VICTop 5
Arki Butler
Premier Game Breaker
Sandringham Dragons (VIC Metro)
Scouting profile
2026 AFL National Draft
Sam Gayfer: 2026 AFL Draft profile
Workhorse Target
2026 NATIONAL DRAFTTop 15 · EDITORIAL RANGEVIC
- Position
- Key Forward
- Listed height
- 186 cm
- Club / region
- Northern Knights (VIC Metro)
- Projected range
- Top 15 (editorial)
Sam Gayfer scouting report
Sam Gayfer is the 2026 draft’s premier "workhorse target." Standing 194cm, the Northern Knights product has rapidly climbed draft boards following a prolific start to the 2026 season. Renowned for his elite aerobic capacity and leading patterns, Gayfer is a nightmare for traditional key defenders because he never stops moving. He thrives by pushing high up the ground to act as a release valve, before using his superior fitness to burn his opponent on the "fat side" of the ground. After a consistent start to the year, he truly exploded in May with a 6-goal masterclass in Round 7, showcasing a "vice-grip" set of hands and much-improved accuracy from the set-shot.
AFL player comparison
Charlie Curnow
A stylistic comparison from the scouting database, not a prediction of career output.
More from the scouting notes
Gayfer mirrors Curnow’s specific "high-octane" archetype. At 194cm, he isn't just a stay-at-home forward; he uses a massive engine to beat his defender through sheer volume of leads. Like Curnow, he is exceptionally mobile at ground level for his height, allowing him to follow up his own marking attempts and stay involved in the play once the ball hits the deck.
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 Sam Gayfer lands 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.