Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' July ranking

2025 draft prospects Zeke Uwland, Willem Duursma and Cooper Duff-Tytler. Pictures: AFL Photos

ANOTHER draft class means another Phantom Form Guide.

We're back for the first Form Guide of 2025 – in which we'll rank the best 25 draftees for this year on a monthly basis.

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This year's group has a stack of players tied to clubs as father-sons, Academy and Next Generation Academy prospects and the back end of this season can still see plenty of movement in the order.

The ranking doesn't take into account where the bids on these players will fall and is simply just our July ranking of the top players. It will be updated each month in the lead up to November's Telstra AFL Draft.

It has been a long time coming but Uwland will make his return to the field this weekend in the VFL with Gold Coast. The Suns Academy star has missed all of this year so far with back stress fractures, including sitting out the full national championships, but put so many runs on the board last year as a bottom-ager that he retains his position at the top of this crop. The Errol Gulden of this year's draft class is a hard runner, classy left-footer and creative midfielder who can also play off the flanks. He will join his older brother Bodhi at the Suns, who will have to match a very early bid on him under Academy rules.

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The leading ruck talent in this year's pool moulds his game on the likes of Luke Jackson and Tom De Koning and has shown his capacity to follow up at ground level, hit the scoreboard and be a skilful player with the ball. He was consistent throughout Vic Metro's under-18 carnival in a team that was juggling several talls. Duff-Tytler was a highly credentialed junior basketballer but after dominating late last year for Calder he switched his attention purely to football and is in contention to be the first ruckman to be a No.1 pick since Matthew Kreuzer in 2007. His two-goal game against Vic Country showed his forward line ability.

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Duursma has played just about everywhere over the past few years with Gippsland, Vic Country and the AFL Academy. His height, shape, jump and skillset give him the capacity to be shuffled around and he did that at the national carnival as well. He has some Brendon Goddard-like traits in his risk-taking kicks, confidence in the air and size around the ball in the midfield. He has averaged 25 disposals and a goal a game for the Power this season as well as four tackles and has been on the radar for several years.

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The most entertaining player in this draft – by far. 'The Rocket' Patterson is fun to watch when he hits top gear, sees some opponents ahead of them and gets his dancing feet going with a turn of speed nobody can match in this year's pool. Patterson will be a weapon at the top level when pace is at a premium but he is more than just blitz, with his kicking penetrating and damaging, his game sense strong and the line-breaking unmatched, no more obvious than his daring run and kick to set up the matchwinner against Western Australia in the dying moments. He had 23 disposals against South Australia in the Allies' first game and maintained that impact and some clubs have him ranked around the top three, meaning another early bid is coming for the Suns to match.

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Annable has put up perhaps the most consistent of seasons of any draftee this year. The hard-at-it midfielder averaged 25 disposals and nearly five clearances a game for the Allies and was equally as effective for the Lions Academy in their Coates Talent League stint, averaging 29 and six tackles there after also being a ball-winner in the previous two seasons. Annable doesn't muck around – he knows what he's good at, he's clean with the ball, has a frame that would have him in AFL midfields already and is headed to Brisbane as an Academy player.

Daniel Annable in action during the Allies' Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 5, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Sharp put together an undeniable block of form leading into the championships and then as the standout player of the carnival in South Australia's unbeaten four-game streak. Having played at League level for Central District early in the season, Sharp dominated in the practice games before the carnival and then as the skipper of South Australia he took it up a notch. He smashed Vic Metro's midfield with 32 disposals, seven clearances and two goals and backed it up with 33 touches, two goals and six clearances against WA. Overall, Sharp averaged 27 disposals, six clearances and more than a goal a game to establish his traits as a top midfielder in this year's group.

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A lovely left-foot kick and the ability to play off half-back and through the midfield is a big part of Lindsay's appeal as a top-10 choice. The Geelong Falcon started his carnival in strong fashion with 28 disposals for Country against Western Australia and followed it up with 27 against South Australia at Marvel Stadium. That came after boosting his draft stocks playing for the Marsh AFL Academy when he was best afield against Coburg's VFL side. He can be damaging with the ball and make the play.

