2026 father-son and academy prospectsand where each is projected to be bid on

Projected bids

1. Pick 1

   Dougie Cochrane

   Port Adelaide · Next Generation Academy

   1st in all three rankings.

   Rated the best player in the pool even though knee surgery kept him to four SANFL games this year. A key-position utility.

   What matching would cost Port Adelaide

   • At pick 1: 2,700 points. Picks 4 and 22 cover all but 52; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 2,700 points, paid with picks 4 and 5; the leftover becomes pick 14.

2. Pick 2

   Cody Walker

   Carlton · Father-son (chose Carlton over a Next Generation Academy tie to Richmond)

   2nd in all three rankings.

   A contested midfielder who finished the season playing VFL for Carlton. If Cochrane's bid comes first, his would come at the next pick.

   What matching would cost Carlton

   • At pick 2: 2,481 points. Picks 11 and 16 cover all but 352; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 2,481 points. Picks 13 and 18 cover all but 565, and 565 is more than the 412-point deficit it may run, so it couldn't match with the picks free agency would give it.

3. Picks 7–9

   Ethan Matthews

   GWS Giants · Northern Academy

   Ranked 7th, 8th and 9th.

   A left-footed midfielder. A stress reaction in his foot ended his season at the under-18 championships, but he had already done enough.

   What matching would cost GWS Giants

   • At pick 7: Pick 7 belongs to GWS Giants, so it can take him there without a bid. With likely free agency compensation: 1,389 points, paid with picks 9 and 22; the leftover becomes pick 24.
   • At pick 9: 1,220 points. Pick 28 covers all but 715, and 715 is more than the 412-point deficit it may run, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Pick 9 belongs to GWS Giants, so it can take him there without a bid.

4. Picks 10–17

   Caylen Murray

   Brisbane Lions · Northern Academy

   Ranked 10th, 10th and 17th.

   Climbed through the year, and was the Allies' best player at the under-18 championships.

   What matching would cost Brisbane Lions

   • At pick 10: 1,531 points. Picks 18 and 36 cover all but 378; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 1,531 points. Picks 20 and 23 cover all but 121; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick.
   • At pick 17: 1,055 points, paid with picks 18 and 36; the leftover becomes pick 49. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 1,055 points, paid with picks 20 and 23; the leftover becomes pick 35.

5. Picks 12–20

   Khaled El Souki

   Western Bulldogs · Next Generation Academy

   Ranked 12th, 18th and 20th.

   A goalkicking small forward, who kicked three on debut for Footscray's VFL side late in the season.

   What matching would cost Western Bulldogs

   • At pick 12: Pick 12 belongs to Western Bulldogs, so it can take him there without a bid. With likely free agency compensation: 1,140 points, paid with picks 14 and 36; the leftover becomes pick 43.
   • At pick 20: 757 points. Picks 30 and 48 cover all but 201; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 757 points. Picks 36 and 54 cover all but 426, and 426 is more than the 412-point deficit it may run, so it couldn't match with the picks free agency would give it.

6. Picks 29–46

   Keenan Boi

   Hawthorn · Next Generation Academy

   Ranked 29th and 46th by two of the three rankings; the other leaves him out.

   A physical small forward who pressures as hard as he kicks goals.

   What matching would cost Hawthorn

   • At pick 29: 479 points. Pick 33 covers all but 97; it can carry the rest as a deficit against next year's first-round pick. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: 479 points, paid with picks 31 and 32; the leftover becomes pick 35.
   • At pick 46: Matched with Hawthorn's next pick, pick 64, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Hawthorn's next pick, pick 70, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

7. Around pick 38

   Blake Justice

   Essendon · Next Generation Academy

   Ranked 38th by one of the three rankings; the others leave him out.

   A big-bodied midfielder-forward.

   What matching would cost Essendon

   • At pick 38: Matched with Essendon's next pick, pick 55, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Essendon's next pick, pick 61, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

8. Around pick 51

   Harper Banfield

   West Coast Eagles · Father-son

   Ranked 51st by one of the three rankings; the others leave him out.

   An energetic midfielder-forward, son of Drew.

   What matching would cost West Coast Eagles

   • At pick 51: Matched with West Coast Eagles' next pick, pick 52, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with West Coast Eagles' next pick, pick 58, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

9. Around pick 59

   Cooper Hodge

   Hawthorn · Father-son (chose Hawthorn over a Northern Academy tie to Brisbane Lions)

   Ranked 59th by one of the three rankings; the others leave him out.

