4. Cooper Duff-Tytler, West Coast
Cooper Duff-Tytler said: ”I played a lot of basketball when I was 14,15 and 16 and I was lucky enough to play for Australia, and it was a tough choice to choose footy, but [I] obviously can’t complain now.”
Duff-Tytler said he modelled his game after new Saint Tom De Koning and Fremantle big man Luke Jackson. The 18-year-old had a picture of his grandparents on his table, adding: “They’ve passed [away] so they couldn’t be here, but I think they’d be pretty proud of me.”
5. Dylan Patterson, Gold Coast
What Patterson said: “I’m pretty glad with the decision I made [to not choose rugby league].” Likened to Andrew McLeod, Patterson rejected NRL clubs’ overtures to stay on the AFL path. The 17-year-old thanked his dad, describing him “as the most important person in my footy journey”.
6. Daniel Annable, Brisbane Lions
What Annable said: “Jaspa Fletcher’s been checking in quite often, [he’s] obviously a gun of the competition and [I’m] looking forward to working with him.” Annable has been in the Brisbane Lions Academy since he was 12 years old and thanked his coaches for turning him into a quality player.
7. Sam Cumming, Richmond
What Cumming said: “Mum reckons I get all the talent from her, [and] Dad was alright as well,” he joked. Cumming said he loved playing in the under-18 championships for South Australia and was looking forward to playing for Richmond.
8. Sam Grlj, Richmond
What Grlj said: ”I think this just means so much to my family… I’ve brought 15 people [along]. I probably wasn’t going to get drafted 12 months ago, [and] to be here now, I’m feeling really proud of myself.” Grlj, who was emotional in his interview with Fox Footy, then laughed when asked about his surname. “The boys down at Oakley love calling me to ‘the Sizzle’,” he said.
9. Sullivan Robey, Essendon
What Robey said: “It’s obviously pretty remarkable – I never thought at the start of the year that I’d be here on draft night with my family and friends. It’s an awesome journey, I’m, very proud.” Robey joked he was a bit of a “late bloomer” when he belatedly burst onto the scene for the Ranges mid-season.
10. Jacob Farrow, Essendon
What Farrow said: Farrow described himself as “footy head”, adding: “When I’m not playing on the weekend, I put my feet up on the couch and watch the game that’s on.”
Farrow thanked his parents for all the support and said he could not be more grateful for them.
11. Xavier Taylor, Melbourne
What Taylor said: “It’s my journey, but it’s theirs [his family] as well and I’m so happy to be able to share it with all of them.” Taylor said he already had a Demons tattoo and was hoping to add a premiership one.
12. Latrelle Pickett, Melbourne
What Pickett said: “I was a late-call up and wasn’t really meant to say anything to family, and they actually had to sneak in tonight, but it all worked.” Pickett’s cousin, Kysaiah Pickett, was also a No.12 pick. Latrelle said his cousin was one of his heros and had been taking to him every day in the lead-up.
13. Dyson Sharp, Essendon
What Sharp said: “It’s a dream come true – little six-year-old me would be over the moon right now,” he said, with the lifelong Dons fan presented his red-and-black guernsey by his idol, and namesake, Dyson Heppell. “I’m speechless really,” he said.
14. Harry Kyle, Sydney
What the Swans said about Kyle (who didn’t speak): “An incredible story after joining our QBE Swans Academy program just last year. Welcome Harry!”
15. Oskar Taylor, GWS
What Taylor said: “It feels unbelievable – it’s so special to have everyone here, my friends and family.”
Taylor told Fox Footy he “didn’t have a clue” he’d be heading to GWS and joked his mum had bought a few different scarves, just in case.
16. Lachy Dovaston, North Melbourne
What Dovaston said: “I’ve got some [goal celebrations] saved in for next year – I’ve watched some NBA so will try and copy them.”
Dovaston actually said he was happy to be compared to Nick Watson, otherwise known as “the Wizard”.
“If I could be something like him [Watson], that would be awesome,” Dovaston said.
