2026 AFL Draft

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

I'd be really happy with Arki Butler.

The game has evolved that damaging touches are just gold. Murphy Reid role/types.

HVH I have gone cold on, the fact he's 3rd highest rated ruckman for actual ruck work worries me, I wouldn't be wasting a pick 2 on that profile, not doubting he could be a seriously good player but I think at pick 2 he has an element of risk that isn't worth taking on.

I'd roll dice with Arki Butler. Drever looks unreal in highlights but 24% contested possessions is really low for a top 20 midfielder. Saw an interview where they said that anyone under 30% contested possessions as a top 10 pick has gone on to be somewhat disappointing. Cale Morton types. You have to be absolutely elite on outside as a junior to make it at AFL level as even the elite outsiders like Holmes / Whitfield have had decent contested numbers as juniors.

I'd go Arki. Him and Lalor rotating fwd and mid would be delicious weaponary.

That’s an interesting stat about Drever which I wasn’t aware of. I know in his massive 39 disposal game, he had 23 contested possessions which is almost 60% so that must have been a massive outlier if his avg is down around 25%

That 24% stat I believe only applies to his National Championships, where Vic Country used him outside the stoppage to showcase his run and link up play (they also had other inside types with less flexibility, and based on performance, weren't well coached).

His contested possession numbers in the Coates League would have been astronomically higher and he was playing as a pure inside mid every week.

[Tiger Khosh]

I'd be really happy with Arki Butler.

The game has evolved that damaging touches are just gold. Murphy Reid role/types.

HVH I have gone cold on, the fact he's 3rd highest rated ruckman for actual ruck work worries me, I wouldn't be wasting a pick 2 on that profile, not doubting he could be a seriously good player but I think at pick 2 he has an element of risk that isn't worth taking on.

I'd roll dice with Arki Butler. Drever looks unreal in highlights but 24% contested possessions is really low for a top 20 midfielder. Saw an interview where they said that anyone under 30% contested possessions as a top 10 pick has gone on to be somewhat disappointing. Cale Morton types. You have to be absolutely elite on outside as a junior to make it at AFL level as even the elite outsiders like Holmes / Whitfield have had decent contested numbers as juniors.

I'd go Arki. Him and Lalor rotating fwd and mid would be delicious weaponary.

That’s an interesting stat about Drever which I wasn’t aware of. I know in his massive 39 disposal game, he had 23 contested possessions which is almost 60% so that must have been a massive outlier if his avg is down around 25%

That 24% stat I believe only applies to his National Championships, where Vic Country used him outside the stoppage to showcase his run and link up play (they also had other inside types with less flexibility, and based on performance, weren't well coached).

His contested possession numbers in the Coates League would have been astronomically higher and he was playing as a pure inside mid every week.

Thanks TW, makes a lot of sense as I’ve always seen him referred to as a very strong contested player.

[ajGreen]

@Snrubthoughts

Has updated #AFLDraft combined rankings for October. All rankings done pre combine.

https://2026afldraftrankingsoctober.netlify.app/

[one-eyed]

"There's probably five or six players we are looking at for that selection."

"That's the group that we've done a power of work on."

- Richmond National Recruiting Manager Rhy Gieschen on pick two.

Watch here: https://x.com/AFL/status/2107289763082276938

https://x.com/traderadio/status/2107284100902179195

"We actually need to go away and work out our ratings. He is a player we have watched closely. It is something we'd consider and rightly so."

- Rhy Gieschen on the probability of bidding on Cody Walker

https://x.com/traderadio/status/2107285569357349005

[one-eyed]

Rhys Geischen added it's "even" amongst those five or six.

That five or six doesn't include Cochrane and Walker. Twomey explicitly asked to clarify that.

Twomey also said are they Drever, Teixiera, Bulter, Van Hattum and Mellody. Geischen replied yes. He also added Matthews who is tied to the Giants.

Twomey asked if positional considerations will come into play such as needing a small forward or a ruck. Geischen said you just select the player you believe is the best with high end picks. Our positional needs will be different in 4 years time when these kids are 22 and different again when they 26.

