The AFL has confirmed a significant shake-up of its draft system from 2026 onwards, tightening access to elite junior talent while introducing a new compensation mechanism aimed to protect struggling clubs.
In a statement released by the league Wednesday midday, changes centre around reforms to the draft bidding system, with a new compensation provision within the draft that is designed to ensure a “fairer price” when paying for top-end talent tied to Father-Son, Northern Academy and Next Generation Academy (NGA) pathways.
Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
From this year’s 2026 National Draft, clubs will subsequently only be able to use two picks in the current draft to match any bid up to (and including) pick No.36. This new regulation will limit the ability to bundle later selections to accumulate draft points, as the league has seen before in recent years to acquire top talent.
Clubs such as Carlton and Port Adelaide have lobbied vehemently for the changes to be pushed back until 2027, but will ultimately be forced to pay for their accessible talent more than ever at the national draft for father-son talent Cody Walker and academy graduate Dougie Cochrane.
Star midfielder Will Ashcroft was selected as a father-son by Brisbane in 2022 with selections 34, 35, 38, 40 and 41 — an example of a bid match that is no longer allowed.
For bids placed at pick No.37 or later, clubs can still match using their next available pick.
A new ladder-based loading and discount system will also be introduced to the Draft Value Index (DVI), increasing the cost for higher-ranked teams while offering relief to those lower on the ladder:
— First and second: 20 per cent loading applied to bids between picks 1-18
—Third and fourth: 10 per cent loading applied to bids between picks 1-18
— Fifth to tenth: no loading or discount
— Eleventh to eighteenth: 10 per cent discount applied to bids between picks 1-36
In a further constraint regarding list management, clubs will only be permitted to hold as many draft picks as they have primary list spots, preventing the ability for teams to stockpile selections purely for bid-matching purposes.
A new Draft Value Index will be introduced in 2027 to accommodate Tasmania’s addition into the league, extending to pick No.57 to reflect the expanded competition.
Every club’s overpaid & underpaid player | 08:06
NEW COMPENSATION MECHANISM EXPLAINED
In another major addition to the player movement landscape, the AFL will introduce a compensation mechanism for clubs whose first-round picks are pushed back due to matched bids on concessional players.
From this upcoming off-season, eligible clubs will receive a second-round compensation pick if their natural first-round selection slides during the draft.
To qualify, clubs must meet all of the following criteria:
— Finish in the bottom five of the ladder in the preceding season
— Have their first-round pick pushed back at least one spot due to a matched bid
— Use that pick to select a player
The aforementioned compensation picks will be determined at the conclusion of night one of the draft, and will be tied to a club’s ladder position. They can be traded in the window prior to night two, but are limited to one per club per draft. If a club has already filled its primary list, the compensation pick must be traded in that window or it will be forfeited.
“These changes follow an extensive consultation with clubs, and form part of a broader review aimed at driving competitive balance, ensuring the competition continues to be as even as possible year in, year out,” AFL Executive General Manager of Football Performance Greg Swann said in a statement.
“We believe the tightening of the National Draft Bidding System and the introduction of the new compensation mechanism will strengthen fairness across the draft process, particularly when it comes to concessional players, and ensure lower-finishing teams have the opportunity to improve their lists without being disadvantaged by the matching process.”
The AFL notes that clubs will be taken through the changes in greater detail by the AFL in the coming weeks.
Discussion about this post