Melbourne have confirmed the signing of midfielder former North Melbourne-listed player Corey Wagner under the AFL's new rookie rule.
The recently newย Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period (SPP), is why Wagner is able to join the Demons after he withdrew from the upcoming AFL draft.
The move was confirmed as legitimate under these new rules and guidelines, withย General Manager of Football Operations Josh Mahoney happy the club could secure the 21-year old's services.
โCorey Wagner qualified under the new AFL rule, allowing a player to be added to our list from December 1,โ Mahoney said.
โBy committing to Corey now, we can guarantee him a place on our rookie list, rather than waiting for the Draft and risking another team taking him.โ
Wagner will not be able to start his time as a Dee until next month as SPP-eligible players cannot train until after December 1st.
The ex-North player, who spent two seasons with the Kangaroos, later joined the Casey Demons where he had a standout season in the VFL.
Wagner took home the club's best and fairest award and quickly became an important member of the Casey team.
Mahoney says Wagner thrived under VFL coach Jade Rawlings.
โWe feel that his AFL experience with North Melbourne, his physical attributes and his flexibility in his role will make him a welcome addition to our list," Mahoney said.
โWe look forward to bringing Corey into our program full time next month.โ
Originally from the Sunshine state of Queensland, Wagner was pick No.43 in the 2015 National Draft and made his AFL debut in Round 13 of 2016.
Wagner has eight senior games to his name and is the brother of current Demon Josh Wagner.
