It is a nerve-wracking time of year for all potential draftees. More than 1,000 men from around Australia have thrown their hat in the ring, nominating themselves for the Telstra 2024 AFL Draft. Fewer than 10 per cent of these talented players will realise their dream across the draft nights and will need to revert to plan B on their footy journey.
Many of the 1,000 players are doing it as a hail Mary, hoping their attributes, talent or testing results have done something to pique recruiters’ interests. Some are former AFL players, hoping for their second chance, or VFL players looking to step up a level.
The following are NSW/ACT players considered the best chances of landing on an AFL list in 2025. Many have been spoken about throughout the year as “prospects” and we’ll soon see if they fulfil that billing and become “AFL players”.
Good luck to all NSW/ACT players vying for selection at the Telstra 2024 AFL Draft.
Watch the draft
The 2024 Telstra AFL Draft will be held on Wednesday, November 20 and Thursday, November 21.
Both nights of the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft will be broadcast live nationally on afl.com.au, the AFL app, Fox Footy and Kayo.
The 2024 Telstra AFL Rookie Draft will follow on the afternoon of Friday, November 22, broadcast on afl.com.au.
NSW/ACT top prospects
Jobe Shanahan
Moama, Bendigo Pioneers
Jobe Shanahan is an exciting key position prospect ahead of the 2024 draft. The Moama local managed some very good football this season, splitting his time between his junior club in the Murray Football League’s senior 
competition, the Bendigo Pioneers, AFL Academy representation, earning Under 18 All-Australian selection for the Allies in the National Championships, and proving he can match it with the bigger bodies at VFL level with Essendon.
The 2024 season saw Shanahan earmark himself as one of New South Wales’ best draft hopes, being named in the National Academy. He managed 22 goals from 11 games with the Pioneers, with his best haul being six against the Bushrangers in the last home-and-away game of the season.
Appearances were also made for the Academy in both showcase games against Coburg and Footscray, where he showed strong signs in the latter game as a lone key forward. However, it was his improved performances against the bigger bodies when at VFL level that caught the eye, managing 11 goals from three appearances when given the opportunity to play with Essendon’s reserves side. Once Shanahan’s season was over, he returned to Moama to play in their senior finals campaign.
Read more and see highlights on Rookie Me Central here.
Logan Smith
Queanbeyan Tigers, GIANTS Academy
The GIANTS Academy has been a great breeding ground for monster rucks over the years, and Logan Smith looks to be next off the production line. Measuring up at 204cm, the towering talent is arguably the GIANTS’ top prospect for 2024 and was awarded the Academy Player of the Year.
Smith also took out All-Australian honours at representative level, being named on the interchange bench for his full four-game campaign with the Allies. It came after clearly being the GIANTS’ best and most consistent player in three Coates Talent League fixtures. He went on to earn a berth at VFL level, making seven appearances in the state league for averages of nine disposals and 23 hitouts.
Team success came Smith’s way in the form of an AFL Canberra First Grade premiership with Queanbeyan. He booted a goal in the Grand Final having turned out just three times for the Tigers in 2024, after making his debut last year en route to 14 appearances (eight times in best). Smith was also a NSW/ACT Under 17 representative in 2023 and established himself as a staple in the Giants’ Under 18 side.
Read more and see highlights on Rookie Me Central here.
Joel Cochran
UNSW-ES Bulldogs, Sydney Swans Academy
The Sydney Swans Academy has a rich history of producing AFL-level talent and Joel Cochran is best poised to be next in line this year. The athletic tall prospect has showcased his potential across a range of representative sides over the journey, having first picked up a footy at 12 years old, coming from an athletics background.
Cochran has been tied to the Swans Academy for some time. He represented the program at the 2022 and 2023 AFL Under 16 National Championships, while also debuting in the Under 18 side last year. Cochran went on to turn out for the NSW/ACT Under 17 team and earned selection in the National Futures match on AFL Grand Final day.
Cochran’s exploits and upside saw him inducted into this year’s AFL Academy. He played in the first of two games, against Coburg, before suiting up for a full campaign with the Allies. Sydney also handed Cochran a berth in its VFL side, with the 18-year-old playing in Round 20 against Collingwood for a haul of 16 disposals and five marks.
He was the fastest 2km time trial in the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft Combine with a scintillating 6:05, eight seconds ahead of the next player.