Watch here: https://x.com/AFL/status/2107289763082276938

[one-eyed]

Richmond reveals Pick 2 shortlist as Tigers weigh up draft options

The Tigers are particularly interested in a Western Australian while they weigh up their decision on Cody Walker bid.

Harry Smith
zerohanger.com
October 6, 2026

Richmond's National Recruiting Manager Rhy Gieschen says there are "5 or 6 players that we're looking at" with its Pick 2.

Ethan Drever, Arki Butler, Gus Teixeira, Harry Van Hattum and Heath Mellody loom as potential options, with leading draft candidates Dougie Cochrane and Cody Walker linked to Port Adelaide and Carlton.

"There's obviously the two aligned boys who are right up the top," Gieschen said on AFL Trade Radio.

"If you take them out, there's probably five or six players that we are looking at and that it is down to for us.

"I think they've all put their hands up throughout various parts of the last one, two, three past years to say that they're top-end picks, and that's sort of the group we've done a power of work on.

"We have done a power of work with the whole pool, really. You never know what your pick will spit out, but it's been looking likely that we'll have a top-end pick for quite a while.

"It's a boring answer, but honestly we will just go with the player that we think will be the best player for us. Whenever you're dealing with a top-end draft pick, you just pick the guy who you think will be the best AFL player, and the best player for Richmond in the long term."

Western Australia's Heath Mellody was particularly mentioned by Gieschen.

"I kept a keen eye on Heath," he said.

"He's done an amazing job; he's played senior footy and midfield footy in the WAFL against AFL-aligned players over the last 5 to 6 weeks.

"I was keen to get over and get eyes on him live... to play against Peel in a Grand Final at Optus Stadium is a really good experience for him."

https://www.zerohanger.com/richmond-reveals-pick-2-shortlist-as-tigers-weigh-up-draft-options-183532/
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2147989/tigers-down-to-fix-or-six-players-at-pick-two

[ajGreen]

Caught up with Glenelg key defender Harry Franz.

Had a chat with him about his season, leadership, and what he's been working on heading into the draft. Really interesting player with plenty of upside. COuld be great key position value late draft.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/10/07/draft-chats-10-harry-franz/

Hi mate where you rate souttar?

From wa.

Is he better vlastuin regen than wigmore?

Are there any others in the pool you see could take that role. Cheers.

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

Caught up with Glenelg key defender Harry Franz.

Had a chat with him about his season, leadership, and what he's been working on heading into the draft. Really interesting player with plenty of upside. COuld be great key position value late draft.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/10/07/draft-chats-10-harry-franz/

Hi mate where you rate souttar?

From wa.

Is he better vlastuin regen than wigmore?

Are there any others in the pool you see could take that role. Cheers.

Soutar is good. Ready made so will come in and be an interceptor straight away. Undersized for a genuine key role, but would not be dissimilar to when Luke Ryan or Tom Stewart came in. I don't think he's as good as them, but that type of ready made medium defender. Kicking is ok but not a strength.

Wigmore is actually a really similar player. Just younger and will need more time to get AFL ready.

[camboon]

Who would you take Tommy with our pick if all the open picks were available ?

In addition, why wouldn’t Essendon bid first on Walker, there’s a better chance they could get him than Cochane and I give him as better or on par with other mids in the draft .

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

Who would you take Tommy with our pick if all the open picks were available ?

In addition, why wouldn’t Essendon bid first on Walker, there’s a better chance they could get him than Cochane and I give him as better or on par with other mids in the draft .

My number #1 non tied player is HVH, so if he was there at pick #2, I would take him at Richmond. On the chance that Essendon had taken him, I would then take Teixeira. He's got the best combination of game breaking role, demonstrated performance levels and further upside. Could end up the most damaging player in the draft.

I think the non-Walker bid has two parts. One, if you take him when Carlton can't match, you then have to hope it's not a JHF situation where he agitates to leave and undermines the list build. Everything suggests he's pretty determined to play at Carlton.

The second, a more important part, is that for me he's rated 6th. There are players I'd take ahead of him that you'd be missing if Carlton couldn't match. I've been alone for a while on that ranking of Walker, but I have noticed that a few 'mainstream' media outlets have started sliding him too in their September ratings.

