FATHER-SON GUN

There is not much more Walker could possibly do to prove his top-end credentials. Even before pledging his allegiance to Carlton via father-son eligibility last year, the explosive midfielder has been a well known quantity. Like Cochrane, he set himself apart in the under-age bracket and continues to impress at all levels. This year, Walker has excelled with his performances for the Bendigo Pioneers, AFL Academy, Carlton VFL, and even back at local level with Echuca. Having undertaken a senior preseason with the Blues, he hasn’t missed a beat and presents as a strong leader among his peers. On the field, he glides across the turf akin to his famous father, Andrew, and possesses a ravenous work rate. His ability to cover the ground and impact the scoreboard compliments a strong stoppage game, where Walker is always on his toes and able to bring the ball to the outside cleanly. He plays with minimal fuss and gets the job done every week. The scary thing is that he can still improve, particularly in the way of his ball use under pressure. He co-captained Vic Country at the champs and was named in the All-Australian side despite missing a game through injury.

BEST AVAILABLE?

With the consensus top two prospects both being club-tied, Van Hattum is among the leading open pool candidates. A hulking and physically imposing ruckman, he is beginning to bear the fruits of continual exposure to the elite talent pathway. At 205cm, he holds his ground and stands tall in packs, but also possesses a remarkable leap and ridiculous speed for a player his size. Van Hattum’s blend of aggression and athleticism makes him the ideal modern day ruck/forward, capable of dominating at the centre ball-ups and contributing to the scoreboard. Some have him labelled as this year’s Cooper Duff-Tytler, though with a few extra centimetres of height and arguably more developed craft, he shapes as a player who could genuinely be that nailed-on ruckman at the top level. It may not be as simple as Essendon and Richmond battling it out for his services, but if Van Hattum can take games by the scruff of the neck in the back-end of the year, look out.

THE DYNAMO

There has to be a fitting ‘Butler’ pun out there, but the footy this one dishes up is no joke. A flashy and mercurial forward half threat, Butler has the raw talent to put himself in the conversation to be the top open pool player. He’s capable of winning games off his own boot with bunches of goals, and has more readily featured in midfield this year. At 182cm, he can explode out of stoppages and is a nightmare matchup one-on-one, capable of either beating his opponent aerially or sending them to the floor with a shimmy. Though, for all the highlights in his extensive reel, Butler can also be frustrating at times as he battles to find four-quarter consistency. Opposition players seem to target him too, and why not when he continues to excel at school, club, and representative level. He was clearly Metro’s best at Under 16 level and showed glimpses of his dynamic best before a collarbone injury ended his national carnival.

POWER PACKET

One of this year’s early bolters, Teixeira has long been bubbling away as a hot prospect and is now among the top open pool options. After a foot injury delayed his start to the season, he took little time to make an impact with explosive performances through midfield. He was a standout in the Vic Metro trials and has gone on to dominate at APS level with St Kevin’s, while performing each time he gets the chance for Sandringham. Teixeira went on to show his game-winning attributes at representative level and was duly named All-Australia. He possesses that eye-catching power out of a contest, able to burst away untouched and deliver the ball destructively heading inside 50. He can also do damage as a forward and has habitually hit the scoreboard this year. It’s hard to see him moving out of the top handful.

MR CONSISTENT

There is simply no denying Drever, who has won plenty of fans in 2026. Some may remember him as a late addition to last year’s National Futures match, but he has since established himself as a nailed-on inside midfielder for Greater Western Victoria. An ultra-consistent ball winner who thrives at the contest, Drever has averaged 29 disposals, 6.1 tackles and a goal per game for the Rebels this year, leading from the front as captain. Though, what has recruiters even more excited is his explosive athleticism, highlighted by a sub-three second 20m sprint time in preseason. So, not only does he have the size and clean hands to dominate at stoppage, but can also hurt the opposition with his turn of speed on the exit. Drever can continue to work on his foot skills under pressure, although has made a habit of slamming home long-range goals this year – at crucial times, no less. He has added strings to his bow with more prolific coverage of the ground and that scoreboard impact. He hardly plays a bad game.