Read more and see highlights on Rookie Me Central here.
Cooper Bell
Belconnen Magpies, GIANTS Academy
Cooper Bell is yet another tall out of the GIANTS Academy looking to earn a berth in the big leagues. The 198cm swingman has long been on the radar as a tall with great speed and an aptitude in each key position post. He has plied his trade all over the ground across numerous levels; including the AFL Canberra system, Coates Talent League, junior National Championships, and VFL.
Hailing from Flynn in Canberra, Bell has long been a feature of the Giants Academy. He was named his side’s MVP at the 2022 Under 16 championships, and went on to be a mainstay throughout the last two CTL campaigns – playing in all of a possible eight games. Bell’s representative duties extended to the NSW-ACT outfit and Allies squad, where he would compete against the best of his peers.
In the meantime, Bell also showed his wares against senior opposition. He made his debut for Belconnen Magpies in the AFL Canberra First Grade last year, making 10 appearances, before returning to the fold for six games in 2024. His first outing at the level this season yielded seven goals. Bell later earned a VFL call-up with the Giants, playing his first of three games between Rounds 19-21 against the Box Hill Hawks.
Read more and see highlights on Rookie Me Central here.
Josh Murphy
North Albury, Murray Bushrangers
Powerhouse forward Josh Murphy kicked goals for fun in 2024. He led the Coates Talent League goalkicking charts with 32 majors in 11 games, including three bags of six. Having captained the Allies, he also booted the representative side's most goals with seven in four appearances.
An explosive unit, the 190cm forward can play above his height with strong overhead marking. Murphy proved as much by recording the highest standing vertical jump at this year's state draft combine, leaping 74cm. He translates that on-field with his aerial exploits.
Murphy has a good set of hands and his forward craft makes his dangerous both on the lead, or when the ball hits the deck. Although, he can become more versatile by working harder up the ground and lifting his defensive output, given he spends so much time deep inside attacking 50. As far as goalkickers go, though, few have been more effective this year.
Read more and see highlights on Rookie Me Central here.
Ben Kennedy
Rennie Football Club, Yarrawonga, Xavier College, Murray Bushrangers
A prospect who has performed strongly for little fuss in 2024 is Ben Kennedy. Despite flying under the radar, he played out a full national carnival for the Allies and was a reliable asset both in the APS competition with Xavier College, and for Murray Bushrangers in the Coates Talent League.
Most often utilised as a lockdown defender, Kennedy performed his role with few frills but plenty of effectiveness. He displayed an aptitude in playing on both small and tall forwards, shutting them down with high accountability and deceptively good closing speed.
Read more on Rookie Me Central here.
Josaia Delana
Kellyville Rouse Hill, Willoughby, East Coast Eagles, GIANTS Academy
Giants Academy captain Josaia Delana is a prospect for the GIANTS to consider as a club-tied talent. The 
diminutive midfielder-forward injects great energy to every passage he is involved in, boasting a wicked turn of speed and noted attacking instincts.
As expected of a 176cm player, he is effective at ground level with his ability to swoop on loose balls and make things happen inside 50. He also applies himself defensively and showed as much with a whopping 12 tackles against Western Australia at the Under 18 National Championships.
Delana's size is the obvious drawback on paper, though he held his own throughout eight VFL appearances this season, having debuted in 2023. He even kicked the winning goal against Casey in Round 18 and proved his value as a pressure forward.
Read more on Rookie Me Central here.
Riley Bice
Albury Football Club, Murray Magpies, St Patricks JFC, Werribee Tigers, Murray Bushrangers
Riley Bice will be 24 years old on draft night. The Albury local, who has played in the Hume League for Murray
Magpies is one of the many Werribee recruits to have elevated their AFL Draft hopes as a mature-age prospect in the VFL. The dashing outside runner played an integral part in the Bees' premiership triumph this year, bursting onto the scene to average 21.8 disposals across 21 games.
The Murray Bushrangers graduate, who had previously played VFL footy with the GIANTS, did so in a relatively new role. Bice's exposure across half-back and the wing worked wonders, as his strengths were allowed to shine. Namely, he could utilise his daring overlap run and kicking ability on the way forward.
Bice's ball use is terrific and is part of what makes him such an effective, attacking defender. He goes by foot 76 per cent of the time and thrives when unleashed to the outside.
Read more on Rookie Me Central here.