Preview 2026 National Draft Thread

[giantroo]

Onto 2026.

 

[The Nostradamus]

2 KPF for next year to keep an eye on both northern knights

Harry Van Hattum​

Ruck/key forward
202cm
1/7/08
Northern Knights/Vic Metro

There's going to be plenty of discussion about Van Hattum as one of the leading talls in next year's crop. The 202cm prospect can also play as a key forward and got a taste of the under-18s system this year playing for Vic Metro late in the championships. Van Hattum is athletic and uses his body frame well to be an exciting prospect.

Lewis Houndsome​

Key forward/ruck
199cm
29/5/08
Northern Knights/Vic Metro

Houndsome's ability to play as a forward and a ruck makes him an exciting prospect for clubs to track through next year. He played well in big finals games for his school, Parade College, last season and is comfortable roaming around the ground to make an impact – be in in attack or even as an interceptor in defence when required. Plays with some presence.

 

[archereleven]

What picks do we currently have?

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

Van Hattum is a gun, would be huge to get him.

 

[Jimmy's Hot Dogs]

What picks do we currently have?

Pick 18 as we are equal first. Just need to win those finals to confirm.
No second rounder so next pick is in 50s.

 

[year of the roo]

Lewis Houndsome = the Devil

 

[ToxicMegaPunts]

Lewis Houndsome = the B. Wonderful

 

[Makeshift Park]

What's the likelihood McCartney opts to go to Sydney instead of us?

 

[Twangler]

What's the likelihood McCartney opts to go to Sydney instead of us?

I’d say about 80%

 

[chubbspeterson]

Looks like a compromised draft again with 8 of the top 26 tied to other clubs.
They will have to match with only two picks in 2026 I believe and cannot hold more picks than list spots at least.
AFL may decide to restrict finals teams from being able to matching NGA/Academy bids in the top 10 draft range.

Doughie Cochrane (Port NGA)
Lucas Robinson (Freo NGA)
Cody Walker (Blues F/S, Tigers NGA)
Matthew Owen (Lions Academy)
Archie Hill (Suns Academy)
Caylen Murray (Lions Academy)
Ethan Matthws (GWS Academy)
Garrison Kenh (WCE NGA)

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Tate Hodgson is the one, kid is an uberly talented defender.

Van Hattam and Houndsome also very natural key forwards.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Not fully across all of them as I haven't gotten around to watching u17 futures game, but some interesting prospects to track along with Sam Harris and potentially Aidan McCartney.
Obviously some 199cm plus talls in Van Hattum, Houndsome, Ladbrook and 193cm Hodgson as a defender.

If Aidan stays in Sydney and we want to add a mid-sized forward to go with one of the genuine kpf/rucks, there is...
Jack Pickett a 193cm forward impressed for VC this year. Kicked 31 goals in the Coates League, including 5 goal games.
Will Malady a 190cm forward showed a fair bit for VC this year as a 17 yo. Kicked 5 goals in the futures game.
Koby LeCras as a 191cm forward another one to track. Son of Roo Brent LeCras

Brent Lecras

Age

44

Ht

190cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.7

2star

K

4.8

2star

HB

2.8

2star

M

2.8

3star

T

1.0

3star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

3star

.

If we chop a bunch of our half fwd/mids, then I wouldn't mind looking at one of these mid/fwds.
Arki Bulter is an exciting 180cm fwd/mid with some real dash and great skills. Looks a bit of a freak talent.
Cody Templeton as a 179cm fwd/mid from Gippsland. Bit of speed, strong mark and goal kicker.

Obviously I'd have key forward and some speed and running power through mid/wing/hbf as first priorities.
Sometimes it depends who is on the board. Interested to see how deep the crop is this year and how many we take.
May also depend on what we bring in during trade week of course as to the number of draftees.
On the one hand with Tassie coming in maybe drafting deeper is wise, but at the same time the list would skew younger.

 

[The Talent Scout]

What's the likelihood McCartney opts to go to Sydney instead of us?

Well now that is the million dollar question Makeshift Park. I think Aidan will choose father / son and be a kangaroo, that would be his dream, because of what happened to Blakey lots of people reckon he will choose Sydney's Academy, a bit like because Judas ran home after one year everyone we get outside Victoria they are a flight risk, it will be choice for him to make at the end of the year but 12 months out I think he'll come to us.

