The suggestion is most clubs have a list of 4-8 players they are interested in and will pass once those are off the board. Freo and St Kilda no guarantee to even use their first pick.
I don't get the logic in passing personally as it's a free hit. Maybe clubs are conscious of drafting players on 6 month contacts and forcing them upturn their lives if they can't see a strong possibility that they will want to extend them at the end of the year?
That, but a new player still takes up resources. Club needs to go to lengths to integrate them, house them if they are from interstate, make plans around diet, strength and conditioning, medical...what's the point if the club never rated them?
Also we still have to pay them right, so although a low contract it still comes out of our cap?