During the 1996 Australian Football League (AFL) season 81 Australian rules footballers made their AFL debut with 48 others playing their first game for a new club. 
  Summary
  AFL debuts
    | Name  |  Club  |  Age at debut  |  Debut round  |  Games  |  Goals  |  Notes  | 
  | 1996  |  Career  |  1996  |  Career  | 
  | Kane Johnson |  Adelaide |  18 years, 115 days |  14[1] |  2 |  220 |  3 |  76 |    | 
  | Peter Vardy |  Adelaide |  20 years, 163 days |  14[2] |  7 |  137 |  5 |  206 |    | 
  | Matthew Collins |  Adelaide |  19 years, 129 days |  10[3] |  8 |  43 |  2 |  7 |    | 
  | Ronnie Burns |  Geelong |  23 years, 16 days |  1[4] |  21 |  154 |  31 |  262 |    | 
  | Jason Snell |  Geelong |  18 years, 246 days |  1[5] |  3 |  68 |  3 |  62 |    | 
  | David Cockatoo-Collins |  Melbourne |  17 years, 363 days |  1[6] |  1 |  2 |  0 |  0 |  Twin brother of Don  | 
  | Don Cockatoo-Collins |  Melbourne |  17 years, 363 days |  1[7] |  2 |  9 |  4 |  3 |  Twin brother of David  | 
  | Brad Cassidy |  Fitzroy |  19 years, 249 days |  1[8] |  14 |  16 |  10 |  10 |    | 
  | Peter Berbakov |  Essendon |  22 years, 221 days |  1[9] |  17 |  52 |  4 |  14 |    | 
  | Scott Bamford |  Fitzroy |  21 years, 281 days |  1[10] |  22 |  59 |  6 |  33 |    | 
  | Matthew Primus |  Fitzroy |  21 years, 79 days |  1[11] |  20 |  157 |  5 |  81 |  Round 1 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Daniel Chick |  Hawthorn |  20 years, 50 days |  1[12] |  22 |  252 |  14 |  210 |  Round 10 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Craig Treleven |  Hawthorn |  25 years, 290 days |  1[13] |  21 |  78 |  7 |  22 |    | 
  | Joe McLaren |  St Kilda |  18 years, 110 days |  1[14] |  11 |  69 |  2 |  39 |    | 
  | Jason Traianidis |  St Kilda |  21 years, 144 days |  1[15] |  13 |  62 |  9 |  36 |    | 
  | Andrew McLean |  St Kilda |  22 years, 256 days |  1[16] |  6 |  6 |  1 |  1 |    | 
  | Danny Dickfos |  Brisbane Bears |  25 years, 182 days |  1[17] |  22 |  65 |  1 |  0 |    | 
  | Troy Johnson |  Brisbane Bears |  18 years, 248 days |  1[18] |  2 |  2 |  0 |  0 |    | 
  | Scott Taylor |  Footscray |  19 years, 160 days |  1[19] |  1 |  1 |  0 |  0 |    | 
  | Andrew Donnelly |  West Coast |  23 years, 2 days |  1[20] |  20 |  68 |  28 |  69 |    | 
  | Chad Morrison |  West Coast |  18 years, 2 days |  1[21] |  18 |  169 |  24 |  88 |  Round 16 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Steven Pitt |  Collingwood |  22 years, 253 days |  1[22] |  13 |  18 |  14 |  16 |    | 
  | Gavin Mitchell |  Fremantle |  23 years, 94 days |  1[23] |  21 |  88 |  11 |  82 |    | 
  | Greg Harding |  Fremantle |  19 years, 196 days |  1[24] |  18 |  78 |  1 |  3 |  Round 4 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Brendon Fewster |  West Coast |  22 years, 88 days |  1[25] |  3 |  70 |  2 |  43 |    | 
