Kye Fincher, Blake Thredgold and Talor Byrne. Pictures: AFL Photos

JUST outside of this week’s Phantom Form Guide top 30 were some more draft hopefuls who are in the sights of clubs.

Here is the Phantom Form Guide Extra for August, with our next group of 15 players in this year’s draft who are vying to be picked in that range.

DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news

The list below – not in order – features small forwards, developing talls, more Academy-tied prospects and some rising players who may feature in the September top 30 Form Guide. 

Hussien El Achkar

171cm
Small forward
Calder Cannons/Vic Metro
2/4/07

‘The Husstler’ is exactly that – he is in a hurry, bustling through at ground level and at the front of packs trying to kick goals on the go. The small forward has slammed the scoreboard this year for Calder, kicking 24.10 from nine games, including a six-goal haul against Sandringham and two back-to-back three-goal games in the past two weeks. The Essendon Next Generation Academy prospect has played with the Bombers’ VFL side and also trained with the AFL team over recent months and has a lively sidestep you can’t teach. 

Jack Ison

190cm
Forward/midfielder
Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro
26/2/07

It is the left-foot kicking that is Ison’s weapon, with the forward/midfielder a pinpoint passer and line-breaker. He had 20 disposals and eight inside 50s for Oakleigh last week which continued a strong run of form. Ison is tied to Carlton through its Next Generation Academy and has spent time with the Blues across that period getting to know the next level.  

Jack Ison is seen at Carlton training on July 9, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

Blake Thredgold

194cm
Tall defender
Sturt/South Australia
27/8/07

Thredgold has come on in the second half of this season to be one of the leading tall defensive options in the draft pool. Injury kept him out of the early parts of South Australia’s under-18 carnival but he returned for the end and helped his state snare the title. He has moved around the ground for Sturt but has taken the eye as a key back where he is reliable and brave in the air. 

Blake Thredgold handballs during South Australia’s Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on June 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Kye Fincher

184cm
Defender/midfielder
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
18/11/07

Fincher had an outstanding VFL debut for Sandringham earlier this month, with his 26-disposal, four-clearance and six-tackle effort while playing in the midfield seeing him step up to the level. Fincher is tough and competitive and plays well most weeks, having impressed at half-back but taken his game up a notch in the midfield recently, including last week for the Dragons when he was combative and had 24 disposals and a goal. A member of St Kilda’s NGA. 

Kye Fincher in action during Vic Metro’s Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Harry Kyle

188cm
Midfielder
Sydney Academy/Allies
16/7/07

With a loping style, Kyle has been a prospect who has steadily risen up the ranks to be one of the highly regarded Sydney Academy talents. At his 188cm height, Kyle has presence and some take-off speed to be able to zip past trailing opponents. He has been invited to the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft Combine and Sydney will be waiting to see where a bid for the taller midfielder falls. 

Harry Kyle handballs during the Allies’ Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Western Australia on June 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Avery Thomas

186cm
Defender
Tasmania/Allies
20/9/07

An attacking half-back who can also shut down opponents, Thomas is athletically impressive and uses those traits to benefit his game. A junior decathlete who specialised in the hurdles, Thomas took the eye early in the year for the Devils in the Coates Talent League. He made his senior debut for Launceston as a 16-year-old in the 2023 TSL season. 

Avery Thomas in action during the Allies’ Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 5, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Lachie Carmichael 

183cm
Midfielder/defender
Sydney Academy/Allies
27/8/07

A ball-magnet who dominated the Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships playing for the Allies, where he was named his side’s MVP and an All-Australian. His best performance came against Vic Country, when he collected 32 disposals, seven marks and nine rebound 50s, and he is trusted with the ball in his hands. Clubs have him ranked anywhere form 15-35 and he likely gets a bid in that range for the Swans to match. 

Lachlan Carmichael kicks a goal during the Allies’ Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Metro on July 13, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Jack Dalton

177cm
Midfielder
Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro
5/4/07

Dalton has wasted no time in reminding recruiters of his qualities as an extremely hard-running midfielder since he returned from missing the first half of this year. An unfortunate gym accident saw the Sandringham Dragon break both of his wrists at the start of this year and sit out several months of the season. But he’s been back with a bang, having 35 touches in his first game and last week gathering 37 disposals and booting 2.2 in a best afield display against Oakleigh. He runs, runs and runs some more. 

Jack Dalton handballs during Sandringham’s preliminary final against Dandenong on September 15, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

Taj Murray

199cm
Tall forward/ruck
Northern Territory/North Adelaide/Allies
5/2/07

The ‘Slim Reaper’ kicked four goals for the Allies against South Australia in the first game of the Allies’ under-18 carnival. That was his standout game of the season, having gathered 11 disposals and 15 hitouts to go with his haul of goals, which came in different ways. He’s extremely tall and wiry as a key forward but moves with a cruisy level of class that has him as a prospect with big upside. 

Taj Murray celebrates a goal during the Allies’ Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against South Australia on June 1, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Hugo Mikunda

180cm
Midfielder
Geelong Falcons/Vic Country
13/3/07

Has had a recent taste of VFL action with Werribee and he has the strength and contest work to battle it out against all types of midfielders. Mikunda was an under-the-radar player for Vic Country who fights hard for the ball while having some power. He has some creative instincts and sees options others don’t. 

Talor Byrne

174cm
Small forward
Greater Western Victoria Rebels/Vic Country
14/11/07

The Vic Country and Vic Metro game in the championships is always a game to watch and Byrne made himself front and centre with five goals in the marquee junior contest. It was a day out for the small forward, who bobbed up, created and also put on defensive pressure. It was the best game of his season and since then he’s played further up the ground for the Rebels. 

Sullivan Robey

192cm
Forward
Eastern Ranges
4/10/07

A late-season special who has certainly got more and more attention in the back half of the season. The bustling tall forward played well again last week, booting 2.1 from 16 disposals and a season-high 10 marks for the Ranges against Western Jets, and has done well since making his debut at the level in round 12. He leads at the ball with some aggressive and makes things happen.

Koby Coulson

180cm
Midfielder
Gold Coast Academy/Allies
31/7/07

Another member of the Suns Academy squad this year who hasn’t done much wrong throughout the whole season. He averaged 25 disposals and five tackles a game for the Allies to earn All-Australian selection. He is a regular ball-getter who turns up week in, week out and gets the ball going his side’s way. Has been around Gold Coast’s program for many years and is hoping to get his way to the Suns’ AFL list. 

Koby Coulson handballs during the Allies’ Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 5, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Fred Rodriguez 

184cm
Midfielder
South Fremantle/Western Australia
10/7/07

Rodriguez has been consistent throughout this year, averaging 26 disposals, five tackles and a goal a game in his time with South Fremantle’s colts side. He has had experience in the league and reserves side as well, having been a first-choice midfielder for Western Australia at the under-18 carnival.

Latrelle Pickett

180cm
Small forward
Glenelg
28/12/05

A scintillating four-goal debut for Glenelg’s senior side last weekend continued what has been an eye-catching campaign for Pickett. He will turn 20 at the end of the season and has been on the radar in recent years but has produced many exciting moments for the Bays’ reserves side, booting 28 goals from 17 games. The cousin of Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett, the small forward has been invited to a state Draft Combine in October.Â