AFL Draft 2025: Cooper Duff-Tytler’s star rising ahead of AFL Academy match against Richmond VFL

An athletic tall, likened to Luke Jackson and Tom De Koning, will be the main attraction in a key early-season showcase. But he won’t be the only prospect recruiters will be watching closely.

An athletic tall who has been labelled a ‘unicorn’ is turning the heads of AFL recruiters as he stamps himself as a genuine contender to be the No. 1 draft pick this year.

Calder Cannons product Cooper Duff-Tytler has started his top-age season in impressive form after giving up basketball to pursue an AFL career.

Measuring 200.3cm and still growing, the athletic 17-year-old models his game on Fremantle’s Luke Jackson and Carlton’s Tom De Koning and has drawn comparisons to both players with the way he goes about his work.

“My strengths are definitely my mobility and my ball handling for a tall,” Duff-Tytler told this masthead recently.

“Once the ball hits the deck I can help out around the ground and act as another midfielder.”

Cooper Duff-Tytler is an athletically-gifted tall who shapes as a potential No. 1 draft pick this year. Picture: AFL Photos

Duff-Tytler logged 26 disposals, 14 hit-outs, eight clearances and two goals in the Cannons’ first match of the Coates Talent League season, backing up that performance with 24 disposals, 23 hit-outs and four clearances in round 2 last weekend.

“He’s had a fantastic first couple of games,” AFL Academy coach Tarkyn Lockyer said.

“He’s got really good size but he’s also so athletic for a big.

“I think the thing that we’re all understanding with Cooper is he’s long been trying to balance his basketball commitments and footy, whereas now he’s really sinking his teeth into his footy and you can definitely see that he’s getting some reward for the effort he’s put in.”

Hailing from Woodend, Duff-Tytler was a talented junior basketball star who was part of Australia’s under-16 team which claimed gold at the 2023 FIBA Asia Cup.

However, he made the decision last year to narrow his focus on football.

“I was definitely looking at college and NBL routes, but ultimately I was enjoying my footy more at the time and I just wanted to give myself the best chance to succeed in the future,” Duff-Tytler said.

“I felt like putting my effort into footy would help me with that.”

Cooper Duff-Tytler (middle) starred during pre-season testing last month. Picture: AFL Photos

Duff-Tytler had played as a point guard for most of his basketball teams and was often used on a halfback flank playing junior football growing up.

“I always played up with my brother — who is two years older — through footy so I was never really tall,” he said.

But the Hawthorn supporter is sure to be in the sights of clubs including Richmond and West Coast at the end of the year, who would view him as an exciting modern-day ruckman.

During pre-season testing, he finished top-five at the Cannons in both the 20m sprint and 2km time trial, highlighting his incredible athletic traits for a player of his size.

Duff-Tytler will swap his Cannons jumper for Australian colours on Sunday, when he will feature in the AFL Academy’s first exhibition match against an unbeaten Richmond VFL side at Moorabbin.

“It’s a good opportunity for the boys to play against bigger bodies and against a team that plays well-structured football,” Lockyer said.

“It’s going to be a really good test for them.”

Gold Coast Suns Academy member Zeke Uwland will miss the match as he continues to work through a back injury, while there has been a cloud over the availability of Dandenong Stingrays half-forward Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves after he hurt his shoulder last weekend.

Gold Coast Suns Academy member Zeke Uwland will miss this week’s first AFL Academy game with back soreness but remains a top draft prospect this year. Picture: Gold Coast Suns

THE FAB FIVE

Marsh AFL Academy coach Tarkyn Lockyer gives his thoughts on five other top draft prospects this year ….

Zeke Uwland (Midfielder, Gold Coast Suns Academy)

“His national champs in particular for the Allies last year, he showed great composure, really good balance between his inside and outside play and certainly by foot he’s so damaging when he gets the ball in his hands. The main thing for him is he’s had a really good bottom-age year and he actually put together a really strong pre-season up there with the Suns. So it’s just a bit unfortunate he’s battling this (back injury) at the moment but we should see him later on in the year.”

Willem Duursma (Midfielder, Gippsland Power)

“Will’s a little bit different (to his siblings) in his own right. He’s a very versatile player. Most of his junior stuff through the talent pathway he’s played back recently. But he’s also played a little bit of midfield and he played forward last weekend for Gippsland as well. So he’s a really well-balanced player, really good decision maker and I’m sure he’s one of those players that the recruiters will be keeping a pretty close eye on throughout the year.”

Dyson Sharp starred at SANFL level last year.

Dyson Sharp (Midfielder, Central District)

“He’s a player who’s had an incredible talent pathway through his under-16 championships and bottom-age season last year. He’s played senior football at Central District in SANFL. He’s someone who’s so competitive, a really good, clean inside midfielder. And he’s a fantastic kid as well. He’s such a lovely personality. He didn’t actually come in for our first camp because he was away on a family holiday. So we’re looking forward to having him integrate into the group.”

Cody Curtin (Key Forward/Key Defender, Claremont)

“When we first selected the Academy squad last year, he was playing as a key back. So what he’s been able to do is show versatility to be able to play both ends. He’s a really competitive player in the air and he’s been getting plenty of shots on goal over the past couple of weeks. So, he’s doing some good stuff.”

Kalani White (Key Defender, Gold Coast Suns Academy and Melbourne father-son prospect)

“He’s another one of those really athletic talls that’s got the ability to play at both ends. There will be a lot of interest from the Suns and also from Melbourne, given the ties that he’s got to play for those clubs. But he’s just focused at the moment on doing the best that he can and he may have a decision to make later on in the year if he’s lucky enough. But he’s certainly trending in the right direction.”