THE NAB AFL Draft Combine will be back in Melbourne for the first time in full since 2019 as clubs and prospects gather for a key part of the off-season.
After COVID-enforced state Combines were run in 2020-21, the national Combine featuring more than 70 draft prospects will be back this year, running from Friday, October 7 through to Sunday, October 9.
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The Combine has usually been reserved for the week following the AFL Grand Final, however it will be staged a week deeper into October this year due to the WAFL season finishing later. It ensures all draft hopefuls from around the country will be able to attend the testing.
It will also overlap with the final few days of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, with the close of the exchange window set for Wednesday, October 12.
Draft Combine interviews with clubs will be held at Marvel Stadium, while the athletic testing will be undertaken in the Melbourne Park sporting complex, where it was held last time the Combine ran in full three years ago.
The process for players being invited to the Combine is underway currently, with clubs asked to submit lists of prospects they want to see trialled and tested.
For those prospects who do not receive enough club nominations to attend the national Combine, the state-based screenings will also take place.
The Victorian state Combine will be held on Sunday, October 9, before the South Australia/Northern Territory state Combine is held the following week on Saturday, October 15 and the West Australian state Combine on Sunday, October 16.
