Overview
- The Eagles selected Willem Duursma with the top pick and repeatedly bid on tied prospects, with Gold Coast, Carlton and Brisbane matching to hold their talent.
- Early selections unfolded with Zeke Uwland matched at No.2 by Gold Coast, Carlton matching Harry Dean at No.3, West Coast taking Cooper Duff‑Tytler at No.4, Dylan Patterson matched at No.5 and Daniel Annable matched at No.6.
- Carlton traded pick No.9 to Essendon and No.11 to North Melbourne to stockpile draft points, enabling the Blues to match the early bid for father‑son defender Harry Dean.
- Gold Coast matched multiple academy bids and finished the night with several first‑round additions, fueling criticism of the points system after the club had traded out earlier first‑rounders for Christian Petracca.
- Richmond followed two unsuccessful bids by drafting Sam Cumming at No.7 and Sam Grlj at No.8, Essendon took Sullivan Robey at No.9 and Jacob Farrow at No.10, and Melbourne’s No.12 bolter Latrelle Pickett received his jumper from cousin Kysaiah.