112 VAFA players signed to VFL lists in 2026!

The VAFA continues to attract enormous interest from VFL and AFL recruiters, with an incredible 112 VAFA players signed by VFL clubs for season 2026, reconfirming the League as a primary destination for players aiming to enter the elite pathway.

This is up from 100 players last season, and with 23 different VAFA clubs represented, it highlights the remarkable spread and depth of talent, as well as the quality of coaching and development programs across the competition.

And with VAFA players thriving at VFL level before rising to AFL level, such as Old Brighton duo Will Lewis and Tom Blamires this past weekend, it’s easy to see why recruiters have their eyes fixed on the League.

For the second straight season, Sandringham – now coached by former Old Haileybury premiership coach, Daniel Ward – leads the way with 20 VAFA signings, followed by Coburg with 13, St Kilda 12 and Richmond 10.

As was the case last year, Old Scotch has the most players signed to VFL lists this season – 17 (up from 15 last year), followed by Old Haileybury with 11, and St Kevin’s with 10.

Congratulations to the following players:

BOX HILL (5): Alex Lukic (Collegians), Sam Sofrinidis (Collegians), Freddie Leeton (Old Scotch), Nick Baring (Old Scotch), Tom Farrer (Old Scotch).

CARLTON (8): Jed Rule (Old Carey), Ollie Badr (Old Scotch), Dane Harvey (Old Scotch), Flynn Riley (Old Scotch), Alwyn Davey (Old Xaverians), Ethan Phillips (St Kevin’s), Charlie Cotter (Uni Blues), Jack O’Sullivan (Uni Blues).

CASEY (2): Jasper Russell (Old Haileybury), Oliver Green (Parkdale Vultures).

COBURG (13): Ingo Dammersmith (Caulfield Grammarians), Josh Walker (Collegians), Heath Ramshaw (Fitzroy), Donovan Toohey (Fitzroy), Zane Cochrane (Old Carey), Hugo Bromell (Old Scotch), Rhys Galvin (Old Scotch), Ryan Valentine (Old Scotch), Dom Payman (Old Trinity), Nick Hodgson (Old Trinity), Luke Di Lizio (St Bernard’s), Matt Foley (St Bernard’s), Joe Furphy (Uni Blues).

ESSENDON (4): Charlie Naish (Old Ivanhoe), Tyler Sellers (Old Scotch), Boston Dowling (Old Trinity), Jackson Hately (St Bernard’s).

FOOTSCRAY (7): Dan Orgill (Collegians), Laird Ramshaw (Fitzroy), Stirling Phipps-Parsons (Old Xaverians), Charlie Di Stefano (Parkside), Ged Saunders (St Kevin’s), George Delimitrou (St Kevin’s), Liam Edwards (St Kevin’s).

FRANKSTON (2): Joe Lloyd (De La Salle), Ben Fergusson (Old Scotch).

NORTH MELBOURNE (7): Ollie Lowe (Caulfield Grammarians), Patrick Fairlie (Caulfield Grammarians), Sam Linder (Old Brighton), Alex Noblett (Old Scotch), James Tarrant (Old Scotch), Lachie Gollant (St Bernard’s), Thomson Dow (Uni Blacks).

PORT MELBOURNE (8): Archi Manton (Old Brighton), Kaine Baldwin (Old Brighton), Sam Grant (Old Carey), Harry Stubbings (Old Scotch), Jack O’Sullivan (Old Xaverians), Josh Green (Old Xaverians), Ollie Sestan (Old Xaverians), Luca Alessio (St Bernard’s).

RICHMOND (10): Leo Connolly (De La Salle), Olli Hotton (Old Haileybury), Tom McKenzie (Old Ivanhoe), Caleb Nancarrow (Old Scotch), Harry Scott (Old Scotch), Sam Phillips (Old Trinity), Nick Guiney (Old Xaverians), Tom Ferguson (St Kevin’s), Zane Greenham (St Kevin’s), Kane Loftus (Uni Blacks).

SANDRINGHAM (20): Ben Seers (Beaumaris), Daniel Pinter (Beaumaris), Jhett Haeta (Beaumaris), Tom O’Rourke (Beaumaris), Jack Ferraro (Caulfield Grammarians), Josh Hutchings (Caulfield Grammarians), Noah Yze (Caulfield Grammarians), Will Johnson (Collegians), Owen Bater (Hampton Rovers), Andreas Stefanakis (Old Haileybury), Brodie Findlay (Old Haileybury), Flynn Gregor (Old Haileybury), Lachie Riley (Old Haileybury), Mitch Kirkwood-Scott (Old Haileybury), Matthew Payne (Old Haileybury), Jack Cheep (Parkdale Vultures), Andrew Mathieson (St Kevin’s), Ben Stephenson (Uni Blacks), Darcy Chirgwin (Uni Blacks), Leon Alao (Uni Blacks).

ST KILDA (12): Julian Galbally (Beaumaris), Oliver Wilson (Caulfield Grammarians), Billy Richardson (Collegians), Christian Algeri (De La Salle), Bailey McKenzie (Old Brighton), Jonah Campigli (Old Brighton), Tyson Nagel (Old Ivanhoe), Ned Maginness (Old Scotch), Billy McGee Galimberti (St Kevin’s), Jack Behnk (St Kevin’s), Liam Gunson (St Kevin’s), Oskar Ainsworth (Williamstown CYMS).

SYDNEY (2): Jack Ellwood (Caulfield Grammarians), Max Geddes (Uni Blacks).

WERRIBEE (4): Jake Smith (Old Haileybury), Mitch Lloyd (Uni Blues), Harry Miller (Williamstown CYMS), Jordan Busuttil (Williamstown CYMS).

WILLIAMSTOWN (8): Charlie Faubel (Fitzroy), Luke Parks (Old Geelong), Hugo Hall-Kahan (Old Haileybury), Cam Polson (Old Haileybury), Kye Turner (Old Haileybury), Alex Mirkov (Old Ivanhoe), Max Philpot (PEGS), Kai Dawson (Williamstown CYMS).

The entire VAFA community wishes you all the best as you chase your VFL and AFL dreams in 2026, and we also look forward to watching you entertain our VAFA fans throughout the season as well.