Each year, the AFL draft reminds us that value is rarely distributed in neat, predictable order. On the second night of the 2025 draft, several young men who were expected to be claimed on night one find themselves still waiting — a delay that is less a slight than an opportunity, both for the players and for the clubs shrewd enough to recognise what the board still holds. History has long taught that the second round is where patience is rewarded and foresight is proven.
AFL draft 2025: Second round underway with talent still available
The talent on the board tonight suggests that pattern could repeat.
Mark
Why does it matter that some of these players slid into the second round? Aren't they still getting drafted?
Mimi
It matters because it changes the entire calculus. When a player everyone expected to go early falls to night two, it signals something—maybe the clubs above them saw something they didn't like, or maybe there's a logjam at a particular position. Either way, it creates opportunity for teams lower down, and it sometimes triggers trades. A club might suddenly think, "We can get this player we wanted without trading up."
Mark
And the academy-tied players—what makes them different from the rest?
Mimi
They're already embedded in a club's system. They've trained with the club, they know the culture, the coaching staff knows them intimately. When a club has an academy player still on the board, there's real pressure to secure them. But there's also a calculation: do we bid now, or do we wait and hope no one else does?
Mark
So Collingwood sitting out the entire first round—is that a strategy or a problem?
Mimi
It's both. It means they didn't have picks to use, which is a constraint. But it also means they're coming into night two with fresh ammunition and a clear view of what's left. They might be in a position to grab someone they really wanted.
Mark
What's the historical lesson here about second-round picks?
Mimi
The gems are real. Some of the best value in any draft comes from picks 26 onwards, because the pressure is off, the hype dies down, and clubs can focus on actual talent rather than narrative. That's when you find the players who become cornerstones.
Mark
So tonight could be quietly important?
Mimi
Absolutely. In five years, people might look back at some of these second-round picks and wonder how they fell so far.
The Pulse
- Multiple prospects projected for night one have slid into the second round, creating a charged atmosphere where clubs sense the chance to claim talent above its expected value.
- Tall forwards Louis Emmett, Archie Ludowyke, and Blake Thredgold headline a board still thick with recognisable names, drawing intense attention from clubs in need of size and aerial presence.
- A web of academy-tied players — spanning Gold Coast, Sydney, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, St Kilda, and Fremantle — adds a strategic layer, with bids and matching rights capable of reshaping the night's order at any moment.
- Collingwood, silent through the entire first round, enters the evening as one of the most watchful presences at the table, ready to act after a night of enforced patience.
- Picks are set to begin just after 7pm AEDT, and the consensus in the room is clear — something genuinely valuable remains on the board, and the night is far from settled.
Each year, the AFL draft reminds us that value is rarely distributed in neat, predictable order. On the second night of the 2025 draft, several young men who were expected to be claimed on night one find themselves still waiting — a delay that is less a slight than an opportunity, both for the players and for the clubs shrewd enough to recognise what the board still holds. History has long taught that the second round is where patience is rewarded and foresight is proven.
Collingwood sat out the entire first round without a single selection, but the Magpies return to the table tonight as the second night of the 2025 AFL draft gets underway — and they are far from alone in sensing opportunity.
The more compelling story belongs to the players still waiting. A number of prospects widely tipped for night one have slipped through to night two, and that unexpected availability has sharpened the attention of every list manager in the room. When quality falls further than anticipated, clubs begin to think about trades, and the board remains full of names that carry genuine pedigree.
Among the tall forwards, Louis Emmett, Archie Ludowyke, and Blake Thredgold are the obvious drawcards. The midfield pool is equally enticing, with Jevan Phillipou, Ollie Greeves, Fred Rodriguez, and Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves all still available — players whose profiles would not normally survive a first evening. Beneath those headline names sits a further layer of complexity: academy-tied prospects from seven clubs, each representing years of internal investment and expectation, any one of whom could attract a bid and force a matching decision.
Night one had moved with speed and certainty. Twenty-five players found new clubs, Gold Coast secured four more academy prospects to deepen an already impressive pipeline, and Essendon added three of their own. The first round felt almost inevitable in its momentum.
The second round rarely feels that way — and that is precisely what makes it compelling. Draft history is populated with players who slipped past the opening night and became the selections clubs still speak about with quiet pride years later. With picks beginning shortly after 7pm AEDT, the sense in the room is that tonight holds more than its billing suggests.
Collingwood finally gets its turn at the table tonight. After sitting silent through the entire first round—no picks, no movement, nothing—the Magpies are ready to make their selections as the second night of the 2025 AFL draft begins in earnest.
But the real story isn't about Collingwood's drought. It's about the talent still waiting to hear their names called. Several prospects who were widely expected to go on night one have slipped through to night two, and that shift has set off a particular kind of tension in the room. When good players fall further than predicted, clubs start thinking about trades. The board is still thick with recognizable names, and the night is young.
The tall forwards are the obvious draws: Louis Emmett, Archie Ludowyke, and Blake Thredgold all remain available. In the midfield, there's Jevan Phillipou, Ollie Greeves, Fred Rodriguez, and Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves—players with the kind of pedigree that usually doesn't make it past the opening evening. But there's another layer of intrigue beneath the headline names. A long list of academy-tied prospects could still receive bids before the night is done. Tylah Williams from West Coast, Max King from Sydney, Jack Ison from Carlton, Zac McCarthy from Collingwood, Hussien El Achkar from Essendon, Kye Fincher from St Kilda, and Toby Whan from Fremantle—each one carries the weight of a club's internal investment and expectation.
Last night's first round had moved quickly and decisively. Twenty-five young players found their new homes. Gold Coast walked away with four more academy prospects, adding to their already deep pipeline. Essendon brought in three talented youngsters of their own. The machinery of the draft had churned through the first evening with the kind of momentum that makes the whole process feel inevitable, like the right players were always going to land in the right places.
But the second round is where the real surprises often live. History is full of stories about players who slipped past the first night and became absolute steals—the kind of picks that clubs still talk about years later, the ones that shaped entire eras. The talent on the board tonight suggests that pattern could repeat. The picks will begin shortly after 7pm AEDT, and when they do, there's a genuine sense that something valuable is still up for grabs. The night is far from over.
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