2026 Draft Thread

[Sarcoidevo]

Think it's time to fire up this bad boy again as we enter the 2nd half of the season and also with the U18 National Championship upon us ... fixture below

Sat 13 June: Western Australia v South Australia, Mineral Resources Park, 12.15pm

Sun 14 June: Victoria Country v Allies, Blacktown ISP, 12:45pm

Sat 20 June: Western Australia v Victoria Metro, Joondalup Arena, 10.15am

Sun 21 June: South Australia v Allies, Alberton Oval, 1:00pm

Sun 28 June: Victoria Metro v Allies, TBA (Melbourne), TBA

Fri 3 July: Victoria Metro v South Australia, Marvel Stadium, TBA

Fri 3 July: Victoria Country v Western Australia, Marvel Stadium, TBA

Wed 8 July: Victoria Country v South Australia, TBA (Melbourne), TBA

Wed 8 July: Allies v Western Australia, TBA (Melbourne), TBA

Sun 19 July: Victoria Country v Victoria Metro, TBA (Melbourne), TBA

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Cal Twomey's 25 draft prospects to watch at the U18 Championships

Cal Twomey takes a look at 25 prospects to watch ahead of the Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships

www.afl.com.au

Normally the average punter could have a good handle on the group of youngsters by this time of year, but since the AFL have shut down the Coates League app the coverage is woeful. They will cover the State Champs but why would you not want to offer supporters the chance to watch the best kids in the country every week. Sell the rights to Kayo if they have to but offer it somewhere!

 

[Sarcoidevo]

In terms of players that could be in our view tunnel and maybe around our 1st pick -

Arki Butler - mercurial forward / mid - moves like Toby Greene

4

Toby Greene

Age

32

Ht

182cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.7

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

10.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.0

5star

G

1.2

4star

D

17.5

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

G

2.3

5star

D

26.6

5star

K

12.4

5star

HB

14.2

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.0

1star

- given he is at the Dragons & that he is the grandson of Allan Davis our interest would be high .... though he may be gone before our 1st pick .... according to some watchers he hasn't being lighting it up recently so his draft ranking could fall.

Ethan Drever looks promising as a hard nosed contested mid from Country Vic ... been very good this year & SA Captain Kodah Edwards looks a prospect who is manic, strong and clean at the contest ... he has good hands in traffic though his kicking can be a bit messy but he can hit the scoreboard and is strong overhead ... looks and plays a bit like Butters

For absolute needs ..... we finally may go the elite KPD route .... so Xavier Ladbrook (200cm) or Clancy Snell (196cm) ... both play for Gippsland and both have also had successful spells up forward ... Snell kicked 4 in his bottom age year v Northern ... their strength though is down back where they are both elite for intercepting and known for their strong marking, agility and clean ground skills & disposal

We could also look at Mitch Harris (196cm) who is a SA Key Defender with bucket hands & plays for Woodville Eagles

We definitely need key defensive height but also another key forward ..... Jack Pickett .... Geelong Falcons .... is a little undersized for a key forward (194cm) but is goal kicking machine and kicjed 31 goals in 8 games last year as a bottom ager ... has been compared to Charlie Curnow

35

Charlie Curnow

Age

29

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

9.7

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.4

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.8

4star

... unfortunately he has done his ACL & MCL and is now out for 12 months so not ideal however ... however he will drop in the draft but is a big risk with that injury history .... Sam Gayfer (194cm) is another strong marking forward which might be around our pick ... nephew of Mick

For me .... I don't mind if we go the elite KPD route if Snell or Ladbrook are available around our 1st pick ...... if we keep it of course

 

[TheJackal]

Arki Butler is the dream if we still have our first. Don't care about needs in the top 10, class is class.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

2026 Top 50 Draft Power Rankings: V2.0

The 2026 draft pool had long been framed as a strong one. Six weeks into the underage season however, there was a growing sense that the strength might be more perceived than proven. Recent comprom…

readingtheplay.wordpress.com

Again there are going to be a miriad of Northern Academy players and father sons in this draft, which Im confident our recruiters will keep them honest.

