Richmond Have the AFL's Best Young Talent Pipeline
Richmond has surged to the top of the AFL’s young talent leaderboard, outpacing previously favored clubs like Gold Coast and GWS. Their rise is attributed to consistent drafting success, resulting in a deep and promising core of under-23 players, including Sam Lalor and Josh Smillie. While Gold Coast remains strong, downgrades to speculative prospects have shifted the balance. The rankings also spotlight Fremantle’s Murphy Reid and suggest Melbourne could be a future dark horse. This snapshot underscores Richmond’s leadership in nurturing AFL’s next generation.
- Richmond now leads the AFL in young talent depth, surpassing Gold Coast.
- Consistent strong draft picks have built an impressive under-23 core.
- Murphy Reid (Fremantle) and rising Melbourne talent are also noted standouts.
Sam Lalor top of the list. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Richmond Have the AFL's Best Young Talent Pipeline
For most of 2026, the conversation around young AFL talent has revolved around clubs like Gold Coast, GWS and North Melbourne.
- Richmond Have the AFL's Best Young Talent Pipeline
- Why Richmond Finished No. 1
- Gold Coast Are No Longer the Benchmark
- Murphy Reid Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore
- The Club Everyone Might Be Sleeping On
- Which Clubs Ranked Highest?
Richmond barely entered the discussion.
That might need to change.
After reviewing every AFL club's under-23 talent and revisiting several rankings throughout the season, the True Footy young talent leaderboard has a new leader. And it's not one of the competition's emerging finalists.
It's Richmond.
The Tigers may be sitting near the bottom of the ladder, but when it comes to future potential, no club currently boasts a deeper collection of young talent.
Why Richmond Finished No. 1
The key difference between Richmond and most rebuilding clubs is volume.
The Tigers haven't just landed one or two future stars. They've accumulated wave after wave of young talent through consecutive draft classes and are beginning to see the benefits.
Sam Lalor, Josh Smillie, Harry Armstrong, Luke Trainor and Taj Hotton already form one of the most exciting young cores in football. But the review also highlighted players like Jasper Alger, Campbell Gray and Pat Rachele as emerging contributors who have strengthened Richmond's overall position.
That's what separates the Tigers from many rivals.
Every club has a few promising youngsters.
Richmond have an entire list of them.
The boys admitted that some of Richmond's rise came from correcting earlier rankings and rewarding players who have exceeded expectations since the original reviews. But even after accounting for those changes, the Tigers still finished on top.
Gold Coast Are No Longer the Benchmark
Gold Coast entered the review process as the clear leader.
That made sense.
The Suns have spent years building through elite academy prospects and top draft selections. Bailey Humphrey looks like a future star, while Leo Lombard, Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Daniel Annable all remain highly rated.
But after revisiting the rankings, the Suns lost ground.
Several speculative prospects were downgraded, while Richmond's depth continued to grow. The result was enough for the Tigers to leapfrog Gold Coast and claim top spot.
It's a reminder that potential and proven development are not always the same thing.
Murphy Reid Is Becoming Impossible to Ignore
One of the biggest individual winners from the review was Fremantle young gun Murphy Reid.
Initially rated as a high-end prospect, Reid was upgraded into the highest talent category after an outstanding start to his AFL career. The praise was significant, with discussion around whether he could eventually push into All-Australian calculations if his current trajectory continues.
For Fremantle fans, it was another reminder that the Dockers may have landed one of the steals of the draft.
The fit between player and club already looks perfect.
The Club Everyone Might Be Sleeping On
Perhaps the most surprising discussion centred on Melbourne.
Despite finishing only 11th in the final rankings, the boys admitted they were surprised by where the Demons landed. Harvey Langford, Xavier Lindsay and Caleb Windsor give Melbourne a strong foundation, while recent recruiting has added further depth.
The ranking suggests Melbourne's young talent isn't quite at the level of Richmond or Gold Coast.
The eye test suggests they may still have one of the brighter futures in the competition.
Which Clubs Ranked Highest?
The final top six looked like this:
- Richmond
- Gold Coast Suns
- GWS Giants
- North Melbourne
- Brisbane Lions
- West Coast Eagles
The rankings are not a prediction of future success. They don't account for coaching, list balance or overall club health.
But they do provide a snapshot of where the AFL's next generation currently sits.
And right now, Richmond are leading the way.
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