Preview 2026 National Draft Thread

[Shinboner Supremacy]

Van Hattum a very appealing prospect. 206cm with the new ruck rules. He will be right at the top end with one of the first names called out in November. 206cm target who can go forward and be an awkward matchup. Scary!!

 

[kool kangas]

l was just wondering. Are we targeting pick #1 again?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

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Few names for everyone. Haggas already done a mountain of work for this years draft class.

 

[Harris 10]

Few names for everyone. Haggas already done a mountain of work for this years draft class.

He has Archie Devine listed as North NGA, is that correct?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

He has Archie Devine listed as North NGA, is that correct?

I've got no idea.

 

[King Corey]

He has Archie Devine listed as North NGA, is that correct?

I'm sure we'll send his parents an email introducing ourselves around October if he's projecting as a quality player.

 

[shinboner magic]

Few names for everyone. Haggas already done a mountain of work for this years draft class.

Bears only getting the 12th rated player - AFL better step in and give them a leg up

 

[chubbspeterson]

Few names for everyone. Haggas already done a mountain of work for this years draft class.

Interesting to see how they've been ranked so far.
Hodgson, Ladbrook, Szerzyn and Chapman in late R2 would be good to add a few of them.
I've seen Kale Matthews-Hampton listed at 198cm here, but 187cm on rookieme. Which is it lol?
Looks like we'll need to get a late 2nd to be able to match a potential bid on McCartney (I'd assume Swans R2).
Based on Devils having access to be able to sign a bunch of talented 17 year olds in the 2027 draft early, I think we should be aggressive as possible trading into the top 35 in the 2026 draft, but most teams will be trying to do the same.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Van Hattum a very appealing prospect. 206cm with the new ruck rules. He will be right at the top end with one of the first names called out in November. 206cm target who can go forward and be an awkward matchup. Scary!!

He is an interesting prospect. I wouldn't mind us splitting our top 10 pick into two selections and grab the best half back and defender or even a key fwd/ruck like Houndsome.
Certainly have to figure out a way to get as many picks inside 25 as possible.

 

[giantroo]

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

The curse extends to players who aren’t even on the list yet.

Brilliant.

 

[koshari]

Van Hattum a very appealing prospect. 206cm with the new ruck rules. He will be right at the top end with one of the first names called out in November. 206cm target who can go forward and be an awkward matchup. Scary!!

Van Hattum = the mad

 

[iloveireland]

I really hope there are some good defenders in the upcoming draft.

Feel we need at least 2 talls and 2 smalls, followed by defensive mid and a winger.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I really hope there are some good defenders in the upcoming draft.

Feel we need at least 2 talls and 2 smalls, followed by defensive mid and a winger.

There are a few (not top 15ish) that are early watches for me:

Billy Wigmore from the Western Jets.186cm courageous, tough and a really solid user of the footy.

Tyson Bradley, Sandringham Dragons, 199cm real dour, one on one defender. Doesn’t get lots of intercepts but a real solid lockdown type who has natural defending smarts.

Kai Parker from Northern, 190cm (and still growing! freakishly good athlete excellent coordination, interceptor, but also loves to run and carry.

 

[chubbspeterson]

I really hope there are some good defenders in the upcoming draft.

Feel we need at least 2 talls and 2 smalls, followed by defensive mid and a winger.

I don't know about all of them, but some names I'm keen to track looking at VM and VC squads.
Might be a few WA and SA players I'm not across as defenders/half backs, so I'll add to it as we go along.

Tate Hodgson (Northern Knights) - 193cm kpd, high IQ, good 1v1, interceptor, good composure, clean foot skills

Heath Mellody - 181cm wing/def, agile, intercept, rebound off half back, dual-sided, used it well

Darcy Szerszyn (Dandenong Stingrays) - 188cm defender, lockdown, intercept and rebound, good skills

Kai Parker (Northern Knights) - 190cm defender, intercept and rebound. Haven't seen enough of him but added to VM squad

Archie Fogarty (Oakleigh Chargers) - 191cm swingman, intercept mark, endurance

Jack Gordon - 184cm def/mid, agile, accumulates, runs hard, clean hands, uses it well

Kale Matthews-Hampton (SANFL) - 187cm def, athletic, rebound D50, good disposal

Xavier Ladbrook (Gippsland Power) - 200cm kpp unicorn utilty, athletic, covers ground well, skilled

Tyson Bradley (Sandringham Dragons) - 199cm kpd, strong frame, good 1v1 defender

Henry Thomas (Sandringham Dragons) - 191cm defender, aerial marking, competitor

Billy Wigmore (Western Jets) - 187cm defender, high marking, speed, courageous, kicking efficiency?

