Rising tall defenders profiled as AFL gears up for November draft

The AFL's recruitment calendar is kicking into high gear, with talent scouts and club officials preparing for one of the year's most pivotal events. AFL Talent Ambassador Kevin Sheehan has released a comprehensive group of player profiles focused on tall defenders ahead of the upcoming National Draft, signalling the quality of backline talent entering professional football.

These profiles come hot on the heels of the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft Combine and state-based competitions held in October, where emerging players had their first formal audition in front of club scouts. For defenders, these combines represent a crucial opportunity to demonstrate not just their height and reach—valuable assets in a defensive role—but their speed, athleticism, and ability to think under pressure.

Among the standout prospects is James Barrat, a Victoria Country player who showcases exactly the kind of versatility modern AFL clubs crave. The 194-centimetre Bendigo Pioneers prospect kicked 22 goals early in the season before being called upon to fill a void in defence—a shift he embraced immediately. His performance at the national championships and subsequent VFL appearance for Essendon have made him a compelling case study in adaptability. At the combine, Barrat clocked exceptional times in both speed and agility tests, marking himself out as a physical specimen with the motor to match.

Cooper Bell, representing NSW and the ACT, takes a different approach. At 199 centimetres, the GWS Giants Academy product possesses the height scouts covet for a primary marking defender. More importantly, he pairs this with the speed typically reserved for smaller players—a rare combination that could make him a nightmare for opposition forwards. His progression through the GWS system and into VFL football demonstrates the competitive pathway these prospects are navigating.

Joel Cochran from the Sydney Swans Academy has earned particular praise for his athleticism and versatility. The 194-centimetre prospect is equally comfortable on the backline or operating on a wing. His standout performance at the national championships—including 21 disposals in a win over Western Australia—showed composure against established opposition and hinted at his potential at the next level.

What sets this group apart is not just individual talent but the depth of data available about them. The combines provide objective metrics on speed, agility, and endurance, supplementing the subjective assessments coaches and scouts have gathered through months of competition. For clubs, these profiles represent a translation guide: here is what we observed, here is what it means for their potential.

The draft itself is scheduled for mid-November, marking the culmination of months of recruitment planning for AFL clubs. Teams will use these assessments to fill gaps in their backlines—a priority given how modern football has evolved. Defending against increasingly versatile forward lines requires defenders who can run, think, and adapt in real time.

For emerging players like Barrat, Bell, and Cochran, these profiles represent validation that their performances have registered with the sport's decision-makers. More practically, they represent the opening chapters of what could become significant AFL careers, provided the next layer of development falls into place.