Prediction 2025 GWS Board Mock Draft

[Giant Strides]

Rolling draft order:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles	Willem Duursma
1	2	West Coast Eagles	Cooper-Duff Tytler
1	3	Gold Coast Suns	Dylan Patterson (matched bid)
1	4	Richmond	Sullivan Robey
1	5	Brisbane	Daniel Annable (matched bid)
1	6	Carlton	Harry Dean (matched bid)
1	7	Gold Coast Suns	Zeke Uwland (matched bid)
1	8	Richmond	Sam Grlj
1	9	Essendon	Dyson Sharp
1	10	Essendon	Xavier Taylor
1	11	Melbourne	Aidan Schubert
1	12	Melbourne	Sam Cumming
1	13	Hawthorn	Mitch Marsh
1	14	GWS	Jacob Farrow
1	15	Essendon (fm GCS, fm WCE)	Josh Lindsay
1	16	Western Bulldogs	Blake Thredgold (TBC)
1	17	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)	Lachy Dovaston
1	18	Adelaide	Harley Barker
1	19	North (fm GCS)	Latrelle Pickett
1	20	Carlton (residual of # 13)	Jack Ison (matched bid)
1	21	Sydney	Max King (matched bid)
1	22	Geelong	Oskar Taylor
1	23	Fremantle	Noah Hibbens-Hargreaves
2	24	Hawthorn	Jevan Phillipou
2	25	Gold Coast Suns	Beau Addinsall (matched bid)
2	26	Collingwood	Zac McCarthy (matched bid)
2	27	Gold Coast Suns	Jai Murray (matched bid)
2	28	Sydney (traded fm GCS)	Adam Sweid
2	29	Essendon	Archie Ludowyke
2	30	Sydney (residual of pick 27)	Harry Kyle (matched bid)
2	31	Western Bulldogs	Marcus Krasnadamkis
2	32	GWS	Cam Nairn
2	33	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)	Tylah Williams
2	34	Melbourne	Talor Byrne
2	35	Richmond
2	36	Geelong
2	37	North (fm GCS, fm WCE)
2	38	Sydney
2	39	Carlton
3	40	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
3	41	Fremantle
3	42	Adelaide
3	43	Port Adelaide
3	44	St Kilda
3	45	Brisbane
3	46	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	47	West Coast Eagles
3	48	Brisbane (residual of #42)
3	49	Collingwood (residual of #40)
3	50	Carlton
3	51	Sydney (residual of # 31)
3	52	Adelaide
3	53	Carlton (residual of #21)
3	54	Collingwood
3	55	Brisbane
3	56	Collingwood
4	57	Hawthorn
4	58	Sydney
4	59	Adelaide
4	60	St Kilda
4	61	Melbourne
4	62	Fremantle
4	63	Melbourne
4	64	Hawthorn
5	65	Collingwood
4	66	Richmond
5	67	Port Adelaide
5	68	St Kilda
5	69	Sydney
5	70	Fremantle
5	71	GWS Giants
7	72	Port Adelaide

 

[Giant Strides]

Hi everyone, this will be the master thread for this year's GWS Board Mock Draft. Thanks to all who agreed to participate, especially our non-GWS posters - I'm very happy to have some genuine other club perspectives (noting fans don't always agree with their clubs' selections!).

There will be bids and matching on academy and father-son draftees. It's a 10% discount for picks 1 - 18, then a straight 84 point reduction until pick 36. From pick 37 onwards, the matching club only has to pay their next selection to claim their player. Once accepted, I will calculate points required, and picks used, then post an updated draft order in this thread.

You can also trade picks between clubs. You can do that either via private message, or use the other thread where I sought interest for this mock draft as a discussion forum. Once two posters have agreed on a trade, please loop me in to the plan. The trades need to be reasonable - no trading first rounders for junk picks etc etc. If I think it's unreasonable or suspect, I may not accept it. Be reasonable and I'm not going to get uptight about anything.

Once you have made your selection, or a bid, please TAG (i.e. type POSTER's name e.g. @Giantstrides) the next poster in so we don't lose time from not knowing who's on the clock. I will give a bit of latitude on timing, but let's aim for no more than 8 hours between selections during the day (and hopefully quicker), and last trade around 10 pm, re-starting at 10 am the next day - all AEDT).

