During the 2012 Australian Football League (AFL) season, 122 Australian rules footballers made their AFL debut with a further 32 playing their first game for a new club.  The Greater Western Sydney Giants, who joined the league in 2012, had the most debutantes with 36, with Geelong next highest with 10.
Summary
AFL debuts
| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round | Games (in 2012) | Goals (in 2012) | Notes | 
| Tomas Bugg | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 354 days | 1[2] | 18 | 6 | Round 5 Rising Star nomination | 
| Jeremy Cameron | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 358 days | 1[3] | 16 | 29 | Round 2 Rising Star nomination Winner 2012 AFLPA best first year player award
 | 
| Stephen Coniglio | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 100 days | 1[4] | 12 | 2 | Round 7 Rising Star nomination | 
| Israel Folau | Greater Western Sydney | 22 years, 356 days | 1[5] | 13 | 2 | Previously played rugby league for Melbourne Storm & Brisbane Broncos | 
| Jonathan Giles | Greater Western Sydney | 24 years, 76 days | 1[6] | 20 | 18 | Previously listed by Port Adelaide | 
| Toby Greene | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 181 days | 1[7] | 19 | 8 | Round 14 Rising Star nomination | 
| Curtly Hampton | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 14 days | 1[8] | 17 | 6 |  | 
| Jack Hombsch | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 17 days | 1[9] | 9 | 0 |  | 
| Will Hoskin-Elliott | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 204 days | 1[10] | 10 | 9 |  | 
| Adam Kennedy | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 256 days | 1[11] | 15 | 0 |  | 
| Tim Mohr | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 157 days | 1[12] | 13 | 1 |  | 
| Dylan Shiel | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 15 days | 1[13] | 12 | 5 | Round 10 Rising Star nomination | 
| Devon Smith | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 309 days | 1[14] | 20 | 10 | Round 19 Rising Star nomination | 
| Adam Tomlinson | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 227 days | 1[15] | 9 | 2 |  | 
| Jacob Townsend | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 278 days | 1[16] | 11 | 2 |  | 
| Dom Tyson | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 290 days | 1[17] | 10 | 4 | Round 23 Rising Star nomination | 
| Nathan Wilson | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 77 days | 1[18] | 9 | 6 |  | 
| Harry Cunningham | Sydney | 18 years, 109 days | 1[19] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Brandon Ellis | Richmond | 18 years, 239 days | 1[20] | 21 | 2 | Round 17 Rising Star nomination | 
| Steven Morris | Richmond | 23 years, 88 days | 1[21] | 21 | 1 | Son of Kevin Morris | 
| Jarrad Boumann | Hawthorn | 22 years, 225 days | 1[22] | 2 | 0 | Previously listed at Western Bulldogs | 
| Jackson Paine | Collingwood | 18 years, 283 days | 1[23] | 6 | 8 |  | 
| Paul Seedsman | Collingwood | 20 years, 79 days | 1[24] | 11 | 2 |  | 
| Peter Yagmoor | Collingwood | 18 years, 162 days | 1[25] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| James Magner | Melbourne | 24 years, 232 days | 1[26] | 17 | 4 |  | 
| Josh Tynan | Melbourne | 18 years, 146 days | 1[27] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| Aaron Hall | Gold Coast | 21 years, 143 days | 1[28] | 8 | 8 |  | 
| Billie Smedts | Geelong | 19 years, 297 days | 1[29] | 14 | 6 |  | 
| Orren Stephenson | Geelong | 29 years, 260 days | 1[30] | 8 | 1 | Oldest first-time drafted player in AFL history. | 
| Tory Dickson | Western Bulldogs | 24 years, 188 days | 1[31] | 17 | 23 |  | 
| Clay Smith | Western Bulldogs | 18 years, 326 days | 1[32] | 16 | 6 |  | 
| Terry Milera | St Kilda | 24 years, 84 days | 1[33] | 15 | 19 |  | 
| Jarrad Redden | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 96 days | 1[34] | 9 | 1 |  | 
| Chad Wingard | Port Adelaide | 18 years, 185 days | 1[35] | 19 | 9 | Round 22 Rising Star nomination | 
