North Ballarat has candidates from its TAC cup Rebels' program and Victorian Football League premiership Roosters, who are hoping for a slim chance to live the AFL dream in 2010.

Three Rebels were added to AFL lists late last month in the league's national draft.

Midfielder Josh Cowan joined premiers Geelong, while tall David Astbury and basketballer-turned-footballer Matt Dea became a Richmond Tiger.

Up to 85 players will be added to teams this morning in league pre-season and rookie drafts at AFL House.

Already 11 players have been named as pre-selections, including four NSW scholarship holders and six international rookies.

Clubs do not have to use all picks.

Then AFL lists will be locked away.

North Ballarat Rebels regional manger Phil Partington confirmed he had been "speaking heavily" to clubs since the national draft, but there were never any guarantees.

"It is very much an unknown; no-one is a certainty," Mr Partington said.

"Those that actually are rookies, there is a very good chance of going on to senior football like (former Rebel) Brad Sewell a Hawthorn premiership player; Matt Boyd at the Western Bulldogs or Sam Mitchell, who is now a Hawthorn premiership captain.

"Those who don't get rookied, the pathway is still there with the Roosters.

"AFL clubs have rookied VFL players a lot more than they used to."

Rebels' Oliver Tate (North Ballarat City), Marcus Darmody (North Warrnambool) and Andrew Hooper (Golden Point) are in the mix, having been invited to AFL draft camp or state screening sessions in early October.

JJ Liston medallist and Roosters' premiership midifielder Myles Sewell and Roosters' forward Cam Richardson also came under AFL scrutiny at state screening.

Roosters' dual premiership ruckman Orren Stephenson went under Hawthorn's microscope last week in fitness and skills testing, then training with a special squad of rookie prospects.