Under Age U16s - 2026 AFL Draft General Discussion

[briztoon]

Add the Hodge and Crawford situations to the Blakey situation as another disgraceful manipulation of the Northern Academies.

The Northern Academies were first born as a way of fostering talent from other codes in the Northern States. The key defence of the Northern Club fans like brizfool has always been players like Isaac Heeney being lost to RL.

Some reading at the bottom of my reply, if you want some actual knowledge about what you are talking about.

The “defence” in the articles is coming from Club CEO’s such as Greg Swann and Coaches such as John Longmire.

Also, the only way to get in the U16, U18 rep teams, etc is to be a member of an academy, if you live in an academy zone. (With the exception of the Riverina zone that was removed from the Giants Academy)

These rules were made by the AFL.

The Northern Academies aren’t manipulating anything. They’re following the rules put down by the AFL.

Because the AFL didn’t want to fund an elite junior pathway the equivalent of two, three or four Talent League teams in the Northern States.

You want to be part of the elite pathway in a Northern State, join an academy.

It’s not the only way to get drafted, but it would mean Cooper playing solely club footy and hopefully progressing through to the senior set up.

That’s his and his family’s choice.

It’s not a perfect situation. The local QAFL clubs don’t like losing kids to what they perceive as pointless exhibition games, such as the upcoming U17 QLD v Vic Country game, that is on at the same time as QAFL colts and seniors finals. But the AFL schedule such games for recruiters, etc.

How the northern football academies work

There's a lot of talk about them, but how do AFL academies really work?

www.afl.com.au

How the northern academies are transforming footy

Marc McGowan looks at how football generally is benefitting from the northern academy system

www.afl.com.au

And there are countless articles about why Heeney chose AFL over League.

How the kid who had no idea about AFL became a Swans star

Isaac Heeney couldn’t name most AFL clubs when he started with the Swans academy. Now he is the club’s foundation for the future.

amp.theage.com.au

 

[Sphynx]

Some reading at the bottom of my reply, if you want some actual knowledge about what you are talking about.

The “defence” in the articles is coming from Club CEO’s such as Greg Swann and Coaches such as John Longmire.

Also, the only way to get in the U16, U18 rep teams, etc is to be a member of an academy, if you live in an academy zone. (With the exception of the Riverina zone that was removed from the Giants Academy)

These rules were made by the AFL.

The Northern Academies aren’t manipulating anything. They’re following the rules put down by the AFL.

Because the AFL didn’t want to fund an elite junior pathway the equivalent of two, three or four Talent League teams in the Northern States.

You want to be part of the elite pathway in a Northern State, join an academy.

It’s not the only way to get drafted, but it would mean Cooper playing solely club footy and hopefully progressing through to the senior set up.

That’s his and his family’s choice.

It’s not a perfect situation. The local QAFL clubs don’t like losing kids to what they perceive as pointless exhibition games, such as the upcoming U17 QLD v Vic Country game, that is on at the same time as QAFL colts and seniors finals. But the AFL schedule such games for recruiters, etc.

How the northern football academies work

There's a lot of talk about them, but how do AFL academies really work?

www.afl.com.au

How the northern academies are transforming footy

Marc McGowan looks at how football generally is benefitting from the northern academy system

www.afl.com.au

And there are countless articles about why Heeney chose AFL over League.

How the kid who had no idea about AFL became a Swans star

Isaac Heeney couldn’t name most AFL clubs when he started with the Swans academy. Now he is the club’s foundation for the future.

amp.theage.com.au

Yeah, awesome alternative.

Forgo the Nab League (Which AFL VIC allow the Northern Academy sides to participate in, in the first place) and nationals to play local shitty club football in Queensland.

It's also like how the Northern Academies hold potential draftee's hostage at the end of their bottom age years.

You need to sign a commitment contract at the beginning of your u/18 year locking yourself to the Northern Academy and giving them your sole rights for involvement in the Nab League and consideration for the U/18 National Carnival and Allies selection.

