Under Age U17s - 2027 AFL Draft General Discussion

[Half Back Pocket]

Pilot is Port NGA so he's off limits

It's his choice? What if they used some of the $5million as a sign on bonus?

 

[#BallMagnet]

Has the AFL formally come out to say that F/S, NGA or Academy tied kids are off limits to Tassie?

 

[Johnny Bananas]

It's his choice? What if they used some of the $5million as a sign on bonus?

You would think the AFLPA would want a condition inserted that the bonus is to be used for veterans only, not underage players. AFL head office are incompetent boobs who fail to foresee even the most obvious manoeuvres in any system they create, but I imagine the AFLPA are a bit smarter and more proactive, and would foresee this.

 

[Jen2310]

Has the AFL formally come out to say that F/S, NGA or Academy tied kids are off limits to Tassie?

It's the open pool from what Ive been told they only have access to. If in 2027 they want to bid on prospects, go for it, but clubs still retain access.

 

[saintscup]

IMO, there's no way Walsh, Pilot etc are going to sign with Tassie. Why would they? They are guaranteed to be drafted on their current trajectory.

They already get full access to all the kids from Tassie, i'd imagine it will be players ranked from 25+ that end up as signings

I kind of disagree here. If you're in the top 10, there's a good chance you're going to Tassie anyway, so why not get paid early and get a year of AFL development under your belt as a professional? There are no guarantees the following year, so I think unless you're allergic to Tasmanian Devils, you go when you can. I'm hearing 150k - 200k for 17-year-olds. Not bad...

 

[sportslime11]

So how does it work with Tassie? They will pay the under age draftees to train and guarantee them an AFL spot? It would be a tough decision if you were in top 10 prospects and wanted to play for one of the top teams.

 

[GreyCrow]

Invite only and agreement. You will play in the VFL comp and then be considered for draft pick - is my understanding

 

[briztoon]

Invite only and agreement. You will play in the VFL comp and then be considered for draft pick - is my understanding

They are prelisted as 17 year olds, no draft pick required.

The 2027 draft will potentially be gutted and compromised to all hell. All the Tassie start up picks, compensation picks for clubs losing players to Tassie, and that's before factoring in any academy or father son kids.

There were 11 club tied kids in this years U16 AA team. 5 to Northern Academies, 2 to Tassie, 1 nga kid to Port, 2 FS to Port, and 1 FS to Essendon.

Draft picks galore, $5m sign-on pool: Tasmania's list build rules revealed

The AFL's 19th club, Tasmania, will have access to a huge array of concessions as it builds its inaugural list

www.afl.com.au

• Four mini-draft selections over two years to on-trade access to star 17-year-olds for following drafts;
• Access to pre-list draft talents in their 17th year, spread across two years;
• Access to Tasmanian prospects from two years before the club's entry year, with the players able to bypass drafts and play in the state league team;
• Priority access to Tasmanian prospects as Academy players, similar to the Northern Academy model, with the ability to pre-list eligible Academy players for the first four years before the AFL reviews the club's access;

As revealed by AFL.com.au in May, the Devils will be handed picks No.1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13, and the first selection of each subsequent round in their first draft, which is set to be in 2027.

Four of those picks – No.5, 7, 11 and 13 – come with the caveat they need to be used in trades.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

The AA team can be a bit misleading. There’s a lot of “equality” involved. I don’t see any of the Nth Academy kids being Top 20.

Top 20 are:
Pilot
Bewick
Salopek

Tassie kids will be pre-listed to Tassie anyway. Only Husband a top 25 prospect imo

A couple of chances to be mini-drafted

I don’t get this “highly compromised” draft concept when there’s going to be upwards of 80 selections

 

[Half Back Pocket]

They are prelisted as 17 year olds, no draft pick required.

The 2027 draft will potentially be gutted and compromised to all hell. All the Tassie start up picks, compensation picks for clubs losing players to Tassie, and that's before factoring in any academy or father son kids.

