THE NEXT wave of AFL stars are about to become household names.

Ahead of the Telstra AFL Draft on November 19-20, AFL.com.au has sat down with the top prospects of 2026 to discuss their football journeys so far and their hopes for the future.

Getting to know these young stars of the future before they are drafted is something AFL.com.au has done each year for more than a decade, so we have taken a look back into our video archive to 2016 to see some familiar faces before they hit the big time.

A decade on, take a look below at 14 players AFL.com.au interviewed ahead of the 2016 draft and who are still on an AFL list heading into 2027.

Andrew McGrath

Height: 179cm
Position: Midfielder
Club: Sandringham Dragons

What he said: "I think my competitiveness and drive to win is probably my main driving factor to the way I play footy and the way I conduct my life in general – break the lines, run and carry, handball receive and hopefully execute well."

Taken at: Pick 1 by Essendon
Career: 200 games for Essendon

Tim Taranto

Height: 186cm
Position: Midfielder
Club: Sandringham Dragons

What he said: "A bit of excitement, I like moving up the ground as a half-forward, taking some marks, got a pretty good fitness base so I like to use that to my advantage and then when I go in the midfield I think I can win the ball in tight but also get on the outside and use my skills."

Taken at: Pick 2 by Greater Western Sydney
Career: 114 games for Greater Western Sydney and 80 games for Richmond

Hugh McCluggage

Height: 185cm
Position: Midfielder
Club: North Ballarat Rebels

What he said: "I guess I look at players that can create time and space so Daniel Wells, Andrew Gaff, Scott Pendlebury, I think I want to have something a little bit different to those guys as well."

Taken at: Pick 3 by Brisbane
Career: 226 games for Brisbane

Ben Ainsworth

Height: 179cm
Position: Small forward
Club: Gippsland Power

What he said: "I'm a small forward that can push up into the midfield and I think I've got a little bit of X-factor and can kick a good goal."

Taken at: Pick 4 by Gold Coast
Career: 158 games for Gold Coast and 25 games for Carlton

Will Setterfield

Height: 190cm
Position: Midfielder
Club: Sandringham Dragons

What he said: "I'd describe myself as a tall midfielder who likes to drift forward and is quite an aggressive player in tackling and pressure and has got clean ball use in and out of stoppages."

Taken at: Pick 5 by Greater Western Sydney
Career: 2 games for Greater Western Sydney, 55 games for Carlton and 38 games for Essendon

Jack Scrimshaw

Height: 194cm
Position: Defender/midfielder
Club: Sandringham Dragons

What he said: "My strengths are I think my kicking and my ball use probably as well with my decision making. I think I can bring my versatility, the ability to play multiple roles and my athleticism and I like to say that I'm a hard worker as well."

Taken at: Pick 7 by Gold Coast
Career: 4 games for Gold Coast and 125 games for Hawthorn

Jack Bowes

Height: 187cm
Position: Midfielder
Club: Gold Coast Academy

What he said: "As a player I probably like to think my strengths are my clean hands and just the ability to use the ball well by hand and foot under pressure and ability to make good decisions under pressure."

Taken at: Pick 10 by Gold Coast
Career: 83 games for Gold Coast and 69 games for Geelong

Jy Simpkin

Height: 181cm
Position: Half-forward/midfielder
Club: Murray Bushrangers

What he said: "I think I bring a bit of X-factor, a bit of flair, dangerous around the forward line, definitely my endurance, my agility, my footy IQ is pretty good, I get to the right positions and pretty dangerous in the forward line."

Taken at: Pick 12 by North Melbourne
Career: 196 games for North Melbourne

Harry Perryman

Height: 184cm
Position: Midfielder/half-forward
Club: Greater Western Sydney Academy

What he said: "I like to play back, middle and forward. Just a good teammate to play with and do whatever the coach wants. I'm probably best down back, but I don't mind going forward, kicking a few snags."

Taken at: Pick 14 by Greater Western Sydney
Career: 129 games for Greater Western Sydney and 41 games for Collingwood

Todd Marshall

Height: 198cm
Position: Tall forward
Club: Murray Bushrangers

What he said: "I reckon I could play any position. I have the capabilities to play tall forward or I can play high half-forward, I reckon I could even go back and play there."

Taken at: Pick 16 by Port Adelaide
Career: 131 games for Port Adelaide

Jarrod Berry

Height: 191cm
Position: Midfielder/half-back
Club: North Ballarat Rebels

What he said: "I'm a midfielder that likes to run and carry and kick long. I guess that breaking the lines sort of player."

Taken at: Pick 17 by Brisbane
Career: 206 games for Brisbane

Sam Powell-Pepper

Height: 186cm
Position: Midfielder/half-forward
Club: East Perth

What he said: "Playing footy in local teams, just always had the thirst for the hardness and the physical side of footy, love the crash and bash side of it. Sometimes come off second best but that's just footy."

Taken at: Pick 18 by Port Adelaide
Career: 158 games for Port Adelaide

Tim English

Height: 204cm
Position: Ruckman/tall forward
Club: South Fremantle

What he said: "I wouldn't say that I model my game on an AFL player as such, but I try and take bits and pieces out of all the successful ruckmen so Dean Cox, Max Gawn, Todd Goldstein at the moment and I'm really enjoying watching Rory Lobb at the moment."

Taken at: Pick 19 by Western Bulldogs
Career: 171 games for Western Bulldogs

Josh Battle

Height: 192cm
Position: Key forward
Club: Dandenong Stingrays

What he said: "I love playing that third tall role because I can work off my man and use my endurance, it's one of my strengths and sort of that awkward height, that 193cm height."

Taken at: Pick 39 by St Kilda
Career: 123 games for St Kilda and 49 games for Hawthorn