THE TRADE Period is over, which means clubs now have their eyes fully focused on this year's Telstra AFL Draft.

And with four weeks to go, here is our October Phantom Form Guide. 

DRAFT HUB Click here for the latest draft news

A very even crop from the early stages of the pool means there will be plenty of healthy debate and different views after the early stages of the ranking, but clubs do have confidence they will select some quality prospects deeper into the top-30.

Remember this is a ranking and not a mock draft – the Phantom Draft, including where bids may come and which clubs will take certain players, will be released in the week leading up to November's draft. 

Cochrane didn't test at the Draft Combine, but was still the talk of the week after Port Adelaide list boss Jason Cripps said on Trade Radio that Essendon had indicated it was expecting to bid on Cochrane with the No.1 pick. It's easy to see why when you look at Cochrane's capabilities as a tall utility who can play key defence, key forward, midfield, wing or just about anywhere on the ground. The humble, likable teenager has spent the season with Port so is ready to step into their program full-time. A hugely exciting talent.

It looked like the end of Carlton's VFL season was going to be the stop for Walker's 2026 campaign. But he was desperate to play one more game with Echuca in its senior Grand Final and the young midfielder dominated in an exciting showing in their win. Walker backed that up by stepping out to run 6:04 minutes in the 2km time trial, finishing third overall. He sat out the rest of the testing with soreness. The Blues father-son prospect is a midfielder ready to play – he finds plenty of the ball, has an explosive step and will add to the Carlton engine room. 

An interrupted second half of the year for Butler, with the attacking talent playing two games over the course of nearly four months after his collarbone injury. He then missed testing at the Combine with a hamstring injury. But clubs have watched him for a long time and know what he does well – change games in a matter of seconds near goal, outsmart and outplay his opponents, take marks, produce something from nothing at ground level and finish with aplomb. He's going to be fun to watch and he will get under the skin of the opposition, but the Arki-tect has the best highlights reel in the draft. 

As bulletproof as any of the other draft prospects in the pool this year. The run-and-gun midfielder has pace and will continue to use it more in games, and he showed a turn of speed at the Combine when he ran 2.905 seconds over 20m, placing him in sixth best of any player. He ran 6:30 minutes for the 2km and was top-10 in the vertical jump test, and at his size he offers clubs an exciting prospect who just kept getting it done this year with his performances at all levels. Clubs are also super impressed by his character and view him as a future leader. 

It was a big end to the season for Mellody, including playing in Claremont's WAFL Grand Final, a game that many recruiters travelled to from Melbourne to watch. Mellody's rise late in the year playing at that level and enjoying some dominant games came after a terrific under-18 carnival when he was named the Larke Medallist as the best player of the championships. He is a really nice kick, can play off half-back or through the middle and he's grown across the year as well. 

Teixeira returned from illness to play in Sandringham's preliminary final in the Talent League and had some exciting moments, including a burst of power and a goal on the run. He didn't test at the Combine with a calf issue. Teixeira is ranked at this end of the draft because of his high impact on games as a forward half player and he could have a Josh Rachele type of moment with his explosiveness and strength out of the centre as well. 

The best ruck prospect in the pool by some way and a contender to be a very early pick. Van Hattum finished sixth in the running vertical jump test at the Combine (95cm) and showed some of his athleticism across the season when he got to work at ground level as an extra midfielder for his teams. He will keep marking more and more at the next level but he has shown his qualities and he's a terrific kick for a player his size. 

The foot injury that ended Matthews' season early during the national championships also stopped him from testing at the Draft Combine. But he certainly impressed many clubs with his interviews, with many referencing Matthews as a standout chat across the week. Matthews is a left-footed midfielder who can win his own ball but also use his smarts, craft and talents on the outside of the contest. He was enjoying an excellent carnival for the Allies before he was injured, having also been a standout for the Giants Academy before that. GWS gets first call on matching a bid on the western Sydney prospect. 

