Recruiting AFL Draft Watch 2026

[Keystone agony]

Its best available at pick 1

Find the closest thing to Newc, Mccarthy Noble, Durham?

Not necessarily a small fwd for me

We have Guelfi, HEA, Gresham in the 2s and i still think Zerrett out of the midfield for the group of Robey, Perkins, Parish, Durham, Caldwell Sharp*

 

[Yoda_]

Its best available at pick 1

Find the closest thing to Newc, Mccarthy Noble, Durham?

Not necessarily a small fwd for me

We have Guelfi, HEA, Gresham in the 2s and i still think Zerrett out of the midfield for the group of Robey, Perkins, Parish, Durham, Caldwell Sharp*

Guelfi is done
HEA is a first year small
Gresham is crap

no other genuine small crumbing forwards in that group

 

[noobermensch]

Big numbers again from Lachie Hicks who can find a stack of it when he's in the mood to dominate. He had some longer stints in the forward line as the game progressed and looked dangerous down there, flying for his marks and kicking four goals for the game. Hicks can cough the ball up under pressure and his disposal early wasn't great but overall, this was a strong performance in a big win for his team.

 

[PocketRocket08]

Griffin at pick 1 for me from very limited viewing

We have plenty of options with Kako, Fiorini and DSharp now

really. didn’t watch his vfl game on the week end but 8 possessions. i expect most picks will be mature players.

 

[Yoda_]

really. didn’t watch his vfl game on the week end but 8 possessions. i expect most picks will be mature players.

I hope the MSD actually goes that way of mature players, has any 19 year old been a success from the mid season draft?

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

I hope the MSD actually goes that way of mature players, has any 19 year old been a success from the mid season draft?

Jai Newcombe was 19 at draft time

 

[Yoda_]

Jai Newcombe was 19 at draft time

good strike rate

 

[bombersim]

Is there a general consensus for the top 10 at the moment?

 

[eth-dog]

good strike rate

Trembath, D'Ambrosio, Durham, Moyle, Heath (maybe) another few.

 

[eDPS]

Is there a general consensus for the top 10 at the moment?

Not really, I imagine it will change a lot until the end of the year.

This was Twomeys top 10 in late July last year

Uwland
CDT
Duursma
Patterson
Annable
Sharp
Lindsay
Marsh
Schubert
Dean

So Robey/Farrow/Grlj/Cumming came into that top 10 by the end of the year.

This is my current top 10 but I imagine this changes a bit by late July after champs

Cochrane
Walker
HVH
Patterson
Teixiera
Butler
Williams
Edwards
Drever
Chapman

Could see some talls like Snell or Leeder coming into that range aswell but still so much to play out. I think that top 3 is just about set

 

[bombersim]

Not really, I imagine it will change a lot until the end of the year.

This was Twomeys top 10 in late July last year

Uwland
CDT
Duursma
Patterson
Annable
Sharp
Lindsay
Marsh
Schubert
Dean

So Robey/Farrow/Grlj/Cumming came into that top 10 by the end of the year.

This is my current top 10 but I imagine this changes a bit by late July after champs

Cochrane
Walker
HVH
Patterson
Teixiera
Butler
Williams
Edwards
Drever
Chapman

Could see some talls like Snell or Leeder coming into that range aswell but still so much to play out. I think that top 3 is just about set

Thanks man, much appreciated.
Aside from Cochrane and Walker, are there any other players on that list (or just outside it) that are tied to a club / academy etc?
Looks like we’re basically guaranteed an additional (compensatory) pick if we finish bottom 3.

 

[Keystone agony]

Guelfi is done
HEA is a first year small
Gresham is crap

no other genuine small crumbing forwards in that group

We dont need to be good now, we need to finish last and give Scott 2027 and 2028 with the signs being shown

We just pick best available, dont miss out on a Durham because you go chasing a will snelling need

If they deserve to be pick 1, then all fair game, but dont just pick purely based on position. We need everything and anything right now, the thing we need most is talent and competitors

We need more, but we also have Kako, HEA, Unwin, Perkins to a degree

Small forwards have huge impact early in careers

Gresham - Year 2 - 60 scoring shots
Rachelle - Year 1 - Avg 1.3 goals a game
Watson - Year 1 - Avg 3 scores a game

List goes on, sure there are others that dont do much

 

[Keystone agony]

Not really, I imagine it will change a lot until the end of the year.

This was Twomeys top 10 in late July last year

Uwland
CDT
Duursma
Patterson
Annable
Sharp
Lindsay
Marsh
Schubert
Dean

So Robey/Farrow/Grlj/Cumming came into that top 10 by the end of the year.

This is my current top 10 but I imagine this changes a bit by late July after champs

Cochrane
Walker
HVH
Patterson
Teixiera
Butler
Williams
Edwards
Drever
Chapman

Could see some talls like Snell or Leeder coming into that range aswell but still so much to play out. I think that top 3 is just about set

What keepers Drever at pick 9 instead of closer to that top 5? Im yet to watch much

Where do you have Harvey Spawton Guy? Nick Riewoldt esque

 

[eDPS]

Thanks man, much appreciated.
Aside from Cochrane and Walker, are there any other players on that list (or just outside it) that are tied to a club / academy etc?
Looks like we’re basically guaranteed an additional (compensatory) pick if we finish bottom 3.

