AFL 2026

[heater31]

Crows take Marsh

That is a strange selection by them.

Why?

A 192cm fwd rather than looking at add to the midfield. Still some good options there, just was strange, but I guess everyone predicted this so maybe it's not so strange.

But just looking at there list at the forward options and the issues with the midfield, is this what they needed?

Basically, it signals this is Tex Walker's farewell season...

Obviously, plan A was a pick swap with Essendon to take Dyson Sharp.

[Dutchy]

Marshy may not have finished growing yet, Ben didn't hit 200cm until he was 20.

Pickett a huge surprise, esp after getting dropped by the Bays in the finals, must have been another club keen to grab him which forced Melbourne's hand.

Rapt that we can get Thredgold with our first pick tomorrow night.

[stan]

[quote="Jim05"]Crows take Marsh

That is a strange selection by them.

Why?

A 192cm fwd rather than looking at add to the midfield. Still some good options there, just was strange, but I guess everyone predicted this so maybe it's not so strange.

But just looking at there list at the forward options and the issues with the midfield, is this what they needed?

I tend to agree but I guess they weren’t sold on the available mids[/quote]Maybe a case of plan B, taking the best player available.

[wenchbarwer]

Don't they view Marsh as their Walker replacement?

What a joke the AFL draft has become. Gold Coast trade everything but the kitchen sink to get Petracca, yet still end up with two top 5 picks.
Brisbane go back to back and yest somehow get pick 6. Neither deal was completed via trade.

End the rorts.

And, in a world of gourmet ice cream, Mick Ablett has all the charisma of Homebrand vanilla. Surely there is someone else in junior development that could offset Shifter Sheehan's "everyone is a star" enthusiasm, other than some cardboard cut out with a famous surname?

[Booney]

Gold Coast :

Before trade period :
6, 13, 16, 32, 57, 68 = 4,068 points

Before the draft :
15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, 52 = 3773 points

After the draft :
2, 5, 17, 18, 48, 49 = 6179 points

[Dutchy]

Other way you could look at it is how good is it that kids in these markets are as good if not better than the southern state kids, that has to be good for the game long term.

[Jim05]

Other way you could look at it is how good is it that kids in these markets are as good if not better than the southern state kids, that has to be good for the game long term.

Good for the game but it’s at the point where these kids should be in the open market. There is a very real chance that the 2 QLD clubs will raffle the flags between them in the coming years.
Imagine if Port and the Crows had exclusive access to the SA kids that just won the title.
I’m sure the Crows and Port would love to grab Cummins, Sharp etc for a few picks in the 20’s and 30’s

[beef]

Other way you could look at it is how good is it that kids in these markets are as good if not better than the southern state kids, that has to be good for the game long term.

Good for the game but it’s at the point where these kids should be in the open market. There is a very real chance that the 2 QLD clubs will raffle the flags between them in the coming years.
Imagine if Port and the Crows had exclusive access to the SA kids that just won the title.
I’m sure the Crows and Piet would love to grab Cummins, Sharp etc for a few picks in the 20’s and 30’s

Any system that encourages you to trade high picks for low picks (to get points) is a joke
Carlton get Dean at 3 but trade away 9 & 11 to get him and use the picks for next year on Walker
They copy America in everything but they dont do academies or F/S
Its a complete shit show, AFL unwatchable on and off the field now

[Pseudo]

Other way you could look at it is how good is it that kids in these markets are as good if not better than the southern state kids, that has to be good for the game long term.

Good for the game but it’s at the point where these kids should be in the open market. There is a very real chance that the 2 QLD clubs will raffle the flags between them in the coming years.
Imagine if Port and the Crows had exclusive access to the SA kids that just won the title.
I’m sure the Crows and Piet would love to grab Cummins, Sharp etc for a few picks in the 20’s and 30’s

If the AFL was dinkum about being a genuine national contest it would have enforced this from day one. Give clubs first crack at the talent in the states in which they are based. Give it ten years, and underperforming clubs in the overrepresented states (read: Victoria) would either fold/merge or relocate to greener pastures, and the distribution of clubs across the continent would better match the distributions of population and interest in the sport.

Righto, I'm pissing off back to the SANFL board now...

[gadj1976]

Other way you could look at it is how good is it that kids in these markets are as good if not better than the southern state kids, that has to be good for the game long term.

