Preview 2026 AFL Draft General Discussion

[Davo-27]

Do we have actual numbers regarding his athleticism
speed , leap , agility etc

He looks great but have not watched him live and only vision doesnt really give a great indication
how does he compare to CDT's athleticism

I dont know his (HVH) numbers, but after seeing him at the u16s champs, i thought he was the best pure ruck ive seen since Luke Jackson... lets see if he lives up to that standard?

 

[eaglevision]

Anyone see the Gippsland vs GWV or Young Guns game today?

 

[Monsterdarlz]

I dont know his (HVH) numbers, but after seeing him at the u16s champs, i thought he was the best pure ruck ive seen since Luke Jackson... lets see if he lives up to that standard?

Better then Axel Walsh was last year?

 

[Davo-27]

Better then Axel Walsh was last year?

Axel Walsh is a forward, not a ruck

 

[EDFL follower]

Anyone see the Gippsland vs GWV or Young Guns game today?

I was at the gippy v GWV today
Ladbrooke played forward in the second half and took a few marks and kicked a couple of goals.
Cody Templeton played well - plenty of touches and a couple of goals
Snell was good down back.
I don’t really know the GWV players well
Power bottom ager Oscar Henwood played another really good game.
Keenan Boi played really well up forward and kicked 4? Goals

 

[eaglespremiers]

Anyone see the Gippsland vs GWV or Young Guns game today?

I was at the Young Guns game.
Highlights up hopefully later tonight (depending on how long video footage takes to copy/editing time).

 

[eaglevision]

I was at the Young Guns game.
Highlights up hopefully later tonight (depending on how long video footage takes to copy/editing time).

Any standouts? Was hoping your boy Lockwood would put his hand up.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Any standouts? Was hoping your boy Lockwood would put his hand up.

Tom Evans was the best of the Bendigo boys (particularly in the first half). Clean disposal out of half back.
The VFL team ran away with it in the end.

Bearing in mind that I watched the game through a viewfinder I thought for the VFL team Zane Cochrane was exceptionally good, Ged Saunders hit the scoreboard and was a menace, ditto Bailey Lloyd, Kade De La Rue had impact in the centre and up forward and Brodie Atkins was a bull in the clearances.
For the Young Guns I thought Jay-De Valet was probably their best performer all game with Oliver Wilson and Jordan Knapp being consistent and Noah McMenamin and Goy Jiath were both decent in a besieged defence.

 

[Haggas]

Axel Walsh is a forward, not a ruck

He’s a ruck aswell

 

[Haggas]

Someone please reveal this

 

[GC2015]

Key meeting to address fall in Indigenous numbers

The AFL has set targets on how to increase the number of Indigenous players at the top level

www.afl.com.au

Now that there's real talk about the AFL awarding every club an extra list spot to draft an Indigenous player that wouldn't have otherwise been drafted, does anyone have an idea of the fringe Indigenous players that may fall into this category at this year's draft? Because it would appear that a lot of those players are going to be in a far better position to get drafted if this new rule is implemented.

I know some of these players are a part of the 2027 draft cohort, but here is the National Indigenous Academy team that played earlier this year:

2026 INDIGENOUS ACADEMY BOYS

NAME	STATE	STATE TALENT PROGRAM	COMMUNITY CLUB
Thomas Bearman	TAS	Tasmania Devils	Brighton
Percy Burgoyne	SA	West Adelaide	Henley
Owen Campbell-Shields	NT	Northern Territory Academy	Jabiru Bombers
Dougie Cochrane	SA	Central District	Port District
Archie Devine	TAS	Tasmania Devils	North Hobart
Archie Faulkner	SA	Central District	Kadina
Boyden George	VIC	Oakleigh Chargers	Fitzroy Stars
Coen Hardy	NSW	Sydney Swans Academy	Miranda Bombers
Tyler Kelly	VIC	Northern Territory Academy	Ballarat
Gary Lawford	NT	Oakleigh Chargers	East Malvern
Xaiver Little	WA	Peel Thunder	North Mandurah
Dillon Mallard	NT	Northern Territory Academy	Pioneer
Levi McClelland	VIC	Bendigo Pioneers	South Mildura
Jermaine Miller	SA	Northern Knights	North Heidelberg
Jacobi Moore	TAS	Tasmania Devils	Burnie
Gus Mourish	WA	East Fremantle	Hammond Park
Djavian Narrier	WA	Swans District	Kalamunda
Leedham Papertalk	WA	East Fremantle	Mullewa
Mazlan Patrick	NT	Northern Territory Academy	Wanderers
Russell Pickett-Carbine	SA	North Adelaide	Mallee Park
Zemes Pilot	SA	South Adelaide	Port Noarlunga
Ashlon Prindable	QLD	Brisbane Lions Academy	Coorparoo
Jaren Sambo	NT	Northern Territory Academy	Wanderers
Sonny Smiler	NT	Northern Territory Academy	Wanderers
Tom Wichman	NSW	GWS Giants Academy	Collingullie
Miller Young	TAS	Tasmania Devils	Devonport