I am going to use the draft order that the main board used, which goes down to the fourth round. Given that the expectation is that only around 55 selections are made, I think that will be sufficient. It does mean that some clubs won't have three selections, but they are likely to be upgrades from the rookie list anyway, or not used at all.

We will aim to formally start tomorrow morning at 10 am, but if txbyhull wants to kick off this afternoon, that's fine, but the clock on any bid at #1 or #2 won't start ticking until tomorrow morning. But heads up GWS Goose for potential Lions bid matching tomorrow (I've got Suns and Blues so I'll be watching closely!).

Any questions or beefs, please PM me, or put it into the other thread and tag me in.

Selector / team assignments:

Adelaide - PMBangers
Brisbane - GWS Goose
Carlton - Giant Strides
Collingwood - Maximus 2011
Essendon - GWS Goose
Fremantle - txbyhull
Geelong - captainMyCaptain
Gold Coast - Giant Strides
GWS - captainMyCaptain
Hawthorn - sydney_gws
Melbourne - Maximus 2011
North Melbourne - Hojuman
Port Adelaide - sydney_gws
Richmond - PMBangers
St Kilda - Determinant
Sydney - LikeAVersion
Western Bulldogs - Maximus 2011
West Coast - txbyhull

Starting draft order:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles
1	2	West Coast Eagles
1	3	Richmond
1	4	Richmond
1	5	Essendon
1	6	Essendon
1	7	Melbourne
1	8	Melbourne
1	9	Carlton
1	10	Hawthorn
1	11	Carlton
1	12	GWS
1	13	West Coast Eagles
1	14	Western Bulldogs
1	15	Gold Coast
1	16	Adelaide
1	17	Brisbane
1	18	Gold Coast
1	19	Geelong
1	20	Fremantle
1	21	Essendon
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Brisbane
2	24	Gold Coast
2	25	North Melbourne
2	26	North Melbourne
2	27	Essendon
2	28	Gold Coast
2	29	Gold Coast
2	30	Essendon
2	31	Sydney
2	32	Sydney
2	33	Western Bulldogs
2	34	West Coast Eagles
2	35	GWS
2	36	Gold Coast
2	37	Melbourne
2	38	Richmond
2	39	Collingwood
2	40	Geelong
2	41	West Coast Eagles
2	42	Sydney
2	43	Carlton
3	44	Brisbane
3	45	Collingwood
3	46	North Melbourne
3	47	Fremantle
3	48	Adelaide
3	49	Port Adelaide
3	50	St Kilda
3	51	Brisbane
3	52	Gold Coast
3	53	Western Bulldogs (fm West Coast Eagles)
3	54	Carlton
3	55	Adelaide
3	56	Collingwood
3	57	North Melbourne
3	58	West Coast Eagles
3	59	Brisbane
3	60	Geelong
3	61	Collingwood
4	62	Hawthorn
4	63	Sydney
4	64	Adelaide
4	65	St Kilda
4	66	Melbourne
4	67	Carlton
4	68	Brisbane
4	69	Fremantle
4	70	Western Bulldogs
4	71	Melbourne
4	72	Carlton
4	73	Adelaide
4	74	Western Bulldogs
4	75	Adelaide
4	76	Hawthorn
4	77	Collingwood
4	78	Geelong
4	79	Brisbane

Here's an idea of open list spots per club (noting it doesn't account for needed or promised rookie upgrades etc):

2026 AFL List Sizes (Current)​

	Primary List	Category A Rookie	Category B Rookie	Total
Adelaide	33	5	0	38
Brisbane	33	6	1	40
Carlton	32	6	2	40
Collingwood	32	5	1	38
Essendon	29	8	1	38
Fremantle	32	4	1	37
Geelong	35	2	2	39
Gold Coast	31	4	2	37
GWS	35	1	2	38
Hawthorn	33	2	2	39
Melbourne	33	3	2	40
North Melbourne	35	4	0	39
Port Adelaide	35	4	2	41
Richmond	33	4	1	38
St Kilda	36	2	2	40
Sydney	33	2	1	38
West Coast	31	5	2	38
Western Bulldogs	33	5	1	39

(According to DraftGuru).