There were 11 club tied kids in this years U16 AA team. 5 to Northern Academies, 2 to Tassie, 1 nga kid to Port, 2 FS to Port, and 1 FS to Essendon.

Draft picks galore, $5m sign-on pool: Tasmania's list build rules revealed

The AFL's 19th club, Tasmania, will have access to a huge array of concessions as it builds its inaugural list

www.afl.com.au

Do we know established players who transfer over will elicit a Compensation pick?

 

[briztoon]

Do we know established players who transfer over will elicit a Compensation pick?

It's in the link mate

Clubs that lose uncontracted players to Tasmania via this concession will be given compensation picks in return, in a new model that will see clubs given one or more 'floating' picks where the club can choose which draft year they fall in.

So expect subsequent drafts to be potentially compromised as clubs push their compensation picks beyond the Tasmanian drafts. Or clubs bank those picks for points.

 

[briztoon]

The AA team can be a bit misleading. There’s a lot of “equality” involved. I don’t see any of the Nth Academy kids being Top 20.

Top 20 are:
Pilot
Bewick
Salopek

Tassie kids will be pre-listed to Tassie anyway. Only Husband a top 25 prospect imo

A couple of chances to be mini-drafted

I don’t get this “highly compromised” draft concept when there’s going to be upwards of 80 selections

I'll be somewhat surprised if the Lions don't have one or two first round academy kids.

Jackson Bridge was in that AA team on merit. Lachlan Ellen is class, but we have such an even midfield crop in this age group. And our academy is loaded for KPP's. Boothey. Will White and Sam Dobbie. Any of them could "pop".

Expect all the underage KPP's to be playing in our academy team this year, and I'd be disappointed if Ellen and Rafter didn't play most CTL and academy series games.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

I'll be somewhat surprised if the Lions don't have one or two first round academy kids.

Jackson Bridge was in that AA team on merit. Lachlan Ellen is class, but we have such an even midfield crop in this age group. And our academy is loaded for KPP's. Boothey. Will White and Sam Dobbie. Any of them could "pop".

Expect all the underage KPP's to be playing in our academy team this year, and I'd be disappointed if Ellen and Rafter didn't play most CTL and academy series games.

Concede to your knowledge… I still think GC and GWS will be lite, and SS have Duke, Charles who are top 50

 

[briztoon]

Concede to your knowledge… I still think GC and GWS will be lite, and SS have Duke, Charles who are top 50

Not sure GC really have any elite kids for 2026 or 2027. They're probably more concerned with managing their salary cap and keeping all their players.

Can just draft kids late and rotate players between the rookie list and main list to fudge the draft.

My knowledge, lol. I just try and bs with the best of them.

 

[saintscup]

Invite only and agreement. You will play in the VFL comp and then be considered for draft pick - is my understanding

Next year the top handful of 17 year olds will be selected as pre-draft picks from the 2027 group & will likely be offered three-year deals worth upwards of 150k from day one to play VFL, with a guaranteed AFL list spot once Tassie enters the comp. I guess the kids will have a say given they would need to move schools & away from their family at a young age etc...

Realistically, the majority of the top 6–10 players from that group are probably ending up on Tassie’s list anyway—unless they’re tied to a club or get traded out.

If the choice was there, I’d be going early. A year as a full-time pro on good money, with elite development coaches looking after you, would be a huge head start, especially if you're odds on to end up there anyway.

Its going to be interesting to say the least...

 

[#BallMagnet]

Next year the top handful of 17 year olds will be selected as pre-draft picks from the 2027 group & will likely be offered three-year deals worth upwards of 150k from day one to play VFL, with a guaranteed AFL list spot once Tassie enters the comp. I guess the kids will have a say given they would need to move schools & away from their family at a young age etc...

Realistically, the majority of the top 6–10 players from that group are probably ending up on Tassie’s list anyway—unless they’re tied to a club or get traded out.