GIANT STANDOUT

There wasn’t much fanfare for Matthews until he exploded onto the representative stage in Allies colours. The standout NSW/ACT talent tore it up at Talent League level, averaging 35.3 disposals, 6.3 marks, 5.3 tackles, nine inside 50s and nearly three goals per game. It’s not just a case of him filling his boots, either. Matthews is a terrific runner capable of combining with teammates and connecting the lines with repeat possessions in single passages. He has a handy burst of speed and is wickedly efficient by hand and foot. What has brought Matthews’ game to another level is his ability to regularly hit the scoreboard, transitioning from an outside-leaning wing or half-back to a genuinely damaging midfielder. He shapes as a long-term project for the Giants, but has already played six VFL games and seems to be in a hurry. Alongside Queenslander Caylen Murray, he was one of just two bottom-agers to earn an Allies debut last year. A stress reaction in his foot cut Matthews’ national carnival short, but he should be back soon.

SHARP SKILLS

There is no sweeter melody than the sound of the ball thumping off this prospect’s boot, especially for his teammates. An elite ball user and decision maker on either side of his body, Mellody shapes as Western Australia’s top talent in 2026. What’s more, he has proven himself amongst the wider crop as this year’s Larke Medallist. The 17-year-old cut his teeth across the wing and half-back in 2025, breaking into the Sandgropers’ Under 18 side and helping Claremont take out a third-straight Colts flag. He carried on that outstanding representative form and even earned some midfield exposure. Also a member of the National Academy, Mellody sets himself apart with his ability to chain together possessions and cover enormous ground with ball in hand. Few prospects suit transition football like he does.

NEED FOR STEED

Steed has pressed his case with somewhat of a chip on his shoulder since missing out on last year’s state winter squad. The combative midfielder-forward has established himself in Swan Districts’ League side this year, playing seven games for six goals and an average of 13.3 disposals. While he has mostly thrived as a high forward at that level, Steed was outstanding as co-captain in Western Australia’s midfield, earning All-Australian honours. He fights for possession, tackles hard, and has a wicked turn of foot to escape congestion. Clubs will love his competitiveness and ability to take the moment on. If he was a little taller, we could be talking about a top five contender.

THE AERIALIST

Snell has come with a rocket into top 10 calculations after an outstanding start to the year. He showed signs as a bottom-ager, being an athletic but very raw key position utility who could chime in at either end of the ground. Now, he is arguably the best and most well-rounded key defender in the crop. Snell’s aerial prowess and unflappable intercept marking bears resemblance to Carlton draftee Harry Dean, whom he effectively replaced in the Vic Country side. The 196cm talent reads the play beautifully and simply doesn’t fumble, whether that be in the air or at ground level. His athleticism allows him to peel off and join the attack too, showcasing neat fundamental skills and a level of composure. It’s hard to see him moving far from this spot if he maintains his form. He hails from strong sporting pedigree as the nephew of former Australian Opal Belinda Snell, and cousin of the Duursma clan.

GOALS IN BUNCHES

Malady is another extraordinarily talented player who is in the process of putting the pieces together more consistently. He has already proven to be a match-winner at representative level, winning Vic Country the Under 16 title with a golden point in 2024 and starring with five goals in last year’s National Futures match. He’s a marking phenom at 190cm, possessing eye-catching athleticism to jump on opponents’ backs or beat them on the lead. Importantly, he fulfils his ability to play tall by taking the ball at the top of his reach. Malady is also a prolific goalkicker, capable of scoring in bunches and not needing many opportunities to make an impact. He has shown improvement in the way of defensive pressure and all-round competitiveness this year, which will help him remain involved in games across four-quarters. At the moment it’s low-volume, high-damage, but his upside is considerable.

MARKING MACHINE

There may not be a single player more effective at performing his role than Harris. The hulking key defender is a prolific intercept marker, but just as readily shuts down opponents and does so with minimal fuss. He’s as brave as they come when flying for marks and is capable of plucking the ball at full stretch overhead, seldom fumbling. Much of that, and his ability to split contests at a minimum, is down to his competitiveness. Harris also reads the play well and is doing a wealth of work on his ball use, looking to refine his kicking out of defence. Improvement in that area will take his game to the next level. As it stands, he’s comfortably among the top three key backs in this year’s crop. The South Australian acquitted himself well on the representative stage, named at full back in the All-Australian team.

