“It’s rubbish”: AFL great not a fan of starting debutants as subs

It is one of the big debates in the footy world right now, and last night’s contest between Essendon and Port Adelaide only fuelled the conversation.

In 2025, the AFL has seen 32 debutants across the first three weeks of football. Of those 32, seven have been handed the sub vest, with an eighth receiving a late first-22 call-up due to a late withdrawal.

Of the eight debutants initially listed as the sub, three were selected within the top six of the AFL national draft in 2024 (Sid Draper, Levi Ashcroft and Harvey Langford).

With family travelling from all over the country in support of a young kid earning their first ever professional berth, should the debutants be forced to wait agonisingly for their opportunity?

AFL legend Jason Dunstall certainly does not believe so.

“We need to bring in a rule,” Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

“You should never be able to be the sub in your first game, you have to actually start.

“It’s rubbish, you should start. It’s too big of an occasion to just sit there - I’m not copping that.”

In the Round 3’s Thursday night contest, both Essendon coach Brad Scott and Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley opted to hand their respective debutants the sub-vest.

Both Essendon’s 2024 mid-season draft selection Saad El-Hawli, and Port Adelaide’s 2024 rookie draft selection Tom Cochrane were introduced ahead of the final term, with El-Hawli lighting it up to help the Bombers to their first victory of the season.

Post-match, Ken Hinkley was asked about handing such a role to the first-gamers, as he has done twice across Port Adelaide’s opening three games.

"I don't think it's hard now," Hinkley said of giving a debutant the substitute role.

"I think we're getting better at understanding that giving some young people some opportunity to experience the AFL game early.

"I think that outweighs the challenge of being the sub. Christian Moraes last week, came on as the sub and played a really solid game.

"Tommy Cochrane got his first chance tonight, got a taste of AFL football.

"You have to use what you have to your advantage as best as you can, and we thought the right thing to do was start him as sub."