 

[andana]

This guy would have to be a cert for the devils

Tazzi Faithfull | WAFL

wafl.com.au

Zurhaars best new partner at Bulls cooking

Jamayson Ketchup is a West Australian Football League (WAFL) player who was selected for the men's State 18's summer squad. He is from the Canning Vale JFC and plays in the Metro South league.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Well now that is the million dollar question Makeshift Park. I think Aidan will choose father / son and be a kangaroo, that would be his dream, because of what happened to Blakey lots of people reckon he will choose Sydney's Academy, a bit like because Judas ran home after one year everyone we get outside Victoria they are a flight risk, it will be choice for him to make at the end of the year but 12 months out I think he'll come to us.

Love your optimism. But it would be a little unusual for a kid to actively choose a different city to commence his AFL career in to the one he’s been living in.

Flipside is I guess he could choose a path of least resistance and avoid challenging Curnow for a best 22 spot

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[pupstar]

So we grab another premium tall next year dam we are building a great looking team . Great times ahead.

 

[The Talent Scout]

So we grab another premium tall next year dam we are building a great looking team . Great times ahead.

Hey pup, Aidan, father/son I think will be talked about in footy circles next year, more so if he has a really good year. Next year will be the last chance to grab a key forward in the first or second round, we traded our second round pick to Carlton this year but I'm sure if we wanted to, we can get a second round pick from some club.

A whole year to go but like this year there wont be mass changes that some might be thinking, three picks and maybe a player or two to bring in through trade/free agency would be close, depending if Jy still wants to go at the end of next year will be the question, if we have a good year he might just change his mind, you just never know. Apart from a key forward I would say a midfielder/wingman and another running defender. As for great times ahead, 100%!

 

[giantroo]

Top prospects ahead of star-studded 2026 AFL draft

Next year’s group shapes as one of the most talented in years with some familiar names at the pointy end.

7news.com.au

 

[perplexed]

A whole year to go but like this year there wont be mass changes that some might be thinking, three picks and maybe a player or two to bring in through trade/free agency would be close, depending if Jy still wants to go at the end of next year will be the question, if we have a good year he might just change his mind, you just never know. Apart from a key forward I would say a midfielder/wingman and another running defender. As for great times ahead, 100%!

Hopefully we have learnt that from past experience that there isn't any gain in cutting a heap of blokes if you can't replace them with anyone better. We will have many fringe types OOC, but how many we cut should depend on our draft hand, the strength of the draft and whether we can bring in any decent FAs.

Having said that, I think there will be a few more changes than you are suggesting. The draft is supposedly stronger, and we will have better depth than we've had for years, so can probably afford to take a punt with a couple more late or rookie picks than we have been.

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

If we get f***ed over again because of the Swines Academy...

 

[Themanbun]

From what I've heard it's a weird draft. The best prospects aren't testing brilliantly on their athletic metrics and vice versa.

 

[Jaygee1976]

This guy would have to be a cert for the devils

Tazzi Faithfull | WAFL

wafl.com.au

Zurhaars best new partner at Bulls cooking

Jamayson Ketchup is a West Australian Football League (WAFL) player who was selected for the men's State 18's summer squad. He is from the Canning Vale JFC and plays in the Metro South league.

Jamayson doesnt play in metro south, played league and colts for Roleystone in PFL

 

[The Talent Scout]

Hopefully we have learnt that from past experience that there isn't any gain in cutting a heap of blokes if you can't replace them with anyone better. We will have many fringe types OOC, but how many we cut should depend on our draft hand, the strength of the draft and whether we can bring in any decent FAs.

Having said that, I think there will be a few more changes than you are suggesting. The draft is supposedly stronger, and we will have better depth than we've had for years, so can probably afford to take a punt with a couple more late or rookie picks than we have been.

Well there could be, but again, from what Alastair said during the year about stabilising our team and having the stability to move this group forward it reflected in what we did in the trade period and then in the draft this year. At the trade we did not bring in three or four players & in the draft we did not draft five or six boys like some were saying mid way through the year.

From about that period, I said continuously that we would only be drafting three boys and maybe two depending what happens in the trade period and with Tassie coming in 2027 it would be a remarkable switch to be replacing five or six guys and drafting another four or five boys on top of that, I know some hate that word but "stability" is in work as of this year and I can't see us changing our strategy, we have had a plan and we are going to see it through to the end. By the time Tassie joins the AFL we will have the players we think can take us to where we want to go and the draft will be of no concern, winning games and getting more games into the youngsters will be the focus.

Also with Tassie coming in, the timing of our finished rebuild has come at the right time, we are being set up for the future and after next years draft it will be complete though as recruiters & list managers always say, we can always top our talent list, things are looking good.