TOUGH AS NAILS

Williams is the kind of player every teammate and coach would love to have in their side. Not only is he a terrific character and leader, but he is also a highly skilled and effective talent. The diminutive utility defies his size with extraordinary tenacity, cracking in at the contest and refusing to be beaten. What’s more, he tackles hard and is a high-level prospect willing to defend. He is still working on becoming a nailed-on midfielder, but can impact games off a wing or half-back flank. There, Williams’ speed and precise foot skills shine. Having notched a best on ground medal in one of the two National Academy fixtures, as well as in last year’s Under 17 Futures match, he seemed primed for a big national carnival. He was considered a genuine top-five chance early in the year and has the traits to do so, but will need to recapture some of his best form to get back there.

RUN AND GUN

Unlucky not to have featured around this mark on our initial list, Murray found a strong vein of form with the Allies. Having spent plenty of time operating off half-back and the wing, a shift on-ball has brought new life to his game pre-carnival. He translated his ability to carve up the opposition in all thirds of the ground, linking up with dangerous combination play and consistently putting speed on the ball. In Allies colours, he reverted back to that role as a playmaking defender with aplomb. Murray is strong overhead and quick across the ground, but also possesses incisive foot skills and can slam home long-range goals. He was one of just two bottom-agers to feature for the Allies last year and went into his top-age champs with plenty of momentum, averaging 22 disposals, 4.4 marks, and 5.1 inside 50s per his handful of Talent League games. He is also gaining exposure in the VFL. A first round talent.

THE UNKNOWN

We were only given a brief glimpse of what Pickett is capable of this year before a major knee injury cut his campaign short. Still, he booted a pair of goals in his single Talent League appearance and has enormous potential as a premium goalkicker. The strong-marking tall debuted for Vic Country last year and established himself as one of the crop’s most dangerous key forwards, slotting a sensational 31 goals in just eight games for the Falcons. He draws comparisons to Sydney star Charlie Curnow with his ability to excel in the air and kick goals in bunches, capable of winning games off his own boot. He only needs a few opportunities to do so. Pickett was part of the National Academy and spent time training with the Geelong Cats in preseason. One to keep in mind.

ALL THE TOOLS

Gayfer has made a name for himself lately, grabbing headlines with a huge speccy to compliment his several bags of goals in the Talent League, and an outstanding national carnival. At 194cm, he’s an aggressive and physical key forward who remains involved once the ball hits the deck, capable of applying tackle pressure or forging additional shots on goal. As a more conventional lead-up type, he can continue to work on sticking his overhead marks, but has proven his ability to fly high. In seven games for the Knights this year, Gayfer has booted 18 goals including a haul of six in Round 7. He went on to kick seven goals in Vic Metro colours but was overlooked for an All-Australian nod. Gayfer is the nephew of 142-game former Magpie, Michael.

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

A star and embedded leader of the South Australian pathway for several years, Edwards captained the Croweaters once again at Under 18 level. He’s a genuine competitor who puts everything into the midfield battle, but can just as easily break games open when rotating deep forward. The South Adelaide product desperately extracts the ball from stoppages and has the power to explode out of congestion. It’s those kind of hallmarks which make him a difficult player to contain inside 50, where he consistently finds the goals and pops up with strong aerial efforts. Edwards can be scrappy with his ball use at times, but isn’t afraid to kick off both feet and has lifted his output around the ground. Few can claim to beat him in terms of potential hurt factor, nor leadership qualities. He recently impressed in his SANFL League debut for the Panthers, collecting 16 disposals and seven marks.

THE BOLTER

Phillips stood out immediately as one of this year’s big improvers and has been exceptional in Dandenong’s midfield. A Vic Country representative at Under 16 level, he was relatively steady in terms of output as a bottom-ager last year but has made massive strides since. Phillips is as stylish as they come, possessing great running power with his blend of speed and combination work from end-to-end. He can clear a stoppage or link up on the outside, meaning he sometimes has his magnet switched between the centre ball-ups and wing. Rounding 0ut his game, Phillips kicks effectively off both feet and has made a habit of hitting the scoreboard, averaging 22.9 disposals, 5,1 inside 50s and a goal per game for Dandenong.