 

[txbyhull]

I aim to get things rolling this afternoon during what I'm sure will be numerous bathroom breaks at work. I have a few trades in mind that I'd love to get done ahead of time, but the first pick is pretty obvious and will be posted soon

 

[Giant Strides]

I aim to get things rolling this afternoon during what I'm sure will be numerous bathroom breaks at work. I have a few trades in mind that I'd love to get done ahead of time, but the first pick is pretty obvious and will be posted soon

I'm happy if you send out some trades this arvo, and make first selection either tomorrow, or later today.

 

[txbyhull]

The West Coast Eagles and Gold Coast Suns agree to a trade!

WCE Send: 13, 34, 41, St. Kilda 2026 2nd
GCS Send: 15, 36, 52, Melbourne 2026 2nd, Gold Coast Suns 2026 2nd

 

[Giant Strides]

Amended draft order after the Eagles-Suns pick swaps:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles
1	2	West Coast Eagles
1	3	Richmond
1	4	Richmond
1	5	Essendon
1	6	Essendon
1	7	Melbourne
1	8	Melbourne
1	9	Carlton
1	10	Hawthorn
1	11	Carlton
1	12	GWS
1	13	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
1	14	Western Bulldogs
1	15	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
1	16	Adelaide
1	17	Brisbane
1	18	Gold Coast
1	19	Geelong
1	20	Fremantle
1	21	Essendon
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Brisbane
2	24	Gold Coast
2	25	North Melbourne
2	26	North Melbourne
2	27	Essendon
2	28	Gold Coast
2	29	Gold Coast
2	30	Essendon
2	31	Sydney
2	32	Sydney
2	33	Western Bulldogs
2	34	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	35	GWS
2	36	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
2	37	Melbourne
2	38	Richmond
2	39	Collingwood
2	40	Geelong
2	41	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	42	Sydney
2	43	Carlton
3	44	Brisbane
3	45	Collingwood
3	46	North Melbourne
3	47	Fremantle
3	48	Adelaide
3	49	Port Adelaide
3	50	St Kilda
3	51	Brisbane
3	52	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	53	Western Bulldogs (fm WCE)
3	54	Carlton
3	55	Adelaide
3	56	Collingwood
3	57	North Melbourne
3	58	West Coast Eagles
3	59	Brisbane
3	60	Geelong
3	61	Collingwood
4	62	Hawthorn
4	63	Sydney
4	64	Adelaide
4	65	St Kilda
4	66	Melbourne
4	67	Carlton
4	68	Brisbane
4	69	Fremantle
4	70	Western Bulldogs
4	71	Melbourne
4	72	Carlton
4	73	Adelaide
4	74	Western Bulldogs
4	75	Adelaide
4	76	Hawthorn
4	77	Collingwood
4	78	Geelong
4	79	Brisbane

 

[txbyhull]

1. WCE - Willem Duursma, 193cm UTILITY, Gippsland Power & Vic Country



Upside: Elite aerial ability, elite versatility, elite athleticism x frame / height blend

Duursma could genuinely impact day 1 in almost any role across HB, a wing, or HF; whether that is as an intercepting and rebound half back, a genuine offensive winger and marking target down the line, or a versatile hybrid forward that can work up the ground and beat different defenders in a manner of ways.

Championship averages across 4 games: 24.3d, 5.3m, 3.3t, 2cl.

CTL averages across 13 games: 23.5d, 5.2m, 5.2t, 1.2g, 3.7cl.

VFL averages across 2 games: 18.5d, 8m, 3t, 0.5cl.

West Coast will be hoping of genuine Bont-esque upside here, with Wuurm having shown he is more than capable of winning contested ball already.

Pick 2 is on the trade table, and I will be listening to offers having already sent one via PM to Maximus 2011

 

[Giant Strides]

OK, we're back on the clock with West Coast ... limited time for any trade offers to them for pick #2 before it needs to be used.

 

[txbyhull]

Apologies, time zones and such. I’ll get back on the board with no trade.

2. WCE - Cooper Duff-Tytler, 201cm RUCK / FORWARD, Calder Cannons & Vic Metro

Upside: Elite overall athleticism, elite ground level skills

The Duff at the end of the day is, and always was going to be, a project player but boy if he isn't a unicorn of a project. 9th in the 2km, 8th in the 20m, and top 15 in each of the vertical and running leaps, Cooper has the versatility and skill-set to impact in every part of the ground in the run up to eventually becoming an AFL-level ruck. I am of the opinion that he will spent most of the season in the WAFL, but he has the tools to dominate already in WAFL league as a KPD, KPF or an around-the-ground ruck.