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

Caught up with Glenelg key defender Harry Franz.

Had a chat with him about his season, leadership, and what he's been working on heading into the draft. Really interesting player with plenty of upside. COuld be great key position value late draft.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/10/07/draft-chats-10-harry-franz/

[one-eyed]

October Draft Power Rankings: Extended top 40 in the post-Combine rankings

Jasper Chellappah
ESPN
Oct 7, 2026

The final opportunity for prospects to elevate their draft stock was on show at the AFL Draft Combine. Through athletic testing there were risers and sliders, but even more importantly was the opportunity for clubs to meet face to face and properly evaluate the talent in the 2026 draft crop.

The overwhelming consensus from recruiters is that this year's crop runs deeper than the 2025 edition. Clubs will be more confident picking through the second round and into the third, which is reflected in the value of those selections at the trade table.

With rule changes, you can expect a much shorter first round with higher picks required to match early bids. That's despite the top two talents in the draft being club-tied and a further two to three being snapped up in the first round. There could be as little as 18 to 20 selections on the first night of the draft in direct contrast to the 25 and 27 players taken in the previous two drafts.

As opposed to last year when Willem Duursma separated himself as the pick 1 apparent, there is no concrete news on which way Essendon is heading in the open pool. A group of five leading prospects are all still genuine chances despite the buzz around a Vic Country midfielder. Port Adelaide NGA star Dougie Cochrane is all but assured of having his name read out first come November 19th.

These top 40 draft rankings reflect where prospects are expected to be taken based on exposed form, upside at AFL level and club intel after a week where every recruiting team gets together and consolidates draft boards.

Just six weeks out from the 2026 AFL Draft, this is ESPN's post-combine power rankings for October.

1. Dougie Cochrane (Port Adelaide NGA) (previously: 1)
2. Cody Walker (Carlton father-son) (2)
3. Arki Butler (3)
4. Ethan Drever (6)
5. Harry Van Hattum (5)
6. Heath Mellody (4)
7. Gus Teixeira (5)
8. Sam Gayfer (13)
9. Mitch Harris (8 )
10. Ethan Matthews (Giants Academy) (9)
11. Wil Malady (10)
12. Clancy Snell (11)
13. Leo Steed (14)
14. Caylen Murray (Lions Academy) (17)
15. Jake Eime (15)
16. Khaled El Souki (Western Bulldogs NGA) (12)
17. Jack Pickett (23)
18. Tyson Bradley (20)
19. Koby LeCras (26)
20. Ethan Herbert (18 )
21. Kodah Edwards (19)
22. Noah Williams (21)
23. Harvie Cooke (25)
24. Toby Krasna (28 )
25. Marlon Neocleous (22)
26. Harrison Chapman (16)
27. Gabe Patterson (24)
28. Keenan Boi (Hawthorn NGA) (29)
29. Lochie Burrows (33)
30. Albert MacGowan (31)
31. George Dimer (30)
32. Sam Devers (-)
33. George Gale (35)
34. Darcy Szerszyn (-)
35. Lachie Hicks (-)
36. Jackson Phillips (27)
37. Marcus Prasad (32)
38. Xavier Ladbrook (-)
39. Benji Van Rooyen (35)
40. Cody Templeton (-)

https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/50112069/afl-draft-2026-combine-results-power-rankings-october-top-40-ethan-drever-cody-walker-dougie-cochrane-sam-gayfer

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

Had a chat with Jordan Knapp leading into the draft. He's a consistent ball-winner who just keeps running and finding the footy. Won Eastern Ranges’ BnF last night too.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/10/09/draft-chats-11-jordan-knapp/

[ajGreen]

Jack Leys won the 2km time trial at the SA combine

[Tommy_Wolfe7]

North Adelaide rebounding defender Sam Tassone is the next of my draft chats. He’s an interesting player, having followed the Sam Cumming pathway of starting in Victoria but boarding at school in SA and getting into the North Adelaide pwathway set up. Bit of a late riser type with plenty of good attributes.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2026/10/12/draft-chats-12-sam-tassone/