POCKET ROCKET

Having kicked bags of goals against all comers at Talent League level, El Souki’s great litmus test awaited at the National Championships. Unfortunately, an ankle injury saw the Western Bulldogs NGA prospect restricted to one Vic Metro appearance, which ironically may be welcome news for the Bulldogs given just how well he’s tracking. The 175cm dynamo certainly knows how to find the goals, capable of converting from every which angle and method. He has booted 27 majors in eight games for Western, including two bags of six, while also averaging an impressive 19.4 disposals with spurts in the midfield. When he’s not scoring, El Souki is creatively setting up teammates with his punchy foot skills and loves to get stuck in with tackle pressure. He shapes as one of the draft’s most dangerous and well-rounded small forwards.

TALL TALENT TIME

There is often discourse surrounding the growing baseline height for AFL ruckmen, but Herbert is fighting through that with form. He has well and truly outgrown the Under 18 level, putting up video game numbers at school and club level for the last two seasons. The North Adelaide big man has averaged 22 disposals, 20 hitouts, and seven clearances in five AAMI Talent League games this season, while also returning two strong performances for the National Academy. He was only kept out of South Australia’s starting team last year by the All-Australian ruck, and after conceding the starting spot to Jobe Janeway, he eventually showed some of his best form as a standalone. Already a dominant ruck with great craft to access the ball with hits and direct clearances, Herbert has also been working on his forward craft – taking contested marks and kicking goals. He’s a mobile mover and has wonderful skills to boot. The bigman posted 13 disposals and 16 hitouts in his SANFL Reserves debut recently.

THE NUKE

Possessing undeniably elite talent, Neocleous is a fan favourite among even the most casual draft watchers. Central to that are his swagger and smarts, with the 168cm maestro capable of finding the goals from anywhere and fully aware that he can do what many others only dream of. Neocleous made a steady start to the season but impressed once called up to the National Academy, a program which many believe he should have been part of in the first place. He has had to work incredibly hard to prove his midfield credentials, although looks most comfortable and effective up forward. As a high, roaming flanker he consistently finds pockets of space and can do damage with his foot skills. In tighter confines, his agility and clean hands impress alongside a level of toughness that defies his size. Then there’s his goal sense, the trait which catches the eye most. Neocleous has been a menace at APS level but had his national carnival interrupted by injury.

KARVE ‘EM UP

The Northern Knights were high on Krasna from the outset this year, highlighting his elite running patterns on the wing. He played himself into the Vic Metro squad, averaging 20.3 disposals and 4.1 inside 50s across nine Talent League game while gaining on-ball exposure along the way. The crafty, agile midfielder can carve you up on the outside and while lightly-framed, is tough enough to hold his own at the contest. He proved as much across three games during the national carnival before a hamstring injury sidelined him. Krasna’s slick ball use on both feet is a highlight and he has the traits which point towards a potential first round rise. Carlton will rue letting his indigenous heritage go unnoticed until now, given he is in the Blues’ NGA catchment.

DASH AND DARE

Eime was identified by his state teammates coming into the season as one to watch, and the Central District speedster has delivered. Graduating from a wing role to dominate across half-back, he has averaged 23 disposals in nine AAMI Talent League games and makes each touch count. His raw pace is a weapon on the rebound, with Eime able to either take ground from the kick-ins or weave around opponents while linking up with teammates. His daring approach and attacking instincts make him one of the most watchable players on this list – he consistently takes the game on. Eime tends to play at one very high gear and invites pressure, but has shown a good level of competitiveness on the defensive end. His best traits suit the way football is trending.