Championship averages across 4 games: 14.5d, 4m, 4ho, 2.8t, 0.8g.

CTL averages across only 5 games: 20.4d, 5.6m, 17.4ho, 1.6t, 1g.

VFL averages in solo game: 13d, 2m, 6ho, 1t, 3g 2b.

West Coast would hope that CDT is mouldable into whatever they need, whether it is a Mark Blicavs

46

Mark Blicavs

Age

34

Ht

198cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.2

5star

MG

114.1

2star

D

11.1

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

MG

114.1

2star

D

8.6

3star

K

2.0

1star

HB

6.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.6

4star

type, a Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

, or even a Riley Thilthorpe.

Over to PMBangers

 

[Giant Strides]

No worries txbyhull, I was happy to give you some time.

I'm selecting on behalf of PMBangers for Richmond (he's given me his selection list as he's away today).

Richmond bid on Dylan Patterson (Gold Coast Suns Academy).

I'm also the Gold Coast selector, but I will wait for 2 hours from now to see if any of the Norths, Essendon or Sydney (Hojuman, GWS Goose or LikeAVersion selectors) come back to me on trading for picks #13 or #18. Any other clubs are welcome to make an offer, but obviously I am looking for points in this year's draft.

 

[Giant Strides]

Essendon and Gold Coast Suns have agreed to a pick swap:

Essendon gives picks 21 & 27 (1254 points) to Gold Coast.

Gold Coast gives pick 13 (1080 points) to Essendon.

I'll update the draft order in a few minutes.

 

[Hojuman]

No worries txbyhull, I was happy to give you some time.

I'm selecting on behalf of PMBangers for Richmond (he's given me his selection list as he's away today).

Richmond bid on Dylan Patterson (Gold Coast Suns Academy).

I'm also the Gold Coast selector, but I will wait for 2 hours from now to see if any of the Norths, Essendon or Sydney (Hojuman, GWS Goose or LikeAVersion selectors) come back to me on trading for picks #13 or #18. Any other clubs are welcome to make an offer, but obviously I am looking for points in this year's draft.

26 & 46 for 18 ?

 

[Giant Strides]

26 & 46 for 18 ?

Sorry, I was typing out a PM to you when you put that in. I've sent you an offer. That one won't work for Suns, it's actually trading for fewer points. (The impact of the new points system!)

 

[Giant Strides]

North Melbourne and Gold Coast Suns have agreed to a pick swap:

Norths gives picks 25, 26 & 46 (1285 points) to Suns.

Suns gives picks 18 & 41 (1056 points) to Norths.

I'll update the order with both of those trades now.

 

[Giant Strides]

OK, updated draft order after the two trades (Suns/Essendon & Suns/North Melbourne):

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles	Willem Duursma
1	2	West Coast Eagles	Cooper-Duff Tytler
1	3	Richmond	bid on Dylan Patterson
1	4	Richmond
1	5	Essendon
1	6	Essendon
1	7	Melbourne
1	8	Melbourne
1	9	Carlton
1	10	Hawthorn
1	11	Carlton
1	12	GWS
1	13	Essendon (fm GCS, fm WCE)
1	14	Western Bulldogs
1	15	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
1	16	Adelaide
1	17	Brisbane
1	18	North (fm GCS)
1	19	Geelong
1	20	Fremantle
1	21	Gold Coast Suns (fm Ess)
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Brisbane
2	24	Gold Coast
2	25	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
2	26	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
2	27	Gold Coast Suns (fm Ess)
2	28	Gold Coast
2	29	Gold Coast
2	30	Essendon
2	31	Sydney
2	32	Sydney
2	33	Western Bulldogs
2	34	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	35	GWS
2	36	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
2	37	Melbourne
2	38	Richmond
2	39	Collingwood
2	40	Geelong
2	41	North (fm GCS, fm WCE)
2	42	Sydney
2	43	Carlton
3	44	Brisbane
3	45	Collingwood
3	46	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
3	47	Fremantle
3	48	Adelaide
3	49	Port Adelaide
3	50	St Kilda
3	51	Brisbane
3	52	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	53	West Coast Eagles
3	54	Carlton
3	55	Adelaide
3	56	Collingwood
3	57	North Melbourne
3	58	Western Bulldogs
3	59	Brisbane
3	60	Geelong
3	61	Collingwood
4	62	Hawthorn
4	63	Sydney
4	64	Adelaide
4	65	St Kilda
4	66	Melbourne
4	67	Carlton
4	68	Brisbane
4	69	Fremantle
4	70	Western Bulldogs
4	71	Melbourne
4	72	Carlton
4	73	Adelaide
4	74	Western Bulldogs
4	75	Adelaide
4	76	Hawthorn
4	77	Collingwood
4	78	Geelong
4	79	Brisbane

 

[Giant Strides]

Gold Coast Suns match the Richmond bid for Dylan Patterson.

