The AFL Draft is less than three weeks away, with clubs now becoming settled on who sits where in the pecking order.
There is great stability to our final top 50, with only two new players and one returning name in what was a logjam at the back end.
10-6
10 - Caylen Murray
An electric speedster who can be played across any line, Murray played his best footy as a pacy half-back who took the game on. Played something of a lone-hand for an under-strength Allies line-up. As it stands, it will be tricky for Brisbane to match a bid for a player expected to attract a bid in the top 10 - so expect them to do some work in the trade period to be equipped to land a player with modern-day AFL attributes.
CAYLEN MURRAY ON NRL CONNECTION AND MORE
JASON AKERMANIS ON CAYLEN MURRAY
9 - Ethan Matthews (GWS Academy)
A midfielder who impacts in transition with his beautiful lace-out kicking and can win his own footy, there remains plenty of upside with the GWS Academy prospect. Had his championships cut short by injury, but what he showed at the carnival and in the Talent League early in the year has ensconced him in the top 10 range of the draft as a player who will start on the outside and has the capacity to go inside. Had a heavily interrupted pre-season yet took no time to reach his best footy and has also had VFL experience.
8 - Mitch Harris (Woodville-West Torrens)
Does not need a lot of the footy to have maximum damage as the best key defender in this year's draft crop. Competitive and athletic, he isn't afraid of initiating contact which allows him to lock down premier key forwards and can also float across to take a strong intercept mark. A best afield performance in a trial game for South Australia put him on the map - unbelievably he only had eight disposals but was indisputably a star of the day with his spoiling and body positioning. Followed that up with a trusty National Championships and has competed hard in senior opportunities for Woodville-West Torrens.
BOLTER EMERGES FROM PROPERTY THE SIZE OF 190 MCGs
7 - Gus Teixeira (Sandringham Dragons)
The Sandringham forward-midfielder missed most of the last month of the season due to a calf injury he unbelievably played through for much of 2026. Outworks opponents and continues running after disposing of the footy, which allows him to get multiple possessions in a chain and get forward to kick goals. Showed genuine forward craft playing in attack at the Under-18s National Championships which breeds confidence he could play at the top level next year.
6 - Harry Van Hattum (Northern Knights)
Battled through injury at times this year but has all the tools at his disposal to be the player he was touted as entering 2026. Strong and mature framed, he is a modern-day leaping ruck whose tap craft is elite and he can take big boy contested marks and his skill is better than most his size.