Players like Jed Walter or Jake Rodgers are unable to opt into the main pool even if they wanted to.


"Sign this" giving us your drafting rights or else risk not being drafted.

But sure, it's in the best interests of developing the game in those areas.....


Like everything in football, it's purely self interest.

 

[briztoon]

Yeah, awesome alternative.

Forgo the Nab League (Which AFL VIC allow the Northern Academy sides to participate in, in the first place) and nationals to play local shitty club football in Queensland.

It's also like how the Northern Academies hold potential draftee's hostage at the end of their bottom age years.

You need to sign a commitment contract at the beginning of your u/18 year locking yourself to the Northern Academy and giving them your sole rights for involvement in the Nab League and consideration for the U/18 National Carnival and Allies selection.

Players like Jed Walter or Jake Rodgers are unable to opt into the main pool even if they wanted to.


"Sign this" giving us your drafting rights or else risk not being drafted.

But sure, it's in the best interests of developing the game in those areas.....


Like everything in football, it's purely self interest.

They don’t have to sign.

You believe Walter wouldn’t get drafted if didn’t play in an academy team?

He’d be playing VFL for Southport.



It’s the AFL’s rules we’re following.


Of course there’s self interest. Just like there is multiple forms of self interest displayed by the VFL trying to protect the VFL clubs every day.

If there was no self interest, just interest for the good of the game, North wouldn’t exist or would have been relocated a decade ago.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

While I don’t agree with FS/D prospects being taken by academies to be selected for AFL lists, this isn’t the thread to discuss it.

When I get a chance, I’ll create a thread and all chatter can go there.

 

[Sphynx]

They don’t have to sign.

You believe Walter wouldn’t get drafted if didn’t play in an academy team?

He’d be playing VFL for Southport.



It’s the AFL’s rules we’re following.


Of course there’s self interest. Just like there is multiple forms of self interest displayed by the VFL trying to protect the VFL clubs every day.

If there was no self interest, just interest for the good of the game, North wouldn’t exist or would have been relocated a decade ago.

"They don't have to sign" - Try and say that with a straight face.


You also don't understand the structure of the league, clearly.

 

[briztoon]

"They don't have to sign" - Try and say that with a straight face.


You also don't understand the structure of the league, clearly.

Easy to keep a straight face.

Of course I understand the structure of the league. It’s to preserve the VFL. It’s just funny when a VFL nuffy cries about an interstate team having an advantage, without acknowledging all the inherent advantages VFL teams benefit from.

 

[Sphynx]

Easy to keep a straight face.

Of course I understand the structure of the league. It’s to preserve the VFL. It’s just funny when a VFL nuffy cries about an interstate team having an advantage, without acknowledging all the inherent advantages VFL teams benefit from.

You clearly don't.

The AFL can't just relocate sides as you are intimating

The AFL is essentially owned by the clubs.

Hence the AFL attempting to white ant North by every means necessary and still not being able to do it.

 

[Haggas]

Add the Hodge and Crawford situations to the Blakey situation as another disgraceful manipulation of the Northern Academies.

The Northern Academies were first born as a way of fostering talent from other codes in the Northern States. The key defence of the Northern Club fans like brizfool has always been players like Isaac Heeney being lost to RL.

Yeah it’s a rort they can take other teams F/A’s aswell


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Miller1971]

Yeah, awesome alternative.

Forgo the Nab League (Which AFL VIC allow the Northern Academy sides to participate in, in the first place) and nationals to play local shitty club football in Queensland.

It's also like how the Northern Academies hold potential draftee's hostage at the end of their bottom age years.

You need to sign a commitment contract at the beginning of your u/18 year locking yourself to the Northern Academy and giving them your sole rights for involvement in the Nab League and consideration for the U/18 National Carnival and Allies selection.

Players like Jed Walter or Jake Rodgers are unable to opt into the main pool even if they wanted to.


