Tasmania Devils' imminent AFL entrance will open another pool of players to be drafted to the 19th club, and four Coburg Lions stars could make the jump to the top flight, according to coach Jamie Cassidy-McNamara.
The quartet of Lions, Tom Barnett, Donovan Toohey, Ingo Dammer-Smith and Will Hoare, have produced strong seasons in 2026, and have forced AFL recruiters to take a second look at their prospects.
"We've got a fair degree of interest," Cassidy-McNamara told Zero Hanger.
"We had another one, Tom Barnett, who was really close in the mid-season draft, who unfortunately broke his leg a couple of weeks after the mid-season draft, so he'll be one that puts himself in the frame again next year.
"One of our leaders, Donovan Toohey, has had an exceptional year and has evolved his game from being one of the best offensive high defenders in the competition to also being a really strong stopper.
"And Ingo Dammersmith and Will Hoare are two of the best interceptors in the comp, and could both quite easily make the step up.
"All our boys can do is keep improving their game, keep developing, keep showing growth, and put themselves at the front of the queue. That if an opportunity does arise, they're thought of.
"But the last 12 to 24 months would say that AFL recruiters are looking for state leagues more and more for players, and I think that's only going to amplify over the next 12 to 18 months with Tasmania coming in."
Barnett was pushing for a mid-season draft selection as an impressive key defender, standing at 196cm tall.
He received interest from AFL clubs but was overlooked for the intake. His season was derailed by a broken leg, but Cassidy-McNamara believes he'll be around the mark again.
Toohey averaged 27.2 disposals across the halfback, while Dammersmith and Hoare have provided defensive intercepts and bounce for the Lions.
The quartet played a pivotal role in bringing the club to the doorstep of the finals, missing out on last weekend's Wildcard Final opportunity by 0.4 per cent.
The four Lions were joined by former Collingwood forward Jaidyn Stephenson in receiving an AFL endorsement from their coach.
Stephenson, after he attempted to secure an SSP lifeline at Port Adelaide but narrowly missed out in February, reunited with Cassidy-McNamara at Coburg after spending time together at the Pies.
The 2018 Rising Star has an interest in returning to the top flight and kicked 49 goals in 18 games, which was a known asset of his game.
But Cassidy-McNamara alluded to other areas of Stephenson's performance that have improved out of sight.
"One thing is, durability is a really handy trait," he said.
"He's never injured, and he's always fit and available. I think he's had the most shots at goal in the VFL, and I think he has had the most tackles in the forward 50, which was certainly something he didn't do back when he was at AFL level.
"He's certainly above the level. I think he is an interesting case in that he's shown, has proven evidence that not only he is an AFL footballer, but he is a very, very good AFL footballer. So I think it's going to take a club that just has a need for a player like Jaidyn to get a chance.
"Whether or not they do is something we can't control, but I think he's put his best foot forward. He's answered any questions around his work rate or character. Any lingering perceptions. I think he's answered them pretty unequivocally."
