part of a wider plan for the Power dating back 12 months ago<\/a> when the Power targeted the 2024 draft and had three picks \u2014 Joe Berry (15), Jack Whitlock (33) and Christian Moraes (38) \u2014 inside the first two rounds. The club is also keen to prioritise the 2026 and 2027 drafts, with academy and father-son ties to Dougie Cochrane (2026), Louis Salopek, Tevita Rodan and Zemes Pilot (all 2027). So think of it as a wider four-year recruiting scheme as Josh Carr takes the reins as senior coach. Based on finishing positions in the season just gone, Port currently has the third-most total draft points value of any club in the 2026 draft. And they\u2019ll need it to ensure they get Cochrane, having recently gotten the green light from the AFL to have NGA access to the young star after he and his family explored their Indigenous heritage, with the tightening of draft rules around matching bids.<\/p>\nXavier Taylor of the Eastern Ranges, Samuel Grlj of the Oakleigh Chargers and Lachy Dovaston of the Eastern Ranges. Picture: Michael Willson\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
RICHMOND<\/p>\n
Current draft hand: 3, 4, 38, 68<\/p>\n
The Tigers are set to gain two more young guns just one year after snagging seven 18-year-olds in the draft\u2019s first 28 picks. While their third and fourth overall selections are set to slide four spots due to matched bids inside the top 10, Richmond seems likely to pick two of Sam Cumming, Sullivan Robey, Xavier Taylor and Sam Grlj, with rebounder Jacob Farrow linked to one of Richmond\u2019s picks late in the pre-draft process. It\u2019d be hard to go wrong with any of those names. Robey and Cumming are centre-forward types who\u2019ll add a dynamic attacking element wherever they land, while Taylor is a mid-sized interceptor with offensive capability and Grlj is a back-half line-breaker. Regardless, after the Tigers\u2019 first-round involvements, a best-case scenario would see them land father-son prospect Louis Kellaway late in proceedings without having to match a rival bid. On the other hand, having to match a bid wouldn\u2019t be ideal. Richmond would also be absolutely thrilled if it landed small forward Latrelle Pickett with its third choice, having been in on now-Sydney forward Malcolm Rosas ahead of the trade period. <\/p>\n
ST KILDA<\/p>\n
Current draft hand: 50, 65<\/p>\n
A busy trade period has left the Saints with very limited capital. In fact, they have the lowest total draft points value of any club. It\u2019s unlikely, but the Saints could find a way to get back into the first round. Particularly with the potential to pluck Jevan Phillipou, younger brother of Mattaes, who could be picked up late in the first round at the earliest. Best-case scenario would be Phillipou just slides to that pick! That\u2019d be a cool and romantic story as much as anything. The other watch is when Kye Fincher, who the Saints have NGA links to and is expected to get a bid in the 30s, attracts attention. If it comes after Pick 36, St Kilda could match with its next selection. If not, the club will need to make a call on whether it goes for Fincher. Bearing in mind that could mean going into points deficit in 2026 \u2014 and the Saints are already without their second-round pick next year.<\/p>\n
Do Ross Lyon\u2019s Saints have a surprise in mind? Picture: Michael Willson\/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
SYDNEY SWANS<\/p>\n
Current draft hand: 31, 32, 42, 63<\/p>\n
Their draft night surrounds navigating a delicate bidding situation with Academy quartet \u2014 Harry Kyle, Lachlan Carmichael, Max King and Noah Chamberlain \u2014 namely the former trio, who could draw bids in the top 35. Or, in an even worse scenario, there\u2019s a chance the trio all draw bids on night one. Kyle, who has interest from cross-town rival GWS with its first pick, is set to receive the earliest bid. Then, the Swans might need to make a hard call on Carmichael or King, depending on when those bids come. A Bulldogs bid on Carmichael at Pick 14 would be far from ideal for the Bulldogs. Meanwhile Chamberlain could be attained with a late pick or even slip through as a rookie. It comes after Sydney\u2019s trade period juggling act where in securing Charlie Curnow while keeping some stock in the draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
WEST COAST EAGLES<\/p>\n
Current draft hand: 1, 2, 13, 34, 41, 58<\/p>\n
In a perfect world, the Eagles probably land Blues father-son gun Harry Dean, who\u2019d fill a key defender need. But the Blues will be well prepared to match. Outside of that, the Eagles could land top two priorities Willem Duursma and Cooper Duff-Tytler then find a way to move Pick 13 up the order to take Dyson Sharp \u2014 one of the best on-ballers in this year\u2019s draft pool. Ultimately, it\u2019s hard to lose if you have the first two picks (at least, in the open draft), but a bid on top NGA prospect Tylah Williams at, say, Pick 12 from the Giants would leave the Eagles in a tricky spot. Ideally, they\u2019d like Williams to slip to the second round.<\/p>\n
Willem Duursma of Vic Country.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
WESTERN BULLDOGS<\/p>\n
Current draft hand: 14, 33, 53, 70, 74<\/p>\n
The Dogs have been heavily linked to half-backs at their first selection. So it\u2019d be ideal if one of Josh Lindsay and Oskar Taylor was still on the board at their selection. If both are gone, the Dogs could bid on Swans academy defender Lachlan Carmichael, who they clearly have interest in but, for most rival clubs, is ranked below Lindsay and Taylor. The Dogs would love it if father-son prospect Will Darcy \u2014 the son of Luke and brother of Sam \u2014 didn\u2019t receive a national draft bid, which would allow the club to either select him with their last national draft pick or even rookie him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025 national draft is finally upon us, as all 18 AFL clubs gain a better understanding 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