MANIC PRESSURE

Few, if any players can match Patterson’s sheer hunt and aggression at the ball. The Glenelg speedster stood out in his two National Academy appearances with manic pressure and an unwavering desire to compete. He’s the type of forward-half player who makes opposition defenders panic, capable of running them down or making them look silly with ball in hand. Using his raw pace going both ways, Patterson has done his best work up forward but continues to develop his midfield craft. A seven-goal haul for the Bays put his name on the radar last year, although it should be familiar to Collingwood fans given his sister Violet plays for the women’s team, and father Stephen managed 96 games in black and white. Yes, he falls four games short of father-son eligibility.

THE IMMOVABLE OBJECT

Bradley has joined the upper echelon of key defenders in this year’s crop after an All-Australian national carnival which saw him crowned MVP of the title-winning Vic Metro side. He’s an unflappable type in the Jacob Weitering mould; terrific at positioning to intercept, strong overhead, unbeatable one-on-one, and calm when distributing. While not blessed with a great deal of speed, his pure defensive craft and leadership qualities are clear to see. He can even play the selfless lockdown roles when required. The Sandringham Dragons product may be a top-20 contender on form, but there is plenty to play out.

GALE FORCE RISE

Another West Australian making his way up the rankings, Gale has come on strongly in 2026. While not blessed with natural leg speed, he possesses terrific running power which has served him well in roles across half-back and the wing. At 190cm, he has become a strong ball winner on the inside who distributes confidently by foot and knows how to get into all the right spots. Part of Claremont’s premiership Colts side last year, Gale has dominated WA’s state trials and even popped up with the winning goal in his side’s clash against the WAFL U20s. He does damage on the way forward and had plenty of opportunity to carry the ball on the outside during the national champs, where he was the All-Australian wingman.

SMOOTH MOVER

Chapman has all the makings of a modern day footballer and shapes as a real ‘cherry on top’ kind of draft selection. The game demands speed, versatility and skill, all of which Chapman has in abundance. His turn of foot often sees him escape congestion untouched, capable of bringing the ball to the outside where he can hit targets on the move. While not necessarily a contested beat at 189cm, Chapman has had plenty of exposure to the midfield this year having previously cut his teeth on the wing and flanks. He usually has little trouble finding the ball, averaging 23.7 disposals and 5.3 marks in seven outings for the Ranges this season, but can sometimes fade in and out of games. At his best, he can carve up the opposition and has considerable upside.

LEFT-FOOTED MARVEL

LeCras is a prime example of the whirlwind draft prospects go through during their top-age years. Fresh off realising the dream of making his WAFL League debut with West Perth, he suffered a partial ACL tear which will more than likely see him miss the remainder of the season. The tall utility is a natural forward with terrific aerial ability, complimented by a strong work rate and raking left-foot kick. He has also spent plenty of time up on the wing. Capable of pulling off freakish things when in range of goal, he has undoubtedly been learning plenty of craft from uncle Mark, who won the 2018 flag with West Coast. LeCras’ father Brent also spent two years on North Melbourne’s list. One to keep in mind.

EMERGING OVER-AGER

Slattery has come from the clouds to become the leading over-age candidate left in this year’s draft pool. The prolific goalkicker hadn’t had much exposure to the elite pathway before this year, but played 11 games for 18 goals with Woodville-West Torrens’ Under 18s in 2025. After being overlooked and well away from the draft radar, he began to flourish at Reserves level and worked his way into the state setup. There, he remarkably topped the national goalkicking tally with 16 majors in four games, named at full forward in the All-Australian side. Slattery doesn’t venture too far out of the attacking 50, but is deadly within the arc as a marking target and clinical converter. He’s good on the lead and just as capable of kicking goals in open play.

THE UNICORN

Seeing how a player like Zach Reid is coming on at AFL level, there should be high hopes for Ladbrook. At 201cm, he possesses immense upside in the way of athletic traits and footballing skills. While wiry and thin, the key position utility is quick off the mark and gets involved in transitional play out of defence, where he has arguably played his best football. Ladbrook uses the ball efficiently and with composure, but was tested as a ruck-forward for Vic Country. At his best, he is very difficult to beat when extending at the ball overhead, using his sheer reach to reel in marks. Adding size and clunking more contested grabs will round Ladbrook’s game as a genuine tall, although is running capacity could well see him develop into a unique wingman at the top level.