Seven AFL club-tied prospects headline the 2026 AFL Academy, announced on Friday.
After a 2025 season anticipated to be the most compromised intake in history, Carlton father-son prospect Cody Walker will headline a stronger 2026 cohort of players.
Walker and South Australian Dougie Cochrane are viewed as two standout early contenders for the No.1 pick.
Cochrane, a 197cm Central Districts forward, is currently openly available, but Port Adelaide are awaiting AFL approval to have him added to its Next Generation Academy.
Richmond Next Generation Academy prospect Tanner Armstrong, Brisbane Academy prospect Caylen Murray, Gold Coast Academy half-back Archie Hill, West Coast-tied Garrison Kenh, GWS Academy’s Ethan Matthews and Aidan McCartney, tied to Sydney’s Academy and North Melbourne as a father-son, are the other club-tied prospects.
Matthews, Arki Butler, Jack Gordon, Wil Malady, Harry Van Hattum, Jack Pickett, Darcy Szerszyn, Benji Van Rooyen, Walker and Noah Williams all featured at the U18s National Championships in 2025.
The Anthony Rocca-coached Northern Knights are the most represented talent pathway clubs in the squad with three players each.
Key-position trio Van Hattum, Tate Hodgson and Lewis Houndsome made the squad from the Knights.
Tarkyn Lockyer will coach the squad.
The AFL Academy squad takes part in training sessions and matches against state league opponents, providing the best players in the draft crop to develop as people and as footballers.
Of the 28 players in the 2025 AFL Academy squad, 24 received National Combine invites, indicating strong AFL interest, while all but one player from the 2024 AFL Academy was drafted.
The AFL yesterday announced the return of international high-performance trips for the Academy, with both the boys and girls squads to spend four days in Wellington, New Zealand, throughout December.
2026 AFL Academy squad
PLAYER
STATE
STATE LEAGUE CLUB
COMMUNITY CLUB
Tanner Armstrong
VIC C
Murray Bushrangers
Shepparton United
Arki Butler
VIC M
Sandringham Dragons
Beaumaris
Harrison Chapman
VIC M
Eastern Ranges
Boronia
Dougie Cochrane
SA
Central District
Port District
Kodah Edwards
SA
South Adelaide
Willunga
Jack Gordon
SA
Central District
Port District
Ethan Herbert
SA
North Adelaide
Walkerville
Archie Hill
QLD
Gold Coast Suns Academy
Broadbeach
Tate Hodgson
VIC M
Northern Knights
Park Orchards NRP
Lewis Houndsome
VIC M
Northern Knights
Yarrambat
Garrison Kenh
WA
East Perth
Ellenbrook
Xavier Ladbrook
VIC C
Gippsland Power
Nar Nar Goon
Koby LeCras
WA
West Perth
Manning
Wil Malady
VIC C
Gippsland Power
Bairnsdale
Ethan Matthews
NSW/ACT
GWS GIANTS Academy
Ingleburn
Aidan McCartney
NSW/ACT
Sydney Swans Academy
Willoughby
Heath Mellody
WA
Claremont
Wembley Downs
Caylen Murray
QLD
Brisbane Lions Academy
Maroochydore
Gabriel Patterson
SA
Glenelg
Plympton
Jack Pickett
VIC C
Geelong Falcons
Torquay
Darcy Szerszyn
VIC C
Dandenong Stingrays
Seaford
Harry Van Hattum
VIC M
Northern Knights
St Mary’s
Benji van Rooyen
WA
Claremont
Wembley Downs
Cody Walker
VIC C
Bendigo Pioneers
Echuca
Noah Williams
VIC C
Geelong Falcons
St Joseph’s