The father–son rule is a rule used for recruiting in the Australian Football League, along with an equivalent father–daughter rule in its women's competition, AFL Women's: both allow clubs first recruiting access to the son or daughter of a long-serving member of that club.

The father–son rule has existed since 1949, while the father–daughter rule has existed since the AFLW's formation in 2017.

Criteria are also in place for equivalent mother–son and mother–daughter rules, from such time as the children of AFLW players reach draft eligible age (i.e. at least 18 years of age on 31 December in the year in which they are drafted).

The following is a complete list of father–son draftees since 1986, when an entry draft was first established in the league, and also a complete list of father–daughter draftees since the AFLW's formation in 2017.

AFL ^Denotes current player*Denotes current player, changed team

YearDrafted playerClubFatherSelectionGames playedFather's games played1988659198812195198802019881146198811124819881062177 ()1989105010619891060591989112242146 ()199240026419922261331992282103199206419922067199215019929375199359611994853001995265571995238238 ()19950N/A (Administrator)1995180199521351995021519962166619972961171997452841831998355871998281854 ()199821892071998197110219993025651 ()1999445Unknown (W.G., Mayne)199918941461999264777 ()20001976114200028421842001402472422001 461841532002345464 ()2002361562 2002 40 220 307 200242166391 ( in SANFL)20024321114200332031320033631135200337112002003389917620034375305 ()200348173146200439246114200441231102004422722420044412171 ()20044832242200538204262005392814720064013241 2006 41 359 182 20073961182007600105200761715120081427124 2010 22 162 261 2010 41 257 283 201062281792011Sydney2165170 2011 62 39 164 2011 86 175 164 2012 Essendon 10 108 118 2012 ^ 26 237 233 2012 Western Bulldogs 49 173 130 2013 ^ 8 218 155 2014 ^ 9 195 172 2014 42 47 164 2014 62 118 124 2014760177 2014 86 2 160 () 2014 (rookie) 5 190 2015 49 11 116 2015 ^ 53 128 312 2015 (rookie) 0 127 2016 35 70 254 2016 ^ 57 151 250 2016 ^ 77 112 177 2016 45 (rookie) 0 121 2016 53 (rookie) 25 114 2017 34 9 143 2017 50 27 254 2017 41 (rookie) 0 321 2018 ^ 26 81 324 2018 29 5 122 2018 49 113 113 2018 69 0 165 2018 70 0 312 2018 74 0 198 2019 25 64 122 2019 ^ 29 58 131 2019 22 (rookie) 0 240 2020 ^ 51 49 118 2020 37 (rookie) 0 131 2021 ^ 2 45 226 2021 ^ 4 95 250 2021 ^ 59 26 311 2021 ^ 60 56 240 2021 65 21 138 2022 ^ 2 58 318 2022 ^ 12 65 107 2022 ^ 17 66 211 () 2022 45 20 100 2022 54 0 100 2022 ^ 56 10 432 2022 32 (rookie) 0 288 2023 ^ 15 0 186 2023 ^ 19 0 138 2023 ^ 56 26 123 2023 22 (rookie) 2 146 2023 N/A 0 241 2024 ^ 5 27 318 2024 43 0 233 2024 ^ 54 3 233 2024 ^ 59 0 129 2024 ^ 63 0 134 2024 ^ 67 0 292 2025 ^ 3 0 248 2025 ^ 60 0 226 2025 N/A 0 236Sources: 1986–2009, 2010Wallis, Liberatore are Dogs, Brennan an Eagle & 2011Mitchell, Buckley and Bews taken under father–son ruleGames Played last updated 12/10/2025Prior to 1997, father–son selections were taken prior to the draft and hence did not have a selection number. From 1997 to 2006, selections were made in the third round. Since 2007, selections have been subject to a bidding system.

AFL Women's

^Denotes current player*Denotes current player, changed team

YearDrafted playerClubFatherSelectionGames playedFather's games played2018 ^ 16 43 2442019 ^ 11 14 842019 ^ 47 33 341 2020 * 19 34 254 2020 ^ 32 32 323 2020 ^ 55 31 47 2022 ^ 81 0 12023^23022023^2901072023^31032023^47072024 ^ 17 0 2442024 ^ 42 0 962025 ^ 57 0 1232025 ^ 59 0 279Statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season Selections are made with the eligible club's next available pick following a bid by another club.

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