If the choice was there, I’d be going early. A year as a full-time pro on good money, with elite development coaches looking after you, would be a huge head start, especially if you're odds on to end up there anyway.

Its going to be interesting to say the least...

Are we sure the AFL has stipulated that club tied kids are off limits to Tassie? If the AFL are wanting Tassie to have access to the best 17yo's in the country and become competative early, then it's possible no kid is off the table.

 

[BluesForEternity]

Broad question - how is this draft vibing at this early stage, in terms of quality? I know people are talking up the top end of 2026 already - do we have a sense at all of how 2027 is projecting? Trying to work out the relative value of 2027 picks (even accounting for the Tassie concessions).

 

[saintscup]

Are we sure the AFL has stipulated that club tied kids are off limits to Tassie? If the AFL are wanting Tassie to have access to the best 17yo's in the country and become competative early, then it's possible no kid is off the table.

Not sure of that detail, but id say we would be hearing the bombers sook up if that was the case.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Not sure of that detail, but id say we would be hearing the bombers sook up if that was the case.

Nah, the kids still need to agree. No way Bewick goes to Tassie to get an extra year of development and an extra $150k to play VFL and leave his family and school during VCE...not a hope in hell.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Broad question - how is this draft vibing at this early stage, in terms of quality? I know people are talking up the top end of 2026 already - do we have a sense at all of how 2027 is projecting? Trying to work out the relative value of 2027 picks (even accounting for the Tassie concessions).

Tas, WA, SA and Metro each consider this the strongest crop for years...top end and depth. Add in VC's top 5-6 players (very high quality) and the Nth Academies (esp Brisbane - see above).

Only 3 F/S...and Academy players will be harder to list moving forward.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Broad question - how is this draft vibing at this early stage, in terms of quality? I know people are talking up the top end of 2026 already - do we have a sense at all of how 2027 is projecting? Trying to work out the relative value of 2027 picks (even accounting for the Tassie concessions).

They'd be sabotaging the work that's gone into the NGAs and northern academies if so. Nothing is beyond the AFLs incompetence (witness them screwing Melbourne out of Mac Andrew only to reverse the rule a year or two later) but you'd think they'd try not to be that silly.

 

[#BallMagnet]

Nah, the kids still need to agree. No way Bewick goes to Tassie to get an extra year of development and an extra $150k to play VFL and leave his family and school during VCE...not a hope in hell.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. As just seen, AFL clubs supposedly only just confirmed nominations to take F/S, Academy or NGA affiliated kids for this years draft, even then still without full guarantees apparently. Therefore if Tassie come 12 months earlier and want to lock you in, you'd have to seriously take this into consideration. I cant see an AFL club giving you a sure fire draft guarantee 12 months out unless you are nearly in the consensus top 3 picks.

 

[Petrify]

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. As just seen, AFL clubs supposedly only just confirmed nominations to take F/S, Academy or NGA affiliated kids for this years draft, even then still without full guarantees apparently. Therefore if Tassie come 12 months earlier and want to lock you in, you'd have to seriously take this into consideration. I cant see an AFL club giving you a sure fire draft guarantee 12 months out unless you are nearly in the consensus top 3 picks.

Essendon would make the gaurantee to Bewick in a heartbeat.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Essendon would make the gaurantee to Bewick in a heartbeat.

So will Port for Louie and Pilot, and possibly Tevita

 

[GreyCrow]

Will be interesting to see how this plays out. As just seen, AFL clubs supposedly only just confirmed nominations to take F/S, Academy or NGA affiliated kids for this years draft, even then still without full guarantees apparently. Therefore if Tassie come 12 months earlier and want to lock you in, you'd have to seriously take this into consideration. I cant see an AFL club giving you a sure fire draft guarantee 12 months out unless you are nearly in the consensus top 3 picks.

The other side is injury management

Getting an injury next year may see you drop many spaces

If you have money and a list spot you can breathe easier