2025 AFL draft

Last updated

2025 AFL draft
General information
Date(s)28 May 2025 – Mid-season Draft
19-20 November 2025 – National Draft
21 November 2025 – Rookie Draft
Location Marvel Stadium
Network(s) Fox Footy
Sponsored by National Australia Bank
Overview
League AFL
  2024
2026  

The 2025 AFL draft will consist of the various periods where the 18 clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL) can trade and recruit players during and following the completion of the 2025 AFL season.

Contents

Key dates

Table of key dates
EventDate(s)
Mid-season rookie draft28 May 2025
Free agency periodRestricted and Unrestricted: 3–10 October 2025
Delisted: October–November 2025
Trade period6–15 October 2025
National draft 19–20 November 2025
Pre-Season and Rookie draft21 November 2025
Pre-season supplemental selection periodDecember 2025 – March 2026

2025 mid-season rookie draft

The mid-season draft was held after the conclusion of round 11 of the 2025 AFL season on 28 May. The draft is only open to clubs with inactive players on their list and vacancies available, such as long-term injuries or retirements. As Gold Coast Suns and Essendon had played one fewer game than all other clubs, the draft order was determined using winning percentage. [1]

Mid-season draft selections
RdPickPlayerClubRecruited fromPick due to
ClubLeague
11 Tom McCarthy West Coast Richmond VFL Dom Sheed long-term injury
2 Zac Banch North Melbourne Werribee VFL Miller Bergman long-term injury
3 Harrison Ramm Port Adelaide Glenelg SANFL Xavier Walsh long-term injury
4 Flynn Young Carlton Werribee VFL Brodie Kemp long-term injury
5 Michael Sellwood Western Bulldogs Peel Thunder WAFL Passed selection at the 2024 Rookie Draft
6 Archer May Essendon Subiaco WAFL Sam Draper long-term injury
7 Oscar Adams Gold Coast Glenelg SANFL Charlie Ballard long-term injury
8 Roan Steele Collingwood West Perth WAFL Reef McInnes long-term injury
29 Jacob Newton West Coast Norwood SANFL Jake Waterman long-term injury
10 Cooper Trembath North Melbourne North Melbourne VFL Darcy Tucker long-term injury
11 Ewan Mackinlay Port Adelaide North Adelaide SANFL Todd Marshall long-term injury
12 Zac Walker Western Bulldogs Gippsland Power Talent League Cody Weightman long-term injury
13 Lachlan Blakiston Essendon East Fremantle WAFL Tom Edwards long-term injury
14 Caleb Lewis Gold Coast Casey Demons VFL Elliott Himmelberg long-term injury
15 Noah Howes Collingwood South Adelaide SANFL Harvey Harrison long-term injury
316 Mani Liddy Port Adelaide Central District SANFL Tom Cochrane long-term injury
17 Oskar Smartt Essendon Essendon VFL Nick Bryan long-term injury
418 Liam McMahon Essendon Carlton VFL Lewis Hayes long-term injury

Player movements

Previous trades

Table of previously traded selections
RdOrig. ClubNew ClubAcquired viaRef
1 Carlton Hawthorn pick swap [2]
Melbourne Essendon pick swap [3]
Port Adelaide Gold Coast Houston, Lukosius, Richards, Atkins and Noble trade [4]
Collingwood Gold Coast Houston, Lukosius, Richards, Atkins and Noble trade [4]
Hawthorn West Coast Tom Barrass trade [5]
North Melbourne Richmond pick swap [6]
2 Brisbane Lions Carlton pick swap [7]
Carlton Hawthorn pick swap [2]
Adelaide Greater Western Sydney James Peatling trade [8]
Hawthorn West Coast Tom Barrass trade [5]
Richmond North Melbourne pick swap
St Kilda Essendon pick swap
3 Melbourne Adelaide pick swap [9]
Essendon Brisbane Lions via Melbourne (pick swap)
on-traded to Brisbane Lions (Harry Sharp trade)
[3]
[10]
Brisbane Lions Melbourne Harry Sharp trade [10]
Richmond Fremantle Shai Bolton trade [11]
Greater Western Sydney Adelaide James Peatling trade [8]
Hawthorn West Coast Tom Barrass trade [5]
West Coast Brisbane Lions pick swap
Gold Coast Brisbane Lions pick swap
Western Bulldogs Brisbane Lions pick swap
4 Greater Western Sydney Adelaide James Peatling trade [8]
West Coast Hawthorn Tom Barrass trade [5]
Essendon St Kilda pick swap
Richmond Gold Coast pick swap
St Kilda Brisbane Lions pick swap