"Sign this" giving us your drafting rights or else risk not being drafted.

But sure, it's in the best interests of developing the game in those areas.....


Like everything in football, it's purely self interest.

Thats is complete rubbish, there is no requirement to sign and lock yourself into the academy. In fact, some of the players who play u18s for the academies aren't actually tied to the academy (even if they want to be) because they don't meet eligibility rules. Example last year was Shadeau Brain, played Lions Academy and Allies, but was free to take in the open draft because he spent 2 years of his high school life down in Albury and played u15 State Footy for NSW.

You are literally just making things up.

Note also that the local club footy up here is far superior to the NAB league, just as SANFL and WAFL are superior (yes, its well below those levels) but even the worst QAFL sides would beat all the u18 talent league sides.

 

[Sphynx]

Thats is complete rubbish, there is no requirement to sign and lock yourself into the academy. In fact, some of the players who play u18s for the academies aren't actually tied to the academy (even if they want to be) because they don't meet eligibility rules. Example last year was Shadeau Brain, played Lions Academy and Allies, but was free to take in the open draft because he spent 2 years of his high school life down in Albury and played u15 State Footy for NSW.

You are literally just making things up.

Note also that the local club footy up here is far superior to the NAB league, just as SANFL and WAFL are superior (yes, its well below those levels) but even the worst QAFL sides would beat all the u18 talent league sides.

You are wrong.

They sign an agreement at the start of their u/18 year as part of their waivers. Many of the formal draft scribes here involved with the underage setups will back me on that.

As for your second point, then why did the Northern Acadamies want admission into the NAB League? The Nab league is the best underage competition in the country, it's simply a fact.

 

[Miller1971]

You are wrong.

They sign an agreement at the start of their u/18 year as part of their waivers. Many of the formal draft scribes here involved with the underage setups will back me on that.

As for your second point, then why did the Northern Acadamies want admission into the NAB League? The Nab league is the best underage competition in the country, it's simply a fact.

that is factually incorrect. It's not even worth back and forth debating, as it is quite simply wrong.

No doubt the NAB League is the best under age league in the country, but its not better than the mens State League in QLD.

 

[Sphynx]

No doubt the NAB League is the best under age league in the country, but its not better than the mens State League in QLD.

No shit, that's not the debate.

The debate is regarding where you are more likely to be drafted out of.

There's a dozen scouts at each NAB League game, there isn't in the QAFL and never has been even prior to the dissolution of the QLD state side and implementation of the academy systems.

An A Grade VAFA side will beat a NAB League side (and most QAFL sides), it doesn't mean that the best placed to be drafted is on the wing at Old St Kevins.

 

[Miller1971]

I wasn't referencing what was better for getting drafted, I was taking exception to the term 'shitty club football' as the standard is very strong now.

Plenty drafted out of QAFL/NEAFL in the last decade by the way, but yes - the academies pushed to be part of NAB League mainly due to lazy recruiters.

 

[Thommo 42]

They sign an agreement at the start of their u/18 year as part of their waivers. Many of the formal draft scribes here involved with the underage setups will back me on that.

They do no such thing. Not even sure where such a rumour or bullshit story would come from?

The Lions actually roll kids through their academy that literally by definition are not tied to them and can't be due to rules, but they do try and play the best local talent in their Level 3 team even if they aren't academy eligible, which pretty much completely contradicts your assertion that they force kids.

They don't need to force kids to be tied to the academy, the rules look after that for them.

If you live in the academy zone for the required period, and play a single game with the academy, they have the right to match bids. If you haven't lived in the academy zone for the required period of time, and have played 20 academy games - they have no right to match the bid. The only rights they have to players like that is they can take them as a Cat B rookie if they get through the open draft as long as they reside in QLD for the 12 months prior to the draft.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

If you want to talk more about it, thread’s this way.

