The 2025 AFL Trade period and National Draft are approaching soon, with clubs assessing their draft ammunition ahead of the October exchange window and the November draft.
- AFL clubs enter trade period with varying draft capital, from early first-round selections to future picks spanning multiple years
- Current wooden spoon contenders hold the most valuable early draft positions, while premiership contenders possess later selections
- Future picks become crucial trading currency, allowing clubs to mortgage upcoming drafts for immediate talent acquisition
Current Draft Capital Overview
AFL clubs have spent months strategising their approach to the upcoming trade period, with draft picks serving as the primary currency for player acquisitions. Each club's draft position reflects their 2025 season performance, creating a sliding scale of opportunity from the wooden spoon recipient through to the premier.
The draft order operates on a reverse ladder system, meaning the lowest-performing teams secure the earliest selections. This fundamental structure ensures competitive balance while providing struggling clubs with access to elite young talent.
How does the AFL Draft Work?
The AFL Draft was introduced in 1986 as a way to fairly distribute young talent among all clubs and maintain competitive balance across the league. Eligible players are typically 18 years or older and have nominated themselves for the draft, with most coming from state leagues, academies, or junior competitions like the NAB League.
The draft order is determined largely by the reverse finishing positions of teams from the previous season, giving lower-ranked clubs earlier picks.
Clubs are required to make a minimum of three selections in the National Draft unless they have special exemptions. Over time, the draft system has evolved to include mechanisms like the rookie draft, pre-season draft, and father-son or academy bidding.
Trading Future Picks Impact on your Clubs' AFL Draft Choices
In 2015, the AFL announced that clubs would be able to trade future draft selections one year into the future. In a bid to expand the player movement and trade frenzy at the end of the season, giving clubs more flexibility with more of a hand to play with in the exchange period.
This has led to other teams' selections getting tied to other teams and their finishing position on the ladder to determine where their picks for that year, in that round, fall.
From 2025 onwards, clubs will be able to trade future picks two years in advance, again opening up further flexibility and opportunities when it comes to player movement.
In 2018, the AFL introduced live trading of picks on AFL Draft night, granting clubs more flexibility to move up and down the draft order to access the talent they want to draft.
Your Club’s 2025 AFL Draft Picks
As at 16th October 2025 (After Trade Deadline)
Adelaide: 16, 48, 55, 64, 73, 75
Brisbane: 17, 23, 44, 51, 59, 68, 79
Carlton: 9, 11, 43, 54, 67, 72
Collingwood: 39, 45, 56, 61, 77
Essendon: 5, 6, 21, 27, 30
Fremantle: 20, 47, 69
Geelong: 19, 40, 60, 78
Gold Coast: 15, 18, 24, 28, 29, 36, 52
Greater Western Sydney: 12, 35
Hawthorn: 10, 22, 62, 76
Melbourne: 7, 8, 37, 66, 71
North Melbourne: 25, 26, 46, 57
Port Adelaide: 49
Richmond: 3, 4, 38
St Kilda: 50, 65
Sydney: 31, 32, 42, 63
West Coast: 1, 2, 13, 34, 41, 53, 58
Western Bulldogs: 14, 33, 70, 74
2025 AFL Draft Order
First Round:
1. West Coast
2. West Coast
3. Richmond
4. Richmond (Tied to North Melbourne)
5. Essendon
6. Essendon (Tied to Melbourne)
7. Melbourne
8. Melbourne
9. Carlton
10. Hawthorn
11. Carlton
12. GWS Giants
13. West Coast
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Gold Coast
16. Adelaide
17. Brisbane
18. Gold Coast (tied to Collingwood)
19. Geelong
20. Fremantle
21. Essendon
22. Hawthorn
23. Brisbane
Second Round:
24. Gold Coast
25. North Melbourne (Tied to Richmond)
26. North Melbourne
27. Essendon
28. Gold Coast
29. Gold Coast
30. Essendon (Tied to St Kilda)
31. Sydney
32. Sydney
33. Western Bulldogs
34. West Coast
35. GWS Giants
36. Gold Coast
37. Melbourne
38. Richmond
39. Collingwood
40. Geelong
41. West Coast
42. Sydney
43. Carlton
Third Round:
44. Brisbane (Tied to West Coast)
45. Collingwood
46. North Melbourne
47. Fremantle
48. Adelaide (Tied to Melbourne)
49. Port Adelaide
50. St Kilda
51. Brisbane
52. Gold Coast
53. West Coast
54. Carlton
55. Adelaide (Tied to GWS)
56. Collingwood
57. North Melbourne
58. West Coast (Tied to Hawthorn)
59. Brisbane
60. Geelong
61. Collingwood
Fourth Round:
62. Hawthorn (Tied to West Coast)
63. Sydney
64. Adelaide
65. St Kilda (Tied to Essendon)
66. Melbourne
67. Carlton
68. Brisbane (Tied to St Kilda)
69. Fremantle
70. Western Bulldogs
71. Melbourne
72. Carlton
73. Adelaide (Tied to GWS Giants)
74. Western Bulldogs
75. Adelaide
76. Hawthorn
77. Collingwood
78. Geelong
79. Brisbane