Welcome to Craft of the Draft's maiden Mock Draft for 2025, with a total of 23 selections made in a 'live' count of how opening night for this year's intake might unfold.
Matched bids for Academy and father-son draft prospects are included in the Mock Draft, as are the estimated landing spots for free agency compensation selections.
Matched bids for clubs have seen their subsequent selection(s) dissolve from the draft order, pending the timing of the bids.
The 14 clubs involved in the Mock Draft were split between Craft of the Draft analysts Jonty Ralphsmith and Mitch Keating.
Jonty's Picks - West Coast, Essendon, Hawthorn, Sydney, Fremantle, GWS and Geelong
Mitch's Picks - Richmond, Gold Coast, St Kilda, Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and Brisbane
Not Involved - North Melbourne, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Collingwood
Pick 18 - Sydney (Matched Bid): Max King
| 26 RANK |  | Max King Sydney Academy Forward/Midfielder HEIGHT: 191cm |
With Sydney's opening selection coming before their first matched bid for one of their Academy kids, the Swans could be looking at an all-time haul.
The previous selection of Aidan Schubert with Pick 13 suited a list need and lands them one of the draft's best key position players, and now they can focus on attaining the points to secure their three highly-rated Academy prospects.
King is arguably the pick of that bunch, with the medium-sized forward the potential heir to Swans sensation Isaac Heeney.
King has tremendous upside, which has him so highly rated as a damaging forward who can impact a game both in the air and at ground level.
Sydney will also have Academy prospect Lachy Carmichael in mind this early into the night, while forward Noah Chamberlain is also in consideration for night two.