| Cameron Delaney | North Melbourne | 19 years, 279 days | 2[36] | 5 | 0 |  | 
| Jack Newnes | St Kilda | 19 years, 44 days | 2[37] | 7 | 1 |  | 
| Billy Longer | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 338 days | 3[38] | 5 | 0 |  | 
| Adam Treloar | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 37 days | 3[39] | 18 | 12 | Round 18 Rising Star nomination | 
| Sam Kerridge | Adelaide | 18 years, 355 days | 3[40] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| George Horlin-Smith | Geelong | 19 years, 115 days | 3[41] | 3 | 2 | Round 4 2013 Rising Star nomination | 
| Lachie Neale | Fremantle | 18 years, 181 days | 4[42] | 11 | 4 |  | 
| Cory Dell'Olio | Essendon | 22 years, 135 days | 4[43] | 8 | 9 |  | 
| Shaun Edwards | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 130 days | 4[44] | 10 | 2 |  | 
| Anthony Miles | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 53 days | 4[45] | 7 | 0 |  | 
| Sam Shaw | Adelaide | 21 years, 6 days | 4[46] | 13 | 0 | Round 21 Rising Star nomination | 
| Bradley Hill | Hawthorn | 18 years, 287 days | 4[47] | 5 | 3 | Round 6 2013 Rising Star nomination, brother of Fremantle's Stephen Hill | 
| Jack Crisp | Brisbane Lions | 18 years, 202 days | 4[48] | 10 | 3 |  | 
| Jesse Stringer | Geelong | 21 years, 19 days | 4[49] | 8 | 3 |  | 
| Kirk Ugle | Collingwood | 19 years, 325 days | 5[50] | 3 | 0 | Cousin of Jamie Bennell | 
| Taylor Adams | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 221 days | 5[51] | 15 | 5 |  | 
| Josh Bruce | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 325 days | 5[52] | 3 | 2 |  | 
| Kyal Horsley | Gold Coast | 24 years, 239 days | 5[53] | 13 | 3 |  | 
| Jarryd Lyons | Adelaide | 19 years, 282 days | 5[54] | 3 | 1 |  | 
| Aaron Young | Port Adelaide | 19 years, 145 days | 5[55] | 12 | 4 |  | 
| Lee Spurr | Fremantle | 24 years, 283 days | 6[56] | 12 | 0 |  | 
| Ahmed Saad | St Kilda | 22 years, 209 days | 6[57] | 16 | 28 |  | 
| Josh Bootsma | Carlton | 19 years, 74 days | 6[58] | 5 | 0 | Son of Brad Bootsma. | 
| Liam Sumner | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 264 days | 6[59] | 2 | 2 |  | 
| Jacob Brennan | West Coast | 22 years, 103 days | 6[60] | 15 | 2 | Son of Michael Brennan | 
| Josh Jenkins | Adelaide | 23 years, 94 days | 7[61] | 11 | 11 | Previous rookie listed at Essendon | 
| Andrew Phillips | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 314 days | 7[62] | 9 | 3 |  | 
| Ryan Neates | West Coast | 20 years, 326 days | 7[63] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Dayne Zorko | Brisbane Lions | 23 years, 93 days | 7[64] | 16 | 16 |  | 
| Brad McKenzie | North Melbourne | 18 years, 350 days | 7[65] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Tommy Walsh | Sydney | 24 years, 83 days | 8[66] | 3 | 3 | Previously played Gaelic football for Kerry GAA | 
| Alex Sexton | Gold Coast | 18 years, 168 days | 8[67] | 6 | 1 |  | 
| Matthew Buntine | Greater Western Sydney | 18 years, 214 days | 8[68] | 6 | 0 |  | 
| Sam Darley | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 95 days | 8[69] | 9 | 0 |  | 
| Daniel Pearce | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 124 days | 9[70] | 5 | 0 |  | 
| Jonathan Simpkin | Geelong | 24 years, 210 days | 9[71] | 4 | 1 | Previous rookie listed at Sydney, brother of Tom Simpkin | 
| Marley Williams | Collingwood | 18 years, 309 days | 9[72] | 6 | 1 |  | 
| Jamie Elliott | Collingwood | 19 years, 279 days | 9[73] | 13 | 6 |  | 
| Jordan Schroder | Geelong | 19 years, 180 days | 10[74] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Lincoln McCarthy | Geelong | 18 years, 224 days | 10[75] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Nick Haynes | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 15 days | 10[76] | 8 | 1 |  | 
| Hayden Crozier | Fremantle | 18 years, 161 days | 10[77] | 3 | 0 |  | 
| Brett O'Hanlon | Richmond | 18 years, 328 days | 11[78] | 8 | 2 |  | 
