AFL Draft Bible: Club whispers, mock draft, prospect rankings, draft order and more

Welcome to our AFL Draft Bible - covering everything a footy fan needs ahead of Thursday and Friday's National Draft. Including the latest AFL Draft whispers, content on all 18 clubs' plans, our most recent Mock Draft, prospect rankings and profiles, videos, the full draft order, and more, we have you set ahead of this year's intake! Latest Mock Draft Covering the first two rounds of the AFL Draft, below is Craft of the Draft's latest Mock Draft - selecting Picks 1-43. Keep an eye out for our FINAL MOCK DRAFT, likely released Tuesday morning. Pick 1 - Port Adelaide (Matched Bid): Dougie Cochrane (PA use Picks 7 and 12) Pick 2 - Essendon: Ethan Drever Pick 3 - Carlton (Matched Bid): Cody Walker (CARL use Picks 12 and 17) Pick 4 - Richmond: Arki Butler Pick 5 - West Coast: Heath Mellody Pick 6 - GWS (Matched Bid): Ethan Matthews (GWS use Picks 10 and 20. Gain Pick 25) Pick 7 - Melbourne: Mitch Harris Pick 8 - Richmond: Harry Van Hattum Pick 9 - Sydney: Gus Teixeira Pick 10 - Brisbane (Matched Bid): Caylen Murray (BRIS use Picks 19 and 25) Pick 11 - Gold Coast: Tyson Bradley Pick 12 - St Kilda: Sam Gayfer Pick 13 - Collingwood: Clancy Snell Pick 14 - Melbourne: Toby Krasna Pick 15 - Adelaide: Jake Eime Pick 16 - St Kilda: Wil Malady Pick 17 - Essendon: George Dimer Pick 18 - Fremantle: Jackson Phillips END OF 1ST ROUND Pick 19 - Essendon: Jack Pickett (COMPO) Pick 20 - Port Adelaide: Noah Williams Pick 21 - Richmond: Harvie Cooke (COMPO) Pick 22 - West Coast: Keenan Boi Pick 23 - West Coast: Jake Soutar (COMPO) Pick 24 - Port Adelaide: Lochie Burrows Pick 25 - GWS: Xavier Ladbrook Pick 26 - Essendon: Archie Elliott Pick 27 - GWS: Leo Steed Pick 28 - Brisbane: Marlon Neocleous Pick 29 - Hawthorn: Lachie Hicks Pick 30 - Collingwood: Gus Kennedy Pick 31 - Western Bulldogs (Matched Bid): Khaled El Souki (WB use Picks 42 and 53) Pick 32 - Carlton: Brady Wright Pick 33 - Adelaide: George Gale Pick 34 - North Melbourne: Wil Antrobus Pick 35 - Port Adelaide: Gabe Patterson Pick 36 - Adelaide: Archie Van Dyk Pick 37 - Geelong: Zac Antonellos Pick 38 - Hawthorn: Billy Wigmore Pick 39 - Sydney: Albert MacGowan Pick 40 - Sydney: Marcus Prasad Pick 41 - Fremantle: Harvey Spawton-Guy Pick 42 - Essendon (Matched Bid): Blake Justice (ESS use Pick 80) Pick 43 - St Kilda: Sam Devers END OF 2ND ROUND Top 50 Prospects Craft of the Draft's Top 50 Prospect Power Rankings for 2026, including video and profile content for every ranked name. [draft_top10_widget player_id="Dougie Cochrane" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Heath Mellody" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Ethan Drever" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Arki Butler" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Cody Walker" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Harry Van Hattum" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Gus Teixeira" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Mitch Harris" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Ethan Matthews" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Caylen Murray" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Sam Gayfer" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Leo Steed" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Wil Malady" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Tyson Bradley" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="George Dimer" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jake Eime" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Toby Krasna" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="George Gale" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jack Pickett" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Clancy Snell" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Lochie Burrows" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Noah Williams" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Albert MacGowan" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Xavier Ladbrook" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Keenan Boi" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Khaled El Souki" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Harvey Spawton-Guy" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Billy Wigmore" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Koby LeCras" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Kodah Edwards" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jake Soutar" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Marlon Neocleous" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Harvie Cooke" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Marcus Prasad" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Harry Chapman" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Gabe Patterson" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jackson Phillips" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Gus Kennedy" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Wil Antrobus" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Brady Wright" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Cody