List changes

Retirements

Delistings

2025 national draft

Table of national draft selections
RoundPickPlayerClubRecruited fromNotes
ClubLeague
11 West Coast
2 Richmond
3 Richmond North Melbourne (2024)
4 Essendon
5 Essendon Melbourne (2024)
6 Gold Coast Port Adelaide (2024)
7 St Kilda
8 Hawthorn Carlton (2024)
9 Sydney
10 Western Bulldogs
11 Fremantle
12 Greater Western Sydney
13 Gold Coast
14 Adelaide
15 West Coast Hawthorn (2024)

2025 rookie draft

Category B Rookie selections

Table of Category B rookie selections
NameClubOriginNoteRef
Indy Cotton Adelaide BA Centre of Excellence (NBL1 East)Three-year non-registered player (basketball) [54]
Oscar Berry Melbourne North Florida Ospreys (NCAA)Three-year non-registered player (basketball) [55]

References

  1. "Final draft order: Your club's picks for Mid-Season Rookie Draft". afl.com.au. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 @AFL_House (11 October 2024). "Paperwork approved. Carlton trade its 2025 Round 1 selection and 2025 Round 2 selection (tied to Carlton) to Hawthorn for its 2024 Round 1 selection (currently 14) in the 2024 and 2025 Telstra AFL Drafts respectively" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 @AFL_House (14 October 2024). "Paperwork approved" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  4. 1 2 "Mega deal done! Five players move in three-club trade". afl.com.au. 15 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Eagles get draft boost as Hawks land key defender". afl.com.au. 16 October 2024.
  6. Sullivan, Matthew (21 November 2024). "'Genius': Footy world gobsmacked by club's 'unbelievable' deal at AFL Draft". news.com.au. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  7. @AFL_House (11 October 2024). "Trade paperwork lodged.Carlton trade its 2024 Round 2 selection (currently 34) and 2024 Round 4 selection (currently 66) to Brisbane for its 2024 Round 4 selection (currently 73) and 2025 Round 2 selection in the 2024 and 2025 Telstra AFL Drafts respectively" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. 1 2 3 "Into the Crows' nest: Giants midfielder finally joins Adelaide". afl.com.au. 16 October 2024.
  9. "Crows, Demons complete pick swap as pick 9 deal looms". afl.com.au. 14 October 2024.
  10. 1 2 Beveridge, Riley (15 October 2024). "Looking Sharp: Hard-running Lion joins Demons". afl.com.au.
  11. Twomey, Callum (16 October 2024). "'Exactly what we need': Freo secures Bolton, Tigers get draft boost". afl.com.au.
  12. Smith, Martin (26 November 2024). "'Not how I saw my career ending': Saints mid retires, aged 30". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 27 November 2024. Brad Crouch retires after 161 games at two clubs
  13. Rogers, Michael (20 June 2025). "'Eagles great forced to retire after latest concussion". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 20 June 2025. West Coast champion Jeremy McGovern has played his last game, following an assessment by the AFL's concussion panel
  14. Valencich, Glenn (1 July 2025). "AFL premiership hero Dom Sheed's career comes to sad end after injury troubles". Channel 7. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  15. "'Inspired a generation': Dockers champion retires after 239 games". afl.com.au. 3 July 2025.
  16. "Doc draws curtain on remarkable career". CarltonFC.com.au. 22 July 2025. Sam Docherty has announced his retirement from the game.
  17. "Atkins to retire at season's end". PortAdelaideFC.com.au. 29 July 2025. Port Adelaide defender Rory Atkins will hang up the boots at the end of the season.
  18. "A Giant legacy: GWS veteran confirms retirement after latest injury". afl.com.au. 4 August 2025. Callan Ward confirms he will not play on next season
  19. "Club great Boak to retire after record-breaking career". PortAdelaideFC.com.au. 5 August 2025.
  20. "The final chapter of Fyfe". fremantlefc.com.au. 11 August 2025. Nat Fyfe will retire at the end of Fremantle's 2025 campaign.
  21. "Breust calls time". hawthornfc.com.au. 14 August 2025. Luke Breust has announced season 2025 will be his last.
  22. "Docker calls it quits after three-club career". afl.com.au. 19 August 2025. After 59 AFL games for three clubs, Fremantle's Quinton Narkle has retired
  23. "Dual premiership player retires after stellar career at two clubs". afl.com.au. 19 August 2025. Western Bulldog Taylor Duryea will retire at the end of the season