RIC bid @ #3, requires 1960 points to match.

GCS match with:

• #21 - 721 pts
• #24 - 621 pts
• #25 - 590 pts
• #26 - 561 pts
• total - 2493 pts, 533 points residual, equates to pick #27 returning to Gold Coast.

(Revised draft order in next post)

Pick #3 (Richmond bid, Gold Coast match) - Dylan Patterson

STRENGTHS:

• Dare
• Hurt factor
• Line-breaking
• Power
• Speed
• Tenacity

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Composure
• Endurance
• Kicking consistency

Patterson's raw speed is what sets him apart, and it goes hand-in-hand with his attacking instincts. While he didn't compete at the National Draft Combine, he would likely have featured near the top in all power-based events given how impressively he passes the eye test. His fast feet are simply dazzling, allowing him to operate in explosive bursts and immediately put the opposition on the back foot - or, leave them in his wake.

Not only is Patterson quick in straight lines, but also laterally. He has a wicked side-step and loves dropping the shoulder to take on opponents, carrying the ball in incisive fashion. That daring approach invites pressure, but Patterson's athleticism often gets him out of tight spots. Even when caught or forced into an error, he backs himself to continually take risks in hopes of producing even more damaging passages of play.

Patterson's uncompromising method makes him a high impact-per-possession player. With thanks to his line-breaking ability, he often facilitates his side's ball movement from end-to-end and acts as a key connection piece. In Allies colours, he averaged 430 metres gained per match, looking to manufacture direct and effective passages to extract the maximum hurt factor. He likes to see the game in front of him, and attack it.

While his outside running is as good as it gets, Patterson possesses the power and tenacity to thrive in a wide variety of situations. He backs himself as a midfielder, where his ability to fend off and wear contact comes to the fore. Patterson's tackling is another strength and he tends to enjoy getting stuck into physical battles. As much was evident during his two AFL Academy outings against VFL opposition, where he stood out in that regard.

Dylan Patterson Draft Profile

Suns Academy speedster Dylan Patterson is an explosive athlete who breaks the lines with his high-risk, high-reward approach.

central.rookieme.com

An outstanding addition to the Suns' team.

 

[Giant Strides]

Revised draft order after Suns matched Richmond's bid on Dylan Patterson:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles	Willem Duursma
1	2	West Coast Eagles	Cooper-Duff Tytler
1	3	Gold Coast Suns	Dylan Patterson (matched bid)
1	4	Richmond
1	5	Richmond
1	6	Essendon
1	7	Essendon
1	8	Melbourne
1	9	Melbourne
1	10	Carlton
1	11	Hawthorn
1	12	Carlton
1	13	GWS
1	14	Essendon (fm GCS, fm WCE)
1	15	Western Bulldogs
1	16	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
1	17	Adelaide
1	18	Brisbane
1	19	North (fm GCS)
1	20	Geelong
1	21	Fremantle
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Brisbane
2	24	Gold Coast Suns (fm Ess)
2	25	Gold Coast
2	26	Gold Coast
2	27	Gold Coast Suns (residual of #26)
2	28	Essendon
2	29	Sydney
2	30	Sydney
2	31	Western Bulldogs
2	32	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	33	GWS
2	34	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
2	35	Melbourne
2	36	Richmond
2	37	Collingwood
2	38	Geelong
2	39	North (fm GCS, fm WCE)
2	40	Sydney
2	41	Carlton
2	42	Brisbane
2	43	Collingwood
3	44	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
3	45	Fremantle
3	46	Adelaide
3	47	Port Adelaide
3	48	St Kilda
3	49	Brisbane
3	50	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	51	West Coast Eagles
3	52	Carlton
3	53	Adelaide
3	54	Collingwood
3	55	North Melbourne
3	56	Western Bulldogs
3	57	Brisbane
3	58	Geelong
3	59	Collingwood
3	60	Hawthorn
3	61	Sydney
4	62	Adelaide
4	63	St Kilda
4	64	Melbourne
4	65	Carlton
4	66	Brisbane
4	67	Fremantle
4	68	Western Bulldogs
4	69	Melbourne
4	70	Carlton
4	71	Adelaide
4	72	Western Bulldogs
4	73	Adelaide
4	74	Hawthorn
4	75	Collingwood
4	76	Geelong
4	77	Brisbane
4	78
4	79

 

[Giant Strides]

OK, back to Richmond after that unsuccessful bid on Patterson.

