2026 AFL Draft | Race to #1: Wildcards
THE EARLY consensus surrounding this year’s race to pick one suggests a pair of frontrunners have emerged in Dougie Cochrane and Cody Walker. While the likes of Harley Reid and Willem Duursma have followed through on that promise in recent times, the run isn’t always linear and new contenders stake their claims. We pitch another […]
2026 AFL Draft | Race to #1: Dougie Cochrane
WIDELY viewed as one of the two leading pick one contenders coming into 2026, 17 clubs will be ruing Dougie Cochrane‘s ties to Port Adelaide. The 17-year-old was approved for Next Generation Academy (NGA) status in November last year on account of his indigenous heritage. >> SCROLL for player highlights Cochrane is a well known […]
2026 AFL Draft | Race to #1: Cody Walker
FOR FANS of AFL clubs starved of on-field success, draft and trade wins often provide beacons of hope. Nostalgia helps too, and that’s exactly what the emergence of father-son gun Cody Walker is providing Carlton fans. >> SCROLL for player highlights The son of 202-game former Blue Andrew last year declared his intentions to pursue […]
PROFILED | 2026 Vic Country summer squad
THE 2026 Vic Country summer squad was finalised earlier in January, with 25 prospects selected for representative honours. Among the squad are five bottom-agers and four club-tied players, with the Big V hoping to rebound off a 2-2 campaign last year. We profile every member of the training squad. >> FULL SQUADS: 2026 Victorian summer […]
Vic Country & Metro summer squads revealed
THE 2026 Vic Country and Metro summer squads have been announced, with 51 of the state’s brightest prospects earning selection. Both sides contain five bottom-age (2009-born) players, while Victoria’s 11 National Academy members gain automatic entry, and nine club-tied players have been included. >> SCROLL to see the full squads Leading the 2026 eligible crop […]
AFL Draft | The two clubs set to shape 2026/27
ESSENDON and Port Adelaide will be linked over the next two drafts in more ways than one. While not traditional rivals, they face a fight for draft picks and prospects with some of their respective club-tied talents shaping up as quite high-end in 2026 and 2027. >> EVERY CLUB: The top club-tied prospects for 2026 […]
National Academy prospects hit the track with AFL clubs
THE 2026 National Academy members are set to be unleashed unto AFL clubs in the coming weeks, as preseason training ramps up. Some have already spent time at their designated clubs in the new year, with several prospects also being aligned via academies and father-son eligibility. >> PROFILED: 2026 AFL National Academy squad An early […]
AFL DRAFT | The clubs stockpiling future picks
THE future picks market is becoming increasingly prevalent at each AFL Draft, and with tighter rules around matching bids, preparation is proving key. Gold Coast has become the pick swap king and frantically did so throughout trade and draft period to secure five academy graduates this year. >> EVERY CLUB: 2026-2028 future picks>> AFL DRAFT: […]
AFL Draft | Top club-tied prospects for 2026
AFTER what was pegged as the most compromised draft in history, the consensus top two prospects for next year are both already tied to AFL clubs. There is plenty of value for all clubs, though, with a range of father-son, Next Generation Academy (NGA), and Northern Academy prospects showing their wares. >> 26 for 2026: […]
PROFILED: 2026 AFL Academy squad
IN THE wake of this year’s AFL Draft, eyes are already turning to what the budding class of 2026 may hold. Released in November, the National Academy squad provided a glimpse into the country’s best 25 2008-born prospects, all of whom we profile below. >> ANNOUNCEMENT: 2026 AFL Academy squad revealed Tanner Armstrong (Murray Bushrangers/Vic […]