Good for the game but it’s at the point where these kids should be in the open market. There is a very real chance that the 2 QLD clubs will raffle the flags between them in the coming years.
Imagine if Port and the Crows had exclusive access to the SA kids that just won the title.
I’m sure the Crows and Piet would love to grab Cummins, Sharp etc for a few picks in the 20’s and 30’s

Any system that encourages you to trade high picks for low picks (to get points) is a joke
Carlton get Dean at 3 but trade away 9 & 11 to get him and use the picks for next year on Walker
They copy America in everything but they dont do academies or F/S
Its a complete shit show, AFL unwatchable on and off the field now

I agree. Shambolic. If Bris win the next three flags, they could essentially still get the no 1 draft pick the subsequent year.

[Booney]

Gold Coast :

Before trade period :
6, 13, 16, 32, 57, 68 = 4,068 points

Before the draft :
15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, 52 = 3773 points

After the draft :
2, 5, 17, 18, 48, 49 = 6179 points

Traded out 7 and 8 for Petracca that they helped get to 11 and 12 by matching bids for 2 and 5. So they ended up with Petracca, 2 and 5 for 11 and 12....

[The Bedge]

Gold Coast :

Before trade period :
6, 13, 16, 32, 57, 68 = 4,068 points

Before the draft :
15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, 52 = 3773 points

After the draft :
2, 5, 17, 18, 48, 49 = 6179 points

Traded out 7 and 8 for Petracca that they helped get to 11 and 12 by matching bids for 2 and 5. So they ended up with Petracca, 2 and 5 for 11 and 12....

For the simpletons like me.. how does this happen? I thought to match bids meant you had to package up picks that equalled that point value? So shouldn't the value spent be the same? I'm so confused haha

[Booney]

Teams who match bids for either a father-son or academy prospect get a 20 per cent discount. Go figure!

Gold Coast has now added eight first round picks across the last three seasons, all via their academy.

Carlton, Port and Essendon have every right to be pissed that the rules change next year when they all get a chance to cash in on some top end talent.

[The Bedge]

Teams who match bids for either a father-son or academy prospect get a 20 per cent discount. Go figure!

Gold Coast has now added eight first round picks across the last three seasons, all via their academy.

Carlton, Port and Essendon have every right to be pissed that the rules change next year when they all get a chance to cash in on some top end talent.

1/5 discount for matching on a higher draft prospect WTAF!? Should not be incentivising clubs to jump the que

[Booney]

Teams who match bids for either a father-son or academy prospect get a 20 per cent discount. Go figure!

Gold Coast has now added eight first round picks across the last three seasons, all via their academy.

Carlton, Port and Essendon have every right to be pissed that the rules change next year when they all get a chance to cash in on some top end talent.

1/5 discount for matching on a higher draft prospect WTAF!? Should not be incentivising clubs to jump the que

Clubs can also go up to 1752 points into deficit in any draft. Absolute rort.

[Trader]

I was always fine with the bidding process.
Didn't realise clubs got a 20% discount on the points though.
Not a fan of that at all.

[amber_fluid]

I was always fine with the bidding process.
Didn't realise clubs got a 20% discount on the points though.
Not a fan of that at all.

What is the discount promoting?
Makes no sense

[wenchbarwer]

I thought it got dropped to 10%?

Either way, it should be zero

[Booney]

Just did some more reading, the discount was reduced from 20% to 10% this year :

As reported by AFL.com.au, the League is set to introduce even tighter restrictions again for 2026, ( just in time for Port to get Cochrane at pick 1) but has opted against preventing clubs matching bids at the top of the draft.

Details of the changes for 2026 and beyond and set to be announced soon.

How Brisbane matched bid for Levi Ashcroft in 2024

Bid: Pick No.5, value 1878 points, 1502 points after 20 per cent discount
Used: Picks 40, 42, 43 and 46

How a club could match a similar bid in 2025

Bid: Pick No.5, value 1795 points, 1616 points after 10 per cent discount
Would need: Picks 29, 30, 34 and 35

How Brisbane matched bids for Levi Ashcroft and Marshall in 2024

Bids: Picks No.5 and 25, value 2634 points, 2107 points after 20 per cent discount
Used: Picks 40, 42, 43, 43, 44 and 46

How a club could match similar bids in 2025

Bids: Picks No.5 and 25, value 2385 points, 2147 points after 10 per cent discount
Would need: Picks 29, 30, 34, 35, 38 and 39

How Brisbane matched bid for Will Ashcroft in 2022

Bid: Pick No.2, value 2517 points, 2014 points after 20 per cent discount
Used: Picks 34, 35, 38, 40, and 41

How a club could match a similar bid in 2025

Bid: Pick No.2, value 2481 points, 2233 points after 10 per cent discount
Would need: Picks 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 41

[Booney]

I thought it got dropped to 10%?*

Either way, it should be zero

Noted*