A general view during the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period on October 9, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

CLUBS with exciting Academy and father-son prospects for 2025 will be working through two different draft points models this Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period as they prepare for next year.

The new model of the AFL's Draft Value Index is with clubs, with a range of changes to the points attached to draft selections as part of the League's sweeping changes it announced in August.

>>SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL DRAFT VALUE INDEX CHANGES

The League weighed up bringing in the new model for this year, but was met with strong resistance from clubs who had already traded in future picks under the current model.

It means this will be the last year of the current model before the new points system is introduced next year.

Across the changes, around 10,000 points have been shaved off the DVI in the new system, including taking away points for any pick after No.54. Under the previous system, points were attached to picks through to No.73.

The No.1 pick value will remain at 3000 points but there will be a steeper drop-off in points thereafter. From picks 2-10, all of those picks are worth at least 100 points fewer in next year's model, while that gap grows as the draft goes on.

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Pick 20 in the current model is worth 912 points and in the new model will be worth 757 points. Pick 30 in the current model garners a club 629 points but in the new model will have only 454 points attached to it. 

By pick 40, the gap is almost at 200 points – this year will be the last time it is worth 429 points and next year it has been assigned 238 points.

This has all been done so clubs are not able to match bids by stocking up on middle-range draft picks, with the AFL keener for them to have to pay fairer price for father-son and Academy players. It will also make it far more difficult next year and beyond to match multiple bids on players within the same draft without going into a points deficit.

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To that end, the AFL looked closely at the 'matching zone' of the draft, where clubs had typically stocked up on picks and points to match on prospects between pick 29 and 46. In that part of the draft alone, nearly 3500 points have been taken out of the new DVI.

The change in points system for 2025 will have an impact on this year's Trade Period and Telstra AFL Draft, with club list bosses and recruiters having to navigate future picks worth a different value to this year's draft selections. 

Gold Coast will be one club in that boat, given the Suns have a No.1 pick contender – midfielder Zeke Uwland – tied to their Academy for next year as well as a number of other exciting talents. 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 02: Zeke Uwland of the Allies celebrates a goal with team mates during the Marsh AFL National Championships match between U18 Boys Allies and Western Australia at Blacktown International Sportspark on June 02, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans/AFL Photos)

Brisbane's Daniel Annable and Sydney's Lachie Carmichael, Noah Chamberlain and Max King also shape as potential Academy selections next year, while Collingwood father-son prospect Thomas McGuane, son of former Magpie Mick, has shown exciting signs playing with the Western Jets this year and will also be in the club's planning for 2025.

Isaac Waller (Brisbane), Koby Evans (West Coast) and Hussien El Achkar (Essendon) are other Academy players with ties next year.  

It means as clubs are throwing in future picks for deals, they will be working on a different points economy to this year's draft, adding another element to the upcoming trade frenzy.