AFL is in the worst state it's ever been. The draft is so compromised it may as well not exist anymore. It's absolute dogsh*t seeing so much of the top end of the draft linked to academies every year. It feels like in 2-3 years time, Gold Coasts entire team will be top 10 picks and they'll beat every team by 10 goals every week.

How are clubs stuck at the bottom without the academy or big club status meant to compete? Their good players are either demanding trades to top clubs despite being contracted or leaving as free agents to the top clubs too. We're stuck at a point where if you aren't Geelong or a big club like Collingwood, you either live off academy talent or you struggle in the bottom half of the ladder for eternity.

4 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

AFL is in the worst state it's ever been. The draft is so compromised it may as well not exist anymore. It's absolute dogsh*t seeing so much of the top end of the draft linked to academies every year. It feels like in 2-3 years time, Gold Coasts entire team will be top 10 picks and they'll beat every team by 10 goals every week.

How are clubs stuck at the bottom without the academy or big club status meant to compete? Their good players are either demanding trades to top clubs despite being contracted or leaving as free agents to the top clubs too. We're stuck at a point where if you aren't Geelong or a big club like Collingwood, you either live off academy talent or you struggle in the bottom half of the ladder for eternity.

Yeah it's a [censored] show. Northern clubs have endless rolls of the dice and enough currency to always be able to fill their needs. How many key forwards have they had exclusive access to or grabbed immediately before us and we've had to settle for the scraps.

Worst thing is when clubs like us rightfully complain about it these northern clubs (and supporters) kick off about it like its their God given right to have exclusive access to multiple top 10 pics every damn year.

Watch them balance the ledger by eliminating father/son.

I am very closely aligned with Cal’s ranking. Although one clear exception for me is he ranked Beau Addinsall (Suns academy) at 26!!! He’d walk into our best 22 as a mid in early stages of 2026. Smart. Skilled. Pacy. I still think he’s ranked 9 or 10 in this draft group. Clubs need to force these academy picks to be heavily paid up and bid in them early !!

Also strange that the Swans other two academy guns Carmichael and Chamberlain aren’t included. Swans will clean up big time in this draft.

There are plenty of quality young players outside Cal’s top 30… so they might be on JTs list if we keep our early second round pick…

SA : Matthew LeRay, Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier, Jett Dahlitz

VIC country: Riley Onley. Murray.

VIC metro: Rory Wright. Sandringham.

WA: Fred Rodriguez

Any of these 6 would be handy additions to the red and blue.

Who can tell me about Landy from the Eastern Rangers...

6 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

I am very closely aligned with Cal’s ranking. Although one clear exception for me is he ranked Beau Addinsall (Suns academy) at 26!!! He’d walk into our best 22 as a mid in early stages of 2026. Smart. Skilled. Pacy. I still think he’s ranked 9 or 10 in this draft group. Clubs need to force these academy picks to be heavily paid up and bid in them early !!

Also strange that the Swans other two academy guns Carmichael and Chamberlain aren’t included. Swans will clean up big time in this draft.

There are plenty of quality young players outside Cal’s top 30… so they might be on JTs list if we keep our early second round pick…

SA : Matthew LeRay, Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier, Jett Dahlitz

VIC country: Riley Onley. Murray.

VIC metro: Rory Wright. Sandringham.

WA: Fred Rodriguez

Any of these 6 would be handy additions to the red and blue.

given how well SA went at the carnival im surprised at the lack of noise around a few of theirs LeRay being the main one

This 11-20 draft ranking is interesting - some good players not in the top 10.

https://readingtheplay.wordpress.com/2025/09/24/2025-draft-power-rankings-11-20/

I'm still on the Farrow bandwagon. Wouldn't be upset with him at a mid first round pick if we get our hands on one.

3 hours ago, Random Task said:

I'm still on the Farrow bandwagon. Wouldn't be upset with him at a mid first round pick if we get our hands on one.

I reckon he’ll slip to mid second round

15 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

I reckon he’ll slip to mid second round

Poor back half of the year. I'll admit I haven't watched the juniors as much this year but thought he was a cut above most during the champs.