AN INFLUX of this year's best draft prospects will land at AFL clubs in coming weeks for training stints.
As part of the Marsh AFL Academy program, the 2026 draft hopefuls have been locked in for their AFL club training experiences, as clubs get a first-hand look at the leading talents available in this year's pool.
Some have already begun their training blocks since AFL clubs arrived back from their Christmas break in recent days, whilst others will begin their club experiences in coming weeks.
Talented father-son prospect Cody Walker has spent much of the pre-season at Carlton and will continue to train there, and he has been joined by Northern Knights tall Lewis Houndsome, while Walker's fellow No.1 pick contender Dougie Cochrane will continue to be at Port Adelaide after he was approved to be a part of the Power's Next Generation Academy at the end of last year.
South Australian Kodah Edwards will also be at Port, while local trio Gabriel Patterson, Jack Gordon and Ethan Herbert have all been allocated to train with Adelaide.
Aidan McCartney, the son of Jason, will have the choice to join either North Melbourne as a father-son or Sydney through its Academy program, and will do his AFL Academy week with the Roos.
A number of other players tied to their clubs as northern Academy or Next Generation Academy prospects, such as Caylen Murray (Brisbane), Ethan Matthews (Greater Western Sydney), Garrison Kenh (West Coast) and Tanner Armstrong (Richmond), will do training blocks at their associated clubs.
Koby LeCras, the nephew of Eagles premiership player Mark and son of former Roo Brent, will train at West Coast and is highly fancied heading into this season.
Talls Tate Hodgson and Harry van Hattum have begun training with Collingwood, while the younger brother of Melbourne's Jacob van Rooyen, Benji, will train with Fremantle.
Whilst some of the players are sent to clubs with links, others are more geographically determined, such as the Sandringham Dragons' ties with St Kilda, which will see promising Dragons forward Arki Butler train with the Saints.
Forward Wil Malady, who is recovering from injury, will look to do his club placement later this year.
WHO IS TRAINING AT YOUR CLUB?
Adelaide: Jack Gordon, Ethan Herbert, Gabriel Patterson
Brisbane: Caylen Murray
Carlton: Lewis Houndsome, Cody Walker
Collingwood: Tate Hodgson, Harry Van Hattum
Essendon: -
Fremantle: Heath Mellody, Benji van Rooyen
Geelong: Jack Pickett, Noah Williams
Gold Coast: Archie Hill
Greater Western Sydney: Ethan Matthews
Hawthorn: Harrison Chapman
Melbourne: Xavier Ladbrook, Darcy Szerszyn
North Melbourne: Aidan McCartney
Port Adelaide: Dougie Cochrane, Kodah Edwards
Richmond: Tanner Armstrong
St Kilda: Arki Butler
Sydney: -
West Coast: Garrison Kenh, Koby LeCras
Western Bulldogs: -