Templeton" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Archie Elliott" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Lachie Hicks" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Blake Justice" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jack Slattery" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Ethan Herbert" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Archie Van Dyk" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Darcy Szerszyn" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Jordan Knapp" season="2026"] [draft_top10_widget player_id="Sam Devers" season="2026"] 10 players with the most AFL Draft interest outside Craft of the Draft's top 50... Archie Spencer: The Eastern Ranges utility's competitiveness and role compliance appeals to a range of clubs. He played as a defender at the National Championships. Western Bulldogs have long been interested and several more clubs have shown interest as the year has gone on. He also offers deceptive ability with his spread and overlap. Sam Tassone: The South Australian half-back has received strongest interest from GWS and Western Bulldogs while North Melbourne are also among the clubs interested at the back-end. It has been a sharp rise for the agile Sunraysia product who was not playing firsts footy for his school last year but his ball use and intent to move the ball purposefully has clubs interested. Jackson Watkins: An explosive half forward, Watkins pieced together solid form for the Calder Cannons this year and impacted when he had the footy with about half the clubs having spoken to the potential bolter. Zach Stevens: A bolter from Geelong, the small forward is explosive and made a statement with his athleticism at the AFL Draft National Draft Combine. Has natural nous and a turn of speed which makes him dangerous and dynamic when the ball hits the ground. Benji van Rooyen: The brother of Melbourne's Jacob, Benji was the best performed ruck at the Under-18s National Championships and would suit a club looking to add to their big-man brigade given his mobility and skill to complement his ruck craft. Andrio Sousa: The sharp-stepping winger could not crack Haileybury's firsts side last year and made the decision to prioritise Talent League footy this year with great effect. Zac Antonellos: Has spoken to 11 clubs and shown plenty of upside with his potency in the front half as a connector. Repeat hamstring injuries have punctuated his year after only playing a handful of games last year due to a Syndesmosis injury yet when he has got on the park, he has impressed. Got one game for Vic Metro where he impacted highly, Geelong among the clubs to show strong interest. Seb Marsic: An Oakleigh Chargers key forward, Marsic sat out much of the season with injury which ruled him out of the Under-18s National Championships, but when he was on the park, he looked dangerous. It was his first season in a Talent League program, and an early season game against Sandringham was a synpsis of what clubs can expect from the raw contested marking forward who makes the most of his scoring opportunities. Tom Brown: A 189cm Western Australian defender who plays taller than his size, several of his direct opponents noted Brown as their most difficult opponent this year given his competitiveness and physicality. There are some similarities to Reuben Ginbey, with Brow also a highly-regarded teammate. Ollie Bartal: A strong intercept marking player, Bartal made a name for himself playing strong schoolboy footy for Haileybury College and carried that form into the back-end of the season for Sandringham. Kicks it a long way and is a high metres-gained player with his willingness to rebound. Players in the mix for Category B Indigenous rookie list spots... Kai Parker: Medium explosive defender who has shut down talls and smalls this year, battling through glandular fever and a shoulder injury to still play promising enough footy that he could be a national draftee and would be hard to pass up as a rookie if he slips through. Robby Farmer: One who has been linked to Richmond, the West Coast Next Generation Academy member Cooper Craig-Peters: Western Bulldogs have shown strong interest in adding the consistent Footscray midfielder to their list for on-ball depth after years of contested ball-winning in the VFL. Sonny Smiler: The Northern Territory native was a late addition to the AFL Academy and while raw, is a potential high-upside pick who can make things happen in the forward half with his athleticism. Other featured content covering more of this year's draft class... Memphis Webb Sam Tassone Tanner Armstrong Garrison Kenh Kai Parker Anthony Long Benji van Rooyen Jimmy Hele Angus White Zac Antonellos Latest Videos Latest AFL Draft whispers: Essendon targets, Carlton plans + more MOCK DRAFT #2: Picking the first TWO ROUNDS of the 2026 AFL Draft Father-son gun: Chatting all things AFL Draft with Carlton-tied prospect Cody Walker Top 5 fancy: Chatting all things AFL Draft with Heath Mellody When bids could come for these 20 club-tied AFL Draft prospects VIEW FULL CRAFT OF THE DRAFT PLAYLIST Draft Order [draft_order_widget season='2026'] Adelaide Draft Picks: 15, 32, 35, 43, 54 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Anthony