| Jonathon Patton | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 27 days | 12[79] | 7 | 4 | Number 1 draft pick, 2011 AFL Draft | 
| Sam Schulz | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 271 days | 12[80] | 1 | 1 |  | 
| Mark Whiley | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 198 days | 12[81] | 3 | 0 |  | 
| Sam Gibson | North Melbourne | 26 years, 20 days | 12[82] | 13 | 6 | Previously rookie listed at Hawthorn | 
| Tom Campbell | Western Bulldogs | 20 years, 234 days | 13[83] | 7 | 3 |  | 
| Caolan Mooney | Collingwood | 19 years, 157 days | 14[84] | 4 | 1 | Previously played Gaelic football for Down GAA | 
| Todd Elton | Richmond | 19 years, 62 days | 14[85] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Murray Newman | West Coast | 18 years, 225 days | 14[86] | 4 | 3 |  | 
| Jordan Murdoch | Geelong | 19 years, 180 days | 14[87] | 8 | 4 |  | 
| Andrew McInnes | Carlton | 20 years, 108 days | 15[88] | 8 | 0 |  | 
| Tom Derickx | Richmond | 24 years, 218 days | 15[89] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| Tim McIntyre | Adelaide | 23 years, 89 days | 15[90] | 1 | 2 |  | 
| Cameron Sutcliffe | Fremantle | 20 years, 46 days | 15[91] | 4 | 1 |  | 
| Mark Baguley | Essendon | 25 years, 54 days | 16[92] | 7 | 0 |  | 
| Tom Couch | Melbourne | 24 years, 27 days | 16[93] | 3 | 0 | Son of Paul Couch | 
| Josh Hall | Gold Coast | 22 years, 102 days | 16[94] | 2 | 2 |  | 
| Jackson Sheringham | Geelong | 24 years, 22 days | 16[95] | 5 | 1 |  | 
| Josh Walker | Geelong | 19 years, 245 days | 16[96] | 7 | 3 |  | 
| Sam Dunell | St Kilda | 22 years, 144 days | 16[97] | 5 | 1 | Son of Frank Dunell | 
| Steve Clifton | Greater Western Sydney | 25 years, 49 days | 16[98] | 5 | 1 | 2010 J. J. Liston Trophy winner | 
| Luke Brown | Adelaide | 19 years, 297 days | 16[99] | 3 | 0 |  | 
| Levi Casboult | Carlton | 22 years, 128 days | 17[100] | 6 | 7 |  | 
| Tom Bell | Carlton | 21 years, 38 days | 17[101] | 7 | 4 |  | 
| Frazer Dale | Carlton | 18 years, 254 days | 17[102] | 2 | 1 |  | 
| Kurt Aylett | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 111 days | 17[103] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Gerald Ugle | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 173 days | 17[104] | 1 | 1 |  | 
| Sam Frost | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 110 days | 17[105] | 3 | 1 |  | 
| Elliott Kavanagh | Essendon | 19 years, 69 days | 18[106] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Stephen Wrigley | Brisbane Lions | 25 years, 102 days | 18[107] | 3 | 0 |  | 
| Jason Johannisen | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 270 days | 19[108] | 3 | 1 |  | 
| Michael Talia | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 175 days | 19[109] | 4 | 1 | brother of Daniel Talia | 
| Jackson Allen | Gold Coast | 19 years, 116 days | 20[110] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Tim Golds | Greater Western Sydney | 19 years, 127 days | 20[111] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| Nathan Blee | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 340 days | 20[112] | 4 | 0 |  | 
| Lin Jong | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 69 days | 20[113] | 4 | 1 |  | 
| Fletcher Roberts | Western Bulldogs | 19 years, 70 days | 20[114] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| Brendan Lee | Essendon | 24 years, 338 days | 20[115] | 2 | 0 |  | 
| Piers Flanagan | Gold Coast | 20 years, 141 days | 21[116] | 3 | 0 |  | 
| Nick O'Brien | Essendon | 19 years, 59 days | 22[117] | 2 | 3 |  | 
| Sebastian Ross | St Kilda | 19 years, 110 days | 22[118] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Rhys Cooyou | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 156 days | 22[119] | 1 | 1 |  | 
