AFL news: What Tasmania’s list build could look like and how it impacts rival clubs

The Devils are hunting for a more comprehensive package to help them enter the AFL — and it’s set to drastically affect the rest of the competition. Here’s how it will likely take shape.

The lack of Tasmanian talent in the national draft pool and future drafts compromised by rival academy talent will form key lobbying points as the Devils ramp up their fight for a comprehensive list allowance package.

The AFL is set to hand the Devils their list allowance rules this year with Tasmanian chief executive Brendon Gale already confused that the club’s suite of picks “don’t look as generous” as those handed to Gold Coast and GWS.

He is understood to have viewed a draft copy of the rules three months ago and been underwhelmed by the start-up package handed to Tasmania.

Expansion clubs GWS and Gold Coast secured nine of the top 15 picks in a national draft, a dozen 17-year-olds who were the best talents in the country, zone access to Queensland and NSW talent, priority access to state-league talent and for GWS the first eight picks of a rookie draft.

Brendon Gale isn’t satisfied with Tasmania’s package as it stands. Picture: Tasmania Football Club

The Herald Sun revealed last year Tasmania’s pool of cash for sign-on bonuses would be as much as $1.5 million, allowing them to hand individual players up to $250,000 in payments outside the salary cap in their first AFL season.

The league’s demand for the Devils to be competitive immediately means the AFL will require Tasmania to trade some of its selections from the 2027 national draft for established talent.

But the Devils will want to secure a draft hand so comprehensive they can draft the nucleus of their long-term premiership aspirations as well as secure some instant experience.

They might have to trade away many of those valuable picks to secure that experience when the Giants and Suns had the best of both worlds - nine of the top 15 picks and access to 16 uncontracted AFL players.

The NBL’s JackJumpers have already stolen the march on the AFL in the race for elite talent.

The sight of teenage kids turning up to school in JackJumpers polos instead of AFL colours has not escaped Tasmanian AFL officials, aware of the sizeable task of winning back those kids.

Young Tasmania Jackjumpers fans. Picture: Getty Images

In a worrying sign for Tasmania’s junior development not a single Tasmanian was drafted last year and at this stage 198cm ruckman Jasper Hay is their only 2025 draft prospect.

The AFL Academy player is not considered an early draft prospect and while other players can emerge through the year it is another sign Tasmania cannot rely on its own local draftees to build its list.

In the 2023 national draft Colby McKercher, Ryley Sanders and James Leake were all first-round picks and Arie Schoenmaker a late selection before last year’s draft wipe-out.

Colby McKercher, James Leake and Ryley Sanders after the 2023 draft. Picture: Getty Images

The Devils will also be drafting into a 2027 national draft that could be heavily compromised by rival academy selections.

With the AFL again allowing all 18 clubs to bid on NGA and northern academy selections anywhere in the draft, Tasmania will hope the 2027 draft is not top-heavy with rival academy talent they cannot draft.

Collingwood’s former head recruiter Derek Hine has already emerged as a strong contender to come on board this year to help veteran recruiter Neville Stibbard, who was instrumental in the GWS list build.

With the Devils having to secure those 17-year-olds as early as next November, it will be critical for them to have eyes on them across two seasons.

AFL recruiters believe the Devils might only have access to 6-8 17-year-olds, not the 12 granted to previous expansion clubs.

The Devils will want to put in place a list boss by the start of 2026 as they try to target homegrown products like McKercher, Sanders and Leake.

Colby McKercher would be a top target for the Devils. Picture: Getty Images

GWS utility Leake and brilliant Roos defender McKercher have made clear they want to remain at their existing clubs but the Devils will come hard with massive deals which by the end of 2027 could hit $1.5 million for McKercher and Sanders.

Having a homegrown star like McKercher and Sanders who can enliven the fan base would be worth its weight in gold for the Devils.

Premiership coach and loyal Tasmanian Chris Fagan made clear this week the draft package needed to be fair.

List bosses canvassed by the Herald Sun on Monday said they would prefer the AFL get it right the first time with a fair package than have to hand the Devils more draft allowances as the league did with Gold Coast in recent years.

“We have got to accept if a new team comes in we have got to help them,” Fagan said.

“Don’t set them up to fail. So we all have to take our medicine on that one. I am not sure if everyone will have the same view. The clubs down the bottom won’t be able to get the same access to talent, but I am sure there is a fair way that it can be worked out.”

Gale said last week he was “confused” by why the Devils’ concessions were inferior to the Giants and Suns.

“We’re just seeking clarification on why there is a difference and once we do we’ll go back and have those discussions with the AFL,” Gale said.

“It is not going to be as generous, certainly from what we have seen in the first draft as what was provided to the clubs.”

AFL Tasmania has launched a senior talent academy ahead of the Devils’ introduction into the VFL in 2026, with that team ideally playing two seasons building talent before the AFL team played its first games in 2028.

Originally published as AFL news: What Tasmania’s list build could look like and how it impacts rival clubs