With the AFL’s trade and free agency periods now complete, attention will quickly turn to the National Draft which will be an opportunity for clubs to complete their list for the 2026 season. 

Held over two nights on the 19th and 20th of November, teams will select the brightest and freshest talent from the next generation of superstars. 

The opening night of the draft will see the first round of selections made, with the Cats currently holding a first round pick at number 19. 

All other rounds will then follow on the second night, Geelong currently holding six selections between pick 40 and pick 114.

Check out everything you need to know in the lead up to the draft. 

GEELONG 2025 LIST CHANGES

IN: James Worpel (free agent)

OUT: Mitch Duncan (retired), Patrick Retschko (traded), Ted Clohesy, Cameron Guthrie, Xavier Ivisic, George Stevens, Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)

GEELONG’S CURRENT 2025 DRAFT PICKS 

National Draft: 19, 40, 60, 78, 96, 99, 114

FULL DRAFT ORDER BY CLUB

Adelaide: 16, 48, 55, 64, 73, 75, 93, 111
Brisbane: 17, 23, 44, 51, 59, 68, 79, 97, 115
Carlton: 9, 11, 43, 54, 67, 72, 87, 105
Collingwood: 39, 45, 56, 61, 77, 95, 113
Essendon: 5, 6, 21, 27, 30, 83, 101
Fremantle: 20, 47, 69, 90, 103, 108
Geelong: 19, 40, 60, 78, 96, 99, 114
Gold Coast: 15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, 52, 92, 110
GWS: 12, 35, 91, 109
Hawthorn: 10, 22, 62, 76, 94, 112
Melbourne: 7, 8, 37, 66, 71, 84, 102
North Melbourne: 25, 26, 46, 57, 82, 100
Port Adelaide: 49, 85
Richmond: 3, 4, 38, 81
St Kilda: 50, 65, 86, 104
Sydney: 31, 32, 42, 63, 88, 106
West Coast: 1, 2, 13, 34, 41, 53, 58, 80, 98
Western Bulldogs: 14, 33, 70, 74, 89, 107

GEELONG’S PREVIOUS FIRST ROUND PICKS

YEAR
DRAFT PICK
PLAYER

2023
11
Connor O’Sullivan

2022
8
Jhye Clark

2020
20
Max Holmes

2019
16
Cooper Stephens

2019
19
Sam De Koning

AFL Draft Combine

The AFL Draft Combine is a multi-day event held before the AFL National Draft, where prospective players participate in a range of tests to determine their chances of being selected by an AFL club. 

The three-day national Draft Combine will be held in Melbourne from Friday, October 3 to Sunday, October 5. Club interviews will be held at the MCG on Friday and Saturday, ahead of physical testing at the State Netball & Hockey Centre on Sunday. Selection to attend the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft Combine was based on nominations supplied by AFL clubs.

The state Draft Combines will be held in Melbourne (October 5), Adelaide (October 11) and Perth (October 12), with invited participants to feature in physical testing.

HOW THE ROOKIE DRAFT WORKS 

The rookie draft is held the afternoon after the national draft finishes. Players taken here are added to a club’s rookie list, rather than the senior list.

The main difference is the rookie player’s base salary of $100,000 is not included in the club’s salary cap. If a rookie-listed player is paid more than the base, the extra money is included in the cap.

It used to be that rookie-listed players had to be upgraded to the senior list in order to play at AFL level, but that is no longer the case. The draft order for the rookie draft is reverse ladder position.