Head coach: Roger Hayden

Roger Hayden

Age

45

Ht

182cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.9

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

0.8

3star

Assistants: Neville Jetta

39

Neville Jetta

Age

36

Ht

180cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.2

3star

T

3.2

5star

MG

141.3

2star

D

7.0

1star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.3

3star

M

1.3

1star

T

1.5

2star

MG

64.0

1star

D

11.0

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.8

4star

, Michael Walters

10

Michael Walters

Age

35

Ht

176cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

11.0

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.9

4star

G

1.7

5star

D

20.9

5star

K

11.8

5star

HB

9.1

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.3

4star

G

1.0

4star

D

13.0

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

and Chad Wingard

20

Chad Wingard

Age

32

Ht

183cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

11.0

4star

HB

7.3

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.2

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

5.6

4star

M

1.6

2star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.2

3star

 

[Futbolista]

Key meeting to address fall in Indigenous numbers

The AFL has set targets on how to increase the number of Indigenous players at the top level

www.afl.com.au

Now that there's real talk about the AFL awarding every club an extra list spot to draft an Indigenous player that wouldn't have otherwise been drafted, does anyone have an idea of the fringe Indigenous players that may fall into this category at this year's draft? Because it would appear that a lot of those players are going to be in a far better position to get drafted if this new rule is implemented.

I know some of these players are a part of the 2027 draft cohort, but here is the National Indigenous Academy team that played earlier this year:

Papertalk will be East Fremantle I'm fairly certain.

 

[GC2015]

Papertalk will be East Fremantle I'm fairly certain.

Updated. Do you think he'll end up getting drafted?

 

[Futbolista]

Updated. Do you think he'll end up getting drafted?

I haven't seen him play mate. But Papertalk is a traditional Indigenous name from the Mullewa/Geraldton region of WA and that area belongs to East Fremantle.

 

[Juice030103]

What’s the top 5 looking like at this stage

 

[Mutineer]

I was at the gippy v GWV today
Ladbrooke played forward in the second half and took a few marks and kicked a couple of goals.
Cody Templeton played well - plenty of touches and a couple of goals
Snell was good down back.
I don’t really know the GWV players well
Power bottom ager Oscar Henwood played another really good game.
Keenan Boi played really well up forward and kicked 4? Goals

I'm sure you must have noticed #4 for the GWV Rebels?

 

[eaglespremiers]

Highlights from the Young Guns game on Saturday:

 

[RedmanWasHere]

List Mgmt. Post in thread 'Future Magpies - Collingwood's Next Generation & Father/Son Prospects'

Apr 29, 2026

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1508240

• Jen2310

From Jen2310.

 

[Haggas]

The compensation pick is ridiculous.

 

[Michaels]

For anyone interested I had Tommy Wolfe join me last night from Reading the Play to go through his top 30 prospects so far and we did also cover some richmond based questions on our build so far.

Skip to 20:00 mark if you don't care about the Richmond specific talk.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

ZeroHanger May rankings

 

[Jen2310]

HVH was dominant for Ivanhoe this afternoon.
Through the ruck. Drops back into defence and kicked a freak goal from the goal square

 

[Jen2310]

 

[Calcium Man]

Is there any stream for today’s young guns vs vic country game? I’m assuming no but on the off chance


https://www.afl.com.au/news/1508980

 

[eaglevision]

Is there any stream for today’s young guns vs vic country game? I’m assuming no but on the off chance


https://www.afl.com.au/news/1508980

Couldn’t find one. Did anyone go and watch?