Preview 2026 National Draft Thread

[Harris 10]

Rules on the run:



Can someone tell what happens if say north trade up from pick 7 to pick 2, then walker is bid at 1 moving us back to 3 would North get additional 2nd rounder or does original team get it or nobody gets it?

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

Rules on the run:



Can someone tell what happens if say north trade up from pick 7 to pick 2, then walker is bid at 1 moving us back to 3 would North get additional 2nd rounder or does original team get it or nobody gets it?

North would get an additional second rounder.

If you’ve traded capital to get up to the pick, and that pick is compromised you get the compensation for that, as you’ve had to give something up.

 

[Harris 10]

North would get an additional second rounder.

If you’ve traded capital to get up to the pick, and that pick is compromised you get the compensation for that, as you’ve had to give something up.

It’s completely f ing stupid.

Should be a vote of no confidence in the entire management of the AFL and have them all removed.

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

It’s completely f ing stupid.

Should be a vote of no confidence in the entire management of the AFL and have them all removed.

They should just scrap it all altogether (nga, academy, father son). But they can’t due to all the different vested interests they have to weigh.

And look personally I don’t mind it. There’s a big song and dance about it now because Carlton and Port have NGA talents up the top. In my opinion, because of the points system tightening and only being able to use 2 picks in the same round to match , this is going to happen a lot less than expected.

Port have Butters leaving, Carlton had Curnow leave. Without that it’d be pretty difficult for either to match either bid, and thus those players would go where they should (within the top 5) to the teams with those picks.

It won’t be rorted as much as expected because it’s an actual live chance that the bids don’t get matched often and as such teams will pick players in the order they rate them.

And because it will take 2 firsts to match, there won’t even really be much of an effect on the 2nd round. With the ‘top 5 bid’ compo picks essentially replacing the picks that have been absorbed. And there is a genuine drop in talent from the 1st to the 2nd pick and so on so forth down the order most years - i.e. most years a team wouldn’t be able to even trade pick 2 + 19 for pick 1. So in losing out on a player they rate and thus shifting down the order, I have no problem in teams getting a compensation for that.

 

[muttley45]

Still reckon there will be some form of tanking going on towards season's end, by one or more clubs

 

[SWMD]

 

[SWMD]

If you had pick 7, you didn't finish bottom 5.

If you traded your pick, then you didn't use your natural selection to DRAFT a player.

If you used your pick 4 to MATCH a father son bid at pick 2, then you did not use your natural pick to draft a player, you actually have already benefited by matching a player who went earlier than your natural pick. Why would you be compensated for a GAIN?

 

[chubbspeterson]

Rules on the run:



Can someone tell what happens if say north trade up from pick 7 to pick 2, then walker is bid at 1 moving us back to 3 would North get additional 2nd rounder or does original team get it or nobody gets it?

I don't get this. What if Cochrane is rated higher and the bid is fair as being the top prospect?
At least canvass all the other clubs as to who their no. 1 pick is before taking away Tigers getting a R2.

 

[Rooboys Rool]

This is all set up for us to sneak into 13th by percentage and miss out on a free second rounder.

 

[chubbspeterson]

This is all set up for us to sneak into 13th by percentage and miss out on a free second rounder.

Hopefully we're pick 7-10 range and it's not on the radar.
Good spot to just pick for positional needs or slide back to pick up another selection for bids.

 

[Rooboys Rool]

Hopefully we're pick 7-10 range and it's not on the radar.
Good spot to just pick for positional needs or slide back to pick up another selection for bids.

I agree - we’re in with a shot at a Wildcard. But we’re also a good chance of finishing 11th - 13th. The new system is a bit strange in that those 3 clubs that miss the finals still get treated the same as finalists in that they don’t get the additional 2nd rounder.

 

[Harris 10]

I don't get this. What if Cochrane is rated higher and the bid is fair as being the top prospect?
At least canvass all the other clubs as to who their no. 1 pick is before taking away Tigers getting a R2.

I don't get any of it, we make rules to fix the rules, that we changed to fix the previous rules, that were put in place to fix the rule changes before that and the cycle can be traced back to when we had a clean draft that seemed to work fine.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

My stupidly early top 40*.