Long (NGA) Latest Whispers: Adelaide has been most closely linked to speedy half-back Jake Eime with their first selection. He spent time training at West Lakes and was part of the club's Academy this year but they were unaware of his Indigenous heritage until this year and did not spend enough time with the Crows for the club to get priority access to him at the draft. Regardless, they have shown interest and he is expected to fall in their range. Others in the mix for the Crows' selection on night one are powerful utility Lochie Burrows and smooth-moving Northern Knights mover Toby Krasna. They have been linked to Western Australia winger George Gale, but he is unlikely to slide to their second selection, while local boy Kodah Edwards is another one in the mix for them. If they do look local on night two, they are somewhat at the mercy of rivals Port Adelaide who have selections before Adelaide are on the clock. Brisbane Draft Picks: 21, 27, 28, 45 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Caylen Murray (Academy) Latest Whispers: Brisbane is all but certain to trade out Pick 21 and will match a bid for Caylen Murray, which is likely to come in the top 10. Beyond that, the Lions have proven one of the more difficult clubs to get a grasp on ahead of this week's intake. They have long been linked to small forward Marlon Neocleous who could be a Charlie Cameron successor, but it is hard to be certain of which way the Lions will lean with their open-pool selections. Another one to keep an eye on is Reece Thompson. The forward returned from an ACL rupture this year and played for Brisbane's Academy but was not part of the academy last year so does not qualify as a club-tied selection - but if he gets through the national draft, the Lions could list him as a Queensland-based rookie. Carlton Draft Picks: 13, 18, 31, 50, 59, 67, 73 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Cody Walker (Father-Son) Latest Whispers: A bid for Cody Walker is unlikely to come from Essendon, but every chance to come from Richmond at Pick 3, so they are armed and ready. Carlton has been linked to a forward with its first open pool selection. Whether a tall or small remains the question. South Australian overager Jack Slattery and Werribee's Brady Wright are two who have been linked, while swingman Harvey Spawton-Guy has also garnered interest from the Blues. If they go small, their pick is in a range where they may look to place a bid on Keenan Boi (Hawthorn), Finlay Yeo (Fremantle) or Khaled El Souki, while they have also shown interest in Gippslander Marlon Neocleous and Blues supporter Marcus Prasad is also right in this range. Ruck Ethan Herbert is another who cannot be ruled out with the Blues expected to add another ruck to their list in some way prior to the start of next season following the exits of Flynn Riley and Hudson O'Keeffe. Collingwood Draft Picks: 11, 30, 63, 64, 65 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: N/A Latest Whispers: It is no secret the Magpies would love to secure Sam Gayfer - but he is looking increasingly unlikely to still be available by the time they enter night one. Tyson Bradley and Clancy Snell will therefore likely be the weigh-up - if both are still available - as the Pies look to reinforce their backline, though star Western Australian Leo Steed also cannot be ruled out. With their second selection, Gus Kennedy, who played a VFL game for the club and is regarded as one of the best one-on-one players in the crop, has been heavily linked. Explosive defender Kai Parker is a chance with their last selection on night two. Essendon Draft Picks: 1, 17, 25, 69, 75, 78, 80 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Blake Justice (NGA) Latest Whispers: Ethan Drever was at Essendon HQ on Friday and there is a growing belief he will be the first open-pool player selected in the 2026 AFL National Draft. A big-bodied midfielder, his speed is a significant enough differentiator. Given they are expected to place a bid on for Dougie Cochrane, they will receive an end of first round compensation pick, where a key-position player will come into focus if one is not taken with Pick 17. Defender Clancy Snell and forward Jack Pickett are around the mark for both of those selections, while they have also done work on Western Australian Harvey Spawton-Guy. Western Australian midfielder Leo Steed also cannot be ruled out if he is still available at their second selection, while their Pick 25 is about where South Australian captain Kodah Edwards' range starts. Fremantle Draft Picks: 19, 40, 58, 61, 68 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Finlay Yeo (NGA), Lucas Robinson (NGA) Latest Whispers: Fremantle's pick late on night one is one of the most fascinating of the first round. West Australian mature-aged defender Jake Soutar was linked early but is now seen as less likely - though remains a genuine chance - while hard-running Jackson Phillips, winger Toby Krasna, pacy half-back Jake Eime and even Hawthorn-tied small forward Keenan Boi are other names in the mix. It will also be fascinating to see where a bid comes for Finlay Yeo with many clubs seeing him as a genuine second round prospect despite the high-flying