  | Mark West |  Footscray |  23 years, 3 days |  2[26] |  4 |  16 |  2 |  3 |    | 
  | Tristan Lynch |  Brisbane Bears |  22 years, 228 days |  2[27] |  21 |  72 |  1 |  15 |    | 
  | Kane Fraser |  Hawthorn |  18 years, 266 days |  3[28] |  2 |  5 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Ben Holland |  Richmond |  18 years, 339 days |  3[29] |  11 |  191 |  3 |  179 |  Brother of Nick Holland  | 
  | Matthew Nicks |  Sydney |  20 years, 337 days |  3[30] |  6 |  175 |  2 |  125 |    | 
  | Jason Cripps |  St Kilda |  19 years, 183 days |  3[31] |  11 |  60 |  3 |  10 |    | 
  | Clive Waterhouse |  Fremantle |  21 years, 296 days |  3[32] |  11 |  106 |  9 |  178 |    | 
  | Darren O'Brien |  Melbourne |  27 years, 31 days |  4[33] |  13 |  24 |  7 |  9 |    | 
  | Michael Brown |  Fremantle |  19 years, 213 days |  4[34] |  10 |  22 |  6 |  15 |    | 
  | Ben Cousins |  West Coast |  17 years, 296 days |  4[35] |  20 |  270 |  34 |  217 |  Round 12 1996 Rising Star nomination & overall winner, son of Bryan Cousins  | 
  | Phillip Matera |  West Coast |  20 years, 146 days |  4[36] |  5 |  179 |  8 |  389 |  Brother of Wally & Peter Matera  | 
  | Scott Lucas |  Essendon |  18 years, 117 days |  5[37] |  14 |  270 |  11 |  471 |    | 
  | Steven Koops |  Fremantle |  17 years, 277 days |  5[38] |  6 |  89 |  6 |  49 |    | 
  | David Wirrpanda |  West Coast |  16 years, 268 days |  5[39] |  5 |  227 |  4 |  131 |    | 
  | Steven King |  Geelong |  17 years, 157 days |  5[40] |  13 |  240 |  3 |  83 |  Round 15 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Stefan Carey |  Sydney |  20 years, 100 days |  6[41] |  4 |  48 |  1 |  23 |    | 
  | Clint Bizzell |  Geelong |  19 years, 310 days |  6[42] |  4 |  163 |  1 |  79 |    | 
  | Sam McFarlane |  North Melbourne |  20 years, 150 days |  6[43] |  2 |  2 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Shane Clayton |  Fitzroy |  17 years, 193 days |  6[44] |  13 |  117 |  1 |  52 |    | 
  | Brent Frewen |  Fitzroy |  18 years, 197 days |  6[45] |  2 |  2 |  1 |  0 |    | 
  | Nick Carter |  Fitzroy |  18 years, 8 days |  6[46] |  17 |  25 |  4 |  6 |  Round 8 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Ross Funcke |  Richmond |  18 years, 170 days |  6[47] |  4 |  40 |  2 |  5 |    | 
  | Jade Rawlings |  Hawthorn |  18 years, 208 days |  6[48] |  2 |  148 |  1 |  96 |  Brother of Brady Rawlings  | 
  | Clark Keating |  Brisbane Bears |  20 years, 48 days |  6[49] |  14 |  139 |  9 |  83 |  Brother of Aaron Keating  | 
  | Todd McHardy |  Melbourne |  19 years, 37 days |  7[50] |  3 |  5 |  1 |  1 |    | 
  | Luke Toia |  Fremantle |  18 years, 171 days |  7[51] |  13 |  63 |  11 |  33 |  Round 20 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Michael Polley |  Melbourne |  19 years, 254 days |  9[52] |  5 |  5 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Barry Hall |  St Kilda |  19 years, 109 days |  9[53] |  4 |  289 |  2 |  746 |    | 