*Subject to change considerably post Championships

1	Harry Van Hattum
2	Dougie Cochrane
3	Cody Walker
4	Kodah Edwards
5	Ethan Drever
6	Harrison Chapman
7	Gabriel Patterson
8	Clancy Snell
9	Arki Butler
10	Will Malady
11	Gus Texeira
12	Lachlan Hicks
13	Noah Williams
14	Koby LeCras
15	Khaled El Souki
16	Jack Pickett
17	Lucas Robinson
18	Xavier Ladbrook
19	Archie Van Dyk
20	Tate Hodgson
21	Marlon Neocleous
22	Ethan Herbert
23	Heath Mellody
24	Darcy Szerszyn
25	Lewis Houndsome
26	Cody Templeton
27	Harrison Leeder
28	Caylen Murray
29	Kale Matthews-Hampton
30	Gus Kennedy
31	Archie Hill
32	Aidan McCartney
33	Albert Macgowan
34	Tanner Armstrong
35	Billy Wigmore
36	Jackson Phillips
37	Blake Justice
38	Tyson Bradley
39	Sam Harris
40	Jack Gordon

 

[ferball]

Albert Macgowan - On a Cold and Misty Morning by the Bridge.

 

[ferball]

Harrison Leeder - The nananananananana, nananananananana

 

[King Corey]

Lucas Robinson = The so here's to you Mrs

 

[King Corey]

Lewis Houndsome = The B. Wonderful

 

[King Corey]

Ethan Drever = The Getaway

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

My stupidly early top 40*.

*Subject to change considerably post Championships

1	Harry Van Hattum
2	Dougie Cochrane
3	Cody Walker
4	Kodah Edwards
5	Ethan Drever
6	Harrison Chapman
7	Gabriel Patterson
8	Clancy Snell
9	Arki Butler
10	Will Malady
11	Gus Texeira
12	Lachlan Hicks
13	Noah Williams
14	Koby LeCras
15	Khaled El Souki
16	Jack Pickett
17	Lucas Robinson
18	Xavier Ladbrook
19	Archie Van Dyk
20	Tate Hodgson
21	Marlon Neocleous
22	Ethan Herbert
23	Heath Mellody
24	Darcy Szerszyn
25	Lewis Houndsome
26	Cody Templeton
27	Harrison Leeder
28	Caylen Murray
29	Kale Matthews-Hampton
30	Gus Kennedy
31	Archie Hill
32	Aidan McCartney
33	Albert Macgowan
34	Tanner Armstrong
35	Billy Wigmore
36	Jackson Phillips
37	Blake Justice
38	Tyson Bradley
39	Sam Harris
40	Jack Gordon

Love it RF - never too early around here!

I haven’t watched much u18s this year - been too busy and also less invested hoping we have a later pick lol.

A question - Herbert and Neocleous in the 20s, is that a height based thing for their positions?

 

[giantroo]

 

[desie]

Ethan Drever = The Getaway

Ethan Drever = The ‘s dog

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Love it RF - never too early around here!

I haven’t watched much u18s this year - been too busy and also less invested hoping we have a later pick lol.

A question - Herbert and Neocleous in the 20s, is that a height based thing for their positions?

I like Herbert, but I think you have to have freakish athletic traits (i.e Van Hattum) to be taken in that top 10 as a ruck. I think in this day and age you really want your rucks to be 202cm+ as well. They are seemingly only getting taller. Reckon it's more likely he goes beyond pick 15.

Neocleous I'm really waiting to see his testing. His agility looks good, speed looks decent, kicking and vision is elite. Athletic profile probably similar to Dovva but not quite Nick Watson levels, which is what you need as sub 170cm to get taken in the top 10. El Souki, likely to be the first genuine small forward picked, so likely Neocleous drifts out beyond pick 15 too.

 

[Ball Dont Lie]

If there is a Pickett in this draft my inclination is to take them. Related or not related the name has a great strike rate.

 

[ferball]

Where are the Pogues fans?

We have to draft a dude named Albert Macgowan.

At least you know he'll have some mongrel in him.

And some heart.

 

[ferball]

Apparently there is also a kid in this draft named Judd Lemon.

Poor kid.