https://archive.md/mL0vJ

 

[gringo2011]

2026 Top 50 Draft Power Rankings: V2.0

The 2026 draft pool had long been framed as a strong one. Six weeks into the underage season however, there was a growing sense that the strength might be more perceived than proven. Recent comprom…

readingtheplay.wordpress.com

It's a good draft for everything that we lack.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Keeping an eye on where Sam Gayfer goes. As talented as any key forward & hopefully over his back issues.

Ripping kid, nephew of Mick, Banyule boy.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

It's a good draft for everything that we lack.

Not a high number of talls, but those that are listed seem pretty good. Im sure there will be others come to light after the champs.

 

[Mav3rick]

In terms of players that could be in our view tunnel and maybe around our 1st pick -

Arki Butler - mercurial forward / mid - moves like Toby Greene - given he is at the Dragons & that he is the grandson of Allan Davis our interest would be high .... though he may be gone before our 1st pick .... according to some watchers he hasn't being lighting it up recently so his draft ranking could fall.

Ethan Drever looks promising as a hard nosed contested mid from Country Vic ... been very good this year & SA Captain Kodah Edwards looks a prospect who is manic, strong and clean at the contest ... he has good hands in traffic though his kicking can be a bit messy but he can hit the scoreboard and is strong overhead ... looks and plays a bit like Butters

For absolute needs ..... we finally may go the elite KPD route .... so Xavier Ladbrook (200cm) or Clancy Snell (196cm) ... both play for Gippsland and both have also had successful spells up forward ... Snell kicked 4 in his bottom age year v Northern ... their strength though is down back where they are both elite for intercepting and known for their strong marking, agility and clean ground skills & disposal

We could also look at Mitch Harris (196cm) who is a SA Key Defender with bucket hands & plays for Woodville Eagles

We definitely need key defensive height but also another key forward ..... Jack Pickett .... Geelong Falcons .... is a little undersized for a key forward (194cm) but is goal kicking machine and kicjed 31 goals in 8 games last year as a bottom ager ... has been compared to Charlie Curnow ... unfortunately he has done his ACL & MCL and is now out for 12 months so not ideal however ... however he will drop in the draft but is a big risk with that injury history .... Sam Gayfer (194cm) is another strong marking forward which might be around our pick ... nephew of Mick

For me .... I don't mind if we go the elite KPD route if Snell or Ladbrook are available around our 1st pick ...... if we keep it of course

Need to be looking four or five years ahead with these picks so KPD for sure, seems like there are a few handy ones. A small forward might be a priority too if Patrick Said and Collard are out/not playing that position anymore.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Need to be looking four or five years ahead with these picks so KPD for sure, seems like there are a few handy ones. A small forward might be a priority too if Patrick Said and Collard are out/not playing that position anymore.

Said will definitely be delisted and Collard should be moved on this year IMO. As good as he looks with ball in hand, he simply wont commit to physical contests. You cant have players constantly shirking contests no matter how much potential they have. Keeler is in the same position, has loads of potential but has zero physicality to his game.

 

[gringo2011]

Keeping an eye on where Sam Gayfer goes. As talented as any key forward & hopefully over his back issues.

Ripping kid, nephew of Mick, Banyule boy.

It's a shame that he's not a bit taller. Seb Marsic is similar in height. Looks good though. Jack Pickett too.

I like Marcus Prasad as well. He seems a little pest. Cody Templeton looks a bit more like he'll go higher but a bit of a could be anything type. Neocleous is getting the hype out of the small blokes because he looks like Nick Watson, maybe a bit less X factor though.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

You cant have players constantly shirking contests no matter how much potential they have.

Hill goes alright

 

[SaintsofSteel]

Hill goes alright

Brad goes like a UFC fighter compared to Collard.