Here’s the latest on the AFL mid-season draft for 2026 based on the most recent reporting.
Summary
- The 2026 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft took place on May 25, 2026. Essendon held pick No. 1, with Richmond, West Coast, Carlton, and others also making selections as list spots opened up across clubs.[3][4]
- Jaxon Artemis was widely tipped to be the No. 1 pick; several clubs were eyeing multiple selections, depending on list vacancy luck and injuries.[6][3]
- The full results included 19 picks maximum, with several clubs able to take two or three selections depending on list needs and injuries, and live broadcasts and post-pick wrap-ups documenting every selection.[7][3]
Key picks and context
- Pick 1: Essendon selected Jaxon Artemis, who had been the leading candidate for the top spot and was attracting interest from multiple clubs. This followed Essendon’s opening of a list spot amid ongoing list management considerations.[4]
- Richmond held Pick 2 and were among clubs exploring multiple selections, with their VFL development pathway a recurring theme in discussions ahead of the draft.[4]
- West Coast, Carlton, Port Adelaide, and others were involved in the early portion of the order, with injuries and list vacancies driving some clubs to target additional depth via the MSD.[4]
- Notable prospective names highlighted in pre-draft coverage included Sam Toner, Ned Renfree, Zaydyn Lockwood, Xavier Bamert, and Flynn Riley, among others tied to specific clubs due to list needs and injuries.[6]
How to watch and follow
- Broadcast coverage and live updates were available, including post-pick quick wraps that summarized each club’s selections.[3][7]
- A range of AFL media outlets and specialist sites published live-order listings and analysis in the days surrounding the draft.[6][4]
Would you like a concise club-by-club list of all picks with player names and clubs, or aCSV you can download for your records? I can pull the official picks and format them for you. I can also provide quick bios for the top prospects if you’re researching potential club fits.
Citations:
- 2026 AFL Mid-Season Draft key information, draft order, and top prospects
- Live picks and draft order coverage[4]
- Quick wrap and club-by-club picks[7]
- Pre-draft analysis and top prospects[6]
Sources
As reported on *AFL.com.au* last week, Jaxon Artemis is considered one of the favourites to be the No.1 pick, with Richmond - which currently holds the No.1 pick - among the clubs to show interest. The Tigers' VFL side has been a fruitful breeding ground for the MSD in the past and that could well be the case again this year, with *AFL.com.au* reporting last week that Sam Toner, Ned Renfree, Mutaz El Nour and Zaydyn Lockwood have all attracted interest, including from the Tigers themselves.
www.afl.com.auThe 2026 AFL Mid-Season Draft is only a day away, with the draft order finalised and a budding pool of prospects narrowing.
central.rookieme.comCheck out everything you need to know about the 2026 Telstra AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft
www.afl.com.auEvery pick, live!
www.sen.com.auGet a quick wrap of every pick of the 2026 Telstra AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft
www.afl.com.auPICKCLUBCLUBPLAYERNOTES 1 ESSJaxon ArtemisList spot available via long-term injury to Brayden Fiorini 2 RICHKye AnnandList spot available via long-term injury to Josh Gibcus 3 WCEOliver FrancouList spot available via long-term injury to Deven Robertson 4 CARLFlynn RileyList spot available via long-term injury to Matt Carroll 5 PORTXavier BamertList spot left over from pre-season
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