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Essendon have begun the post-Brad Scott era by picking running defender Jaxon Artemis at No.1 in the 2026 mid-season rookie draft.
Artemis has been a standout with the Tasmania Devils in the VFL after joining them this season from South Fremantle, where he played in the WAFL premiership in 2025.
Jaxon Artemis was overlooked in two national drafts after being named WA’s MVP at their under-18 national championships in 2024. AFL Photos
The 19-year-old is confident he can step into AFL footy, telling AFL Media “I think I can slot in straight away,” Artemis said.
He has played at the Devils alongside former Bomber Jye Menzie, who was chosen in the 2022 mid-season draft. Artemis also becomes a teammate to Sam Durham and Archer May, who are both shaping as mid-season draft success stories.
The 19-year-old has been using his damaging left foot to carve up the opposition this season and was expected to go to the Tigers before the Bombers’ upset loss in Friday night’s Dreamtime at the ’G match saw them slump to bottom of the ladder.
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Artemis, who was overlooked in two drafts despite being named WA’s MVP in the under-18 championships in his draft year, could play AFL as early as this week after he was managed during last week’s VFL round.
Geelong’s VFL team have a good record of producing AFL players and Richmond had little hesitation in pivoting to 200-centimetre defender Kye Annand with the second selection in the draft.
Annand, an Ocean Grove Football Club product, has knuckled down this season to get the best out of himself and it has landed the 22-year-old a spot on the Tigers’ list after 10 clubs spoke to him ahead of the draft. He is a live chance to make his AFL debut immediately when the Tigers play in Sydney against the Swans.
West Coast pounced on Oliver Francou, the son of Port Adelaide great Josh, while the Blues opted to add VFL ruckman Flynn Riley with pick four after a spot opened up late when Matt Carroll suffered a knee injury.
The 206cm Riley, originally from the Northern Knights, has been in good form but at 22 he shapes as strong enough and at the right age to compete at AFL level.
He was one of four ruckmen added to an AFL list through the draft.
The Magpies picked Frankston’s Harrison Coe, a strong marking 27-year-old.
The Western Bulldogs also interviewed Coe before choosing 208 centimetre West Adelaide ruckman Caleb May. May, a former graduate of the Sydney Academy, is 21. North Melbourne picked up medium-sized forward Ollie Griffin.
Melbourne added Tassie Devils ruckman Max Mapley as one of their three selections – also adding 22-year-old duo Joel Fitzgerald from Williamstown and Woodville West-Torrens’ defender Lukas Cooke.
Collingwood were in the market for a ruckman, a key defender and a forward. They ended up with a matured-aged trio landing Coe, a key defender from Woodville-West Torrens Liam Puncher, a 22-year-old who also spent time with Sydney’s academy and Coburg’s goalkicking machine Mitch Podhajski, who is also 27.
St Kilda also took small forward Campbell Luke, while Hawthorn selected Max Beattie.
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