I have El Souki just outside that group who is tied to Dogs, Lucas Robinson with Dockers but apart from that there isn’t anyone in the top 10 range yet. Some might pop up for me once I’ve seen them play championships.

What keepers Drever at pick 9 instead of closer to that top 5? Im yet to watch much

Where do you have Harvey Spawton Guy? Nick Riewoldt esque

From 4 onwards it’s pretty close for me so I won’t need that much convincing to see Drever go top 5, keen to see how he goes at champs playing with some stars like Walker/Templeton/Phillips/Williams. He is the main focus with Rebels so yeah keen to see how he goes playing with other good players around him.

I can’t really rate interstate talls too high until I see them play in the championships, I do like HSG though and could even become a good key defender.

 

[Old Campaigner]

There's a real chance to clean up again if Merrett leaves and we score a couple of first round picks in addition to some bonus early second round picks for the NGA/FS bids inside the top 5.

The group we picked up last year already looks like a really strong core to build around, getting another six kids inside the first two rounds would be a fantastic addition.

 

[Yoda_]

There's a real chance to clean up again if Merrett leaves and we score a couple of first round picks in addition to some bonus early second round picks for the NGA/FS bids inside the top 5.

The group we picked up last year already looks like a really strong core to build around, getting another six kids inside the first two rounds would be a fantastic addition.

im aiming for 6-8 kids inside 40 over the next two drafts. (Bewick, Justice, Darwish + 2026 1st, 2026 2nd, 2026 2nd rd compo, 2027 1st, 2027 2nd) thats even without trades as you mentioned

 

[Old Campaigner]

The idea of going balls deep in the draft with what people in the industry are suggesting is one of the hardest working recruiting teams in the league is getting me pretty moist, not gonna lie. There’s never any guarantees of every player we pick making it but having the resources in place to give us the best chance is a great starting position (how sad that this is something to be grateful for lol)

And assuming Bewick lives up to most of the hype, getting him in a draft that’s otherwise going to be ****ed by Tassie is a nice bonus

 

[JayJ20]

As bad as this year and last year have been, this is the perfect time to bottom out before Tassie comes. You wouldn't want to be Collingwood who look to crash just as Tassie comes in.

 

[Donflicted]

The idea of going balls deep in the draft with what people in the industry are suggesting is one of the hardest working recruiting teams in the league is getting me pretty moist, not gonna lie. There’s never any guarantees of every player we pick making it but having the resources in place to give us the best chance is a great starting position (how sad that this is something to be grateful for lol)

And assuming Bewick lives up to most of the hype, getting him in a draft that’s otherwise going to be ****ed by Tassie is a nice bonus

 

[Yoda_]

And assuming Bewick lives up to most of the hype, getting him in a draft that’s otherwise going to be ****ed by Tassie is a nice bonus

I have suggested this, forget trying to be cute and anything else, take a combination of club tied kids and be done with the 2027 draft. If we manage to sneak an extra non-tied in the middle of the draft, great! dont be cute and get out of it with maximum value

 

[ghostdog]

As bad as this year and last year have been, this is the perfect time to bottom out before Tassie comes. You wouldn't want to be Collingwood who look to crash just as Tassie comes in.

Yes, the perfect time.

 

[ghostdog]

I have suggested this, forget trying to be cute and anything else, take a combination of club tied kids and be done with the 2027 draft. If we manage to sneak an extra non-tied in the middle of the draft, great! dont be cute and get out of it with maximum value

I'm sceptical of this approach, only because I don't think it's wrong to get the best you can. Who would now say they are unhappy we didn't draft Sweid? I don't mind not drafting club-tied players if we're instead targeting a quality player who fits a need.

 

[Yoda_]

Is it time for a Mid Season Draft thread?

I'm sceptical of this approach, only because I don't think it's wrong to get the best you can. Who would now say they are unhappy we didn't draft Sweid? I don't mind not drafting club-tied players if we're instead targeting a quality player who fits a need.

the big thing for me is that if we try and be cute, getting a pick in before a bid + 2 picks to match these club ties will become tricky.

With the DVI set to stay the same and not adjust with the Tassie picks included in the order, it's set to seriously f*** with any chance we have of getting additional players in imho.

FWIW, Bewick could be a top 5 pick, we simply should just use the top 5 pick on him rather than trying to get a pick at 4 + another first rounder to match on him.

I think more clubs will simply just take their own club tied players or pass on them with a natural selection they own. That way they aren't using two picks to match unless they slide down and are very good value for the bid they attract.

 

[Donflicted]

Is it time for a Mid Season Draft thread?

the big thing for me is that if we try and be cute, getting a pick in before a bid + 2 picks to match these club ties will become tricky.

With the DVI set to stay the same and not adjust with the Tassie picks included in the order, it's set to seriously f*** with any chance we have of getting additional players in imho.

FWIW, Bewick could be a top 5 pick, we simply should just use the top 5 pick on him rather than trying to get a pick at 4 + another first rounder to match on him.

I think more clubs will simply just take their own club tied players or pass on them with a natural selection they own. That way they aren't using two picks to match unless they slide down and are very good value for the bid they attract.

Thread time!

 

[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.