Preview 2026 National Draft Thread

[roos_fanatic08]

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

Poor kid.

Jamayson Ketchup will really add some sauce to the mix.

 

[ferball]

Jamayson Ketchup will really add some sauce to the mix.

Modern Parents Kerridge all timer.

 

[chubbspeterson]

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.

Yeah it's confusing. I guess they want a pure no. 1 selection or bid with no strings attached at #1.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Zero Hanger May Draft Rankings

 

[chubbspeterson]

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Everyone is sleeping on Lachie Hicks I reckon.

Won’t surprise me if he ends up closer to the top 10 come the end of the championships.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Forgot about Szerzyn with his injury, another defender to look at along with Snell and Hogdson.

 

[chubbspeterson]

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.

I did hear Twomey say some clubs think Herbert might be a key back in time and he's got some nice skills, but doesn't exactly scream top 10 as you say.

 

[chubbspeterson]

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. Never too early and you've done well to rank them. Finding it hard given it's pretty even outside clear top 3.
I'm not as keen on Gab Patterson, elite speed would be good, but I see a lot of Jaidyn Stephenson, so bad vibes there and not sure he's all that skilled just from what I've seen.
I reckon if I had to narrow down the players I like it would be the following.

1	Harry Van Hattum
4	Kodah Edwards
5	Ethan Drever
6	Harrison Chapman
8	Clancy Snell
12	Lachlan Hicks
13	Noah Williams
15	Khaled El Souki
18	Xavier Ladbrook
20	Tate Hodgson
21	Marlon Neocleous
23	Heath Mellody
24	Darcy Szerszyn
25	Lewis Houndsome
26	Cody Templeton
29	Kale Matthews-Hampton
32	Aidan McCartney
35	Billy Wigmore
36	Jackson Phillips
38	Tyson Bradley
39	Sam Harris

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[ferball]

Great mark. Kid's a potential gun.

He's not a Collingwood F/S is he. Seem to be different stories about whether he is or not.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

View attachment 2607898View attachment 2607900View attachment 2607901

Bula must’ve got dropped from the Tassie side. Been playing for Launceston in recent weeks.

 

[roos 10]

Bula must’ve got dropped from the Tassie side. Been playing for Launceston in recent weeks.

How has he been going there

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

Bula must’ve got dropped from the Tassie side. Been playing for Launceston in recent weeks.

Thought he was injured

 

[deano28]

Not relevant to this draft but Max Thompson is racking up some pretty compelling numbers for Bendigo as a 16yr old .

 

[King Corey]

Not relevant to this draft but Max Thompson is racking up some pretty compelling numbers for Bendigo as a 16yr old .

Of course he bloody will.

 

[shinboner magic]

Not relevant to this draft but Max Thompson is racking up some pretty compelling numbers for Bendigo as a 16yr old .

Who’s kid

 

[Harris 10]

SEN article: Archie Devine was again prolific with 26 touches and five inside 50s

 

[deano28]

SEN article: Archie Devine was again prolific with 26 touches and five inside 50s

Any chance he pushes into top 20 consideration?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Any chance he pushes into top 20 consideration?

Depends on how he goes at the champs. A couple of big games there and it won’t surprise me if he comes into top 30 calcs.

In saying that there isn’t much fanfare about any of the Tassie prospects this year.

 

[EDFL follower]

Love it. Never too early and you've done well to rank them. Finding it hard given it's pretty even outside clear top 3.
I'm not as keen on Gab Patterson, elite speed would be good, but I see a lot of Jaidyn Stephenson, so bad vibes there and not sure he's all that skilled just from what I've seen.
I reckon if I had to narrow down the players I like it would be the following.

1	Harry Van Hattum
4	Kodah Edwards
5	Ethan Drever
6	Harrison Chapman
8	Clancy Snell
12	Lachlan Hicks
13	Noah Williams
15	Khaled El Souki
18	Xavier Ladbrook
20	Tate Hodgson
21	Marlon Neocleous
23	Heath Mellody
24	Darcy Szerszyn
25	Lewis Houndsome
26	Cody Templeton
29	Kale Matthews-Hampton
32	Aidan McCartney
35	Billy Wigmore
36	Jackson Phillips
38	Tyson Bradley
39	Sam Harris

Cody Templeton is a Nth supporter

 

[My Left Foote]

Who’s kid

I’d like to know too, guessing it’s the son of one of Nathan Thompson, Scott Thompson, Bomber Thompson or The Thompson Twins.

 

[noobermensch]

A first look on the channel at one of the top key defender prospects in this year's pool. Tate Hodgson has had a solid start to the year without having a real standout performance. He's big, athletic and competitive, willing to crash in to contests in the air and at ground level, capable of reading the play to intercept, and with the skill level to hit targets on the rebound.

 

[noobermensch]

The stats may not jump off the page, but this was one of the most dominant aerial displays you'll see from a defender at this level. 7 of his 10 marks were direct intercepts from opposition inside 50s, and most of those were contested. The Lions controlled territory for most of the second half, and if it wasn't for Snell this could have been a smashing.