The 2024 AFL Draft is almost here and with each new intake of exciting teenagers comes fresh trends, changes and fallouts that come throughout.
This week's highly-anticipated haul of selections could exceed the 70-pick barrier for the first time since 2018, with the 2024 draft class running deep and able to suit every list need.
The current draft order consists of 92 selections, with almost a third of those picks either being absorbed in matched bids for club-tied talent or being passed on late into proceedings.
With this year's count set to be a fascinating event, we look at five things to expect across the two nights of the AFL Draft.
5. Bids to come early, and late
The AFL Draft will again be heavily impacted by matched bids for Academy and father-son selections, with Brisbane-tied star Levi Ashcroft expected to go close to Pick 1 on Wednesday night.
While a forced selection by Richmond to open the count is unlikely, North Melbourne and Carlton will certainly consider having the Lions stump up a large number of draft points at Picks 2 or 3.
Gold Coast Academy talent Leonardo Lombard and Essendon Next Generation Academy Isaac Kako are both top 10 draft chances, while the Lions have another first-round prospect in Academy jet Sam Marshall.
All four players are tipped to be selected on night one, while Carlton, Sydney, GWS, North Melbourne, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Port Adelaide, Adelaide and West Coast are also a chance to have priority access prospects earn National Draft bids.
The Blues have father-son pair Ben and Lucas Camporeale, with Tyler Welsh (Adelaide) and River Stevens (North Melbourne) joining the twin midfielders and Ashcroft as strong possibilities to be placed onto primary lists as father-son selections in the second half of the draft.
Adrian Cole (St Kilda), Cody Anderson (Hawthorn), Malakai Champion (West Coast), Lennox Hofmann (St Kilda), Jayden Nguyen (Essendon), Joel Cochran (Sydney) and Logan Smith (GWS) are also among the Academy names who should earn a selection.