Josh Lindsay was named best on ground in the Marsh AFL Academy's win over Coburg VFL on April 27, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Marsh has perhaps been a surprise packet of this season but he just keeps on rising up the draft board. After a hot start to the season with West Adelaide's under-18 team – he kicked 15 goals in the first seven games of the year – Marsh carried that goalkicking form into the championships. He was the leading goalkicker in the whole carnival with 12 majors, including a haul of five against Vic Country and four against the Allies. The tall forward is an excellent left-foot kick, finds space on the lead, converts his opportunities and just knows where the goals are. He doesn't qualify for father-son status at either Adelaide or Richmond, where his father Ben played a total of 55 games.

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Schubert was the player to jump up most from the under-18 championships. The key forward was the most consistent of the group of talls available, booting four goals against the Allies, three against Vic Metro, two against Vic Country and one against Western Australia. He showed he is a real competitor in the air, he goes at the ball with his arms outstretched and is also comfortable pinch-hitting in the ruck when required. He is shaping as the best pure key forward in the draft class and has plenty of development to come – he's only two weeks off being available for next year's draft.

Aidan Schubert celebrates with teammates after kicking a goal during the Marsh AFL National Championships U18 match between Allies and South Australia at Blacktown International Sportspark on June 1, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Carlton's father-son for this year is shaping as a very good defensive prospect. After being injured last year with a broken arm, Dean has compiled a very good 2025 campaign that has him ranked as clearly one of the best tall defenders in the group. He is quick, competitive and crafty with his game sense, he can intercept mark and shut down opponents and has always been a defender so values stopping forwards. The son of Blues premiership player Peter is viewed as likely to attract a top-15 bid, and was outstanding against Vic Metro on Sunday with 22 disposals and eight marks.

Harry Dean takes a mark for Vic Country during the 2025 Marsh U18 National Championships. Picture: AFL Photos

A midfield beast who combines his strength and size with precise foot skills. Greeves is a big-bodied ball-getter who was able to take his form into the championships to be Vic Metro's most consistent midfielder across the carnival. He had 27 disposals and a goal against Western Australia and had seven clearances from 23 disposals against the Allies, having also dominated deeper in attack at school level with Caulfield Grammar when resting forward. Has plenty of similarities to Richmond's top-10 pick Josh Smillie from last year.

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There's plenty of dash and dare in Grlj's game, with the Oakleigh Charger enjoying tucking the ball under his arms and bolting away. He did that particularly well in a Vic Metro trial game earlier in the season in a performance that saw him jump out from the pack and he had those moments through Vic Metro's carnival as well, including taking the game on with his kicking. Grlj adds some burst to the batch of midfielders available this year.

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The North Adelaide product is pushing up draft boards. He was a consistent member of South Australia's carnival victory, playing through the midfield and forward line averaging 17 disposals and a goal a game, and then stepped things up for the Roosters by making his League debut. Last week he kicked three goals from 21 disposals at that level and his overhead marking for a midfield/half-forward player is an aspect of his game that sets him apart.

Sam Cumming in action during South Australia's Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on June 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

King missed the Allies' final game with illness, having also been quiet the week before. The athletic forward is certainly that – he can jump and leap high and do miraculous things – and we saw his courage in the air against Western Australia with a big mark. He also kicked 2.3 that day in his most productive game of the carnival and King regularly manages to notch shots at goal, including in his VFL debut for Sydney when he kicked 1.4 from nine disposals. The Swans Academy prospect shapes as the first from Sydney to be selected this year.

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There's a minimum of fuss to Taylor. He's just a really good player who gets the job done in defence playing on a range of different forwards. He stopped Max King in his tracks earlier this year in the Coates Talent League and was terrific for Metro against the Allies last week in Brisbane as well when he had a game-high nine intercept possessions. He can win battles in the air and on the ground and is a player plenty of clubs rate inside the top 20.