small forward being largely unheralded for much of the year. If he does fetch a bid before Pick 36, Fremantle would face a dilemma about whether to match a bid given the impact it would have on the rest of their draft hand. The Dockers have also done work on local key position talent Harvey Spawton-Guy who can provide reinforcement at either end, but he is likely to be off the board by their second selection. There is a belief the Dockers could target a tall defender on night two and they have done work on athletic Sydney Academy prospect Mason McGroder and are every chance of placing a bid. Geelong Draft Picks: 36, 55, 60 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: N/A Latest Whispers: Geelong is always a difficult club to get an indication of what they want to do and that is particularly the case given they are entering the AFL Draft so late. Forwards Zac Antonellos and Zach Stevens have been linked and the latter makes sense as a member of the club's VFL program. They have also assessed running half-backs Logan Ross and Sam Devers. Gold Coast Draft Picks: 8, 70, 72, 77 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Archie Hill (Academy) Latest Whispers: Gold Coast has been linked to a lot of players lukewarmly. Key forward Sam Gayfer is probably now more of an outside chance, Mitch Harris is unlikely to still be on the board but would be selected if available, and Clancy Snell and Tyson Bradley will be right in consideration if available. This is also the start of Western Australian midfielder Leo Steed's range, though Gus Teixeira would be prioritised if he slides through. What they do with a rare open pool first round selection is hard to determine and somewhat dependent on what happens above them. GWS Draft Picks: 9, 20, 26, 57 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Ethan Matthews (Academy) Latest Whispers: GWS is beautifully positioned to match a bid for Ethan Matthews, with their second selection unlikely to move much if a bid comes at about Pick 7, as expected. They have been linked with a few talls at either end, most notably Werribee key forward Brady Wright. Jack Pickett is also in that mix, while Xavier Ladbrook is one they have done some work on up the other end. Interestingly, they have also shown interest in a pair of half-backs, South Australian Sam Tassone and Eastern Ranges bolter Sam Devers. Hawthorn Draft Picks: 29, 37, 66, 74 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Keenan Boi (NGA), Cooper Hodge (Father-Son) Latest Whispers: Let's first address the club-tied talent and do not take it for granted that Hawthorn will match a bid on Academy small forward Keenan Boi. If a bid comes before Hawthorn's first selection, there is a genuine likelihood they would overlook the Gippslander, with Fremantle's pick at the end of night one the start of Boi's range and West Coast also believed to be strongly considering him. If he slips passed both of those clubs, then there is a good chance a bid does not come until after Hawthorn's first live selection. As for Cooper Hodge, he is believed to be likely to fetch a bid very late in the national draft which is very likely to be matched. As for open pool prospects, the Hawks have done work on 189cm interceptor Billy Wigmore who has been heavily linked, while potential AFL Academy slider Harry Chapman is also potentially in their sights after training there in pre-season. Melbourne Draft Picks: 4, 14, 48, 51, 79 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: N/A Latest Whispers: This masthead has been strong that Melbourne's interest in defender Mitch Harris at Pick 4 is real. They need a player to succeed the retired Steven May and ageing Jake Lever to complement Dan Turner. It is worth remembering they traded up to get Pick 4 so will be keen to hit the jackpot. If Toby Krasna is still on the board at Melbourne's second selection, expect him to be taken. Midfielder Leo Steed is another option. Is there an outside chance ruck Harry Van Hattum slides all the way to Pick 14 if he gets past the first handful of selections? Melbourne have also done work on half-back Logan Ross with their later selection. North Melbourne Draft Picks: 33, 49, 62 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Aidan McCartney (Father-Son) Latest Whispers: Ideally, Jake Soutar is available at Pick 33 and, after winning a WAFL best and fairest as a general in defence this year, his selection would make a lot of sense after the Roos could not land Nick Murray and given their need of defensive reinforcement. Western Jets interceptor Billy Wigmore is another who has been linked to their first selection. They will likely ensure forward Aidan McCartney comes in via the National Draft, while half-back Sam Tassone has also been linked. Port Adelaide Draft Picks: 7, 12, 22, 24, 34, 46 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Dougie Cochrane (NGA), Zach Young (NGA) Latest Whispers: Port Adelaide have canvassed far and wide for their suite of selections on night two. After using Picks 7 and 12 to match a bid at Pick 1 for Dougie Cochrane, expect a small forward to be taken with one of their first two selections on night two, with local boy Gabe Patterson one of interest, alongside