List Mgmt. - Parent/Child Prospects vs Club Academies

In light of Cooper Hodge making the SSA U15 All-Australian boys’ team, it’s generated a heavy discussion in the 2026 AFL draft general discussion thread pertaining to the notion that the parent/child rule supersedes the academies in club preference or should take precedence. Instead of clogging...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[omerz]

BUMP!

Found the names of the All-Australian squad:

BACK:

BLAKE NEWTON (VW)
THATCHER SIMMONS (WA)
CODY WALKER (VB)
TAJ MURRAY (QLD)
LUCAS ROBINSON (WA)
LUCAS ROBERTS (NSW) (Erroneously named as Jermaine Miller.)
ARCHIE DEVINE (TAS)

MIDDLE:

LACHLAN HICKS (VB)
JACK GORDON (SA)
KYE ORMEROD (WA)
ANGUS TIPPETT (VW)
MASON McGRODER (NSW)
JAI DEBONO (WA)
JACKSON JARVIS (QLD)
MITCH TONER (VB)

FRONT:

LEVI WEST (VB)
NAITE SLADE (SA)
JACK SURKITT (VB)
ISAAC DIXON (ACT)
HARVEY COOKE (VW)
JAYDEN CLARKE (WA)
DARCY HARRINGTON (VB)
COOPER HODGE (QLD)
JERMAINE MILLER (SA)
ALASTAIR KELLY (WA)

Confirmation of names from SportsTrend Photography.

That’s incorrect. Alastair Kelly WA isn’t the front right( he didn’t make the All Australian squad) It’s actually Drew Clarke WA.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

That’s incorrect. Alastair Kelly WA isn’t the front right( he didn’t make the All Australian squad) It’s actually Drew Clarke WA.

Will edit now.

 

[omerz]

I've been preparing an early list for WA in the usual style as every yearly list. I think I've got the correct WAFL club assigned to each?

Early days of course. Just getting some names out there plus a couple who I assume are below age = ***. I'm sure other can add some more names.

Perth Josh Nathan (P/PSA) - - ---- - Jayden Clarke (P/PSA) - - ---- - Matthew Edgelow (P) - - ---- - Garrison Kenh (P) - - ---- - Alastair Kelly (P) - - ---- - Tyson O'Driscoll (P) - - ---- - East Perth Zack Hately (EP/PSA) - - ---- - Axel Walsh (EP/PSA) - - ---- - Leo Steed (EP/PSA) - - ---- - South Fremantle Jimmy Garlett (SF) - - ---- - McKenna Pringle (SF) - - ---- - Peel Drew Clarke (PT) - - ---- - Austin Lekias (PT) - - ---- - Jayke Cooper (PT) - - ---- - James Whelan (PT) - - ---- - Coen Tuck (PT) - - ---- - Saul McCann (PT) - - ---- - Claremont Kai Bardetta (CL) - - ---- - Sonny Gosling (CL) - - ---- - Heath Mellody (CL/PSA) - - ---- - Fletcher Farr (CL/PSA) - - ---- - Lucas Robinson (CL/PSA) - - ---- - West Perth Sam Hill (WP) - - ---- - Lucas Mannion (WP) - - ---- - Koby Le Cras (WP/PSA) - - ---- - East Fremantle Cooper McMeikan (EF) - - ---- - Corbin Boylson (EF/PSA) - - ---- - Oliver Williams (EF/PSA) - - ---- - Nate Scott (EF) - - ---- - Kye Ormerod (EF) - - ---- - Subiaco Angus Abbonizio*** (S/PSA) - - ---- - Riley Hay (S) - - ---- - Tyrell Pickett (S) - - ---- - Jai Baron-Hay (S) - - ---- - Connor Lally (S) - - ---- - Thatcher Simmons (S) - - ---- - Hurricane Clark (S) - - ---- - Adam Schmechtig (S) - - ---- - Caleb Zloich (S) - - ---- - Liam Deckert (S) - - ---- - Swan Districts Lorenze Cole (SD) - - ---- - Jai Debono (SD) - - ---- - Cooper Dudfield (SD) - - ---- -

Josh Nathan is an East Freo boy not Perth and quite sure McKenna Pringle is a Peel boy.

