The 2025 AFL Draft is being regarded as one of the most compromised in history, with a likely record number of Northern Academy, Next Generation Academy and father-son talents to join AFL lists.
Craft of the Draft last week named the top 13 prospects to watch, with four members of the top 10 tied to AFL clubs.
While the AFL has tightened rules to ensure clubs have to pay a greater price to secure their talent, the pedigree of many names listed this year will likely incentivise lots of dealings in the trade period as clubs attempt to match points.
Highlighting the strength of the tied-talent, every club has at least one player genuinely on the radar entering 2025.
VIEW: CURRENT AFL DRAFT ORDER
These are the names you might need to familiarise yourself with ahead of this year's AFL Draft.
Gold Coast
Where do we begin? If you thought the 2023 crop was strong, try to find a superlative for this year's talent.
AFL Academy player Zeke Uwland made a statement as a powerful half forward at the 2024 National Championships, with some putting him at the very top of the order heading into this season.
Speed machine Dylan Patterson is an inside-outside midfielder who impressed both in the U17s trial and Futures game, preceding his selection in the AFL Academy.
Tenacious midfielder Beau Addinsall is also in the Academy, as is tall swingman Kalani White โ though the latter is also tied to Melbourne as a father-son.
Behind that quartet are plenty more. The versatile Koby Coulson plays with a dash of flair, Max Hudson is a lockdown defender, Jai Murray is a precise-kicking rebounder/winger and the left-footed Cooper Collins has set himself for a strong season in the front half of the ground.
