By Jonty Ralphsmith
With the AFL Draft set to take place across Wednesday 20 November and Thursday 21 November, followed by the rookie draft on Friday, we have profiled the locals most likely to land on AFL lists.
Riak Andrew
It’s been an interesting season for the athletic 19-year-old Melbourne Next Generation Academy prospect. Only established his preferred position – halfback – in the last game of 2023 and came into the year off the back of a preseason with Casey with clear areas of his game he needed to show. Separate head knocks early in 2024 essentially ended his midseason draft hopes and put him on the periphery and it took him some time, but a strong finish to the season has him right in the frame. As well as his athleticism and rebound, he locked down Jack Whitlock, Jobe Shanahan and Harry Armstrong across the last month of the season, with that trio viewed as the clear top three forwards in the draft class. The brother of Gold Coast’s Mac Andrew who recently signed a record-breaking contract extension has had the importance of professionalism and strong first impressions imparted on him ahead of a potentially life-changing week. Collingwood is among the clubs most interested in the Berwick junior.
Jordan Doherty
The key-position 19-year-old pieced together an excellent campaign for Dandenong and Vic Country as a ruck and tall forward, receiving a state combine invite.
Cooper Hynes
The Dandenong co-captain is a powerful marking medium forward who rotated through the midfield this year, with his strength and explosiveness appealing to AFL clubs. The 190cm prospect had the best preseason of his life which paved the way for an ultra-consistent season, where he averaged 24 disposals and more than a goal per game for the ‘Rays in 2024. Carried his team throughout 2024, winning several games off his own boot and also had a solid national championships playing mostly as a forward. Has similarities to Harvey Langford, with whom he shares a close relationship off-field and who has leapt at every opportunity to talk up Hynes. He’s expected to land late in the first round, with multiple clubs in that range including Western Bulldogs having shown interest in him.
Harvey Langford
Has hardly put a foot wrong in 2024 which has propelled him from a fringe first round prospect into top five calculations. The big-bodied midfielder from Mount Martha is a hard-runner, clean in traffic and terrific overhead, which make him an exciting package as a mid-forward at the next level. A solid AFL Academy series and strong start to the season for Dandenong paved the way for a Larke Medal-winning under-18s national championships.He was viewed by the Vic Country coaching staff as being among the two best players in each of his team’s four games of the national carnival. Also got the opportunity to play for Richmond VFL and served alongside Hynes as Stingrays co-captain. Averaged 26 disposals and kicked 20 goals in his 15 Talent League games in 2024. Adelaide, which has pick four, and Melbourne with pick five are the two clubs viewed as his most likely destinations.
Noah Mraz
A navicular injury truncated Mraz’s season after just three games, but he is still seen by most clubs as being in the top tier of key defenders in the 2024 draft class. A basketball convert who played footy for fun growing up, he only started taking the sport seriously in 2022. His development since has been rapid, playing a game for Vic Country last year as a bottom-ager, and shutting down several now AFL-listed key forwards at Coates League level. Has played across all three lines as a nimble and athletic key position prospect but is most at home using his strength and read of the play in defence. Has spent his time on the sidelines to build his frame, which, alongside his skillset and strong character, has clubs keen. Will likely be selected on the fringe of the first round or early on the second night, with GWS among the clubs to do significant work on the Narre North junior.
Charlie Orchard
Received a State Combine invite indicating a level of interest. In his first year in a talent pathway program, the raw interceptor improved as the year went on, with his marking and composure in the backline highlights for the Langwarrin junior. If he misses, he’s one who could attract midseason draft interest next year with a strong start to the season.
Elwood Peckett
The son of former 250-game St Kilda player Justin, Elwood has been nominated by the Saints as a father-son enabling them to match any bid that comes for him. A strong preseason laid the foundation for a campaign of growth for Peckett, a strong extractor from stoppage and big-bodied midfielder who uses his frame well. A four goal, 25-disposal game in the middle of the year elevated his stocks, but he remains a far from certain selection, with St Kilda also having Next Generation Academy prospects Adrian Cole and Lennox Hofmann they could match bids for.
Sam Toner
Arguably the best story of the entire 2024 draft. Started the season a local footballer and could end it on an AFL list. Having never previously played senior footy, 50 goals in 12 games for Narre Warren catapulted him onto Dandenong’s list as a 19-year-old, where he turned heads with his contested marking, pace and pressure. Remains raw but his work ethic in the last 12 months has unlocked a potentially life-changing opportunity for the happy-go-lucky teen who is beating heart of the Narre Warren Footy Club. GWS and Hawthorn are among the clubs to show strong interest in the medium forward.
