Collingwood has made six selections in the 2008 AFL Rookie Draft.

The club selected with its first pick (11), Tristan Francis, from the Gippsland Power.  Francis is a highly regarded midfielder who was a major contributor in the Power's finals campaign.  His return from a serious knee injury sustained late last year proved his maturity in managing a setback.

Francis' teammate, Jaryd Blair, was selected by the club with pick 27.  He has been compared to St Kilda champion, Robert Harvey, as a small dashing midfielder who has good spatial awareness.

Western Australian John Bennell was selected with pick 42.  Bennell spent most of his time in the Colts side averaging three goals, three marks and 12 possessions a game.

There were no surprises with the club's final three picks in the draft.  Tobias Thoolen will have a second chance at the club (56) after being delisted form the senior list in October, while tall Queenslander Lachlan Keefe will be a rookie in 2009 having been pre-selected at the end fo 2007, and Scott Reed has been elevated to the rookie list from the New South Wales scholarship list.

Rookie selections

 11. Tristan Francis
Watch Tristan Francis in action
Date of birth: 15/8/89
Height: 181cm
Weight: 77kg
Club: Gippsland Power
Bio: Francis is a competitive midfielder who can find the ball and kick goals. He has pace, which was highlighted by a 2.91sec 20m sprint time at the Victorian state screening session.

 27.  Jaryd Blair
Date of Birth: 14/4/90
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 70kg
Club: Gippsland Power
Bio: Despite standing just 172cm, the tough onballer has been the mainstay of Gippsland's midfield this season, playing 17 of a possible 19 home-and-away games.

42.  John Bennell
Date of Birth: 1/2/90
Height: 174cm
Weight: 71kg
Club: Peel Thunder
Bio:  Top-aged, sneaky, quick, elusive, clever, colourful small forward/wingman with a good goal sense and a big vertical leap.
 
56.  Tobias Thoolen
Date of Birth: 23/2/90
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 95kg
Club: Vic Country U18
Bio: Played 2008 in the VFL side before being delisted by the club at the end of 2008.

69.  Lachlan Keeffe
Date of Birth: 14/4/90
Height: 204 cm
Weight: 87 kg
Bio: The towering Queenslander signed with the club at the end of 2007 as a pre-selected rookie, he has a soccer background and is tremendously athletic for his size. Played a handful of VFL games for Collingwood in 2008.

78. Scott Reed
Date of Birth: 3/10/90
Height: 192cm
Weight: 80kg
Bio: Reed was the first ever player signed by the Magpies as a New South Wales scholarship holder. An athletic midfield type, he has impressed enough to earn a place on the rookie list for 2009.