 

[Futbolista]

Josh Nathan is an East Freo boy not Perth and quite sure McKenna Pringle is a Peel boy.

Ok, thanks. I'll update now.

 

[Futbolista]

WA 2026 early list

Perth Jayden Clarke (P/PSA) - - ---- - Matthew Edgelow (P) - - ---- - Alastair Kelly (P) - - ---- - James Vogels (P) - - ---- - Zack Hately (P/PSA) - - ---- - Tyson O'Driscoll (P) - - ---- - East Perth Garrison Kenh (EP) - - ---- - Axel Walsh (EP/PSA) - - ---- - South Fremantle Jimmy Garlett (SF) - - ---- - Lucas Robinson (SF/PSA) - - ---- - Peel Drew Clarke (PT) - - ---- - Austin Lekias (PT) - - ---- - Jayke Cooper (PT) - - ---- - James Whelan (PT) - - ---- - Coen Tuck (PT) - - ---- - Saul McCann (PT) - - ---- - McKenna Pringle (PT) - - ---- - Claremont Kai Bardetta (CL) - - ---- - Sonny Gosling (CL) - - ---- - Heath Mellody (CL/PSA) - - ---- - Fletcher Farr (CL/PSA) - - ---- - West Perth Sam Hill (WP) - - ---- - Lucas Mannion (WP) - - ---- - Koby Le Cras (WP/PSA) - - ---- - East Fremantle Cooper McMeikan (EF) - - ---- - Corbin Boylson (EF/PSA) - - ---- - Oliver Williams (EF/PSA) - - ---- - Nate Scott (EF) - - ---- - Kye Ormerod (EF) - - ---- - Josh Nathan (EF/PSA) - - ---- - Subiaco Angus Abbonizio*** (S/PSA) - - ---- - Riley Hay (S) - - ---- - Tyrell Pickett (S) - - ---- - Jai Baron-Hay (S) - - ---- - Connor Lally (S) - - ---- - Thatcher Simmons (S) - - ---- - Hurricane Clark (S) - - ---- - Adam Schmechtig (S) - - ---- - Caleb Zloich (S) - - ---- - Liam Deckert (S) - - ---- - Swan Districts Lorenze Cole (SD) - - ---- - Leo Steed (SD) - - ---- - Jai Debono (SD) - - ---- - Oliver Williams (SD) - - ---- - Cooper Dudfield (SD) - - ---- -

 

[omerz]

Ok, thanks. I'll update now.

 

[Futbolista]

View attachment 1769117

Awesome, all in place now I think. Well 97%. I'm going to need help pronouncing Schmechtig though. I'm of Eastern and Southern European heritage but that name has me stumped. I want to say Schemetig but I don't reckon that's the correct way to say his name.

 

[Somethingfootyrelated]

View attachment 1769117

You got any info on the pick of the WA boys? Saw a couple games but not as much as I would have liked

 

[Futbolista]

You got any info on the pick of the WA boys? Saw a couple games but not as much as I would have liked

Didn't people say Robinson was almost impassable in defence? I've never seen him but I took note of the comments. I had him down as a Claremont player as he is PSA with Hale, but apparently Souths is his zone. I wouldn't have picked that in a million attempts. Long bus trip from the South zone although I guess he could be a border.

 

[Somethingfootyrelated]

Didn't people say Robinson was almost impassable in defence? I've never seen him but I took note of the comments. I had him down as a Claremont player as he is PSA with Hale, but apparently Souths in his zone. I wouldn't have picked that in a million attempts. Long bus trip from the South zone although I guess he could be a border.

Yep, in the games I saw he was unreal. From what I understand he is a border and his home address is in the South’s zone


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