   Son of Luke. A midfielder-forward who made his choice public in September.

   What matching would cost Hawthorn

   • At pick 59: Matched with Hawthorn's next pick, pick 64, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Hawthorn's next pick, pick 70, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

10. Picks 61–70

    Aidan McCartney

    North Melbourne · Father-son (chose North Melbourne over a Northern Academy tie to Sydney Swans)

    Named just outside one ranking's top 60.

    Missed his whole draft year after hip surgery in February, so clubs will be judging him on earlier form.

    What matching would cost North Melbourne

    • At pick 61: Matched with North Melbourne's next pick, pick 67, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with North Melbourne's next pick, pick 65, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.
    • At pick 70: North Melbourne has no pick after it, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with North Melbourne's next pick, pick 73, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

11. Picks 61–70

    Anthony Long

    Adelaide Crows · Next Generation Academy

    Named just outside one ranking's top 60.

    What matching would cost Adelaide Crows

    • At pick 61: Adelaide Crows has no pick after it, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculator
    • At pick 70: Adelaide Crows has no pick after it, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculator

12. Picks 61–70

    Jake Medved

    Sydney Swans · Northern Academy

    Named just outside one ranking's top 60.

    What matching would cost Sydney Swans

    • At pick 61: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 69, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 75, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.
    • At pick 70: Sydney Swans has no pick after it, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 75, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

13. Picks 61–70

    Mason McGroder

    Sydney Swans · Northern Academy

    Named just outside one ranking's top 60.

    Invited to the national draft combine.

    What matching would cost Sydney Swans

    • At pick 61: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 69, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 75, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.
    • At pick 70: Sydney Swans has no pick after it, so it couldn't match with the picks it holds today. Check it in the calculatorWith likely free agency compensation: Matched with Sydney Swans' next pick, pick 75, whatever it is worth: points don't apply to a bid this late.

Outside the rankings

None of these is in any ranking's top 60. A late bid is possible, but so is no bid at all, and a club can also pre-select a tied player onto its rookie list.

• Matthew Owen, Brisbane Lions · Northern Academy.
• Reece Thompson, Brisbane Lions · Northern Academy.
• Lucas Robinson, Fremantle · Next Generation Academy.
• Archie Hill, Gold Coast Suns · Northern Academy. In the AFL Academy.
• Sam Harris, North Melbourne · Father-son.
• Archie Daffy, Richmond · Father-son.
• Jack Leys, Richmond · Father-son.
• Tanner Armstrong, Richmond · Next Generation Academy. In the AFL Academy.
• Guy Jenkin, Sydney Swans · Northern Academy.
• Henry Meaney, Sydney Swans · Northern Academy.
• Hok Marial, Western Bulldogs · Next Generation Academy.
• Jax Cooney, Western Bulldogs · Father-son.
• Levi West, Western Bulldogs · Father-son.
• Garrison Kenh, West Coast Eagles · Next Generation Academy. In the AFL Academy.
• Lachie McGlade, West Coast Eagles · Next Generation Academy.

How the ranges are worked out

A rival club bids on a tied player at about the pick where it would otherwise draft him. So each range runs from his best ranking to his worst, across three public rankings of the 2026 draft pool published in September.

Treat every range as an estimate:

• Rankings order players, not picks. Where a bid lands also depends on every bid and match before it.
• Clubs rate players differently from one another, and from the rankings.
• Only a nominated player can be matched, and clubs don't lodge their nominations with the AFL until late October. Until then, "tied" means eligible, not nominated.

The list covers every tied prospect named in public coverage so far.

How the costs are worked out

Each cost is the same calculation as the calculator's Match a bid: the bid's points on the Draft Value Index, with the club's loading or discount, paid with the club's picks after the bid. Its earlier picks are gone by then.

• Priced against the draft order as at 30 September 2026. Trades change every club's picks, and the costs move with them.
• A bid after pick 36 is matched with the club's next pick, whatever it is worth, so no points, loading or deficit come into it (the rule).
• Each bid is priced as if it were the club's only one. A club matching two bids spends picks on the first that it can't use on the second.
• A club holding next year's first-round pick may fall up to 412 points short, and the shortfall comes off that pick.

With likely free agency compensation is the same cost on the order with the 6 free agency compensation picks we expect the AFL to award, as reported up to 1 October 2026. It is shown only where those picks would change the cost, and none of them is official until the AFL announces it. The draft order can show the same projection, with every pick it moves.