WHO are the leading draft hopefuls in the eyes of one of the top AFL recruiters in the country? And the prospects who lifted their stocks during the under-18 championships?

Listen to this week's Road to the Draft episode as Brisbane recruiting manager Stephen Conole joins the podcast to discuss this year's draft pool.

CAL TWOMEY'S PHANTOM FORM GUIDE Top draft prospects' July ranking

He chats with host Cal Twomey about the leading draftees and how they have fared this year, what type of players the Lions will be looking to bring into the club and explains the club's focuses at this time of the draft season.

Plus, Conole discusses father-son gun Will Ashcroft's nomination to the Lions and what it means for their end-of-year trade plans and the exciting development of potential first-round selection Jaspa Fletcher.

This week's episode guide…

1:30 – What are the Lions' recruiting team's focuses at the moment?

4:00 – Conole shares his views on the recent NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

7:00 – The "exciting" news that Will Ashcroft has nominated as a father-son for the club.

8:45 – The part of Ashcroft's game that has grown this year.

12:00 – The trade decisions that face the Lions now.

16:15 – A look at the Lions' recent draft pick ups and when the club narrowed in on them.

19:30 – What makes up a 'Brisbane draftee'? An insight into the character profiling the Lions do each year.