The composition of the 2026 AFL National Draft is starting to take shape following the conclusion of the Under-18s National Championships.
Alongside known commodities such as Cody Walker and Arki Butler, a host of other players have put their hands up as genuine top 30 prospects with strong performances at the carnival.
After each round of the carnival, Zero Hanger's Craft of the Draft has ranked the top 10 players who have most enhanced their stocks, with this editorial representing the final edition of the list.
Each of these players started the carnival needing to prove their credentials, and has ended it with a strong body of work playing the highest standard of junior footy on offer.
For clarity: this is a list of the players whose stocks increased most at the championships, not the best performing players. As such, strong contributors such as Gus Teixeira and Ethan Drever, who entered the carnival already in top 10 contention, were overlooked in favour of players who have established themselves as bona fide prospects from further back in the pecking order.
North Adelaide pair Memphis Webb and Sam Tassone are on the edge of the list, as is Western Jets defender Billy Wigmore and Northern Knights winger Toby Krasna and Western Australia's Tom Brown.
Krasna, in particular, has jumped significantly as a hard-running, skilful player.
Click here to watch the latest episode of Craft of the Draft.
5 - Ethan Matthews (Allies/GWS Giants Academy)
His first game of the National Championships produced 35 disposals and six tackles in a losing cause and was arguably the best individual performance of the carnival. Would only play one more game, but so compelling are his traits as a raw transition midfielder who is damaging with ball in hand and an athletic profile perfectly suited to the modern game that he is now well and truly in top 10 contention. Has a beautiful balance between winning his own footy and spreading from contest to damage opponents with his fleet of foot and skill.