Harvie Cooke. Wingers George Gale, Harry Chapman and Albert MacGowan have also received interest from Port Adelaide, indicating they could be after some outside run. Richmond Draft Picks: 2, 5, 44, 76 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Tanner Armstrong (NGA) Latest Whispers: It goes without saying Richmond controls the first night of the AFL Draft given their two top five selections. At this stage, it is hard to gauge what they will do as they are keeping their cards close to their chest. The knee-jerk reaction is that they will select Arki Butler with Pick 2 to add front half firepower, and then select one of Mitch Harris, Gus Teixeira or Harry Van Hattum at Pick 5, likely one of the former two. They are then expected to have a selection at the start of night two which they are likely to use on a small forward, with George Dimer and Harvie Cooke linked to the club. If Van Hattum goes to the Tigers, that could entice them to pair him with close mate Cooke. There has also been whispers they could use a back-end selection on a rebounding half-back with Sam Devers and Darcy Szerszyn among the names linked. St Kilda Draft Picks: 10, 16, 41 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: N/A Latest Whispers: In an ideal world, St Kilda would get Sam Gayfer with their first selection given their need for aerial support for Max King inside 50. If Gayfer is off the board, Tyson Bradley and Clancy Snell are both also options for their first selection and each captained their Talent League team this year so offer leadership attributes. They have also been linked to powerful utility Lochie Burrows and athletic third tall Wil Malady - though whether they need another undersized marking option is debatable. Eastern Ranges athletic interceptor Sam Devers is another the club is understood to have shown interest in with their selection on night two. Sydney Draft Picks: 6, 38, 39, 47 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Mason McGroder (Academy), Henry Meaney (Academy) Latest Whispers: Mitch Harris and Gus Teixeira project as the most likely pickups with Sydney's first selection. The Swans are considering further defensive reinforcement and Harris could still be available - though has been linked to Melbourne and Richmond, which select before the Swans. If he is not available, Tyson Bradley and Clancy Snell will still be on the board and neither can be ruled out. Teixeira is a dynamic forward-midfielder who is a strong chance to still be available, with Sydney one of the clubs to have done the most work on him. Sydney has been linked to forgotten Western Australian half forward Koby Lecras and the nephew of the great West Coast small forward mark is every chance of falling to their selections on night two given his ACL setback has led to him falling behind a few. Marcus Prasad is around the mark for Sydney's night two selections, while they are likely to be forced to match a bid on raw athletic defender Mason McGroder. West Coast Draft Picks: 3, 23, 56 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Lachie McGlade (NGA), Harper Banfield (Father-Son), Garrison Kenh (NGA), Robert Farmer (NGA) Latest Whispers: The sense is that Heath Mellody to the Eagles makes the most sense - but if Arki Butler is available at Pick 3, he cannot be ruled out either given their need for forward half firepower. Regardless which way they go at Pick 3, they are expected to select a small forward with their first selection on night two, with Sandringham's George Dimer the ideal outcome - but it is looking increasingly unlikely he will still be on the board. They are big fans of Hawthorn-tied Keenan Boi and a bid here would be unlikely to be matched, while Gabe Patterson and Marlon Neocleous also cannot be ruled out as small forwards around the mark. Their quartet of club-tied prospects have not been given guarantees about whether they will land. Western Bulldogs Draft Picks: 42, 52, 53, 71 Notable Club-Tied Prospects: Khaled El Souki (NGA) Latest Whispers: Provided a bid comes from about the mid-20s onwards, a bid for forward Khaled El Souki looks likely to be matched. He fits a list need for the Dogs and his form in the Talent League this season, in between an ankle injury, was irresistible. The Dogs have also done work on a range of defend-first halfbacks likely to be available at the back-end of the draft including the competitive Archie Spencer, run-and-gun South Australian Sam Tassone, lethal lefty Wil Antrobus and the athletic Sam Devers. They are also strongly expected to Category B rookie list Footscray midfielder Cooper Craig-Peters as an Indigenous player. They have also done work on VFL team of the year player Jack Riding after he was overlooked for an SSP spot in pre-season at Hawthorn.

AFL Draft Bible: Club whispers, mock draft, prospect rankings, draft order and more

Everything you need ahead of the 2026 AFL Draft.

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		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	FRE	23	19	4	76	137.2
2	SYD	23	18	5	72	136.1
3	BL	23	16	7	64	121.7
4	HAW	23	15	6	64	120.1
5	GEEL	23	15	8	60	122.3
6	ADEL	23	15	8	60	117.3
7	MELB	23	15	8	60	109.6
8	WB	23	13	9	54	95.4
9	COLL	23	12	9	52	102.4
10	CARL	23	12	10	50	101.5