With the 2026 AFL Draft now just over a week away, the shape of this year's intake is beginning to unfold as more whispers and intel surface, and it's time to deliver our third of four Mock Drafts for the year.
This Mock Draft is an evolution of our most recent exercise, which also included a total of 43 selections across the first two rounds of the count.
VIEW: FIRST EDITION MOCK DRAFT - PICKS 1-18
VIEW: SECOND EDITION MOCK DRAFT - PICKS 1-43
PLAY: AFL MOCK DRAFT SIMULATOR
Pick 3 - Carlton (Matched Bid): Cody Walker
Confidence is growing in Richmond being the likely bidder for Walker at Pick 3, with the Blues currently in a position to match that play with their current hand. It'll cost Carlton two first-round picks and almost half of their allocated DVI deficit points, but it'll all be worth it to attain the match-winning midfielder. Walker looks set to start his AFL career across half-forward or on the wing before eventually maturing into an inside gut-runner, which onlookers have seen in the Vic Country star this year.
MATCHED BID: Carlton use Picks 12 and 17, as well as 202 DVI deficit points.
