VICTop 3
Cody Walker
Hurt Factor Midfielder
Bendigo Pioneers (VIC Country)
CarltonScouting profile
2026 AFL National Draft
Gus Kennedy: 2026 AFL Draft profile
Reliable Engine
2026 NATIONAL DRAFTTop 40 · EDITORIAL RANGEVIC
- Position
- Midfielder / Defender
- Listed height
- 186 cm
- Club / region
- Dandenong Stingrays (VIC Country)
- Projected range
- Top 40 (editorial)
Gus Kennedy scouting report
Gus Kennedy is the 2026 draft’s "reliable engine." Standing 186cm, the Dandenong Stingrays standout is a powerful, hard-at-it ball winner who thrives in the thick of the contest. Renowned for his "inside bull" mentality and distinct competitiveness, Kennedy established himself as a premier prospect after a massive 16-game campaign as a bottom-ager in 2025. He is a dual-threat utility: a clearance specialist who prizes contested ball and tackles at will, but also possesses the "silk" and composure to roll off half-back and slice open the ground with his elite left-foot kicking. After earning Team of the Week honors in Round 1, he backed it up with a consistent 23-disposal outing in Round 2, proving he is one of the most professional "pro-ready" mids in the pool.
AFL player comparison
Jack Viney
A stylistic comparison from the scouting database, not a prediction of career output.
More from the scouting notes
Kennedy mirrors Viney’s relentless "in-and-under" ferocity. At 186cm, he provides the same physical intimidation, tackling pressure, and contested-ball hunger at the centre bounce. Like Viney, he is a left-footer who excels at extracting the ball from heavy congestion and feeding his outside runners. However, Kennedy pairs that inside grunt with an added layer of versatility—much like Elliot Yeo, he can be deployed across half-back where his composed distribution and elite kicking penetration can set up offensive transitions.
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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.