2026 AFL Draft

[one-eyed]

DREVER A DREAM AS TOP-10 PROSPECTS EMERGE

Walker wasn’t the only Vic Country star to enhance his top-end prospects on Wednesday, with GWV Rebels midfielder Ethan Drever continuing his excellent draft year.

Drever, a high-damage 188cm on-baller, finished with 25 disposals, six score involvements, six marks and five inside 50s against SA, while he also booted a trademark goal on the run bursting away from centre ball-up congestion. His acceleration away from stoppage, cleanliness and agility in tight, strength in the contest and piercing right-foot kick were on full display in Ballarat.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect about Drever’s game was that it was closer to a four-quarter performance, considering he was breathtaking five days earlier at Marvel Stadium against WA but dropped off – like many of his Vic Country teammates – during the Black Swans second-half fightback.

While Vic Metro trio Harry Van Hattum, Arki Butler – who’ll miss the next couple of months with a collarbone injury – and Gus Teixeira are in the top-five mix, Drever must be in the same conversation, considering he’s also kicked seven goals and averaged 29.0 disposals, 7.4 clearances, 6.3 inside 50s and 6.1 tackles from his seven Talent League games so far.


Ethan Drever of Vic Country. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuUjs2msCTM

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-2026-prospects-under-18-national-championships-results-cody-walker-carlton-glimpse-cooper-hodge-call-harper-banfield-and-noah-braun-in-west-coast-squeeze-date-order-latest-rankings-news/news-story/a0df55188ddf40c3072be47214e20578

[one-eyed]

The AFL has today confirmed it will introduce an additional category B rookie spot for clubs to draft an Indigenous player to their list for the 2027 season.

A meeting of the working party were told it will not be mandatory to use.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1556814/afl-adds-extra-list-spot-for-indigenous-players-in-bid-to-boost-numbers

[one-eyed]

Updated collab #AFLdraft rankings for July. Some were updated during champs and some before.

Some big movers (eg Mathews, Steed, Harris, McCallum) and more to come post champs.

Thanks @Jasperc53 @RookieMeCentral @Tommy_Wolfe7 @JontyRalphsmith @Dylfollowsdraft @FelixWinderlich


https://x.com/Snrubthoughts/status/2075580072099246393

[ajGreen]

Snell up to third of the open pool. Impressive kid.

[one-eyed]

CalTwomey names his top five prospects right now for this year's draft.

https://x.com/i/status/2077151150613123406

[Tiger Khosh]

CalTwomey names his top five prospects right now for this year's draft.

https://x.com/i/status/2077151150613123406

Interesting HVH has slid to 5 according to Twomey.

[one-eyed]

2026 AFL Draft Rankings | Part 1 | Dylan Alexander


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VznbWoTTJD0

1. Dougie Cochrane (Port F/S)
2. Cody Walker (Carl F/S)
3. Harry Van Hattum
4. Gus Teixiera
5. Arki Butler
6. Ethan Drever
7. Ethan Matthews (GWS Academy)
8. Heath Mellody
9. Kodah Edwards
10. Mitch Harris

[one-eyed]

True Footy's phantom draft has us taking Teixiera and Neocleous in the first round.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PqHIm5a-Ac

1. Carl - Cody Walker (matched Ess bid)
2. Port - Dougie Cochrane (matched Ess bid)
3. Ess - Harry Van Hattum
4. Rich - Gus Teixiera
5. WCE - Arki Butler
6. Melb - Ethan Drever (Dees hold GC's first pick)
7. North - Heath Mellody
8. GWS - Ethan Matthews (Academy)
9. StK - Kodah Edwards
10. Geel - Jake Eime
11. Coll - Mitch Harris
12. WB - Darcy Szerszyn
13. Melb - George Gale
14. Adel - Jackson Phillips
15. Bris - Caylen Murray (Academy)
16. Haw - Leo Steed
17. Freo - Will Malady
18. Ess - Noah Williams (compo pick)
19. Rich - Marlon Neocleous (compo pick)
20. WCE - Clancy Snell (compo pick)

--------------

#10
Gus Teixeira
Height 181cm
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
MIDFIELDER-FORWARD

#11
Marlon Neocleous
D.O.B: 26-02-2008
Height: 168cm
GIPPSLAND POWER
SMALL FORWARD


https://x.com/7f9bddb86ebe457/status/2077312755099660438

[Tiger Khosh]

Would anyone else be concerned that we are overloading on the mid/fwd types? I know footy is trending away from those old school in and under mids in favour of ones which offer more flexibility on the spread / up forward but as some point I think we’ll need to get some genuine ball winners.

If we were to take Texeira, that would add to Lalor, Hotton, Cumming as hybrid mid/fwds with only really Smillie drafted as that contested beast inside mid and it’s still a toss of the coin at best whether he can stay injury free long enough to have a real crack at a career in footy.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Tex is definitely more of a mid/forward than small forward. Would be a great pick up imo

[Andyy]

TK, Smillie is going to be a mid/ruck hybrid since he's about 2m tall now, not a dedicated mid

But yes I agree. We need some proper mids who can extract, break away and gut run all day

[ajGreen]

Little bloke would want to be Watson level.  To pass on Snell

[the claw]

If we are taking small forwards or even small mid/forwards with early picks then we may as well get rid of the ones we have.

We already have two quality small forwards who are playing as mids in Hotton and Campbell. Alger Peucker and Mansell all say hello and both Alger and Peucker look like they will in time spend some time as mids. Throw in Green and Rioli. A small/mid forward or small fwd is the last thing we need  in fact imo we need to cull a few. Been saying it for ages.

Drever for me,  would bid on Matthews though.  hope we can get a pick around 9 or 10 and get a go at Mellody.def/mid. Would be great coming off hb imo.

With our next pick take the best possible running player with good pace and kicking skills. We need a quality wing as HRS and SONSIE AINT IT.

From there another 3 mids and a ruckman in amonst that somewhere.

[camboon]

I’d be taking the best mobile leaping ruck with our first or second pick, good rucks are very important in today’s game and you can’t be a boat anchors any more.
We don’t have a genuine  ruck.

[ajGreen]

I’d be taking the best mobile leaping ruck with our first or second pick, good rucks are very important in today’s game and you can’t be a boat anchors any more.
We don’t have a genuine  ruck.

Interesting to see if  Van Hattum goes at pick one of the live selections.

Ethan Herbert might be gone by our 2nd/3rd pick.

van Rooyen seems to be rising post the championships