Preview 2026 AFL Draft General Discussion

[MarcMaverick]

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

Recruiters would be absolutely mad to look past him. Kid is a freak.

 

[Yoda_]

El Souki with 6 and been pretty clearly best on ground for the Jets in a dominant win over Calder today


Think he's shooting up draft boards after 12 goals in 2 weeks

 

[HAWKS2016]

Khaled Elsouki 6 goals against the Calder Cannons with 3 goal assists.

 

[HAWKS2016]

Incredible.

 

[Jen2310]

Sam Gayfer kicked 6.3 goals, 22 disposals and 10 marks today for Northern.

 

[Mutineer]

Sam Gayfer kicked 6.3 goals, 22 disposals and 10 marks today for Northern.

Against a very undermanned GWV Rebels with their best 5 players playing the previous day in the Young Guns vs Vic Country game, played on 16 year old Lachlan Pring all game. Wouldn't get too carried away.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Incredible.

Lucky Bulldogs.

 

[Golden_6]

Lucky Bulldogs.

It's not lucky until we can actually secure him. If we trade 3 firsts for Butters, we'll have to do some manevaring with future picks to be able to match a top 10 pick under the new rule changes.

There has to be a case made to not go after Butters to be able to do a lot more and full multiple holes. I wonder what's a better long scenario.

A). Butters on $2 million a season, lose 3 first rounders.
B). Sign Zac Bailey as a free agent on $1.3 million (hypothetical), Butts ($700k), El Souki with a 2026 first, retain 2027 & 2028 first rounders.

 

[baggersforflaggers]

Against a very undermanned GWV Rebels with their best 5 players playing the previous day in the Young Guns vs Vic Country game, played on 16 year old Lachlan Pring all game. Wouldn't get too carried away.

Agree, Gayfer is a monster compared to
ping.
But if knights had their Aus squad academy players and Downes, the supply would have been even more plentiful.
Can anyone match them when they have their full squad.?

 

[Mutineer]

Agree, Gayfer is a monster compared to
ping.
But if knights had their Aus squad academy players and Downes, the supply would have been even more plentiful.
Can anyone match them when they have their full squad.?

Gayfer would have found Rebels KPD Toby Hellessey a fair bit tougher opponent if he had also played but he had Melbourne Grammar commitments on the Friday so couldn't back up.

 

[baggersforflaggers]

Gayfer would have found Rebels KPD Toby Hellessey a fair bit tougher opponent if he had also played but he had Melbourne Grammar commitments on the Friday so couldn't back up.

He might have had to play on Handsome and HVM..Gayfer the 3rd KF…
Rebels do have some good stock, not at the Knights level though for me..

 

[bulldogs201616]

The way El Souki is going his gonna be top 10 isn't he.

 

[Mutineer]

He might have had to play on Handsome and HVM..Gayfer the 3rd KF…
Rebels do have some good stock, not at the Knights level though for me..

Rebels will probably only have 2 draftees this year IMO, midfielder Ethan Drever likely 1st round and small/medium forward Archie Elliott later in the draft, unless you rate someone else.

 

[GC2015]

Pretty much confirmed now that the AFL will introduce an extra list spot later this year for all AFL clubs that's dedicated to Indigenous players. So which players are suddenly in line to be drafted that may not have been in the past? I'd imagine a fair few of them are in the National Indigenous Academy team this year.

 

[Jen2310]

Pretty much confirmed now that the AFL will introduce an extra list spot later this year for all AFL clubs that's dedicated to Indigenous players. So which players are suddenly in line to be drafted that may not have been in the past? I'd imagine a fair few of them are in the National Indigenous Academy team this year.

Port to list Dougie Cochrane..

Haha.
I imagine there is strict rules, like a normal rookie player, if one goes undrafted, you can prelist them.

Could open up players from state league. Pies have a couple on our vfl list from SA that yet to play vfl, Hamish Collins and Robbie Varcoe Jr.

 

[txbyhull]

Port to list Dougie Cochrane..

Haha.
I imagine there is strict rules, like a normal rookie player, if one goes undrafted, you can prelist them.

Could open up players from state league. Pies have a couple on our vfl list from SA that yet to play vfl, Hamish Collins and Robbie Varcoe Jr.

I’d have expected it to meet in the middle of a rookie and Cat B spot. Get a state level indigenous player or an NGA that didn’t get drafted etc.

 

[eaglevision]

I’d have expected it to meet in the middle of a rookie and Cat B spot. Get a state level indigenous player or an NGA that didn’t get drafted etc.

Cat C.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Might might as well use the rest of the alphabet for Cat of rookies.
Like from Cat D to Cat Z

 

[GC2015]

Port to list Dougie Cochrane..

Haha.
I imagine there is strict rules, like a normal rookie player, if one goes undrafted, you can prelist them.

Could open up players from state league. Pies have a couple on our vfl list from SA that yet to play vfl, Hamish Collins and Robbie Varcoe Jr.

Haha yeah I think the AFL would probably prefer the players who fill this Indigenous list spot to come from each team's NGA and they'd likely be able to pre-list them in the same way that an F/S pick can be pre-listed before the rookie draft, but if there's an obvious state league player that can fill the Indigenous list spot then I think they'll be happy with that as well. The clubs just won't be able to pre-list that player and will have to go through the normal process of waiting for their pick in the draft order.

 

[adonski]

How's the strength of this years crop versus last years?

 

[Mutineer]

Has there been any media reports on the weekends VFL Young Guns vs Vic Country anywhere?

 

[txbyhull]

How's the strength of this years crop versus last years?

Better, especially the talls

 

[mpal6]

The way El Souki is going his gonna be top 10 isn't he.

Club holding pick 5 could place a bid and see if they can also get an additional end of first rounder in the process. Dogs will likely try and match him at pick 5.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Pretty much confirmed now that the AFL will introduce an extra list spot later this year for all AFL clubs that's dedicated to Indigenous players. So which players are suddenly in line to be drafted that may not have been in the past? I'd imagine a fair few of them are in the National Indigenous Academy team this year.

Would there be anything stopping clubs re-rookie-ing existing fring Indigenous kids and then just drafting another player with the free list spot. I guess the argument is at least they're retained on a list rather than delisted, but may not mean much of a direct increase in Indigenous draftees in the immediate team, other than for teams that don't already have indigenous players on their list.

 

[Jen2310]

Would there be anything stopping clubs re-rookie-ing existing fring Indigenous kids and then just drafting another player with the free list spot. I guess the argument is at least they're retained on a list rather than delisted, but may not mean much of a direct increase in Indigenous draftees in the immediate team, other than for teams that don't already have indigenous players on their list.

I think it'll have to be an additional player not already on an afl list. Hence providing more opportunites for indigineous players yet to get an opportunity. Imagine there will be specific rules when this comes into place. Ie: Someone that has nominated for the draft but overlooked.