1981 VFL draft
The 1981 Victorian Football League draft was the first annual national draft held by the VFL.
Held on 8 October 1981, all twelve VFL clubs participated in the draft, each having two picks, with the team finishing last in the 1981 VFL season having first choice, followed by the other eleven clubs in reverse finishing position order. Wooden spooners named Perth wingman Alan Johnson as the first pick of the draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Drafted to | Recruited from | League | Games with new team |
| 1 | 1 | Alan Johnson | | Perth | WAFL | 135 |
| 1 | 2 | Neil Craig | | Sturt | SANFL | 0 |
| 1 | 3 | Grant Campbell | | East Perth | WAFL | 0 |
| 1 | 4 | Mark Naley | | South Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 1 | 5 | Craig Holden | | Swan Districts | WAFL | 29 |
| 1 | 6 | Peter Hofner | | Port Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 1 | 7 | Ken Judge | | East Fremantle | WAFL | 72 |
| 1 | 8 | Wayne Otway | | East Perth | WAFL | 36 |
| 1 | 9 | Dean Turner | | East Perth | WAFL | 54 |
| 1 | 10 | Tony McGuinness | | Glenelg | SANFL | 0 |
| 1 | 11 | Chris Carpenter | | Launceston | NTFA | 0 |
| 1 | 12 | Ross Ditchburn | | Claremont | WAFL | 28 |
| 2 | 13 | Danny Hughes | | Port Adelaide | SANFL | 124 |
| 2 | 14 | Trevor Clisby | | North Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 15 | Geoff Linke | | South Adelaide | SANFL | 2 |
| 2 | 16 | Phil Brooksby | | South Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 17 | Tom Warhurst | | Norwood | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 18 | David Tiller | | North Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 19 | John Platten | | Central District | SANFL | 258 |
| 2 | 20 | Stephen Copping | | Glenelg | SANFL | 42 |
| 2 | 21 | Chris McDermott | | Glenelg | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 22 | Greg McAdam | | North Adelaide | SANFL | 0 |
| 2 | 23 | Scott Knight | | Launceston | NTFA | 5 |
| 2 | 24 | Chris Velde | | Glenelg | SANFL | 0 |