| Tom Sheridan | Fremantle | 18 years, 309 days | 23[120] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Jackson Merrett | Essendon | 19 years, 187 days | 23[121] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Pat McCarthy | Carlton | 20 years, 175 days | 23[122] | 1 | 0 |  | 
| Luke Mitchell | Carlton | 20 years, 187 days | 23[123] | 1 | 1 |  | 
Change of AFL club
| Name | Club | Age at debut | Debut round | Games (in 2012) | Goals (in 2012) | Notes | 
| Chad Cornes | Greater Western Sydney | 32 years, 133 days | 1[124] | 16 | 4 | Previously played for Port Adelaide | 
| Phil Davis | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 207 days | 1[125] | 22 | 5 | Previously played for Adelaide | 
| James McDonald | Greater Western Sydney | 35 years, 263 days | 1[126] | 13 | 4 | Previously played for Melbourne | 
| Rhys Palmer | Greater Western Sydney | 23 years, 40 days | 1[127] | 15 | 9 | Previously played for Fremantle | 
| Callan Ward | Greater Western Sydney | 21 years, 349 days | 1[128] | 20 | 8 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs | 
| Addam Maric | Richmond | 21 years, 345 days | 1[129] | 10 | 1 | Previously played for Melbourne | 
| Ivan Maric | Richmond | 26 years, 85 days | 1[130] | 21 | 7 | Previously played for Adelaide | 
| Jack Gunston | Hawthorn | 20 years, 166 days | 1[131] | 19 | 39 | Previously played for Adelaide | 
| Broc McCauley | Hawthorn | 25 years, 101 days | 1[132] | 3 | 1 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions | 
| Mitch Clark | Melbourne | 24 years, 164 days | 1[133] | 11 | 29 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions | 
| Ben Hudson | Brisbane Lions | 33 years, 36 days | 1[134] | 18 | 3 | Previously played for Adelaide & Western Bulldogs | 
| Matthew Warnock | Gold Coast | 27 years, 363 days | 1[135] | 22 | 0 | Previously played for Melbourne | 
| Tom Lynch | Adelaide | 21 years, 198 days | 1[136] | 6 | 7 | Previously played for St Kilda | 
| Zac Dawson | Fremantle | 25 years, 200 days | 1[137] | 18 | 2 | Previously played for Hawthorn & St Kilda | 
| Josh Hill | West Coast | 23 years, 73 days | 1[138] | 22 | 36 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs | 
| Brad Ebert | Port Adelaide | 21 years, 365 days | 1[139] | 22 | 17 | Previously played for West Coast | 
| John McCarthy | Port Adelaide | 22 years, 134 days | 1[140] | 21 | 5 | Previously played for Collingwood | 
| James Sellar | Melbourne | 23 years, 14 days | 2[141] | 16 | 9 | Previously played for Adelaide | 
| Luke Power | Greater Western Sydney | 32 years, 90 days | 2[142] | 20 | 0 | Previously played for Brisbane Lions | 
| Tom Scully | Greater Western Sydney | 20 years, 328 days | 2[143] | 19 | 4 | Previously played for Melbourne | 
| Dean Brogan | Greater Western Sydney | 33 years, 123 days | 3[144] | 9 | 0 | Previously played for Port Adelaide | 
| Darren Pfeiffer | Port Adelaide | 24 years, 206 days | 4[145] | 16 | 2 | Previously played for Carlton | 
| Brent Renouf | Port Adelaide | 23 years, 354 days | 4[146] | 10 | 2 | Previously played for Hawthorn | 
| Tony Armstrong | Sydney | 22 years, 206 days | 4[147] | 8 | 2 | Previously played for Adelaide | 
| Mark Austin | Western Bulldogs | 23 years, 58 days | 4[148] | 11 | 0 | Previously played for Carlton | 
| Sam Reid | Greater Western Sydney | 22 years, 173 days | 5[149] | 5 | 0 | Previously played for Western Bulldogs | 
| Beau Wilkes | St Kilda | 22 years, 65 days | 5[150] | 10 | 15 | Previously played for West Coast | 
| Setanta Ó hAilpín | Greater Western Sydney | 29 years, 49 days | 6[151] | 1 | 2 | Previously played for Carlton | 
| Andrew McQualter | Gold Coast | 25 years, 345 days | 8[152] | 5 | 2 | Previously played for St Kilda | 
| Jordan Lisle | Brisbane Lions | 22 years, 53 days | 19[153] | 5 | 4 | Previously played for Hawthorn | 
| Lewis Johnston | Adelaide | 21 years, 161 days | 20[154] | 1 | 0 | Previously played for Sydney | 
| Mitch Morton | Sydney | 25 years, 204 days | 21[155] | 5 | 5 | Previously played for West Coast and Richmond | 
References
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