SERIOUS injuries have sidelined two of the Northern Territory's brightest AFL draft prospects. 

Domonic "Junior" Grant and Kieren Parnell face extended stints away from the game after respective setbacks, and face a nervous wait to see what impact the injuries will have on their draft stock.

Grant, an AFL Academy member, has undergone foot surgery in the past week because of stress fractures. Parnell last month suffered a partial tear of the ACL in his right knee – the same one he required a reconstruction on in 2016. 

Parnell was playing for SANFL club North Adelaide's under-18s team, trying to get back on the AFL radar after catching recruiters' attention at the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships. 

The 18-year-old defender first suffered the knee injury in the opening minute of the NTFL Premier League Grand Final in March last year, with AFL recruiters in the stands to watch him.

The AFL's national talent manager, Kevin Sheehan, previously said Grant was "as hard as a cat’s head" and that Parnell was unfortunate to miss AFL Academy selection. 

"(Parnell)’s quite gifted, skilful and has a good running capacity. There are a lot of AFL traits in the way he plays,” Sheehan said. 

They were the NT's best draft hopes for 2017 at the start of the season, but others have since emerged.

Mature-age forward Adam Sambono, who is second in the NEAFL goalkicking, and midfielders Matt Green and Zac Bailey have burst into draft calculations in recent months. 

All three are expected to play for the Allies against Western Australia at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships on Sunday.

Project ruckman Tony Olango, who is part of Hawthorn's Next Generation Academy, is flying down from the Top End to train with the Hawks next week.

Six Territorians joined AFL ranks in the past two years, on top of Sydney handing Darwin-raised Shaun Edwards a lifeline at the NAB AFL Rookie Draft in December.