VICTop 3
Cody Walker
Hurt Factor Midfielder
Bendigo Pioneers (VIC Country)
CarltonScouting profile
2026 AFL National Draft
Harper Banfield: 2026 AFL Draft profile
Perperual Motion Engine
2026 NATIONAL DRAFTTop 60 · EDITORIAL RANGEWA
- Position
- Midfielder
- Listed height
- 181 cm
- Club / region
- Claremont (WAFL Colts / WA)
- Projected range
- Top 60 (editorial)
Harper Banfield scouting report
Harper Banfield is the 2026 draft’s "perpetual motion engine." Standing 181cm, the son of dual-premiership Eagle Drew Banfield is arguably the hardest-working prospect in the WA pool. After establishing himself in Claremont's 2025 premiership side as a bottom-ager, he has leveled up in 2026, averaging 20.7 disposals and a staggering 6.8 tackles per game. Renowned for an "endless tank" and a high-octane playing style, Banfield is the ultimate "connection piece" who bridges the gap between the defensive half and the forward line. Having spent time training at Mineral Resources Park with the Eagles over the 2026 pre-season, he already carries the professional standards of a senior-listed player.
AFL player comparison
Jamie Cripps
A stylistic comparison from the scouting database, not a prediction of career output.
More from the scouting notes
Like Cripps, Banfield is a "high-forward" specialist who makes his living through gut-running and elite defensive pressure. At 181cm, he possesses that specific "front-and-center" intelligence to crumb goals, but his real value lies in his ability to push up to the wing, act as a linking target, and then beat his opponent back to the goal square. His 6.8 tackles per game mirror the "manic" pressure that has defined Cripps’ career at the Eagles, making him a ready-made replacement for the veteran
Club connection
West Coast draft hand · Father Son in the scouting database. A listed connection does not confirm nomination or matching eligibility.
Where could he fit in your mock draft?
Use the projected range as a starting point, then compare the role with other available players. A range is an assessment of the pool, not a community average or a confirmed club preference.
Compare every club’s draft hand before trying your selections.
See where Harper Banfield lands in your mock draft
Choose players, explore pick trades and see how bids change your draft in the existing SotaramAFL simulator.
Compare similar roles
CarltonVICTop 5
Arki Butler
Premier Game Breaker
Sandringham Dragons (VIC Metro)
Scouting profile
WATop 5
Heath Mellody
Contested Defender
Claremont (WAFL Colts / WA)
Scouting profile
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.