THE LEAGUE is close to locking in details for the AFLW's first pre-season draft, with the new recruiting mechanism to be introduced for the first time in 2026.

A new mechanism for clubs to build their lists, it's understood the draft's date is close to being finalised and will be held just before pre-season begins on May 11.

The pre-season draft will replace the slew of injury replacement signings that occur in the lead up to pre-season, and the ability to have a full squad able to hit the ground running in May is vital.

Players may be ruled out for the entirety of a season for a number of reasons, including injury, pregnancy, mental health or work commitments.

Which teams will make a selection?

Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Sydney all have a vacant list spot each, after passing on their final selections in last year's Telstra AFLW Draft. 

Clubs will be able to make players inactive up until a certain date before the draft.

How is the order determined?

Picks are allocated on a reverse-ladder basis on last year's results.

Currently, Gold Coast hold pick one, then Sydney and finally Hawthorn. As more teams free up list spots, their picks will fall into place around these three teams depending on their finishing position in 2025.

Who is eligible?

Players who nominated for the 2025 Draft but were not selected. In previous years, injury replacement players have commonly been 19-year-olds who were just overlooked in the draft (e.g. likely to be selected if there were a further 10 picks) or top-rated state league players. 

Clubs occasionally opt for players who have been "train-ons" with the team in the past. Train-ons work with the team once a week to boost numbers for match simulation-type drills, and are already familiar with the game plan and set-up of the club.

Why has it been implemented?

The pre-season draft will act both as a small equalisation measure, and also as a way of harnessing the rush of injury replacement signings that occur before the start of pre-season.

The reverse ladder order of the picks ensures that the weakest-performing side of the previous year gets access to the best possible unsigned talent.

Clubs may indeed opt to go down a needs-base path when it comes to their pre-season selections (e.g. a ruck to replace an injured ruck, rather than best overall talent), but the reverse order ensures that if a weak team is in the market for a ruck, they can have first access.

Who might be in the mix?

A lot will depend on which clubs have list spots available, and their relevant needs.

Undrafted players have another few months to work on their areas of improvement, with a clear trend to athleticism among those who were drafted in December.

Exposed form may be an issue depending on the player's home league – the shifted VFLW season won't kick off till May 16, after the beginning of AFLW pre-season.

The SANFLW and QAFLW seasons begin mid-April, while the WAFLW starts at the end of March. 

South Australian forward Eloise Mackereth, Vic Country key back Ella Stoddart and GWS academy midfielder Isla Wiencke were arguably the highest credentialed potential draftees to be overlooked, with all three having been in the national academy.

Gold Coast academy midfielder Annabelle Foat missed out on the draft, as was West Australian ball-winner Juliet Kelly.

When it comes to recently delisted AFLW players, it's more likely to be a needs-based selection, given the exposed form at the national level or in scrimmages, and injury history is likely to be an issue for some players.

Denby Taylor (ex-Melbourne) can plug multiple holes across the field, as can Gabby Biedenweg-Webster (Fremantle) and Gabbi Featherston (Geelong), while Indi Williams couldn't crack a tough Brisbane team.