AFL Draft 2024: Latest news as trade period prepares to shape November’s national draft
There is a reason why so many clubs are putting their 2025 first-round picks on the table during this trade period. Plus, the draft bolters and the hot prospect you would “pay to go and watch.”
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The national draft combine is over and the countdown is on to the national draft on November 20.
There is still plenty to play out in the trade period, but here’s the latest on the race for the No. 1 pick, pick swaps and some of the hottest prospects in this year’s draft pool.
WHY 2025 PICKS ARE ON THE TRADE TABLE
Clubs are desperate to load up on what has been described as an “outstanding” national draft this year, with many openly placing their first-round picks for 2025 on the trade table this week.
The Western Bulldogs, Carlton, Melbourne and North Melbourne are among a group of clubs who are fishing for extra selections this year and are willing to give up their first pick next year to secure them.
“Our future pick’s definitely going to be on the table throughout this trade period, whether it be for a player or to improve our draft hand for this year,” North Melbourne list boss Brady Rawlings said earlier this week.
While the Kangaroos, Demons and Blues all currently hold first-round picks to use this November — and simply want more — the Bulldogs’ first selection sits at 35 after they traded their 2024 first-round pick to Gold Coast to secure midfielder Ryley Sanders in last year’s draft.
While this year’s draft does have some depth, pick 35 could become closer to pick 40 after early father-son and Academy bids are matched.
Most clubs are far less excited about the 2025 draft, which is stacked with talent linked to the northern academies.
“People are nervous about next year,” one recruiter said recently.
“There’s not a lot of people who like next year’s draft — even if you got pick 15. Pick 15 to pick 25 in this draft is much better.”
Gold Coast Suns Academy members Beau Addinsall and Zeke Uwland were the two best players for Team Sloane in the under-17 Futures game on AFL Grand Final Day last month, while Brisbane Lions Academy member Daniel Annable was among the best few players for Team Heppell and is highly-rated.
Sydney Swans Academy member Lachlan Carmichael is another leading prospect for next year, along with while the Swans will also have access to Noah Chamberlain.
HOT DRAFT BOLTER CONTINUES TO CLIMB
The biggest bolter in this year’s draft is in hot demand and is fast shaping as a potential top-10 pick.
Gippsland Power utility Alixzander Tauru came in at No. 12 on our list of the top 60 draft prospects for November, which was released this week.
However, he could climb even higher on draft night.
Tauru reportedly met with every AFL club except for Hawthorn at last weekend’s national draft combine.
An athletically-gifted 193cm player, Tauru has featured – and impacted – in all areas of the ground this year and has no shortage of X-Factor despite still being relatively raw.
“I can’t remember a better contested mark either in front or behind the footy that I’ve seen for his size,” Gippsland Power talent manager Scott McDougal said.
“His commitment to the ball in the air and his aggression when the ball hits the ground is a really, really good one-wood to have.
“I’m really keen to see the 22-year-old, 23-year-old Alix Tauru. I just can’t wait to see that footballer. You pay to go and watch blokes like him play footy.”
Tauru spent significant time across halfback this year, but also had stints forward and through the midfield with the Power in the Coates Talent League.
WILL ANYONE EXECUTE A ‘SLIDE’?
North Melbourne and West Coast and open to making a “slight slide” down the order in this year’s draft.
But finding a buyer who is willing to pay handsomely to move up to pick 2 or 3 might not be easy.
The group of top 10 players in this year’s draft pool are very even and there is still no standout No. 1 pick for Richmond.
Rival clubs believe Sam Lalor is the most likely target for the Tigers, but Finn O’Sullivan, Jagga Smith and Harvey Langford also sit in the mix.
An inside-midfielder who can also go forward and kick goals, Lalor is an X-Factor player has tried to base his game off Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey this year.
O’Sullivan, Smith and Langford are all midfielders with different attributes, while Josh Smillie, Sid Draper and Murphy Reid are other top prospects in a midfield-heavy group of top-10 prospects.
The Brisbane Lions will also secure father-son Levi Ashcroft inside the top-10, with Richmond not ruling out placing a bid on gun onballer from the Sandringham Dragons.
“Our philosophy has always been we’ll assess where they sit in the pool and bid accordingly,” Tigers list boss Blair Hartley said this week.
Even if picks do not change hands during the trade period, clubs can still trade selections up to and during this year’s national draft, which will be held over two nights on November 20 and 21.
EXTRA WORK PAYS OFF FOR BIG MAN
Mobile Victorian key forward Gabriel Stumpf turned heads at the national draft combine last weekend with his blistering time in the 20m sprint test.
But it perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the 196cm big man posted the fifth-best 20m sprint time in the combine’s history.
Stumpf ran a time of 2.815 seconds last Sunday, but has been working with a personal fitness and nutrition coach for the past 12 months, with whom he has done a significant amount of speed work.
Running is key for the Northern Knights product, who works hard pushing up the ground from half-forward and models his game on Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron.
“Stumpy’s incredibly athletic,” Knights talent manager Nat Grindal said.
“He’s had a really good year. I think his ceiling is still so high as well. He’s got so much growth and improvement in him. You hope that someone’s willing to take a chance on a kid that’s got a lot of upside.”
Stumpf averaged 2.8 goals a game across four matches for the Knights this year.
DRAFT DISASTER BREWING FOR BOMBERS
Essendon has conceded it is looking “unlikely” that it will be able to move up the draft order in a bid to get ahead of any bid for Next Generation Academy member Isaac Kako.
The Bombers currently hold pick 9, but Kako is attracting significant interest from rival clubs as the best small forward in the draft.
“We explored that (moving up the draft order),” Essendon list boss Matt Rosa said on Trade Radio on Thursday.
“But I think as time goes on, we’ve realised that it’s going to be hard to potentially move up in this draft (because) everyone is valuing those high picks.”
Kako averaged 18.7 disposals, 7.7 score involvements and 1.7 goals across 12 games for the Calder Cannons in the Coates Talent League this season, as well as shining for Vic Metro during the under-18 national championships.
He has been part of the Essendon NGA program since age 12 and grew up a Bombers fan who idolised Leroy Jetta.
“It would be nice to end up anywhere. AFL football is AFL football,” Kako told this column at the national draft combine last weekend.
“But I’ve had a soft spot for them (the Bombers) my whole life so it would be special (to go there).”
Kako had ankle surgery in August but is back running and expects to be ready to attack an AFL pre-season in late November.
“Everything’s on track and hopefully I’ll be fully fit for pre-season,” he said.
ARE DOCKERS EYEING ALLAN?
Western Australia’s top prospect in this year’s draft – Bo Allan – further enhanced his standing at the national draft combine last weekend and shapes as a potential target for Fremantle.
The Dockers are haggling with Richmond over a trade for Shai Bolton, not wanting to give up picks 10 and 11 for the talented Tiger.
That could be because of their interest in Allan, who finished top-10 in the agility test (7.940), running vertical jump (92cm) and standing vertical jump (72cm) at last weekend’s combine in Melbourne.
Allan spent the year right under the noses of the Dockers, playing 11 senior games for Peel Thunder in the WAFL.
Most of those were spent across halfback, but the 191cm athlete also impressed as a midfielder during the under-18 national championships where he captained his state.
Allan spoke to 16 clubs at the draft combine and is happy to go anywhere to live our his dream.
“As an 18-year-old, I’ve spent a big chunk of my life training for this,” Allan told CODE Sports.
“I love it. To get a chance at the highest level, I’d be over the moon.”
Originally published as AFL Draft 2024: Latest news as trade period prepares to shape November’s national draft
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