  | Damien Ryan |  Richmond |  18 years, 297 days |  9[54] |  11 |  60 |  1 |  9 |    | 
  | Justin Blumfield |  Essendon |  18 years, 197 days |  10[55] |  10 |  148 |  3 |  91 |    | 
  | Ben Moore |  Richmond |  18 years, 347 days |  11[56] |  4 |  24 |  2 |  11 |    | 
  | Ben Wilson |  Collingwood |  19 years, 113 days |  11[57] |  2 |  6 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Simon Prestigiacomo |  Collingwood |  18 years, 138 days |  11[58] |  12 |  233 |  6 |  3 |    | 
  | James Clement |  Fremantle |  19 years, 286 days |  11[59] |  12 |  230 |  1 |  51 |    | 
  | Ben Robbins |  Brisbane Bears |  19 years, 178 days |  12[60] |  5 |  92 |  1 |  21 |    | 
  | Clinton King |  Sydney |  18 years, 93 days |  12[61] |  5 |  89 |  3 |  23 |    | 
  | Scott Welsh |  North Melbourne |  17 years, 199 days |  12[62] |  1 |  205 |  0 |  363 |    | 
  | Daniel Healy |  St Kilda |  22 years, 53 days |  12[63] |  1 |  38 |  0 |  24 |    | 
  | Jason Ramsey |  Fitzroy |  21 years, 158 days |  13[64] |  2 |  2 |  7 |  0 |    | 
  | Eric Lissenden |  North Melbourne |  24 years, 187 days |  14[65] |  2 |  2 |  1 |  1 |    | 
  | Daniel Parker |  Fremantle |  22 years, 45 days |  14[66] |  1 |  25 |  1 |  18 |  Brother of Shane Parker  | 
  | Aaron Hamill |  Carlton |  18 years, 328 days |  15[67] |  4 |  190 |  1 |  239 |    | 
  | Jason Bevan |  Collingwood |  18 years, 88 days |  15[68] |  2 |  2 |  3 |  0 |    | 
  | Robert Powell |  Richmond |  20 years, 118 days |  15[69] |  8 |  66 |  15 |  60 |    | 
  | Andrew Leoncelli |  Melbourne |  22 years, 3 days |  16[70] |  7 |  146 |  3 |  66 |    | 
  | Glenn Gorman |  North Melbourne |  20 years, 183 days |  17[71] |  2 |  2 |  1 |  0 |    | 
  | Matthew Robbins |  Geelong |  19 years, 82 days |  17[72] |  1 |  146 |  0 |  135 |    | 
  | Joel Bowden |  Richmond |  18 years, 38 days |  17[73] |  5 |  265 |  4 |  174 |  Son of Michael Bowden, brother of Patrick Bowden  | 
  | Ashley Fernee |  Adelaide |  19 years, 36 days |  17[74] |  2 |  2 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Angelo Lekkas |  Hawthorn |  20 years, 35 days |  18[75] |  3 |  180 |  3 |  120 |    | 
  | Daniel Bradshaw |  Brisbane Bears |  17 years, 257 days |  18[76] |  3 |  231 |  3 |  524 |  Brother of Darren Bradshaw  | 
  | Robert McMahon |  Fitzroy |  19 years, 9 days |  18[77] |  2 |  2 |  2 |  1 |    | 
  | Shane Sikora |  West Coast |  19 years, 148 days |  18[78] |  2 |  3 |  2 |  0 |    | 
  | Danny Stevens |  North Melbourne |  19 years, 287 days |  21[79] |  1 |  15 |  1 |  7 |    | 
  | Carl Steinfort |  Geelong |  19 years, 154 days |  22[80] |  2 |  92 |  2 |  26 |    | 
  | Brent Harvey |  North Melbourne |  18 years, 112 days |  22[81] |  1 |  432 |  0 |  518 |  Record holder, most matches played by an individual in VFL/AFL history. Brother of Shane Harvey  | 
