Charlie Bovill in action during the Marsh AFL National Championships match between U16 Boys Tasmania and Brisbane Lions Academy at People First Stadium on July 8, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

TASMANIA is expected to look for access to some concessions for the 2026 draft crop as the Devils dig into the detail of their start-up plans.

Ahead of their proposed start in the AFL in the 2028 season, should their conditional licence be approved, the Devils will be given a big hand in the 2027 draft intake.

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But the Devils are also set to see if they can get hold of some players in the 2026 draft, most likely access to Tasmanian prospects, as part of their suite of concessions.

An option like that could see Tasmanian prospects having to choose between entering the 2026 draft or taking the guarantee of joining the Devils but playing in the VFL in 2027.

The Devils' inaugural chief executive Brendon Gale told AFL.com.au that having access to some players in next year's draft would be part of talks with the League on their overall concession package.

"I'm not sure. I'd like to. It's not without precedent and that will be subject to discussion," he said.

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Gale met with the AFL in Melbourne late last month, with the club's list rules on the agenda. 

Tasmanian tall talent Charlie Bovill looked the standout for his state in last year's under-16s carnival and is eligible for the draft next year. Wingman Hugh McCallum was another player who took the eye for Tasmania at the under-16s championships in 2024. 

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Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast did not have any extra access to get draftees to opt out of drafts before their introduction to the AFL in their respective inceptions. 

However, the Giants did build their list through on-selling rights to mini-draft selections, which proved to be an ultra successful mode of acquiring more early draft picks for players a year before they were eligible for the draft.

In the mini-draft, clubs could get access to some draftees if they were born in a certain part of the year. They then had to make offers to the Giants to land the access to the players, which saw Jack Martin (Gold Coast), Jesse Hogan (Melbourne), Jaeger O'Meara (Gold Coast) and Brad Crouch (Adelaide) land at the clubs in big pick swap deals.