The key defender didn't take part in testing at the Combine due to an ankle injury. Harris has been a riser across this year and is right in top-10 contention after a season that saw him finish playing consistently for the Eagles' senior side. As a tall defender Harris is capable of shutting down opponents but also using his leap and awareness to intercept and kickstart plays for his team. Will be seen as a prospect who can step in and play next year. 

An Academy gun who was going relatively under the radar until the carnival for the Allies, where he was a standout off half-back, up the ground or just about wherever he was used. The Brisbane Academy prospect is a nice user of the ball, he rebounds and runs well and plays with a creative flair. The Lions have prepared for a bid on Murray with the departure of Keidean Coleman, but it could still come very early. 

Kicked five goals in Gippsland Power's Talent League Grand Final win and in doing so reminded recruiters of his ability to change a game. The rangey and wiry forward is an elite mark and is one of the quickest players in the draft – he finished fourth in the 20m sprint test at the Draft Combine with a time of 2.9 seconds – and he's a nice finisher around goal. Could play a range of different positions and his fast feet and movement stand out, having also finished second in the agility test (7.833 seconds). 

Steed is a midfielder who just goes all day. He competes and runs and then runs some more, and he showed that at the Combine with his 6:09 minute 2km time trial on the opening day of testing. Steed was a consistent member of Western Australia's championships and he stepped up to League level with Swan Districts and never looked out of place at that level either. 

A key player in Gippsland's path to the Talent League premiership, with Snell's sure hands in defence seeing him push up draft boards across this season. He can read the ball well in the air and likes to peel off his man and intercept mark and then use the ball calmly in starting an attacking move. At his height Snell can take on a number of different key forwards and his appearance in the VFL with Collingwood in the back half of the season showed him to be comfortable against some bigger bodies. 

Gayfer went into the Combine wanting to break the record in the vertical jump test – he didn't just do that, he smashed it. The Northern Knights key forward's leap of 114cm was 7cm better than Leek Alleer's record from five years ago and showed Gayfer's extreme power and strength. He also ran the 20m sprint in 2.98 seconds. Gayfer is a combative and tough key forward who flies for marks and always competes without fear. 

Burrows tested solidly at the Draft Combine, including a 6:28 minute 2km time trial and a 8.2 second agility run, but he certainly impressed scouts as a favourite interview across the week with his personality striking a chord with clubs. Burrows plays with aggression and without concern for his safety, he can be used off half-back as a rebounder, half-forward as a marking target or through the midfield, where he has a powerful step and move. His tackling intent is always there and he's a prospect who could step in and perform a number of different jobs. 

Bradley's stocks rose and rose through the year and he capped that off at the Combine where he finished in the top-10 for the agility test (7.994 seconds) and standing vertical jump (75cm) and ran three seconds flat in the 20m sprint. The tall defender plays with a calm approach but can really lock down his key forward opponents and take them out of a game. He was named Vic Metro's MVP at the championships and continued in the same form with Sandringham late in the year. 

The endurance and speed balance that Krasna has in his game came through in the Combine testing, with the Northern Knights midfielder finishing seventh in the 2km time trial (6:10 minutes) as well as recording a 3.0 second 20m sprint. Krasna is a ball-getting midfielder who performed strongly through the Knights' season, albeit having missed a chunk of games with a hamstring injury at the end of the Vic Metro carnival. 

A back injury meant Phillips didn't take part in the 2km time trial, but he did complete the rest of the testing. Recruiters wouldn't have needed to see a time trial to know he possesses running power with a contest-to-contest mindset, with Phillips constantly on the go. He is a good kick, can slide forward to kick goals and although not as big a ball-winner as other midfielders, he could be used in a range of roles around the centre square. 

A small forward with genuine pace and game smarts. Dimer finished third in the Draft Combine's agility test (7.893 seconds) and was also in the top-10 for the standing vertical jump (75cm), belying his smaller stature to show he could use his strength to get into the air. Clubs won't be keen on him for that reason though – he will be selected as a forward/midfielder who really caught the eye for Vic Metro as a ground level small forward. He's clean with his hands and puts on pressure.  

