Another bloody draft ranking? Yes. But this one comes from watching full games and player-involvement vision, testing what actually makes a junior prospect likely to succeed at AFL level. This is my final Top 30 for the 2026 AFL National Draft, not a phantom draft, and not an attempt to predict the order in which clubs will call names. With Essendon holding Pick 1 and further selections expected later in the draft, there is an obvious Bombers lens to parts of this discussion

With 25 days to go until Essendon’s Round 1 clash with Hawthorn, Don The Stat continues its daily exploration of Essendon’s guernsey history. Guernsey Number 25 stands among the most productive numbers the club has ever issued, worn by elite goalkickers and Premiership players across multiple eras. The number was worn in Essendon’s 1912 Premiership by Jack O’Brien , before finding a long-term home with Greg Stockdale , who wore #25 from 1923 to 1928 , playing 99 games an