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Ludowyke is set to miss the rest of the season after suffering a PCL injury playing for Vic Metro against the Allies last week. The Sandringham Dragons key forward had a relatively quiet carnival but presented well and tried hard and remains in the mix for a first-round selection. His improvements before that had been clear this year and Ludowyke has been a goalkicker at other levels, including five and four-goal hauls for the Dragons. The 17-year-old watches Aaron Cadman closely and is hoping for a same trajectory as a nimble left-footed big man.

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Because a broken arm saw Phillipou miss the whole under-18 championships for South Australia, the younger brother of St Kilda's Mattaes has been somewhat out of sight, out of mind. But don't sleep on his ability. The highly talented bouncy forward/midfielder is a star junior decathlete away from the field and shows plenty of those attributes on it with his leap for a mark and speed at ground level. He recently made his senior debut for Woodville-West Torrens after starring at under-18 level following his injury, including a 31-disposal and two-goal game against Norwood.

Jevan Phillipou in action for Woodville-West Torrens. Picture: SANFL

Undoubtedly the highlight of Hibbins-Hargreaves' championships came against Western Australia, when the lively forward nearly snatched the win for his side with four goals, including a brilliant one late in the game from the pocket. It is where he has looked natural around goal, having overcome injury at the start of the year to return and be a goalkicker for the Stingrays at CTL level too, including a four-goal game against Calder Cannons. Hibbins-Hargreaves suffered a concussion, as well as a leg cork, in the final Vic Country game so will miss three weeks.

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After a hip flexor tear ruined the first half of his season, Emmett returned to action last month and played in Vic Metro's final three championships games. As showed last year for Oakleigh, the athletic tall can find the ball easily for a player his size and can also chip in forward, kicking a goal from 16 disposals in his first Metro game against Western Australia. Given his injury-hit start to the year Emmett is one who could make a run up the list in the last months of the seasons.

Louis Emmett in action during Vic Metro's Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

The Collingwood Next Generation Academy prospect has plenty of exciting attributes. He moves well for a player his height, he hits the scoreboard and only has upside and growth to come. In his two Oakleigh games earlier this year he averaged 20 disposals, 13 hitouts and a goal, and he returned from neck soreness midway through Metro's carnival to also impact well with three goals against Western Australia and two against the Allies.

Zac McCarthy celebrates a goal during Vic Metro's Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on July 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

As a taller midfielder who can also go overhead and make an impact in the air, Farrow brings a different set of skills to the group of available midfielders this year. The rangy left-footer has drawn some Jordan Dawson comparisons and stood out for Western Australia, particularly with his penetrating kicking when he had a game-high 29 disposals and 803 metres gained against the Allies. Shapes as potentially the first WA prospect picked.

Jacob Farrow in action during Western Australia's Marsh AFL National Under-18 Boys Championships clash against Vic Country on June 7, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

After not playing last year due to a knee reconstruction at the end of 2023, Sweid hit top form earlier this year for the Cannons to mark his name as a draftable player. Sweid is a midfielder in the Dion Prestia mould – smaller but sharp hands and clean skills and a dogged attitude around the ball. The Essendon Next Generation Academy prospect is also adept inside 50, having kicked four goals from 16 disposals against the Allies for Vic Metro and hit the scoreboard through the year for the Calder Cannons.

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A hamstring injury saw Addinsall miss the end of the Allies' under-18 championships, having started well with seven clearances and 16 disposals against South Australia in the opening round of games. Addinsall is a natural finder of the ball and for the Suns Academy team he averaged 32 disposals and kicked four goals in three games earlier this year. Has quick hands and neat touch with his kicking and is another who is tied to Gold Coast.

Beau Addinsall in action for Australia U18 against Richmond's VFL side on April 13, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

Dovaston was a dynamo in the championships and booted nine goals for Metro across the four games – including an excellent four-goal display against the Allies from 18 disposals and 2.3 against Western Australia. The Ranges small forward is deadly around goal, knows how to snap the ball and convert his shots inside 50 and has also done some damage up the ground too. He has booted 22 goals from nine games for the Ranges this year.

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Onley is as tall as you can nearly find for a midfielder and when at his best is able to use that size to his favour with contested possessions, clearances and some power off the mark. He finished his carnival well for Vic Country with 22 disposals against Vic Metro and 28 and seven clearances against the Allies.

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