After winning the Morrish Medal as the best player in the Talent League season, Cooke backed it up by being one of the most consistent performers at the Combine as well. He finished fifth in the 2km time trial (6:08 minutes), fifth in the agility (7.962 seconds) and also rated highly in the running vertical jump. The Knights midfielder wills himself on games – he's a good user of the ball, he can go forward and kick goals and he turns up and plays every week with the same win-at-all-costs approach. 

The Western Bulldogs Next Generation Academy prospect is a small forward with real goal awareness and an ability to hit the scoreboard. He loves a goal and kicks plenty of them, being a regular threat for the Western Jets and even kicking three goals on his VFL debut with Footscray. A left-footer, El Souki knows to be at the drop of the ball, he can tackle and put on defensive pressure and he's been in the Dogs' backyard for many years through their Academy. 

A groin/hip injury ruled Williams out of the testing components of the Draft Combine. It ended an at times interrupted campaign for Williams, including a hamstring issue mid-year, but he still managed to captain the Falcons, AFL Academy and also be co-captain of the Vic Country side alongside Cody Walker. Williams is a hard-at-it midfielder who digs in. 

Pickett's draft position is a bit of a mystery after his very early season knee injury saw him undergo a reconstruction and miss the rest of the season. The tall forward came into the season as one of the leading goalkicking options and as a member of the AFL Academy, having kicked 31 goals from eight Talent League games last year with the Falcons. He is an efficient kick for goal, has natural forward craft and clubs will closely study his games from last year. 

Eime's standout test at the Draft Combine came early in the 2km time trial, when the dashing half-back finished equal 10th with a run of 6:13 minutes. The South Australian prospect was a consistent member of his state's under-18 championships and played late in the year with Adelaide's SANFL side, however the Indigenous prospect is not eligible to join the Crows after a SANFL database error saw him not listed in Adelaide's list of NGA prospects and the League not change its decision despite the Crows' push.  

MacGowan was the only player at the Draft Combine to break the six-minute barrier for the 2km time trial, winning the first test with a 5:59 minute run. The Sandringham Dragons midfielder ran and ran all year, so it was probably no surprise he took out the staple event, with MacGowan's relentless work up and back a key component of his game. MacGowan was consistent for Vic Metro at the championships and finished strongly, including his after-the-siren goal that saw the Dragons knock out the Northern Knights in the semi final. 

Gale enjoyed a run of appearances in Claremont's path to the WAFL Grand Final, and he had 12 disposals in the flag decider which his team lost to Peel Thunder. Gale measured in at the Combine at 191cm, so his height for a midfield option is certainly appealing for clubs and he matches that with a strong aerobic base, having run 6:12 minutes in the 2km time trial. 

An interesting prospect given his skillset and size. Wigmore's best trait is his overhead and intercept marking, and he's one of the best in the draft at it. At 188cm, he won't be able to play in the same way at AFL level, but the aerial awareness is an excellent chip for him to take into games and he had some dominant ones for the Jets through the year, including one where he collected 35 disposals, 16 marks, five tackles and six rebound 50s against Greater Western Victoria Rebels. 

A forward flyer who caught the eye of scouts earlier in the season and has continued to be seen as a potential second-round selection. He ran a strong 2km time trial at the Combine – 6:26 minutes – but his work for the Rebels this season was exciting at stages with his marking strength and forward craft. Included in that was a seven-goal haul against Bendigo late in the season where he showed a mix of his tricks inside-50. 

Illness ruled Edwards out of testing at the national Draft Combine, but the South Australian captain was able to bounce back and record a strong set of results in the state screening a week later, running 2.90 seconds for the 20m sprint and also performing well in the vertical jump test (85cm). Edwards is a forward/midfielder who excelled deep in attack at under-18 level, and he also registered five games for the Panthers' league side. 

Boi has been hovering around this part of the rankings for a couple of months and breaks in after being a key member of the Power's premiership run. The Hawthorn-tied Next Generation Academy product has pace and won the Power's best and fairest, with clubs hopeful he can keep improving his endurance base as well. Boi pops up and creates and had a strong season with the Power to push himself into the top-40 mix.