Bumper number of club-tied prospects headline AFL Futures squad

Sixteen AFL club-tied prospects headline the squad for the annual Under-17s Futures showcase game.

The squad for the game played at the MCG on AFL Grand Final Day was released on Wednesday, with a host of names linked to Tasmania also in action.

Devils list boss Derek Hine will have a close eye on the game with the club able to pre-sign up to eight 17-year-olds from the 2027 crop.

Between club-tied prospects and Tasmania's entry, as many as 25 of the prospects in action in the game will be inaccessible to the open pool.

It brings a greater focus to the 2026 pool, where just six members of Craft of the Draft's top 40 are club-tied - albeit four of those are in the top 10.

Outside of Tasmania, Carlton is so far the only club with multiple first-round selections next year following last season's Charlie Curnow trade and clubs likely won't value first-round selections next year as highly as other years given the quantity of players that will be unavailable.

Brisbane Academy prospect Jackson Bridge, Port Adelaide-tied pair Louis Salopek and Zemes Pilot, Essendon father-son prospect Koby Bewick, GWS-tied forward-midfielder Cooper French and Essendon and Port Adelaide-tied Tevita Rodan are among the best club-tied prospects in action. 

Taj Murray, the brother of Gold Coast first-year player Jai, is one the Suns will have access to, while Hawthorn-tied pair Charlie Fischer and Henry Allsopp will also feature.

Max Holden (Brisbane Lions), Coen Hardy (Sydney), Charlie McLennan (Sydney), Percy Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), Baden Smith (GWS), Brynley Ryan (GWS) and Jed Corbett (GWS) are the other club-tied prospects in action.

Western Jets key forward Jake Miller, Western Australia ruck Axel Walsh and Bendigo Pioneers small forward Max Thompson are among the names to be most closely linked. Tasmanian talent Jake Beams is also one to watch, with the Devils having access to sign up to four Tasmanians.

Jett Flower, the grandson of Melbourne great Robbie Flower, is another name for fans to be aware of but he is no guarantee to feature, currently on the comeback trail from a syndesmosis injury. Tom Steinfort is another to be named whose availability is unlikely due to an ACL rupture in March.

For the second consecutive season, Gippsland is the best represented side with five members: Ficher, Allsopp, ruck Cohen Dent, utility Leo Stephenson and top 10 prospect Oscar Henwood.

2026 MARSH AFL NATIONAL FUTURES BOYS SQUAD

Head coaches: Scott Moore and Kris Pendlebury
Support coaches: Trent Goodrem, James Gellie, Rob Harding, Sam Mainwaring, Chelsea Randall and Chad Wingard