It is the time of year for second (or third) chances in the AFL.

This week, reigning wooden-spooners West Coast signed delisted trio Deven Robertson, Fin Macrae and Harry Schoenberg in a bid to find extra midfield depth on the cheap, while Mason Cox (Fremantle) and Jayden Laverde (GWS) have received career lifelines, too.

Ex-Bomber Patrick Voss has made the most of his second chance at Fremantle.Credit: AFL Photos

We also saw ex-Bomber-turned-Docker Patrick Voss remind everyone that Essendon cut him two years ago, despite him kicking 37 goals in a breakout 2025 season for Fremantle.

Voss commented “Smart by dons” – with a clown emoji after it – on delisted Bomber Ben Hobbs’ farewell post to the club on Instagram.

Ben Hobbs was delisted by the Bombers after 65 games. He was taken with pick No.13 in the 2021 draft.Credit: AFL Photos

This all got us thinking: which players have succeeded at each club after a false start, or starts, elsewhere? Where possible, we tried to select active or relatively recent players.

Ben Keays
The Crows took a punt on Keays in the 2019 rookie draft after the Lions delisted him. Keays has barely missed a game since, playing 131 matches across six seasons and becoming a key contributor as both a midfielder and forward. He has finished top five in Adelaide’s club champion award in four of those seasons, including sharing the best-and-fairest award with Jordan Dawson last year. Another ex-Lion, Mitch Hinge, also warrants a mention.

Joel Patfull
Port Adelaide delisted Patfull without him playing a senior game, but a strong season for SANFL club Norwood convinced the Lions to select him in the 2015 draft. The 190-centimetre defender went on to play 182 matches for Brisbane, and was club champion in 2012 and 2013. Patfull played another 38 games for GWS. Mitch Robinson and Jarryd Lyons also enjoyed success at the Lions after being delisted, but already played plenty of games before that.

Andrew Carrazzo
Carrazzo pips Ed Curnow by virtue of his 2007 best-and-fairest win, but both were terrific servants as ball-winning defensive midfielders after failing to play a game at Geelong and Adelaide, respectively. Carrazzo played 194 games from 2004-15, while Curnow – older brother of dual Coleman medallist and new Swan Charlie – made 221 appearances between 2011 and 2023. Ex-Crow Matthew Wright was a solid contributor for three seasons, too, even winning the club’s goalkicking in 2016.

Ned Long’s AFL career took off once he made it to Collingwood.Credit: AFL Photos

Ned Long
After playing only five games for Hawthorn, Long received a second chance at the Pies – and grabbed it with both hands.........

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