How AFL draft order works: reverse ladder picks, compensation, academy rules
The AFL draft picks bottom-placed teams first, but free agency compensation and academy bids shuffle the final order unpredictably.
Reported by AFL.com.au
ShareWhy it matters
Fans and clubs need to understand the rules to follow draft strategy, predict which teams get which players, and follow the night's surprises.
In Australia. This is Australia's biggest annual player recruitment event; draft night shapes every AFL team's season outlook and fan hope.
Key facts
- November 19-20, 2026
- Draft dates
- Marvel Stadium
- Draft location
- Essendon
- Bottom team
- 7 in 2026
- Compensation picks
- The AFL national draft runs November 19-20, 2026, with the first night at Marvel Stadium.
- The bottom-placed team (Essendon this year) gets pick one, and the order reverses from there.
- In 2026, seven compensation picks pushed other teams back.
- Clubs can bid on players tied to other teams through academy rules or the father-son scheme.
- The other club must match by trading draft picks.
- The 2026 bidding system changed to make matching more expensive.
