The 2025 AFL Draft is being regarded as one of the most compromised in history, with a likely record number of Northern Academy, Next Generation Academy and father-son talents to join AFL lists.
Craft of the Draft last week named the top 13 prospects to watch, with four members of the top 10 tied to AFL clubs.
While the AFL has tightened rules to ensure clubs have to pay a greater price to secure their talent, the pedigree of many names listed this year will likely incentivise lots of dealings in the trade period as clubs attempt to match points.
Highlighting the strength of the tied-talent, every club has at least one player genuinely on the radar entering 2025.
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These are the names you might need to familiarise yourself with ahead of this year's AFL Draft.
Richmond
South Australia's Louis Kellaway, the son of former Tiger Duncan Kellaway, is the main player for Richmond fans to watch in 2025. A clean, ball-winning midfielder, he'll play a prominent role for the Croweaters at the U18s National Championships later in the year.
Top 2026 draft prospect Cody Walker is part of the Tigers' Next Generation Academy zone, but is also tied to the Blues as a father-son selection. His Pioneers teammate Russell Clark is another to watch for the 2026 draft after getting exposure last season as a double bottom-ager, as is Tanner Armstrong, a Vic Country-listed bottom-ager from Murray.
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Geelong bottom-ager Archie Daffy, the son of Nick, is also eligible as a father-son player next year.