With pick #4 now, Richmond selects Sullivan Robey.

Sullivan Robey is this year's draft bolter. Robey has quickly built a strong reputation, exhibiting his steep rate of development and several AFL traits in short time. That relatively small sample size – albeit of extraordinary quality – will work against Robey to an extent as recruiters begin to watch back tape, especially with a lack of National Championships or VFL exposure. Clubs usually search for bankability at the top end, but with Robey’s unique points of difference and readymade nature, the allure of upside will be difficult to ignore. Robey may well be the third best non-aligned player available.

STRENGTHS:

• Clean hands
• Mobility
• Physicality
• Power
• Scoreboard impact
• Size

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Decision making
• Exposure

Much of Robey's allure and uniqueness revolves around his physical attributes. His size and power are genuine weapons at 192cm, lending to a high-impact style both in midfield and up forward. He has the frame and aerial presence to be a lead-up target, but is also clean enough below his knees and mobile in his midfield duties. That kind of dual-position profile is hard to come by, and plays into why Robey is so highly sought after.

 

[Giant Strides]

With pick #5, (on behalf of the Richmond selector, PMBangers) Richmond bids an Daniel Annable (Brisbane Lions Academy).

Over to GWS Goose to consider whether Brisbane Lions will match the bid.

 

[Giant Strides]

To move this along, I am going to assume that Brisbane Lions Match the bid for Dan Annable.

RIC bid @ #5, requires 1616 points to match.

Brisbane match with:

• #18 - 836 pts
• #23 - 653 pts
• #42 - 202 pts
• total - 1691 pts, 75 points residual, equates to pick #50 returning to Brisbane.

(Revised draft order in next post)

Pick 5 (Richmond bid, Brisbane Lions match) - Daniel Annable

SNAPSHOT: “An ultra-consistent midfielder with superb stoppage craft and strong two-way work rate.” – Michael Alvaro

Daniel Annable’s junior career has been as consistent as they come. He burst onto the scene in his Under 16 year, turning out for the Lions Academy in four Coates Talent League games before leaping onto the representative stage. There, he captained Brisbane to the Pool B title as its Most Valuable Player and was duly named in the All-Australian side.

After a full bottom-age campaign with the Allies last year, he followed through in his top-age season to again claim All-Australian honours and finish second in the Larke Medal. He skippered the AFL Academy and was best on ground in game one against Richmond VFL, going on to play eight VFL appearances with the Lions for an average 21.3 disposals per game.

Annable’s journey with the Lions is now coming full circle. He has been part of the Academy setup since he was 12 years old and is now on the cusp of hitting the top level. The 18-year-old has spent time training with the senior group and models his game off Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

32

Ht

177cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

, who just co-captained the Lions to consecutive premierships. Soon, they’ll be teammates.

STRENGTHS:

• Clean hands
• Competitiveness
• Consistency
• Running power
• Stoppage craft
• Work rate

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Kicking under pressure
• Flair

Daniel Annable Draft Profile

Lions Academy prospect Daniel Annable is a midfielder with terrific stoppage craft and two-way work rate to match.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Giant Strides]

