) are just some of the mature age selections proving they are more than capable of dominating AFL games.
During Nine's Footy Classified on Tuesday, Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton and Essendon favourite son James Hird agreed that more state league players deserve a shot in the big league.
Brereton pushed the case that it can help preserve the bodies of fresh 18-year-old draftees, who, while talented, aren't yet ready physically for AFL games.
"I am looking at Richmond," Brereton said. "They are playing young men who aren't ready yet.
"If you had some kind of extended list capabilities, you could find and play an 'Angry' Anderson. The one you find next weekend instead of bashing a kid up because he has to go out there to fill a spot.
"Cooper Trembath till last year was running around in the Eastern Ranges area getting kicks at will. We, because we have to take kids in the draft and we have to look to the future and bring these kids in and draft them with a view to the future, five or six of them aren't ready and we have to play them each year."
Hird, a director of coaching at VFL club Port Melbourne, said AFL clubs will gain some quality footballers if their recruiters take a chance on the right players in state leagues.
"The VFL is full of kids or men who (dream of) playing AFL football, who go to work as labourers, get up at (5am), start training at five in the afternoon and get home at 10 and do it day after day after day and play on the weekend," Hird said.
"Give some of those guys an opportunity. And you'll see some very good footballers."
