VICTop 3
Cody Walker
Hurt Factor Midfielder
Bendigo Pioneers (VIC Country)
CarltonScouting profile
2026 AFL National Draft
Anthony Long: 2026 AFL Draft profile
Human Highlight Reel
2026 NATIONAL DRAFTTop 60 · EDITORIAL RANGESA
- Position
- Forward/Midfielder
- Listed height
- 184 cm
- Club / region
- West Adelaide (SANFL U18 / SA)
- Projected range
- Top 60 (editorial)
Anthony Long scouting report
Anthony Long is the 2026 draft’s "pure highlight reel." Standing 184cm, the West Adelaide product and Adelaide Crows NGA prospect is arguably the most explosive talent in the South Australian pool. After an injury-interrupted 2025, Long has returned with a vengeance, showcasing a "scary" burst of speed that leaves defenders in his wake. Whether he’s accelerating out of a stoppage into a clinical snap or flying for a "speccy" over a 200cm ruckman, he is a match-winner who thrives on the big stage. As the nephew of Izak Rankine, the "magic" is clearly in the DNA, but Long pairs that flair with a rugged defensive edge and a surprisingly high-volume tackle count for an x-factor player
AFL player comparison
Shai Bolton
A stylistic comparison from the scouting database, not a prediction of career output.
More from the scouting notes
Long mirrors Bolton’s "anywhere, anytime" impact. At 184cm, he possesses the rare agility to dance through traffic at ground level and the vertical leap to sit on heads in the goal square. Like Bolton, he is a "damage-per-possession" specialist—he doesn't need 30 disposals to be the most influential player on the ground. His ability to shift from a high-octane small forward to a line-breaking midfielder makes him a tactical nightmare for opposition coaches.
Club connection
Adelaide draft hand · Academy in the scouting database. A listed connection does not confirm nomination or matching eligibility.
Where could he fit in your mock draft?
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Source: the existing SotaramAFL 2026 scouting database, republished as a dated editorial snapshot. Listed facts have not been independently re-reported for this page. See methodology and corrections.