Ned Badrock (Geelong Falcons) - 193cm defender that can intercept and lockdown

Fletcher Pulleine (Geelong Falcons) - 189cm defender, athletic, interceptor

Tom Steinfort (Geelong Falcons) - 194cm defender, aerial ability

Clancy Snell ((Gippsland Power) - 195cm kpf/kpd, versatility, aerial ability, Nephew of Opals Belinda Snell

Ethan Drever (GWV Rebels) - 185cm def/mid, hbf distributor or ball winning mid, clean, good kick

Toby Hellessey (GWV Rebels) - 192cm defender, interceptor

 

[Sphynx]

This will be a decent draft imo.

Definitely a good one before Tassie hits.

A lot of very intriguing and different prospects and plenty of very good tall prospects.

 

[Lomas]

This will be a decent draft imo.

Definitely a good one before Tassie hits.

A lot of very intriguing and different prospects and plenty of very good tall prospects.

Will be a lot of clubs trying to buy in.

 

[Lomas]

If a ruck man hits it out from a through in it should be a free too, with the new rules.

 

[shinboner magic]

If a ruck man hits it out from a through in it should be a free too, with the new rules.

Leave the game alone ffs

 

[chubbspeterson]

This will be a decent draft imo.

Definitely a good one before Tassie hits.

A lot of very intriguing and different prospects and plenty of very good tall prospects.

Based on the futures game it looks like a decent top 25 already and there's always some bolters every year.
Generating extra selections inside 30 may be difficult part with so many teams likely wanting to keep their selections.
Should be a good one to target specific needs/roles.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Will be a lot of clubs trying to buy in.

Yep. But not sure there will be much interest in 2027 or 2028 Tassie draft futures, particularly if Tassie gets to basically extract like 13 or so 17 year olds in a GWS like mini-draft before the 2027 draft occurs.

 

[King Corey]

I don't know about all of them, but some names I'm keen to track looking at VM and VC squads.
Might be a few WA and SA players I'm not across as defenders/half backs, so I'll add to it as we go along.

Tate Hodgson (Northern Knights) - 193cm kpd, high IQ, good 1v1, interceptor, good composure, clean foot skills

As mentioned a 2nd 3 degrees tall ITK in 2 years.

Heard he was 196cm in late 2024 so not sure re above height figure.

 

[King Corey]

Will be a lot of clubs trying to buy in.

The kids in this draft were 11-13yo during covid so should've had 4+ straightforward development years leading in.

It might be getting back to a fully restored talent pool akin to pre-covid, though 2025 was probably almost there.

My hunch based on economics more than football:

• Clubs will scramble to buy in as you say
• This will trigger panic buying - reaches for talent, reaches for list fixes ie overreaching for talls
• It might resemble 2001where 'beauty in the eye of the beholder' prevails and lots of less recognised future talent slides

On that basis, my gut feel is this would be a draft I'd let others go nuts for 1st rounders in and I'd be mining in the mid and even late rounds. Using the logic the Tassie entry will panic even the usually calmest decision makers.

Again this is based on the scenario rather than football analysis. Let other teams try and find the next Buddy while we pick away later for the James Kelly, Brian Lake types.

 

[Sphynx]

Will be a lot of clubs trying to buy in.

I think there would have been clubs wanting to buy in just on the strength and makeup of this draft tbh.

Tasmania amplifies it.

As good as Walker and Cochrane look, its not the draft to have a top FS/Academy midfield prospect.

It’s the kind of draft you want freedom of selection in the top 10-15

The top 15 is litered with some quite rare tall types, small forwards and general forwards.

You get elite midfield prospects in every draft. Of course there’s a difference between an Ashcroft and Sheezel and maybe a Lalor. However, as we know, it’s sometimes, 3-4 years between truly elite tall prospects and some elite forwards like a Watson or even Sheezel (who was a general forward remember)

 

[Sphynx]

The kids in this draft were 11-13yo during covid so should've had 4+ straightforward development years leading in.

It might be getting back to a fully restored talent pool akin to pre-covid, though 2025 was probably almost there.

My hunch based on economics more than football:

• Clubs will scramble to buy in as you say
• This will trigger panic buying - reaches for talent, reaches for list fixes ie overreaching for talls
• It might resemble 2001where 'beauty in the eye of the beholder' prevails and lots of less recognised future talent slides

On that basis, my gut feel is this would be a draft I'd let others go nuts for 1st rounders in and I'd be mining in the mid and even late rounds. Using the logic the Tassie entry will panic even the usually calmest decision makers.

Again this is based on the scenario rather than football analysis. Let other teams try and find the next Buddy while we pick away later for the James Kelly, Brian Lake types.

From our point of view, if we say have a pick in the 5-10 range, it’s probably the year to try and split for some 10-20 picks if cards fall our way.

There’s going to be some truly elite support players in the 10-20 range this year.