We need to be working with Port to lobby the AFL to increase the discount for 2027.
Remembering that if any of those kids have birthdays early in the year, they most likely won’t even be in the draft as Tassie will have pre-selected them as 17yr old selections.
Pretty sure its not mandatory. The kids can choose to make themselves available for pre selection or not.
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And given how many top under-age prospects don’t actually get drafted, like NHH this year, do you think many will turn down the certainty of an AFL contract? I don’t recall any players refusing Gold Coast or GWS, although maybe it just wasn’t reported on.
Especially as if they do go well, there is every chance Tasmania will draft them anyway (given the number of picks they have) and they’ll have thrown away a year of salary and development.
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I believe the only one of those that I listed who would be eligible for the preselection draft is Axel Walsh, and he’s from WA.
There are two preselections in each of ‘26 and ‘27, those picks must all be traded by Tassie. It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out. I imagine if one of the WA clubs can do a deal for the first of those picks then Walsh would be highly likely to nominate.
But only two picks from a limited list of prospects… won’t impact the pool that significantly.
I’m admittedly somewhat confused by their concessions but … don’t they also get access to pre-select up to 12 x 17 year olds across 2 years?
"17-year-old Talent
The ability to pre-list players in their 17th year, spread across two years (year prior to the inaugural list build year = players eligible to play in TDFC entry year in AFL competition, and year of inaugural list build year = players eligible to play in TDFC second year in AFL competition)."
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You needed to keep scrolling down to literally the next paragraph in that article which says this:
The provision of two (2) draft selections for two (2) Mini-Drafts of 17-year-old players (i.e, four selections in total – two each in years immediately prior to TDFC entry year and TDFC entry year), with the requirement for those picks to be traded. Players selected in the mini draft will not be eligible for AFL selection in the year immediately following the relevant mini draft.
I was wondering about that, but they’re both listed as the same class citizens in the numbering/bulleting.
The passage you quoted might be related to them getting access to prelist Tasmanian prospects.
Listed as seperate items in this AFL article as well.
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Yeah I agree that its confusing.
This article talks about the concessions - of which there are a lot.
It appears they get both access to pre-draft 17 year olds (they they auction off) and up to 12 of their own to list. Must be born before May though.
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Yes but in that article, refencing the prelisting of 17 year olds they state:
”The exact number and sourcing criteria for these players have not yet been made public.”
So its still extremely confusing. They’re assuming that it’ll take the same shape as the GWS concessions, and maybe that’s a fair assumption to make, but jeez it would be nice to get some clarity from the AFL.
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Yeah that’s true - good old skim reading on my part 
An interesting watch for Arki Butler fans, one of the few this year where he played the majority of the game through the midfield rather than as a small forward. Here we see strong hints of what I expect will be his main role in 2026 as a goal kicking and game breaking midfielder with excellent pace, skills and x-factor.
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Surely he belongs to our NGA (Name Genuinely Adheres). I mean the Bombers need a Pilot.
Won’t someone think of the journalists and headline editors!!
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Was getting shades of Merrett through the middle tbh.
Stronger overhead though
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Bring
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Big Harry has reportedly grown to 206cm now and looks set to be the dominant ruck from this draft crop. In this game he featured his excellent movement for his size, ground game and follow up at stoppage given the early rain made the ball slippery. As things dried out later in the game, he started to show his ability to impact in the air and clunk big marks which makes him dangerous during his rotations forward.
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