17. Jai Murray, Gold Coast
Gold Coast national recruiting manager Kall Burns said: “It’s fantastic for him [Murray] to realise his dream of moving on to an AFL list. With a proven ability to impact the game in numerous roles across the ground, we’re excited about what he can bring to our squad under Damien Hardwick.”
18. Beau Addinsall, Gold Coast
Gold Coast national recruiting manager Kall Burns said: “He [Beau] has shown fantastic leadership qualities as a member of our academy leadership group in 2025, and his aerobic capacity and ability to win the ball in particular are attributes we’re looking forward to seeing.”
19. Josh Lindsay, West Coast
What Lindsay said: “It’s been a pretty long night, I’ve been sitting down since 7pm and it’s 9pm now, but it’s been unreal.”
Lindsay said he was keen to move to Perth and said his parents remained the biggest influences on his career.
“Troy Selwood, who passed away earlier this year, was huge for me – he probably got me to this position today, I couldn’t be more grateful for him.”
20. Cameron Nairn, Hawthorn
What Nairn said: “I spoke to the Hawks a few times and had a few good meetings… but I had no real idea where I was going, so I can’t believe it.”
Nairn grew up in the country, joking there was plenty of space to kick among the sheep and cattle.
21. Lachy Carmichael, Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs said of Carmichael: “Described as a creative and, at times, prolific ball winner, the 18-year-old Carmichael’s decision-making ability has seen him on the radar of many teams in this year’s draft.”
22. Mitch Marsh, Adelaide
What Marsh said: “Growing up going for the Crows my all life, obviously my old man played for them as well, so being able to get drafted here, it’s unreal.”
Marsh said he models his game off his favourite player, Jeremy Cameron, and said his dad, Ben, had passed along a lot of wisdom.
23. Aidan Schubert, Hawthorn
What Schubert said: “It’s the best feeling ever and the best day of my life. It’s been a very long night and going to the Hawthorn Football Club, it’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait.”
Schubert said he was looking forward to moving to Melbourne and joked that his mum would get some more frequent flyer points adding “I’m definitely not a chef.”
24. Harley Barker, Geelong
What Barker said: “It’s pretty emotional – it’s been pretty hard with the [ACL] injury, but [I’m] forever grateful for this little moment that I can cherish with everyone.”
25. Adam Sweid, Fremantle
Sweid was part of the Bachar Houli Academy and the Essendon next-generation academy. The Bachar Houli Academy said: “Your dedication and leadership has inspired the Islamic community. We are so proud of you, Adam.”
Second round
26. Blake Thredgold, North Melbourne
What Thredgold said on Fox Footy: “I’m so grateful for the opportunity and I’m so thankful to be here… I was nervous last night. I was laying in bed last night hoping I would get called out, and I’m glad it’s done now… I didn’t really know which team was going to pick me, but I’m happy for it to be North Melbourne.”
27. Louis Emmett, Western Bulldogs
What Fox Footy experts Kevin Sheehan and Mick Ablett said about Emmett: He’s a ruckman who comes from a successful rowing family. He’s an excellent middle-distance runner and was rated highly throughout the year. He also has a long left-foot kick.
28. Avery Thomas, Gold Coast
What Thomas said: “I’m speechless… I’m just so shocked. Everybody in this room has played a major role in how I’ve got here, and I’m sure they will keep helping me after this. I did athletics until I was 17. Doing decathlons and I was also playing footy. I went all in on footy this year and it has paid off.”
What the experts said about Thomas: An athletic defender in the mould of Isaac Quaynor and Connor Idun, he rated highly for speed and agility during combine testing and won an award for best work ethic in Tasmania. Suns traded up for him, sending a 2026 second-round pick to the Blues.
29. Sam Allen, West Coast
What the experts said about Allen: He’s a midfielder with great athleticism, who suffered an ACL injury this year. “He could have been anything this year [if he didn’t do his knee],” Kevin Sheehan said on Fox Footy. He could become a high half-forward-type player who can be a playmaker for teammates.
30. Thomas Matthews, Melbourne
What the experts said about Matthews: The Gippsland Power captain who played forward and did well early before being injured later in the season. He had fallen down the standings for some scouts due to his injury. He’s a dangerous small forward, and has great recovery skills when knocked over, or behind opponents.