Revised draft order after Daniel Annable bid/match:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles	Willem Duursma
1	2	West Coast Eagles	Cooper-Duff Tytler
1	3	Gold Coast Suns	Dylan Patterson (matched bid)
1	4	Richmond	Sullivan Robey
1	5	Brisbane	Daniel Annable (matched bid)
1	6	Richmond
1	7	Essendon
1	8	Essendon
1	9	Melbourne
1	10	Melbourne
1	11	Carlton
1	12	Hawthorn
1	13	Carlton
1	14	GWS
1	15	Essendon (fm GCS, fm WCE)
1	16	Western Bulldogs
1	17	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
1	18	Adelaide
1	19	North (fm GCS)
1	20	Geelong
1	21	Fremantle
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Gold Coast Suns (fm Ess)
2	24	Gold Coast
2	25	Gold Coast
2	26	Gold Coast Suns (residual of #26)
2	27	Essendon
2	28	Sydney
2	29	Sydney
2	30	Western Bulldogs
2	31	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	32	GWS
2	33	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
2	34	Melbourne
2	35	Richmond
2	36	Collingwood
2	37	Geelong
2	38	North (fm GCS, fm WCE)
2	39	Sydney
2	40	Carlton
2	41	Collingwood
2	42	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
2	43	Fremantle
3	44	Adelaide
3	45	Port Adelaide
3	46	St Kilda
3	47	Brisbane
3	48	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	49	West Coast Eagles
3	50	Brisbane (residual of #42)
3	51	Carlton
3	52	Adelaide
3	53	Collingwood
3	54	North Melbourne
3	55	Western Bulldogs
3	56	Brisbane
3	57	Geelong
3	58	Collingwood
3	59	Hawthorn
3	60	Sydney
3	61	Adelaide
4	62	St Kilda
4	63	Melbourne
4	64	Carlton
4	65	Brisbane
4	66	Fremantle
4	67	Western Bulldogs
4	68	Melbourne
4	69	Carlton
4	70	Adelaide
4	71	Western Bulldogs
4	72	Adelaide
4	73	Hawthorn
4	74	Collingwood
4	75	Geelong
4	76	Brisbane
4	77
4	78
4	79

 

[Giant Strides]

After the matched bid on Dan Annable, Richmond at pick 6 bid on Harry Dean (Carlton father/son).

 

[Giant Strides]

Carlton will match the bid on Harry Dean.

There's obviously lots of discussion on Carlton's strategy in this draft, with both their father/son Harry Dean in the early stages of the draft, and NGA player Jack Ison in the 20s or 30s.

The problem with trading a pick into the 2026 draft as suggested by some is that (1) few clubs are likely to be willing to do this, as 2026 is seen as a stronger draft, so (2) Carlton won't necessary get the best deal, and (3) they actually risk then not having enough points in 2025 to take both Dean and Ison. Conversely, trading the two first round picks with the likes of Richmond, Essendon or Melbourne doesn't necessarily guarantee getting ahead of the bid, and wipes out a lot of points to match for Dean (and also Ison). So that's not a great strategy either IMHO.

Hence, as a Carlton selector, I would simply hold the picks and hope for as late a bid as possible, and the residual points should leave me with a first round pick (though nearer to 20) so Carlton still gets 2 first round selections plus Ison.

RIC bid @ #6, requires 1493 points to match.

Carlton match with:

• #11 - 1205 pts
• #13 - 1080 pts
• total - 2285 pts, 792 points residual, equates to pick #20 returning to Carlton.

(Revised draft order in next post)

Pick 6 (Richmond bid, Carlton match) - Harry Dean

SNAPSHOT: “A competitive, pure key defender who marks everything that comes his way.” – Michael Alvaro

Harry Dean has come from the clouds to be regarded as this year’s premier key defensive prospect. He comes from good stock as the son of 248-game Carlton premiership champion Peter Dean, who has had a major influence on his career to date.

STRENGTHS:

• Athleticism
• Competitiveness
• Distribution
• Intercepting
• Overhead marking
• Reading the play

IMPROVEMENTS:

• In-between size
• Versatility

The crux of Dean's game revolves around his defensive craft. He's a nailed-on backman who is incredibly tough to beat and has put on several marking masterclasses this season. With early reads on the play, Dean utilises his athleticism to arrive at the ideal drop zone or close in on aerial contests, before leaping high to impact with a spoil or intercept mark. He's incredibly tough to beat one-on-one and is prepared to put his body on the line.

