IN THE end, the last chance moment for two very different men came down to the last pick of the 2008 draft. For St Kilda, there was a choice between two different plugs for a single backline hole. Nathan Carroll or Colm Begley? A damaged defender trying to put his life back together or a young Irishman in search of a second chance?

St Kilda opted for Begley with pick 83 — a surprise perhaps given that the former Lion had been training with Collingwood for most of the last month while a hopeful Carroll slogged it out at Moorabbin.

But while the delisted Lion trained at the Lexus Centre, St Kilda had sent scouts to watch his form. It was bad news for the man under their noses — Carroll — who was notified two days ago that his bid for a second life in the AFL had failed. St Kilda had resolved to chase the Irish-born player instead — though it was uncertain whether Collingwood would jump in first and snatch him up.

"He's played 30-odd AFL games and he is ready to go," said St Kilda recruiter John Peake. "We hope to play him at half-back and that will allow us to release Brendon Goddard or Jason Gram into the midfield."

After the inactivity of trade week, the draft did little to redress the growing suspicion that it is ever more difficult to resurrect your career in the AFL. Just four players were granted a second chance. One of them, Geelong's Jason Davenport, barely qualifies given that he has never played a senior game. Of all those chosen, 75 will play for their first AFL club. The average number has been 63.

Instead of Begley, Collingwood offered a spot on its list to Leigh Brown, the only real journeyman to get a second chance this year. The Magpies believe the 181-game veteran of North Melbourne and Fremantle will provide defensive cover for key backs such as Simon Prestigiacomo as the next generation of key-position players at the Lexus Centre emerges.

Brown has been remarkably durable, playing the second-highest number of games of those drafted in 1999. It was that durability that convinced Collingwood to part with pick 73.

"He has got the potential if he can play in the way we want him to play and can play for another five or six years," coach Mick Malthouse said. "He is rarely injured so we believe we have done very well."

The other recycled player was Tom Hislop, who is now a Tiger. Stories have swirled around footy circles in recent months about Hislop's off-field activities and relationship with alcohol in particular. The 21-year-old — chosen by Essendon with pick 20 in 2006 — had stalled badly at Windy Hill, managing just seven games before he was sacked at season's end. But Richmond recruiter Francis Jackson said he was confident the Tigers could get the best out of the Tasmanian.

"We rated him highly in 2006 and he's had a few injuries and a few other issues but we still think he can play. We had a good chat to Tom and he accepted responsibility for the issues he has had," Jackson said. "He realises that not too many people get a second chance at AFL footy."