It has been a meteoric rise through 2026 for Victorian defender Billy Wigmore.
The Western Jets prospect started the year as a forward and finished it as one of the best intercept marking players in the AFL Draft class.
At 189cm, Wigmore's size is a little bit in between being a tall or small defender, but he has the capacity to read the play early, float across and impact aerially.
Wigmore had a strong Under-18s National Championships and carried that form back to the Western Jets, where he patrolled the airwaves fearlessly.
With ball in hand, he tends to look to get on with it quickly to expose opposing teams in transition, but that has sometimes proven to be his undoing, at times rushing, which can cause errant kicks. It is an area he has grown throughout 2026, however.
Wigmore has juggled his footy with full-time work this year, which has given him an important balance and strong perspective he will bring to an AFL list.
Strengths
Intercepting
Read of Play
Competitiveness
Draft Range
Picks 25-40
Likely Landing Spot(s)
North Melbourne
Port Adelaide
Key Quote
“Sometimes my size has been a question mark but I see it as a versatility thing: I can play on people a bit taller than me and also play on smalls and use marking to my advantage.” Billy Wigmore