Harry Dean Draft Profile

Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean is a marking machine with vice-like hands and plenty of composure down back.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Giant Strides]

Revised draft order after the Harry Dean matched bid:

RD	Pick	Club	Player
1	1	West Coast Eagles	Willem Duursma
1	2	West Coast Eagles	Cooper-Duff Tytler
1	3	Gold Coast Suns	Dylan Patterson (matched bid)
1	4	Richmond	Sullivan Robey
1	5	Brisbane	Daniel Annable (matched bid)
1	6	Carlton	Harry Dean (matched bid)
1	7	Richmond
1	8	Essendon
1	9	Essendon
1	10	Melbourne
1	11	Melbourne
1	12	Hawthorn
1	13	GWS
1	14	Essendon (fm GCS, fm WCE)
1	15	Western Bulldogs
1	16	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
1	17	Adelaide
1	18	North (fm GCS)
1	19	Geelong
1	20	Carlton (residual of # 13)
1	21	Fremantle
1	22	Hawthorn
1	23	Gold Coast Suns (fm Ess)
2	24	Gold Coast
2	25	Gold Coast
2	26	Gold Coast Suns (residual of #26)
2	27	Essendon
2	28	Sydney
2	29	Sydney
2	30	Western Bulldogs
2	31	Gold Coast (fm WCE)
2	32	GWS
2	33	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
2	34	Melbourne
2	35	Richmond
2	36	Collingwood
2	37	Geelong
2	38	North (fm GCS, fm WCE)
2	39	Sydney
2	40	Carlton
2	41	Collingwood
2	42	Gold Coast Suns (fm NM)
2	43	Fremantle
3	44	Adelaide
3	45	Port Adelaide
3	46	St Kilda
3	47	Brisbane
3	48	West Coast Eagles (fm GCS)
3	49	West Coast Eagles
3	50	Brisbane (residual of #42)
3	51	Carlton
3	52	Adelaide
3	53	Collingwood
3	54	North Melbourne
3	55	Western Bulldogs
3	56	Brisbane
3	57	Geelong
3	58	Collingwood
3	59	Hawthorn
3	60	Sydney
3	61	Adelaide
4	62	St Kilda
4	63	Melbourne
4	64	Carlton
4	65	Brisbane
4	66	Fremantle
4	67	Western Bulldogs
4	68	Melbourne
4	69	Carlton
4	70	Adelaide
4	71	Western Bulldogs
4	72	Adelaide
4	73	Hawthorn
4	74	Collingwood
4	75	Geelong
4	76	Brisbane
4	77
4	78
4	79

 

[Giant Strides]

Still with Richmond, acting on behalf of PMBangers.

At pick 7, Richmond bids on Zeke Uwland (Gold Coast Suns Academy).

Richmond are looking for some run and speed from their defence, and Uwland is the best in this draft, notwithstanding that he missed most of the season.

 

[Giant Strides]

Gold Coast Suns match the bid on Zeke Uwland.

RIC bid @ #7, requires 1389 points to match.

Gold Coast Suns match with:

• #23 - 653 pts
• #24 - 621 pts
• #25 - 590 pts
• total - 1864 pts, 475 points residual, equates to pick #30 returning to Gold Coast.

(Revised draft order in next post)

Pick 7 (matching Richmond's bid, Gold Coast selects) - Zeke Uwland

SNAPSHOT: “A high-impact utility who connects the lines with his outstanding running ability, decision making, and foot skills.” – Michael Alvaro

Zeke Uwland’s bottom-age campaign last year was better than most players’ top-age efforts. In fact, many could only dream of hitting the same heights. That’s why the Suns Academy prospect has been held in such high regard throughout 2025, despite missing much of it through injury.

The hard-running Queenslander came into the year with an already brimming medal collection. He was an Under 16 All-Australian in 2023 and backed it up as the only bottom-ager selected in the Under 18 side for 2024. On top of that was the esteemed Hunter Harrison Medal.

Uwland was duly selected in the AFL Academy and looked primed to dominate his draft year having spent time training with the senior Suns in preseason – alongside elder brother Bodhi. Unfortunately, what followed were repeat setbacks in the form of pelvis and back stress fractures.

Knowing he would miss most of the season as its eve approached, Uwland remained optimistic of making an impact post-championships. He followed through on that promise, returning to make four VFL appearances with the Suns and averaging 16.5 disposals per game.

In a draft crop arguably missing the same depth and star factor as previous editions, Uwland’s reputation held him in good esteem despite not being able to add to his stunning CV. Nonetheless, he remains one of the top prospects among several shining Suns.

STRENGTHS:

• Accumulation
• Consistency
• Decision making
• Kicking
• Running capacity
• Versatility

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Acceleration
• Durability

Zeke Uwland Draft Profile

Despite missing much of the year through injury, Suns Academy star Zeke Uwland remains one of 2025's top draft prospects.

central.rookieme.com