 Change of AFL club
    | Name  |  New Club  |  Age at debut  |  Debut round  |  Games  |  Goals  |  Previous club  | 
  | 1996  |  Career  |  1996  |  Career  | 
  | Anthony Ingerson |  Melbourne |  26 years, 168 days |  1[82] |  18 |  158 |  10 |  40 |  Adelaide  | 
  | Martin McKinnon |  Geelong |  20 years, 268 days |  1[83] |  19 |  86 |  8 |  50 |  Adelaide  | 
  | David Grant |  Melbourne |  29 years, 235 days |  1[84] |  7 |  198 |  1 |  75 |  St Kilda  | 
  | Craig Turley |  Melbourne |  30 years, 218 days |  1[85] |  16 |  131 |  8 |  99 |  West Coast  | 
  | Alastair Clarkson |  Melbourne |  27 years, 337 days |  1[86] |  22 |  134 |  13 |  85 |  North Melbourne  | 
  | Mick Dwyer |  Fitzroy |  27 years, 135 days |  1[87] |  8 |  88 |  3 |  64 |  St Kilda  | 
  | Peter Bell |  North Melbourne |  20 years, 29 days |  1[88] |  23 |  286 |  23 |  250 |  Fremantle,  Round 17 1996 Rising Star nomination  | 
  | Darren Kappler |  Hawthorn |  31 years, 68 days |  1[89] |  19 |  187 |  14 |  152 |  Fitzroy & Sydney  | 
  | Robert Neill |  St Kilda |  22 years, 86 days |  1[90] |  20 |  44 |  7 |  16 |  Sydney  | 
  | Brad Wira |  Footscray |  24 years, 14 days |  1[91] |  21 |  96 |  1 |  18 |  Fremantle  | 
  | Todd Curley |  Footscray |  23 years, 77 days |  1[92] |  18 |  118 |  22 |  48 |  Collingwood  | 
  | Adrian Hickmott |  Carlton |  24 years, 1 days |  1[93] |  22 |  184 |  13 |  131 |  Geelong  | 
  | Justin Murphy |  Carlton |  19 years, 342 days |  1[94] |  16 |  185 |  19 |  151 |  Richmond  | 
  | Brad Rowe |  Fremantle |  26 years, 129 days |  1[95] |  8 |  73 |  7 |  80 |  Brisbane Bears & Collingwood  | 
  | Alex McDonald |  Collingwood |  26 years, 48 days |  1[96] |  22 |  107 |  9 |  44 |  Hawthorn  | 
  | Scott Crow |  Collingwood |  22 years, 104 days |  1[97] |  22 |  75 |  7 |  37 |  Hawthorn  | 
  | David Hynes |  Fremantle |  29 years, 0 days |  1[98] |  12 |  86 |  4 |  59 |  West Coast  | 
  | Tony Godden |  Fremantle |  23 years, 347 days |  1[99] |  7 |  24 |  5 |  14 |  West Coast  | 
  | Andy Lovell |  West Coast |  25 years, 247 days |  1[100] |  23 |  164 |  13 |  166 |  Melbourne  | 
  | Shane Ellen |  Adelaide |  23 years, 91 days |  1[101] |  17 |  65 |  2 |  16 |  Footscray  | 
  | Darren Jarman |  Adelaide |  29 years, 64 days |  1[102] |  19 |  230 |  46 |  386 |  Hawthorn  | 
  | Troy Bond |  Adelaide |  22 years, 261 days |  1[103] |  20 |  94 |  14 |  77 |  Carlton  | 
  | Peter Caven |  Adelaide |  25 years, 320 days |  1[104] |  20 |  139 |  17 |  55 |  Fitzroy & Sydney  | 
  | Kym Koster |  Adelaide |  23 years, 60 days |  1[105] |  9 |  133 |  4 |  44 |  Footscray  | 
  | Kevin Dyson |  Sydney |  28 years, 332 days |  1[106] |  22 |  105 |  1 |  28 |  Melbourne  | 
  | Stuart Maxfield |  Sydney |  23 years, 357 days |  1[107] |  24 |  289 |  14 |  152 |  Richmond  | 
  | Craig O'Brien |  Sydney |  26 years, 28 days |  1[108] |  18 |  114 |  34 |  191 |  Essendon & St Kilda  | 