31. Zane Peucker, Richmond
What Peucker said: “I like watching a lot of Zac Bailey and Rhylee West… they are pretty good players and I like to watch them.
I had always wanted to play AFL. It has only really become real in the last couple of months when I was invited to the national combine. It’s very exciting to play at the highest level and that’s something I’ve very grateful for.”
What the experts said about Peucker: A 179-centimetre small forward who showed some speed and is highly competitive. He impressed for South Australia in their win over Vic Metro during the under-18 titles.
32. Tyan Prindable, Collingwood
What the experts said about Prindable: He has elite ability to spread from turnover and has great recovery and consistency in his game. He played five VFL games this year. A Brisbane academy player, the Lions declined to match a bid for him.
33. Hunter Holmes, Geelong
What the experts said about Holmes: The brother of Cats star Max, Hunter also has great speed and run-and-carry skills. He has plenty of potential, but is still raw. Has eye-catching speed out of stoppages and did well for Oakleigh Chargers this year.
34. Jack Dalton, Hawthorn
What the experts said about Dalton: Funnily enough, he’s very much in the style of Zach Merrett, who tried to defect from the Bombers to the Hawks in the trade period. He’s a midfielder with great endurance skills and uses the ball very well. He’s also highly rated for his leadership at junior level and won the two-kilometre time trial at the national combine.
35. Jevan Phillipou, Sydney
What the experts said about Phillipou: A former decathlete and dominant junior footballer who played half a dozen games at senior SANFL level this year, the younger brother of Saints star Mattaes is skilful and uses both sides of his body.
36. Max Kondogiannis, Essendon
What the experts said about Kondogiannis: He’s a defender from the Oakleigh Chargers, compared to Richmond star Nick Vlastuin for his ability to marshall the defence and use his impressive kicking skills to send his team into attack.
Third round
37. Sam Swadling, Collingwood
What the experts said about Swadling: A prolific ball-winning midfielder who records huge numbers (35 touches per game in the WAFL Colts), he plays in the same style as Bulldogs star and former Magpie Adam Treloar. He’s played some senior footy, and has some great size about him at 189 centimetres.
38. Koby Evans, Brisbane Lions
What the experts said about Evans: The midfielder was a West Coast academy player who impressed for Western Australia as a bottom-age player in 2024. He has really sharp hands and moves with speed in the stoppages. He didn’t play as much this season due to injury, and the Eagles didn’t match the bid from the Lions.
39. Tylah Williams, West Coast
What the experts said about Williams: The Eagles matched a bid from local rivals Fremantle for the West Australian, whose speed and agility has been compared to that of Bobby Hill. He’s a smart small forward who looked strong in the national championships.
40. Tobyn Murray, Fremantle
What the experts said about Murray: A creative small forward who impressed in the VFL with Geelong after being overlooked previously. The Dockers were only too happy to swoop on him.
41. Charlie Banfield, St Kilda
What the experts said about Banfield: The midfielder is the son of 1992 No.1 overall pick and former West Coast premiership star Drew, but the Eagles couldn’t match the bid as they didn’t have enough points. He can play anywhere from half-back, to the wing, to on the ball. He’s an elite runner with huge upside, and is 192cm tall.
42. Billy Cootee, Sydney
What the experts said about Cootee: A 22-year-old midfielder from the Essendon Doutta Stars in Melbourne’s western suburbs who moved to Norwood in the SANFL this year and did well enough to catch the Swans’ eye.
43. Cody Curtin, Brisbane Lions
What the experts said about Curtin: He’s the younger brother of Adelaide star Daniel and is a 200cm key-position player who impressed with his kicking power, and ability to both take a mark and hit the scoreboard. He’s tall and strong, like his brother.
44. Tai Hayes, Brisbane Lions
What the experts said about Hayes: The nephew of former St Kilda great Lenny, Tai is a mature-age midfielder who did well in the VFL this year.
45. Talor Byrne, Carlton
What the experts said about Byrne: A small forward-midfielder from Koroit who kicked five goals against Vic Metro this year. Yet another small forward for the Blues.
