2026 AFL father-son & academy bidding
Separate the player’s club connection, the bid price and the picks that can pay for it.
A club connection in a scouting profile is a starting point for a scenario. Confirm the player’s nomination and eligibility before treating that connection as a right to match.
What changes a match in 2026?
Early matches use at most two current picks through pick 36; later bids use the next selection. Ladder position affects some bid prices. The 2026 deficit limit is 412 points, with a future first required to access it. Read the AFL announcement for the full conditions.
Follow the decision in three steps
- Check the connection. Start with the player profile, then confirm the relevant father-son or academy nomination.
- Price the bid. Look up the base DVI value and the matching club’s ladder band in the 2026 points reference.
- Check eligible payment picks. Open the club calculator and inspect its proposed payment package and any shortfall. A whole-hand points total does not establish eligibility.
Two scenarios to try
Carlton and a Cody Walker bid
Compare a pick 1, 2 or 3 bid with the dated Carlton hand. Inspect which two picks pay and whether a trade or deficit is needed.
Open Carlton’s calculator →Port Adelaide and Dougie Cochrane
Move the hypothetical bid and compare its cost with Port’s eligible later payment picks. Keep nomination and the ladder setting explicit.
Open Port’s calculator →These are experiments, not forecasts. The calculator’s current dated hand and assumptions are shown on its screen.
Father-son and academy draft questions
Is every club-linked prospect a confirmed nomination?
No. The website labels database connections separately from confirmed eligibility. Check the original source and nomination status before describing an outcome as certain.
Can a club match just because it has enough total points?
The eligible picks, available list places and deficit context also matter. Read the payment breakdown, rather than relying on a single total.
Does changing the bid affect later selections?
Yes. The simulator rebuilds the scenario around the match. Compare the starting draft order with the resulting live board, and save a baseline before changing one assumption.
Try a bid in the simulator ↗Sources and methodology →