Seven AFL club-tied prospects headline the 2026 AFL Academy, announced on Friday.
After a 2025 season anticipated to be the most compromised intake in history, Carlton father-son prospect Cody Walker will headline a stronger 2026 cohort of players.
Walker and South Australian Dougie Cochrane are viewed as two standout early contenders for the No.1 pick.
Cochrane, a 197cm Central Districts forward, is currently openly available, but Port Adelaide are awaiting AFL approval to have him added to its Next Generation Academy.
Richmond Next Generation Academy prospect Tanner Armstrong, Brisbane Academy prospect Caylen Murray, Gold Coast Academy half-back Archie Hill, West Coast-tied Garrison Kenh, GWS Academy's Ethan Matthews and Aidan McCartney, tied to Sydney's Academy and North Melbourne as a father-son, are the other club-tied prospects.
Matthews, Arki Butler, Jack Gordon, Wil Malady, Harry Van Hattum, Jack Pickett, Darcy Szerszyn, Benji Van Rooyen, Walker and Noah Williams all featured at the U18s National Championships in 2025.
The Anthony Rocca-coached Northern Knights are the most represented talent pathway clubs in the squad with three players each.
Key-position trio Van Hattum, Tate Hodgson and Lewis Houndsome made the squad from the Knights.
Tarkyn Lockyer will coach the squad.
The AFL Academy squad takes part in training sessions and matches against state league opponents, providing the best players in the draft crop to develop as people and as footballers.
Of the 28 players in the 2025 AFL Academy squad, 24 received National Combine invites, indicating strong AFL interest, while all but one player from the 2024 AFL Academy was drafted.
The AFL yesterday announced the return of international high-performance trips for the Academy, with both the boys and girls squads to spend four days in Wellington, New Zealand, throughout December.
2026 AFL Academy squad
| PLAYER | STATE | STATE LEAGUE CLUB | COMMUNITY CLUB |
| Tanner Armstrong | VIC C | Murray Bushrangers | Shepparton United |
| Arki Butler | VIC M | Sandringham Dragons | Beaumaris |
| Harrison Chapman | VIC M | Eastern Ranges | Boronia |
| Dougie Cochrane | SA | Central District | Port District |
| Kodah Edwards | SA | South Adelaide | Willunga |
| Jack Gordon | SA | Central District | Port District |
| Ethan Herbert | SA | North Adelaide | Walkerville |
| Archie Hill | QLD | Gold Coast Suns Academy | Broadbeach |
| Tate Hodgson | VIC M | Northern Knights | Park Orchards NRP |
| Lewis Houndsome | VIC M | Northern Knights | Yarrambat |
| Garrison Kenh | WA | East Perth | Ellenbrook |
| Xavier Ladbrook | VIC C | Gippsland Power | Nar Nar Goon |
| Koby LeCras | WA | West Perth | Manning |
| Wil Malady | VIC C | Gippsland Power | Bairnsdale |
| Ethan Matthews | NSW/ACT | GWS GIANTS Academy | Ingleburn |
| Aidan McCartney | NSW/ACT | Sydney Swans Academy | Willoughby |
| Heath Mellody | WA | Claremont | Wembley Downs |
| Caylen Murray | QLD | Brisbane Lions Academy | Maroochydore |
| Gabriel Patterson | SA | Glenelg | Plympton |
| Jack Pickett | VIC C | Geelong Falcons | Torquay |
| Darcy Szerszyn | VIC C | Dandenong Stingrays | Seaford |
| Harry Van Hattum | VIC M | Northern Knights | St Mary's |
| Benji van Rooyen | WA | Claremont | Wembley Downs |
| Cody Walker | VIC C | Bendigo Pioneers | Echuca |
| Noah Williams | VIC C | Geelong Falcons | St Joseph's |
