More than half of this year’s AFL draftees hailed from Coates Talent League programs.
A total of 103 players were selected last week via Telstra AFL Draft, Telstra Pre-Season Draft and Telstra Rookie Draft.
Of that tally, 86 players being added to an AFL list for the first time, including 53 players from the Coates Talent League.
Seventeen of the top 20 picks selected in the national Draft came from Coates Talent League, including Sam Lalor who went to Richmond with the No. 1 pick.
The powerful midfielder/forward Sam Lalor became the second GWV Rebels player in three years to be picked with the first selection in the Draft, following in the footsteps of Aaron Cadman who was drafted by the GWS Giants at No. 1 in 2022.
Lalor became the second recipient of the Allan Aylett Medal, an award introduced last year which will be presented annually to the number one selection in the men’s national draft.
After winning their third-consecutive Coates Talent League Boys premiership, the Sandringham Dragons produced more draftees than any club in the country in 2024, with ten players drafted.
Of the 53 players selected from Coates Talent League programs, 44 were selected in the national Draft.
Seven players were picked up in the Rookie Draft on Friday, Ricky Mentha (Melbourne) and Jayden Ngyuen (Essendon) who were pre-selected as Category B Rookies having been members of their respective club’s Next Generation Academy.
Below is a list of the Coates Talent League players who were selected by AFL clubs:
BENDIGO PIONEERS
Tobie Travaglia (Sandhurst) selected by St Kilda with pick 6 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jobe Shanahan (Moama) selected by West Coast Eagles with pick 30 in the Telstra AFL Draft
James Barrat (Leitchville Gunbower) selected by St Kilda with pick 32 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Archer Day-Wicks (Sandhurst) selected by Essendon with pick 6 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
CALDER CANNONS
Isaac Kako (Northern Saints) selected by Essendon with pick 13 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Harry O'Farrell (Maribyrnong Park) selected by Carlton with pick 40 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Patrick Said (Sunbury Lions) selected by St Kilda with pick 60 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jayden Nguyen (Aberfeldie) selected by Essendon as a Category B rookie
DANDENONG STINGRAYS
Harvey Langford (Mount Martha) selected by Melbourne with pick 6 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Cooper Hynes (Bonbeach) selected by Western Bulldogs with pick 20 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Noah Mraz (Narre North Foxes) selected by Hawthorn with pick 35 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Riak Andrew (Berwick) selected by Sydney Swans with pick 55 in the Telstra AFL Draft
EASTERN RANGES
Josh Smillie (Park Orchards) selected by Richmond with pick 7 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Christian Moraes (Knox) selected by Port Adelaide with pick 38 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Cody Anderson (Healesville) selected by Hawthorn with pick 64 in the Telstra AFL Draft
GEELONG FALCONS
Lachie Jaques (St Mary's) selected by Western Bulldogs with pick 29 in the Telstra AFL Draft
River Stevens (Newtown & Chilwell) selected by North Melbourne with pick 67 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Xavier Ivisic (Bell Park) selected by Geelong with pick 12 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
Joe Pike (Barwon Heads) selected by Geelong with pick 31 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
GIPPSLAND POWER
Alix Tauru (Warragul) selected by St Kilda with pick 10 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Xavier Lindsay (Inverloch-Kongwak) selected by Melbourne with pick 11 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Asher Eastham (Heyfield) selected by Gold Coast Suns with pick 17 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
Ricky Mentha (Pioneer) selected by Melbourne as a Category B rookie
GWV REBELS
Sam Lalor (Bacchus Marsh) selected by Richmond with pick 1 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jonty Faull (Redan) selected by Richmond with pick 14 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Oliver Hannaford (Sandhurst) selected by GWS Giants with pick 18 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jack Ough (Wentworth District) selected by GWS Giants with pick 36 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Rhys Unwin (Cobden) selected by Essendon with pick 61 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Harry Charleson (East Point) selected by Carlton with pick 9 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
MURRAY BUSHRANGERS
Joe Berry (Wangaratta) selected by Port Adelaide with pick 15 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Matt Whitlock (Shepparton) selected by North Melbourne with pick 27 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jack Whitlock (Shepparton) selected by Port Adelaide with pick 33 in the Telstra AFL Draft
NORTHERN KNIGHTS
Jesse Dattoli (Ivanhoe) selected by Sydney Swans with pick 22 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Thomas Sims (Montmorency) selected by Richmond with pick 28 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Zak Johnson (St Mary's Greensborough) selected by Essendon with pick 70 in the Telstra AFL Draft
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS
Finn O'Sullivan (Koroit) selected by North Melbourne with pick 2 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jagga Smith (Richmond) selected by Carlton with pick 3 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Tom Gross (Kew Rovers) selected by West Coast Eagles with pick 46 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Jasper Alger (Warragul) selected by Richmond with pick 58 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Blake Leidler (Surrey Park) selected by Sydney Swans with pick 14 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
Patrick Retschko (Caulfield Grammarians) selected by Geelong with pick 23 in the Telstra AFL Rookie Draft
SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
Levi Ashcroft (St Kilda City) selected by Brisbane Lions with pick 5 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Taj Hotton (Hampton Rovers) selected by Richmond with pick 12 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Murphy Reid (South Melbourne Districts) selected by Fremantle with pick 17 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Harrison Oliver (St Bedes/Mentone) selected by GWS Giants with pick 19 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Luke Trainor (St Peters) selected by Richmond with pick 21 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Harry Armstrong (Ormond) selected by Richmond with pick 23 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Sam Marshall (Kawana Park Eagles) selected by Brisbane Lions with pick 25 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Josh Dolan (Beaumaris) selected by Western Bulldogs with pick 31 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Luke Kennedy (Ormond) selected by Western Bulldogs with pick 62 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Lennox Hofmann (Old Brighton Grammarians) selected by Geelong with pick 66 in the Telstra AFL Draft
WESTERN JETS
Lucca Grego (Keilor) selected by West Coast Eagles with pick 48 in the Telstra AFL Draft
Keighton Matofai-Forbes (Keilor) selected by Geelong with pick 69 in the Telstra AFL Draft
