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All-Australians Brendan Fevola and Leon Davis lead the group of AFL players unable to find new clubs through the pre-season and rookie drafts.
The AFL careers of the two 30-year-olds effectively came to an end on Tuesday when, as expected, no clubs would give them a last chance.
Fevola is a two-time Coleman Medallist and one of his generation’s most talented key forwards, but a long history of off-field indiscretions ruined his career.
Davis walked out on Collingwood at the end of this season, when he won his second All-Australian selection after reinventing himself as a defender.
He wanted to return to WA and is likely to play next year in the WAFL.
Other notable names who had nominated and did not find new AFL homes included former Fremantle and Collingwood small forward Paul Medhurst and controversial Essendon and St Kilda onballer Andrew Lovett.
The Saints sacked Lovett before he had played a game last year, after he was charged with rape.
Lovett was later found not guilty of the charge.
The biggest surprise of the pre-season draft was Port Adelaide picking up former Collingwood midfielder John McCarthy.
Port had the pick before Richmond, who were expected to go with McCarthy.
As expected, Fremantle used their pre-season draft pick, on former St Kilda defender Zac Dawson.
West Coast have also given former Collingwood small forward Brad Dick another shot at the AFL.
Dick had a shocking run of injuries in his time at Collingwood and the Eagles used their last rookie draft pick at 68 to sign him.
There was speculation that Gavin Urquhart would go to Port Adelaide, but North Melbourne retained him late in the rookie draft.
Other AFL players who will go to new clubs through the rookie draft include former Adelaide and Carlton player Darren Pfeiffer, now at Port Adelaide.
Gold Coast picked former St Kilda onballer Andrew McQualter and Richmond recruited ex-Melbourne forward Addam Maric.
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