  | James Cook |  Footscray |  22 years, 91 days |  2[109] |  5 |  77 |  5 |  139 |  Carlton  | 
  | Luke Beveridge |  St Kilda |  25 years, 227 days |  2[110] |  16 |  118 |  16 |  107 |  Melbourne & Footscray  | 
  | Leon Higgins |  Hawthorn |  27 years, 284 days |  2[111] |  1 |  122 |  2 |  80 |  Sydney  | 
  | Darren Gaspar |  Richmond |  19 years, 322 days |  2[112] |  20 |  228 |  1 |  23 |  Sydney  | 
  | Craig Nettelbeck |  Melbourne |  23 years, 318 days |  2[113] |  20 |  78 |  10 |  42 |  Sydney  | 
  | Brendan Krummel |  Hawthorn |  23 years, 294 days |  3[114] |  11 |  74 |  2 |  50 |  West Coast & Fremantle  | 
  | Ben Sexton |  Carlton |  23 years, 168 days |  3[115] |  4 |  43 |  1 |  33 |  Footscray  | 
  | Craig Devonport |  Carlton |  26 years, 85 days |  4[116] |  1 |  95 |  1 |  82 |  St Kilda  | 
  | Matthew Francis |  Collingwood |  25 years, 235 days |  4[117] |  10 |  55 |  2 |  23 |  Richmond  | 
  | Paul Salmon |  Hawthorn |  31 years, 92 days |  4[118] |  18 |  324 |  4 |  561 |  Essendon  | 
  | Allen Jakovich |  Footscray |  28 years, 31 days |  4[119] |  7 |  54 |  7 |  208 |  Melbourne  | 
  | Matthew Young |  St Kilda |  23 years, 216 days |  4[120] |  19 |  118 |  5 |  20 |  Hawthorn  | 
  | Anthony Darcy |  St Kilda |  24 years, 30 days |  4[121] |  3 |  18 |  3 |  2 |  Geelong & Footscray  | 
  | Sean Wellman |  Essendon |  21 years, 213 days |  4[122] |  9 |  212 |  1 |  34 |  Adelaide  | 
  | Ben Harrison |  Richmond |  21 years, 96 days |  4[123] |  8 |  161 |  2 |  71 |  Carlton  | 
  | Glenn Kilpatrick |  Geelong |  23 years, 242 days |  5[124] |  11 |  146 |  12 |  35 |  Essendon  | 
  | Bradley Plain |  North Melbourne |  26 years, 215 days |  5[125] |  1 |  56 |  1 |  96 |  Essendon & Collingwood  | 
  | Robert Pyman |  Collingwood |  24 years, 211 days |  6[126] |  5 |  40 |  1 |  17 |  North Melbourne  | 
  | Paul Barnard |  Essendon |  23 years, 97 days |  8[127] |  15 |  151 |  3 |  79 |  Hawthorn  | 
  | Jamie Elliott |  St Kilda |  23 years, 124 days |  10[128] |  9 |  58 |  1 |  69 |  Fitzroy & Essendon  | 
  | Peter Turner |  Carlton |  22 years, 187 days |  17[129] |  2 |  5 |  0 |  1 |  Adelaide  | 
 References
    | 
|---|
| VFL debuts |  - 1897
  - 1898
  - 1899
  - 1900
  - 1901
  - 1902
  - 1903
  - 1904
  - 1905
  - 1906
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  - 1909
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  - 1918
  - 1919
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  - 1922
  - 1923
  - 1924
  - 1925
  - 1926
  - 1927
  - 1928
  - 1929
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  - 1978
  - 1979
  - 1980
  - 1981
  - 1982
  - 1983
  - 1984
  - 1985
  - 1986
  - 1987
  - 1988
  - 1989
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| AFL debuts |  | 
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