46. Koby Coulson, Gold Coast
What Coulson said: “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long – it’s a dream come true to come to this footy club… It’s unreal to have some of my mates drafted last night and have them here with me tonight. I was pretty confident I was going to land at the Suns.”
What the experts said about Coulson: He’s an All-Australian midfielder who had an injury-interrupted junior career but has a high footy IQ and has shown potential to play as a forward. He’s a Gold Coast academy player who models his game on Matt Rowell, and his dad is a foundation Suns member and the current No.1 ticket holder at the club.
47. Jack Ison, Carlton
What the experts said about Ison: The first player ever drafted out of the Parkside footy club, Ison is a 192cm left-footed midfielder who was selected out of Carlton’s next-generation academy.
48. Hugo Mikunda, North Melbourne
What the experts said about Mikunda: A powerful midfielder who plays like Hawthorn star Connor Macdonald, there are questions about his ball use, but he has impressive evasive skills, a strong work ethic, and has performed well at junior level.
49. Max King, Sydney
What the experts said about King: A forward-midfielder who’s a Swans academy player, he’s a Newcastle boy with great potential. He’s an elite athlete who’s still developing his footy IQ.
50. Archie Ludowyke, Adelaide
What Ludowyke said: “I missed it – I was up in my room! I didn’t know if I was going to get drafted… I started to cry, then I heard everyone screaming.
“It means everything. This is what I’ve worked towards for 18 years. To have it come true is the best feeling ever.
“Adelaide, thank you. I’m just going to work as hard as I can to prove everyone wrong.”
What the experts said about Ludowyke: Only just turned 18 but with an imposing build, he kicked five goals in a game early in the season. He’s got a strong set of hands and is a mobile, left-footed tall forward. Ludowyke was widely expected to be snapped up on night one.
51. Finnegan Davis, GWS
What the experts said about Davis: He’s a defender who moves well and has strong kicking skills. He was second in the Western Jets’ best and fairest and has the ability to win the ball at half-back or in the midfield.
52. Kye Fincher, St Kilda
What the experts said about Fincher: A consistent, high football IQ midfielder who kicks the ball particularly well. He’s not unlike Saints star Jack Sinclair in the way he plays. Born in Hong Kong, Fincher was a member of the Saints’ next-generation academy.
53. Hussien El Achkar, Essendon
What the experts said about El Achkar: Part of the Bachar Houli Foundation, this small forward is a natural around goal and has been likened to Izak Rankine and Jack Higgins. He averaged an elite two score assists per game during the under-18 national championships. Part of the Essendon academy, he’s very close with fellow former academy member, and Fremantle draftee, Adam Sweid.
54. Noah Roberts-Thomson, Richmond
What the experts said about Roberts-Thomson: An inside midfielder-medium forward, he’s a cousin of former Sydney premiership player Lewis Roberts-Thomson.
55. Zac McCarthy, Collingwood
What the experts said about McCarthy: A tall, key forward, he has a massive upside. There’s a real question of his best position, but has the athleticism to play down back, up forward, or even in the ruck like Rowan Marshall. He’s a member of Collingwood’s next-generation academy and his mother was born in Vietnam.
56. Matthew LeRay, Hawthorn
What the experts said about LeRay: A former cricketer who had to make the choice to focus on his footy, he was named on the wing in the under-18 championships’ All-Australian team. He averaged 22 touches and five marks per game.
57. Angus Anderson, Collingwood
58. Ryan Byrnes, St Kilda
He’s been re-listed, which had been forecast ahead of the draft. The medium-sized midfielder-defender was initially drafted at pick No.52 in 2019 and has played 80 games for the Saints so far.
59. Jake Stringer, GWS
A 2016 premiership star for the Western Bulldogs, Stringer has had an injury-hit few years. The mercurial 31-year-old was delisted by the Giants at the end of 2025, but told he would be re-selected. He’s played 227 games so far, 123 of those with Essendon.
60. Will Darcy, Western Bulldogs
What the experts said about Darcy: The younger brother of Sam Darcy (and a son of Dogs great Luke), with similar traits as a key position player, “he’s like a baby giraffe at the minute”, according to Sheehan. He’ll need time to develop as a key defender but has an enormous upside.
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