Amid debate over the strength of the current AFL talent pool and the level of state league talent available to clubs ahead of the competition's expansion to 19 clubs, the Craft of the Draft podcast has looked to put a few names on the map ahead of the Mid-Season Draft.
Speaking on this week's episode, analyst Jonty Ralphsmith listed Williamstown pair Joel Fitzgerald and Hugo Hall-Kahan as a pair of prospects after strong starts to 2026 in new positions, while ex-Sun Brodie McLaughlin and recent St Kilda SSP talent Oskar Ainsworth are others who clubs may have on their radar.
"Joel Fitzgerald and Hugo Hall-Kahan are a couple from Williamstown," Ralphsmith said.
"Fitzgerald played excellently on the weekend. Through the midfield, he's shown a different part to his skillset. We've always known what he's been able to do from a half-back point of view.
"He's had that positional change, and so has Hugo Hall-Kahan. He's reinvented himself since being delisted from Sydney.
"Sam Toner is in stunning form and is playing as well as he's ever played at VFL level. He'll be right there or thereabouts.
"Brodie McLaughlin kicked the seven goals on the weekend at Box Hill. What a story he is. He was just going to play local footy this year and had just about given up, then Hawthorn gave him that SSP lifeline, and now he's around the mark again.
"Max Mapley from Tasmania is a ruck that's been gaining attention. Xavier Bamert (is another), Ned Renfree, who we put on the map ahead of the season, the power ex-basketballer.
"Oskar Ainsworth is one worth putting out there as well. He hasn't played yet this year for St Kilda VFL due to a hamstring injury. Played his first game back at local, but he's still on some radars."
The past year alone has seen a handful of mature-aged list additions immediately look comfortable in the top flight after being given a chance, with Rising Star contender Cooper Trembath playing local for local club Blackburn this time last year before being recruited to North Melbourne in the Mid-Season Draft.
West Coast acquired Tom McCarthy with Pick 1 in that count, while the Eagles have also found success in their play for 25-year-old Milan Murdock, who has been among the club's best performers to start the season.
"There's been some great examples over the last 12 months alone," Craft of the Draft host Mitch Keating said.
"This year, Milan Murdock gets his chance. Tom Blamires gets his chance. Tom McCarthy wasn't on an AFL list this time last year. Cooper Trembath wasn't on an AFL list this time last year.
"Flynn Perez has gone out and back into the system and is now doing some good things at Hawthorn after a good period at Sturt.
"Latrelle Pickett wasn't exactly eligible for last year's Mid-Season Draft, but there had been interest. If he had been an exception, he could've been picked up in May last year rather than a first-round pick in November.
"There are always going to be those examples, and there are plenty of others that don't quite work out. There are some players on AFL lists that might not be up to the level, but I think for every one of those, there's a couple in the state leagues that would go pretty well in the AFL."
