Richmond secured the prized No. 5 selection on the final day of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period, reshaping the top end of the AFL draft order as clubs finalize their lists ahead of the November 19–20 national draft.
Draft Order Shifts Following Trade Period Dealings
Richmond added a second top-five selection to its draft hand by acquiring Pick 5 from Port Adelaide on Deadline Day. By securing the pick, the Tigers now hold the second and fifth selections in this year’s draft. Richmond Executive General Manager, Football Talent, Blair Hartley noted that the club worked hard to secure multiple picks inside the top five to navigate a draft cycle where many players are inaccessible due to academy, father-son, NGA, and Tasmania-related concessions. While Richmond remains in the rebuild trenches,
the club’s leadership believes the addition of high-end talent will bolster its list alongside recent off-field changes, including the appointment of Brett Ratten as Head of Coaching and Strategy and Selwyn Griffith as High Performance Manager.
With the trade period over, click below to see the latest AFL draft order, including what picks the Tigers have ⤵️https://t.co/RNsg1SWvZy
Melbourne moved up the order and currently holds picks four and 14. Port Adelaide, meanwhile, has focused on long-term growth, loading up for the next 12 months with three first-round picks in 2027. The Power’s strategy includes targeting future father-son prospect Louis Salopek and academy talents Zemes Pilot and Dougie Cochrane.
Port Adelaide Lands Luke Pedlar in Crosstown Move
Amid the broader list changes, Port Adelaide completed a trade with Adelaide to bring forward-midfielder Luke Pedlar to Alberton on the final day of the trade window. Pedlar, a 24-year-old South Australian hailing from Kingston, informed Adelaide last month of his desire to move to the Power after spending six years at West Lakes. He becomes just the eighth AFL player to make the crosstown move.
"He brings a different skillset and set of attributes to what our key defenders have."Western Bulldogs player acquisition and strategy manager Michael Regan on Jordon Butts.Watch Continental Tyres AFL Trade Radio's Deadline Day Debrief: https://t.co/KDq8VbyZWS pic.twitter.com/zgTpDWFNhu
Luke is a talented footballer who is tough at the contest. Although he has had his challenges over the past few seasons with injury, he is someone we feel will fit well within Josh Carr’s game style, and gives us further depth in our forward and midfield stocks.
Jason Cripps, Port Adelaide List Manager
Pedlar, who was originally taken at Pick 11 in the 2020 national draft, has played 49 AFL games throughout his career, including 10 appearances during the 2026 season. His most productive campaign came in 2023, when he averaged 11.9 disposals and kicked 25 goals across 21 matches.
Adelaide Preserves Draft Picks as Richmond Retains Jayden Short
Adelaide General Manager List Management Jarryd Roughead described the Pedlar trade as a balanced deal while emphasizing the club’s strategy to preserve draft capital. With talent pools compromised by Tasmania’s entry, Adelaide remains committed to backing the talent already on its list. The Crows currently hold selections 15, 34, 35, 43, 56, and 92 for the upcoming draft.
Hartley confirmed the deal did not proceed, stating, I'm disappointed for Jayden that it didn't work out but we are excited to have him back.
Short remains fully committed to the Tigers. Hartley noted that Short is expected to return to the club immediately to prepare for the upcoming season.
We were really keen to preserve our draft picks due to the concessions given to Tasmania and the next couple of talent pools being compromised.
Jarryd Roughead, Adelaide General Manager List Management
Clubs Turn Attention to November National Draft
With the trade period concluded, recruiting teams turn their focus toward the national draft scheduled for November 19–20. Essendon holds the No. 1 pick, with a total of three selections in the top 25, while St Kilda retains picks 10 and 16 following the trade of Rowan Marshall to Geelong. Carlton also remains active, holding picks 13 and 18 to target father-son prospect Cody Walker. The draft order remains subject to potential changes as clubs retain the ability to trade picks during the event itself.
Pedlar to Power ⚡️The tough ball-winner lands at Alberton following a trade with Adelaide 🔀📝 https://t.co/RdrR2Jntfn pic.twitter.com/eXLkiCfiAv
| Club | Current Selections In Indicative Order |
|---|---|
| Essendon | 1, 17, 25, 80 |
| Richmond | 2, 5, 44 |
| West Coast | 3, 23, 58, 64, 73, 82 |
| Melbourne | 4, 14, 48, 52 |
| Port Adelaide | 7, 12, 22, 24, 34, 46, 65 |
More on Continental Tyres
We've completed a trade with Richmond on the final day of the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period 🤝📝 https://t.co/hPvY36fAcS pic.twitter.com/ECskLYwbXC
Trade approved.Port Adelaide trade 2026 Round One Pick 5 to Richmond for 2026 Round Two Pick 22, 2027 Round One Pick, 2027 Round Two Pick and 2027 Round Four Pick (all tied to Richmond) in the respective Telstra AFL Drafts.