  24. "Flag Pie to retire at end of season after 14 years". afl.com.au. 20 August 2025. Will Hoskin-Elliott has called time on his career after 14 seasons in the AFL
  25. "Saints defender hangs up the boots after 14 seasons". afl.com.au. 22 August 2025. St Kilda defender Jimmy Webster will hang up the boots effective immediately
  26. "Willie Rioli announces retirement". portadelaidefc.com.au. 25 August 2025.
  27. "Dashing Eagle calls time after 172-game, two-club career". afl.com.au. 25 August 2025. After 172 AFL games across two clubs, Jayden Hunt has retired
  28. "Former All-Australian, Crows B&F winner retires due to hip issue". afl.com.au. 26 August 2025. Crows midfielder Matt Crouch has announced his retirement, effective immediately
  29. "Dual premiership Cat to hang up the boots at season's end". afl.com.au. 29 August 2025. Mitch Duncan has announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 AFL season
  30. "Suns champion, veteran defender announce retirements". AFL.com.au. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 2 September 2025. Gold Coast's inaugural No.1 draft pick David Swallow will call it quits at the end of the season along with defender Sean Lemmens
  31. "Versatile tall announces retirement after two-club, 119-game career". afl.com.au. 9 September 2025. Greater Western Sydney tall Lachie Keeffe has announced his retirement
  32. "James Aish announces retirement". fremantlefc.com.au. 11 September 2025.
  33. "Crows veteran calls time after 15 seasons". afl.com.au. 18 September 2025.
  34. "Heart and soul: Dual Premiership Tiger no longer required at Richmond". zerohanger.com. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  35. "'Excited to see what comes next': Popular Saint not offered new contract". afl.com.au. 22 August 2025. Zaine Cordy's time with St Kilda concludes at the end of the 2025 season
  36. "Port Adelaide farewells five". portadelaidefc.com.au. 25 August 2025. Ryan Burton, Jeremy Finlayson, Dylan Williams, Lachie Charleson and Hugh Jackson will not be offered contracts in 2026.
  37. "Port Adelaide thanks Jed McEntee". portadelaidefc.com.au. 26 August 2025. Port Adelaide can confirm Jed McEntee has not received a playing contract for 2026.
  38. "Speedy forward among three Eagles axed as changes continue". afl.com.au. 25 August 2025. Speedy forward Jack Petruccelle is among three Eagles who have been delisted
  39. "Two mid-season rookies among four Roos culled". afl.com.au. 26 August 2025. North Melbourne has axed four players after a disappointing season
  40. "Saints axe duo as mature-aged ruck, young defender delisted". afl.com.au. 26 August 2025.
  41. "Tigers delist mid-season rookie, untried 213cm ruck". afl.com.au. 27 August 2025.
  42. "Former Bomber, Power forward among three delistings at Carlton". afl.com.au. 28 August 2025. After 120 career games Orazio Fantasia has been moved on from the Blues along with young key forward and 40-game rookie
  43. "Veteran midfielder departs Bombers after seven seasons". afl.com.au. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  44. "Versatile Swan among four delisted after injury-hit season". afl.com.au. 28 August 2025.
  45. "Bombers delist small forward pair after disappointing season". afl.com.au. 1 September 2025.
  46. "Richmond List Update: Koschitzke and Blight". richmondfc.com.au. 3 September 2025.
  47. "Sydney Swans make further list changes". sydneyswans.com.au. 8 September 2025. The club has informed two players that they will not be offered new contracts for the 2026 season.
  48. "Young rebounding defender delisted by Giants". afl.com.au. 10 September 2025. The Giants have announced Josh Fahey won't be offered a deal for 2026
  49. "Former top-three pick delisted as Demons axe six". afl.com.au. 10 September 2025.
  50. "Fremantle list update". fremantlefc.com.au. 10 September 2025.
  51. "Crows small forward delisted after 120 games, Irishman also axed". afl.com.au. 16 September 2025.
  52. "Crows midfielder, ruck not offered new contracts for 2026". 17 September 2025.
  53. "Veteran Sun one of three delisted by Gold Coast". afl.com.au. 18 September 2025.
  54. "Cotton a Crow, as Adelaide signs rookie". afc.com.au. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  55. "Demons set to boost defensive stocks with college basketballer". afl.com.au. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.